whoooo, i'm on a roll! another chapter! that's two in two days! yaaaay! i dedicate this one to steph and her fun DC trip. even though she doesn't read it on this site. oh well. enjoy! and cookies for all! even if you don't reply! i'm in a good mood in case you couldn't tell :D and the T rating goes into effect for this chapter due to language and some sensual material :) i warned you, no sending me viruses now


Chapter 5

"Lark, it's not our problem to worry about," Jules scolded when I told her about my conversation with Mack.

"You're just pissed because he's been completely ignoring you, and you're not used to that," I snapped back. "We're his friends."

"I'm having nothing to do with this anymore," she slammed her book shut and stood. "He can shove his problems with Cedric up his flat ass." She stalked out of the common room. I sighed and went back to work on my potions essay.

"Hey Lark," Cedric whispered from behind me.

"What Diggory, I'm working on our project, thanks for the help by the way." He laughed.

"I've got a surprise for you. To make up for Hogsmeade and help us get our project done." I turned and eyed him warily. He was grinning like a moron. I sighed in defeat.

"Fine. Surprise me." He grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet, then tied a piece of cloth around my eyes. I reveled in his scent, it was intoxicating. He gripped my upper arm and carefully led me through the portrait hole, catching me when I fell. He continued to lead me through the castle. I admit, I enjoyed it. Putting my trust in Cedric was a surprisingly easy thing to do.

"Are you ready?" he whispered in my ear. I tingled at the feel of his warm breath on my ear. I was turned on without wanting to be.

"I suppose," I answered, trying to mask the excitement that broke through in my voice. His lips brushed my ear as he leaned closer to untie the blindfold. It fell to the floor and I gasped. We were in a darkened room, glowing with what appeared to be thousands of candles. Rose petals littered the floor and filled the air with their sweet aroma. Over in the corner sat a cauldron with all the ingredients we would need plus the book with the recipe.

"You did all of this for me?" I spun around to look at him. His face was tinted pink and glowed in the light.

"Well…yes." He looked at his feet when he said this. I threw my arms around Cedric's neck and we toppled over backwards. I stared down into his silver eyes, nothing but love shining out of my own.

"No one has ever done anything like this for me," I said softly. Cedric brushed my hair back from my face.

"You deserve it," he answered, bringing his lips to my own and kissing me with a new found passion. He ran his tongue along my lower lip and my immediate reaction was to open my mouth and allow him in. He wasted no time in taking advantage of my previously untouched tongue and we battled for dominance before I finally gave in and let him control the kiss. His hands found their way down to my hips and under the hem of my shirt.

"Cedric," I pulled away, feeling unsure. "I…um…we should work on our project." I picked myself up off the floor and walked over to where the cauldron was.

"I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable Lark," he apologized, sitting down next to me. "I just got caught up in the moment, you know?" It suddenly felt warmer in the room. Perhaps that was due to the fire I had just lit beneath the cauldron. Or maybe it was because I wanted Cedric so badly.

"I'm just…I've never really felt this way about anyone before," I admitted quietly. Cedric smiled softly and took my hand, kissing it gently.

"I won't ever try to do anything you're not ready for." I was melting again, melting in that heated gaze of his. It was so hard to say no, so hard to pull my hand away. I began slicking up a butterfly chrysalis for our potion.

"We need to fight again," I said after a few moments of silence. Cedric looked up at me but continued stirring the contents in the cauldron.

"Why do you say that?" he questioned.

"Because, who ever takes this potion is going to act crazy over the other one, and I doubt either of us could say no to…anything."

"Or we could both take the potion and blame everything on that," Cedric answered.

"But what if we regret what we did?" He studied me for a moment, contemplating the situation.

"Or…we could just go with how we feel without the potion." I looked at him. "If you want to of course." I think he just…but no, he couldn't have meant what I think he did. Did he? My head was beginning to pound from over analyzing this. Go with what you feel. What did I feel? Well that one was obvious. I wanted Cedric, point blank.

"The potion's about to boil over," I nodded towards the cauldron. He cursed then turned off the flame.

"It's supposed to sit now for an hour anyway," he sighed, running a hand through his light brown hair. I just sat there, staring at him. I wasn't the kind of girl who made the first move; I simply wasn't brave enough. Jules referred to me as a classic girl, with classic morals. But girls with classic morals didn't stare at men and wish they could sex them did they.

"Lark?" Cedric moved closer, staring into my eyes. "What are you thinking about?" I threw caution to the winds.

"I'm thinking about how badly I want to do you on the floor right now," I answered blandly. His eyes grew large with shock. I smirked.

"I thought you had morals," he narrowed his eyes at me.

"I did. Then I met you Diggory." He grinned and pounced on me, devouring my lips with his own.

We made out for a good twenty minutes when Cedric's hands found their way under my shirt again. He stopped kissing me, looking me straight in the eyes, hesitant to go further. I guided his hands up and he pulled my shirt over my head, his teeth nipping their way along my neck. I had never experienced pleasure like this before. I was with the most gorgeous guy on the planet, in a room filled with candles and roses, on the floor about to…yeah. It had to be a dream. I was just waiting for Jules or my alarm to wake me up. But could dreams feel this good? An involuntary moan escaped my throat as Cedric's tongue worked it's way along my jaw bone. Jules was never going to believe this. Obviously I would keep the details to myself, but she'd get the big picture. I felt Cedric's lips leave my flesh as he leaned up to take his own shirt off. My breath hitched in my throat as I looked at his perfectly chiseled upper body. Oh god was it nice. I looked back up at Cedric's face and saw him smirking, eyebrow cocked.

"Like what you see?" he asked, his voice thick. I merely nodded. Things went on from there. However long later, we found ourselves lying together in the quiet, as the candles flickered lower. We hadn't actually gone all the way, seeing as I'd chickened out. Cedric was fine with it though.

"I…wow," Cedric shook his head. I smiled, and buried my head in his chest.

"Do we have to go back?" I asked.

"Eventually. If we stay here, they'll come looking for us, and do we really want them to find us?"

"Not like this." He laughed and trailed his fingers up and down my naked back. His other arm was wrapped around my waist. I bit my lip.

"Don't you want to know why I stopped you?" I blurted out.

"You weren't ready," he answered.

"Well…partially. I want to, badly but…I don't want to just throw my virginity away." Cedric's hand stopped it's movement.

"What the hell does that mean?" he sounded hurt.

"Oh Cedric, I didn't mean it like that. I meant well…you don't love me." Silence fell.

"And if I did?" he whispered, both arms now wrapped around me.

"If you truly loved me, I would be completely yours," I answered seriously.

"I want to love you."

"You can't make yourself like someone."

"No…" He didn't finish the sentence. I stood, feeling regretful to leave his grip and the warmth of his body.

"We should finish our potion and get back to the common room," I said, scanning the room for my shirt. Cedric found his and pulled it over his head. I put mine back on them slid into my jeans. We finished our potion in silence, corking it in several glass vials then cleaning up the mess.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked him as we headed back to the Hufflepuff Common Room. The silence was getting to me. Cedric smiled at me, putting his arm around my waist and kissing the top of my head.

"Of course not Lark," he answered. "You've just got me thinking is all." I nodded. I was reconsidering telling Jules about what had transpired between me and Cedric. I rather enjoyed the thought of it just being our little secret. Something no one else would know, that would reside in my heart for all eternity. I sighed, it was all so romantic.

"Where have you two been?" Jules questioned as Cedric and I climbed through the portrait hole. I held up the glass vials of our potion.

"Working on Snape's essay," I smiled innocently. She cocked an eyebrow but didn't question any further.

"Hey Cedric, Mack's been looking for you, says he needs to talk to you," she looked at the guy beside me. I looked up at his face which had turned to stone.

"Thanks Jules," he said gruffly then went right back out of the portrait hole.

"Why was Mack looking for Cedric?" I asked, situating myself on the couch beside Jules. She shrugged in response.

"I don't know, I'm just the messenger. Maybe he wants to apologize for whatever the hell he did. By the way Lark," she smirked at this point. "You're shirt's inside out." I blushed furiously. So much for my own little secret. "I won't pry. Just promise me it wasn't in a broom closet."

"It wasn't in a broom closet and we didn't go all the way," I answered. "And that's all you need to know." She grinned at me.

"Naughty Lark," she winked.

The next morning was Sunday, so no classes. I decided to take a walk out around the lake before breakfast. The grounds were deserted so if left me to my thoughts. I was the kind of person who loved to be alone with her thoughts. I would drift off into my own world and replay memories, create scenarios I would love to happen, that sort of thing. I sat down on a rock by the lake, letting my bare feet drag in the cool water. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder, spinning around faster than physically possible, therefore popping my shoulder joint.

"Don't scare me like that Mack," I glared, rubbing my sore joint.

"Sorry Lark, I was just curious as to why you were out here this early." He sat down next to me.

"I should ask you the same question," I replied.

"It's a good place to think," he shrugged.

"Well that's my answer too." Mack smiled at me.

"We have something in common then," he said.

"Did you talk to Cedric last night?" Mack looked away.

"Yeah."

"And…"

"Things are worse." I looked at Mack as he stared out at the lake. It seemed like he wanted to tell me what was going on, but was afraid to. The Mack I knew wasn't afraid of anything.

"Mack, I know you don't want to tell me what's going on between you and Cedric, but I'm really worried about you," I blurted out. "You just aren't yourself anymore."

"I want to tell you Lark, but this fighting with Cedric is…hard. He's my best mate, we never fought until now and the reason we're fighting is so unbelievably stupid. I mean, I never should have said anything in the first place, but I couldn't help it, it just came out, and then he got all pissed because he felt I had a better chance with you even though the whole world knows how much you like him and so we weren't talking to each other and then I was going to apologize last night but he just had to rub in my face what you two had done so I got pissed and now our fight is worse and- oh god." He buried his hands in his face. "I didn't mean to say all that."

"Let me get this straight," I said slowly. "Your fight is about me?" He looked up at me, face red.

"Yes."

"And Cedric told you what we did last night?"

"Yes."

"He…everything?" A nod followed. I jumped to my feet.

"Damn that boy!" I screamed. "He fucking used me again!"

"No Lark!" Mack grabbed my arm to keep me from barging straight back to the castle. "He didn't use you! He really really likes you Lark. It's not like he came here and immediately blurted it out, it wasn't like that at all. I just told him I thought he should give me a fair shot and it sort of…came out. Like my confession just now did. Don't be mad at him." I glared at Mack, my eyes filled with hot tears.

"You just don't want him more mad at you Mack."

"Lark-"

"No! I'm tired of him treating me like this! Like I'm some accomplishment or something. He's done it twice now!"

"Lark just listen to me." I yanked my arm out of Mack's grip, shaking my head violently.

"I'm not taking it anymore." Tears fell down my cheek as I ran away back up to the castle. I ran into the Entrance Hall and straight into Cedric.

"Careful there Lark," he grinned, standing me back on my feet, his smile faltering when he saw my tears. "What's wrong?"

"Oh don't give me that," I spat. "You're arrogant and I never want to see you again."

"Lark…what are you talking about? What did I do?"

"You used me again! I'm nothing but an accomplishment to you! Something you can just throw in Mack's face!" He stiffened.

"You talked to Mack?" Cedric questioned.

"Yes, and he told me everything. I can't believe you told him about us and what we did last night!"

"But I didn't-" I shoved Cedric away from me.

"Don't lie! You've broken my heart enough. Just stay away from me, Cedric." I shook my head and ran again. Why was he like this? Had I been so blinded by my feelings that I hadn't seen the real him? I burst into an unused classroom, collapsing in a corner and sobbing. I heard the door creak open and tried to make myself invisible.

"Lark?" George sat down beside me. "Love, what's wrong? I just saw you run in here crying, and you know I can't stand to see you cry."

"Everything's wrong George," I sobbed. "He used me again! I'm just some trophy to him! And I almost gave myself up to him! I can't believe I was so stupid to believe that he actually cared, that everything I felt, he felt too."

"Are we talking about Diggory?"

"Oh who the bloody hell else would I be talking about?" George wrapped his arms around me in a comforting hug and I cried into his shoulder. He didn't speak again until my tears had dried.

"Sometimes we become blinded by our feelings, and there's nothing we can do about that. That's why you should never go for looks alone, eh?"

"But he was so perfect when we were friends…"

"Yes well, some men are gits." I sniffled.

"How do I make my heart stop hurting?" I whimpered. George kissed me softly on the top of my head.

"Chocolate and time," he answered. "Other than that, I'm afraid I can't help you." I sighed. "Making him jealous for revenge is always fun."

"I'm not that type of girl," I answered. "But thank you for the suggestion. I'll keep it in mind if I become desperate." George hugged me again.

"Glad to know my ideas are the last resort," he winked. I giggled.

"Thanks George, you're a great friend."

"I'd do anything for you Lark," he kissed me again.