Bonds ✓

Bonds // Edited

The dark-haired Hufflepuff sat down beside me in the common room and grinned. I placed my book on my lap and waited patiently for him to tell me the news.

"I've asked her."

"And?" I mused, raising my eyebrows.

"She said yes!"

I squealed and flung my arms around his neck.

"You did it!"

Cedric chuckled and flung his arms around my waist. We hugged and then broke apart, a grin on both of our faces.

"See, it wasn't so difficult was it?"

"I guess not; it was pretty nerve-wracking having to approach her, but once I worked up the courage to do so, everything just fell into place." I smiled at my friend, who was beaming. "She's just so great, Willow. You'll love her," he gushed, starting to tell me everything about the girl.

"So, am I going to find out who this lucky girl is or am I going to go hunt her down?" I joked. He nudged me in the ribs and laughed.

"Her name is Cho. Cho Chang," he told me.

"The pretty little Asian girl in Ravenclaw?" I winked at him. "Going for the younger girls, eh?"

"Oh stop, it's not like that," he moaned.

"Whatever you say," I teased. He poked me at the sides and I squirmed.

"Now we've got to get you a partner for the dance," he said.

"I don't even know if I want to go," I complained. "I'd have to wear a dress and put make-up on an-"

"Willow Ellsworth, you are not sitting on your bed reading some Muggle love novel while everyone else is having fun at the Ball," Cedric scolded. "Besides, I'm sure the Weird Sisters will be performing and you wouldn't pass up a chance to see them play live, right?"

I groaned; I was torn between the comfort of staying in my warm, cosy bed and getting to actually meet the Weird Sisters. "I don't have a dress."

"Send an owl to your mum; you know how she'll get when she hears that you want to get dressed up and act girly for once. She'd probably fork out as many Galleons and Sickles as you need just so you can dress up for the dance," Cedric replied.

"You're not going to let me get out of this so easily, are you?" I asked. He shook his head, his hair flopping as he did so. "Fine, I'll send her a damned owl and hope that it loses the dress on the way."

"But-" I began as he opened his mouth, "you're helping me find a date."

"Deal," he said and we shook on it.

----

"How about Cormac McLaggen?" Cedric suggested, pointing his chin over to a blonde-haired boy on the Gryffindor table. I screwed up my nose in disgust.

"He's a stuck-up pansy who talks about nothing but himself," I said.

"Roger Davis?" He pointed to the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain and shook my head.

"He's going for Fleur Delacour," I stated, starting to get bored.

"Well, I don't know then. This is starting to seem a bit hopeless since you keep rejecting everyone I mention."

"If you picked someone good, then I wouldn't have to keep rejecting everyone you choose," I said, rolling my eyes.

The bell rang and I picked up my bag. "I'm off to Herbology; you have a free now?"