Cedric's Note

"Ugh, there she is again," Cedric moaned.

"Would you stop saying that about my…" Will reprimanded his friend but trailed off before he could finish.

"Yes…" Cedric prompted Will. "Your what?"

"My friend," Will settled on angrily before turning away from Cedric to greet the newcomer.

"Hermione!" He exclaimed happily before rising to hug her fiercely.

"She seems like more than a friend," Cedric muttered under his breath. Hermione seemed to have picked up on his words for she turned to stare down upon him with narrow, angry eyes.

"Do you have something to say, Diggory?" she hissed. "Because then I suggest you saying it to my face."

"Nothing at all, Granger," Cedric replied with mock sweetness. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Great!" Hermione said with a great smile. "Then we have an understanding since I have nothing to say to you either."

"Please, you two," Will tried to intercede. "Can't you just get along?"

"Not possible I'm afraid, mate," Cedric said without even taking his eyes off of Hermione.

"I'm sorry Will," Hermione said, staring sternly back at Cedric. "There's just no way I can be friends with a pompous airhead like that."

"Yeah, and I prefer friends who don't correct me every time I say 'who' instead of 'whom' or some other stupid, silly mistake." Cedric shot back.

"That's too bad. You really could use someone to correct you most of the time. Your grammar's horrible."

Hermione smiled her most fake condescending smile before turning from Cedric to Will.

"You want to do something today?"

"Sure," Will answered with the biggest, goofiest grin ever, making Cedric's stomach hurl. And he nearly vomited when Will took a hold of Hermione's hand and they walked off together. For a moment he sat there, glaring at their backs as they walked away from him.

"Cedric," a voice from above called him back. He looked up to find Harry Potter standing in front of him.

"Hi Harry," he said with a sad, little smile. "Sit down."

Harry did as asked and took Will's empty seat on the bench. Quickly Harry glanced in the direction which Cedric had been staring and then he sighed.

"Really, Cedric," he sighed. "Can't you two just make nice?"

"Sometimes I wish we could," Cedric admitted. "But then I see her face and I just remember why I don't like her."

Again Harry sighed heavily.

"It's really starting to be a problem," Harry noted. "Will is really fond of her. And she of him. You don't want to lose him just because you can't be in the same room as his sweetheart, do you?"

This time it was Cedric's turn to sigh.

"Of course not, he's my best friend."

"Then make up with her," Harry urged him.

"It's not that simple. I really can't stand her, Harry!"

"I know you can't."

"I mean, she's just so… she's really very… I hate that she knows everything!"

At this Harry laughed quietly.

"Why's that so funny?"

"No reason," Harry laughed.

"Oh, I get it," Cedric said crossed his arms defensively. "You think I'm jealous! You think I'm jealous because she's smarter than I am!"

"Not exactly," Harry answered simply. Before Cedric could squeeze anymore out of him, Harry rose and started to walk away. Cedric spotted Ginny Weasley at the far end of the Great Hall. "I'll talk to you later!" Harry called back at him with a tiny wave. Cedric said nothing back.

When alone again Cedric recalled the image of the witch who infuriated him so much. Her bushy hair, her large, brown eyes, her rosy cheeks, her heart shaped mouth. He had to admit it, she was very attractive. He could see why Will might lust after her. But that wasn't all it was with Will. Will actually liked her. As in liked being with her and even liked talking with her! And that was really the worst part of it. Cedric was sure that if she didn't talk quite as much as she did he'd be able to stand being with her. But she did talk a lot. She was always flaunting that superior brain of hers. And it annoyed him to no end! So what if she was smart? Did she really have to rub his nose in it all the time? And she called him pompous and self-important, but what about her? Really, she was quite a hypocrite. So what if Cedric was a little pleased with himself once in a while. He didn't use that to make others feel bad about themselves. At least, he hoped he didn't.

He really had to find a way to get along with her. One way or another, he would have to. It was clear to all that Will was madly in love with her, even though he didn't want to admit it to anyone, least of all himself. And then there was Harry. After the trials during the Triwizard Tournament he and Harry had grown quite close. That tends to happen when you face death together and survive. If he couldn't get along with her for Will's sake, then he should at least be able to do it for Harry's. There was no way around it. He had to let Hermione Granger into his life, whether he liked it or not. And he definitely didn't! But then again, he didn't really have a choice.

Finally he got himself together to get up. He went to his dorm, his very own dorm, courtesy of Hogwarts since he was Head Boy, and sat down at his desk. As he found his quill and a piece of parchment he felt silly. Wasn't it a coward's solution, to write her a note instead of just talking it out in person? And could a single note fix years of bickering? Not likely. But then he got an idea that might work just a little better. Thoughtfully and carefully he worded his message so that she wouldn't misunderstand him or get even madder at him. When he was finally satisfied, after many discarded notes, he strapped the final note to the foot of his great horn owl and sent it flying. Hopefully Hermione would be in her dorm by now, ready to take the note. And hopefully she was in a good mood. If she wasn't, Cedric doubted that she'd even reply. It wasn't exactly a peace offering but it was a step in the right direction, he decided. So now there was nothing else to do than wait for her to get back to him. In the depths of his heart he was nervous and anxious. In the depths of his heart he wanted to make up with her. In the deepest depths of his heart he wanted… her?

Instantly he discarded the silly, ludicrous idea. With a shaky little laugh he got comfortable on his couch with a book. He had some waiting to do.

This is the first chapter of a challenge that's been issued by waterflower20. Hopefully you're happy so far!

I hope you all enjoyed the first part of this story and will be waiting for the next… so review and tell me what you think!