𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓| 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲✔️

𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄|𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐘

  MARA WILLIAMS

  I stood on the cusp of the Hogwarts grounds, people streaming past me, eagerly on their way to the small village of Hogsmeade to spend their galleons.

   "Well then, I'm sure you can make it up to me at Hogsmeade this weekend." 
  —That was what he'd said wasn't it? Did he expect me to meet him down there, and if so whereabouts?
  I'd never been to the village in my life, and even if I did find my way there, where was I supposed to wait?

   A niggling feeling persisted at the back of my mind... Maybe this was all just a cruel joke, a farce to make fun of me in front of the other students, and the worst part was that they would've known it was a joke all along, I was the only one left out of the loop.
  Maybe that's why those girls at the back of Hagrid's class had sniggered so when Cedric had asked me...

  I teetered between turning back and not going and just walking down there anyways, even if I couldn't find him I'd heard about a decent sweet shop in the village. My stomach rumbled at the promise of Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
  I'd just lifted my foot to the first step when a jovial voice came from behind me. "—And where do you think you're going?"

  I didn't need to turn to envisage his grin. A flash of blinding white, a twinge of pale pink lips, and kind twinkle in his eye.

  "To Hogsmeade?" I said it as though it were a question, as I wasn't so sure myself.

  "Without me?" Cedric chuckled, jogging to catch up along side me, as he clutched his heart in mock pain. "...Ouch."

  I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop the small smile that suggested at the corners of my lips as we navigated the winding path. "I thought you weren't going to show up."

  "You really think that little of me?"

  "—I didn't know if you were serious or not, or you could've wanted to meet me down there," I replied, narrowly dodging his quip, I didn't know what I thought of him yet. He seemed pure of heart, but then again he could just as easily prove me wrong. "You didn't exactly specify."

  "Well, either way I'd never let you walk down by yourself, even if you weren't new." We turned down a cobbled street just off the high-street and headed for the bubblegum pink shop with Madame Puddifoot's painted in almost perfect calligraphy above the door.

  "...And just so you know." Cedric pressed his lips together, suppressing a smirk as he held the door open for me and a small bell jingled within the shop.  
  "I was deadly serious."

  A plump older woman with a rose streak through her greying hair seated us on a small table by the front window, allowing us to see the passing students on their way to the high-street, and more importantly, allowing them to us us.

  My fingers anxiously toyed with them hem of my skirt as I watched them. No familiar faces, yet.

  "You look beautiful, by the way." Cedric said, staring at me intently. Fire scorched my cheeks as I stared down at me hands embarrassed. I had never much been one for compliments. "Thank you." I said quietly.

  We were silent for a long moment, it weighed upon us like a comforting embrace, not suffocating but instead like a moment of rest in this unendingly chaotic world.
  Cedric thanked the old woman as she placed two menus before us and we poured over them, me ordering a Honeysuckle Teacake, whilst Cedric opted for a Lemon Tart.