Chapter 11
An eeeeekkk! Shortly followed by an oomph accompanied Allegra as she hit something hard, carried on falling, and ended up sat up like a doll, slightly winded and hair all over her face. Allegra looked through the hair that was distorting her vision and at her legs, irritated that she had just been thrown somewhere else and really pissed off about the pain which was now in her backside. She rearranged her hair so that she could see and pair of trainers appeared by her leg.
"Elegant, Allegra. Very swan-like. And you said you'd never fall for me." Allegra already felt herself start to scowl and she followed the feet up the legs to meet a blue-tinted face above her. The Hufflepuff portrait was directly to her right and she realised that she had just fallen down the stairs.
"Uh ..." Allegra only managed a vague noise as her green eyes met hazel.
"You also said the sight of me didn't render you speechless." He smiled down and raised an eyebrow. Allegra could barely believe her eyes. She wouldn't have, if it wasn't for the blue-tint reminding her that none of this was real.
"Cedric?"
"That's what people tend to call me. Although you usually don't ... it makes a nice change from arsehole."
Allegra continued to stare up at him, which seemed to unnerve him.
"Are you alright?"
Allegra shook her head, "I - I think I just fell down the stairs."
"I think you did, too." He offered a hand, but she stood up on her own.
"What day is it, and what's the time?"
He glanced at his watch.
"Six-thirty on the tenth of December ... do you need to go to the Hospital wing?"
Allegra shook her head, walked past him and down to the Great Hall. At least she knew where she was meant to be. It was two weeks before the Yule Ball, during Allegra's 'dislike' of Cedric. Which also meant fourteen days until anything that had been normal during the first half of fourth year would get turned upside down.
She entered the Great Hall, it looked normal apart from the enchanted ceiling had just become black clouds. She watched her shoes as she walked over to where the Gryffindor table was currently. However, she hadn't accounted for where it had been last year.
"Look what we have here," Allegra looked up and into the face of Marcus Flint. "A little Gryffindor too far from home. Blaise isn't here."
"Uh," Allegra couldn't think of anything to say.
"Aw, the mudblood is scared," Pansy cackled.
"One - I'm pureblood. Two - I'm more scared of Luna Lovegood than any of you. Three – oh-my-god I think I'm being blinded by the ugliness at this table." Allegra put her hands up dramatically to shield her eyes.
Flint suddenly stood up, wand in hand. His eyes then moved from Allegra to behind her. "Oh look, you're being rescued." Allegra turned to see Cedric arrive at her side. After looking at the Slytherins it had been a sight for sore eyes, however she felt herself roll her eyes.
Then she frowned. That hadn't been her.
Something foreign was invading her body and she couldn't help but feel irritated; how she would have ... well, at the time.
"Aw, the Hufflepuff Hero come to save the Gryffindor Princess." Flint said, and every Slytherin within earshot laughed.
"Shut up, Flint. Come on, Allegra." He put a hand on her shoulder to guide her away.
"I don't need rescuing," she snapped. The Slytherins made noises of egging her on.
"I'm not rescuing you." Cedric replied calmly.
"Aw, come on, Diggory! Leave us the pretty little girl," a seventh year she didn't recognise said lustfully, and Allegra almost gagged.
"You can fuck off, for a start."
The Slytherin seemed quite pleased with his reply.
"Come on, you know you want me."
Allegra held onto Cedric with one hand and put the other on her chest, "I think I'm about to be sick." Allegra turned away and strutted towards the Gryffindor table, Cedric was on her heels.
"Thank you," she turned to look at Cedric as she passed the Hufflepuff table, still walking backwards, "but no thanks."
She turned to walk away.
"Can't you let your guard down for one minute?" Allegra stopped in her tracks, turned and narrowed her eyes at him.
"Guard? What guard?"
"This whole I-can-take-care-of-myself, thing. Let people look out for you."
"I do."
"No, you don't."
She walked up to him. "I do. But there is nothing wrong with being able to get yourself out of trouble."
"No, but there's nothing wrong with having other people to do it for you." Allegra shook her head and rolled her eyes again. She didn't want to hear anymore and walked back out into the entrance hall, Cedric followed. "I don't understand you," he called, causing Allegra to stop again. "You complement me, you insult me. You are completely set on arguing with me, no matter what. Then you'll give me a break, I do what I think is right - what any other girl would think is right! - and then you shove it back in my face."
"I'm not any other girl, though, am I?" Allegra started back up the stairs.
"That's for sure," Cedric said.
Allegra had to wait a while at the portrait door for someone who actually knew the password to come up before she could finally go inside. She was soon reacquainted with the familiar sound of one loud voice and one high squeak arguing, which amounted to Hermione and Ron. Allegra could have done without reliving this memory. Their rows had been famous all year, not least to Harry and Allegra who had to sit and endure each one. Luckily, they seemed to have grown up for fifth year. The idea of having to sit through those all again was like being hit over the head with a branch. Repeatedly.
"Ron, shut up!" Hermione snapped. "Why does it matter to you who I am going to the ball with?"
"Because it does! Why won't you just tell me, for god's sake?"
"Why should I tell you, Ronald?"
"Why shouldn't you tell me, Hermione?" This was where Harry, who was sat on the couch behind where they were standing, made his mistake. He snorted.
"Got something to say, Harry?" Hermione instantly snapped. Ron turned to Harry too, his face fuming.
"Oh, no, no." Harry replied, half joking and half realising just what a sin he had committed.
"What d'you find funny, then?" Ron glared.
"No ... well ... nope." The temptation to tell them just how ridiculous they looked and how pathetic the argument was almost took him in, unfortunately it seemed as though Hermione had caught this fact.
"Boys are all pathetic! Ron wouldn't care if I didn't have a date!"
"But what if you don't have a date, Hermione?" Ron said, much more quietly than he had been before. Allegra had to make a - very daring - dive from the doorway to intervene the hand that Hermione had sent flying towards Ron.
"I HATE YOU RONALD WEASLEY!" Hermione turned and stomped towards the stairs, "come on, Ali." She turned her nose up and continued on her way. Allegra stood there a moment longer, looked at Ron with a look of just how fucking stupid are you? Then hit him upside the head and went after Hermione.
The next day Allegra had, somehow, managed to detach herself from Hermione long enough to get away. She was walking down a deserted corridor when she rounded a corner and walked straight into Harry.
"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorr - Harry are you alright?" Harry had barely looked up since the collision. "Harry?"
Part of Allegra felt really stupid. She already knew what was wrong. She'd been here before! But the other part of her just kept talking, walking and repeating almost everything she had done last year.
"I asked Cho to the ball." Harry mumbled as though it was almost too much effort to tell her. "But she's already going with someone else."
"Cedric Diggory?" The awake part of Allegra got through. However, apparently this wasn't allowed, because Harry completely ignored what she said. So she took another shot at it.
"Oh no. Well, there are plenty more beautiful girls around."
"You know it would have been so much simpler ..." Harry's words faded into a shake of the head, his gaze once again becoming transfixed on his shoelaces and maneuvered himself around Allegra and shuffled on up the corridor without another word to Allegra.
"So, who are you going to the ball with ... in six days' time?" Cedric said quietly as he put his books down on the table next to Allegra in the library. It wasn't busy, there were at least four other free tables, yet he had to take the seat next to her.
Allegra had recently found that the contents of the books in the library in this strange blue-tinted world was just the same as they were in real life, so she had decided that the best way to spend her time would to do the reading she never normally did.
"What are you getting me for Christmas ... in seven days' time?" Allegra copied, not looking up from her book.
"Come on, Allegra, you know I won't tell. I've never been one to kiss and tell," he said, and Allegra could practically hear a wink in his voice.
"I'll pretend to be surprised when you give it to me." Cedric didn't say anything. "And there will be no need for kissing or telling this Christmas."
"That's no fun," he smirked, also staring intently at his book. He glanced at Allegra out of the corner of his eye.
"If you think I would ever want to kiss you you've got a lot of things wrong."
"Why wouldn't you?"
Allegra dropped the book loudly on the desk and looked at him.
"For a start, we have completely different dates so won't be seeing each other."
"So it's a Durmstrang boy..."
Allegra picked her book back up angrily, "how do you know I'm not a lesbian and going with a French girl?"
"Because, Miss Boone, that is not your style."
"Well then, Mr Diggory, what is my style?" She took one eye off her book and looked at him.
"Tall, brown hair, - usually, err - always a quidditch player obviously, usually quiet, brooding ... have some kind of ego problem. But that sounds spot on for a Durmstrang boy, doesn't it?"
"I'm sorry Cedric but I have been sworn to secrecy."
"Ah, everything is always a game with you. But, I'm guessing Hermione's been asked by someone of the same residence. Am I right?" He pressed.
"Do you stalk me?" She looked at him properly. "Honestly?"
"No, I'm just a Hufflepuff. Ravenclaws think but are very judgmental. Slytherins and Gryffindors act on impulse. Hufflepuffs ... we work things out, quiet but hearty."
"Is impulse a good thing?"
"It can be... I think Hufflepuffs have it too... just at a more, suitable amount than those two. Ravenclaws are just too busy with logic to have any impulse."
"What are you hoping to become the next sorting hat, or something?"
"You know it's true. Hufflepuff are thinkers and doers."
"Gryffindor and Slytherin think too, it's just we think, act, think and then realise everything that we should have thought of before."
He shook his head, looking smug.
"Well we still beat you every time we play," Allegra mirrored the expression.
"Bite me."
"Allegra, get up!" Hermione shouted.
"What is it?" Allegra mumbled groggily.
"It's three days until the ball and we still need to get shoes and go Christmas shopping and yesterday you said you wanted to go for a run while I go to the library, so can you please get up and go!"
"I did? Wait, how long until the ball?"
"Three days." She repeated.
"Yesterday it was six ..."
"No, yesterday it was four, see how that works?"
"Urgh," Allegra groaned.
"Will you stop grumbling? You're the one who asked me to get you up at six."
"Right."
Allegra decided that a run would do her good, since all this jumping around in time was giving her a headache. She got dressed and made her way outside after practically being pushed down the stairs by Hermione, who told her that if she wasn't back and ready by nine her Christmas would be hell.
"Look, I don't know about me stalking you but you have certainly been everywhere I've been for the past week." Allegra heard the muffle over the music coming through her headphones. Allegra didn't need to look back to know who it was. She pulled out an earphone and let him catch up.
"Considering I was in front of you, I really don't think that makes me the stalker."
"So, are you going to Hogsmeade today?"
"Uh huh," she nodded.
"Getting your shoes today?"
"Uh huh."
"Getting Christmas presents today?"
"Uh huh."
"Want to go with me?"
"Nuh uh."
"Oh, why?" He sounded both surprised and disheartened.
"Because if I ditch Hermione I won't even be at the ball, I'll be at St. Mungo's."
"Right," he nodded. He seemed happy that she had a valid reason for not going with him.
"Plus, I don't think Cho would be all that happy about it." Allegra added after half a minute of silence.
"We're just going to the ball together, because she wanted to."
"Yeah, but imagine that. You go down to Hogsmeade and find your date out with someone you really don't like. It would be like me going to the ball with Harry but going to Hogsmeade with Malfoy."
And yes, current-time Allegra did see the irony.
"Okay, but you know I'm not interested in Cho."
"Then it was stupid of you to ask her then, wasn't it?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and decided it was a good time to put her earphone back in and start running back to the castle.
"It's the ball tonight!" Three girls squealed from the end of Allegra's bed.
"It's what?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.
"The ball," Lavender repeated.
"Right," that skip in time should have been expected, "time?"
"Eleven, we let you sleep in so then you couldn't start doing something else before doing ball stuff, thus having no time to help us." Pavarti smiled.
"The boys are meeting us at the bottom of the stairs at seven, we're sharing a table with two other couples for dinner." Hermione said, pulling Allegra up, handing her a towel and pushing her into the bathroom.
"Okay, let's just go together, I know what I said about going separately but I'd rather we just went together seeing as Viktor and Henry are going to wait together," Hermione said, changing her mind about her entrance for the fifth time.
"Sure, 'Mione, whatever you want."
They began their descent down the stairs. Allegra tried to keep talking to Hermione so that they would look natural and relaxed, because it very quickly came apparent that everyone was watching. Ron was staring at Hermione. Hermione was ignoring Allegra and smiling down at Viktor as he and Henry walked to meet them at the bottom of the steps. Allegra noticed Cho talking to Cedric out of the corner of her eye, and did her best not to return his gaze.
"Thank you for joining me," Henry said, taking Allegra's hand and kissing it, his thick accent immediately apparent. They said goodbye to Hermione and Viktor who had to go for the Champion's dance and joined the crowd to watch.
Henry was a good looking boy. Dark hair, although shaved rather short, no facial hair which was a plus seeing as Durmstrang boys seemed to grow beards from the age of eleven, and dark brown eyes. The only real problem was that he didn't speak a lot of English. So there wasn't a lot of conversation to be had.
"Viktor very much likes Hermione," he said as Viktor and Hermione walked onto the dance floor. Allegra nodded and clapped as Harry and Pavarti joined the Champion's. Harry looked more petrified than when he had fought the dragon in the first task.
The hall was beautifully decorated with icicles and ice sculptures, as well as traditional Christmas decorations in shades of silver and blue. Allegra was pleased to be wearing a knee length blue dress which fitted in perfectly.
"The hall looks beautiful, don't you think?" Allegra said, turning back to look at Henry.
"Much like you," he replied with a smile. Allegra couldn't prevent her cheeks from flushing. A band started to play and the four Champions and their partners began to dance. Once they had finished it was time for dinner. Allegra sat with Henry on her left, Hermione on her right, Viktor next to her, and across the table were two Durmstrang boys who simply called themselves Joe and Kel, because no one could pronounce their real names properly, and their dates were two French girls called Roseanna and Felicity. Felicity had an ... interesting laugh. It was like nails on a chalkboard or a car screeching to a halt, which resulted in everyone trying to avoid being funny, apart from Joe, who seemed to make her laugh whenever he said or did anything. The other three couples ate and left the table as quickly as possible.
"That girl is asking to be choked to death," Henry said once they were on the dance floor. The lights had dimmed and the band had finished playing, so now it was time for normal modern muggle and magical music.
"I don't think Joe's got much of a future as a comedian, either."
Allegra and Henry found Hermione and Viktor in the middle of the crowd. Allegra noticed Harry and Ron sitting down and watching, she tried waving at Harry, who merely nodded. A new song started and the crowd became more enthusiastic. Later Henry and Viktor left to find drinks and Hermione went to find Ron, so Allegra sat down at the side. Allegra watched the crowd until she caught Cedric's eye, they shared a smile and Allegra looked away. Hermione came storming in saying that Ron said that he did not think it was suitable for the two of them to have come with eighteen year olds.
"Hermione, calm down, we'll talk to him later. Viktor and Harry have to go for a meeting at ten, don't they?"
"Mhmm," she agreed unhappily.
"Well we can go and tell him what a dick he is then, okay?" At this Hermione brightened as Viktor and Henry returned with the beverages.
"Thank you for coming with me, Allegra," Henry said, kissing her hand.
She shrugged, "thank you for being my date."
"So we will meet again soon, yes?"
"Yes."
Henry smiled and left with Viktor. Hermione rushed over and squealed.
"Hermione, I don't care who you date or marry in the future, you will forever be able to say you were asked out and dated by the top seeker in Bulgaria!"
"He was so perfect," Hermione said breathlessly, but her expression soon changed. "Let's go kick some Weasley butt."
Together they marched back into the hall and found Ron sat alone.
"You two," he scowled when he saw them, "how could you?"
"How could we what?" Allegra asked.
"They're from Durmstrang!" Ron shouted at them. "You're fraternizing with the enemy."
"We're what?"
"Don't be so stupid!" Hermione said. "Who was the one who stopped breathing when they saw him arrive? Who's the one that wanted his autograph? Who's got a bloody model of them in their room?!" Ron ignored her.
"I suppose he asked you to come with him when you were in the library?"
"Yes he did," Hermione blushed despite herself, "so?"
"So what happened? Trying to get him to join S.P.E.W. were you?"
"No, I wasn't. If you really want to know he said he had been coming up to the library every day to come and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage to talk to me!"
"Yeah, well," Ron began to snarl, "that was his story!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Allegra frowned.
"Obvious, isn't it? They're Karkaroff's students; they know who you hang around with, they probably want to get close to you to get inside information on Harry."
"Ron, that's fucking ridiculous!" Allegra snapped as Hermione's jaw dropped to the floor.
"For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one, and I very much doubt Henry asked Ali anything either."
"No, of course not!"
"Then he's hoping you'll help him figure out what his egg means!"
"Ron, is it not at all possible that he actually likes her -"
"I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little sessions - in more ways than one."
"I'd never help him work out that egg!" Hermione shouted, complete and utter outrage bleeding in her voice. "Never. How could you say something like that? We want Harry to win the Tournament, not anyone else!"
"This whole Tournament is meant to be about making friends with foreign wizards!" Allegra said.
"No, it's about winning!" People were starting to watch. Allegra managed to get Ron and Hermione to stand and move out into the entrance hall. …Where there were still people to stare.
"Well Ron, if you've got a problem you know what to do next time?" Hermione shouted as tears started falling down her cheeks.
"Oh yeah, what?"
"Next time there's a ball, pluck up the courage and ask me before someone else does! And not as a last resort!" Ron was rendered speechless.
"W-w-well that's completely beside the point." Ron stuttered as Hermione started up the stairs, Allegra had been left behind in the middle of the entrance hall.
"Harry! Where have you been?" Harry had returned from where ever he'd been a minute too early.
"I was just -"
"Never mind! Up to bed, BOTH OF YOU!" Hermione pushed them both up the stairs ahead of her, and Allegra started to follow. "No, stay Allegra, I'll make sure they get up there." Hermione wiped away her tears and turned quickly to follow them up the stairs.
Allegra sighed to herself and wandered out into the crisp December air. The sky was completely clear and so it had become too cold for snow. The small dusting they had earlier in the day was now freezing into ice patches. Allegra leaned over one of the walls to look out on the grounds. She wouldn't be able to go upstairs until it was enough time to convince Hermione that she hadn't just followed them up.
The air was refreshing after the heated fight but Allegra was already becoming too cold. As if to answer the thought, a warm jacket wrapped around her shoulders.
"Are you alright?" Cedric asked leaning on the wall beside her. Allegra nodded and looked up at the sky. "That was quite an argument you three were having." She nodded again.
After a long silence, Allegra said, "Do you know what pisses me off? The fact that those two will never be happy. They're always picking at each other. Ron's jealously is five times bigger than Krum's ego, and Hermione will not let anything go. It could be the tiniest thing, but she has to start an argument. One day they hate each other, the next they're best friends again, and Harry and I just have to endure the whole fucking thing."
"Wow," Cedric said, most surprised by her sudden vent. She'd never told him anything before.
"I know," she sighed, glancing at him and then back out at the darkness and distant lights. "How was your night with Cho?"
"Um, pleasant?"
"That good, huh?"
"It was fine, but there was no spark about it. She wouldn't relax and be herself, and just constantly bitched about other people."
"Well what did you expect?" Allegra laughed, "I don't understand why I have to keep telling boys that she's awful and yet they never listen."
"How was yours with that Durmstrang -"
"Henry."
"- boy?"
Allegra shrugged. "Fun, although it's kind of been over shadowed by the argument. I wasn't expecting to fall in love with him or anything."
A comfortable pause fell on the conversation. Allegra looked out at the view and then noticed he was looking at her.
"Do you want to know what pisses me off? The same girl just in different skin." He looked away and back again. "They always think they have to be someone else, ironically."
"Well then, do you know what you need to do?"
"What?"
"Stop dating Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs." She said in an obvious tone. He scoffed. "Slytherins think they're the best thing since apparation when really they're just the Knight Bus, if you don't mind the transport comparison." Cedric laughed.
"Sure they're dicks, but at least they are this is what I am and if you don't like it, fuck you."
"What about Gryffindor girls?"
"Now, Gryffindor girls are a little trickier," she grinned.
"Really?" He asked, laughing softly.
"Oh yeah, you see you get a little of everything, Slytherin type Gryffindors, Fake-Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff Gryffindors, and normal genuine Gryffindors who might overdo it a little on the flirting."
"Oh, really? Which are you?"
"Oh, well, I'm completely different."
"And why is that?" he laughed.
"Because I just do what I feel like. I'm too cocky, too flirty, too shy, too mean. But I don't fake it."
"Well, that's a good thing."
"Of course, there is always the male population?" Allegra offered candidly.
"Not that tempting," Cedric said.
Allegra pulled his jacket around her tightly and wished for tights. "So, what is it you're looking for?"
Cedric paused, giving it thought, "someone who's themselves, confident, fun, all of the usual things."
"Give me an example. Fleur?"
"Oh no," he shook his head dismissively, "too high maintenance."
"Okay, then who?"
He looked at her, narrowed his eyes as if thinking hard, and then said; "you."
"Are you calling me low maintenance?" Allegra said quickly, "easy, perhaps?"
"Yes and no." He smiled, obviously pleased with her reaction.
Allegra stared up at the sky. "You never get to just look at the sky in astronomy, it's so pretty."
"A lot like you, then."
"Sorry, Diggory, someone's already used that line on me tonight." He laughed, although didn't look particularly pleased.
"Let's play question and answer."
"I'll give you five," she said.
"Okay. Why do you brush me off so easily?"
"Because it's easy, and you're a stuck up jerk." She laughed. "Or at least that's who you are at face value."
"Do you see past it?"
"Occasionally."
"Do you think I'm hot?" he half laughed.
"If I answered that, you're ego would over flow and it would just make a mess."
"Yes, then," he grinned happily.
She laughed lightly, "can I steal your fourth and fifth?"
"Only if you give me a bonus question at the end."
"Deal. Why do you seem to have me all figured out?"
"Like I said before," he grinned again, something he couldn't help, "Hufflepuffs watch body language and remember things about people better."
She narrowed her eyes at him, "how did you know I was out here?"
"Because I've been waiting all night for a chance to talk to you." He answered honestly. Now Allegra couldn't help but smile.
"Last question."
"If I kissed you would you start screaming?"
"... You know you should try acting on impulse instead of asking permission." He didn't need telling twice; he pressed his lips against hers.
