Unreal

Chp 66 Don't Need Rescuing

My eyes narrowed. "You better not spy on me."

He smirked, but it didn't reach all the way to his eyes. "Spy? No. I just think it's smart to keep an eye out when strange boys are luring innocent girls to dark corners of the library."

I blinked. "Cedric is not luring me."

"Didn't say his name," Fred said, raising an eyebrow.

Ginny cackled. "Wow. That sounded personal."

Angelina leaned in. "It's giving jealous older brother, Fred."

"Not jealous," Fred said immediately, looking a bit too casual as he sipped from his goblet. "Just cautious. We barely know the guy. For all we know, he might be luring Aeris into a study trap."

"A study trap?" I repeated.

"Deadliest kind," he said seriously, then grinned and nudged me again. "Watch out for rogue flashcards."

I rolled my eyes. "I am going to the common room."

"You're so not," Ginny chimed in.

Hermione bit back a laugh. "Have fun in the library."

Angelina smirked. "Tell Cedric we said hi."

"Oh my God—"

"I'm just saying," Fred added, still trying to sound nonchalant. "You could study here. Or with, you know... people you actually trust."

I blinked at him.

He blinked back.

Then I scoffed and turned to leave before I started overthinking anything.

"Bye, library girl!" George called after me.

"Aeris and Cedric, sitting in a—OW! Hermione, stop kicking me—!"

I shoved the Great Hall doors open, cheeks burning, and kept walking, their chaos echoing behind me.

•••••

The library at night felt different.

Calmer.
Colder.
Like every book had secrets it was holding its breath over.

Candles hovered low and quiet above the tables, casting warm glows across pages and glass, but shadows pooled at the corners of the shelves. It didn't feel haunted or scary, just... ancient. Like it had seen everything. Every failed test, every panicked cram session, every hidden meeting—like this one.

I stepped inside, letting the door close softly behind me. The silence was almost thick.

No Cedric in sight.

I walked further in, eyes scanning down each aisle.

Empty.

I turned back toward the exit, already bracing myself for the possibility I'd just been set up. Oh God. What if Fred was right?

Then—

"BOO."

I jumped so hard I actually screamed.

"SHHHHH!"

About five Ravenclaws and one furious Madam Pince all glared at me from random tables. I slapped a hand over my chest, turning to see—

Cedric.

Trying very hard not to laugh.

He leaned casually against one of the shelves, lips pressed together, eyes crinkling.

"It's honestly too easy to scare you," he whispered through a grin.

I smacked his arm. "You're the worst."