Disclaimer: Need I say it?
I plan to have Bill become important at some point, I just don't know where or when. I need ideas!
Thanks to all those who have read this. I'll post every few days, or when I get the chance.
Just as a warning, there is some sexual reference in this chapter. Anyone not comfy with that should skip the very beginning.
P.S.- A friend of mine, who knows HP quite well and is reading this, pointed out to me that in POA, Cedric is a fifth year, and therefore a sixth year in GOF. She's right, but for the purposes of this story, he's a sixth year.
Enjoy!
Arianne woke up the next day, a smile evident on her face. As she sat up in bed, Cassie remarked from the other side of the room, "Did the Princess finally get laid?"
"Excuse me?" Arianne said as she swung her legs to the floor.
"You've been smiling for a while. I just thought that you might have finally been taught a thing or two by Diggory... Then again, he's as much a virgin as you."
"Bugger off Cassie." She finished pulling on jeans and a t-shirt and walked down to the common room. She angrily made her way down to breakfast.
"Nice job," Billie told her as she sat down, hair vividly orange. "No one ever stands up to Cassie. Her friends usually pounce on anyone who tries to shoot her down."
"They'll get over it, I'm sure. Their lives don't run on the misfortune of others."
"They seem to think so."
"Then they shall die lonely old bats." Billie guffawed at this, making everyone look their way. "You and Bill going to be free later?"
"Nah. We both need to catch up on our homework."
"I can help you. I'm helping Cedric out with his. Meet us in the room across from the tapestry with the dancing trolls."
"On the seventh floor? There's no room there."
"There is. Cedric showed me how to get into it. Just meet us there in an hour and I'll help you." Arianne got up and walked out.
Just under an hour later, Billie and Bill met up with Cedric and Arianne on the seventh floor.
"I told you there's no room here," Billie said triumphantly.
"There is. Just watch," Cedric said back. He walked in front of a stretch of wall three times and a door suddenly appeared. "Come on."
Inside the room were several desks and chairs. Along each wall were bookcases that stretched from floor to ceiling, packed full of books. A small device on one of the desks was emitting soft, pleasant music.
"I never knew...," Bill said in wonder.
"Most of the students, even most of the teachers, don't know this room is here," Cedric replied. "It's called the Room of Requirement. All you need to do to get in here is think really hard what you want, and the room will provide it. I thought of a really good place to study, and we got this."
"Well, let's get on with it, shall we?" Arianne said to the group. Having finished her own homework already, she was easily able to help the others.
After a few hours, Bill, Billie and Cedric rolled up their assorted parchment with grateful sighs. They were at last done with their homework, and free to do what they wanted. As they approached the entrance hall, someone pelted up the stairs towards them.
"There you guys are! I've been wondering where the hell you guys went. No, you know, couple-stuff going on, right? Because then I wouldn't be mad at you guys for leaving me out," Saralyn said in a rush.
"We were studying. Sorry we didn't ask, Saralyn, but I know you had detention," Billie told her friend.
"Sara!"
"Relax, it wasn't homework or foul language this time... I kinda punched Oliver Wood in the face." She began walking towards the doors towards outside, and everyone else followed.
"You punched him in the face? Why!" Bill yelled.
"He kept asking me questions about you, Arianne. Wanted to know if you were available, if I knew what you looked for in a guy, since he sees us together all the time... He's afraid of Billie, so he won't ask her. He got me aggravated, so..." She shrugged.
"So you punched him?"
"It seemed logical. McGonagall was pretty pissed when Professor Lupin showed up at her office with Oliver and myself in tow. Said I'm a lost cause and this time she means it... One more detention and that's it; I'll be sent home." They sat under a tree near the lake.
"Then stop being dumb and do what you're supposed to do," Billie said, changing her hair to bright blonde.
"I'm not dumb, I–"
"She didn't mean it like that," Bill told her. "She just wants you to stay."
"Huh?"
"What I'm saying," Billie threw a look ay Bill, "is that you shouldn't be such a delinquent and just so your work."
"Or," Arainne jumped in, "you could help the Weasley twins and get tips on how to not get caught."
Saralyn opened her mouth a few times as though she was going to say something, and finally said quietly, "That could work..."
"Oh no... Arainne, I hate you," Bill said.
A few weeks later, Arianne walked into Professor Lupin's quarters for her visit. She sat at the table in his outer room and put her head on the table.
"Arianne, what's wrong?" Lupin asked as he gave her a mug of hot cocoa.
"Quidditch match tomorrow."
"From what your mother has written, you are a brilliant player with absolutely no nerves."
"Mom also exaggerates."
Lupin sighed. "If the match as a whole isn't bothering you, then what is?"
She answered from the tabletop, "We're playing Hufflepuff."
"But what... ah. Cedric is on the Hufflepuff team. I get it. You feel that you can't beat his team because you fear Cedric resenting you if you do, and at the same time you can't blow it for your team else they'll throw you off and hate you. Am I right?"
She looked up. "On the nose."
He smiled. "Just do your best tomorrow. No matter the outcome, you guys don't have to hate each other. It's just a game."
"I know. Cedric said the same thing, but we both want our team to win the Cup."
"I went through a lot with James and Sirius involving Quidditch, and Sirius often had girlfriends in opposing Houses that dumped him after Gryffindor won. I always told him that if someone ends a relationship because of a particular game in a sport, then the relationship was doomed from the start. Just remember that with Cedric. You two have a chemistry, and you work well together, but keep in mind that sometimes boys like Cedric sometimes love their sport more than people. I don't want to see what you have end because of a game."
Arianne sat silent for a few minutes. "Thanks Dad. It helped. Now, you're announcing the final paper... when?"
"Monday. Now get some sleep."
The next day was bright and clear, with little wind. Cho helped Arianne get ready for the match and walked with her to the pitch; Cho was their team's Seeker. It seemed that only moments, not a half hour, passed as they warmed up. They walked onto the pitch to applause and took to the air.
Arianne held her bat securely and flew around the pitch, whacking the Bludgers at Hufflepuffs as they flew near her. She tried to not aim for Cedric, but knew that she needed to put feelings aside and play the game correctly. To prove it to herself that she pelted a Bludger his way, then flew to hit one at another player. She looked back at him to find Cedric fuming at her attack. Undaunted, she continued to play like the ruthless Beater that she knew she was.
The game lasted another half hour. Roger Davies, her Captain, told her when he called time to concentrate on distracting the Hufflepuff Seeker. She did so, aiming for Cedric while keeping in mind the other players. When a Bludger caused Cedric to dive, Cho took notice of the Snitch near where he had been and caught it easily. Madame Hooch blew her whistle to end the game, the score of which was three hundred and ten to ninety. Cedric shot her daggers and flew to the ground, without a glance backward.
Arianne celebrated with her team for a while in their common room. They vowed to beat Slytherin in their match after the start of term, and vowed to beat them well. Arianne got tired of it after a while and decided to wander through the school. As she walked through the seventh floor corridor with the troll tapestry, she saw Cedric leave the Room of Requirement. He was still in his Quidditch robes.
"Cedric, wait!" she called as he turned away from her.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"What is your problem?"
He sighed and took her back into the Room. As she sat, he said angrily, "You made me look like a fool out there."
"You're mad over Quidditch?"
"Yes, I'm mad over 'Quidditch'," he spat. "You made me look like a novice at the game, with all those–"
"What? All those Bludgers? Cedric, they were doing what they were supposed to be doing. So was I."
"Davies told you to try and knock me off my broom did he?"
"As a matter of fact, he did."
"And you agreed? Knowing he was asking you to attack me?"
"Last I knew, the Beater's job was to hit the Bludgers at the opposing team's players so your team could have an easier time of scoring. Has that changed without me knowing?" she asked back, standing so she was nearly in his face.
"It hasn't. But Arianne, I am your boyfriend and–"
"That makes no difference. In Quidditch, you and I are players with purposes. On the field we know nothing about each other except for playing styles. I treated you the same way I treat every team I've ever played against."
"So you make other teams feel like crap?"
"If they're so egotistical that they take a loss personally, than yes."
Cedric narrowed his eyes at her and stepped closer. "Are you calling me egotistical?"
"If the shoe fits, wear it," she snapped back. He stepped back as though she had slapped him. "What? Can't handle someone playing on your level?" She sighed disgustedly. "You're–"
"You really think I'm egotistical?"
It was Arianne's turn to be shocked. "You're worrying–"
"Because I'm really not. Part of me thought you'd treat me different..."
"Because we're going out?" He nodded. "I treat every opponent the same. I've lost boyfriends before because of their expectance of special treatment and my refusal to give it. I was so hoping that this would be a different relationship than those."
"It is."
"Cedric..." She trailed off as he stepped forward and kissed her. They broke apart and she said, "This doesn't change the way you just talked to me."
He backed away. "I was mad. I'm still mad. I'm a sore loser, Arianne."
"I'm not. You need to take every defeat as a challenge to do better next time."
It was sometime later when they emerged, looking somewhat happier. Cedric's hair was sticking up every which way, Arianne's as well. But beneath the shine emanating from their faces, Arianne knew a crack had formed.
Let me know what you think should happen! Please review!