sorry it took so long to post another chapter, i was sick. :( but thank you for all the reviews for the last chapter! i really appreciate them:D
Chapter 2
Dinner. Nothing special, just a social time. There's lots of social time at Hogwarts, for those who have a social life. I have my friends, and they're all I need. Although Jules was growing increasingly annoying with all the looks she was throwing me every time Cedric spoke to me, or gave me a "look." What this look was I had no idea, but apparently I was "less experienced in these matters and should leave them up to the professionals to determine." The professional being Jules. So I humored her by pretending to care. I never called myself the greatest friend in the world, but it was better than ignoring her altogether. Fortunately Mack was there to distract her.
"How many times are you going to turn me down before you finally give in to your heart and date me?" he asked Jules.
"That depends," she answered.
"On what?"
"On who else was asking me out."
"So if I was the only guy left on the planet you would date me?"
"I'd rather date a tree frog actually."
"Only other living creature?"
"Then I suppose I'd have to date you," she sighed dramatically.
"What if it was me and Ced left?" Mack questioned. She smiled.
"Fair point, I would pick you." We all looked at her. "I'd leave Cedric for all the other girls to devour, since he is more handsome, smarter and genuinely a better person. Seeing as Lark's my best friend and all, I couldn't leave her with you, now could I? I'm a better person than that." Which was a complicated way of saying she would never date Cedric because she knew I liked him.
"I appreciate the concern," I smiled. She got the message.
"And how do you know Cedric wouldn't prefer you over Lark?" Mack pointed his fork at her. I found myself looking at Cedric to see his reaction.
"That's not really fair to say in front of the ladies," Cedric replied. "One of them will end up feeling rejected."
"Such a gentleman," Jules winked. "I like that." Cedric grinned, but didn't blush. Any other guy would be deep red when receiving one of Jules' winks. Perhaps there was hope yet.
"You girls wouldn't be offended to hear who Cedric would choose, would you?" Mack looked back and forth between us.
"Not in the slightest," I answered, smiling. This time Cedric blushed.
"I still don't find it fair to answer that question," he shrugged, looking down at his plate of food.
"Stop being a bloody gentleman," Mack rolled his eyes. Cedric mumbled something that none of us heard.
"Perhaps Mr. Diggory has a crush on one of us," Jules raised her eyebrows suggestively. Cedric was positively scarlet now. Mack looked at him thoughtfully.
"Mate," he said slowly. "Jules has a point. You wouldn't have your heart set on either of these fine women, would you?" A group of giggling girls chose to come over at that moment.
"Could we have your autograph?" one asked Cedric breathlessly.
"Sure," he smiled, signing parchment for each of them.
"Thank you!" the same girl squealed as she and her friends rushed off.
"How is it that all the girls love you?" Mack glared. "It just isn't fair. I'm just as handsome." Jules snorted into her pudding.
"Thank you dear," he turned his glare towards her. "And you've got pudding on your chin." She stuck out her tongue, wiping off the mess with a napkin.
"Well I'm going to head back to the common room and start on Snape's essay," I stood, grabbing a pastry. Cedric stood also.
"We can work on it together," he smiled. I loved that smile so much. It always sent butterflies racing through my stomach. His gray eyes were looking into my own, and I was caught in their trance. Jules coughed, and I looked down at her.
"Something in my throat," she apologized. Like I really believed her…
"We better not walk in on you two snogging," Mack warned. I looked away and heard Cedric smack him.
"Some friend," I heard him mutter as we headed out into the entrance hall.
"Jules can be the same way," I said.
"Maybe they should date," Cedric pondered. I shook my head.
"Mack's too cocky for her, no offense."
"None taken. I know he's cocky. Gets on my nerves too. Sometimes, he's even cocky for me."
"Well…he's right. You can get any girl you want in this school." He stopped, looking at me.
"And yet I can't seem to get the one I really want," he replied quietly. I didn't know how to respond so I started walking again. Cedric quickly caught up. "So who do you like then?" I shook my head.
"I can't tell you that," I averted my gaze.
"Why not?" I smirked.
"Because then I'd have to kill you." He blinked for a moment, then cracked a smile.
"You've been watching those muggle films in Muggle Studies haven't you?"
"Yes." We reached the portrait hole. "Bubble." The portrait hole swung open and we climbed through.
"Shall we start then?" Cedric asked, casting a spell that zoomed our supplies towards us.
"No time like the present," I picked up my ink and quill. We fell into a silence that was only disturbed by the scratching of quills on paper and the flip of pages in a text book. I realized I was the only one writing, and looked up to see Cedric staring at me. His gray eyes were focused as a slight blush crept into his cheeks.
"What?" I asked hesitantly. I was extremely self conscious when I caught people looking at me. It meant something was wrong in my book.
"You're really quite beautiful," he answer quietly, a smile coming to his eyes. I looked down.
"Jules is the beautiful one," I mumbled. His index finger found its way under my chin, lifting my head and forcing me to look at him.
"So are you," he said seriously. I didn't know how to respond. The heat from his simple touch flooded my entire body, and I was tingling in places I didn't know could tingle. He leaned in closer, his lips inches from mine. Oh my god, I thought. Cedric Diggory is about to kiss me. We heard the portrait hole open and jumped apart.
"Why do you have to follow me everywhere?" I heard Jules ask.
"We're in the same house and all the same classes," Mack answered. "Which gives me excellent reason to follow and look at that tight ass of yours." I heard Jules slap him.
"So what have you two been doing?" Jules plopped down in between us on the couch.
"Snape's essay, what else?" Cedric rolled his eyes, showing no sign of what had almost conspired between us. I wasn't sure if I was happy or sad about that or the fact that he had almost kissed me. At least I think he was going to kiss me. What if he wasn't and was just being friendly? Maybe I should let Jules decipher it.
"I figure I'll just adapt one of yours into my own," Mack placed himself in between Cedric and Jules.
"There really isn't enough room on this couch for four people," I pointed out, seeing as I was crushed against the wooden arm rest, and let me tell you, it isn't comfortable in the slightest. Cedric stood.
"I'm going to head on to bed, really tired," he said. He caught my gaze and smiled briefly, walking to the boys' dormitories. I bit my lip in thought, pondering if I should call him back. I heard a door close and knew it was too late. I was probably over thinking this whole thing anyway.
"Lark!" I snapped out of my thoughts and jumped.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Mack asked if anything happened between you and Cedric yet," Jules looked at me concerned. I shook my head and stopped, looking at Mack.
"What do you mean yet?" I demanded.
"Oh come on Lark, he likes you, it's obvious," Mack replied. I opened mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. Mack was Cedric's best friend and would more than likely know the truth about these things. My personal doubts got in the way of believing him, however. I just couldn't believe that someone as gorgeous and sweet and completely perfect as Cedric would like plain and boring me.
"I'm going to bed," I stood and left without another word.
I heard Jules come in about ten minutes later, but I pretended to be asleep because I didn't feel like talking. I'd always dreamed that Cedric would like me, that our first kiss would be perfectly romantic and end with him tell me he loved me. I'd even thought about giving myself up to him. Only if he loved me though, I wasn't just going to throw my virginity away to anyone. For the first time, I saw me and a Cedric as a real possibility. That almost kiss in the common room had contained such electricity. Perhaps he had been giving me looks… I decided I was going to talk to him in the morning, find out if he had been planning to kiss me, tell him I truly felt and see if he felt the same. I crossed my fingers and closed my eyes, praying for the first time in years.
The next morning I had it all planned out. I was going to ask Cedric for a word at breakfast and then tell him how I felt and then wait for his hopeful admission to liking me also. My plans flew out the window the minute I saw him. Words failed me and all confidence dissolved.
"Potter just told me the first task is dragons," he immediately blurted out when he saw me. "How the bloody hell am I supposed to get past a dragon?" He looked frantic, as though I would have the answer.
"Hit the library I suppose?" I offered. It was really my best piece of advice…not to mention the only advice I could come up with.
"Excellent, will you help me?" Now he looked frantic and desperate.
"Of course." So I skipped breakfast and hit the library with him. We passed Harry and Hermione on our way in. Harry flashed a smile while Hermione buried her nose in the books.
"I suspect they're here for the same reason," Cedric commented. "Are you finished with any of these?" Harry shoved a whole pile of books at us.
"Nothing helpful in there though, but maybe you'll have more luck," he said.
"Thanks any way," Cedric smiled, balancing the stack in his arms and walking over to a table. His muscles bulged as he carried the heavy books and I found myself unable to tear my gaze away from those scrumptious biceps. I really had it bad for this boy.
"Ok, dragons," Cedric muttered, flipping through the books. "Disgusting, this is a cookbook!"
"To make food for dragons?" I questioned. He shook his head.
"To eat them." My stomach twisted violently.
"That's inhumane," I furrowed my brow in disgust. Cedric pushed the book aside.
"Maybe studying their behavioral patterns will help," I suggested.
"Worth a shot." We spent the next hour in silence, flipping through book after book, when the bell finally rang.
"I can't do this Lark!" Cedric was pale.
"Yes you can. You're brave, smart and talented. We just need to research more. The task's not for a few days. We can do this." We each took an armload of books and headed off to our classes, me to Muggle Studies and him to Herbology. I was a failure at Herbology and so had opted out. Even though Professor Sprout was head of our house. She forgave me for it, looking grateful when I told her. Me accidentally setting Greenhouse 10 on fire in my fifth year might have had something to do with it. Because of the lack of interest, there was only one N.E.W.T level Muggle Studies class. 6th and 7th years were put together. George was taking the class because I was.
"Did you even get an O.W.L. in this class?" I questioned as he walked in.
"I got an A, thank you, and they said I could take it," he nodded his head at me. I rolled my eyes.
"So you and Diggory, eh?" he winked.
"What are you talking about?"
"I saw you two all buddy buddy in the library."
"Why is the world determined to hook us up?"
"Because the world loves you and you like him, therefore the world loves to see you with him." I stared at George for a moment.
"You are too smart not to have gotten more O.W.L.'s," I shook my head.
"That's what Fred and I keep telling ourselves," he grinned again. "So love, how are we going to get you and Diggory together?"
"What's this we you speak of?" I cocked an eyebrow. His grin widened, which was never a good sign.
"Being your best friend, I want only the best for you, so we must get you and Diggory to become a couple."
"Well, I'm helping him with the first task," I shrugged, opening my Muggle Studies book and turning to the page assigned.
"Excellent," George rubbed his hands together in a conniving way. "wait, what if he beats Harry?" I laughed, giving my most mischievous look.
"That's the idea, isn't it?" I turned back to my book, leaving George gaping at me in an astonished way. We didn't talk the rest of class and I had to get to the other side of the school for my next class, so all I could afford was a wave as I left. I made it to Transfiguration just in time.
"How was Muggle Studies?" Jules asked as McGonagall strode into the room.
"Fine," I answered, catching my breath from the long walk.
"Today we will be practicing human transfiguration," McGonagall announced. "Starting out simple of course, seeing as these spells can go disastrously wrong. I want you to partner up, but choose wisely. Make sure you completely trust the other person, lack of trust is another thing that can cause these spells to go wrong." Jules and I grinned at each other.
"I trust you with my life Lark," she swore dramatically, hand over her heart.
"Same," I laughed.
"Come on Jules, don't you want to be my partner?" Mack winked.
"No thank you," Jules backed away. Cedric and I laughed.
"All right, settle down," McGonagall barked. "You remember how to turn objects into mice I presume? Now, that was a more difficult spell, but turning people into animals is much easier than turning them into inanimate objects. Just like turning objects into other objects is easier than turning them into animals. You will use the same incantation, only point your wand at your partner and concentrate. Concentration and trust are the keys to successfully completing this spell. Fifty hours points to the first person able to properly do this spell." There was a scurry as the students stood. McGonagall moved the tables back against the walls with a flick of her wand and everyone spread out.
An hour and a half later, no one had been successful. Cedric had come the closest though, so McGonagall gave Hufflepuff twenty five points instead. I left the classroom still with a rattail, which McGonagall promised would come off within the next hour.
"Great, I've always wanted to be half rat," I glared at Jules. "It was supposed to be mouse. Mouse tails are cuter. Why couldn't you have given me a mouse tail?"
"Oh stop being so picky," she snapped. "You should be proud of your tail." I just looked at her.
"Well I think your tail's sexy," Cedric winked, which forced a smile on my face. I swished it for effect.
"My tail likes you too," I answered. Cedric laughed and Jules coughed loudly.
"Make it more obvious Jules," Mack said to her. "You two need to date. Seriously." Neither Cedric or I answered.
