Title: Attraction To A Wallflower

By: Smurf

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any trademarks or copyrights related there of, no money has exchanged hands, and no infringement is intended. HA! Now you can't sue me.

Note: Unfortunately this pairing refuses to leave me alone, so I think I'm going to continue this. Enjoy the CD/NL slashy drabble-series goodness!

Attraction To A Wallflower
Part II: Fluttering

Cedric had thought that his infatuation with Neville Longbottom would fade away over the summer months, as the younger boy would not be in close proximity. However, the old Muggle adage, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder,' seemed to hold very true. He wasn't obsessing over the younger boy, no, there were times where he didn't think of Neville at all. But whenever his mother would serve carrots instead of peas for dinner, he would remember that they were Neville's favorite, and he would smile to himself, a small, secret smile, then he would remember other things, like how Neville looked when he smiled, and a pleasant, fluttering sensation would occur in the pit his stomach.

That same fluttering sensation had occurred when he had seen the now twelve year old boy board the Hogwarts Express at platform 9 ¾, and then again, when he had passed Neville's compartment. Cedric had actually considered asking if he could sit with the blonde, and he would have too if his housemates hadn't spotted him and called him over to sit with them. It would have been difficult to explain why he wanted to sit with a little known, second year, Gryffindor, instead of with his mates. So, he had spent the rest of the train ride with his Hufflepuff companions, all the while pondering the enigma that was Neville Longbottom.

He next experienced the fluttering in the Great Hall, when he saw Neville sitting at the Gryffindor table not too far away. Then the Sorting Ceremony began. Cedric as usual began his game, trying to guess where the Hat would place the new students. He watched as Creevy went to Gryffindor, and as Lovegood went to Ravenclaw, and as Weasley went to (where else) Gryffindor, all the while stealing glances over at the second year, sandy haired, lion that had surprised him last year. Briefly he wondered if he would be surprised again this year. But he wasn't.

The Sorting Ceremony ended, and the Welcome Feast began, and all the while Cedric stole glances at the Gryffindor table and the boy who had managed to capture his fancy without even meaning to. Cedric must not have been as subtle as he had intended in his study of Mr. Longbottom, because Justin Fitch-Fletchery, a second year in Hufflepuff, had asked him why he kept looking over at the Gryffindor table. He had made up an excuse in a hurry, telling him that he had just noticed that Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley seemed to be missing from the Hall. Luckily that had pacified Justin's curiosity, and the young, muggleborn, Hufflepuff left him alone after that.

As the year wore on, Cedric's fondness for Neville became tinged with worry, especially once the attacks on the inhabitants of the school began. At first it was Ms. Norris, Filtch's mangy, old, she-beast of a cat, and then all of the schools chickens, mostly the cocks, or roosters, as they were more commonly called. Suspicion was thrust upon Harry Potter, at first because he had been there when Ms. Norris had been found hanging by her tail, and petrified, with an eerie message written on the wall behind her about the heir of Slytherin, and something called the Chamber of Secrets. The student body's suspicion of him only intensified after it became known that Harry Potter could converse with Snakes, which as everyone knew was a sure mark of a dark wizard. Then Justin Fitch-Fletchery had been attacked, then Colin Creevy, and then Penelope Clearwater, and Hermione Granger.

The removal of the Grounds Keeper, Rubeus Hagrid, and its Head Master, Albus Dumbledor, only served to increase the tense mood of the school, and it allowed the fears of the students to run unchecked, for with Dumbledor gone, who was going to protect them from this still unknown menace? Surely not Professor Lockhart. The man couldn't even control a gaggle of Cornish Pixies, for Merlin's sake! Cedric had serious reservations about trusting him with the well being of the entire school, even if his previous exploits were legend in the Wizarding community.

Cedric himself didn't truly suspect Harry, even though there were a lot of things that seemed to point in that direction. It was just that Neville believed whole-heartedly in Harry's innocents, and Cedric definitely trusted Neville's judgment… still he would have felt better if he could be there to watch over the forgetful, clumsy second year himself, rather than to have to trust his safety to someone who was considered the prime suspect by the majority of the students in the school. Not that he was one of those people. Okay, so maybe he did suspect Harry… but only a little bit.

Then came the news that a student had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets, at first nobody knew who, then it became known- mostly through gossip- that the missing student was a Gryffindor. Cedric had been left with a feeling in the pit of his stomach that was so unlike the light fluttering sensation he had gotten used to being there. And when it became known that the missing student was a first year, named Ginny Weasley, the heavy, cold weight that had settled in his tummy lightened considerably. He was relieved that Neville was safe, and prayed that it remained so, even whilst he continued to worry (even if not as much as he had earlier) for the Weasley girl.

In the end, Ginny was saved, Harry's name was cleared of any suspicion from the students, those who had been petrified were cured by the mandrake solution, Hagrid and Dumbledor returned to Hogwarts, and Neville Longbottom still occupied a large portion of Cedric Diggory's thoughts. So much for a passing infatuation, no matter how he looked at it, Cedric knew that he was already quite smitten with the loyal, kind-hearted, Gryffindor wallflower, Neville Longbottom.

On the train ride home, Cedric found himself once again sitting with his mates. Only this time he didn't participate much in their conversations. Instead, he feigned tiredness, and closed his eyes, retreating into his thoughts, most of which came back around to two things. The first of them being; 'I like Neville Longbottom,' and the second being, 'but he's only twelve!'

Here ends Part II of Attraction To A Wallflower.

Thank you, to all of those who read the first part, and especially those who reviewed it. Wow! Not one flame. What am I supposed to do with all of these marshmallows? Oh well, there's always this chapter! I actually don't like how this one came out when compared to the first part of my Nedric drabble series.

BAGGE; thanks very much for the review, and I'm really glad that you found the pairing fitting even if a little odd.

dogdemoninuyashaandkagome; hehe, I guess bullying you really works huh? Oh well, I'm glad you liked it as I know you prefer non-same-sex pairings, and would have killed me if it had been something more erm… adult themed.

SasukeBlade; thanks for the review and the compliment.