Purposefully Hating Cedric

6

Stranger, That's all I see
-

My next class goes by impossibly slow as I just absolutely dread where I'm going to have to be for lunch.

Cedric, Snape, and me. Alone. In a room. What could possibly go wrong?

Cedric's and my bickering is certain to drive Snape mad. Maybe if we drive him crazy enough he'll give up on punishing us? It's a long shot. He'd probably just end up cursing us, if anything.

By the time my second block is over, I still haven't mentally prepared for what I'm about to go through. Evidently something I said to Cedric earlier irked him the wrong way, so I'm not even positive he'll want to talk to me at all. It's just as well, I guess. Every time we interact I find myself feeling all-consuming emotions that seem to suffocate me. Whether they're emotions of love or disdain, I'm not sure, but I'm feeling like it's leaning towards the latter of the two.

As I exit the divination classroom, in which I learned absolutely nothing like usual, I'm fortunate enough to run into just the two people I was hoping I'd see before lunch.

"Aye, watch where you're going there, Bells," says George, stepping back so I can get around him. Bells? Interesting...? "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

I sigh in annoyance. "Detention with Snape. Though, I was hoping I'd run into you two-"

Before I can even finish what I was planning on saying, Fred holds out two puking pasties; just what I was going to ask for. I take them gratefully, stuffing them into my robes pocket.

"How much do I owe you?"

The twins shake their heads, then saying in unison, "Don't worry about it."

"Although," continues Fred, leaning in closer as if to tell a secret, "Georgie and I are planning on throwing a party this coming week. Something to ease the tension of being back in school."

"Bloody right we are," George agrees. "So it'd be helpful if you could subtly pass the news around to your Slytherin friends. We've got the Gryffindors covered."

"As for the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs..." says Fred, "we're thinking of making it by invite only. You weren't here last year, but things went to shit at one of our parties because of them."

"Yeah." George nods. "Bloody ruined the whole party 'cause the Ravenclaws thought they were witty enough to steal all of the alcohol before it'd even started."

"And some Hufflepuff snitched to Sprout," says Fred. "Got the whole party shut down. I reckon it was Hannah Abott."

George snickers. "If it was, her then that's your fault mate." He then turns to me, whispering, "Freddie played her like a game of wizards chess he did."

Fred then smacks George upside the head, though George just laughs. "It's not my fault she was obsessed with me!" says Fred "I let her down easy-"

"Yeah, after you slept with her," George interrupts, earning another smack upside the head.

I laugh, then promising to quietly spread the news to my house, but tell them they should consider not completely excluding Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The parties had always been the most fun when everyone was invited, at least in my other DR.

I thank them once again for the puking pasties, then continuing on my way to Snape's classroom for lunch detention. I eventually arrive, where I see Cedric sitting somewhat close to the back of the classroom. Not wanting to sit right by him, but not wanting to be near Snape either, I take my seat a few desks directly in front of him.