Changing opinions//Draco malfoy

14)Sickness

I asked Cedric to hand in my sick notice for the next three days. The teachers are starting to realise that something is up but I believe, since they all witnessed the whole incident, that they understand and are laying off their investigations.

Even though he still had classes he came by to the Gryffindor common room every chance he got! We played chess, drew each other (although I must admit mine was not the best!), and we talked all day for hours and hours when the weekend hit.

I plan to start back classes tomorrow since it's a new week. I have come to the realisation that I do not need friends! All I need is Cedric and although he is not in most of my classes he is in enough to make the in-between bits bearable!

It's Sunday today and I'm finally leaving the dorm after my three days off classes - and my Saturday of hibernating.

I awkwardly shuffle out of the common room into the hallway. Its empty thankfully but I keep my head down incase anybody would appear. Gosh I'm turning red already!

Cedric and I have arranged to meet outside at the hill. It is my first trip outside of the school grounds since I arrived and - to be honest, I'm extremely excited to see outside of the castle.

I wave at him as I near him at the top of the hill. He has his hands in the pockets of his trousers but he smiles and waves when he sees me.

He looks extra cute today. I smile when I reach him.

'Squeak...squeak squeak!" A Slytherin boy shouts as he walks past with a group of girls. They all laugh and even some people in the background giggle.

I clench my jaw as I stop my tears from welling up.

"Ignore them," Cedric rubs my shoulder. "They're not worth it."

I nod lightly. I know they aren't. But something in my head constantly feeds my insecurities around these people.

We start the quick walk to Hogsmeade, down the hill around an old, spooky looking shack and into the village.

"Well, do you have any shops you wish to visit today?" I ask Cedric as the crowded little village comes into sight.

"Uhmmm...nothing in particular,today is more-so about you." He smiles awkwardly and focuses on the ground.

"Oh!" I smile. "Well, I wouldn't mind looking around, and maybe buying a new jumper, this ones a bit battered." I tug on the wool jumper
I found in the suitcase under my bed.

"Oh," he looks at it strangely. "Can you turn around for a second?" He requests.

I raise my brow slightly but do as he says. I feel his fingers brushing my hair unintentionally as he checks the tag on my jumper. My heart races. Stop it!

"Ah," he nods and I turn around again. "What?" I ask.

"It's one of those family ones, you know, where the parents have two colours - probably red and white in your case, and then the child gets the jumper with the colour of the parents ones mixed together...hence, pink." He smiles as he struggles to spit out the long, confusing sentence.

"Oh!" I smile and grab my jumper as I look back down at its light pink complexion.

"Well, I don't ever remember my parents giving this to me...so I think I shall buy a new one and be gone with this battered old thing!"

He looks slightly confused but does not question me and his laugh shows it.

We go from Gladrags - where I pick up a new jumper and throw my old one in the public bin on the way out, to Honeydukes Sweetshop where we queue up for ages just to pay for our bags of sweets.