It was half past five and the students were beginning to line up and board the Hogwarts Express.
"Come on!" yelled McGonagall, looking around sternly at everyone. "Hurry up! We don't want to lose anyone."
When the compartments were full and the train had begun to move it seems as if a deep silence had spread through both Cedric and me. I was staring out the window and I could see from the corner of my eye that Cedric was watching me. I was thinking about him and how I had such a good time talking to him and finally getting to know him. I tried not to look back at him or to even smile. I ran my fingers through my hair trying to calm my nerves.
Cedric moved over and sat next to me. I continued to look out the window. I soon felt Cedric's hand slip into mine. My heart began to beat faster.
"I hope you don't mind, Cho," he said almost in a whisper, "just thought you might want someone to hold onto you."
I smiled and stared at our hands. I felt a tingle run down my spine.
* * * * *
It was Monday morning and I was in the Great Hall eating breakfast with Emily. I was explaining to her what happened.
"Oh, Cho! He held your hand!" she squealed with excitement. "Wait 'till Marietta hears about this!"
Just then (as if Emily was cueing her) Marietta walked in. She sat down quietly to the left of me and began helping herself to sausages when Emily said,
"Marietta, where have you been?"
Marietta seemed a bit annoyed and looked at Emily from the corner of her eye and she said, "Around."
"Were you at Hogsmeade?" I asked.
"No."
I looked at Emily and she stared back while shrugging her shoulders.
"Are you upset?" she asked.
Marietta shook her head. "No, now if you would please stop talking to me. I would like to finish my breakfast."
As she spoke her last sentence, there was a loud screech of an owl and soon many owls came flying in to bring in the mail.
A white owl dropped The Daily Prophet in front of me. I recognized it as my mother's owl, Sahng-Choo, which meant "lettuce" in Korean. I named it when I was little and she doesn't reply to anything else but that name. She nipped at some toast on my plate and then flew away. I quickly unraveled The Daily Prophet to see a picture of Hogwarts the front page said, "Upcoming Triwizard Tournament Held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry".
"Wow, look at that," said Emily, taking a bite of her toast. "May I see that, Cho?"
"Sure," I said, handing it to her.
She began to read aloud. "'It seems that the first task of the Triwizard Tournament is the essence of topic at Hogwarts.' Oy, this is old news. The Tournament isn't for another week."
I nodded but was still curious. Was Cedric worried about the first task? He hasn't mentioned it at all. "What does that Rita Skeeter lady have to write?"
She grunted as she flipped the pages. "It's nothing but a bunch of crap anyways."
"Poor Harry," I said, peering over at the Gryffindor table. "I bet he hates her because of what she's been writing."
"I'm sure everyone but those nasty Slytherins hate her," said Emily, looking at the Slytherin table.
I shrugged my shoulders.
Emily nudged me in the ribs and pointed behind me with her head. "Look," she mouthed.
I turned around. It was Cedric.
"Hey, Cedric."
"Hello, Cho, Emily," he replied, nodding in Emily's direction. "I'm not bothering the two of you am I?"
Emily spoke up. "No, I was just leaving." She stood up from the table and with a small wink to me, she left the Great Hall.
"Is it okay if I walk you to class?"
"Oh, yes, erm…sorry, hold on." I grabbed my bag, stuffed the newspaper in my bag and stood up. "Alright."
We walked out of the Great Hall followed by some other students.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Diggory and Chang," a dull voice said from behind us.
Cedric and I turned around to see an unpleasant surprise.
"Shove off, Malfoy," said Cedric, he loosened his grip from my hand.
"I'm not here to start anything, Diggory. I expect that you're only with him, Chang, for his fame of being the champion, eh?"
"Go off, Malfoy, and leave her alone."
I could Malfoy reaching into his robe pocket. "Cedric, let's go," I said.
"Listen to her," Malfoy said. "I'm sure she knows better. At least coming from where she comes from she should know, but she could always learn from you, Diggory. She's not only with you because of your fame but I'm sure her family and her needs the m—"
I shook my head, took my hand from Cedric's and ran up the stairs out of the entrance hall. Money was all Draco had to say and I would have slapped him. I knew he was going to say it.
So what if I didn't tell Cedric that I was sort of poor in a way. Mother tries her best but work isn't the best there is even in the Ministry. I didn't want anyone to know and the only people that do know is Emily, Marietta, and, of course, Dumbledore. I didn't need Cedric to know.
I rushed into Charms class, almost knocking Professor Flitwick from his feet, and hurriedly say down. I breathed a heavy sigh and pulled out my wand.