The Redhead and the Irish

Chapter 31

-TWO WEEKS LATER-

The second task was a mere day away and it was all anyone could talk about. After the night of the Yule Ball, I hadn't spoken to Cedric. "Hey, Weasley! Wait up!" an unfamiliar voice yelled. I spun around, looking Hannah Abbott in the eye. "Hannah...uhm...what can I help you with?" I wondered, quite confused. "Well, I just figured something out and I thought you'd want to know." the female Hufflepuff explained to me, panting slightly. "Uhm...I don't know what you mean. Does it have anything to do with the second task? Because Harry already told me everything he knows." I stated, hugging myself to obtain some warmth. Hannah scoffed at Harry's name. "This is more important than Potter." she said, crossing her arms over her chest. I furrowed my brows together as Hannah took a deep breath. "Cedric fancies you." she stated. I widened my eyes before running off, looking for the one person that could confirm or deny this.

I tightened the scarf around my neck, looking for a certain Hufflepuff. "Cedric!" I yelled once I spotted him. He was sitting in the courtyard, reading. He glanced up, meeting my eyes. "Rowen, hey." the brown-haired boy smiled. He closed the book and walked towards me. "What brings you here on this cold day?" he wondered, seeing me shiver. "I was looking for you." I admitted, focusing on my feet. Cedric chuckled. "Why?" he wondered. "Hannah said that you fancy me and I want to know if that's true or not." I blurted out. I dared to look up again, staring at the confused Hufflepuff. Eventually, he bursted out laughing. "What's so funny?" I demanded, annoyed by not getting an answer. "Look, Rowen, I care a great deal about you, but FANCY you? No thanks." he choked. "Is that an insult or a compliment?" I asked unamused. "Rowen, you're a great girl, really. But we're worlds apart. Even if I liked you, it would never work out." he explained. I let out a deep breath. "Do you fancy me?" he wondered. "Merlin no!" I exclaimed. He looked at me before smiling. "So...friends?" he questioned. "I wouldn't want it any other way." I smiled.

"Now, would you join me for a walk around the grounds? It gets quite lonely out here." Cedric asked me. I nodded and we made our way to the black lake, which was now frozen. I stepped onto the ice carefully, making sure it was thick enough to hold my weight. "Is it safe?" Cedric asked me as I walked over the frozen lake. "Safe enough, I just need to check on the giant squid real quick." I explained as I began wiping the snow off of the ice. After a while, I heard a knock about ten foot to my left. I walked towards it, seeing the giant squid beneath the ice. "Hey there, big guy." I smiled. The squid looked at me happily, trying to reach through the frozen layer of water.

"Cedric, can you help me real quick?" I wondered, glancing at the creature under the ice. "I need you to go a little deeper, or you'll get hurt." I informed the squid. Almost immediately it dived down. "What is it?" Cedric asked as he went to stand beside me. "Can you blow a hole in the ice? I need to check on the squid." I said. "Uhm...sure." he replied, grabbing his wand. I stepped back a bit, giving Cedric the space he needed. "Bombarda." he stated, blowing a medium sized hole in the ice. "Thank you." I said, before crouching at the edge of the hole. "Be careful." he warned me. "It's fine. If I fall in, the squid can take me out in an instance." I calmed him as the underwater creature emerged from the lake. It made a noise which meant it was happy. "I know, sweetie, I know." I smiled, petting its tentacles. I spotted some small wounds on them. "Did the merpeople do this?" I asked. It nodded.

I grabbed my bag and looked for the balm that I always used on the squid if it got hurt. "What are you looking for?" Cedric questioned. "The squid got hurt again and I need to treat its wounds." I explained as I grabbed a small container from my bag. I took off the lid and wiped some yellowish balm to the small cuts. "So, you take care of all the creatures on the grounds?" Cedric wondered as I closed the small container. "They need my help as much as I need theirs." I answered, petting the squid's head. "Honestly, you have to become a magizoologist later." he chuckled. I smiled as I felt the slimy skin of the squid under my hand. "I'm afraid I am already offered a different job." I said. The squid let out a final happy gurgle before disappearing under the surface again. I stood up and dried my hands to my robes before turning my attention to the Hufflepuff. "And what might that be?" he wondered. "My brother's-" "Which one?" he interrupted. "The one that works in Romania. Anyways, his team offered me a job in the dragon reserve they work. When I'm eighteen, of course." I explained as we began to walk back to the shore. Cedric nodded and we made our way to the bridge.