I Know And I Don't Care (Cedric Diggory x Reader)

Chapter 10

The days flew by. Lessons were as stressful as usual in the beginning of term. Even with the competition, Mcgonagall was assigning us an essay almost every night.

"No one is the champion, yet." She had said to Seamus, who had argued that the champion wouldn't have brain space for an essay on transfiguring live creatures. And Mcgonagall now has less brain space for thinking of our lives outside of class, Seamus.

The heavy workloads couldn't stop the excitement at each meal, where everyone was always more excited than the last. I was worried that on Thursday Dumbledore would need to pound his podium to get the attention of all the excited chatter.

Everyone silenced the minute Dumbledore asked for people to sit, their anticipation greater than what they wanted to whisper to their friend. The silence made me wish for nonstop chatter in the library. No talking made me nervous.

Cedric looked at ease across the masses of people in the still packed away Great Hall. Well, to most he looked normal. But to me, I could see straight through to his clenched jaw and the way he barely talked since he'd entered. And I wasn't even sitting with him.

"Merlin, how many times are you going to look at Pretty-boy?" George said from behind me.

"Merlin, how many times will I mention you grew a beard as long as Dumbledore's?" I shot back without a second thought. My comment got George to stop talking and those around me laughing.

Where was their laughter now?

"Now the moment you've all been waiting for: The Champion selection."

With a wave of his hands the large hanging torches burned out. One by one, the blue flames of the Goblet spread across the hall. As the only light source in the dark room, the anticipation only grew.

Dumbledore didn't help, creeping to the Goblet slowly. He grazed the rim of the cup, walking around it before backing up. The distance between him and the trophy allowed it to glow a fiery red. I only missed the blue flames when the flames disappeared altogether for a moment, distributing a small piece of parchment straight into Dumbledore's hand.

"The Durmstrang champion is Viktor Krum."

The standing ovation from the Durmstrang students lasted until their champion had disappeared behind the door behind the teacher's table. Karkaroff didn't even bother acknowledging his chosen student. I had a weird feeling he had almost expected Krum to be chosen.

The feeling fluttered away, swept up in the applause for the champion from Beauxbatons. Ron's 'girlfriend', more commonly known as Fleur Delacour, strut across the hall, looking as confident and put together as always. I'd seen her in the hall a few times, following beside Cho. I had also seen them sitting together, the Beauxbaton table was connected to the Ravenclaw's.

I wish she hadn't found a friend, though.

That's not true, I just didn't want to see her face in this moment. Because seeing her face meant seeing that the second champion was already chosen. The Hogwarts' champion the only one left to choose. Cedric to last to be chosen.

Small chance, bigger risk.

This repeated in my head as I searched the crowds, searching for a specific someone. Grey eyes caught my attention while scanning down one of the few long tables set up. My eyes weren't as powerful, their stare on Cedric's face not bothering him in the slightest. I wished for him to look up but quickly changed my mind.

From the way he was burning a hole into the table, I recognized his inner turmoil. The realization that I hadn't bothered to think of what Cedric must be going through, had instant guilt growing on my shoulders.