Work of Karma || Cedric Diggory [2]

Chapter 9: Afterparty Problems

A Cold War.

That's what the period following that eventful Quidditch game felt like. After Hermione and Ron's tense conversation involving McLaggen during Herbology class, the kiss Ron and Lavender shared back in the party, and all their bickering and tension that built up recently, the two of them just couldn't find it in themselves to approach each other anymore — and if they had no choice but to do so, there was awkwardness in the air. The worst part was that they didn't know why it was so hard to face the other. Or perhaps they did but didn't have the courage to admit it to themselves yet.

Analeigh was caught in the middle with Harry. It reminded her of the earlier days of the Triwizard Tournament in her fourth year when Ron and Harry were fighting, and Analeigh herself ended up getting tangled in that mess. Hermione was the mediator back then, but that evidently wasn't the case this time around. It was now her turn, along with Harry, to try and mend things.

And so, that was how she found herself trying to catch up with Ron. His long, confident strides together with the students bustling about the corridor made it difficult to match his pace as they left class.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Ron insisted when Analeigh tried to interrogate him. She already heard from Harry and Hermione about what happened in the empty classroom after the party, but she wanted to know Ron's point of view.

"If you didn't do anything wrong, just tell me what happened," Analeigh pressed, pretending like she was still completely in the dark. "All I know is that Harry found Hermione alone and upset in a classroom. That's it."

Ron sighed and gave in. "Look, Lav and I just so happened to enter the same room. Harry and Hermione looked cozy enough there, so we were about to leave — until Hermione shot birds at me and nearly had my face mauled! Mental, I tell you."

"And you don't know why she did that?"

"No. I don't know what's going in that head of hers, but I can't help it if she's got her knickers in a twist. Maybe she just doesn't like Lav."

"Lav," Analeigh repeated under her breath, holding back a laugh. "So... what now? You're officially dating Lavender?"

"What Lav and I have... well, let's just say, there's no stopping it," Ron smirked. "It's chemical."

"Chemical? Please, you have more chemistry with fried chicken than with Lav."

"Hey!"

"Do you think it'll last?" Analeigh said.

"Who knows? Point is: I'm a free agent."

"Okay, fine, you keep doing your thing. But what about you and Hermione?"

"What about me and Hermione?" said Ron, averting his gaze.

"I mean all this fighting and coldness and awkwardness... everything."

"Oh."

"Don't you want to straighten things out with her?" Analeigh said. She knew she was probably being pushy now, but Good Godric, it was suffocating having to be in the same room as those two, and just as tiring having to accompany only one of them at a time because they didn't want to be near each other.

"She's the one who's being unfair. She can't complain — she snogged Krum before. Now that she's found out that somebody wants to snog me too... well, it's a free country. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Okay, you've got a point there but —"

"I can't talk right now. Lavender wants to meet up." Ron sped up as the corridors gradually started to get emptier.