Misunderstood | Cedric Diggory

xviii

The second task was fast approaching, and I had been working endlessly with Cedric to string together some kind of plan for the task. From what we gathered, the task would be set in the lake. It made sense, giving our location and the message from the Merpeople. 

"I think we have to find something," Cedric doted his pencil onto some loose parchment, where above he had written a transcript of the message, "something valuable."

"Underwater?" I questioned, it seemed like the obvious answer.

He nodded, "I think I'm going to have to find a way to breathe underwater."

Then the next few days were flicking through all the books we could find in the library to find something. Eventually we had found the bubblehead charm, and considering Cedric's adeptness for the magic, it seemed the most fitting.

We were practising late into the night the day before, and it eventually lead to the two of us sitting down. Gathering our thoughts one last time before the event. "What if this valuable thing isn't the most obvious, like what even can it be?"

"It'll have to make sense," I reassured him, "and you're done the most you could do."

He took a deep breath, "I hope so, after the first task I need to come at least first or second to ensure I have a good chance at a victory."

"And you will," I squeezed his hand, "you're like top of all your classes Ced, and that's even with all this extra work you've been doing this year."

He looked over at me, the gaze in his eyes warm and full of love, and I found myself telling him the one thing he needed to here, "I believe in you, and that's enough for you to win this."

"Okay," he blushed, before turning back to the books with a boyish smirk on his face which didn't leave for a while.

Eventually, I had to leave Cedric in the library to attend one of my own classes for that day, which was what gave Alfie the opportunity to approach me after class. 

"I've been thinking a lot," he began.

I took this teasingly, "Tends to be what we do."

He rolled his eyes playfully, "About the prophecy and everything you told me, and I-I want to help."

I chuckled softly at him, I wasn't sure exactly what he thought he could add, "Cedric's my best mate, and I care a lot about you, Elise. I don't want to lose either of you, so if I don't somehow do everything in my power to stop that, what kind of friend am I?"

"A smart friend," I answered, "there's almost nothing you can do. I just need to fall in love with Diggory, which for some reason is appearing to be impossible."

He chuckled, "Typical, isn't it? The one girl who Diggory needs to be in love with him isn't?"

"It's the curse of it all!" I exclaimed, "God, who knew falling in love would be so hard."

"Not me," he answered, "but Cedric has always teased me for being a little bit of a hopeless romantic."

My eyes lightened, he was a hopeless romantic? It was one of the sweetest things I had heard, it made my heart warm with butterflies and tingles. I didn't know why.

"Anyways, I'm taking Alyssa out tonight, trying to patch things up with her," Alfie continued, "now I know there's no chance of losing her to Cedric, I thought I might as well try."

I hesitated for a moment, a part of me a little upset at Alfie for going back to her. He could have done better, despite everything her heart didn't yearn for me, one of the people who had truly given her a second chance after what happened with Viktor. I hadn't of spoken to her since I found out she still had feelings for Cedric. Harriet still acted civil and normal, though it was clear I was upset.