29. A PRIMARY ROMANCE
CEDRIC DIGGORY HAD known he loved Thealyn de Oro since she flew around the fields on a broomstick during their first flying class and he had told her he would marry her one day. At least, a part of him had known. The other part of him had been in denial until last year when he and his friends discovered the hell Dominic Edwards had been putting Thea through, and Cedric was absolutely enraged. He could have sworn he felt his heart physically breaking at the sight of her that day. Red and puffy eyes that were filled with pain and sorrow, body frozen with fear, and the perfect smile that Cedric fell in love with nowhere to be seen.
Since then, he knew he loved her. She was how he knew that love was real. He barely left her side the remaining months of school, but then summer came. Cedric came home, and saw the first love he knew: His mother and father. Their story was how Cedric knew what love was. He saw the way his father loved his mother, how he took care of her—
And he was terrified that he couldn't give Thea that.
He couldn't love her in the way she deserved. To him, she deserved the world, and sure as hell deserved better than him. Thea shouldn't have to worry about anything for the rest of her life, and the only look on her face should ever be her stunning smile.
So after spending the summer with his parents, Cedric made a decision. He wanted Thea to love someone else— To love someone else in the way he loved her. Yes, it would hurt him, heavily, but if she was happy, then it was okay. He would be okay.
So, now Cedric sat in the Great Hall for the first dinner of his fourth year at Hogwarts. Micah, Silas, and Wesley sat near him while they waited for the girls to arrive. More and more upperclassmen were walking in and the first years would all be walking in together soon.
Cedric wasn't sure what his plan was exactly— He didn't want to completely ignore Thea, but he wanted her to be like someone else.
His head turned towards the door when he heard her joyful laugh, but a frown appeared on the Diggory boy's face to see the girl walking in with Louis Malfoy. Cedric sighed, doing his best not to feel jealous. Thea and Louis were always good friends, but anyone could see that the boy had feelings for the girl.
Cedric tried not to tense up as Louis placed a hand on Thea's shoulder, smiling at her before the two separated, walking towards their house tables. Poppy, Noelia, and Eva quickly caught up to her, and the four friends began to talk amongst themselves.
"Ced!" Thea smiled, bringing the boy's mind back to Earth as she sat across from him. Cedric tried not to smile, his heart skipping a beat at the nickname she's called him since first year. Ced. "How was your summer?"
"Good," He answered, nodding his head. "How was yours?"
"Okay," Thea shrugged, but the smile on her face still there. "I'm glad to be back."
"How are you feeling?" Cedric immediately scolded himself for asking. He should've ended the conversation right there, but he couldn't. He wanted to know— He had to know how she was doing since that bastard hurt her.
"Okay." She repeated and shrugged again. Cedric resisted the urge to give her a look, trying to read her. Thea opened her mouth again, "Actually, I was really hoping to talk to you—"
The doors to the Great Hall opened once again and music began to play softly, letting everyone know that the first years were walking in. Cedric gave Thea an apologetic look and the girl shrugged while the boy panicked internally. She wanted to talk to him? But she deserves better then you, Cedric.
Thea would have to find someone else to talk to.
Glancing across at the other three tables, Thea exchanged an excited smile with her brothers when the sorting ceremony began for the first years. Carina sat amongst the ground, waiting for her name to be called.
"Carina Villarreal!" Thea saw the way the small girl froze before standing up, doing her best to keep her chin up. Carina sat down in the chair and the hat was placed on her dark, curly hair.
"Interesting...Very interesting. It seems like quite a few people have a couple of bets on which house you are, Ms. Villarreal. Let's see who's right...Slytherin!"
Teo let out the loudest cheer in the ground while Thea, Tobi, and Tommy resisted the urge to roll their eyes at their brother, but clapped for their cousin as well. Thea smiled as Carina walked down the platform and towards the Slytherin table, sitting down next to Teo happily.
~
at the same time
As soon as they entered the Great Hall, Tommy parted ways from his siblings to go and find Eva. His dark eyes scanned the large room, a smile on his face at just the thought of seeing the Saito girl again.
"Tommy!" He turned around immediately, not even getting a good glance at Eva before her arms were around him. She hugged him and Tommy hugged back, just as tight. One of his hands cupped that back of her head while the other ran down her back slowly—
"Ow!" Eva backed away quickly, placing a hand on her back where Tommy's hand had brushed over.
Tommy's eyes widened in horror immediately, trying to step towards the girl. "Ev, I'm so sorry—"
"No, no, it's fine," She waved it off with her hands, giving him a tight-lipped smile. "I bumped into my dresser yesterday, and the corner bruised my back really hard."
"Oh my god— Are you okay?" Tommy asked, going to place a hand on her shoulder.
Eva simply grabbed his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm fine Tom, I swear. You didn't hurt me or anything. I hurt myself— Accidentally. I'm fine."
"Okay," Tommy nodded before giving her a small smile. "How was your summer?"
Eva just shrugged and Tommy gave her a look. The girl sighed, "Shitty. You know I don't like being with my family."
"I know, you just never tell me why." Tommy reminded her.
"We just don't get along," Eva shrugged. "I'd just much rather be with you...And everyone else, you know?"
"Library tonight?" Tommy suggested.
"Always," Eva nodded with a happy smile. "It's important to keep traditions."
~
at the same time
After separating from his siblings, Teo walked towards the Slytherin table in the Great Hall. He kept an eye out for Louis or Sonali, not wanting to be forced to sit next to the asshole part of Slytherin house. He froze when someone came way too close, and Teo prepared himself to crash into someone. Then two strong hands held his shoulders, stopping them from colliding.
Teo's eyes widened at the familiar face, "Oh, Flynn, hey!"
"Hey!" Flynn smiled at the de Oro and that's when Teo noticed how much Flynn had changed over the summer. The Ravenclaw who was very much scrawny last year was all of a sudden sculpted, his arms nice and toned with muscle. Teo resisted the urge to drop his jaw, instead just smiling again. "What are you in such a rush for?"
"Trying to find Louis or Sonali so I don't have to sit with the douchebags of my house." Teo explained and Flynn held back a laugh, covering his hand with his mouth. "It's okay, you can laugh."
"Listen, I'd offer for you to sit with us, but," Flynn shrugged with a smirk. "You know."
"Please, like I'd want to sit with Tommy and his entourage of smartasses." Teo scoffed and Flynn glared at him. "Not talking about you, of course."
"Are you saying I'm not smart?" Flynn crossed his arms.
A smirk decorated Teo's face as he smirked, "I mean, if the sword-fighting-fencing shoe fits!"
"Will you ever let that go?" Flynn scoffed and Teo shook his head. The Ravenclaw smiled, "We should hang out, I've barely seen you since the party last year."
"Yeah, sorry, things have been hectic." Teo apologized.
"No, I get it," Flynn assured him, waving it off. "First the shit with Thea, then the shit with Harry. No worries."
"We should hang out though." Teo agreed. "Hangout with the one Ravenclaw that doesn't annoy me."
"Tommy?" Flynn reminded and Teo shook his head, laughing.
~
at the same time
Girls from all different houses, from all different years waved and smiled at Tobi as he passed by. He walked towards the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, giving a girl an occasional wink or smile. Yes, Tobias de Oro was very popular among the ladies.
He shook his head at the groups of girls, a grin still on his lips. Sitting down at the Gryffindor table, Tobi waited for the Weasley twins or one of his other friends. His head turned when a pair of girls passed by, both of them waving, "Hi Tobi!"
"Hey guys." Tobi grinned at them with beloved smile and the two girls giggled. He turned back to his table, seeing a girl with waves of pink hair sit across from him, reading a book. However, her head was facing Tobi and her chocolate-colored eyes rolled, annoyed as she watched the interaction with him and the girls.
Tobi noticed immediately and made eye contact with the girl. He had never seen this girl before, and that confused Tobi because he thought he knew everyone in Gryffindor. He smirked at her, "Hi."
She didn't say anything, just waved. Tobi held in a sigh, his smirk still on his face. "I'm Tobi."
"I noticed." She replied before turning back down to her book. Tobi frowned and was about to speak to her again before the Weasley twins, Lee, and Ember sat down.
"Gold!" Lee called.
"Jordan!" Tobi called back with a smile, bro-hugging the boy for a moment. "How was your summer?"
"Pretty alright," Lee nodded, patting the de Oro on the shoulder. "Listen, listen, the twins and I were thinking—"
"When does any good ever come from that?" Ember interrupted with a smirk and Tobi laughed as he hugged the girl hello. "Hey Gold."
"Hey Hart." Tobi whispered before turning to the twins and Lee. "So, you guys were thinking for once?"
"Okay, so we're going to avoid that because we have a good idea," Fred explained. "Gryffindor should throw another party."
"You know, to celebrate the beginning of the year." George suggested.
"You two will throw a party for anything— Just like your mom," Tobi scoffed while he made eye contact with the girl with pink hair for another moment. He shrugged, grinning at his friends, "What the hell? I'm in."
A NOTE FROM KAY !!
yasss perspectives and indivisible quad focus😍😍