Chapter 8 – Insecurities Arise


HG


"Now that everyone's sorted." Professor Dumbledore started as he stood up from his seat. "I would like to introduce our new teachers this year. Professor Quirrell is still on his sabbatical and won't be returning any time soon. So, Professor Burbage." He gestured at the professor, who gave a small bow. "She's going to teach Muggle studies this year." Most of the students clapped politely, only the Slytherin table stayed quiet. "And our new Defence against the dark arts professor, Professor MacGavin."

Professor MacGavin stood up and waved to the students, getting a louder applause then the muggle studies professor. Hermione was sure that was because the teacher was quite young, even younger than Professor Snape. She wouldn't put him over thirty years old, he has brown tousled hair, his eyes the colour just like Hermione's bluebell flames, round and wide. Unlike the other professors, he wore a muggle tweed suit from around the twenties, it suited him perfectly. He sat back down with a smile as Professor Dumbledore took over again.

"Oh my, how am I going to focus on class with a teacher like that?" She heard a 7th year Gryffindor say a few seats next to her as the girl gaped at the professor. Her friends agreed with her as they all gazed at the young professor.

The twins and Lee had heard the girls too and looked away from them with a frown. The three of them looked at the professor and back to their friends.

"He's nothing special, is he?" George asked.

"Nothing special?" Alicia asked as she looked over at him with dreamy eyes. "I could watch him all day."

The boys rolled their eyes as Alicia kept her eyes at the teachers table and looked to the others.

"What do you guys think?" Lee asked.

"I-" Angelina looked between the boys. "He is quite a looker and young too." The three boys than turned to Katie and Hermione.

"He's okay, not my type, I think." Katie shrugged her shoulders.

"He is quite handsome." Hermione answered, when the three turned to her.

"Little Granger, you can't say that!" Fred gasped.

"What? Why not?"

"You're too young!"

"Oh, am I now? And when did you three started noticing girls?" She pointed out. The three of them looked flustered at her, before the three of them simultaneously opened their mouths and closed them again. "That's what I thought. I'm almost twelve, not six." She huffed, and the conversation came to a close as the food appeared on the table. Hermione saw the other girls chuckle at the boys' reaction before they started loading their plate.

The evening was loud and cheerful, as everyone talked over each other catching up, or getting to know each other. Hermione's eyes scanned the great hall as she took small bites from her baked potatoes. She saw Harry and Ron talking, Ron probably explaining as much as he could about the wizarding world. Harry looked around the Great Hall too as he listened to Ron. When their eyes crossed, Harry gave a small wave before turning back to Ron. She saw Cedric at the yellow filled table, talking to his friends, the only difference than last year was that a lot of the girls who sat closely by, were watching him, giggling as they looked from him to each other again, whispering. The same thing happened at the Gryffindor table with the twins and Lee. This year is going to really interesting, Hermione thought to herself.


HG


After dessert everyone stood up and started to walk to the grand staircase. Hermione and the group had just reached the large doors, when someone called for her.

"Hermione, wait up!" She turned and saw Percy with the first years behind him walk up. Hermione looked surprised at the Weasley, before she turned to the others.

"You guys go; I'll be up later." The others looked from her to Percy before they nodded and walked out the Great Hall. She turned back to Percy. "Is there a problem, Percy?"

"No, no of course not. I just have a note from Professor McGonagall." He said passing her a folded-up note. Hermione smiled as she took the note from him.

"Thanks, Percy."

"First years, follow me, try to keep up!" Percy called over his shoulder when Hermione walked away.

Hermione walked out the Great Hall and slipped behind the large door as she opened the note.

Hermione

You can give the rest of your work tomorrow at breakfast.
I want to discuss your work at the end of the week. Friday, after dinner. If possible, I want Cedric to join us as well.

Have a good night.

Minerva McGonagall.

She folded the note, and put it in her robe pocket, she looked up just in time to see the familiar black and yellow robes from Cedric. She hopped out from behind the door and walked up to Cedric and his friends.

"Hi." She said, taking the boys by surprise.

"Hey, Mi." Cedric smiled, once recovered.

"Hello Matt, Gavin." She looked past Cedric to the two boys.

"Hermione." Matt answered. "I heard you practiced with dear old Ced this summer for quidditch. So, tell us, does he have a chance?" He grinned.

"I'm 100% sure he'll get on the team." Hermione nudged Cedric with her elbow.

"Hope so, we could use a good seeker." Gavin said, while they stopped in front of the grand staircase. Gavin looked between Hermione and Cedric. "Uhm, we'll see you down in the common room later." When Cedric gave a nod, Gavin and Matt walked presumably down in the direction Hufflepuff common room. Hermione took a few steps aside as the rest of the Great Hall started to empty.

"So, I got a note from Professor McGonagall, she wants us to meet with her Friday after dinner." She said as she took out the note and showed it to him. "To discuss the work we did this summer."

While Cedric read the note, she looked around the grand staircases as the kids all went in another direction. Some looked at them curiously as they passed, more than one girl glared at Hermione as she talked to Cedric. Just before she looked back to Cedric, she saw the first years Slytherins walk by. The blond boy with an arrogant look on his face, surrounded by his two bodyguards, talked intensively, she heard him talking about his father as they passed. All the way in the back of the row was the Zabini boy, he was looking at the ground before him. Not even lifting his head to look up at the moving staircases above him. Like he knew he was watched, he finally looked up. His eyes found Hermione and she gave him a small wave and a nervous smile. The boy took her in for a moment as he stopped walking before giving a two-finger wave back as he followed the others down the stairs.

"Alright." Cedric nodded as he handed the note back. Hermione's head snapped back to Cedric and to the note in his hand. She took it back and stuffed it in her pocket. "Want to sit with us at the Hufflepuff table then? We can go together after dinner."

"Is-is that allowed?" She asked curiously and surprised.

"Except from official nights, like today, the teachers don't mind." Cedric shrugged. "You see it often if you pay attention to it. It's mostly the older kids, their boyfriend of girlfriend comes to sit at the others table."

"Oh, okay. Won't the others mind?"

"No, Gavin and Matt actually want to get to know you, especially after we spend so much time together this summer."

"If you're sure no one would mind." She started but stopped as she saw the look Cedric gave her. "Fine." She smiled. "I better get up before the others start to wonder where I disappeared to."

Cedric let out a laugh, that echoed in the now empty hall. "I can picture it, the twins searching franticly for you."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Don't underestimate how much they care, Mi. All of your friends really, you have a way to crawl into someone's heart. Even mine." He placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. She smiled softly as she looked to the ground, a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked placing his other hand on her shoulder, turning her to him.

"'S nothing." She mumbled. Cedric let one shoulder go as he put a finger under her chin, tilting it up. He searched her eyes for an answer. He heard footsteps come closer, so he pulled her into a small alcove. "I didn't have an easy childhood." Hermione started slowly once they were hidden. "I never really had any friends growing up. Then I thought I finally found a friend, it turned out she just used me. She was failing class and once I helped her get her grades back up, she ignored me, like she never even spoken a word to me. So, I'm still getting used to having friends, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"It's not going to. Believe me, they are your real friends, I am your real friend. And you know I don't need your help for my studies." He grinned, making her chuckle. Hermione threw her arms around his waist as she rested her head on his chest.

"Thanks, Digs."

"Anytime, Mi." He murmured in her hair.


HG


"And what's this?" The twins' voices unexpected ran through the little alcove. The two of them jumped apart and looked at the twins who had poked their heads in.

"We were wondering what took you so long." George lifted an eyebrow as Fred leaned against the wall with a grin.

"I needed to talk to Cedric. We better get going before Filch finds any of us." She turned back to Cedric. "Thanks."

Cedric winked at her. "Good night, Mi. Fred, George." He nodded at the twins before he poked his head out of the alcove, when he saw it was safe, he disappeared down the stairs. Hermione passed the twins and looked out in the corridor too, a moment later she walked up the stairs. The twins followed quickly after her. The twins didn't say anything as they climbed the stairs, but she knew they were having a silent conversation above her head. Hermione stopped in front of the portrait and looked at the twins expectantly as she didn't know the password. She saw the boys' do their twin speak and she cleared her throat.

"Oh, Caput Draconis." Fred said as he noticed where they were. The three of them walked in, and Katie and the others jumped up from their spots in front of the fireplace.

"There you are, we were getting worried." Katie said as she came closer.

"I'm fine." She said flopping down next to her best friend on the couch. The new first years, already all went to the dormitory, leaving the older kids alone in the common room.

"She was more than fine." Fred grinned, dropping himself in front of the fireplace, his twin sat down next to him.

"She and Diggory were huddled in an alcove, in each other's arms." George chimed in.

"WHAT?!" The group called together, making the other Gryffindors look at them curiously.

"It wasn't anything like that." She hissed at the twins.

"Not only an hour before you were commenting about the new professor's looks, telling us you're not a kid anymore. Then we found you and Diggory together."

"And he even has a nickname for you."

"I've seen him all through the summer. I've got one for him too. You're not the only one who can have a or call me by a nickname, Rusty." She stuck her tongue out with him. She looked around and saw that the other students were busy with their own conversations again. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I was a bit emotional alright."

The rest looked at her in surprise and confusing, waiting patiently for her to continue. So, she explained what they were talking about, and even told them the story about what happened in primary school, how she sometimes still felt when she got insecure. When she was done, she was looking at her lap, twirling her wand between her fingers. Katie had put her arm around her shoulder, during the story and pulled her closer to her.

"Cedric's right. We are your friends and we're not going anywhere." Katie said, squeezing her tighter to her as the others all agreed enthusiastically. Angelina and Alicia stood up from next to Katie and walked over, leaning over as they both hugged her.

"And believe me, if someone ever pulls crap on you, on either of you guys." Fred started.

"They'll have to deal with us." George finished, both looking very serious.

The girls scooted Hermione up, so Alicia sat next to her, Angelina on her other side and Katie on Hermione's left. Alicia turned so she could face Hermione.

"So, how was it?" She asked eagerly.

"How was what?" Hermione asked confused.

"Being in Cedric Diggory's strong, broad arms." Alicia sighed, dreamily. The boys all rolled their eyes and even Angelina and Katie couldn't help but join in.

"Is that the only thing you can think about?" Angelina said with a dry chuckle.

"How can you not think about that? Have you seen him?" Alicia's eyes wide, making the others laugh. Hermione leaned back on the couch laughing, happy to be back with her friends, to be back where she belonged.


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