Look at Me | Hermione Granger x Female OC (Book 1)

05 - Count of Three

The rest of the week flew by quickly, and soon, the weekend came. Ellie awoke bright and early, her heart racing with excitement as she jumped out of bed. Hermione had invited Ellie to study with her in the library, but only under the early morning hours where the room was most quiet.

Ellie quickly threw on a pair of jeans in exchange for her pajama pants. She rummaged through her trunk for an appropriate outerwear item, but she turned up unsuccessful. Sure, she could wear the over-worn sweater her mom had given, but it seemed impractical. Ellie never cared too much about fashion, yet she felt obligated to dress in a manner that would impress Hermione. Ellie sighed in frustration as she shut her trunk quietly, opting for an ordinary t-shirt she had fished out.

Ellie tiptoed her way to the common room, momentarily crouching in front of the fireplace for warmth. A subtle turn of a page startled Ellie, causing her to snap her head in that direction. It was Cedric. He was seated on one of the lounge chairs in a comfortable slouch, his legs outstretched with a book resting in between them.

"Morning, Ellie," Cedric greeted calmly. "Why are you up so early? It's your first weekend, and you deserve to sleep in."

Ellie turned around so that her back faced the fire, giving her attention to their conversation.

"Going to the library with Hermione. She offered to help me study," Ellie answered honestly as she crossed her arms over her chest to keep warm. "What are you doing up so early?"

Cedric shut his book gently, a seemingly disappointed expression appearing on his face.

"Reading, obviously," Cedric retorted in a light tone. "Anyway, I uh... I woke up early with plans of taking you to Hogsmeade for breakfast. But rest assured, I understand you've already got plans for this morning."

"Cedric... you're too sweet," Ellie complimented through her growing guilt. "I feel awful, now. Can we maybe reschedule?"

"Of course, Ellie. Name a day, and I'll take you there," Cedric smiled as Ellie stood to leave.

Cedric suddenly stood up just before Ellie could take her first step, bringing his fingers to the hem of his mocha-colored sweater, pulling it over his head.

"What are you doing?" Ellie frowned as his shirt stuck to his sweater momentarily, turning her head away as he revealed his seeker build. "Seriously, Cedric, I'm not interested in seeing your abs."

Cedric laughed as he tousled his hair effortlessly, flipping the sleeves to face the right way.

"I'm not showing you, silly," Cedric chuckled as he tossed his sweater to Ellie.

"Wear it. It'll keep you warm while you walk," Cedric insisted.

Ellie took the quarter zip and put it on effortlessly. It had an oversized yet comfy fit, its thick cotton instantly warming her. An inviting woodsy aroma flooded her nose, but Ellie didn't mind.

"Thank you," Ellie smiled as she adjusted the sweater on her shoulders.

"Any time," Cedric grinned. "Do you want me to walk you?"

"No, no, it's okay. I'll see you later," Ellie finalized as she trudged out the door, leaving Cedric to return to his reading.

She was suddenly greeted by Hermione, who stood just outside the barrels.

"Good morning, Ellie," Hermione chirped. "Hope you slept well."

"Oh- uh, morning. H-How do you know where the Hufflepuff common room is?" Ellie stammered.

"I know many things, don't act all surprised," Hermione responded. "Ready?"

Ellie nodded with a smile as Hermione lead her to the library, walking quickly to avoid the brittle breeze that turned the tip of the Hufflepuff's nose red. They entered the building quickly, sighing at the warm atmosphere. A few students sat at separate tables, reading quietly underneath the candle's light. Hermione lead Ellie to a table in a quiet corner near the back, surrounded by a plethora of old books.