Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Fourth Year // Chapter 16

After that night, I made sure to keep my necklace hidden from Cedric AT ALL TIMES! I mean, I did truly love Cedric ... and he truly loved me. I couldn't just hurt him by putting on a show for everyone who knows about the necklace ... that we weren't meant for each other. I'm not evil, I'm not cruel. I'm loyal and faithful.

So, I just hid it under my clothes. The hardest (and most awkward) part was still doing things with Neville. After we both saw the change ... we still had to act like we didn't see it change. Which was hard for me, and probably even harder for Neville. However, we pushed through and our friendship to be highly honest hadn't been better.

Now, it is the night before the second task. Hermione, Ron, and Harry were sitting a few rows away talking about the task. While Neville and I were putting away the books we took of the shelves for our studies. I was about to drop a book when Neville grabbed it and placed it on the shelf.

"Thanks, Nevy. That would have made a loud bang on the desk." I said sliding the last book from my hand onto the shelf.

"No problem, Lori. Now, have you talked to Cedric about tomorrow?" He asked leaning on the desk, his head resting in his hand. 

"No. He's been really stressed out about the task and has been also focusing on his studies as well." I said sitting down and placing the homework I completed into my bag. Neville must have read my body language cause he walked over and rubbed my shoulders. 

"Cedric will be just fine, Lori. He's a very good wizard, and has almost the whole school rooting for him." 

"I know ... but still," I said. "It's nerve-wracking to even think about him dealing with such a tournament. 

"Just take a breathe and know, he will get through this. He survived a freaking dragon! What could be worse than that?!" 

"True." I chuckled out. "Thanks, Nevy."

"Anytime, Lori. That's what best friends are for." He flashed a cheeky smile while he fell backward into a chair, which almost tipped backward. I quickly reached forward and held him steady. His face was now filled with an almost panic and I snorted. Before I could ask if he was okay, Professor Moody's voice filled the library

"Weasley! Longbottom!" Both of us jumped up and rushed to where his voice came from. We walked around and saw him standing with Hermione, Ron, and Harry. I smiled as we approached. Before I could even ask why he called for us, he spoke once more.

"Weasleys, Granger! Follow me, Longbottom ... help Potter put away his books." Neville nodded and began to place some books up on the shelf. Moody started to clunk away, but I turned back.

"Nev! Can you take my book bag back to the Tower for me? I grab it from you before I head to bed." I asked him.

"Sure! I'll see you later!" 

"Great! Bye Neville! Bye Harry!" I said as I turned to follow Moody along with Ron and Hermione. Along the way, we tried to figure out where we were getting taken. Hermione of course thought they were in trouble for talking to Harry about the tournament. Ron thought we were getting framed for a prank Fred and George pulled. While I was just enjoying hearing Ron and Hermione arguing.

"There you are Alastor. I thought you got lost." Dumbledore's cheerful voice called down the corridor. That's when my heart raced. Did Dumbledore want to see us? Did we actually do something wrong? My brain went into panic mode.

"Sorry, female Weasley was not exactly where I thought she'd be," Moody grumbled.

"I do have a name, you know," I muttered under my breath. Moody must've heard for he scoffed under his breath and he sent a sneer over in my direction. I just rolled my eyes, as Dumbledore ushered us inside McGonagall's classroom. As we walked in, I noticed Fleur's little sister Gabrielle sitting all nice and proper in a chair in front of the desk.