𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐃.𝐌

Chapter Twelve

CEDRIC HAD BEEN WAITING for what felt like a very long time now. At nine o'clock, he had told them to wait just a bit longer but had seen by the looks on their faces that they didn't expect her to show up. Ernie had given him a sincere smile and he'd allowed them to start the movie without her.

After forty minutes, she still hadn't shown up and his lips had curled into disappointment, a horrible sensation filling up his stomach. Checking the clock multiple times, he came to the gutting conclusion that she probably wasn't going to show up anymore.

The entire movie displayed before his eyes but it left him incredibly cold. Other Hufflepuffs smiled at him pitifully, which only made him want to disappear even more.

She'd set him up. He couldn't believe it. It was so unlike her.

After the credits, everyone slowly gathered their stuff and went back upstairs, he'd watched them all leave and was surprised when a loud knock sounded at the door.

He got up, his feet carrying him numbly to the portrait hole. He wasn't sure what to say to her. He was incredibly disappointed.

When he'd opened the door, she stood there, looking harried and wild. He inspected her carefully. There was an unfamiliar scent hanging around her, clogging his nostrils and the make-up on her face was smeared.

A sour taste smothered the back of his throat, had she been crying?

"I'm sorry," she said faintly, and his eyes settled on her lips. She'd been wearing that lip gloss again, the one that smelled like peaches. It was smeared messily over her lips, something she usually did very carefully. "I should've come sooner,"

It wasn't the first time she'd bailed on him. He vividly remembered the Lupercalia Ball. He'd never forget the look on her face when Malfoy had interrupted them. It was a look of pure guilt. Not guilt towards him though, guilt towards Malfoy. As if something was going on between the two of them, but that couldn't be, could it?

Just thinking about it made his heart ache. A burning sensation smoldered his chest into cement. The way her deep blue eyes had looked at Malfoy. There was a sparkle. He couldn't deny it.

Then, his eyes traveled lower. There was something funny about the way her blouse was closed up... The first few buttons were open, her tie was messy. So was her hair.

"Cedric, please say something-

"Don't," he said faintly, eyes still hovering over her unnatural appearance.

She was trying to make eye contact and he did everything in his power to ward it off because he knew he'd fall for it. He'd fall over and over again for the angelic look in her eyes and those sweet lips.

Because he was in love with her, had been for a very long time.

She made him weak.

So, he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes because she'd taken this too far. He couldn't let her off that easily.

Dear Merlin, the scent around her was harsh.

"Cedric –

His eyes shot up to hers and he looked at her pleadingly, waited for her to say something.

Something like, I'm so sorry Ced," then she'd fling her arms around his neck. "I'll make it up to you," she'd whisper in his ear. "I lost track of time," she'd say, and then she'd reach up on her toes and plant a kiss on his lips. He'd feel alright again.

"It's not you," she started carefully, and his heart sank, dropped into his shoes and his heartbeat numbed. His eyes widened as he searched her face. He hated to admit that he felt where this conversation was going.