𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 | √

⎡56⎦

I hopped out of the shower and dried off. Taking my wand off the side of the sink, I gave a tap to my head, using a charm to make my hair dry with a touch of volume. I walked out of the bathroom in my towel and saw Astoria reading on her bed. I grabbed my dress and walked back into the bathroom. 

"So, who's the lucky boy that gets to have you as their date?" Astoria asked through the door.

"Nobody. I'm planning on going alone." I replied as I began to squirm through the dress.

"Nobody? Surely someone asked you to the Ball."

"Yeah, lots of people did. I rejected all of them. I guess I'll just have to look like an idiot by going alone." I opened the door, now changed into my long, white, strapless dress, and let Astoria see.

Her jaw dropped. "That dress is absolutely stunning on you."

I smiled a little and sat down on the bed. Astoria walked behind and began to brush my hair.

"So Imbecile Brains decided not to ask you?" I nodded.

She sighed. "I need to teach the boy a lesson." She said threateningly.

I shook my head. "Don't bother Astoria. It's fine. I honestly don't care."

"We both know that's a lie."

I paused for a second letting her words sink in.

"I know" I whispered.

. . .

I fixed my hair which was in an elegant loose bun again and fiddled with my gold bracelet. I was about to walk down the steps to the Great Hall when I paused. It's about 15 minutes early. I can just go later. I turned around and paused again. But I can't I need to show that I can do this. I took a deep breath. Move your legs Hazel! Come on! Alright, you are going to move in 3... 2... 1...

I stepped around the corner and the talking stopped. All eyes fell on me. I could see Cedric, whose jaw was slightly dropped. He didn't look overly fancy and it was a great look for him. We locked eyes for a second before I turned away. Don't fall. Don't fall. Dammit Hazel. Don't you dare fall in these heels. I got to the bottom of the stairs and let out a breath of relief. Suddenly, something popped.

I couldn't do this. This was the worst idea in human history. I slowly brought my hand to my growing headache. I leaned against the wall, my eyes brimming with tears. I let out a noise of exasperation and quickly walked back up the stairs to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I reached the bathroom and laid my head against the wall. I couldn't ruin my makeup by crying. I had to get over it. All of a sudden a tiny paper starling appeared in front of my face, fluttering violently. I grabbed it out of the air and slowly opened it up. The letter read:

Hazel Rebecca Rosewood,

I write this letter to you as an apology. You also have absolutely no clue how much I miss you. My stupid actions have now led to the fact that I have lost you. I have lost the only thing in the world that I loved above everything in the world. It hurts me to know that you are hurt. I don't want the scars on your hand to remind you of everything that happened between us. I want them to heal. I love you more than anything in the world Hazel.

I want you to know that Cho put a temporary love spell on me. Cho does not make me happier than I was with you. I love you. I have never stopped and I never will.

I will love you always, Hazel,

Cedric Amos Diggory

As I finished reading the letter a tear ran down my cheek. He loved me. I couldn't want more. I fixed my makeup in the mirror and rushed out of the bathroom. I saw Cedric with his back towards me and rushed up to him. That's when I noticed Cho was talking to him.

"So who's your date to the ball Cedric?" She asked with a baby voice and a hand on his chest.

"No one," he replied.

"Oh. So will you go with me?" She asked.

Cedric took a deep, shaky, breath. "Y-yes"

I gasped. Cedric whipped around. "Hazel! No- I didn't-"

I shook my head and backed up, tears filling my eyes again. I crumpled his letter and threw it at him. I picked up my dress and began to run to the courtyard where the carriages were. There were no tears on my face. I had no clue what I was feeling. I opened one of the doors but before I could step inside of the carriage, something grabbed my wrist and turned me around.

"Cedric get off," I said trying to pull my hands out of his grasp.

"No look at me," he replied grabbing my face with both of his hands, forcing me to look into his eyes. "I only said yes to Cho because I didn't see you. I love you. As you read in the letter I wrote to you Cho put me under an advanced temporary love spell. I wanted none of this to happen. I only ever wanted you in my life. I just want you to forgive me. What I did was unacceptable, I know and I will never again hurt you like that for the rest of my life whether you are mine or not."

My jaw was loose and hung open slightly. No words would come out. All I could do was stare into his gray eyes. We stood there, sharing breaths, for what felt like millennia. I couldn't feel anything. My body wouldn't move and I couldn't feel the winter air around me. After not replying Cedric slowly started bringing his hands down. Once his hands were all the way down by his sides he began to turn away. Hazel! You can't just let him go!

I did the first thing I could think of. I grabbed the sides of his robes in the front, where they folded over, and pulled him into a rough kiss. He stood there for a second, shocked before he began to kiss me back. I could feel his smile against my lips as the kiss got deeper and he brought his hands to my waist. He kissed me again, more insistent this time, his hands squeezing my waist. He pulled back to breathe just by a few centimeters but I didn't let him get that far as I let go of one side of his robes, bringing my hand up to curl into his hair and drawing his mouth towards mine again. We kept kissing until we ran out of breath. Foreheads together, I whispered, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too Hazel and I will never leave you again."

"I love you Cedric."

"I love you too Hazel. Now, about the ball... "