Lily887787 requested "could you do a femHarry/Cedric?"

Large time skip. I almost separated the two but decided against it. Made up the info on Cedric's uncle, it's fake.

Instead of ripping Cedric's bag...

Rose Potter took a deep breath. She could do this. It was just a group of Hufflepuffs. They would not stab her or hit her; they would just glare and talk shit about her behind her back. Rose straightened her back and walked up to the crowd of Hufflepuffs.

"I need to talk to Cedric." She said in a rush. Rose internally winced; that did not sound like the brave, confident Gryffindor she was supposed to be.

"Why should we let you? For all we know, you could be cheating again! Trying to get rid of the competition before the first task." growled a girl from the group.

"Champion business." Rose answered.

"Guys, just go, it's fine," Cedric told them. When the crowd didn't more, he added "I'm a big boy; I don't need you to babysit me."

With growls of "But she's a cheat!" and "Stupid Gryffs", the group disappeared behind a corner.

"What is it?" Cedric questioned as he turned to her.

"Cedric, the First Task, it's dragons!" Rose warned him.

"Dragons?! Is this some kind of joke?" He half-yelled. Rose felt the dam that held back all her feelings (betrayal from her friends, hurt from the pins, anger at those who called her a liar and a cheater, and her fear of dying) break.

"For Merlin's sake! I didn't enter my name in the Goblet! I'd trade that and all the money in the world to get my parents back. I want you to win! I don't want to see you get eaten by a dragon! So you choose: believe me and prepare or ignore me and become the dragon's lunch." Rose ranted before spinning around and stumping away. Stupid Hufflepuff, let him die, she did her part.

"Rose! Rose, wait!" Cedric called to her. Rose paused and he continued. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just, dragons are extremely hard to face. My uncle has scars from meeting one while traveling. I didn't mean that you cheated to get into the tournament." Cedric explained. Rose warily turned back to face Cedric again.

"You believe me?" She questioned.

"Dumbledore didn't treat it like a joke on Halloween. If he believes you are being threatened, then this isn't a prank. Besides, you wouldn't have reacted like that just now if you did cheat. To be honest, I was jealous when saw that you were entered. You've faced evil teachers, Slytherin's monster, and Dementors. I've played Quidditch and good enough to be a perfect. What's the comparison?" Cedric questioned.

"Cedric, you and the other champions have three years on me. I'm not going to know half the spells or tricks you guys know. I'll be lucky to live through this." Rose explained.

"I'm sorry Rose, I never realized…" Cedric trailed off, searching Rose's face some a moment. "Rose, do you want to come to the library with me to look up dragons?" Rose blinked with surprise.

"You want to work together?" She asked unsurely.

"We can try for a Hogwarts win! We won't work together on strategies or anything like that. But where's the harm in figuring out all the ways dragons can kill us?" Cedric joked with a wink. Rose chuckled.

As she and Cedric walked to the library (ignoring the stares and whispers), Rose felt lighter and more hopeful than she had since Halloween. Maybe this tournament won't be some horrid after all.

TimeSkipTimeSkip TimeSkipTimeSkip TimeSkipTimeSkip

Rose Potter silently groaned as another boy sent her a longing look. This whole Yule Ball was going to drive her nuts. It seemed as if half the boys in the school wanted to be her date. Yet not one would ask her out. (Especially not the one she most wanted…)

No! Rose silenced that part of her mind. He didn't like her like that. Merlin, she'd rather be back with the Hungarian Horntail!

"You two are girls!" Exclaimed Ron, dragging Rose from her thoughts.

"Congratulations Ronald! It only took you a few years to notice." Hermione said sarcastically.

"One of you could be my date!" Ron reasoned with a big grin. Rose's winced; go to the ball with Ron? The boy who hasn't learned to not talk with his mouth full? While he's wearing those dreadful dressrobes? He probably couldn't even dance! She'd rather go with Malfoy! At least he wouldn't crush her toes (Pansy's been bragging about how wonderfully Malfoy dances).

"For your information, we already have dates!" Hermione snapped, grabbing Rose's arm and dragging her away. Rose waited until they were in an empty hallway before stopping Hermione.

"But I don't have a date!" Rose exclaimed.

"I know Rose, but I know you don't want to go with Ron. That's why I lied." She explained.

"Thanks. Does this mean you have a date then?" Questioned Rose. Her eyebrows rose as Hermione turned beat red.

"Viktor Krum asked me the other day. He said he was sick of the air head girls who followed him around like lost puppies." Hermione practically squealed. Rose blinked before half-taking her friend.

"Wow Mione, you got a Quidditch star for a date! I didn't think you'd get one of those until I hit the big times and set you up with someone." Rose teased. Hermione playfully smacked her shoulder.

"I'm glad you're not mad at me for dating the completion. But you want to date the completion, so you can't get too mad!" Hermione joked, earning another smack.

"He wouldn't ask me. He'll ask some pretty upperclassman like Cho or Angelina." Rose said, looking at the ground. Hermione sighed.

"Whatever you say Rose. Do you want me to see if Viktor has any dateless friends?" Questioned Hermione. Rose bit her lip then sighed.

"Maybe in a few days? I wanna see if anyone asks me before taking a pity date." Rose said glumly. The two began to walk to glad, Hermione insisting it would not be a pity date as they walked, never realizing there was an eavesdropping Hufflepuff around the corner.

Rose cursed her bad luck. Ron ate the last of the toast, she spilt ink all over her potions essay, and now her book bag ripped and dumped everything out*! Hermione cast a mending charm on it, but Rose waved her off when she started to help pick everything up; there was no need for both of them to be late.

"Rose!" She glanced up to see Cedric walking toward her. Great. Her crush had witnessed her unplanned bag dump. Her day is just getting better and better.

"Rose I have a question for you." Cedric stated.

"Huh?" propped Rose, sticking another book in her bag. Did her find something about the dragons?

"Do you have a date to the Yule Ball?" Cedric asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rose dropped the quills that she had been holding. "N-no." She squeaked.

"Would you like to go with me?" Rose stared at him, jaw dropped. He had asked her of all people?

"I-I'd love to with you!" Rose stuttered, her face getting redder. She sounded like such a dork.

"I was afraid some Bulgarian got to you first!" stated Cedric, looking relieved. Rose smiled but then it drooped a little.

"What do you mean by some Bulgarian?" Rose questioned. It was Cedric's turn to turn red as her realized his mistake.

"Well, uh, I heard a few of them talk about asking you." He offered.

"In English?" Countered Rose, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Okay, um, I kinda overheard you and Hermione talking in the halls the other day…" Cedric told her. Rose covered her red face with her hand for a moment before looking up.

"Okay, that making sense. I'll see you later, McGonagall will probably kill her as is; I dough getting asked to the ball will be a good enough excuse for being late to class." Rose joked. With smiles and waves, the two parted; their future date the only thing on either mind.

*Since I removed it from the beginning, I thought I would have Cedric rip her bag instead.

Sorry this took so long; I lost the notebook everything was written it. Found it a bit ago.