She's All That
Chapter Three: The First Attempt
A few days had passed and Cedric was still considering how to make his move. Thankfully, there was a Hogsmeade visit this coming Saturday and Cedric decided this would be the perfect opportunity to ask Hermione out. She wouldn't be very likely to say no, would she? He didn't want to admit to himself he had a bit of an ego when it came to girls but he was very well aware females found him attractive.
"When are you gonna ask her Ceddy boy?" Fred teased on Thursday night. "You've only got a day"
"I'm going to ask her tomorrow" he felt a bit annoyed that he hadn't yet done it. It wasn't that he was nervous but every time he had seen her she had been with either Ron or Harry Potter, and he didn't want to embarrass her by asking with an audience.
Sure enough, tomorrow came and Cedric decided the time had come. After his last period he practically ran down to the dungeons to meet her after potions (he knew she had potions as he had seen her go down to the dungeons for the lesson) he hoped that she would be the last out so it wouldn't be too obvious he was there for her. He knew what girls like her were like, he knew she would be embarrassed by him making some huge declaration.
Thankfully, most of the class left (including Ron and Harry) but Hermione was no where to be seen. Moments later she emerged and he decided to make his move,
"Hermione" he stepped in front of her. She dropped her books in shock (or it could have been horror, Cedric wasn't sure) he bent down to help her pick them up and when they were both standing again she asked,
"What do you want?" She sounded timid, yet strong.
"I just was wondering, if you wanted to come to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow. Be my date?"
She studied him for a moment,
"No" she said, walking off. Cedric was frozen, did she just say no? He hadn't even really considered her rejecting him as a option. This would be more of a challenge than he originally thought.
Suddenly it clicked that he should follow her. Try harder.
"Hermione wait!" He caught up with her, "why… Why no?" He was trying not to look arrogant, he knew that would put her off.
"Because!" She seemed a bit angry, "boys like you don't ask out girls like me unless: A. You want help with some kind of school work. Or B. It's some kind of joke. And I know you wouldn't need help with school, so it must be some sort of joke"
Not a joke. A plan for revenge. He thought, yet he was still surprised that she had figured it out so quickly. He didn't know what on earth to say to this, his plan hadn't exactly gone how he thought.
"And your silence tells me that I'm right" she rolled her eyes, and left. Cedric thought it would be best not to pursue it today. He would have to work harder at making Hermione Granger trust him. He just didn't know how to go about this yet.