Wishes and Kisses

"Hello Susan," he said, as if she were bothering him. His mind was already bothering him enough. "And to what do I owe this visit?

"Cedric I'm not the one you're mad at remember? Now if you'll please stop being an ass I'll say what I came to say!"

"I am not being an ass!"

She quickly grabbed his essay out form under him, waved it in the air, and said, "If you act nice, maybe you'll get this back!"

She had Cedric's attention. "Alright." He put down his quill and closed his ink container.

"Well…I was going to ask you... well... what was going on with you and Cho?" she put down the essay and looked at him.

Cedric's insides jumped. She had seen them. He diceided to play dumb. "Oh, you saw us did you? Yeah. We went out on a date." He began playing with the hem of his tie

"Yes I saw you, Ced..." Susan paused for a moment and then said, "...and Tara did too."

Cedric stopped fidling with tie. Tara had seen them? It was the plan but he had never actually thought she would see them He wasnt ready for this. "Well... uhm... what did she say?"

"She was hurt Cedric. She was really hurt."

"Oh..." his voice trailed off as he looked out of the window. Night was falling fast on the grounds.

Susan knew it. She knew Cedric still loved Tara. His voice said it all. There was no denying it now.

She softly said, "Do you still love her, Ced?"

"What are you talking about? I never… I never…" He couldn't say that he didn't love Tara. He still loved her wholeheartedly. She still made his day when she smiled. Her voice was still like wonderful music to his ears. Her laugh was still so perfect, it had to come fomr the mouth of an angel. The way she moved, walked, even just the way she looked sitting in class looking out the window mad Cedric go mad inside.

Susan saw the look on Cedric's face and said, "Cedric. I think you should try and apologize. Before things get out of hand."

"But she's with Harry. How could it ever work Susan?" he said. He was realizing that his chances with Tara were small. Maybe he didn't even have a chance.

"Just trust me. Go tell her that you're sorry. Tell her you want to be friends again. I know you do Cedric. Stop torturing yourself and go tell her."

"Thank you Susan, but I have to get back to writing this paper. It's due to Snape first thing in the morning."

Seeing that nothing more she could say would get through to Cedric, she gave back his essay and went to her dormitory. AS she was on the first step she looked back at Cedric. He looked so torn. Demented. She hoped he would make the right decision. Taking one last look at Cedric, she walked up the rest of the stairs.

Cedric looked back down at his paper. He had to finish this tonight. It was vital to passing the class.

" 'It was first brewed by…' Would she really accept my apology? I'd get to talk to her again... be around her again. I wish that this stupid fight had never happened! Why did I have to over react like that! I'm such a bloody wanker."

Cedric got up and went to knock on the girl's dormitory door. Hannah answered the door.

"Uhm…May I speak to Tara?" he said shyly, looking down at his feet for a few seconds.

"She's at the owlry sending a letter to her sister. Why do you want to see her?" she said somewhat rudely.

"I want to talk to her."

"Well whatever," she said, flipping her hair. "She's up there if you need her." And with that she closed the door. 'Hannah's never been that way to me before!' he thought. He walked to the entrance of the common room and stopped. 'If she told Hannah about what happened, and Hannah's still angry, then maybe so is Tara.'

He stood there for another minute or two weighing his options. If Tara was still mad, his apology would only make matters worse. But if she wasn't mad, things would go back to the way tings were: Tara with Harry, and Cedric without Tara.

Cedric pushed the door open and walked out into the hallway. He was climbing the stairs when he heard someone call his name.

"Cedric! I was just thinking about you." It was Cho.

"Fancy that..." he said. HE realized that he was being mean and forced himself to cheer up.

"So what are you doing out at this hour?"

"Just taking a walk. You?"

"Same. I wouldn't mind a walking partner though."

He flashed her a fake smile. "I'll walk you back to your common room?"

"That would be wonderful!"

They talked the whole way back the common room. Cedric learned that she loved Quidditch and was hoping to try out for the Seeker position next year. He told her that he would help her if she ever was free.

"Well, this is it..." she said pointing to the statue. "Thanks for walking me."

But before Cedric could say thank you, Cho gently grabbed his shoulders, pulled him down, and softly kissed him. He was taken aback. Before he could realize what had happened, she had pulled away and was walking into her common room.

He stood there, in the middle of the corridor, for a while, processing what had happened. He had liked her kissing him. It was nice. He had kissed other girls before, but only at the end of the year parties, and he wasn't always able to remember in full detail those kisses. After about five minutes, he ran back the common room, not wanting to see anyone on his way back. He was so confused now.

He slowly made his way over to the table he had been working at. He sat down and laid his head down. He muttered a spell and the lights above him dimmed. It was over. Tara still hated him, and he couldn't apologize. Cho had kissed him and obviously wanted to be more than a friend. Susan knew how he felt, and most of the girls in Hufflepuff were mad at him. It was not his night.

AN: Surprise surprise! Hope you liked it. More next week. Read and Review as always, and thanks to all the lovely reviewers. You keep me writing!