𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗻, cedric diggory

˗ˋ 45

CHAPTER FOURTY FIVE
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-: sixth year :-

── IN WHICH TRUTHS ARE REVEALED

. . .

"And why, dare I ask, do you think that?" Rosie replied, folding her arms and looking calmly at Cedric. She had no idea how she managed to keep calm and barely react like that - but she did.

Her reaction unnerved Cedric. He had perhaps expected her to show somewhat more of.. well anything. But she barely even reacted, making him doubt himself for just a moment.

"Well, for starters she had your hair. And.. I just know." Cedric fumbled, any actual reason seeming to disappear from his mind. "You weren't with the twins when I looked over and I'm pretty much convinced you were the mermaid that winked at me when the results were being announced."

He sounded exasperated, confused and somehow sad as he spoke. And this was what made Rosie begin to feel bad. For what, she wasn't too sure, but it was there. 

"Rosie, you disappeared right when the task began - and I know this becaue Robert mentioned it. You come back to the castle quite literally drenched in clothes that you didn't come in." Cedric said. "And I don't think that was because the twins pushed you in." 

"Merlin, Rosie please. Please just tell me if it was you or not." Cedric pleaded, looking desperate. Rosie stared at him for a moment, leaning against one of the columns by the window.

She swallowed before nodding, eyes directed to the ground and arms folding tighter and tighter around her torso. Rosie didn't know why Cedric really needed to know - she just hoped he would be alright with it.

"I was.. am that mermaid." Rosie admitted. "I got this really anxious feeling and I know it's against the rules but I couldn't just sit there and worry." 

"Is that when when we were in the prefect's bathroom you wouldn't come to the deep end?" Cedric said. The Kersey girl stared for a moment, wondering if that was his only question before replying.

"Yeah - if I had come any deeper then I would have turned into a mermaid just like that." Rosie replied, clicking her fingers for emphasis. 

"Can I ask how exactly?" Cedric looked confused. Rosie nodded, before glancing around and seeing a door. She pulled Cedric by his arm into this empty classroom, sitting down on the teacher's desk whilst Cedric leant againt the student desk in front of her. 

"My mum and dad met whilst he was at Hogwarts. He fell into the Black Lake one summer and got dragged down by Grindylows and my mum rescued him. They fell in love over the next year and after his graduation my dad bought a old boathouse and began to do it up." Rosie said, Cedric listening intently. 

"My mum moved away from here into the lake with the boathouse - she had some relatives in the group there, so she wasn't alone. I won't get into the details of how.. but I ended up being born." Rosie continued.

"I was human, as far as they knew. I couldn't go in the water for a little while just in case, but when I did finally get into the lake, I turned into a mermaid. My mum was over the moon, as was my dad. I got the best of everything, apparently." She shrugged.

"Is that why your mum wasn't at the Quidditch cup?" Cedric asked. 

"I disguise my lack of mum anywhere by having problems with her, of course, this isn't an issue. The only one is that she's a bloody mermaid and can't leave the water or else she'll die." Rosie explained. 

The pair fell silent, Cedric taking it all in and letting all this new information process in his mind. Rosie shuffled awkwardly, eyes focused on the posters dotted around the room - it was a muggle studies classroom, she believed.

"Thank you for helping me." Cedric finally said. "And I want to apologise to you properly. You don't have to believe me, but this time I really won't be friends with Cho again."

"Is this because you want help for the last task?" Rosie looked skeptical, and Cedric instantly denied it. 

"No, I was a prick Rosie. I only kept things going with Cho was because I was jealous of you and that Durmstrang guy and I have no idea what I was thinking because all me and Cho did was mess around and you were helping me with the bloody Triwizard Tournament." Cedric began to ramble, and Rosie's eyes widened at his words.

"His name is Theo." She said quietly, and Cedric's gaze flickered over to her. "The Durmstrang guy. His name is Theo."

"Oh, well yeah." Cedric replied, voice slow. "Are you two dating?" He added, voice as quiet as Rosie's when she interjected.

"We went to Hogsmeade once, and we get on. He's pretty touchy though, so I see why you could think that." Rosie said. 

"But you aren't?" Cedric looked to her for confirmation and Rosie hesitated, before shaking her head - they weren't. "Hey - if you're letting me talk to you about dating does that mean you accept my apology?"

Rosie didn't say anything for a couple of minutes, a thoughtful look on her face. Cedric didn't say anything, just hoping it was the answer he was looking for. 

"Yes. And if this bet is going to go back on then you better truly break up with Cho this time. And you better arrive to any sessions right on time. I'll be working you hard, there's a lot to catch up on." Rosie said.

"Of course, I'll do it after dinner." Cedric said, getting up and walking towards the door. With a jolt, Rosie remembered her talk with Theo that night, and decided that maybe it would go a different direction that she planned. 

"Oh and Kersey-" Cedric said, turning around just as he was about to leave the room. "It's good to have you back."

Rosie just smiled, glad to be back as well.

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