| CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN |
BREATHTAKING.
CEDRIC WASN'T STUPID, HE COULD tell Natasha was doing everything in her power to avoid him. At the Great Hall she would sit as far away from him as possible, keeping the back of her head turned to him. In the corridors she would either look down and practically run past him or turn around and slip away almost unnoticed.
He kicked himself from the day he didn't ask her to the dance. He kicked himself for the fact that he didn't ask her out in the medic's tent. If it wasn't for the nerves, he would've told her how he felt, but how could he? She was the most gorgeous girl he ever laid his eyes upon, how would it be possible for someone like her to end up with someone like him?
When Theo informed him that Natasha was going to the Yule Ball with George Weasley, Cedric felt like someone had ripped his heart out and stomped on it. So, with the pressure of being a champion and having to dance in front of everyone, Cedric had to find someone to go with as well. He decided to ask out a Ravenclaw girl (by the name of Josephine) that seemed to be eyeing him up every time he entered the Great Hall.
She was pretty, sure, but he didn't actually like her, especially as she clung onto his arm like a leech. Standing around outside the Great Hall (where the Ball was being held at). Cedric chatted away with Theo and Grace whilst Josephine stood there, looking at herself in her compact mirror.
"Holy crap," Grace smirked, looking past Cedric's shoulder, even Theo turned to look in the direction, his eyes widening.
With a confused look on his face, Cedric glanced over his shoulder and practically felt his heart leaping out of his chest. A fair few students had gathered at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the top of it where the one and only Natasha Fields stood.
She looked absolutely breathtaking (when did she not). Cedric's eyes never left her as she began to descent down the stairs, her heels the only noise echoing through the corridor. She wore a floor length black dress, one that flared out at her waist. It had a mixture of gold and black diamonds sparkling with every step she took. Her hair was curled elegantly and fell past her shoulders. Her make-up was kept simple, some bright red lipstick with smokey eyeshadow to make her ocean blue eyes pop.
Cedric couldn't take his eyes off her, his stomach flipping as he saw a smile gracing her features. In that very moment he cursed himself for not asking her out sooner, if he had, that smile would've been directed to him, but instead, it was directed at George Weasley.
His throat felt dry as a nauseating feeling suddenly washed over him when George reached Natasha, meeting her right in the middle. He took her hand softly and pressed a chaste kiss on the back of it before offering his arm out. With a sparkling smile, Natasha looped her arm in his, giggling at something he whispered in her ear.
The pair walked towards the Great Hall, ignoring the other students that gawked in their direction. That could've been him. That could've been Cedric, leading her into the Great Hall, making her giggle and blush. But it wasn't and that pained him to the core.
When Natasha and George walked past them, the blonde finally looked up, waving enthusiastically at Grace before her ocean blue eyes finally landed on Cedric.
He felt his breath hitch in his throat when their eyes connected, but it didn't last as long as he wanted as the couple walked straight past them, finally entering the Great Hall. Grey eyes still following their retreating figures.