Two weeks later, Harry still wasn't speaking to her and it made Ginny feel on edge. She intensely disliked this distance between them and she was beginning to crave his company. However, she also found herself in Cedric's company on a regular basis. Ever since he had somewhat broken down in front of her, he had been seeking her out more and more often. He found her in the library and would come and sit beside her and do his homework next to her. He would help her with her own homework and they would spend most afternoons like this. He hadn't mentioned Cho since and she hadn't bought it up. It seemed to be a topic he was eager to avoid, and Ginny often wondered if he was avoiding Cho by spending time with her.
It was a cold, Wednesday afternoon which they were positioned at a desk and concentrating on their own essays when Cho appeared beside them, red eyed and teary. Cedric had his nose in a book and was so busy concentrating he didn't see her standing there until she whispered, "Ced…" he looked up and whispered, "Yes?" in a harsh, non-Cedric like tone. Cho swallowed nervously and Ginny wondered if he hadn't spoken to her since their row. She hadn't seen them communicate at all. Cho's voice cracked as she stuttered, "P…please c…can I have a word with you?" His brown eyes tensed and he grimaced before saying, "Fine…but you better make it quick." He got up, looked at Ginny and whispered, "I'll be right back," before following her into the empty rows of bookshelves possible where nobody could hear what they were saying.
Ginny turned her attention back to her essay for Hagrid about Dragon's and how to tame them. It was actually a really interesting concept and she wished that Charlie were still here so that she could bombard him with questions. She had even sent Errol with a letter to Charlie asking the most important ones. She hoped that he would get to the right address and back in one piece
At that moment, Hermione walked towards her and said grumpily to Ginny, "Please just speak to Harry! I can't bare his grumpiness anymore!" Ginny rolled her eyes and grumbled, "I've tried. You know I have." Hermione shook her head and whispered, "It's been impossible for Ron and I to…I don't know…be around him! He's obviously missing you!" Ginny growled under her breath, "Yeah well then the jerk should come and apologized to me after cold-shouldering me for two weeks!" Her voice raised a notch and Hermione whispered, "Sssh," as a few heads turned to face her.
Ginny shrugged as Hermione continued, "He's nervous, Gin. He needs your support more than anyone else. I'm pretty sure you are the reason he's survived so long in this tournament!" At this moment, Cedric reappared, looking stressed, but he said politely, "Hey Hermione. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting. I can leave if…" Hermione shook her head briskly and replied sweetly, "I'm alright thanks Cedric. I just needed to tell Ginny something. Have a good evening."
She had hardly spoken to Ron and Hermione since Harry had begun ignoring her. She knew he was hurt, but really how long did it take to make a point? Cedric grimaced and asked, "Is everything alright?" Her expression must have said otherwise as she sighed, "It's just…Harry and Ron used to be really close, but Ron was becoming moody around me a while ago, and when you suggested maybe it was because he was jealous, I told Harry I needed my space." Cedric nodded and said, "Yeah…that makes sense." Ginny sighed, "Except the truth is that I told him it was because I thought we might get together and you though I liked him as more than a friend, and I didn't want it to come across that way." Cedric frowned, "So you covered the lie with a semi-truth. It really didn't worry me that much." Ginny shrugged and grimaced, "Yeah well so Harry has ignored me even though it turned out we were just remaining friends."
Cedric shook his head and murmured, "But you told me everything about the two of you, so I wouldn't have minded either way." Ginny nodded and replied, "Yeah but Harry doesn't know about that though. I literally haven't spoken to him. Anyway enough about me, what did Cho have to say?" Cedric shrugged and whispered, "She wanted to apologize for humiliating me in front of everyone." Ginny nodded, "And? What did you say?" He smiled tiredly and said, "I said I accept her apology but I still need my space." Ginny sighed, "I'm sorry." He shrugged his shoulders and replied, "It's okay. I better get back to this essay. It's due tomorrow." She nodded and turned her attention back to her own work.
An hour later, they walked down to dinner together and Ginny told him, "Colin came and spoke to me yesterday after last period." Cedric raised his eyebrow and replied, "And? What did he say?" Ginny had been feeling particularly lonely ever since the incident, as well as incredibly guilty. She shrugged and replied, "He said that Rebecca was out of line saying what she said, but I still felt awful." Cedric nodded and sighed, "That's understandable. I think most people would feel that way." She grimaced and shook her head, "I just…I feel like all of my friends are pulling away from me. I miss Harry. I miss Hermione, and strangely enough sometimes I miss Ron. Now I feel like I can't be around Colin anymore because Julia and Rebecca will just snipe at me every time."
Cedric grimaced. He hadn't been himself lately-not the usual, cheery Cedric she was used to. She wondered if maybe her moodiness was rubbing off on him. He hadn't been around Stephen, Justin and Sophie either and she assumed it was because they were all cold shouldering him because of whatever Cho had told them. She hadn't asked him about it, but now Sophie was heading towards them, her long blonde hair tied up in a high pony tail as she bobbed up and down with a spring in her step.
When she reached them she smiled happily and said, "Hey Ced, hey Ginny! Ced can I talk to you please?" Cedric sighed and nodded as she pulled him to the sighed and Ginny waited patiently as they spoke. Ginny saw a shock of jet black hair out of her peripheral vision and she turned to see Harry, Ron and Hermione walking towards them.
Ginny wasn't sure how to react She had hardly been able to speak to Hermione and Ron. Harry glanced at her and the immediately looked away. Suddenly she couldn't stand it anymore as she grabbed his hand and asked loudly, "Harry, can I talk to you, please?" He seemed stunned and he looked hesitant before he nodded subtly. He turned to Ron and Hermione and said, "You two carry on, and I'll catch up."
Ginny pulled him past Cedric and Sophie, and further into the first floor corridor and into an empty passage before saying, "I'm really sorry Harry. I treated you horribly and I should never have risked our friendship for something that may not have happened. I shouldn't have even risked it for something that may happen. I don't know what I was thinking and I've felt so guilty about it since and I hope you can forgive me." Harry had folded his arms and he seemed skeptical to say the least. He raised his eyebrow and asked, "How do I know that you're not going to ditch me the next time there's a possibility with Cedric, or another guy? It took a lot for us to become best friends and you seem to be able to throw all that away so easily." Ginny swallowed and whispered tightly, "It wasn't easy Harry. I missed you so much that I craved your company. I still do and I'm sorry. It was a horrible mistake and I will never make it again."
Harry sighed and replied, "Okay, I accept your apology." Ginny flung her arms forcefully around his neck and she sighed in relief, "Thank you Harry! You have no idea how much this means to me." She could feel him smile beside her and he whispered in her ear, "I've missed you, too. Two weeks is too long without you."
Suddenly there was a blinding flash from the hallway and Ginny heard a cackle she knew all too well. She blinked furiously as she turned to the source and she saw Rita Skeeter walking steadily towards them. Ginny groaned and Harry asked scathingly, "What are you doing here?" She shrugged her blazer clad shoulders and smirked, "Oh…I was just here for a meeting with Professor Dumbledore about the articles I am and am not allowed to publish about the students in the school. Apparently the one about you and Granger wasn't acceptable." Rita winked at Harry and Ginny turned to him and asked, "What is she talking about?" The reporter cackled and gasped, "Oh dear, you haven't told your girlfriend that you're cheating with Granger? Oh dear, I've said too much! I better be on my way! Ah Mr Diggory, good to see you!"
Ginny whirled around to find Cedric looking more than displeased at the sight of Rita and he said, "I swear, Skeeter, if I find you've published that picture of the two of them I swear I will…" Ginny had never heard him sounding so threatening before-except maybe that one time when he had threatened Rebecca two weeks previously. Skeeter chuckled and grinned, "Don't worry your pretty little head, Mr Diggory. I'm sure Mr Potter has loads of girls after him now that he's completed two of the three tasks. Don't worry Mr Diggory, you will get your chance," she winked at him before sauntering off.
Ginny hadn't realized her fists were clenched tightly as she released them and clenched them again. Harry turned to Cedric and sighed, "I'm sorry. Nothing happened. She's just provoking us." Cedric nodded his head and replied, "Don't worry I know that women is an evil witch. She's probably trying to put us against each other." Harry nodded seriously, "She's definitely something." Ginny couldn't help but smile at her two boys getting along. She wasn't stupid enough to point it out because then it would go back to normal.
The three of them walked down to the Great Hall together and Ginny finally felt at peace. They were discussing what they anticipated would be in the task ahead. Cedric counted off, "Well, we've had Dragon's so it can't be that. And mer-people." Harry nodded and replied, "I reckon some other sort of magical creature? They've done fire and water animals, so maybe now something that can fly?" Cedric nodded, "Possibly. How are you feeling about it?" It was actually a question Ginny had been dying to know herself. How both of them felt about it. Harry sighed, "I don't know. I guess I'm just nervous of the unknown." Cedric nodded in agreement, "Same," he said as they reached the Great Hall.
Harry turned to Ginny and asked her, "Do you want to come and join us?" She nodded and replied, "I do. I'll join you in a sec." It seemed like everybody was watching them. It was unusual to see Harry and Cedric together for longer the about ten seconds. He smiled kindly at her before walking towards Ron and Hermione.
Ginny turned to Cedric and asked, "What did Sophie have to say?" Cedric grimaced and pulled her aside before whispering, "She told me that Cho's worried you're just friends with me because I'm the other Hogwarts champion." Ginny's eyes widened in disbelief and she laughed, "What? Ced, you know that's rubbish! I liked you even since the World Cup!" He grinned the smile she loved which she hadn't seen in two weeks and asked happily, "Really?" Ginny nodded and whispered, "Really," before he hugged her and they went their separate ways to dinner.