Hopefully this is the next part... I think some of my work was lost forever though :(
Chapter 18
Betrayed
I got up on Sunday morning a bit late for breakfast, but Fred and George noticed and had brought me food to the common room.
“So,” Fred said as I ate. We were now sitting in front of the fireplace at the common room. “Word’s out that you chose Cedric.”
“I didn’t choose anyone,” I said rolling my eyes. “I just decided to sit with my boyfriend… is that such a crime?”
“Sorry, sorry,” he said lifting his hands in a surrendering manner. “Harry was kind of bothered by it…”
“It wasn’t that that bothered him,” Gorge added quickly as he saw my widening eyes. “It’s because the Slytherins have found yet another reason to laugh at him for.”
I groaned. I hadn’t thought of what the Slytherins would say to him at all.
“Do you know where he’s at?” I asked, finishing up my food in a hurry.
“You just ate like Ron,” Fred said smirking amused.
“He left this morning after eating with Hermione…” George said chuckling a bit as I glared at George. “He dragged her out to the grounds I reckon... but they’re probably not there anymore…”
“Thanks, I’ll just ask if someone saw them!” I said as I hurried out of the common room.
After a while of asking, I found Hermione and Harry in the library and headed to them. When I reached them they stopped talking, and I narrowed my eyes as Harry tried to hide something behind his back. It was no use though, the table was full of books with the same word all over them.
“Dragons?” I asked confused. “Why are you guys investigating dragons?”
“Well… we wanted to learn more about them… they’re an interesting species…” Harry muttered panicking.
“Okay,” I said raising an eyebrow. Yeah right, Harry wanting to learn for pure joy. I’m not stupid. “Now, why are you really reading that.”
Hermione and Harry shared a look, and that made e feel kind of betrayed.
“Well?” I asked again.
“We can’t tell you,” Hermione finally muttered. “It’s about the Triwizard tournament.”
“Hermione!” Harry hissed, just as I smiled.
“You found something?” I asked excited.
“Sorry,” Hermione sighed guiltily. “We can’t tell you.”
“Why not?” I asked confused.
“Well… you’re datinc Cedric, and he’s competition so-“
“Wait,” I interrupted her, looking at them unbelieving. “You think I’d betray you?”
“Well, no… I mean, there’s a possibility-“
“Fine,” I cut her off, glaring at them both. “It’s good to know you trust me.”
“Ash wait,” Harry said looking at me guiltily. “You’re right… it’s just… the first task. We know what it is.”
“How?” I asked confused.
“Doesn’t matter,” Harry shrugged. “We have to fight a dragon.”
“Does that mean… there’s a dragon in school?”
“Yes,” Hermione said.
“Oh my God, that’s awesome!” I yelled excited. “I’ll get to see a dragon for real!”
“Yes, you get to see it,” Harry said bitterly. “I get to fight it.”
“Oh right,” I muttered awkwardly. “Sorry.”
“You can’t tell Cedric,” Hermione added seriously.
“Who knows?” I asked sitting down.
“Well, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang already know,” Hermione said looking away.
“So… Cedric’ll be the only one clueless?” I asked confused. “Ok, it’s your call Harry. If you wish to tell him, do.”
“Thanks,” Harry said, but I knew he’d tell him, so I’m not really worried. Well, not worried of him not knowing. Worried of either of them getting killed? I’m very worried of that.
“Well, anyway,” I said remembering why I came here in the first place. “I’m sorry about the rumors Harry, you know I didn’t choose Cedric.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Harry replied with a small smile.
I hugged him tightly reassuring him he’ll do good in the first task.
“I have to go now, good luck!” I said smiling.
“Aren’t you helping us?” Hermione said confused.
“Sorry guys,” I said guiltily “I promised I’ll meet Cedric. Plus, I can’t help Harry, that’d make me seem like a traitor. I won’t tell them what you discovered, but I’m not helping either!”
“I understand, don’t worry,” Harry said smiling.
I left then to find Cedric. He was practicing all day long all types of spells. I knew some of them’ll be useful, but somewhere just off… but I had promised Harry and Hermione. Cedric noticed that I kept quiet while the others where all giving their opinions as to what spells where more likely to be useful.
“What do you think Ash?” Cedric asked sitting beside me.
“I…” I hesitated. “I can’t tell you.”
“Why?” Scott asked frowning.
“I promised,” I replied looking down. Scott is the one who’ll probably get angrier out af the five of them.
“Who?” Kevin asked sitting by my other side.
“Harry,” I replied.
“Oh great,” Scott muttered. “So you’re helping Harry?”
“I’m not helping him!” I exclaimed a bit hurt. “He discovered it on his own, so he made me not tell anyone! I’d do the same for Cedric!”
“You’re not doing it,” Scott snapped. “You’re helping Harry! Why can’t you just tell Cedric?”
“Guys-“ Kevin started, but we both ignored him.
“Shut up! I didn’t help him in which spells to use! He discovered what the stupid task was, and made me not tell anyone. If Cedric had found out what the task was, he wouldn’t want me to tell Harry either!” I yelled angrily.
“That’s not the point!” Scott shouted, yet I could sense he knew I had won.
“This isn’t about you anyway,” I muttered looking at Cedric. “I’m sorry Ced.”
“Don’t be,” he assured. “I understand.”
Scott scoffed and I couldn’t really take it anymore.
“Why are you being such a jerk to me lately?” I asked trying to keep my voice calm.
“It’s just…” he muttered looking away. “It feels like you’ve chosen them before us.”
“What?” I asked confused.
“Well, you’re a Gryffindor… so I’m just thinking you’d choose them if it came to it.”
“I am not like that, Scott,” I said frowning. “I wouldn’t just choose one of them. They’re both important to me and frankly? I don’t even care if they win. I just want them to be safe.”
Scott nodded, not really meeting my eye, but I let him be for now. Cedric continued practicing, and asked me to at least comment in which of the spells he casted where completely useless, so I did.
“Dragons!” Cedric said grabbing my shoulders smiling. “It’s dragons!”
“What?” I asked confused. I mean, I’m walking to my class and he suddenly appears like this.
“Harry told me about the first task!” Cedric said smiling. “I know what I should do!”
“Really?” I asked relieved. Which spell are you using?
“I’ll have to distract him… I talked it over with the others, and we desided I could transfigurate something to distract the dragon!”
“Now that’s a good idea!” I exclaimed excited.
“Meet us later?” he asked making me smile and nod.
He grinned as he walked away, hurrying to his next class.
The rest of the day after the classes, Cedric kept practicing transfiguration spells in different types of objects into different types of animals. They decided an animal will be the best distraction to a dragon, and I quietly agreed. I didn0t help them with the theories of what could be better to distract a dragon, but Scott made no comment of it. I noticed they weren’t wearing the ‘Potter stinks’ badges anymore, and that made me smile.