Lucy Snape and the Return of Lord Zuc (Book Four)

If only life was as happy as a book

"You aren't the brightest, are you?" Lucy sighed. 

"I thought you might want to keep the book. Y'know, for your date with Cedric..." He muttered pushing her away. "I was just trying to show you I care." 

"Oh, Fred. It's not a date we're just going to study - " 

"Even if it isn't a date, it'll lead to a date." 

"No it won't! I swear! And as soon as I'm out of the library I'll come find you! I promise!" 

"You serious?" 

"Yes, I'm serious. And I would cancel the date but if I didn't he might think of me as a bad person and the sooner I get it over with the sooner I'll spend time with you." She kissed him on the cheek, picked up Angus then headed off to the library. 

Fred looked around to see if anyone was looking then touched his cheek and whispered. "I'll never wash this cheek again..." 

"Do shut up!" Shona yelled and threw the book at him, causing him to fall in the lake. 

*   *   * 

Cedric was stood outside of the library. Of course, he was early. It was only 5:40 pm. He desperately kept checking his watch, trying to make time go faster, but nothing was working. He pretended to admire a painting on a wall as Snape walked passed him with Professor Trelawney. 

"Bad things are going to happen this year, Severus!" Trelawney whispered as she looked through her glasses, that magnified her eyes, at Snape. 

"Sybil, you really need to stop drinking it's not doing you any good..." Snape moaned then saw Cedric. "Mr. Diggory, you shouldn't be here, I suggest you leave before I put you in a detention and deduct points from your house." 

"No, Professor! I'm going into the library in a minute! I'm just waiting for...Waiting for..." 

"Spit it out, boy!" 

"My friend! She, er, said we should look in the library to see if we can figure out the second task!" 

"Very well but if you're still here in ten minuets I'll be informing your head of house for hanging around corridors..." 

Snape strode off with Trelawney desperately trying to give him predictions as he headed down to the dungeons. Cedric wiped the sweat off of his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief, he really needed to think of better excuses. 

Just then Lucy rounded the corner with her bag slung over her shoulder. As she ran she un did her hair and loosened her tie. She looked rather rushed. And as she approached Cedric she tripped, he caught her as quick as she fell and she smiled gratefully. 

"You alright?" He asked, a little nervous. 

"I'm fine thanks, apart from the fact Skeeter's decided to make me look like an idiot in the Prophet," she rolled her eyes. 

"Skeeter really is an evil woman and what she wrote in the Prophet was lies. Your interview was the best, Fleur kept flipping her hair in hopes that she'd win the heart's of boys, Krum just about managed to turn up, Harry was terribly nervous, Shona made sarcastic comments about everything, your dad just glared at her and I...Well, my interview went terribly wrong right from the start." 

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad!" Lucy said in worry, Cedric was so confident and she just wished she could have confidence like that. 

"Oh it was..." Cedric turned away from her, then after a moments silence he turned back. "Shall we?" 

"Er what?" 

"Go into the library?" 

"Oh, of course!" 

The two of them headed inside and went straight to the back and into the restricted section as they both had notes. They sat down at the only table there and took out some parchment, some quills and ink. 

"So, what do you want to study?" Cedric asked. 

"Defense against the dark arts," Lucy sighed.

"Of course! I'm sure you've got some great tips for me! Seeing as you fought those vampires!"

"Er yeah...Or we could study potions!"

"Even better! I fear that potions confuse me too much and I don't want to ask your father as he's taken a strong dislike to me..."

Lucy laughed then took out her potions book (well, she had got it from Snape as it was a seventh years potions book.) And before long Cedric had mastered one whole chapter of the book. 

"What I want to know is how you learn potions so easily..." He laughed. 

"I don't know really, I just took to it," she replied with a smile as she closed the book. 

"So, now the studying is out of the way...Have you figured out the egg yet?" 

"Unfortunately not and to be honest I haven't had time." 

"I haven't either but I somehow I think Fleur has but I doubt Krum and Harry have." 

"That's true but whatever happens I'm sure we'll find out." 

"I think we will..." 

There was a moment of silence then Cedric looked up. "Lucy...I was wondering if...You wanted to go to the Yule ball with me?" 

"Cedric...I..." Lucy began and looked around nervously. "I haven't decided who I'm going with yet and I really don't know who's worthy enough." 

"Oh...It's OK, I understand..." 

"It's not that I'm calling you unworthy! It's just I really don't know who to go with..." 

Feeling a bit disheartened, Cedric put his things away and Lucy copied him. He stood up then waited for her, she took his hand and the two walked out of the library. 

"That studying was fun, maybe we could do it again?" Cedric smiled. 

"Sure! As long as we can arrange a date that suits both of us, as our lives are very hectic at the moment." Lucy replied. 

"Well, I guess I'll see you soon..." 

"You too." 

Cedric leaned towards her and Lucy swore he was going to kiss her when Madam Pince, the librarian, cleared her throat. 

"Er, I'll be going now." Cedric said nervously. 

"Yeah, me too," Lucy whispered and she headed off to the Gryffindor common room, feeling a bit empty inside.