Darling - Cedric Diggory

16

It's no understatement to say Cedric Diggory breaks my heart more everyday. The more I look at him the more I see him and Cho, they've clearly scrapped their no public affection rule as they always seem to be holding hands, or she is kissing his cheeks and he's beaming. He always seems to be smiling. I wonder if it looks fake to everyone else or if it's just my jealousy.

I let out a groan as I drop into the seat next to a sympathetic looking Hermione.

"Please distract me," I groan, she looks around the library to see Cho, who is perched on Cedric's lap whispering to him. He seems slightly agitated as he's clearly trying to focus on the homework in front of him.

"You wanna go study somewhere else?"

"I don't know. I don't want to see them cause I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my-" I'm cut off by Klaus dropping onto the seat next to me.

"Hello, you look beautiful," he smiles. I can feel Cedric's eyes trained to us

"Thankyou," I sigh

"I want to ask you a question," he states

"Oh, um, sure?" I don't mean to sound so unsure

"Would you like to go to the ball? With me?" He seems nervous which looks wrong. I feel my heart snap. I should be going with Cedric.

"I'm sorry. I already have a date," I apologise. He nods and leaves, seeming frustrated.

I glance back at Cedric who raises his eyebrows in question.

"Study somewhere else?" Hermione

"I don't want boys controlling my life anymore. Where I can do what I can do," I sigh

"Then we will study here. Let him stare. Clearly he's regretting his choice," she announced loud enough the couple two tables down can hear. I smile to Hermione who always manages to make me feel better. She grins back and rolls her eyes at Cho's loud scoff.

*
It's the next day in potions that I next see him.

"Hi," he whispers, he's arrived late, having had an interview with Rita Skeeter. Even Snape can't take points away from him for that. I smile politely but don't say anything

"So you have a date for the ball?" He questions. I shrug

"Who?"

"Mr. Diggory, you may be a tri-wizard champion but the world doesn't resolve around you. This is my lesson. 10 points from Hufflepuff. Please refrain from talking to Miss Black," Snape's voice sounds out.

"Sorry Professor," he apologises. Snape rolls his eyes turning back to the board.

A piece of paper is shoved in front of me less than a minute later

Please can we talk after class?

I look at Cedric, look at the hope in his eyes. It breaks my heart to nod but I do it anyway. I can't let him down again. He grins before turning back to the board. The lesson draws to an end and the class empty the room quickly.

"Hi," I mutter, feeling a layer of awkwardness I have never felt in Cedric's presence before.

"I just thought you should know. Skeeter heard about us, well, not talking anymore. It was all she spoke about, I tried to steer the conversation away. I'm really sorry," of course kind, sweet, Cedric is giving me a heads up I'm about to get the shit taken out of me in the news

"It's not your fault,"

"Cho will probably be in there too," he admits.

"That's okay. As long as you're happy," I smile and it's genuine. I want him to be happy.

"Em- I'm-" he looks like he's about to tell me he isn't happy and I don't think I can stand hearing it.

"I've gotta go," I state picking my bag up. I walk towards the door

"Emily?" He asks. I turn around to see him. He looks nervous, I hate that we have gone back to being nervous around each other. "You got a date to the ball?" He asks

"No. I just didn't want to go with Klaus. I knew it would hurt you," my voice cracks. He winces slightly, I can tell that he's grateful but we are both thinking the same thing. Why am I trying to not hurt him? "Whoever I go with it'll be a friends thing. It'll probably be one of the twins," I state before leaving the room.

*

"Hey," Lee grins falling into the sofa next to me. I scoot my knees up closer to my chest to make room for him, flashing him a warm smile.

"I have a question," he starts "would you like to go to the ball with me? As friends," he adds quickly 

"Lee. I would love to- I - just- are you sure. I mean I know you-"

"Have the biggest crush ever on you?" He questions grinning

"Something like that," I giggle. It's not the first time I've wished I could be attracted to him, I really want to like him how he likes me, to be able to fall for him. I just can't. There's no spark. But he does make me smile every time I see him and I'm thankful for his friendship

"We are friend Em. There's no one I want to go to the ball with so why not go together? Godrick knows you're not ready for a date,"

"Are you sure? This is just a friend thing yeah?"

"Of course,"

"Then yes Lee. I would be honoured to go to the ball with you," I grin, he beams back giving me a quick hug before offering me a hand and pulling me off the sofa.

We walk to dinner talking excitedly about plans and for the first time in a while I feel at peace. I feel happy.

Until I hear it

"Come on Darling! We need to be quick or Justin will be there!" It's Cedric's voice. He runs past pulling a giggling Cho behind him. It's not that they're hand in hand. It's not that they're rushing to something.

It's that he calls her darling. He called me darling. I thought it was something just for me. I guess it was just like every other sweet nothing he said to me.