I Trusted You - Chapter 34
Air was the first thing I noticed. I took a deep breath of it. It felt like I had not breathed in hundreds of years.
Then I noticed I was wet. Obviously; I had been placed under a lake.
Then there was cheering, and someone's lips met my own.
I opened my eyes and saw Cedric. Out of excitement and shock I screamed right in his face. Luckily, the noise of the crowd droned my scream out, but that did not stop Cedric from getting the full impact of it.
"Good to see you as well," he laughed as he swam us toward the platform. I did not speak, I was too excited. From the looks of things, we were the first back. That meant Cedric had come in first place!
Suddenly there were towels draped around me, and I was separated from Cedric. I panicked. Where were they taking him? I wanted to stay with him, how dare they!
I started to get up, for I had been sitting, but I was pushed down by someone. There was no time to identify the jerk who was restraining me. I only had eyes for Cedric, who was being concealed by about ten dozen people.
"Cedric!" I cried in desperation.
"He's over there, sweetheart," said the woman who was restraining me. She had a firm grip, and I hated her, whoever she was.
"I don't care, just let go of me you dirty bludger!" I nearly screamed. Did she even understand that by having been in the water, I was the most important thing to him? Why would she not let me see him?
"You're freezing, here's another towel," said the woman, not bothered by my insult.
"I don't want your ruddy towel," I said firmly, with danger in my voice. I gave up struggling, and sat there with a throbbing heart.
Fleur Delacour emerged from the water, without her champion, and the woman who had been restraining me rushed to her, leaving me forgotten.
I resisted the urge to shout some nasty words at the woman, and rushed forward, discarding my towels on the platform.
He was standing up, being spoken to by Professor Sprout as the others went to find out what had happened to Fleur.
I practically jumped into his arms. I didn't feel like letting go, ever. I hugged him tightly, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder. He hugged me right back, and I did not let go.
"I love you, Meghan," he said in my ear.
"I love you, Cedric," I said back.
I hugged him until he jumped back in shock at something oblivious to me. I had been in his arms for the longest time, and it was only reluctantly that I let go.
I turned just in time to see three figures struggling to get up on the platform. It was Harry, Ron, and Fleur's sister. I saw Hermione rushing to them, and Professor Dumbledore looking confused.
It was all happening so quickly and strangely; the loud sounds of the cheering crowd were deafening. I felt drunk; not that I knew what that felt like, but everything was so blurry and indifferent.
I turned to Cedric. "I feel like a piece of-"
I couldn't finish my sentence, it was all too overwhelming. I felt my eyes drooping, and Cedric let me lean against him, supporting all my weight.
I closed my eyes, waiting for it to be finished, and found myself being carried and placed in a sitting position. I opened my eyes and found myself in a little rowboat, with only Cedric in it with me.
"Lovely way to start your birthday, isn't it?" he smiled.
"It is my birthday!" I exclaimed, sitting up and opening my eyes properly. "Good heavens, I'd forgotten! I'm seventeen today!"
I suddenly felt like a warrior. It was odd and stupid, I know, but coming of age only happened once in your life.
"What would you like to do on this most eventful day?" Cedric asked of me casually.
"Are you being serious?" I asked him, annoyance and sarcasm in my voice. "You are expecting me to tell you what I want to do? Oh, the disappointment."
"I was only kidding," he said with a straight face, but I saw the corners of his lips quiver. "I have a few things planned," he told me. "That is, if you're up to it."
"Considering I have been in a lake filled with icky sea monsters for the past twelve hours, I'll need to bathe first, but I am most certainly up to it."
"Good," said Cedric, before sighing contentedly.
The little boat made it to the shore, along with many others. As I was being helped out by Cedric two girls were calling out my name.
"Are you okay?"
"Congrats, Cedric!"
"We were so worried-"
"-you never came back last night!"
"Payton thought you had been murdered-"
"No I didn't, I said 'It would be so cool if she had been murdered.'"
"What?"
"No, no! I didn't mean it like that-"
I laughed under my breath, and Maci and Payton did not even notice me walk off until Payton had explained thoroughly to Maci what she had meant.
"Wait- Meghan!" called Payton, rushing after me.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" the two said simultaneously, while they crushed me with a hug.
"Thank you!" I said, grinning. "But really, the simultaneous talking is kind of freaking me out. You guys are like twins..."
The two eyed each other, as if to determine whether they actually were twins.
"Sorry," they said at the same time. I had to grab onto Maci's shoulder to stop myself from falling over in laughter.
"Where'd Cedric go?" I asked, just noticing his absence.
They both grinned suspiciously at me.
"Oh, I don't know," said Payton; obviously lying.
"Maybe you should go shower," said Maci gently.
"And put on a pretty dress," said Payton, agreeing with Maci.
"And go to the common room," said Maci.
"And we will tell you what to do next," said Payton.
I tilted my head sideways and sighed exhaustedly.
"I hate scavenger hunts," I moaned.
"I know," said Maci, smacking me on the rear. I glared at her before hurrying off into the castle.
I did indeed hate scavenger hunts, but there was something exciting about this one. If you could even call it a scavenger hunt. I scurried past students and around corridors until I reached the barrel that led to the Hufflepuff common room.
#~#~#~#~#
I felt like an idiot, wearing a pretty but casual dress while everyone was wearing their robes. I walked down the stairs, my arms crossed, looking for Maci and Payton.
"My, my, don't we have a pretty friend!" said Payton.
"Shut up," I glared at her.
"And feisty, too," she muttered to Maci, but I heard her nonetheless.
"Where am I supposed to go?" I asked, trying not to sound as impatient as I was feeling. In reality, I was just curious, but curiosity turned into impatience.
Maci smiled and handed me a piece of parchment. Oh, great. It is a scavenger hunt.
"To my Meghan,
First go to the place where we first exchanged conversation. After years of not speaking, it ended all frustration. In this place, a piece of parchment changed my life. Three times a day in there, you can find a knife."
I snorted at the last sentence, which was a forced rhyme. I knew the place from the first sentence. How could I forget that night? It seemed like an eternity away. What had it been like when I was a single and shy Hufflepuff? I could hardly remember those days. I was living in the present, and I was content.
"See you guys later," I said to Maci and Payton, not removing my eyes from the parchment as I headed out of the common room.
I made it to the Great Hall, which was filled with students eating lunch. How was I supposed to find the next piece of parchment?
I walked over to the Hufflepuff table, still feeling awkward since I was dressed strangely. There was one seat that was clearly not being sat in on purpose. It left a big gaping hole in the midst of all the students.
I laughed out loud. There was a knife on the table where the gape was. So the last line of the clue wasn't forced. I lifted the knife from the table, and found a piece of parchment on the back of it.
I held it firmly and left the Great Hall. I leaned against the wall and unfolded it.
"To my Meghan,
Next come to the place where I left you hanging. To find the next clue may take some banging."
What in the world? What kind of clue is that? I slid down the wall into a sitting position. He should know I was not smart enough to figure out something like that.
Where had he left me hanging? For starters, what did that even mean?
I just started walking, hoping it would hit me. I looked at the doors I passed; had he left me hanging in any of those rooms?
I walked for what felt like hours, but was probably only about two minutes until I passed the Charms classroom.
"Oh, Cedric," I smirked, pushing open the door.
Now what did that part about banging mean? My eyes scanned the classroom, and landed on a larger piece of parchment on a cabinet door.
"Refer to the clue..." was what it said.
I did the only logical thing I could think of; I punched the piece of parchment. Something landed on my head. I touched it, and realized it was another piece of parchment.
To be honest, I had not expected anything to happen, but I was delighted as I skipped out of the classroom, reading the piece of parchment.
"To my Meghan,
Come and find me where you came, post this disaster. I'm waiting for you, hoping for a happily ever after.
P.S. I'm not proposing, we're too young."
I knew where to go.
"Cedric are you trying to kill me?" I questioned as I looked up the hill.
"Of course not," he said, giving me a small smile. "I just needed time to prepare."
I smiled and felt my eyes water.
Up the hill, under the shade of the willow tree was my Cedric, dressed in his casual best, sitting on a picnic blanket with a wooden basket and a single daisy in his hand.
"You're so cliche," I laughed as I walked up the hill.
"Is that a complaint?" he asked out of curiosity.
"Of course not," I said, sitting down on the blanket. "Just a remark."
"Good, because the worst is ahead," he said quite seriously.
I eyed him with fear and confusion. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a necklace.
"Doesn't get more cliche than this, does it now?" he smiled, handing me the necklace.
"It depends," I said, my mouth open in awe, "is it your grandmother's?"
"No," said Cedric, "my mum's."
"Oh," I said, examining the necklace.
It had a silver chain, and the the small charm was raindrop shaped and yellow. It was perfectly simple and beautiful; it reminded me of the daisy Cedric was holding.
"It's perfect," I breathed, beginning to put it around my neck.
"Wait," said Cedric, taking the necklace from me. "We have to do this the right way." He took it in his hands and fastened it behind my neck.
"There's one more thing," he said, reaching into the picnic basket. I felt fluttery and excited. The day was going beautifully. I wanted to stay like that forever. It was very cliche, but I liked it that way. Cedric had put a lot of effort into this day, to which I was grateful. It was all too good for me. He was too good for me.
He handed me a package with a card attached on top. I looked at him uncertainly, but he was not looking in my direction.
On top of the card were five simple words.
"Open after the third task."
Author's note:
I can't wait to read your comments. What is in the mysterious package? Why is she not allowed to open it until after the third task? What will happen next? Why did I end the chapter? Why am I listing questions you might ask me?
This chapter is dedicated to DanceAllNight32 for the Hufflepuffic cover she made me and for just being awesome. :D
The song is a sneakety peekety to the sequel. LISTEN TO IT, FOOL!
Also, the contest deadline is January 20th, BUTTTTTTTT the naming the sequel part of the contest ends on January 10th!!! So, if you haven't sent me suggestions, DO THAT SOON! Seriously, it's so easy, just throw out some suggestions and maybe I'll choose that!
THANKS GUYS! <3
VOTE.COMMENT.FAN.SPREAD THE WORD.LOVE.<3