Author's note: Happy new Year, gus. I know it's late but you always find people who wish the hapy new year on february so I'm still in the good period. Here's the new chapter: I swear you'll have all details in the next chapter. Give me your impression: I really want to know everything!

CPOV

It's been almost a week since Snape had threatened Hermione, and from then he hadn't spoken to her again. She had first found this worrying, but then she had relaxed. She finally got at the conclusion that the Potion teacher was looking for the proof about something he wasn't even sure about.

It was the morning, and we were all seated around the Hufflepuff table, Hermione at my side. Scott was just in front of me, playing with smiling at the girls, meanwhile throwing some food at some members of the Quidditch team.

"She published it, she published it" a voice called.

We all turned and saw Julian McGregor, a three-year-student from Hufflepuff. He stopped just in front of us and put a newspaper down on the table.

"Rita Skeeter has finally published her article" he spoke with an enthusiastic tone.

"I thought the budgerigar was dead per chance" Scott sighed.

I frowned when I remembered our interview several weeks ago in Dumbledore's office.

"I thought the same. But she's like Umbridge's kind: adverse and pugnacious".

"I was sure Scott had kind of...cut her inspiration" Hermione said with a soft, yet worried voice.

The Scandalous Return

I'm sure most of you have heard of the return of late Mister Cedric Diggory, who had died in a very mysterious circumstance last year during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. And I don't doubt that all of you have read that Miss Hermione Granger, the five-year-student from Gryffindor who brought him back has just been discharged after the much hyped trial that took place during those last weeks.

I, Rita Skeeter, got the chance to interview the powerful muggle/witch and the Boy-who-died.

I rolled my eyes when I read the stupid nickname I feared people would use to speak of me. I held back a groan and kept on reading.

I met them both in the very famous headmaster Albus Dumbledore's office. Miss Granger and Mister Diggory, who are -so- dating even though they tried their hardest to hide their lovey-dovey feelings from my expert eye, was very loquacious during our meeting.

"Who are so dating?" Hermione yelled, outraged "She's totally speculating".

"It goes without saying, that the woman has an incredibly keen eye" Scott interjected with a snicker.

Cedric, as I was calling him during the whole interview, was very talkative about his situation: answering by "yes", "no", or "so-so". I guess passing away might have let damages, or maybe we could excuse him by saying that dead people don't have the opportunity to be chatty.

Concerning Miss Granger, her know-it-all facade isn't just a rumor: to sum up, she was speaking a lot about nothing. If I wasn't that professional I could believe that her convoluted shyness could actually be some condescension feeling around her peers.

Besides that, the two teens seem to be as lovely as it can be possible for someone who got through death, or for someone who just woke up from a long coma. If I can let myself ramble out of the beaten track of journalism, I can assure you that those two are obsessed with each other: their secret gestures, their longing looks, and their malicious and tender smiles can let us know that they weren't just speaking about the Resurrection potion during all these months.

Now that the trial has come to an end, I wish them the best happiness ever, with a wedding and a bunch of kids, even though we don't have an idea if Mister Diggory can actually get to have some. About that he said "I can get pregnant".

I let out a groan and rolled my eyes, as Scott burst into laughter.

"I told you it was a bad idea to joke with her" Hermione whispered with a bitter tone. I frowned at her words about my relationship with Hermione: her ability to get false details out of her head almost deserves cheering.

And to conclude, I would give a very strong piece of advice to the lovers: maybe they should revise their company. To the funny kid I met during that interview, and whom I ignore the name, I want to say: it's a smarter thing to talk about subjects you have, at least, an inch of experience about.

Your devoted, Rita Skeeter.

I burst into laughter when I read the last lines of the article: those words had the knack to erase, for a few seconds, the details that had got me mad.

Scott snatched the newspaper out of my hands to read.

"The poor old dodderer, it took her more than a month to spit that sweet response" he smirked. "No doubt: her husband is the poor male-sterile she's talking about in that interview. That woman is an unhappy wife who just displays her chagrin to the world. Ask Freud".

Hermione and I looked up at him with widened eyes.

"You know Freud?" Hermione asked for the both of us.

"This muggle is really awesome. I don't know if he's right, but he's good!" Scott answered.

We kept quiet a few seconds, almost gaping.

"You're so full of surprises" Hermione said with a smile. She then got serious and cleared her throat "No offense. I didn't mean it that way."

Scott waved his hand and looked down at the newspaper, reading it once again.

"I can't believe she named you The Boy-Who-Died." Hermione murmured squeezing my hand "It's totally rude and inappropriate: putting you into a box, but also comparing you to Harry. She has no good-manners."

I tried to smile, even though she had summed up everything: I hated the fact to be seen for the rest of my life as the boy who came back from dead. I know what it's like to be put into a bow: I have always been the good-looking kid, then the Golden Boy, then the Quidditch captain, and the Triwizard candidate. There wasn't a day I was seen for something else than the box I had been put into.

Besides that, being seen like the dead one was the very last thing I could wish for. Coming back from dead can be quite scary for people, and if now I couldn't just hang out in town without being pointing at like the late Cedric Diggory, then it would be worse than any other Golden Boy box.

I guess what was worst was to think that I would always be compared to Harry Potter. The boy was very nice, smart, and polite, and my girlfriend's best friend, but I could never deal with the idea that I would be some kind of copy. The Boy-Who-Died was the evident parallel to the Boy-Who-Lived. I was aware that both our destinies were connected in a way. We had both been Voldemort's victims, but we had both survived him. We could never be forgotten in the Wizard's world. Even though I didn't have the real idea of how popular I had become, a part of me wished it would never be as big as Harry. But coming back from dead in one piece is not very common news so I guess I would have to get used to this "popularity" from now.

Hermione sighed then quickly stood up.

"I have to go; my DADA class will soon start. I don't want to give anything to Umbridge that could help her become angry with me".

I nodded; she leaned in and pecked my cheek.

"Is that okay if I wait for you after your morning classes? I thought we could have a walk in the park just between us" I heard Scott say to her.

I noisily cleared my throat.

"You could, at least, wait until I'm not around before flirting with my girlfriend" I spoke with a neutral tone, reading the other articles of the newspaper I had just taken back.

"Why? I have no secrets from you." Scott puffed "Besides that if I wanted, I would take her from you in no time".

I smiled then looked up at Hermione, who seemed a bit lost: balancing between saying yes and the fear to offend me if she does.

"Yeah, sure" she finally said.

After she was gone, I folded the newspaper and stared at my best friend who was drinking his pumpkin juice with satisfaction.

"So?" I asked a bit tired of waiting for him to speak.

"So what?" he answered shrugging. "I'm just going to have a very romantic stroll with a charming and brilliant girl, incidentally your girlfriend, and enjoy this lovely moment".

"I don't remember you had this initiative with Cho" I said with a smirk.

"It's totally irrelevant. You hadn't planned to marry her if I remember well".

I almost choked.

"Oh no" I whispered "don't tell me you're going to force her to marry me".

Scott glanced all around him then got up from the bench. He quickly treadled the table and sat on it right just next to me.

"I told you I would help you to convince Hermione, so I will keep my promise. And no, I won't force her: I'll be very polite and refined, telling all the great compliments about you and stuff".

"Oh Merlin" I sighed "I don't want to witness this. I don't want to be there".

"Of course you won't be there" my friend exclaimed "Just by seeing the frightened look on your face she will say no, I have to make her fall for your soul".

I let out an amused chuckle.

"This is the biggest nonsense I've ever heard!"

After the morning classes, I kept hanging around in the corridors. Now that there was no need to hurry to get to meet Hermione, I had time to kill. I was smiled to myself when I imagining the stupid speech Scott would certainly be using to make the marriage sound appealing. I was sure he would use an example, speak about someone from his relatives, and then slowly get on the subject. After that, he would use many extra words to make the marriage sound very appealing. He would tell her the great sides of being a bride, and then seeing her reluctant face, he would quickly find a way to sneak out to another argument. And then he would get very serious and she will believe he's totally sincere: that was all Scott. I've been friends with him for years, but when he was getting to his serious speech, I would just trust him.

Now, I was very interested to know if Hermione would be convinced enough. Would she just run into my arms, telling me she's ready to get married at that precise second? I furrowed my brows in reluctance.

That's when I incidentally hit someone's shoulder in the corridor.

I apologized and then turned to my interlocutor. I was surprised to recognize someone I hadn't spoken to for a while, now.

"Hi Ced-ric" she gulped quickly adding the last syllable to, I assume, erase any form of familiarity belonging to the past.

"Hi Cho" I answered with ease that I was surprised to have. I frowned and lightly pinched my temple "I was sure no one was in my way, I'm sorry".

She bit her bottom lip and glanced up at me with hesitation.

"I actually hit you on purpose". I furrowed my brows even more. "I wanted to have an excuse to talk with you".

I grinned. "You can...talk with me whenever you want. You don't have to crush my arm every time."

She smiled and got quiet several seconds.

"Anyway, as you know I'm also having special DADA classes," she spoke with a specific look "and I saw you there the last time, so I was a bit afraid that you would feel uncomfortable because of me. Maybe if I can help I could manage to come only half the time".

"No, no" I murmured shaking my head "I won't ask you such a thing. Why would I want that?"

Cho embarrassingly brushed a lock with her fingers.

"I thought the last time we spoke; we separated quite in bad terms".

I didn't hide my surprise, but then remembered our conversation in the Hospital Wing. Now with some time, I could say I had been pretty rude with her.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't the point. I was worried for Hermione, and I was just isolating from the rest of people. I apologize."

Cho had that big, grateful grin.

"Thank you" she said.

After a moment, she relaxed and got more comfortable.

"Where is she, by the way? I wanted to apologize for my distant behavior, and also congratulate her for the trial and everything she has done".

I find her idea both nice and embarrassing: my ex and my actual girlfriend getting buddy-buddy. I'm not sure that would be so cool. Anyway, I appreciated Cho's initiative.

"She is held prisoner by Scott" I laughed a bit.

"Yes, I saw they were very fond of each other" Cho answered with an innocent tone.

I frowned and felt a bit piqued in my masculine jealousy.

"Fond is not the word I would have used for them two, but yeah they're getting along pretty well".

Cho flushed a bit, embarrassed by the twist her words had taken.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." she held back the verb she was about to use and that I was sure was 'worry'.

"I'm not" I answered, showing my best smile.

She nodded then quickly waved before leaving the corridor quite in a hurry.

I made my way through the corridors. As I didn't want to disturb Hermione and Scott in a very embarrassing conversation for me, I decided to stop in the Great Hall and grab some food. I sat on the bench and started chewing some bread.

"Hi Cedric" Harry greeted me walking up the aisle. He paused a bit and frowned "Hermione will be a bit late, she's with Logan".

I nodded. "I know that" I answered a bit miffed; I felt like everyone was trying out to point me something I wasn't able to see. I knew them both a lot, and I knew Scott enough to see when he's into a girl, especially if this girl is actually mine. It was like thinking that ...Mercutio could try to steal Juliet from Romeo.

Harry gave me a little embarrassed smile and quickly took a seat on the Gryffindor table.

I chatted a bit with a second-year Hufflepuff who talked to me with a lovely flush on the cheeks: her name was Julia. According to Scott and all the gossips she was totally besotted with me.

"May I help you?" I asked, playing my best oblivious face.

"Yes" she whispered with a voice I could barely hear "I read the article about you and I...wanted you to know that I didn't believe a word of it".

Her tone was so genuine and her eyes were expressing so much honesty that I couldn't help but grin.

"Well that's very sweet of you, Julia".

She held back a little surprised moan.

"You remember my name?" she murmured with a shy voice, chewing her lip.

I felt more and more amused, yet touched by her attention so I decided to play along.

"Of course, I do remember your name. I always remember pretty girls' name...not that I ignore the other girls"

She flushed.

"No, no" she exclaimed "Of course I know you wouldn't do that. You're not like that".

I quickly glanced at the hour and stood up.

"I apologize Julia, I have to go" she bit her lip in disappointment and nodded. I leaned in towards her "If you need anything, anything...please, just come to me. It'll be my pleasure to help you".

She offered her sweetest grateful look and smiled before walking off.

I left the Great Hall and made my way around the park, walking at a slow pace. It's not like I wanted them to catch me red-handed after all. I fully trusted them both, no matter if people could be talking away about this behind my back.

I finally saw them, standing by the lake, obviously absorbed in a very important conversation: this sight had the knack to make me feel nervous. Would she say yes to my proposal? Would she blame me for using Scott to to convince her? I turned my head and saw a group of girls chatting around a bit further. I took in a deep breath and walked up to them. They hadn't seen me yet apparently. I halted right away, when I saw, well I thought I saw that. There was my best friend, catching Hermione's forearms and pulling her closer to him, then gluing his lips on hers.

I widened my eyes in shock and even felt tempted to rub my eyes and make sure I wasn't daydreaming. The...kiss lasted a couple of seconds, and then Scott finally pulled her away, still grabbing her arms. During this move, Hermione kept frozen, not even blinking. Actually her eyes were wide open. There was no doubt she was as surprised as me.

I felt my whole body boil. Scott was now telling her something.

I rushed to them, my jaw clenched.

"You might be my best friend, but that doesn't mean you won't see my punch hit your traitor face".

Hermione and him jumped in surprise and observed me with a mix of confusion and terror.

Scott took a few steps back and held up his hands.

"Chill out" he exclaimed, looking quite frightened "I think I'm in love".

The words rang in my head like with a big clock.

So?