I asked Cedric to hand in my sick notice for the next three days. The teachers are starting to realise that something is up but I believe, since they all witnessed the whole incident, that they understand and are laying off their investigations.
Even though he still had classes he came by to the Gryffindor common room every chance he got! We played chess, drew each other (although I must admit mine was not the best!), and we talked all day for hours and hours when the weekend hit.
I plan to start back classes tomorrow since it's a new week. I have come to the realisation that I do not need friends! All I need is Cedric and although he is not in most of my classes he is in enough to make the in-between bits bearable!
It's Sunday today and I'm finally leaving the dorm after my three days off classes - and my Saturday of hibernating.
I awkwardly shuffle out of the common room into the hallway. Its empty thankfully but I keep my head down incase anybody would appear. Gosh I'm turning red already!
Cedric and I have arranged to meet outside at the hill. It is my first trip outside of the school grounds since I arrived and - to be honest, I'm extremely excited to see outside of the castle.
I wave at him as I near him at the top of the hill. He has his hands in the pockets of his trousers but he smiles and waves when he sees me.
He looks extra cute today. I smile when I reach him.
'Squeak...squeak squeak!" A Slytherin boy shouts as he walks past with a group of girls. They all laugh and even some people in the background giggle.
I clench my jaw as I stop my tears from welling up.
"Ignore them," Cedric rubs my shoulder. "They're not worth it."
I nod lightly. I know they aren't. But something in my head constantly feeds my insecurities around these people.
We start the quick walk to Hogsmeade, down the hill around an old, spooky looking shack and into the village.
"Well, do you have any shops you wish to visit today?" I ask Cedric as the crowded little village comes into sight.
"Uhmmm...nothing in particular,today is more-so about you." He smiles awkwardly and focuses on the ground.
"Oh!" I smile. "Well, I wouldn't mind looking around, and maybe buying a new jumper, this ones a bit battered." I tug on the wool jumper
I found in the suitcase under my bed.
"Oh," he looks at it strangely. "Can you turn around for a second?" He requests.
I raise my brow slightly but do as he says. I feel his fingers brushing my hair unintentionally as he checks the tag on my jumper. My heart races. Stop it!
"Ah," he nods and I turn around again. "What?" I ask.
"It's one of those family ones, you know, where the parents have two colours - probably red and white in your case, and then the child gets the jumper with the colour of the parents ones mixed together...hence, pink." He smiles as he struggles to spit out the long, confusing sentence.
"Oh!" I smile and grab my jumper as I look back down at its light pink complexion.
"Well, I don't ever remember my parents giving this to me...so I think I shall buy a new one and be gone with this battered old thing!"
He looks slightly confused but does not question me and his laugh shows it.
We go from Gladrags - where I pick up a new jumper and throw my old one in the public bin on the way out, to Honeydukes Sweetshop where we queue up for ages just to pay for our bags of sweets.
"Do you want to get something to eat? My treat." Cedric smiles as we leave the shop.
"Yes...but I will simply not allow you to pay, thats not fair."
He laughs but rolls his eyes too.
We end up sitting at a table in the Hog's Head pub. It's quite busy and it's hard to hear each other over the shouting and laughing of other students as they drink.
"This is lovely." I smile as I slowly eat my dish. It is nice - for student budget pub food.
"I was never too fond of this place - it's too loud." He shouts over the sudden eruption of laughter and drink clinking from a nearly table.
I laugh at his struggle, receiving a sweet smile on his half.
"Move!" , I hear over a bustle and trip of feet by the door. I turn my head to see Draco and his friend, a tall black boy with haughty features. He stares me down when he spots me. I look away flustered and slightly scared. He did not look like a friend.
They take a seat at a table beside the window. They're in plain sight from our un divided booth . I turn bright red but I do not know if it is from anger or from fear.
Draco definately pulled that horrid stunt yesterday. All that sweet talk of 'Oh beware! the Weasleys this the Weasleys that!' When really! It was him that I had to watch out for all this damn time.
"You okay?" Cedric eyes Draco suddenly. I turn to see him looking over at the two of us. A distasteful look on his face. I turn back around before he can meet my eyes.
"Let's go." I fakely grin and tap Cedric's hand as I stand up.
"No." Cedric dons . I am a bit shocked at his flat, serious tone. It was a rarity for him. I sit back down slowly and awkwardly begin shuffling my food around with my fork.
I feel my back teeth grinding off of each other subconsciously.
We sit for a few seconds in silence before it's just a bit too much. I can feel Draco's friends eyes burning holes into the back of my head. I quickly stand up and toss my end of the bill onto the table before speed walking out of there.
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The common room is fully empty when I get back. I had hid in several places in Hogsmeade as I watched Cedric trying to find me for almost an hour. When he disappeared into a shop to ask around I saw my chance and sprinted back to Hogwarts. I realise now that it probably was not the best thing I could have done...but the pressure of it all was too much.
I'm sure he will understand...if I can ever bring myself to face him again.
There's a sudden commotion as Harry and Ron burst in the door. Hermione, oddly not present.
"Oh-Celina, uhm...Cedric's looking everywhere for you." Ron looks slightly stunned to see me lounging here.
"Yeah-he seems worried...are you alright?" Harry adds.
"Yes!" I nod quickly, trying to dispel any awkwardness that is obviously present.
"Uhm, I actually just wanted to talk to you..both of you! Well uhm yes that's why I'm here, I just forgot to tell him that I was doing so."
"Right..." Ron looks slightly scared by my quick burst.
"Well...I wanted to thank you- both for saving me that night at Halloween...truly it was very kind of you." I blush. Even bringing up the subject makes me want to cry and hide in a hole for the rest of my days.
They seem extremely awkward for a few moments and nobody talks. "Well uhm," Harry begins. "That uhm...actually wasn't me?" He sounds as if he's asking a question.
"Yeah...n'or me." Ron nods awkwardly.
"Oh gosh!" I cover my eyes. "I'm sorry!"
How do I keep on getting this wrong.
"It's fine," Harry quickly interrupts. "Maybe it was Hermione?"
"Nahh, I don't think Hermione really likes-" Ron suddenly abandons his sentence as Harry punches him sharply in the ribs. He grunts loudly but grins through the pain.
"I mean-I don't think she really uhm, likes using magic...outside of class!" He blurts out.
"Oh...okay." I feel my heart slightly sink. I'm not completely stupid, I know what he was about to say. Hermione doesn't like me. Perhaps it is my lack of ability to study or attend class. It should not hurt me this bad, but it does.
"Sorry." Harry is extremely awkward and fidgety and he quickly rushes off with Ron on his tail. They disappear up the staircase to their dorms.
I sink back down onto the sofa and sigh deeply. Well who was it then for goodness sake?