Blue Belle {Fred Weasley}

Chapter 65

At breakfast Fred and George were not present. Belle walked into the hall and found the lively pair missing, probably still asleep. Making her way to the Ravenclaw table, Belle was stopped by a small hand lightly wrapping around her wrist.

Belle jumped in shock at the feeling of being grabbed but calmed down we she came face to face with Hermione Granger. "Sorry." She blushed, "Professor McGonagall has just informed me that you are willing to have my help. Now, I know you may feel weird me, a fourth year, tutoring you but, I understand and I will work when it's suits you best."

Belle smiled at the bushy-haired girl and nodded, "no, no. It's totally fine, great actually. I'm so glad you are willing to help and I am free whenever. Just give me a date and time and I'll be there."

"How about tonight? Seven o'clock in the library? It's okay if it's too soon." Hermione replied, a large grin on her lips, and excitement in her voice.

Belle nodded, "sounds good to me. Thanks again."

"Oh it's no bother."

"Have you seen the twins or Lee anywhere?" Belle asked her just as they began to walk away from each other, Belle scanning the crowd once again for any sight of the boys.

"No, sorry. If I do, I'll let them know you were looking for them." Hermione shook her head and returned to Harry and Ron who were eying her curiously.

Belle gnawed at her bottom lip. She had a scary feeling that they were up to something and whatever it was, was going to be to do with her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood tall as she sat down at the table, and her ears burned.

The old wives tale. She thought. It was a tale her mother always swore by.

"If you ears are burning, someone is talking about you." Said Beatrice stirring the pasta that cooked on the hob. "So don't ever talk about people behind their backs, Cerulean, they'll know about it."

She had always told her that. Beatrice swore by it so much that Belle was sure she had some sort of mental problem. However, something about that moment in time, Belle sat in the Great Hall, her ears burning and the hair on the back of her neck standing up, made her believe her mother.

It got worse when the three came by selling into the hall, barking with laughter and whispering amongst themselves. Belle caught Fred's eye and he winked at her which made her grow even more nervous.

Belle got up, an apple in her hand, and she hurried out of the hall, not caring about the looks she was getting from a few students.

A few corridors down, Belle stopped, leaning her left side against a wall and began to eat her apple.

"Is everything okay? You look like you are about to be killed?" Asked a voice from behind her. Turning around she saw Cedric Diggory, smiling at her so kindly like he had done back at the World Cup.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine...thanks." Belle replied after swallowing the chunk of apple she was chewing on.

Cedric chuckled, lifting his thumb up and wiping away a small lump that rested on her cheek, a few millimetres from her mouth. "You had a little..."

"Thanks." Belle replied blushing, rubbing her mouth on her sleeve. She coughed awkwardly as the two stood in silence, Cedric rocking on his heels.

"So...are you going to enlighten me as to why you seem rather worried, scared possibly?" Cedric broke the silence grinning, his hands stuffing into his pockets.

"Oh, just Fred, George and Lee making me rather paranoid. Have you heard the tale of when your ears burn people are talking about you?" Cedric nodded. "Ah, well yeah that was happening and well the smile not Fred's lips when he winked at me got me all worried that-"

"They'll prank you? Yeah, I get that sometimes around them, especially after the match last year when Harry fell off of his broom and we won. But surely because you're Fred's girlfriend they'd rule you out of their firing line?"

"Nope. It gets worse." Belle laughed, "Anyway, what brings you to me then?"

"Well, you looked scared and worried. I thought I'd ask you what was up? I never got the chance to properly introduce myself to you at the World Cup. So, I'm Cedric. Nice to meet you."

"Belle, as it is you." Belle replied shaking his hand which he had held out.

The pair continued talking as they made their way to the greenhouses, herbology being Belle's first subject, one without the twins or Lee. The pair discussed many different topics including the tri-wizard tournament.

"So are you entering?" Asked Belle, the pair sitting at a work station together as they had arrived early, Belle launching her apple core into a nearby compost heap.

Cedric nodded, "Yeah, you?"

Belle shook her head in decline, "Too young, until December that is. I don't think I'd enter anyway."

"How come?" Cedric questioned her, his eyes filled with curiosity as his eyebrows knitted together.

She shrugged, "I just don't have the guts. Plus, I like to stay out of the way of line-light, some people enjoy it or tolerate it, I don't like it."

"That's fair enough. "Replied Cedric taking some gloves from the front and some shovels, getting the best ones so that nobody else had a chance too. The class always thought over the newer, more appealing equipment and that was the beauty of being early, they were able to get it before anyone else. "I've heard the things people say about you. I don't agree with it."

"Which part?" Belle laughed, trying to brighten the subject.

"All of it. You shouldn't be judged by who your father is and neither should he. You both are lovely people,  your father being one of the best teachers this school has had! And, what people say about your intelligence, it's ridiculous. Yes, you may not be the brightest witch but that may be in just academic ways.

I have a theory that you are really smart, the smartest at something, but that may not be education wise. You probably are the brightest at something else and you just don't know it yet. I don't like you being called the names you have been, if it's any consolation, I have stopped my friends and they see my reasoning too. Don't let it get to you, Belle, because those who call you that are stupid. They're the brainless ones." Cedric patted her shoulder as she smiled up at him.

"Thank you...that means so much."

"Any time, you are a lovely girl and Fred is very lucky to have a girl like you."