Chapter 1: Like Many Things, It Is What It Is.

They began with masks.

There was no seat available when Cedric Diggory entered the library. The Fifth years like himself were studying for their upcoming OWLS, thus the unexpected amount of crowd. He just came from Quidditch practice and was looking forward for some quiet time to study since his friends preferred to be in their noisy common room.

He tried to look for seats and he did find some, but it was always next to a giggling group of girls. So he politely turned down their offers and walked straight to the bookshelves. Seeing as there was no chance for a quiet spot, he might find the book he was looking for and try at the common room.

As he took the book, he heard a flicker of a paper. Turning to his left, he saw a girl sitting on the floor with ehr back at him. He approached her slowly and as he walked further, he realized that it was Hermione Granger, the Third year that was rumored to be the Brightest Witch of their Age. He smiled slightly.

"Granger, what are you doing down there?" He asked politely.

She looked startled, and before he could apologize, she frowned at him.

"Cedric Diggory?" she asked, seemingly confused. "What are doing back here?"

"I was looking for a book, actually."

"Yes, I can see that." She answered, the slight frown never leaving her face. "And to answer your question, I'm reading in a much quieter part of the library, seeing as everyone decided to study on the last minute."

He chuckled lightly. It was true. Tomorrow will be their exams.

"And you're alone?" he asked.

She looked at him. "What do you think?"

"Right. Stupid question." He looked back at the library entrance before sitting down cross legged in front of her.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" she raised her eyebrow.

He looked at her. "What do you think?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Oh now you're just mocking me."

He picked up the Arithmacy book he got from the shelf and started reading. They shared comfortable silence for a few seconds. He was starting to get comfortable, when he stared at her and saw a frown in between her eyebrows.

"What did the book ever do to you?"

She raised her head. "I beg your pardon?"

"You're glaring at it." He pointed out.

"No, I wasn't."

He chuckled. "Yes, you actually were."

"There's no problem with the book." She stated. "It's you."

He was taked aback with the boldness of the statement. Seeing as he couldn't form a sentence at the moment, she beat him to it.

"Why are you sitting here?"

"Because there are no desirable seats left." He replied a moment later.

"Yes. But why here?" She insisted.

"Because I have no intention of sitting alone on the floor." It was logical for him, really.

"I can see that, but why here? With me?"

He looked at her aprehensively. "Have I got no right to sit here with you?"

Unless she was too proud to be seen with someone, he really coundn't understand waht was wrong with it. Perhaps it was true? Hermione Granger prefers to be more acquainted with books than real people.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what is it?"

"Do you really want me to say it?" She asked, slightly irritated. He didn't answer. She sighed exasperatedly. "Do you really want to be seen with the resident Know-It-All of Hogwarts?"

And as he looked at her, he understood how those masked brown eyes really felt. As soon as what she said registered to him, he understood why she chose to be behind the spotlight. The Hogwarts population branded her as the bookworm know-it-all even before she can decide on her own.
He didn't understand why he felt mad about that fact. Sympathy, yes. Comfort, yes. But anger was a completely far off emotion.

"Why in merlin would you think that I don't want to be seen with you?" He asked her with a hint of outrage.

"I have to spell it out word by word for you, don't I?" She shook her head. "You're Cedric Diggory and don't even try to think for one second that that doesn't matter, because it does." She said. "And I'm Hermione Granger. You're the Golden Boy. I'm the Bookworm. I'm fine with that, but those things don't match at all. We wouldn't be caught dead seen together."

All he ever did was frown at her words.

"Why do you see yourself that way?"

"It's what I am." She flicked the pages of her book.

He held the book to stop her. "You're not a what, you're a who. I don't believe you're just a know-it-all bookworm. You're categorizing yourself as everyone you don't know sees you."

"And you don't?"

"Not anymore." He said plainly. She looked at him. "I know everyone sees me as the pretty boy with no brains and I admit, I used to pretend to be like that, because no matter how I try, convincing everyone isn't easy. So, I did my Quidditch, study harder, and be a good friend. I do what everyone expects me to do. Until now, that is."

He finally understood why he was mad.

"I'm like you, Granger." He said, as she frowned even deeper. "I hide behind those status quos. I was lucky enough that mine was easier to deal with, but then there was you."

"And you assume that I don't like the way I'm being categorized?" She closed her book and looked at him directly. "I am what they call me. I don't deny it."

They looked at one another, Hermione with her jaw set and her eyes guarded, and Cedric with a soft stare.

"I know you are. You love books, but you're mocked by it. You have your goals straight, but it was misunderstood. And instead of correcting it, you hide behind it, as I did to mine." He explained. "And I'm not buying it."

"What exactly are you not buying?"

He nodded to her. "That confidence you have as being called a bookworm." Just as she was about to reply, he cut her off. "Come on, Granger. I see how that arse Malfoy treats you, and he may be the worst, but that doesn't mean he's the only one and you know it. Like I said, I'm lucky enough that mine was easier. Yes, I'm being mocked and patronized sometimes, but I bet that's nothing compared to how most people treat you."

Hermione grew silent.

He breathed. "It made me realize, just now, that it isn't really right. On the contrary, it's wrong. It's so wrong, that loads of people are hurt. We're so young, with so much ahead fo us, yet we already have masks."

...

Hermione tried to ignore what Cedric had said. She tried to concentrate on studying. But whenever Ron borrows her homeworks, or she sees their reaction when she tells them she's off to the library, Cedric's words always comes to her mind.

He's right. She's wearing a mask. She didn't even notice she was keeping one.