chapter six - rewritten
Of course, Alissa would have to have her say on the Cedric rumours. The gossip had filled the school - Cedric and Elise? Now - dating? It was a surprise to all, primarily as I had once been known as the friendless loner of my year, rumoured to be weird and as loony as Luna Lovegood. But now, one of the most eligible boys in the school was showing me interest, and now everyone was.
And my arch-rival Alissa wasn't happy about this. She stormed over to me after my last class of the day, as I finished some notes off. Everyone else had left the room, including the Professor, leaving just me and her. She slammed her books down on my desk to grab my attention, and she did not look happy.
"Look here, Mudblood. I don't know what little tricks you're pulling on Cedric, but I want to let you know that I see through this. And if you don't leave him alone, I'll find proof that you're using some kind of love potion or spell on him. Then expose you for what you are - a filthy no good Mudblood who will never be loved or liked by anyone." She spat in my face, walking out before giving me any chance to defend myself or respond.
I sighed, continuing to finish off my notes before meeting Harriet for lunch as planned.
"What's up? Something's happened I can tell," she asked pretty quickly, I guess I was quite the open book.
I sighed, "Just some drama with Alissa, but it's nothing."
Harriet stopped walking, pulling me over to a bench and sitting down, allowing her to look me straight in the eye as I sat down next to her. "It's clearly not if it's still bothering you."
"It's just how she accused me of using magic on Cedric to explain his sudden interest in me, and I'm just afraid everyone else thinks the same," I admitted, awkwardly breaking eye contact as I spoke. This was quite vulnerable for me, and I didn't do vulnerable.
She stroked my arm for comfort, "Whoever believes that is jealous because Cedric has finally seen how lovely and beautiful you are."
"Thank you, Harriet." I blushed, but a part of me felt the urge to tell her the real reason. In some ways, I hated not being able to open up to anyone about my conflicting feelings for Cedric. But I didn't think I could without telling them everything. "Can I tell you something?"
Harriet nodded, "Of course, you can tell me anything."
"It's just," I sighed, "there is a reason for Cedric suddenly showing an interest in me."
"Oh." she breathed, almost as if it was something terrible. I guess it was, but nothing shocking in the way Alissa intended.
"Back, last summer. We were both out on a walk in the forbidden forest and happened to bump into each other, and then we bumped into Professor Trelawney."
Harriet continued to nod, confused about course. It must have been nowhere near whatever she expected.
"And she had a prediction-vision thingy, which involved her saying me and Cedric must fall in love or 'bad things' will happen," I admitted, nearly everything out in the open.
She was shocked, her mouth forming the shape of an 'o'. "That's not what I expected, but, surely that says that you and Cedric might be, like, soulmates or something, if you appear in a prediction like that together?" Harriet suggests, attempting to make light of it and only adding more pressure onto my next few words.
"And while Cedric seems to be very interested in me, I can't find any interest in him." I let out, which felt like a massive breath of fresh air to admit it.
"Give it time; love doesn't happen straight away." Harriet comforted me, which was all I needed.
I smiled, "Yeah, I guess. Maybe I just need to flirt back, see how it feels getting closer to him."
"Exactly!" Harriet exclaimed before we gave each other a short hug. The amount of love I held for Harriet increased, as to how friendly and pleasant she had been to me over the past few days was all I ever needed. It was a shame that Macie had to come back later that week.
Macie encompassed all the bitterness and sourness that anyone could ever ask for, and if it wasn't for her loyal and hard-working nature, I wouldn't have been surprised if she was sorted in with the snakes. She was a possessive, life-draining friend who seemed to clear all the energy out of Harriet whenever she was around. And whenever I was around? Not a word would be said to either of us.
The jealousy was prominent, and I eventually her negative attitude caused me to spend more time in the library away from the two of them, or even occasionally with Cedric. The odd times I had Harriet alone, I cherished, as I could enjoy her company and talk without feeling like I was ruining someone else's day.
But spending more time with Cedric was an added bonus, as I was beginning to warm to him more. The closer we got, the more minimal the flirting got. But we were still faced with teasing when seen together from Cedric's friends. Alissa shot jealous glares whenever she saw us, and I tried to ignore then as much as I could.
She would never find any proof that I had plaCed any spell on Cedric, and anything she did come up with was just lies - and lies don't last.
"What's your favourite colour?" I questioned as we sat deep in the three broomsticks on a Saturday afternoon, drinking hot butterbeer and getting to know each other.
Cedric answered bluntly, "Yellow and black! Obviously? Badger pride!"
I chuckled, "I've never seen any more house pride."
"House pride has to be at the heart of Hufflepuff, if there's any reason we're not doing as well in house cup it's that we let people get to us, criticise our house pride until there's no more."
What Cedric said was right, but his passion and enthusiasm were enough to cause a small giggle. "That's adorable, honestly."
"You need to be more proud; then you wouldn't laugh."
"Oh Cedric, if only pride was the solution to all of the problems in the world." I giggled, taking another sip of my butterbeer, which still continued to burn the tip of my tongue.
"I think I'm going to enter the tournament," Cedric announced out of nowhere; I nearly spat out the entirety of my mouthful.
I struggled for words, "C-Cedric, y-you can't be s-serious."
"I'm so serious, I have to do it. Not for me, but for Hufflepuff." he declared, and as noble as he sounded, I couldn't help but worry for him.
I moaned, "But Cedric, you can't. What if you're the 'spare', whatever that means, what if you are killed?"
Cedric sighed, "Well, nothing bad can happen if I got you, and that leads me to what I wanted to ask you."
All of a sudden, Cedric gets up and comes and sits right next to me. He grabs my hand, placing it between both of his and staring at me directly in the eyes. Looking at me with pure bliss and desire. "Elise, I've really enjoyed getting to know you, and I think we should start to try and make things happen."
I could see where this was going, and my heart began to race rapidly for all the wrong reasons.
"it would be my absolute pleasure to be able to take you out on a date next Friday, so if you'd like to, that would be incredible."
As much as a part of me wanted to say no, so terrified of the pressure of not yet reciprocating his feelings, I knew I had to say yes. The least I could do was try.
And I said yes, and was met with a soft, quick kiss on the lips as it felt like the entire pub was watching. Though I guess with Cedric, everyone would always be watching.
I managed to get Harriet alone later that evening to alert her of the news. She squealed, hugging me, "That's amazing, I'm so excited; hopefully, it will be enough."
"Maybe that's all I need, a romantic night to persuade my heart."
"Yes! Exactly!" Harriet exclaimed before we went on to rambling about what I would wear and what would we do.
That Friday approached, and around lunchtime, we met inside the Common Room. We had both finished lessons for the day, and we weren't able to do date in the evening as there was a special dinner as the schools were arriving for the tournament.
So our first date was a sweet and straightforward picnic by the lake, full of sweet treats and words. Cedric was quite touchy-feely, often finding soft ways to make contact with me. I felt special, his touch was good at making people think that. We got along so well, and I couldn't help but think that if I was falling for him what Harriet said about soulmates might have been right...
Half the way through the date, though, we were interrupted by an expected visitor. As Cedric was skipping stones, one stone he skimmed flew right back. He dodged it quickly, staring at the lake in confusion. And then, suddenly, out of nowhere, a giant boat appeared from out of the water. Durmstrang had arrived.
We studied all the students who came out of the both, all in their thick, fleecy uniforms looking incredibly impressive and masculine. I knew a lot of girls would be enjoying the sights of them for the next year. As the last boy stepped off the both, Cedric gasped in disbelief.
"You're kidding me."
"What?" I questioned, staring at him in anticipation.
"T-that's Viktor Krum." Cedric stuttered, before getting up and immediately heading in his direction. I followed from behind, having to run a little to keep up with Cedric's long legs.
Cedric showed no hesitation before approaching the man, greeting him with a handshake and introducing himself, then asking for an autograph. Viktor nodded silently, almost as if he was a bit put off by Cedric's eagerness, but not enough to deny him. Viktor signs an autograph on the messy paper Cedric found in his pocket before handing it back and nodded again. He then turned to me, winking at me and smiling, before walking off and joining his mates again.
"Happy?" I questioned Cedric, who didn't look too over the moon after his encounter with the professional quidditch player.
"Yeah, I guess," Cedric shrugged, "didn't really like how he was checking you out, though."
I chuckled, "Was he? I didn't notice."
Cedric rolled his eyes, "It was so obvious, I didn't like it." he admitted his jealousy, but a part of me struggled to justify it.
"It's not like we're properly together or anything though, it was only a date. What's wrong with me being checked out?" I felt like I was flirting, maybe I was. Because a part of me wanted Cedric to admit his jealousy even further, the attention he gave me was something I loved, even if I didn't quite love him yet.
And Cedric bought entirely into what I was trying to achieve. "Well, why don't we make sure that people know they can't check you out." he broke the distance, his body completely pressed up against mine and his breath coating my face.
"And how will you do that?" I questioned, placing my hand at the top of his right shoulder before slowing, dragging it down his chest, only just parting it as I reached his manhood, feeling a soft bulge through his trousers. His eyes lit up, before kissing me more passionately than he ever had before, one hand on my hip and the other grabbing my bum.
"Be my girlfriend, Elise."
"Maybe." I teased, this time began the kiss, which turned into us falling back onto the picnic blanket and becoming a steamy makeout session.
I may have not loved him,but oh god was I now attracted to him.