I apologize for the long wait on the update! I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's pretty light on the action sight, so children need not avert thine eyes. I could probably drop the rating for this story so far. I'm just not into going into that much detail about kissing and stuff. But I will. For the enjoyment of the readers I will.

She hadn't seen him for days.

Normally she wouldn't care if she didn't see a mere acquaintance every day. But Cedric was so much more than that. It was like she'd been asleep all her life, and then when she'd met him she'd woken up. The world seemed so much sharper and clearer now. And what seemed even more sharp was when he was absent… it was as if he left a gaping hole that couldn't be filled by just walls or other people.

Which was why she was sitting at her favorite table, staring idly at a book but not taking in a word. Her eyes would flick up to glance at every person who entered the room and then flick down again, disappointed that he hadn't arrived.

Where was he?

Cedric wasn't the type to avoid a girl. He wasn't the type to play hard to get either. Hermione didn't really know him that well, but she did know that. With Cedric, what you saw was what you got. If there were any acts or facades in his life, they existed not because of some stupid game he tried to play but because he believed they were necessary. Or because he didn't feel like talking about that particular part of his life.

"Hermy-own-ninny." A voice behind her made her shiver, then giggle. Though the name sounded right, it was missing the accent that made it sound so silly.

"Cedric." Her own voice sounded angrier than she intended, and she could practically sense his confusion. "Sit down."

It was obvious that he was unused to having people younger than him tell him what to do. Well too bad. She had some words to say to him. "What's going on—?" She cut him off.

"You don't speak to me for days. You disappear. Are you avoiding me, or what?" She was shocked at the words pouring out. She hadn't meant to scold him, just to tease him a little for pulling a disappearing act. But somehow the words she had intended to say had changed, had come out differently.

"I, umm, I—…" She cut him off again.

"I can understand if you don't want to be with me, okay? But I thought we were friends. And friends don't disappear for days without a word. Friends don't avoid each other, or if they do then usually they at least both have a general idea of why it's happening. So tell me, what did I do wrong?" She could feel tears starting to brim up, and cursed her past few stressful days. That was part of the reason she'd noticed his absence so much. She'd been looking for someone to comfort her, and it was becoming more and more glaringly obvious that Harry and Ron just weren't fit for that job. They didn't have the maturity to handle emotions yet.

Hermione sighed suddenly. She was a grave robber. She was after older guys. Not that old, but still, older.

Her mother had lectured her about older guys, actually. This had been after her mother had seen Oliver Wood at Platform 9 and ¾. The lecture had taken hours, about the tricks of older guys and whatnot. If her mother could meet Cedric though, Hermione was certain that the thought of another such lecture would be out the window. He was just so kind and wonderful.

"Hermione, look, you've got it all wrong." He held up his hands in a placating gesture, laughing slightly. "I was just busy, and also I didn't want to end up causing rumors about us. I'm sorry." The look in his eyes was still amused and yet honest at the same time.

Somehow that simple and sincere apology did more for her than any amount of begging or excuses could have. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to accuse you or anything."

The smile he gave her was warm. "Would you like to…umm…"

She quirked an eyebrow at him, glad to see him feeling as nervous as she was at the sudden question.

"Would you like to…umm… go outside?" He blurted the first thing that came to his mind, and then felt his face reddening. Hermione's face dropped slightly then regained its usual expression. He had disappointed her with his question. She'd been hoping for something else.

"Well, yes, I suppose." She stood, gathering up her book bag and a stack of new books.

"Without the books." She stopped at his statement and turned around as if she could not believe her ears.

"What?" He stepped closer; prying the books out of her hold and placing them back on the table.

"You heard me. Come on. It's a nice day." And then, ignoring her protests about studying and homework, he captured her hand and dragged her off.

Madam Pince looked up then, being careful to make sure they were gone before smiling. She could still hear the girl's complaints as they walked (in Cedric's case) or were dragged (in Hermione's case) away. It was good that someone had taken an interest in the girl. Life wasn't meant to be spent amidst dust and paper.

She snorted softly at her thoughts. So ironic for a librarian to say that. Her entire life was dust and paper. But it didn't have to be that way for Hermione Granger. She was still young, and it was good that she was getting out and having fun.

Still, she knew that Cedric was good for Hermione, and that she in turn was good for him. When it came to them it all came in full circle. It was as if they completed one another. Maybe they were in love.

Again the librarian snorted. "I've been reading one too many fairy tales," she decided. "One too many."