ALTHOUGH HE MADE NO COMMENT, it was evidence enough to Ellis that Cedric had heard and sensed her uneasiness when he diverted the conversation to lunch—though that she was grateful for. As the Principle Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration prevented the Room of Requirement from producing its own food, Cedric offered to grab some from the Great Hall.
"I'll be right back. Just stay here, all right?"
"I won't disappear, if that's what you're worried about," said Ellis exhaustedly.
She wasn't in the mood to move—she wasn't even in the mood to flee.
"I didn't say you would. ... And that's not what I'm worried about," she heard him mumble as he left.
Either Cedric didn't take long or Ellis had totally lost her concept of time musing on the past. He returned presently with a sackful of treats, from piping hot soup and chips to apple pies and creme brûlée. Eating cheered Ellis up considerably, but the inevitable was looming just around the corner. As they finished the last of their dessert, the tension between them mounted sky high again.
"Look, it's fine if you don't want to talk about it, you know. We can talk about something else."
"Then you're just wasting your time. That isn't what you're here for."
"I'm here to get to know you," said Cedric kindly, "and I don't want to do it in any way that makes you uncomfortable. Besides, I definitely don't think this is a waste of time."
"I just don't know where to start," she admitted after a while.
That much was true. Ellis had only ever conveyed the "long story" once firsthand, and it was to the Baron. Even then, it had been a choppy recount, with significant exclusions. In fact, now that she came to think of it, she had only told the ghost about Elliot, which constituted just half of the tale.
"Don't stress over it," Cedric reassured Ellis as she stared on into the leaping flames. "Why don't we just continue what we were doing? Maybe you can throw in some of your own questions this time."
Ellis considered his suggestion, then nodded.
"Ladies first," said Cedric in a sing-song voice.
"Okay... My favorite subject is Astronomy," said Ellis, playing it safe.
"Transfiguration and Ancient Runes."
"You can't have two favorite subjects—"
"I so can too—"
"No, by definition, 'favourite' means one," insisted Ellis, crossing her arms. "You have to pick a side."
"Fine," he conceded, and looked like a child forced to choose just one favorite toy. For some obscure reason, Ellis found this adorable. "Ancient Runes, I suppose... Favorite teacher?"
"Professor McGonagall."
Cedric's brows nearly vanished into his fringe.
"Why?"
"She's an Animagus!" said Ellis excitedly. "She can turn into a cat whenever she likes. How fantastic is that? I hope I can be one some day."
"What would your Animagus be, a dragon?"
"Being fond of them doesn't equate to wanting them for everything."
Just as she said it, however, she had a stroke of inspiration: If she could—transform into a dragon—she might just be able to keep him at bay. As is, he wouldn't "volunteer to go near one." Furthermore, how convenient would that be for a dragon handler? Now that would be fantastic. It certainly would boost her résumé. Perhaps the idea, crazy as it was, ought not to be dismissed so hastily...
A snap brought her back to the bumble bee chamber. A concerned-looking Cedric was leaning over and clicking his fingers before her eyes. She swatted his hand away, not hostilely.
"Are you okay?"
"Just had a thought, sorry. Where were we? Oh yes, my Animagus—"
"—that's not a dragon."
"Right... Well, a bird...probably an eagle if I can manage, or an owl..."
"What, the Nimbus not good enough for you now?"
Ellis chuckled at Cedric's cheeky tone, though her mirth was rather short-lived.
"Something like that," she said vaguely, but, nonetheless, he seemed to have received the hint that she wasn't keen to stay on the topic.
"Mine's Flitwick; but don't tell Professor Sprout," he added in a hushed voice, and Ellis snorted.
"Do you have a favorite constellation?" she said offhandedly.
He shook his head.
"I'm really not that good at reading the stars. But I reckon you do."
"And you reckon correctly. Why don't you take a guess?"
"Please tell me it's not Draco," said Cedric, casting her a this-cannot-be look.
"Take another guess," replied Ellis, and he heaved a dramatic sigh of relief, then screwed up his eyes as if thinking hard.
"Well, you don't exactly come across as a horoscope kind of girl, so Capricorn's out... Hmm...an eagle or an owl...an eagle..." The muttering went on, his train of thought markedly entertaining Ellis, then Cedric exclaimed, "OH—Aquila?"
Her lip twitched up slightly, Ellis applauded, to which Cedric jumped up from his armchair and returned a fancy bow that bore distinct resemblance to the one Professor Lockhart gave at the Dueling Club: Again, this made Ellis giggle.
"Okay"—he rubbed his palms together—"a place you've always dreamed of visiting?"
"Romania," said Ellis in a heartbeat.
"That's not counted," said Cedric, laughing, "I already knew that one. Try again."
It would only occur to Ellis much later that the Hufflepuff was really pushing it; but at the moment, she didn't seem to mind whatever it was that boomeranged between them. To her surprise, she was rather enjoying herself overall.
"Maybe New York," she said thoughtfully. "You?"
"Paris," he answered. "My parents are there now, actually."
"Why aren't you with them?"
"They haven't had a Christmas alone since I came along. So I thought I'd give them a break to have a vacation on their own..."
Finally, Ellis discovered how he was to be at Hogwarts over the holidays; it had been bugging her since she saw him the first morning. She occasionally speculated if it had anything to do with her own staying, and was glad to have shoved that conjecture into oblivion. The disappointment would have been humiliating. It was a coincidence after all.
"...heard that some pretty interesting witchcraft have gone down in their history. I hope they're having a good time."
"I'm sure they are; it's a nice place."
"Have you ever been there?" said Cedric curiously. "What's it like?"
"When I was very young. I don't remember much; just that it was...nice," she concluded lamely, but frankly.
She had been only four, and her memory of the city was now fuzzy besides her feelings about it and the iconic Eiffel Tower—but even this, she suspected, may have been planted by an advertisement she had glanced later in life. Of course, there were photographs stashed somewhere at home, but nobody had touched those since she was seven. Ellis wasn't planning to be an exception.
"No matter. I'll just get my parents to write and tell me everything, then I can tell you all about it."
To this, Ellis said nothing.
What could she say? What were the odds of them having such a meeting again, once she spilled everything?
Ellis simply hugged her velvet cushion and pretended to think of a question that did not come.
"Can I pass?"
Cedric seemed taken aback, but said, "Oh, sure. We'll come back to you. Well...let's see... Who's your favorite band? I think Marge's liking for the Weird Sisters has rather rubbed off on me this past summer. She had their latest album on a loop when we all stayed over at Jaime's."
Looking somewhat sheepish at his confession, Cedric sipped his pumpkin juice. Ellis smiled when he wasn't looking.
"The Beatles," she said automatically.
"Beg pardon?"
"Oh"—she filled with dread—"they're a Muggle group."
"You listen to Muggle music?"
Ellis wanted to say something inexplicit, but when she heard herself, it was quite the opposite.
"Only because my mother refuses to let me listen to the wireless." And somehow, without prompt, she continued, "She hates me. And I can't say I blame her."
"Parents don't hate their children," said Cedric bracingly. "Granted, they get angry sometimes, but they always come around."
"Well, mine won't. And for good reason."
"Stop being so negative. What reason could there—"
"BECAUSE I'M A JINX!"