A Dozen Fallen Roses // Cedric Diggory

chapter twenty-two. the empty classroom.

I take as long as possible to make my way up to the Gryffindor Common Room in an attempt to avoid the awkward tension, although the pounding in my head definitely keeps me at a slow pace. In a way, I blame myself for the loss, because I should've made that shot. But, to be fair, I had no control over if Cedric caught the snitch or not.

Managing to talk myself out of the self-blame, I push open the fat lady's portrait to a mostly empty common room. The only people left are Harry and Ron on the couch in front of the fire. I stumble towards them, collapsing onto the couch and Ron's lap.

"I told you you'd do well, Ava," Ron smiles down at me. I groan.

"I mean, to be fair, I couldn't really watch, but I'm sure you did brilliant!" Harry chimes in awkwardly.

"Thanks guys," I manage to get out without shitting too hard on myself. To be fair, I scored 4 times and Ginny scored 3, which was pretty decent, especially for the first game of the season.

"Okay, but who are you two asking to the ball?" Ron asks, his voice turning to a worried mumble.

"Uh, I dunno, Ron," Harry confides in his friend. I start to laugh.

"You two bimbos better find someone," I chuckle, sitting up from Ron's lap.

"Oh yeah? Well then who's taking you, Ava?" Ron inquiries. "Cedric Diggory?"

"Shut up, Ron!" I hiss at him and Harry scoots closer.

"No way, is he really?" Harry asks in amazement.

"Oh stop drooling, you two. And for your information, no he is not," I state plainly.

"Oh, I kinda forgot Harry didn't know," Ron apologizes.

"Hang on, you told Ron before you told me?" Harry scoffs, clearly offended.

"Don't you remember you were off being all high and mighty with your tournament shit?" I spit back.

"Oh, yeah, when I was worried about how to fight a DRAGON?" he starts raising his voice. Slowly, I break into laughter at this fact. He was right, he had a lot going on at the time.

"I just didn't wanna add this to your plate, you know?" I defend myself softly. "At least I told you at all."

"Whatever," Harry shrugs it off.

"Ron, why don't you take Hermione?" I suggest, trying to be nonchalant.

"Hermione? Really?" A look of surprise, disgust, and consideration come across his face. Harry shoots me a look as if he's caught onto the tensions between them too and I wink at him.

"I mean yeah, Ron! We're all friends, you know, but maybe there's more," Harry tries to come up with some help.

"Nah, no way! I mean, it's Hermione!" Ron laughs it off and I sigh. Maybe he'll come around.

"I'm going to bed," I announce, standing up. Ron stands too.

"Hey Ava," he shifts with the pockets in his pants, avoiding eye contact with me. "Would you maybe, I don't know, want to go-"

"Absolutely not," I laugh, pushing him back down on the couch as I head towards the stairs. Harry breaks out in hysterical laughter as Ron looks a bit down on himself. "Nice try, though."

I make my way up the stairs to my room, hearing the echoes of Harry's laughter the whole way up.

-

I wake in a sweat from a nightmare of Cedric almost dying in the dragon task. There was absolutely nothing I could do as the dragon blew fire at him, swinging its tail and only nearly missing Cedric.