"Baby, I am a wreck when I'm without you"
-Line Without A Hook (Ricky Montgomery)
Who's Your Yule Ball Date?
"Ugh." Y/N mutters, as she finally closes her book as she gets up from the cold stone bench she was sitting on.
As she walks out of the grassy courtyard, she hears all kinds of sounds. A couple of fifth-years giggling amongst themselves at the archway. One gryffindor girl jumping up and down, nodding her head as she smiles at her yule ball date. The sounds of birds chirping. Owls swooping down and delivering letters of proposals to the yule ball for a few of the Beauxbatons. The sounds of happy sighing as girls zoned out dreamily, thinking of dancing with their date. Along with chuckles of guys playing around and giving each other suggestive smirks.
That's all that's going on really. Just countless students of Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbaton students chatting lightly about the upcoming event.
As for Y/N, a couple students from Durmstrang and Hogwarts had in fact asked her to accompany them to the yule ball. She declined each one politely.
Y/N personally didn't think the event was very appealing. Mostly because she couldn't imagine seeing Cedric Diggory dancing with someone else.
She felt a pit in her stomach by even thinking about another student dancing in his strong, but gentle arms, gliding across the dance floor gracefully.
But yes, Y/N was going to attend the ball, luckily with Aurelia. The two friends decided that they would take each other to the ball and also make sure Alice was going to be okay.
Not that the two didn't trust Adrian, he was a chill guy, but they couldn't help but feel defensive for their friend.
Y/N continued to make her way toward the Hufflepuff common room. Aurelia had agreed to meet up with her that afternoon.
As minutes went by, no sign of her friend.
Finally, the knocking from the wooden barrel door sounded through the almost-empty common room. The crackling of the sparky fireplace was always comforting.
The large door opened to reveal Cedric and his friends laughing amongst themselves. They all caught sight of Y/N sitting on the soft couch, reading a book.
The boys light-heartedly elbow-nudged Cedric, wriggling their eyebrows playfully and pointing to Y/N through their eyes.
Then behind them a familiar voice cleared their throat.
"If you four buffoons don't move out of the doorway right now, I'll-"
The boys quickly shuffled away toward a table in the corner.
Aurelia poked her head inside and made her way to Y/N.
"Geez.. sorry I'm late Y/N, I had a few.. er- complications," Aurelia stated, giving Y/N a look saying there was a lot more she needed to say.
Y/N closed her book and nodded up at her friend to signal for her to go on.
"Well.. You wouldn't believe it! Draco pathetic Malfoy asked me to go to the Yule Ball with him! I mean.. I suppose it wasn't really asking. My sly parents had agreed with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy to have him accompany me to the dance." Aurelia ranted. Her furious face expression then softened as she continued, "Oh, Y/N, I'm so sorry I won't be able to go with you anymore. All because of that filthy blonde."
Y/N laughed lightly, "Aurelia it's completely fine! No worries I can find someone else to take me."
Meanwhile the girls chatted, Cedric Diggory had decided that he wanted to take Y/N to the yule ball. Even if this was the last time the two would be together, he just wanted one last memorable moment with her.
"Well, we're still going dress shopping together with Alice, right?" Aurelia asked as she narrowed her eyes.
"Well duh! Of course!!"
The two giggled with the thought of dancing with another student.
One thing about Aurelia was that, although she hated acting fancy and such, she still loved dressing up.
[ time skip ]
Y/N had to find a date to the yule ball. Soon.
With the yule ball only a couple of weeks away, Y/N decided she would have to find a date to the ball before she went to Hogsmeade with Aurelia to buy a dress.
But what was Y/N currently up to at the moment? She was making her way to meet Cedric Diggory in the library.
Why did she keep hurting herself like this? Maybe she secretly didn't want to get over Ced. But it hurt. Every time she caught his eye, every time they both looked away, it hurt.
As she entered the vast library, she felt comforted. The musky smell of old books of parchment.
She made her way to the table Cedric was sitting at. And of course he was asleep. She supposed the pressure of being a champion could be exhausting.
She sat down next to him and unpacked her book. She flipped open to the page she had bookmarked. Mermaids. Or sirens you could call them.
She laid her head down next to his and couldn't help but smile at how easily he fell asleep. She observed his soft, steady breathing and wondered what kind of dreams he dreamt of.
His eyes fluttered open, showing his liquid silver colored eyes.
They gazed at each other for a moment, but it felt like hours. No words were exchanged and yet, it felt as if they had talked to an understanding.
Y/N suddenly cleared her throat as she sat up to talk about what she had come here to tell him.
Cedric sat up and looked over her shoulder to see the book.
"Hey, goldie. Mmm.. mermaids, huh?"
His drowsy voice was like music to her ears.
goldie. her nickname.
Ced had given her the name when he found out that her favorite color was gold. It was a bit late for asking about favorite colors. Kind of an inside joke.
"What's your favorite color, Ced?"
"Isn't it a tad bit late to be asking about what color I like the most?"
"Mm.. maybe," Y/N said playfully. "Oh come on, just say it."
"You tell me yours then."
"Gold. It's gold."
"Gold? Why gold?"
"Because it reminds me of you. Your hair, your smile. Gold like the sun. Gold like you. You're the sun of my life."
"Alright Goldie, then since your favorite color is gold, it's my favorite color too."
"Pfft. Ced, that's not how it works, silly."
"Okay, Goldie." He said to himself, smiling.
Y/N snapped out of the memory. "Right, so.. I think you can just.. uh-"
Cedric looked at her intently, making her nervous.
"Um.. You should be able to hear the true message of the golden egg you retrieved from your first task if you just put it underwater." Y/N quickly finished.
She hurriedly stood up from her seat as she put the book back into the shelves and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Y/N wait," Cedric said, his voice suddenly clear.
She looked over as Cedric scratched behind his neck. He tended to do that when he was nervous.
"Yes?"
"Go to the yule ball with me, Y/N. As a date." Cedric stood up to look at her eye-level.
"..What?...." Y/N asked, her voice almost a whisper.
Y/N was done. She couldn't handle this anymore.
"Cedric. You can't just keep leading me on like this. I've learned to have some self respect for myself at the least.. Why are you still doing this to me? Sometimes.. sometimes you act like you're still not over what we had and other times you go around kissing Cho and I'm not just going to sit here and be your second option. Just because you can't have Cho as your date? I won't be your second choice, Diggory."
She finally burst. Y/N stood there looking at Cedric Diggory with tears in her eyes and an expression that clearly said she couldn't believe his audacity and she gave up on him.
Cedric stood there.. taking in everything she said. He finally realized how he'd been hurting her for his own purposes. He finally decided that he would tell her everything. He wasn't going to hold back. Even if it would cost him her.
Y/N's mind was clouded with confusion as Cedric Diggory held her by her wrist, leading her to the Hufflepuff dormitories.
He finally let go of her when they got to his room.
"What the hell, Ced?"
Y/N crossed her arms across her chest as she looked at him, narrowing her eyes.
"I had to tell you everything. Just not in the library where I could risk someone else listening in on me." He explained.
"Well then go on?" Y/N said, her patience wearing thin.
"The truth is.." He glanced up at her hesitantly, "Your aunt.. she's been lying to you. She works with he-who-must-not-be-named. She sold your parents out to him. Last summer, she told me that I couldn't be with you anymore or else she'd kill us both herself. And even now, I'm sure I've just risked your safety. But you deserve to know. Cho.. she was only a fling. What was between us? Nothing. It was all one sided and I would be lying if I said I wish she wasn't you. That day at the champion's tent.. She pushed herself onto me. But I wish she had been you. And I still love you. I value you more than anything or anyone else in this world. I would die every day if I needed to for you. Nothing can keep us apart so don't worry. I'll always be here for you in here." Cedric said as he walked over to Y/N handing her a pendant with a ring linked with it.
It was a copper ring engraved with "goldie".
Y/N looked up at him. Her mind was filled with new information and flowing with new, unanswered questions. She felt betrayed, by her aunt, but also relieved, that she had Ced.
She realized how hard it must've been for Ced to have broken off just for her safety. Although, it didn't take away the pain. But she probably would've done the same.
Even though her safety was now at risk, Y/N was glad that she had Cedric to go through it with together.
Her mind was working its gears as she formulated a plan. If only it would work.
Y/N wore the pendant and she weakly smiled up at Ced. He gave her an understanding nod.
The salty tears in her lovely eyes gave way as they streamed down her cheeks.
Cedric leaned in and wrapped his arms around her as she continued crying into his shoulder.
"Ced.. don't tell anyone about my aunt yet. I have a plan.."
The two discussed quietly and Cedric put his arm around her comfortingly.
It was nice.
To finally have him back by her side.
But at what cost?
[ time skip ]
"Alright Y/N. Rise and shine! Today's the day! Let's go get our outfits!" Aurelia shouted. "I'll go get Alice while you get ready."
Y/N woke up with the blaring sunlight on her face. She groggily sat up and walked over to the bathroom to freshen up.
[ time skip ]
"Turns out I didn't have to go get Alice. Alice came to get me!" Aurelia laughed as she play-shoved Alice on the side.
Y/N smiled as she rolled her eyes at her friends.
The three made their way to Hogsmeade.
They visited many boutiques and tried on different dresses until they made up their minds on which dress to buy.
It turned out that Aurelia's parents had already picked out a dress for Aurelia, much to her dismay.
"Oh merlin.. It's probably matching with Malfoy's suit.." Aurelia frowned, shaking her head in disapproval.
It was a very formal pale pink dress that seemed to be made out of a silky satin fabric. It would definitely make Aurelia look posh like a dignified witch of wealth.
Alice had picked out a sage colored dress, which totally fit the slytherin house. It would definitely make Alice look intimidating with her narrowed eyes.
The dress Y/N had picked out had fit with the copper pendant Cedric had gave her last week.
The girls giggled with each other, teasing the other for their yule ball date.
"Oh right! Y/N, you never did tell us who your yule ball date was.." Alice said while giving a suggestive look to Aurelia.
"Oh you two! You'll find out when you see me at the ball," Y/N said with a smirk.
The two kept teasing Y/N to get some clues of her date.
But Y/N figured it wouldn't be a good idea to tell them. They wouldn't understand why Y/N had gotten back with Cedric.. especially since Y/N couldn't tell them about it. As for now, she continued laughing amongst them.
a/n: ahahah- surprise surprise im actually writing again! anyways this next chapter will be fully about the yule ball event! :)
thank you so much to the people who voted my chapters and followed!
much love <3
edit: that moment when you realize you had a mistake in the story-