CHAPTER 4

Cedric:

"I've never been so embarrassed my whole life, Cho—especially not after I lost to our previous Quidditch game." I shook my head in humiliation as the cupids continued singing in their shrilly voices and throwing confetti all over the table. I never knew Madam Puddifoot's cafe would be that terrible.

"I heard they're worse during Valentine's day." Cho giggled.

"I'm so sorry Cho. I thought this was just some normal cafe."

"Oh, I think they're cute, Cedric. Really, I do."

"Maybe we should head off to the Three Broomsticks?" I suggested, hopeful to finally get out of the place.

Cho giggled once more. "If it bothers you too much."

I led her out of the shop and tossed five Sickles at the counter while ignoring Puddifoot's sickly smiles at me.

"Who knows? Maybe even Madam Rosmerta fancies you!" Cho noticed the lady's advance as we went out.

"Oh, enough with it Cho. They're so old!" I pulled my robes tighter as the snow breeze swiftly passed through our direction. Cho continued to giggle at me as we head to the Three Broomsticks.

I didn't picture my first date with Cho inside the Three Broomsticks with butterbeers in each hand. And I especially didn't picture having to be surrounded by gossiping Hogwarts students.

"Wow, I've never seen the place too packed." Cho exclaimed.

"Yeah, me too." I tried to sound sincere but my mind can't just pull off the thought of all the people staring at our table. I didn't know how much I tried to look inconspicuous but it seemed impossible to miss us especially when the humiliating loss of Hufflepuff to Ravenclaw was not yet forgotten.

And here I was, already sipping mugs of butterbeer with my enemy.

"Now I think I'd rather go back to the cafe." I told Cho.

"Why is that? Missing the cherubies already?"

I didn't answer her immediately. How could I explain without her knowing of my intentions?

"Well," I started to say. "I really wanted to have... peace and privacy."

"Oh, I know what you mean!" Cho frowned all of a sudden. "Maybe you're right. Let's get out of here." Cho was about to stand up again but I pulled her back.

"Is there something wrong, Cho?"

She sighed. "Nothing. I guess I just overreacted." She sipped again from her mug.

I looked to where she was glancing. I almost scowled.

Ria Avilon was watching our table like a hawk. Or maybe watching Cho like a hawk.

I groaned.

"She's delirious isn't she?" I asked Cho.

"Who?" Cho replied nonchalantly, but I still heard the annoyance.

"Avilon." I grinned at her.

"Not really," Cho said with a sarcastic tone. "I think she's just clearly obsessed when it comes to you."

"She's in your house, isn't she? A seventh year?"

"Yes. And thank Father Christmas for that!"

"Yes, thank Father Christmas..." I murmured back. Because as the Three Broomstick's door opened, Roger Davis walked in with cauldron full of sweets.

Oh, I knew who it was for. It seemed just like yesterday when I gave her the same thing.

Cho:

I didn't know which was worse: Ria Avilon staring and almost cursing me from her table or Roger Davis giving me a cauldron of Honeydukes sweets right in front of Cedric.

"Well, I didn't know you'd be out with Cedric here..." Roger shrugged as he gave me the cauldron. "I just thought I'd give you a congratulatory gift for your performance during the Quidditch game."

"Thanks, Roger." I smiled vaguely at him, truly uncomfortable with the situation.

"She was great in the field, wasn't she Diggory? Especially when she caught the snitch almost right under your nose." Roger sneered.

"She was superb." Cedric replied and winked at me.

"So I guess I'll see you at the common room?" Roger asked.

I hastily nodded at him, wanting nothing more but to see him out.

"Nice guy." Cedric told me before he drank more butterbeer, watching Roger pushing the pub's door open.

"He usually is. But not when he gets too obsessed with Quidditch practice. Sometime the team feels like we're being led by Oliver Wood. You know... the rumors spreading around that he's as strict as McGonagall."

"That I've heard. Imagine what Harry Potter must have felt like, after losing the game..."

"I just hope they beat out Slytherin." I sighed.

"Hey, your team still got the chance!" Cedric pointed out at me.

I snorted at him. "Hah! As if!"

"You are ready to beat me, but you don't have the backbone to teach Potter some lesson?" Cedric raised an eyebrow, almost grinning.

"You know he's the best seeker—and the youngest!"

Cedric shrugged. "But you're the only girl..."

I frowned back at him. Was he challenging me?

I studied him once more as he continued to grin and shrug at me, as if teasing.

Oh yes. He was challenging me.

Cedric:

Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor wasn't really as thrilling as watching the latter play with Slytherin. But it was still Quidditch. And we've already had enough of the rivalry between the serpent and the lion anyway.

I saw Cho, the smallest one on their team, face Harry with a rather determined face. But that wasn't the one that surprised me at all.

Madam Hooch ordered the team captains to shake hands. And there, in that millisecond that Wood and Davis shook hands, I chuckled as I saw the nervous look on the face of Harry Potter. And I knew that he was not nervous about playing against Ravenclaw. But the look on his expression said that he was evidently nervous about playing against a pretty girl like Cho. And I knew the feeling.

The game started and Cho was nothing but spectacular. But Potter was a really good flyer and his Firebolt almost murdered Cho's Cleansweeps. But Cho was smart enough to take advantage of Potter's flying prowess and decided to sneak on him instead.

And there! Cho and Harry were racing each other to reach the golden snitch. In desperation to finally win a match, I even heard Wood call out to Harry to knock Cho out of her broom. And thank Merlin that he didn't.

"... A Malicious attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! 50 points from Slytherin!" I heard McGonagall shout at Malfoy and his mignons.

Huddled in the far side of the pitch was the Gryffindor team, Wood beaming with pride as he held Harry's arm upward. "That's my boy! That's my boy!"

"I told you I couldn't beat him." someone said beside me. Cho.

"Well, it was a good game." I shrugged at her. The people on the stands were frantically looking at the two of us again.

I took her broom and urged her out of the crowd where we could speak privately. In the corner of my eye, I saw Davis scowl as I put my hand on the small of her back.

He winced, almost wanting to scurry down and clobber my face. But I was already a head of him—way ahead of him.

Davis can punch me anytime he wants and I wouldn't even feel a thing. Because as Cho and I made our way back towards the castle, I took her hand in mine. And the best part of it all, she didn't let go.