Cedric Diggory was leaning against the wall across from the Slytherin dormitories when I exited Monday morning.
"Good morning, gorgeous. Would you mind sitting with me at breakfast?" He pushed himself off of the wall and strolled over to me.
I smiled and agreed, snaking my arm through his. "Brilliant what you did to Wood and his mates, by the way. We all had a good laugh this morning,"
I was certainly pleased with myself for that one. "Did Wood have his robes on?"
Along with Oliver's pink uniforms, my brother and I managed to glue rhinestones on the back to form 'President of the Jessica Cesari Fan Club' with a broom in the shape of a heart.
It was sloppy, but we deserve points for creativity! Art really isn't my forte..
Cedric laughed out loud so I assumed Oliver did. "We just about died when we saw that! I think he still has them on, it's far less embarrassing than looking like a walking pansy."
I grinned. This was going to be a good morning. Cedric spoke again, "I've also heard you cleared out the Weasley twins?"
I nodded, my grin widening, "I figure I could use it against them. I found their name on the back of the box of sweets that were supposedly from Oliver, so I think they needed a little pay back."
Cedric and I walked arm in arm into the great hall and I doubled over in laughter when I caught sight of my prank-ee's.
Stumbling down to my friends, I informed them I'd sit with Cedric. Miles scoffed and announced he wasn't speaking to me for the remainder of the day and Cassius stormed out.
All in all, it was more successful than I thought it would be. I began to pull Cedric down to the Hufflepuff table and just took a seat in the first place I could spot.
He introduced me to his quidditch team. I must have an eye for them or something. How I always end up picking where they're seated is beyond me. I already knew of the Hufflepuff's because I had Marcus give me their stats, pictures and names. But nobody needed to know that bit.
One of the Hufflepuff chasers, Heidi Macavoy-- whose stats were terrible, mind you -- didn't take a liking to me and it was obvious she didn't like me near Cedric.
She was a bit chubby, but it suited her. Had shoulder length red curly hair and bright blue eyes. She was physically pretty.
Cedric had introduced her last and I held my hand out for her to shake, but she just ignored it. Most people would die for this opportunity and she just blew me off..
I rolled my eyes and told her, "I guess your personality matches your chasing abilities. 79 out of 236 attempted goals? Pshewww"
She scoffed and stormed out after all that. Cedric just smiled like a buffoon. "What are you smiling about?" I asked.
"Ced's in love!" One of the beater's teased, clapping his back and making kissy faces.
"Shove off.." Cedric's face was very close to a tomato soo, naturally I made matters worse by kissing his cheek and attempting to feed him a piece of my pineapple.
He allowed it, of coarse. I mean, what man doesn't want to be fed? Merlin, even I like to be fed. Keeps me from spilling it down my front, you know?
"You should feel special, Diggory. She usually doesn't share." And here's my party pooper brother.
Cedric tensed a little when Stevie placed a hand on his shoulder and only got worse when I placed my hand on his knee.
I gave him a reassuring smile then glared at the oaf behind me. "Can I help you, Steven?"
"No, but you could help yourself by removing your hand from his knee." He nodded down, pursing his lips.
"I'll be right back." I told Cedric. Reaching up, I gripped Stevie's ear and dragged him out of the great hall.
Gasps and whispers were heard all around, but there's no way my brother was that much of a big shot.
I knew he had a reputation as one of the scariest men on campus and was quite the ladies man, but I didn't care. He wasn't going to act like my boss. Especially when I pay his tabs.
I stopped and pushed him onto a bench that sat next to the great hall. "What the HELL is your problem?"
"What?" He shouted, rubbing his ear. "I can't hear you!"
I rolled my eyes. He loved winding me up. CRACK! My hand connected with his other ear.
"Can you hear me now?" I mocked. He nodded and flipped me off. "Explain. Now."
My arms folded over my chest and I shifted my weight to my right leg, while tapping my left.
"I don't want you with him," I scowled and he grinned. "I like Oliver. Sit with him. I'm sure he can learn to look past this trying time in your relationship."
That's it. "There is NO relationship between me and Wood! If you like him so much you go out with him!"
People were sneaking their way out of the great hall to see what all the fuss was about and I just kept going.
"I most definitely WILL NOT be with him. He turned me PURPLE. PURPLE! Who does that?" My arms were flying around my head
"Then he thinks he can just claim me as his when he ignores me for two bloody years! NO!"
I huffed and was ready to shove my way through the crowd to go to class but I was stopped by the flood of pink.
"If it makes you feel any better, I would NEVER allow myself to be yours. If I didn't want you back then, what makes you think I'd want you now?"
My jaw fell and eyes brimmed with tears. His features softened, "I-I didn't mean that.." He said.
I pushed passed him and quickly made my way down the hall. Tears were threatening to fall but I wouldn't allow it.
Being the first in the classroom, I took Cass's seat that was closest to the window. I wanted to be as far away from Oliver Wood as possible.
Never in all of our years together has he talked to me like that. Never.
My guys ran in shortly after and Miles automatically rushed to hug me. Now, I dont know about you, but when I'm about to cry and someone hugs me -- I bawl.
And so I did. Thank Merlin, Marcus and Graham kept guard of the door until I made myself stop and fixed the trail of mascara that slid down my cheeks
"I'm sitting here, Warrington." Miles stated, climbing down next to me. Two could sit to a bench comfortably, but I think we all know by now how my boys work.
Cassius squeezed himself onto the bench next to us and I smiled a bit. Cass wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled my head to him, kissing my temple.
"I'm sorry.." He said. I heard Miles scoff dramatically and he pulled me closer to him by my waist.
"She's mine!" He screamed. My head was pushed down to his chest and held there. I love Miles, I swear.
Cassius pulled me by my ribs and they started a tug-of-war with my body!
"I'm not a toy!" I squealed pushing my hands in both of their faces. "Stop trying to break me!"
Miles licked my hand while Cass bit me. I wiped my spit covered hand on Mi's face and smacked Cassius on his forehead.
Marcus and Graham took their place in front of us so they could basically hide me and I appreciated it. We did have class with Gryffindor, after all.
Students piled in and took their places quietly. Times like this make me wish I was invisible. I'd give anything to go back to tutoring and be able to practice with my Goblin's everyday.
I missed my team. Sure, we wrote each other every other day so far but I missed all of our training. Those guys were my other brothers.
Professor Snape flapped in and set up a projector. Instructed us to watch the slide show, take notes then do the potion on page 57. I was surprised he didn't seem to mind our seating arrangement.
Snape took a seat at his desk. A small piece of parchment in the shape of a 'J' floated above my head just as I finished up my notes and the lights flicked back up.
Cass reacted first, snatching it and tearing it open. He laughed once and tossed it my way. "Wood."
Miles snatched it from my hands and held it to the side with his left hand, his right holding me by my face so I couldn't reach for it.
"Oi! He's soooooo sorry!" Miles laughed whole heartedly, "He says he still loves you, Wife!" He scoffed.
"Yeah, right." I rolled my eyes and told Miles to burn it. He did. While Oliver watched. That part I only know because Graham told me, I swear.
I turned to Miles, "Where's my ring? It's been ages!" He grinned and said, "I'll have one to you by Christmas."
I giggled. Christmas was three months away! He took my hand and singled out my left ring finger. "Until then,"
He wrote his name in tiny uneven letters right under my knuckle. "This will do!" He admired his handy work and I shook my head, smiling.
"You're mental, husband."
The rest of the class went by slowly and before we knew it it was time for Transfiguration, then Charms and finally LUNCH!
Miles and I raced for it. That is until I saw Cedric and stopped in my tracks and Miles tumbled over me, making us both road kill for the starved.
I made sure to knee Miles in the belly and allowed Cedric to help me to my feet. He smiled down at me. "A bit clumsy today, are we?"
"Try everyday." Miles groaned, dusting himself off and collecting his books that were splattered around the corridor.
“Heh,” Cedric chuckled to himself. "I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go for a fly after dinner? Maybe toss the quaffle around? Let me get to know you?"
I smiled and nodded. "Sounds good." Miles ran off. Probably eating already. He'll get an earful if he is.
"Alright. Meet you at these doors say.." He thought for a moment, "7:30?"
"Yup!" I ran inside. Miles was about to tuck into a full plate.
My eyes narrowed. I smushed his face into his food when I got down to our seats and innocently sat beside him.
He glared and I filled myself with the deliciousness under my nose.
7:00 came sooner than expected. Miles and I decided to have a little wager about who could eat more pudding only using their faces and the winner had to but the other a large box of licorice wands. Let's just say it wasn't THAT messy..
I slurped the last bits of dessert from my bowl and grinned up in victory. "NO!" Miles jerked his head up. "YOU CHEATED!"
I gasped in mock horror, "LIES! My hands were behind my back the WHOLE time Miles Bletchley. Take your loss like a man!"
He made me roll my eyes when he went on mumbling about 'bloody women' , 'divorce' and 'how they win everything'
I was attempting to reach the remaining pudding with my tongue but gave up and wiped it with a napkin, not because Kara and Daphne complained, but because my tongue wasn't long enough. It was like I set myself up for failure..
Glancing up at the clock above the doors, it was close to 7:30. I peered across to the Hufflepuff table, but Cedric was no where to be found.
"I'll see you lot later, yeah?" Not waiting for a response I hurried out of the great hall.
"Looking for me?" Cedric commented, leaning on the cold stone wall. I snapped around, smiling. "Possibly."
He smirked, "You look really cute."
Looking down, I was sporting a bright pink long sleeved shirt, a fresh pair of grey cotton shorts with a comfy pair of black moccasins and socks. My hair was up and in a sloppy bun because of me and Mi's wager moments ago.
"Thank you," I gripped his arm and he asked, "You ready to go to the pitch?"
I nodded and he grinned, "That was the cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life."
"What?" My eyebrows scrunched together while I peered up at him. He slung an arm over my shoulders and whispered in my ear. "You."
Oh dear.. I felt my face and ears heat up and he smiled down at me, again. I sighed. He's gorgeous.
As soon as we got to the pitch, he tossed me a broom and got one for himself.
"Fancy a bit of a wager?"
A smirk crept onto my face. "I'd love one."
"Alright. I'm a seeker and not too fair of a chaser, so whoever catches the snitch first gets the choice of one request that the loser has to fulfill."
"Fine." I mounted the broom Cedric had given me and groaned at how painstakingly slow it was. That cheat! No doubt he gave me a beginner's broom.
I watched as he tossed the snitch behind his back then zoomed over toward me with that stupid smirk of his on his lips. "Good luck, love."
I glared in his direction. He knew what he did. That just motivated me more. I hovered above the pitch for a while. Finding the snitch on this thing and in the moonlight was mental!
Cedric was flying circles around the pitch trying to sike me out. Nope. Definitely NOT working. A tiny flek flashed not far from me and I sped after it.
An hour later, I was literally a centimeter away from slipping my fingers around the cool metal when the stupid stick jolted to halt, flipping me face first onto the feild. Cedric caught the snitch and jetted down to me toying with the snitch in his hands. I still hold my argument that he gave me a baby's broom but it's okay. How bad could one teensy little request be?
The moon light was bright enough so we could see each other, but not much else. I was still on my bum, legs stretched out in front, with my arms holding me up from behind.
He knelt down and sat beside me. Really close beside me. My thigh was touching his and my heart started racing. "I win, yeah?" My eyes remained in my lap. I knew he was smirking and I couldn't help but blush.
"Tell me about you. Something the world doesn't know." He gently used his forefinger to turn my face to his. I smiled and thought for a moment. "I'm hungry?"
He chuckled, rolling his eyes. Getting up, he held his hands out for me to take and he helped me up.
"Follow me, love." We ended up by the black lake. About a hundred candles circled around a large blanket with a picnic basket and pillows all around. It was adorable.
He pulled out containers of food and set them in front of us. I opened mine and the wonderful aroma filled my nose. Baked ziti. I tucked in immediately.
"What?" I said, with mouth full of pasta earning me a wrinkled nose in return. "Good god, do you ever stop eating?" He quirked a brow.
I patted my belly and shook my head. We ate in peace for a while until I burped.
Smooth. Real bloody smooth, you sod! I excused myself, of coarse. Hoping my manliness didn't completely disgust him.
I polished off the rest of the pasta and chucked the container into the basket. Cedric did the same and moved it to the side. He adjusted himself so he was comfortable and led back, tucking two pillows behind his head. Taking that as an offer, I did the same. Lying next to him, I felt his hand brush against mine a few times before I finally got tired of his game. "If you want to hold my bloody hand, then do it!" Looking a bit taken aback, he grinned and did so.
"So, you're a seeker?" I turned on my side, propping my head up on my hand.
He kept his right hand over mine and said, "Yes. Why?"
"Well, I've been studying player stats of everyone on a team and I couldn't help but notice that in your record, you've never attempted a Wronski feint."
"Call me old fashioned, but i'm not a huge fan of human sacrifice." I laughed a bit at his sarcasm
"Well, how bout I show you? Best place to start any type of dive is above water. Hurts less if you fall."
"Well maybe you could teach me one day." He smiled.
There was a comfortable silence for a while until he spoke.
"You know, I still haven't requested you to do anything." Mentally slapping myself, I groaned. "Out with it, already!" He grinned.
He sat up, getting dangerously close to my face. "You got a bit of.." He inched closer and my face burned along with my racing heart. His smile getting broader by the second.
Cedric brought his hand up and used his thumb to wipe right below my bottom lip. His face was so close, I could feel his warm breath tickling my nose.
Slowly pulling back, he took his finger and placed it to his lips, sucking the side of his finger free of marinara. "Sauce."
I blushed deeply and tried tearing my eyes from his, but we all know I could only be so lucky.
"W-what was your..uhm.. request, a-again?" I stammered. You could hear my heart thumping in my chest.
"Heh," He chuckled. Cedric leaned in until he was less than a centimeter away from my lips. "Kiss me."
My lips brushed over his gently at first, until he slid his hand behind my neck to deepen the kiss.
Cedric pulled away first. "We better get back to the castle before curfew." Smiling up at him, I shot to my feet.
He came up and stuck out his left hand. I was about to shake it, but he shook his head and laughed out loud.
"Hold my hand you muppet! I want to walk together." He intertwined his fingers with mine and we made our way back.
If any of my guys or my brother were to see us, it would be really, really bad.
But then again, what's life without a little risk?