Maddie started Hogwarts at age eleven; she, like Cedric and her father, was sorted into Hufflepuff house. Soon, Cedric found that she would be better suited as a Ravenclaw; her intelligence was well beyond her years, and she was very witty as well. However, Cedric didn't mind her company in the common room occasionally; it was nice being able to spend time with her again.
Cedric was immensley popular at the school, though his four best friends were the boys he shared a dormitory with. Joseph Dawson, John Thompson, Liam Wilson, and Edward Young were Cedric's closest friends. However, Cedric felt closest to Joseph, though he didn't know why. Joseph was extremely unpopular, having only a select group of friends (all of whom were in Hufflepuff house). He had a sleeping problem and only slept about five hours a night, though if it had any effects on his mental state or physical state, it wasn't shown. Most people thought he was odd, but Cedric found him to be very trustworthy.
Maddie, on the other hand, had more close friends but wasn't very popular. She had befriended Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood before school, but in they were sorted in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, respectively. She shared a dormitory with Amber Wright, Sierra Viers, Eloise "Boo" Ross (her cousin was Liam, one of Cedric's friends), and Allison Doherty. Maddie and Allison did not get along, as, though Allison could be patient and friendly, she was also very opinionated, and wasn't afraid of showing her opinion whenever she felt needed, and Maddie felt closer to Amber, Sierra, and Boo. It was not known how Boo got her nickname, but none of the girls asked her.
One thing, though, that both Cedric and Maddie liked was Quidditch. Cedric was on the house team for Quidditch as the Seeker and he was very good at it; by the time he was in his fifth year, he was Quidditch captain. Although the position of Seeker was usually filled by a lightweight, swift player, Cedric was burly, tall, and muscular. It was in his fifth year when he came in from Quidditch practice, along with Eleanor Anderson, another fifth year girl who was on the Quidditch team; she played Keeper on the house team.
As they came into the common room, the first thing he noticed was Maddie, sitting with Boo and Sierra, all of whom were writing essays. Maddie and Boo made Sierra's olive skin look a bit out of place, as they were both startingly fair skinned, Maddie moreso than Boo. Cedric had no idea what they were talking about, but Boo and Sierra noticed his presence and started giggling. He was not sure why.
"Hello, Cedric," Maddie said, smiling and tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "Back from Quidditch practice?"
"In the rain," Eleanor griped for Cedric.
"You know that the other teams are good this year," Cedric said, "and we've got to be ready."
"I know," Eleanor said, suddenly sounding tired. "But we didn't have to have practice today, you know." Before Cedric could respond, she left, going to her dormitory.
"I still don't quite understand Quidditch," Sierra said, as she was a second year Muggle-born. "I mean, flying around on broomsticks trying to smack each other out of the air..."
"That's sort of the point, Sierra," Maddie said, looking over the other girl's essay. "You've misspelled 'Polyjuice' twice, and you never finished this sentence," she said, showing Sierra her mistakes.
"Do you think Snape will notice?" Sierra asked, looking worried.
"He'll notice," the other three said at the same time.
Sierra sighed, putting her things away. "I hate Potions anyway," she announced ("Don't we all?" Boo hissed to Maddie, quietly enough so that Sierra couldn't hear). "Besides, the essay's not due for another two days... I think I'm going to the library..."
"The password's changed, Sierra," Maddie reminded her, "it's Catalonian Fireball now."
"I knew that, we just came in," Sierra said, though it was obvious that this was not true as she left. When the portrait hole shut behind her, Cedric took her spot on the small sofa next to Maddie, dwarfing her in comparision. Though she had had a growth spurt young, she was only five foot one, and Cedric was exactly a foot taller than she was. It was not likely that she'd grow more in the future.
Cedric took in the sight of the small girl sitting next to him. She had her long, dirty blonde locks pulled back in a ponytail, with her straight bangs reaching down to her brow line. Her black Hogwarts robes made her seem smaller than she was, though she looked very mature wearing them. And for some reason, at that moment, he could see himself being more than just friends with her.
He was startled at the thought. Maddie was only twelve! And he was sixteen. It wasn't right. But he realized then that maybe he had fancied her, even if only a little, for a long time. He was just too stupid to realize it. He just thought that he was beginning to enjoy her company more. But suddenly, it had become hard to listen to what she was saying, because he was lost in his thoughts... Thoughts of kissing her, embracing her, holding her hand... He knew it was wrong. She was far too young for him. But he didn't dislike with the images in his head. He liked them very, very much. He wondered for a moment if she felt the same way.
He noticed when she spoke to him that her pupils dilated. He didn't understand why; the lighting in the room hadn't changed at all. Finally, though, Maddie said, "I'd better be going," grabbed her bag, and stood, along with Boo. "I'll see you later," she said, then left. It took a lot of Cedric's self control to keep himself from standing up, holding her in his arms, and kissing her. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn't control his feelings...
At that moment, his four friends came in the common, talking about Merlin knew what. Immediately, he picked out Joseph, and, when the boys were in earshot, said, "Joseph, a word?" The blond boy followed Joseph to a corner of the common room.
"What is it, Cedric?" he asked.
"Let's just say that I sort of—sort of fancy a girl..." Joseph's eyebrows shot up momentarily. "Oh, stop," Cedric said, noticing. "This is the first time it's happened, honestly."
"I know," Joseph said, and it almost seemed as though he knew who Cedric fancied as well.
"Well...let's just say that she's not—she's not my age, per se..." This was becoming increasingly difficult to say. "She's, well—reasonably younger..."
"I knew it," Joseph said happily. "You do fancy her!"
"What are you talking about?" Cedric said, his heart beating faster.
"Cedric, I can read you like a book," Joseph said. "You fancy Maddie. It's obvious now. Well, I suppose it's just lust..."
"It's not lust," Cedric said. "And yes, I do fancy her. I know what 'lust' is and I can tell you that that's not what I'm feeling. If it was lust I'd only care for her outer appearance." He wasn't sure where this speech was coming from, but it came flowing out before he could stop himself. "But I fancy her. Because even though I think she's pretty, I still want to be with her all the time and...and I feel like my life would be empty without her, and right now...I care about her more than I care about myself."
Joseph let that sink in, then said, "Well, have you tried talking to her? Not as a friend?"
It was then that Cedric realized why he felt so close to Joseph. It was because he exemplified the qualities of being a Hufflepuff: good natured, patient, and friendly. He always listened to Cedric (and other people, too) when he wanted to talk, and he didn't try to interrupt. "Well, I tried to, today," he said, thinking. "But I did more listening than talking."
"And why is that?"
Cedric sighed, not wanting to admit it. "Because I think she's fascinating." He thought for a minute again of the soothing sound of Maddie's voice, then said, "Are you going to say anything about the age difference?"
"If you really fancy her, why should I?" Joseph asked. Cedric fought back a smile.
"Thank you for listening," Cedric said at last.
"Talk to her," Joseph said back.
Lame chap. e.e This is kind of just a filler chap so that I can get onto the actual story. There will be soo much more implied Caddie (Ced/Mad) in the next chapter, I promise. This is to make up for the exact gap of two months since my last update. I'm sorry it's taken so long.
-Hatter of Madness