The one good thing that came from Ginny and Cedric being just friends was that she felt like she could be friends with Harry, but now he was ignoring her. She was complaining to Hermione as they walked down to breakfast together the next day, "I know I was horrible to him, but you know I only did it so he and Ron could have some quality time together." Hermione nodded and rolled her eyes, "I know, Ginny. But he has every reason to be off with you. I don't blame him, to be honest. It was never a definite that you and Cedric would end up together after the picnic." Ginny grumbled and sighed, "I know. Doesn't make it less hard. I miss him." Hermione grimaced, "Maybe it's for the best, anyway. Sometimes friends just need time out from one another."
Ginny nodded irritably as so she changed the topic, "So…how's Viktor?" Hermione shrugged her shoulders and replied, "He's fine, thanks. But I don't see this being a long-term thing." Ginny raised her eyebrows and grinned, "Because all you ever do is snog each other?" Hermione grimaced and nodded as Ginny giggled, "Well at least you have a boyfriend." Her friend sighed and replied, "I wish I had someone I could communicate properly with. You and Cedric at least seem able to do that." Ginny had told Hermione that she had told Cedric about the chamber. Hermione had been surprised but she had agreed that he was a good person to speak to about it.
When they reached the Great Hall, Ginny stopped at the entrance. It was a Monday morning so there weren't many people at the table yet. But Harry was there, and Hermione would undoubtedly sit with him. Hermione looked at her nervously and then Ginny saw Colin sitting on the far end. She whispered to Hermione, "Don't worry, I'll go and sit with Colin." Hermione visibly sighed in relief and she smiled gratefully, "Thanks Gin. I would love you to, but Harry…" Ginny waved off Hermione's worries.
As she passed Harry, she saw him purposefully keep his head down, reading the newspaper, or so it appeared.
Ginny greeted him with a low, "Hey Harry." He looked up, nodded at her stiffly, and then turned his attention back to the paper. She sighed and waved goodbye to Hermione as she moved further along to Colin, who was sitting by himself. She reached his place and asked quietly, "May I join you?" He grimaced and replied, "Why the sudden interest?" Ginny bit her lip for a second to refrain from retorting before telling a semi-truth, "I miss you and we haven't spoken in ages." It was true, that she did miss him to some extent. She'd missed his friendship, but she hadn't missed the mindless babble in between.
Colin smiled warmly at her, a smile which she hadn't received from him in weeks as he nodded, "Sure. Take a seat." She grinned gratefully at him before she sat down opposite and asked curiously, "Sooo, who was the Ravenclaw girl you were with on Saturday?" His eyebrows shot up and he seemed to blush in embarrassment as he murmured, "Uh…Courtney Williams. She's in our year." Ginny nodded and grinned as she put some Greek Yoghurt into her bowl and filled the surface with sliced strawberries before asking, "And…how do you know her?" He seemed to blush as he whispered, "We take Muggle Studies together." Ginny giggled, "Does she have Muggle parents?"
Colin nodded and ate a piece of his toast, "Her mum I is a muggle and her dad is a witch." Ginny smiled happily and told him kindly, "Well, I'm glad you like someone." He chuckled after he swallowed some pumpkin juice and asked, "Why? Because that someone isn't you?" Ginny shrugged her shoulders as she ate and replied, "Oh come on, that's not fair! You know I wasn't interested in you in that way, ever." He laughed lightly again and Ginny noticed how carefree he seemed as he joked with her and responded, "Yeah, I know. But you can't blame a guy for trying." Ginny almost dropped her spoon as she asked, laughing along, "Who are you and what have you done with Colin Creevey?!"A smile spread across his face and he laughed, "I got over my crush on you and moved on." She couldn't help but giggle, "Well done! I'm proud of you. I hope it works out with Courtney." Colin nodded and asked, "What happened to Michael? Last I heard after the Yule Ball the two of you were going out, and now I saw you with Cedric." Ginny nodded and replied, "Michael is really nice. He's a good guy and I do like him, a lot, but not as much as I like Cedric." Colin nodded in understanding, "That makes sense, I guess." She sighed and asked, "You ready for Potions?" Snape had set them a three thousand word essay on 'Why Draught of Living Death is dangerous and seven ways in which to use it with caution,' which had had taken Ginny between Thursday and Sunday to complete, after being given to them on Wednesday. She'd spent Thursday evening in the library as well as Sunday finding books on the potion.
Ginny yawned then, feeling the exhaustion sweep over her. Not only had they had this essay on the weekend, but another one for Professor Flitwick on the Confundus Charm, its properties and how to use it. That was due in three days and had been given to them on Friday. She shook her head and replied, "I haven't even started on Flitwick's, because I spent the whole weekend on Snape's. And you?" He nodded and grinned confidently, "I've finished both!" She rolled her eyes at his confidence and shook her head, "I don't know where you had time to."
Colin murmured under his breath, "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum alert!" Colin had explained to her the characters of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum from a book a muggle book called Alice in Wonderland. It was an expression muggle's used for people who were very similar, or almost identical. It was their code for Julia and Rebecca are approaching, red alert!
Ginny grimaced as the girls sat on either side of her and Julia said cheerily, "Hi Colin! Hi Ginny, what a surprise to see you here. You're usually sitting further along beside Harry, aren't you? Why are you slumming it with us?" Ginny rolled her eyes and murmured, "I'm not slumming it. Besides, I was just telling Colin I've missed him." Rebecca retorted from the right of her, "What, just because Cedric didn't want you, now you have to take the second best?" Ginny's eyes widened in disbelief! She didn't think she had just heard that correctly!
She turned sharply to the girl she actually despised and she froze when she saw Cedric on the other side of her, walking towards them. He had clearly heard what the other girl had said and he walked hastily over and faced her, a stern expression etched across his face as he said severely, "Don't you ever, talk to Ginny like that again, alright? She would never do that and I suggest you treat her with some respect." Rebecca rolled her grey eyes at him and retorted, "Oh come on, Diggory, I was only pulling her leg." He placed a firm hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him nervously as he retorted, "Do not ever say that again, or I won't be so forgiving next time."
Then Cedric turned and walked down the hall. Ginny looked quickly got up, shot Rebecca a filthy look and then glanced at Colin, who looked shocked and was blinking rapidly-gone was the carefree attitude from moments ago. Ginny ran after Cedric and she reached him as he started the climb up the stairs. She whispered, "Cedric," in a low, quiet voice and he turned around as her hand reached his shoulder.
He sighed and shook his thick locks, "I'm sorry, Ginny. I shouldn't have gotten angry like that. I shouldn't have gotten involved." Ginny shook her head, a small smile on her face as she whispered, "No I'm glad you did. Thank you for standing up for me. I really appreciate it." He smiled bleakly as he replied, "I was coming to talk to you anyway, to say that you owe me ten knuts." She forced a smile and he whispered, "I see why you hate that girl." His face looked pained as he said it and she sighed, "I don't hate her. I just sincerely dislike her."
He grimaced and shrugged, "It sounds like pretty much the same thing to me. Which class are you going to?" Ginny answered immediately, "Potions," she couldn't help but make a face as she said it and Cedric chuckled, "Uh Snape. Don't worry that feeling of dislike for him never fades." She couldn't help but giggle and retort, "Thanks! That makes me feel loads better." He laughed and said, "I'll walk you to class."
Ginny didn't protest. As they walked she asked, "You look really tired. Have you been getting enough sleep?" He turned to her at the bottom of the dungeon stairs and sighed, "Nope. The third task is worrying me-not knowing what it is." She nodded and grimaced, "And Cho? How's that going?" His head fell completely and she had never seen him looking so drained of energy. Cedric was always lively and charismatic, but today he looked like he was on his death bed. He groaned, "We had a fight yesterday. A big one." She watched him tensely and whispered, "What about?"
Cedric slouched against the wall to keep himself from falling before replying, "You. She heard about me taking you to the lake on Saturday for a picnic and she yelled at me in front of the entire common room last night. It was humiliating." Ginny was at a complete loss for words. She floundered around for them but no words surfaced. She swallowed tightly and whispered, "Ced…if it's causing you this much strain then I'd rather just keep my…my distance," she finished. He shook his head adamantly and groaned, "No! I'm sick and tired of her trying to control me and control what I do. I'm like the one thing in her life that she can control and she knows it! But if I had to give up on her now, she would crack Gin!" He sounded so desperate that Ginny didn't know what else to do but pull him into a hug.
She patted his back soothingly and waited for him to calm down. Ginny didn't think telling him it was okay would do any good. Usually it just made things worse. He wasn't crying, but he might have been on the verge of it. When he stood up he smiled at her the smile that she loved and he whispered, "Thank you. I really needed that." She nodded and replied, "You don't need to hold it together on your own all the time, Ced. I'm always here for you." He nodded and thanked her again, before kissing her on the cheek.
Author's note: The second task takes place on 24th February 1995 and the third task takes place on the 24th June and so I'm not going to write about daily events in between the four month gap. Only a few important ones for this story and so the third task will be in the next chapter or two. I've also written quite a bit since the second task so all of those chapters count. Cedric is also leaning on Ginny's shoulder because he has no-one else to turn to and he is stressed about the third task and not knowing what is to come. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and so please R and R!