Living In My Head (Drarry)

Chapter 73: The Double Date

A.N.

Chapter song: Moonlight Sonata (1st Movement) by Ludwig von Beethoven

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And so I went upstairs, changed into gym clothes, and left through the common room with the sole intention of practicing soccer long enough to where I wouldn't just be standing around until Cedric arrived. The indoor court should be abandoned today, seeing as people will most likely opt to sleep in or plan the day away until the Yule Ball.

I eased the door open quietly, turning on light by light. I let out a heavy sigh, I'd be waiting for Cedric at a maximum of 2 or 3 hours. I needed a half hour to shower and get ready once I finished practice. I set an alarm on my phone to alert me once my time was up.

Going to the equipment basket, I picked the least deflated soccer ball and got to practicing. Draco plagued my mind yet again, the fight replaying over and over in my head.

My issue with Blaise, who had tried to win me over as a means of notching his bedpost, was a large part of what drove me to hurting Draco. It had to do with the fact that he saw Draco first, and he obviously had some pull over him, it made me insanely jealous and insecure about Draco's feelings for me. Finding out about what he did to Draco would have been something I would have liked to know before the fight- but that has passed.

Another part was that at some point, Draco had begun to remind me of Tom Riddle. It was little things, mostly small mannerisms, but it was enough to set me off balance. It was the final damage that the memory of Tom within my head wanted to deal out on me. To make it harder to see all of the wonderful things about Draco.

I stop, the ball hitting the wall too hard and hitting my shins. I drop to the floor, rubbing them painfully, turning to my thoughts again. He didn't deserve any of those awful things I said to him. My head lolls to the side and I flop to the floor, my side half-exposed to the floor. I breathe short, shallow breaths until I drift into a nap.

The alarm comes soon after, waking me up. I'm groggy when I head to the communal showers, deciding to just borrow a robe from the open lockers. I decide I'll return it tomorrow. I change into a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, not bothering to fight with my tangled hair. When I knock on the door to Hermione's shared dormitory, Lavender answers. I am surprised, but glancing back at the tag on the wall says she lives in that room too.

"Hey, Harry. Hermione left for the library an hour ago, she's prob'ly still there. She wanted to be early before Viktor got there." She smiles politely and I remember all that Ron said about her.

"Heard you're going to the Ball with Ron," I grin.

"Worked up the confidence and finally did it. He seemed as excited as I was, I dare say." She smiled proudly, "Never thought he'd accept, but I guess there's a chance, hm?"

"If you saw him when he told me," I feel a warmth hiding in my chest. "You'd know how happy he was that you made the first move."

"Go on," she shooed, "Granger won't wait all day."

"Bye, Lavender."

"Bye, Harry," she smiled.

I sped off towards the library, hoping Hermione was still there.

...

She was there with Viktor, smiling and avoiding eye contact as they spoke. I sat at the table quietly, Viktor noticing me first.

"Harry, how is your day?"

I shrug, which makes him chuckle, "Would you two mind if Cedric and I hung around you two until the Ball? You said you wanted to meet him, right, Viktor?"

"Absolutely." He chuffed, "Have to make sure he is a good man."

I flush a little and laugh, not entirely used to the protectiveness. "Okay, I'll tell him to meet us here." When Viktor takes a moment to step out, I ask Hermione how she is doing.

"I think this thing with Viktor may be no more than a fling..."

"To him or to you?" I ask.

"I guess both?"

"Is it because after this he heads home?"

"I don't know how I could fare in a long-distance relationship, if that was even an option."

"You could always try," I offer.

"What if one of us gets hurt?"

"Then at least you tried to make the best of it."

"How sad."

"Be optimistic, Hermione. Can't go any worse than mine did."

"I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry at that, Harry."

"Me either..."

...

When Viktor came back, I had texted Cedric and he was coming in from the parking lot. When Cedric walked in I couldn't keep from smiling, hugging him sideways when he sat at the table.

"Cedric, this is Viktor Krum, and one of my best friends Hermione Granger. Viktor, this is Cedric Diggory." I introduced them and there was a silence for a while before Cedric spoke up.

"I recognize you now. You were the first ever freshman student from your school to compete in the Tri-Cup. I faced off against him in my senior year here." He spoke to Viktor, then to me.

Viktor seemed pleased that Cedric remembered, "You are taller now, you were short before."

"I was not," he laughed, making Viktor laugh too. Hermione and I stared at each other in confusion.

"Would you two like to come with us to town?" Hermione asked, "We can roam around until we need to return to prepare."

"We can take my truck," Cedric offered.

And so we did. All four of us packed ourselves into the bench seat, all of us thigh to thigh. When Cedric spoke, the pleasant silence evaporated instantly.

"So have you and Draco talked yet?"

"Not about what happened, not really."

"Sorry, I shouldn't bring that up in front of your friends," Cedric seemed ashamed. He had said the question without fully realizing the awkwardness it would entail.

"Things are confusing right now," I admit. "We're trying to start over, but in doing so it feels like we're avoiding even brushing past each other while we walk."

"I see," he says cryptically, dropping the subject.