"Knock it off, Cedric." I laughed shoving his shoulder and he fell to the grass laughing. "It isn't funny."
"Oh, of course not, princess. You just totally flirted with Malfoy." Cedric said.
"I just helped him with his homework!" I replied, joining him on the ground.
"Oh, Jordan. I love you, but you can be so oblivious sometimes. You offered to help him with homework when you could have been doing something far more interesting."
"Shut up, Ced." I got up and brushed myself off. "I need to get back to the Common Room. See you there?"
"You know it, Jordan." He smiled at me, still lying on the grass as I walked into the halls.
The scene changed into a dark room, Cedric had his wand out and was standing in front of me protectively.
"Ced?" I asked, confused.
"Run, Jordan. Run now!" Cedric ordered me, pushing me towards the door, but having it disappear at the last second.
"Cedric!" I ran back to him and he pulled me close to him.
"Precious. Killing two birds with one stone, as the Muggles say." Lord Voldemort came out of the shadows, his wand in his hand and Nagini slithering by his feet.
"Let Jordan go!" Cedric shouted, his voice firm.
The Dark Lord laughed. "How . . . quaint. AVADA KEDAVRA!!"
A bolt of green light flew from his wand and smacked into Cedric, sending him flying back.
"CEDRIC!" I screamed, running up and sliding down next to him, crying when I saw his lifeless eyes staring back at me. "Ced, please don't leave me. Please."
———
I shot up in bed with a scream, footsteps running down the hall and throwing my door open.
Bill looked around with wild green eyes, his red hair all tangled and sticking up at all ends of his head.
"What is it?" He asked, looking back at me.
I blew out a sigh and shook my head, dragging my hand through my dark hair and looking at him—his green eyes meeting my dark brown ones—attempting to smile. "I just had a bad dream."
He walked to my bed and sat down next to me. "You can talk to me, Dani. I know what you're going through."
I nodded. "I know, Bill. I just . . . I need some time to myself before all . . . all the drama and piteous looks and apologies."
He nodded and suddenly got an idea, looking at me with a mischievous smile. "Hey, want to bake cookies?"
I smiled and threw back the covers. "Let's go,"
"Alright. Hop on," he stood up and crouched down so I could climb onto his back. I giggled like a little girl again when he walked down the steps silently with me, trying to make the least amount of noise as possible.
I got down and I lit my wand, setting it down on the counter and getting out a cookbook, going over to him and opening up the book.
"What kind of cookies?" I asked.
". . . chocolate chip and M&M's were Cedric's favorite." I said, flipping to the page and smiling softly.
Bill put his hand on my shoulder. "Okay then. Let's get started."
I went over to the cupboards and got out the ingredients, going back over to Bill by the counter and following the recipe. We worked in silence for a good long while, just enjoying each other's company.
"I'll be back soon. I need to go get something, okay?" Bill asked.
"Okay," I watched as he went back up the stairs, finishing up making the cookies and mixing them when Bill came back down.
"Hey, what'd you need to get?" I asked, putting a rack of cookies in the oven and setting it for 10 minutes.
He set some sort of black oval box on the counter and pressed a button, soft music playing.
"Bill, not now." I said softly, my back still to him.
"Come on. Just one dance." Bill replied, taking my hand slowly and turning me to him.
I sighed but put one arm on his back as he took my other one in his hand, putting his other hand on my waist and spinning us around slowly; we slowly dance around the kitchen and the more I danced with him, the more my grief and pain faded away.
I smiled softly and looked at him. "Thanks,"
He closed his eyes and nodded. "Anything for you, Dani."
I rested the side of my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck as his went around my waist, holding me close to him as we just swayed to the soft music.
"I miss him." I said softly.
"I know, Jordan. But we will help you through this." He replied, tilting my chin up so I met his eyes. "You're not alone."
"Bill?"
"Yeah?"
A small smile crept onto my face. "Azure is on your head."
Bill chuckled and unwound his arms from me, holding his hand up to his head and having my dragon hop onto his hand.
Azure looked at him for a second, nuzzling her head against his palm before perching on my shoulder.
"I think she smelled the cookies." Bill said, walking past me and opening the oven as it beeped, setting the cookies on the stove and letting it cool.
"Do you want a Butterbeer?" Bill asked as he closed the fridge, holding up two smaller bottles.
"Why not. It's been a while since I've hung out with you." I said, accepting the glass bottle and sitting down on the couch next to him, staring into the orange flames in the fireplace.
Azure got off my shoulder and curled up next to the fireplace, letting the flames warm her scales.
"Bill?"
"Yeah?" He looked at me, firelight dancing in his green eyes.
"Why were you up this late?"
"If I'm being honest . . . I couldn't sleep knowing that you were hurting." He replied, moving a hand up and brushing my hair from my eyes, his fingers lingering on my cheek before dropping to his lap.
"Cookies—Ow! Hot." Ginny's voice hissed.
I chuckled and stood up, making my way into the kitchen and seeing Ginny with a plate of six cookies, another in her mouth.
"I hope you plan on sharing those, Gin." I said with a little smile.
She looked at me and took the cookie from her mouth. "Oh. Hey, Jordan. You make these?"
"Yeah. Bill is in the living room with Azure if you want to go say hi." I said, taking a cookie from her plate and taking a bite.
"Can I stay up with you guys? I can't sleep."
"Ask your brother." I said, walking into the living room with her.
"Can I stay up with you and Jordan, Bill?" Ginny asked, setting her plate on the coffee table and sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Azure lifted her head up and crawled onto Ginny's leg, curling up under her hand and closing her eyes.
"I think Azure likes you." I said with a smile at my pet.
Bill took a cookie and split it in half, handing me hand and eating his half. "These are good. We did a good job."
"Heck yeah, we did." I said, high-fiving him and taking a drink.
"You two are cute." Ginny said suddenly.
I inhaled my drink wrong and ended up coughing. "W-what?"
"You and Bill. You're cute." She repeated.
"Gin, you say that about every boy I'm seen hanging out with." I said, setting my drink down.
"But you two are the real deal!" Ginny said.
"Sure, Ginny." I yawned.
"Tired?" Bill asked.
"Mm, yeah." I rubbed my tired eyes.
"Then sleep," He said, his arms going around me and pulling me into his side, letting my rest my head on his shoulder.
"Bill, I need . . . this is . . . . . good." I said, my voice trailing off as I slipped into a dreamless sleep.
A cute Bill and Jordan moment right there. I am a sucker for people dancing in the kitchen. It's just so darn cute! Hope you liked this chapter. Comment and vote! Stay safe, everyone. And get sleep.💛