Chapter 4 – A Study Date


HG


The next day, she gathered all of her study material and floo'd over to Cedric's house. When she appeared in the Diggory house, Cedric was already waiting for her at the fireplace.

"Hello to you." He smiled as he helped her out of the fireplace.

"Hey, Cedric." She smiled at the young boy. She took him in, after she saw the latest change in the girls. He had gotten a little taller, but the rest looked just the same.

"Since it's raining, I thought we better just study inside. My mum is busy in the kitchen, do you mind if we go up to my room? She can get quite loud." He grinned.

"No, it's fine. I prefer to study in silence." She smiled, but of course Cedric already knew that as they studied in the library so much. She followed him up the stairs, clutching her bag. Cedric stopped at the second door on the right and opened it for her, gesturing her to step in first.

The room was bright, even with the dark rain clouds outside it looked like the sun shined brightly in. There was no doubt Cedric was a Hufflepuff. Yellow streamers plastered on the walls, badges with badgers on it were pinned on his curtains. Hermione walked slowly into the room, taking it all in. In the middle of the room was a single bed with grey covers. A large desk on the side of the window, scattered with papers. When she walked closer, she saw they were papers on quidditch, strategies over the ages from seekers. A couple of pictures on the desk from his friends from his house in the Hufflepuff common room. She picked up the picture to give it a closer look. It gave her an insight on how it looked like down there. She heard Cedric move next to her.

"I'm curious too, to see how the Gryffindor common room looks like."

"Hm." She said as she put the picture down. "Next time the twins throw a party, you should come."

"Do they throw a party often?"

"They don't need a reason to throw one, so yes." Hermione chuckled, turning to Cedric.

"Much like us Hufflepuffs then, the older ones throw parties all the time, but most of the time only for third years and up."

"So, you get to attend this year?" She cocked an eyebrow, smiling.

"Officially, yes. Might have snuck in a time or two last year." He clicked his tongue. "And since you invited me, I guess I should invite you too and the others."

"In case you forgot, I'm only a second year." She pointed out.

"Ah." He waved his wand. "We can find a way around that. But first." He prodded her bag. "Studying. What did you bring today?"

"Potions." She smiled pulling out papers. "Don't want Professor Snape to think I need any help in his class."

"Alright then." He said as he walked over to his bed and knelt down. His arm went under the bed, and he pulled out a rusty cauldron and a plate to put it on. He climbed back on his feet and placed the cauldron on his desk as Hermione put his quidditch papers together and put them aside. "It's a bit old but it should do the trick."

"I knew I forgot something." Hermione grumbled. "I'll bring mine next time, I promise."

"It's okay, Hermione, really." He smiled. "This is just my backup."

She smiled as she took out the ingredients. Cedric disappeared out the room, before Hermione could think twice about it, he was back with a second chair. He looked at the desk with a frown.

"Hold on, Hermione."

"Oh, okay." She said confused and stepped back. Cedric pulled the desk away from the window and turned it, so they could sit on each side of the desk. He pushed the second chair to his side and sat down, while Hermione took the other. "Let's start with the Wiggenweld potion."

"Alright, I'll ask mum later for the wand movement. We should probably study potions at my place, especially if we want to brew everything right. Mum will be home when you're here anyway."

"Let's get started -" She couldn't finish her sentence because Cedric's mum walked in carrying a tray. "Hello, Mrs. Diggory."

"Hello, Hermione." She smiled, putting the tray on the bed. "I've brought you something to drink and some sandwiches."

"Thank you."

"I'll let you two to it. Just holler if you need anything." She smiled before she walked out the room again.

Hermione turned back to her potions book as she started setting the ingredients in the right order. Cedric, who sat in front of her, looked at the potions and essays she had to make over the summer.

"I'll write down your steps, so you can go use that for your essay later. If you're stuck or have any questions, just ask. I got an O on this one." He winked before he took a quill from his desk. Hermione smiled at Cedric before she concentrated back on the potions book.


.HG.


It was an hour later, when they called Mrs. Diggory back for the wand movement. Hermione studied the movement intensely as she wrote everything down. When Mrs. Diggory was done, she turned towards the two.

"I think you two deserve a break." She smiled. "The sun is out now, why don't you two go outside for a moment."

Hermione bit her lip as she looked at her potion and to Cedric. "She's right Hermione, the potion has to simmer for forty minutes anyway." Cedric said, pushing his chair back.

"I'll set my wand to go off in time, don't worry dear."

"Alright, the sun could do me some good." She caved, smiling and pushed her chair back.

They followed her down the stairs and while Mrs. Diggory went back to the kitchen, Hermione walked outside with Cedric.

"What are you doing?" Cedric asked as Hermione went to sit down.

"Sitting down?" She asked confused, looking up at him.

"No, you're not." He grinned. "Wait here."

Before Hermione could answer, Cedric disappeared around the house. Hermione gaped at the spot, he disappeared from before she leaned back against the seat. She closed her eyes as she enjoyed the sun on her skin. It wasn't long before a shadow fell on her, she opened one eye and Cedric held out a broom in front of her.

"Let's go."

"What?"

"Let's go." He said again as he placed the broom on her lap. He had his own broom in his hand and a Quaffle tucked under his arm.

"You want to play quidditch?" Hermione asked sitting upright.

"I promise, it would be fun." He smiled. "We had fun the last time, didn't we?"

Hermione rolled her eyes playfully. "Alright then. How do you want to play?"

"We can switch playing goalie."

Hermione jumped off the lounge chair, broom in hand. "It's been a while." She said nervously.

"It's like riding a bike. Not that I know how to ride a bike, but-"

"You don't know how to ride a bike?" Hermione chuckled.

"Uhm, no." Cedric admitted, rubbing his neck.

"I changed my mind." Hermione smiled as she climbed her broom and took off. Cedric watched her go in confusion. He shook his head before following her.

"Changed your mind about what?" Cedric asked once he stopped next to her, high in the air.

"About what muggle thing we should do. I'm going to teach you how to ride a bike." Her grin so wide, Cedric thought it might get stuck. But her smile was so contagious, Cedric couldn't help but mimic her expression.

"As long as you promise to not let me fall." He winked.

"I'll promise that I'll try." She laughed before she flew over to the goalpost. "Come one, Diggory. Show me what you got!"


.HG.


Hermione had just scored a goal, when Mrs. Diggory called them down. When they touched the ground, Hermione looked over to Cedric. "You let the Quaffle in on purpose."

"You can't prove that." Cedric grinned as he looked forward. Hermione shook her head, chuckling as they placed their brooms against the house and walked back upstairs to finish their potion. Hermione hopped back on her chair and put out the low fire underneath the cauldron to add the last ingredients. Hermione was cutting up billywing stings to add to the potion when Cedric interrupted.

"You don't really seem to need my help."

Hermione shook her head before she looked up to Cedric, who leaned his head on his hand as he looked at her. "I do. I actually chose this one, because it was the easiest and I've read a lot about it. I'm sure I need help with the others."

"If you say so." He grinned as he picked up his head from his hand. "Can I give you some advice?" He asked as she put in the billywing stings.

"Yes." She said eagerly, nodding her head.

"I know you can't just experiment in Professor Snape's class, but potions are a good way to see how things react if you do it differently, not in an extreme way of course, just cutting or shrivelling things differently. And this, here." He gestured over the full desk. "Is the perfect time. Mum's always here to keep things in order."

"Have you tried it yourself?" Hermione asked curiously as she added the last ingredient.

"I have, one time it ruined my potion, but the other time it worked even better. I didn't try it in class of course, I tried it in my dormitory after my potion in class didn't turn out how I wanted."

"Hm, I'll think about it." She said as she grabbed a piece of parchment. "How much time do I have?"

"I know we said two hours, but you can stay longer, my mum won't mind." He shrugged, leaning back.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You can start on your essay, while the potion cools down." He said handing over his parchment of the steps she took.

"What are you going to do? Just sit there and watch me?" She snickered, already starting on her essay.

"No, I'm going to go over my research for the seeker position." He smirked, but Hermione couldn't see it as she was so busy writing, but she heard the smirk in his voice.

Cedric took his papers from the side of the desk as he knew that Hermione was completely lost in her work. Even if the potion would suddenly explode, she probably wouldn't notice until her essay was done. That's what Cedric liked about her. Most of his friends were only interested in quidditch or goofing around, he didn't really have anyone with who he could study or talk about schoolwork or academics with. He didn't know the first time he saw her, when he helped her haul her trunk on the train, they would become friends. And even though she was almost two years younger than him, he was glad he met her. He also enjoyed hanging out with the other Gryffindors, they talked rarely in class, so they didn't really know each other before, but that all changed because of her. He smiled at the thought. It wasn't like he didn't have any friends, he was quite popular in the Hufflepuff house, even as a second year but it was like they just wanted to hang out just so they would become popular. That wasn't the case with Hermione or any of the Gryffindors, since Fred and George were quite popular themselves, now even more being one of the best beater's duo in years.


.HG.


When Hermione dotted her last sentence, she looked up and let out a breath of relief, for finally finishing her essay, that was twice as long as it needed to be. She looked to Cedric and saw that he had fallen asleep on his papers. Hermione chuckled as she looked at her watch. She quietly pushed her chair back and bottled her potion before cleaning up the desk. When she was done, she rounded the desk and kneeled next to Cedric, hoping she doesn't have to wake him like she needs to with the Weasleys.

"Cedric?" She gently nudged his arm. Cedric turned his head and opened his eyes slowly.

"Hermione?"

"You fell asleep. Sorry it took so long for me to finish." She gave a shy smile.

"No, it's okay." He pushed himself up and helped Hermione back to her feet. "You could've woken me before you cleaned up."

"It was my mess." She shrugged. "But I should get going, my parents are going to be home any minute now."

"Let's head down." He picked up her bag and walked out the room before she could protest. When they reach the living room, Mrs. Diggory rose from the coach.

"Hermione, next time you'll stay for dinner, okay?"

"Alright, I'll talk to my parents. Thanks for having me." She smiled at Cedric's mum.

"Any time, see you Thursday." She gave a small wave.

"Good night, Mrs. Diggory, Cedric." She said stepping in the fireplace, she waved and with a toss of the floo powder she disappeared. Cedric still in front of the fireplace holding her bag.

"Uhm, honey?" His mother quirked an eyebrow at the bag in his hand.

"Shit." He grumbled. "Sorry mum." He added when he saw the look his mother gave him. "I'll just floo over quick." He said already stepping in the fireplace. "The Granger's house."

He stepped out of the fireplace, into Hermione's living room. He didn't have to look far to spot her as she was talking to her parents a few meters away from the fireplace.

"Cedric?" Mrs. Granger asked surprised.

"Hello, Mrs and Mr. Granger. Hermione forgot her bag." He grinned holding up the bag in front of him. Hermione blushed at the stupidity of it as she walked closer and took her bag.

"Thanks." A small smile on her lips.

"Do you want a tour around the house?"

"Maybe next time, Mr. Granger. Told my mum I was just popping in to drop off her bag."

"Next time then." Mr. Granger nodded.

"Have a good night." He waved at them as he stepped in the fireplace and with another toss of the floo powder he disappeared.


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For those who are waiting for the Weasley twins to appear, it won't be long now ;) The next chapter is called A Weasley Surprise ;D