A Dozen Fallen Roses // Cedric Diggory

chapter forty-four. the breakfast.

sunday, december 28.

Cedric comes in from the bathroom with a towel tied around his waist and his hair still dripping slightly. The towel sags low and the light catches his figure casting shadows over his muscles. He shakes his head to dry it a bit more before crossing to his dresser and pulling out a pair of boxers and red flannel pajama pants.

I'm already under the covers reading a book I found on the coffee table downstairs. The pages feel untouched and lack the typical creases they receive from a first read. I peek over the pages just barely to watch him as he drops the towel and pulls on his boxers. He turns around quickly and I swiftly sit back, pretending to be entranced in the words in front of me.

"Are you watching me, Rootes?" he smirks and I slowly rise above the book, making eye contact with him sheepishly. I smile and shrug and he laughs, rolling his eyes. He jumps on the bed, laying down on his back beside me with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. I set my book aside on the table and lay on my side next to him, tracing his chest with my finger. He grabs me and pulls me on top of him and I laugh as his touch tickles me. I sit up, straddling his waist and feel something growing beneath me.

"I am not doing stuff with you in your childhood bed!" I scoff, slapping him playfully. He grabs my wrist and gives me a look as if to ask Why not?

"If it helps, I got a new bed a few years ago," he replies persuasively, but I refuse to give in. It feels too weird.

My thoughts are interrupted by the squeaking of that one step from someone walking up the stairs. Cedric and I's eyes both shoot to the door leading out to the staircase and I slowly ease off of him, reaching for my wand. He does the same, rolling off the bed and crossing to the door, treading lightly to avoid any creaking sounds underfoot. Grabbing hold of the doorknob and pushing me behind him, he gets ready to defend us.

"Jenny, dear, are these your shoes here?" a woman's voice echoes down the hall.

"I don't think so," a younger woman replies and it sounds like she's at the top of the stairs.

"Put some pants on!" he whispers, leaning his back against the door and I scramble for any bottoms, finding only a pair of his basketball shorts. "My family's home early," he explains as I pull them on. They nearly pass my knees and I cringe that this is how I'll meet his parents.

"Amos, they're not yours are they?" the first woman asks.

Cedric pulls open the door and heads down the stairs to greet his mother at the bottom.

"Cedric, what are you doing here?" she asks surprised, but clearly excited, pulling him into a hug. I stay at the top of the stairs, hesitant to introduce myself so quickly.

"Who are you?" the young woman's voice comes from the far door of the hall and she steps into the light. She has long light brown hair that's nearly golden in the light like Cedric's and she's dressed in a warm light blue turtleneck sweater and a pair of jeans. I assume she's Cedric sister, but he's never talked about her before. She catches me off guard and I stumble backwards.

"Um, I'm Ava," I smile, already embarrassed at my first impression.

"I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing in my house?" she asks curiously, crossing towards me into the family room.

"Oh, um, Cedric and I are staying here for a few days before we head to Paris," I explain, unaware that he hadn't told his family.

"Oh my god, are you his girlfriend?" she gasps. "He's never said anything about you before, but I cannot imagine why. You're beautiful," she grins, circling and observing me.