𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗻, cedric diggory

˗ˋ 22

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
✧
-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH SHE HELPS HIM WORK IT OUT

. . .

"So the Yule ball, huh?" Rosie said, sliding into the seat opposite Cedric. They had once again met in the library, and the girl was still trying to put forward the idea of putting the egg in some form of water, which was generally known as a way to hear mermaid songs.

"Hm?" Cedric looked up from the book he was flicking through, pausing a little when he saw her. She looked different, somehow. Happier, practically glowing as she pushed open a book. 

"Who are you thinking of asking?" She continued, studying the contents of the book, tapping on a specific one and carefully going through the pages. At Cedric's silence, she looked up. "Cho? It's alright, just because she doesn't like me and vice versa, doesn't mean that I'm going to implode." 

Cedric chuckled, shifting in his chair. "If you're sure.. I think I am going to ask her. She's expecting me to."

"Doesn't mean you have to ask her." Rosie told him, almost noncommittally. Her voice was soft, something that wasn't really present whilst she was helping Cedric. And to him, that seemed to translate that she was also there for him through more personal matters, not just because of a bet, or to help him. 

"True.. but I don't want to hurt her feelings. I know it'll sound stupid to you, considering how horrible she was to you." Cedric replied, and Rosie only shrugged.

"She might be horrible to me because she's jealous. To her, I'm a threat." Rosie said, and Cedric frowned. "Look, put it this way. Me and you are friends, and that could end up going somewhere more, considering how much time we spend together. To Cho, there is no reason to not suspect that it might go there, and not remain a completely platonic relationship."

Cedric nodded, his usually styled hair flopping over his forehead, and Rosie suddenly shoved a book under his nose. "I've got it." She pointed out, and Cedric frowned, pushing the book just a little further away so he could read it better.

"To a naked ear, a mermaid's song sounds horrific, a screeching, wailing sound that cold deafen you. Underwater, however, a mermaid's song can lure sailors to their deaths, it's beauty far too ethereal for them to remain on shore." Cedric read.

"You need to listen to the egg underwater." Rosie said, scribbling all the information down on a scrap piece of parchment. "And soon - you don't need to be worrying about that during the Yule ball." 

"But where can I listen to it underwater. There's no way I can go down to the lake." Cedric looked lost thought. "It's far too cold at this time of year."

"You're a prefect, idiot." Rosie punched him gently in the shoulder, and Cedric jumped, making a sound of pain, rubbing his shoulder whilst staring at her, confused.

"What's that got to do with this?" The Diggory boy replied, and continued to bewildered as Rosie stared at him, as if he was missing the point entirely.

"Cedric, I can't help you with everything. Geez, it's a wonder you got past the stupid Swedish Short-Snout. You can go to the Prefect bathrooms." She told him, just as the bell went off, signalling the start of the next period.

"Oh-" Cedric nodded, finally understanding what she was saying. "Well we can go tonight right?" 

"We?" Rosie asked, an eyebrow raised as she packed up her stuff, swinging her bag over her shoulder and walking with Cedric out. 

"Well why not?" Cedric shrugged. "We can wear swimsuits, obviously, and you can help me figure out exactly what it's telling me."

"You're forgetting that I'm not a prefect. What if McGonagall catches me in there." Rosie replied. "I've been late to her lessons one too many times, I'll get a detention."

"Like you haven't got one before?" Cedric raised an eyebrow, and Rosie deadpanned at him, head tilted slightly. "What? You're friends with the twins, of course you have."

"Well I haven't had any since we came back. I've been too preoccupied trying to make sure you don't end up killing yourself to participate in any pranks Fred and George have come up with." Rosie shrugged.

"So which one is going to be taking you to the ball?" Cedric asked, and Rosie only stared at him. "What, it's pretty obvious one of the them will be."

"Either one of them can, they just have to ask me properly." Rosie shrugged. "How are you going to be asking Cho?"

"I'm not sure yet." Cedric told her, as they reached the Entrance hall, where Rosie would split off to go and go to Care of Magical Creatures, and Cedric to Herbology.

"I'll be waiting outside the Gryffindor Common Room at midnight, be ready." He told Rosie, and walked off, not even giving her a chance to reply. 

Rosie was slightly nervous, for reasons she couldn't quite explain. But she was so glad that she had managed to inform Cedric how to figure out the egg without revealling that she was a mermaid.

But she would just have to be especially careful that night, beccause if she remembered correctly, one end of the prefects' bath was rather deep.

✧