Chapter 36: It's Called A Romance Novel!

The distant crackle of thunder echoed as the brief flash of light illuminated the cabin. It was cozy, sparsely furnished with items I'd crafted with my own two hands. Beneath me, my love lay sprawled and disheveled. I could feel the anticipation building with the rapid breaths escaping those swollen well devoured lips. Her bosom heaved and strained against her damp cream silk nightgown. It painted against her body an image of what lie underneath. "Tell me," I whispered across her neck. "What do I do with you?" There was a spark behind her eye filled with defiance, and even greater than that- wanton arousal. She leaned forward into me, her lips grazing my ear as she responded-

"Anything you like." Deans voice was cracked and breathy as he tried his best to imitate an aroused Dutchess of Arendale. He'd been stealthy in his approach behind me in this new annoying habit he had of wanting to read my novels out loud.

I "eep"d in shock, dropping my book.

Just then, Mary's hand shot out to catch it before it hit the floor. "Here ya go."

"Thank you." I was careful in how I grabbed it from her, and made very sure I didn't come into contact with her physically at all. There were definitely a few things off with her lately. I stared at her over the top of my book. We were sitting in the hall not far from Gryffindor tower at one of the many seating arrangements scattered throughout the grounds meant to encourage inter-house mingling by giving us a place to meet and share idea or whatever the brochure said. My mother came really close to sending me to Beauxbatons but my parents didn't think it would be good for Astoria to attend school so far away. And they really wanted us to attend school together. Mary reclined on a chaise lounge, newly mangled hair dangling over the side told me she hadn't been taking care of it despite the excitement she'd had in doing "girly friend things" as she'd put it before. In fact, it was oily. I couldn't help my upper lip curling in disgust when I spotted the white flakes dotting her roots.

Her pose gave the impression of one relaxed as she absently twirled her wand around a finger splint. She'd been more than clumsy recently. There was always a new bandage or cast or limp. There was nothing relaxed about her if you looked closely enough. Her neck was tense and hovered just above the cushion. The calf of her leg that rested on the ground was flexed as if she were about to stand. Her head didn't move but her eyes darted to and fro like she was looking for something.

Dean grinned and plopped himself in a seat also outside of Mary's reach. A tap on the shoulder the other day almost got him kicked in the midsection so he was equally as wary of the electricity rolling off of their friend. "Why do you even read those porno books, Daphne?"

My face grew instantly hot. "They're not porn!"

Mary looked at me with what could have been brief concern but just as quickly it felt like she was looking passed me. I'd turned around enough times with her doing that by now to know there was nothing there. "Fornicating is a sin, Daphne. And you're eleven," she whispered.

"So are you! And no one's fornicating. It's a romance novel. You guys are gross."

Dean snorted and gave Mary a sideways peek. "Mary, what is fornicating?"

"When a boy touches a girl's No-No's and they're not married."

"No-no's?"

"Like your ears, your feet, your butt-"

Dean let out a quick bark of laughter. I held up a hand. "We're changing the subject." Mary looked confused and a little offended but didn't press the issue. Why did I find that these-these were my…my…what were they? They weren't my friends, certainly. Why did I hang out with this immature boy who thought just the mention of butts were funny and this country bumpkin who called her feet a no-no. I'll tell you why.

Cedric Diggory.

I first laid eyes on Cedric during a Hogwarts orientation overnight event. First year students were encouraged to go see the grounds of the school, meet a select group of teachers, participate in activities, and speak with some of the older students about how much they enjoyed Hogwarts life. Anyone of any real social class and breeding went. So naturally, I was there. We slept in tents on the quidditch pitch and before bed, there was a big bonfire. Pansy Parkinson and Susan Bones sat beside me on a log as they bickered back and forth over this season's new nail trend. Pansy thought it was innovative. Susan thought it was frivolous and that nude colors with a flat, rounded corner file were timeless. We knew of each other from galas and other various events thrown that were more or less Pureblood only- though you'd never hear anyone expressly say that. It was tacky to utter aloud.

Cedric was one of the older students in attendance and, while he didn't speak much, or to me at all, I will could never forget the first time I really noticed him. He'd handed Susan Bones three sticks for us to roast marshmellows on. A gust of wind stirred the flames and swept his hair off his neck. His lips were chapped- a con surely- and he had this unibrow that was so Witch Weekly 5 years ago- but his eyes reflected the fire burning in front of us and inside his soul. His cheekbones found his light just right. The way he knew to extend his neck so that vein was on full display. Oh and that arm vein! I never knew I liked veins. Is this weird? My heart was racing. Oh my gosh I'm a freak this can't be normal. Abs Daphne. Look at his bloody abs for Merlin's sake. Girls like abs right?

I wondered if abs had veins…

Cedric never broke Susan's stare, disregarded Pansy and I as if we were portraits with nothing interesting to say. Who did he think he was? I was Daphne Greengrass. Daughter of one fashion tycoon father and the very wealthy sole heiress of the inventor of the collapsible cauldron. Patent still owned by my mother currently. He was a boy's who's last name meant nothing in my circle.

But look at him!

It was fate that this muggle-religion-obsessed-slack jawed accented-American happened to introduce herself to me that day in Divinations of all days. She was born of a wealth, carried notoriety to the pleasure of my mother, and she was friends with him.

She was also, like, practically a boy so.

I shook my head clear of my thoughts. None of that mattered. I hadn't caught glimpse of Cedric in days and Mary was more preoccupied lately than usual. Something was going on. I wasn't going to pry. The last time I did, I had to run away from trolls. I had to walk a fine line. How could I insert myself into her confidence so she would tell me what was going on without being guilted into participating in something bothersome?

This would take some thought. And some effort. Cedric was certainly beautiful but not worth dying over. Veins or no veins.

"Mary!" Hannah Abbott came running up to the chairs where we sat. Susan Bones power walking behind her, familiar paranoid look in her eyes as she surveyed the hallway. "Me and Susan are meeting everyone at the Whomping Willow. Ernie dared Zach he could dodge the tree without getting hit for five minutes straight. You coming?"

Mary immediately rolled off the chaise, grabbing up her cloak and bag without the usual clumsy coordination I'd unknowingly come to expect from the Cowgirl. "Sure. Five minutes is a long time. I once tried to ride a sheep at a rodeo-"

"Mary, we don't understand whatever you're about to say. Let's go before we miss it!" Hannah linked arms with Mary and dragged her off. We barely got a "See you leter before the three girls disappeared back down the hall.

Dean and I stared after them, before looking to each other. He went first. "They're friends now?"

"I know right! Was that not weird? That was super weird."

He nodded but then shrugged. "Maybe this is good for her? She needs friends in her own house and she's been really off lately." He picked up his bag too. "I'm going to go see where Seamus and Neville are off to. Have fun with your sex book,"

I was sure I was blushing. Vulgar! "It's not a- never mind! Just go!"