A Dozen Fallen Roses // Cedric Diggory

chapter twenty-eight. the truth spills out.

"Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage to ask me before somebody else does!" I hear Hermione's distressed voice as I exit the ballroom. She's speaking to Ron at the base of the stairs, clearly upset.

"Hey, what's going on? Are you okay?" I ask, approaching them.

"Well, I- that's- that's just completely off the point," Ron stutters, completely ignoring me and walking away towards the stairs.

"It's fine Ava, just leave it," Hermione replies, wiping a tear off her face.

"Harry," Ron notices Harry coming into the hall and Hermione swivels around, stepping towards him.

"You, where've you been?" she asks, threateningly.

"Come on, lay off Hermione," I coax her trying to lead her away, but she breaks free of my grip.

"Nevermind that, off to bed, both of you!" she exclaims at the boys, accidentally commanding the attention of the entire hallway. At first, Harry's face is confused, but quickly changes to anger, glaring at Ron for whatever he said to put her in this state.

"They get scary when they get older," Ron comments to Harry as the two of them start up the stairs.

"Ron, you ruined everything!" Hermione yells. I grab her by the shoulders to keep her back and she collapses into my arms in a pile of tears. She leans on me as I lead her over to the stairs and take her shoes off for her.

"What happened?" I coo, pushing stray hairs out of her face.

"What does it look like?" she asks groggily, rubbing the tears off of her face. "Ron doesn't know when to shut his little ginger mouth."

"That's just him, though. What's really the matter?" I try to get it out of her because she's never said out loud what I already know.

"I wish-" she tries to get it out. "I guess I wished that he asked me. Or at least wanted to ask me."

"As you know, boys are absolutely oblivious, even when someone as perfect as you is sitting right in front of them," I smile as she leans her head on my shoulder. "Give him time, it'll come. And I'm not entirely convinced that his lashing out against Krum wasn't out of jealousy."

"You're just saying that," Hermione laughs, sniffling.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't think it was true," I say, noticing Cedric leaving the ballroom alone and disappearing into a corridor. "Look Hermione, I need to go. You should go upstairs, take a hot bath, and get some sleep, yes?"

"Why? Where are you going?" she asks, startled by my sudden need to leave.

"Cedric," I sigh. "It's important."

"Go get your boy," she smiles at me. I kiss her on the forehead, then follow Cedric.

By the time, I get down the corridor, he's already gone, but I decide to take my chances and try the Hufflepuff Common Room. On my way, I try to imagine all the possibilities of why he wants to talk. Maybe he was just trying to make friendly conversation and I'm about to make an absolute fool of myself. He could've been trying to get me alone so he could finally profess his undying love for me. Doubtful. Perhaps he was just trying to clear the air so we could become friends again. Hopefully, Malfoy as my date made him jealous or stirred up some past feeling towards me at all, because otherwise I look like a horrible person for no reason.

The stone floors are freezing against my bare feet and I feel it shoot through my heels with each step. I tiptoe through the corridors by the light of the torches, feeling the adrenaline run through me. When I reach the staircase down to the common room, I see Cedric turning the corner at the bottom. Waiting a moment before descending the stairs to avoid seeming suspicious, I take a deep breath and compose myself, ready for whatever is about to happen.