Sorry this took so long! I've been so busy, sorry. Here ya go! Please review.

CHAPTER 7 – Conflict

"A Ball?"

"Yes, a ball." Madame Maxim said. "I want you to go with a nice boy. No one trashy."

I know a nice boy. Fleur started to imagine what a romantic time at the ball she would have with Cedric then she remembered that she and Cedric couldn't go to the ball together.

They couldn't go anywhere together.

"Do you understand?" Madame Maxime interrupted her thoughts.

"Yes." She mumbled. Now the ball didn't seem so fun anymore. "Don't mumble Fleur. You are going to this ball. You represent Beuxbatons. Everyone will be watching you when you enter that ballroom! Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Fleur just wanted to get the hell out of there and get to lunch.

"You may go." Madame Maxime dismissed her favorite student with a wave of her hand. Fleur darted from the room after hastily curtsying to Madame Maxime.

Where was Cedric? She ran through the now some-what familiar grounds.

First she saw a group and then Cho, and then Cedric.

Fleur walked past him trying to catch his eye. He was laughing at a joke one of his friends had just told. He was always so happy...and beautiful...

Cedric saw a figure in blue from the corner of his eye. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Fleur, it was her, he turned his head slightly to the side, while laughing again - a little louder than necessary.

Fleur turned her head at the same moment. He winked at her and then he realized she was trying to tell him something.

She nudged her head to the right twice and left, indicating she wanted him to follow her.

Cedric excused himself from his friends, and followed Fleur. She was a good distance ahead of him; no one would guess that they were heading to the same place.

Fleur led him down a corridor constantly checking through the windows of each door to see what it led too.

Fleur looked through one, opened the door, and poked her head inside. She entered, catching a side glance at Cedric, making sure he was there.

Cedric continued his leisurely stroll down the hallway, made sure no one was looking and slipped inside.

Fleur was sitting on a desk by a window. Cedric sat down next to her and kissed her on the cheek. "What's up?"

"Well," she turned to face him, "did you hear about the ball?"

"Yeah. I did." Cedric answered. This was a kind of a weird situation.

"And...you're taking Cho?" Fleur hoped that the way she said Cho's name was mistaken for a mispronunciation and not for what it actually was - the sound of disgust.

"Yes." Cedric looked at his lap, his cheeks a little redder - or was that Fleur's imagination?

"...Okay..." What was she supposed to say to that? Why had she even asked? It's not like he was going to take her. Now, Fleur felt embarrassed and hoped it didn't show on her face.

"Will you save a dance for me?" Cedric asked, finally looking at her face.

"Of course" Fleur smiled, and a kissed him.

And no matter how much she wanted to stay in this empty classroom with Cedric, Fleur had to go to her next lesson. She said goodbye to Cedric and left the classroom.

Cedric left a few seconds after her, feeling low. He never thought he would be cheating on Cho, especially with the champion of a rival school. Cedric's feeling worsened. Cho was such a nice girl, when they had gotten together at the end of the summer, he had been so happy.

But with Fleur, he was ... ecstatic. On top of the world. No word could describe how much he loved Fleur.

There was no comparison, but it was a conflict. A conflict that was eating away at the inside.