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

Chapter 12

Hermione, true to her word, made sure I was delivered to Madam Pomfrey. She trailed after me through most of the castle, only stopping to peek around the door to see if I was being taken care of. At the same time, I appreciated her but wished she didn't have to see after me.

That's Cedric's job.

Not anymore, I had to remind myself.

Madam Pomfrey, having not known I had had a fortune that was the cause of me being so worked up, took one look at Hermione's worried face, one listen at my ragged breath and sent me off to bed. Excusing me from my lessons for the day, I took all advantage and happily climbed into one of the cots at the end of the long row in the Hospital Wing.

As happily as I could be with what felt like a million eyes on me. But what was really my own judging eyes on my past actions. Then came the anxiety over my future actions. Classes were definitely something I couldn't focus on but the aftermath would come later. I would be missing Potions, no doubt having to make it up in a private session in the cold dungeon with my least favorite professor.

I could already hear him asking invasive questions on my absence. Despite knowing that I was a seer, Snape always made me feel like I was under interrogation, as if each time he spoke to me he wanted to push me onto the brink of calling him out. Maybe that was his second form of entertainment, following behind berating Harry. I'd be missing out on the chance to stand up for my friend only because I could barely stand myself.

The events of the morning and previous night fell heavy on my shoulders and my eyelids. Worry slipped away as I slipped into a restless sleep. Half of me wanted to dream away every anxiety on my mind while the other half wanted nothing more than to think of every single worry, down to the fine details.

I finally awoke, who knows how long later, thinking of how the specs of blue in Cedric's eyes were the coldest I had ever seen them. A similar chill washed over me as I woke in the dark Hospital Wing. The moon, a sliver in the sky, hung right at its highest spot reserved for midnight.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes and attempting to count of the hours I had slept. It took me a few minutes to remember my moments of being awake during the day, the last memory of being on my feet seemed so long ago. After counting out the two times I had pretended to be sleeping when Hermione, and later Harry, had checked up on me, as well as the two times Madam Pomfrey interrupted my useless sleep to see how I was feeling, I docked in at least ten hours of restless slumber.

Restless from my brain that kept buzzing, unable to catch a break. The blood rushed to my head as I stood up for the first time since this morning, along with the thoughts running rampant in my head. Including Cedric's hurt face and our recent conversation, which had me sit back down for a moment.

A few bites of the cold soup left on my nightstand, had me shivering enough to get up to grab a sweater. It might've been easier to just use a simple warming charm on the chilled food, but I had always taken to the more challenging route. Which in this case, was walking all the way back to my dorm in Gryffindor Tower, risking a repermandering from Madam Pomfrey and a detention from any teacher or prefect that I came across in the corridors.

Unless that prefect was Cedric.

The thought stopped me mid-step, stunning me. Not only was it shocking to think that, but surprising at how quickly I dismissed it. It's not like Cedric wouldn't protect me, in fact he might protect me even more to get back on good terms. The way I waved it away, though. It's like I already crossed an 'X' on his face. Which I hadn't. I don't think I had.

I think I had heard Madam Pomfrey move in her office, sending me quickly out into the silent hallway. The large door closed behind me with a hushed thump.