The Hufflepuff Princess

Chapter 46: Water Wrestling and Simple Lies

Rose awoke to the sound of birds chirping, gentle breezes of the wind, and the quiet slap of water against the mattress. Rose blinked as the bright sunlight flooded her senses before she felt the mattress shift. She went very still, her mattress was not shifting, it was rocking, and floating. On. The. Lake.

"C…" Rose slowly picked her head up, as she tried to stay calm. The water lapped at the mattress as Rose glared towards the laughing Cedric. His laughs were quiet because he was on the shore of the lake. Rose shouted loudly, "CEDRIC!" She felt the mattress rock threateningly as she tried to stabilize herself. Cedric was howling with laughter, as Amos seemed to finally notice Rose awake. He shouted towards her, "Good morning Rose! You slept like a rock! Not even a twitch when we moved you there!" Rose felt betrayed but still was fighting not to smile as she shouted, "HELP ME!" Cedric started to laugh even louder holding his sides, "Surely the brightest witch can swim!" Rose shouted all kinds of creative names for Cedric as his parents laughed, "Go help Rose." Cedric sighed as he took off his shirt and shoes, "Don't worry. The knight is coming for the damsel in distress." Rose was clinging to the mattress muttering under her breath.

"I'm going to drown him. He's going to swim over here and I'm going to drown him." Cedric swam the whole way as if he was a warm knife in butter, popping his head up next to the mattress with a smile, "Hello Damsel." Rose glared at him before grabbing his head and dunking him in, not caring she was likely to fall in too. She was yelling as she shoves his head in the water, "You two-faced bed moving sneak! You're gonna be the damsel when I'm done with you!" Amos and his beautiful wife was laughing as hard as they could at the two, Cedric would come up coughing and sputtering and the moment he got a good breath he would go down again. Rose would shove his head before letting him go as the mattress violently rocked, trying to regain her balance before grabbing him again. Suddenly Rose screamed as she fell in the water, the cold shocking her as she felt her pajamas soaked. She rushed to the surface gasping for air as Cedric laughed loudly at her panic. Rose watched as the mattress flew away from them with a simple wave of Amos' wand, leaving Cedric and herself alone in the lake. Rose glared at Cedric who dove under the water, "Oh no you don't!" Rose took a breath of air before diving underneath the water after him. Her vision was blurry but she could just make out his tan skin swimming away.

She raced after him, her feet kicking behind her as Cedric rose for air. She grabbed his ankle mere seconds before he swam away, yanking him back in the water as he looked shocked. Rose grabbed him, causing them to roll under the surface, their hands making bubbles as she smacked him, though it was not hard at all. Rose stuck her head above the water for another breath before feeling Cedric slip out of her fingers. They raced to the shore and once they could stand Rose splashed him with a final burst of energy. Cedric laughed as he leaned on his knees, Rose copying him as they gasped for air. Amos was clapping at both of them, "Quite the show above the surface." Rose looked as if she wanted to talk but only continued to catch her breath. Rose felt warmth flood her body as her clothes dried with a drying spell, resulting in her sighing in relief. Cedric was not dried, as Amos told him he deserved it a little. The rest of the week went by rather fast. Rose had shown them the muggle way of Smores, though she had to ask Mr. Dursley how to do it before she left. Amos was thrilled while Cedric ended up burned by his marshmallow when it landed in his hand. Mrs. Diggory explained all the fun things to look forward to now that she was a third year, such as new feelings, Hogsmeed, and even more advanced work. Soon Cedric and herself were sitting in her room, helping each other check off their lists one final time in preparation for their three days in Diagon alley.

"Socks?" Rose looked at her suitcase and trunk as she observed the items inside, "Yes. Ties?" Cedric groaned as he left the room, returning with a handful of yellow and black ties. Rose laughed as she watched him shove it in his own trunk, "I always forget. Hmmm, shoes?" Rose laughed as she nodded, "Yes. Brooms?" Cedric nodded at her, "Yeah, already in the car. Any toiletries or personal items." Rose nodded as she motioned to a bag in her suitcase before touching her throat to check if she had her locket. Cedric smiled at her before glancing at her trunk, "Writing tools?" Rose paused before racing to the desk, "Almost forgot! Thank you." Cedric looked pleased he remembered this time as he looked around, "I think we are good. Anything you think we forgot?" Rose hummed as she looked around the room, checking each drawer, surface, chair, and small areas. She shrugged, "I think I'm all done. How about you?" Cedric hummed as he nodded, "I think I'm good. Ready? Have your galleons?" Rose rolled her eyes as she motioned to her bag, "In there. We need to go to bed to get up." Cedric chuckled before he hugged her tightly, "Night Rose."