Chapter Eight: Everything Has Its Place In Time
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters from Harry Potter. I only own my OC's and the plot of this fanfic.
Cedric P.O.V.
I woke up that morning with a huge headache. I felt like I got hit with a bludger a hundred times. That's when I noticed my surroundings. It took me a while to remember that I landed myself in the Hospital Wing last night. My heart sunk when I remembered that it was Cho that had to practically carry me all the way here. Cho, what would I do without you? It took me more time to remember the fight I had with Anna. I groaned in both pain and frustration. My body ached all over and thinking about the things Anna and I said to each didn't exactly help dilute the pain.
I looked at the clock. It read 7:00. That meant classes would be starting soon. Madam Pomfrey came in when she saw I was awake to give me some more of that horrid, green medicine. At this point, I could care less how it tasted, if only it would heal me faster.
It wasn't long before I heard Madam Pomfrey speaking to someone outside the door. I really wasn't at all prepared for visitors. But after recognizing whose voice I heard, my spirits weren't dampened anymore.
"I don't think it's a good idea to see him, dear. He isn't feeling at all well and needs his rest." Madam Pomfrey took her job very seriously. Sometimes, a little too serious.
"Please, Madam Pomfrey. I promised him I would see him in the morning," Cho pleaded. "Plus, he is my boyfriend. I feel somewhat responsible for his well-being." I smiled. It was true. Cho always cared about my health.
After some silence, which I assumed to be Madam Pomfrey's pondering the thought, she gave in. "Oh alright, but not too long, okay?"
"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey."
I heard Cho's light footsteps begin to draw nearer. She immediately smiled when she saw I was awake.
"Hey," she wore a small smile. I could tell she'd been worrying about me.
"Hi," I motioned for her to sit at the side of my bed. She did, but still looked somewhat distressed.
"I've been worried sick about you. I'm not going to lie." She lowered her head, focussing on the white linens.
"Cho, we've gone through this before. I don't want you worrying so much about me. I'm fine." I tried to reassure her. I sat up and began rubbing her back lightly.
"I know, Ced, it's just…well, with us not seeing each over the summer, homework, tests, and everything else going on, we haven't got to spend a lot of time together." Her eyes were watery, and I could tell she'd been thinking about this for a long time.
I lifted her chin with my finger to look back up at me. "I don't want you feeling like this, Cho. And I know that our time together has been limited since the year began, but hey, there's still time left right? Plus, we have our date on Saturday at Hogsmeade, right?"
She gave me a slight smile. She was still worried, but at least she wasn't so sad. "Right. I'm sorry for having to bring this up all the time, Cedric."
"Don't even apologize, okay? I want you to remember that I love you. If you're happy, then I'm happy. But if you're not, then I'm not." I gave her a knowing look.
She then gave me her usual sweet smile. "Okay, I'm happy now." She kissed me on the cheek. "But I've got to get to breakfast. I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer."
"No worries, love. I understand." I grinned at her.
"Do you know when they're letting you out?"
"Madam Pomfrey said that I'm free to go this afternoon if I'm feeling better by then, which I should be."
"That's great! Maybe, if you're feeling better, we can hang out later in the library or something."
"For sure Cho. I'd love to."
She stood up and gave me a quick peck on the lips. "I'll see you later. I love you."
"I love you too."
She walked off, but then stopped in her tracks when she reached the door. She pulled out her wand, and with a flick, a vase of red roses immediately appeared on the bedside table next to me. I also noticed that a book landed gracefully on my lap. With a quick wink, Cho exited the Hospital Wing. I shook my head and laughed at her cleverness.
I observed the roses. They were beautiful, but they didn't stand out to me. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against roses, or anybody that likes them, it's just that my favourite flowers are daffodils. Come on, Cedric, does that really matter? At least she was kind enough to think of giving them to you. I guess. I looked at the book and realized that it was my favourite one of all time. Well, actually, it was my favourite play of all time. It was William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". I've had this book since the day of my thirteenth birthday. I probably left it with Cho the other night when we were studying together. Probably because I took it wherever I went. I remember the day I got this book. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
"Happy Birthday Cedric!" Anna greeted me with a huge hug on the morning of my thirteenth birthday, June 24th 1999.
"Thanks for remembering, Anna!" I didn't hesitate in returning her embrace.
"How could I forget? We've been best friends since first year."
"I know, but still…thank you." We broke out of our embrace and I smiled widely at her.
"Do you wanna go for a walk with me by the Black Lake? After all, it is your birthday and we only have a few more days of school left before the summer holidays." She looked sad when she said the last part. Saying goodbye to each other before summer was always difficult because we wouldn't be able to see each other for a whole two months.
I tried to reassure her. "I'd love to. But don't focus on that, Anna. We still have time together."
She instantly perked up. "Of course we do! Let's not waste any minute of it!" She looped her arm through mine and we walked out of the castle and headed for the Black Lake.
It was a beautiful summer day. The sun was bright, the air was cool, and the water of the lake was calm. We walked around for a little, talking about the letter that my parents had sent me. They told me that their surprise for me would be waiting for me when I got home. I couldn't wait to see what it was! Anna and I had been trying to guess for the past half hour what they could've gotten for me, but all of our guesses seemed to be either too far-fetched or too simple and impersonal.
After a while of walking, we both decided to sit down in our favourite spot: a patch of grass under a big willow tree. From there, you had a great view of everything—the lake, the castle, the Quidditch Pitch. It was a treasure Anna and I discovered in first year after running away from an irritated Filch one day we went into an area students were not permitted in.
I sat down on the ground, leaning my back against the trunk of the willow tree. Anna sat across from me. When she saw I was settled in a comfortable position, she whispered a quick "Wait here!" Before I knew it, I saw Anna running towards one of the taller trees around us, and she started climbing it. I laughed when I saw her little legs moving quickly up the first couple branches. Anna was always good at climbing trees, probably because it was something the two of us enjoyed doing together. She sprinted back to our spot, and I noticed she was holding something behind her back. She beamed at me before sitting down on the grass, careful not to give me any views of whatever she was hiding. After a few questioning looks from me, she rolled her eyes and brought her hands to the front to reveal that she was holding a package covered in blue wrapping paper. She smiled, handed it to me and said, "Happy Birthday, Ced."
I took it from her, surprised that she got me a gift. Sure, we'd given each other small things before, but this looked like something she put lots of thought into. There was a card attached to the wrapping paper. I was about to open and read it when Anna's hand stopped me from doing so. "You should just read that later…preferably, with no one around." She seemed embarrassed about whatever she had wrote in the card, but I smiled and kept the card closed, laying it on the ground. I then began ripping off the wrapping paper, eager to get to the underlying mystery it held. When I saw what it was, I looked up at Anna with a huge smile. She replied with a shrug and a grin. "I know you've been wanting it for forever. I remember you passing it up that one day we went to Hogsmeade and visited Tomes and Scrolls. So I purchased it when you left to get us a table at The Three Broomsticks. I hope you like it!"
I was at a complete loss for words as I marvelled at the hard-cover copy of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet: The Book Version". "I don't just like it, I love it! Anna, you really didn't have to get me anything, but this really means a lot." I said pulling her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around me shortly after.
"Well I couldn't just show up empty-handed, now could I?" she joked. We stayed in a tight embrace for a long time before breaking apart. When we did, I planted the tiniest kiss on her right cheek. She blushed at my action. I blushed when she did. It took a while for my voice to return, but when it did, it brought both of us back to reality. "Thank you for being my best friend, Adrianna Summers."
That night, when I finished my Potions homework, I remembered the card that was attached to the present Anna gave me earlier. I remember using it as a bookmarker in the Romeo and Juliet book. I had already started reading it. I took it out of its initial wedged state between two pages. I walked down to the common room and sat by the fire to get a better look at it. I remembered what Anna had said about me reading it alone. I looked around to find an empty common room. Everybody else was still at dinner.
I carefully opened the card from the envelope and read Anna's neat, delicate handwriting.
Dear Cedric,
For starters, Happy Birthday! It seems like it was just yesterday when I was wishing you the same thing for your twelfth birthday. Time does fly by fast, huh? You should know that I'm still upset your birthday comes a whole two months before mine. I hate being younger than you by two months.
I chuckled at the first paragraph. Anna always knew how to make me laugh. I continued reading.
Secondly, I received an owl from my parents this morning. They, too, wish you a happy birthday. Apart from the birthday greeting, it pretty much said the same things as always—keep up with the studying, stay away from the boys, keep Cedric in line, you know, those things. Garrett's doing well, too, and he wished you a good day.
I guess I should just get to the point of why I wrote this card for you. Yes, I wrote it because it's your birthday and I wanted to greet you formally. But I also wrote it to thank you. I want to thank you, Cedric Diggory, for being my best friend. I want to thank you for always being there for me, for sticking up for me, for believing in me, for cheering me up when I'm down. I want to thank you for being the kind, genuine person you are, the person that doesn't give in to the pressure that surrounds him. We have a friendship that nobody understands. Sometimes, I'm not even sure if we understand it.
Bottom line is that you, Ced, took on the responsibility of being my best friend. That's a position that only someone special can fill, and you're definitely someone special. Even though we'll be separated for the next two months, I'll write to you every day (I better receive a letter every day, too.). I wish you an amazing day. You're an amazing person and friend. You deserve the best.
Love, Anna
I read the card over three more times before putting it back in the envelope. Every word of it was beautiful, but more importantly, I knew she meant it all. I went back upstairs, and changed and washed up for bed. I know it was early, but I was tired from the day's events. Before climbing into bed, I used a charm on the book Anna gave me that, when flipped to the first blank page, would reveal the card she wrote to me. I would read it every time I opened the book. I promised myself that.
I sure followed through with that promise. Even four years later, I still read that card each time I read the "Romeo and Juliet" book. Sure enough, when I opened the book to the first page, Anna's neat handwriting came up. I sighed, remembering how far we've come since third year. More like how much we've both changed and learned to live without each other.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Madam Pomfrey's voice again speaking to another student. I was shocked when I recognized Anna's voice as being the student's.
"Good morning, Madam Pomfrey."
"Oh good morning, Adrianna. Is there something I can do for you?"
"Actually, I was wondering if I could pay someone a visit…" She wanted to visit me? Was she not there when our fight took place last night?
"Well, seeing as though Cedric Diggory is the only patient I have at the moment, I'm going to assume it's him you wish to see?" Anna didn't respond. After all, I was the only patient in the Hospital Wing today.
"Yes dear, you may see him. Last bed on the right."
"Okay, thank you."
Shit. I sat up quickly and flipped to a random page of the book. I kept the cover flat on the bed sheets. I couldn't have Anna seeing what I was reading, regardless of the fact that she gave it to me. It would be awkward if she saw me reading it.
I could hear the door open and close, followed by footsteps. I pretended not to notice that she came in, solely focussed on the page I was "reading". As she drew nearer, I felt panic rise up inside of me, but tried to hide it as I looked up at her. We stared at each other for a few passing moments, me getting lost in that immaculate shade of green. Anna got uncomfortable and shifted her gaze over to an empty chair beside my bed. She walked over and sat in it. "Hey," she said. I could tell she felt just as awkward as I did. Her voice now sounded shy and timid, as if she was afraid of talking.
"Hi," I didn't know what to say.
"Are you alright? Derrick told me what happened." Derrick? Since when did you and Derrick get along? I decided not to press the matter.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just felt a little sick last night." She immediately looked down at her hands and began fiddling her thumbs. I recognized the nervous habit of hers and was more than interested in what was on her mind. She took a deep breath before speaking again.
"We need to talk."
"We are talking." Maybe I was being harsh. But after all that happened last night, I have to admit that Anna wasn't somebody I was particularly in the mood to speak to.
"What I meant was that we need to talk about last night, about everything." I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her statement. She was the one who kept avoiding the conversation, and now she's the one bringing it up? "Fine, what do you have to say?"
She took another deep breath before talking. . "Look, I know that things happened in the past between us, good and not so good. But the point is that those things are in the past. That's where they should stay, at least the bad things. I was being immature when I kept bringing it up. I know it's time that I got over it all." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was surprised, shocked, you name it. She seemed to be at a loss for words, but continued after a few moments. "It'll take time, lots of time, but I want to stop this feuding between us. It clearly isn't healthy for you." I couldn't help but chuckle at what she said. Well, I am in the Hospital Wing. "I want to move on, away from the past. I apologize for anything hurtful that I've said to you since I got here. I want to start over, our friendship, I mean. I guess what I'm trying to say is that…I forgive you."
As soon as she said the last few words, I didn't know what to say. More so, I didn't know how I felt. I looked down at my hands for a long time. Isn't this what you want, Cedric? You've been trying for the past three years to earn her forgiveness. This is your chance. Take it. It is what I want, and I was more than happy that Anna finally got some sense knocked into her. I looked up at Anna's glowing face, smiling. I stuck out my right hand. "It's Cedric. Cedric Diggory."
She looked somewhat confused at my action, but then caught on. She smiled sweetly and shook my hand with one of hers gently. "Adrianna Summers. Nice to meet you Cedric Diggory."
The two of us chatted for a little while longer. At one point, Anna observed the roses and asked for my opinion. I told her they were lovely, which they were. But I had a feeling she sensed my doubt. Anna knew my favourite flowers were daffodils. She used to pick them for me in the summertime before leaving for the break. I guess it was always her way of saying goodbye. Luckily, though, she didn't notice the "Romeo and Juliet" book. It wasn't the right time for that just yet.
We kept up small conversation for a few more minutes. That is, until Madam Pomfrey reminded Anna that she had classes she needed to attend to. Anna eyes widened when she looked at the time, clearly seeing that she was going to be late. "I guess I'll see you later." She gave me a small smile before leaving. Or should I say, running out of the Wing. I gave her quick 'Goodbye', though I don't think she heard me. It's alright, I wouldn't want to be late for class either, especially if it was class with Snape.
After giving me another dose of the medicine, Madam Pomfrey noticed the roses. "Oh, those are lovely! How nice of your girlfriend to bring them!" She exclaimed. I nodded my head in agreement, still with the same doubt I held before about them. She quietly exited the room, leaving me to my thoughts.
Wow. That was really all I could say about what happened with Anna. I mean, she forgave me. She forgave me. I realize that it must've taken a lot of thinking, a lot of considering for her to do what she did. I was proud of her. I was proud of Anna. Sure, it was going to take time, something that Anna had mentioned before. But if she was willing to put forth the effort to build up our friendship again, then so was I. Even after three hard years, it was nice to see that we both saw our friendship as something worth fighting for.
After a quick test, Madam Pomfrey released me from the Hospital Wing, telling me that I was allowed to leave. It felt great being out of there. I needed the fresh air, even if that air was just the air within the castle corridors. I missed Hogwarts, and by that I mean every other part of the castle that wasn't the Hospital Wing. I checked the time and saw that Potions class would be over soon. I remember Anna telling me that she wanted to be partners again after I told her that I accepted Snape's offer. I decided I would go to the Potions classroom.
By the time I got there, class was over. Students began filing out of the room, most stopping to say 'Are you okay Cedric?' or 'I heard what happened, mate' or, from the flirtatious folk like Harriet Cartwright, a 'Well, I see that you're looking much, much better' while batting her eyelashes ferociously.
I made my way into the classroom to find Anna talking to Snape. I walked over and Anna gave me a small smile when she saw me. It was evident that she was talking to Snape about the partner situation. After explaining to him what we wanted, he was more than confused.
"So what you mean to tell me is that you want to brew the potion together again?" Snape questioned, as he raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Yes, Professor Snape." Anna and I said in unison.
"Is this your final decision Mr. Diggory, Miss Summers?"
"Yes, sir."
"I will grant you wish, but be grateful that I am a considerate person. I would not do this for all my students."
Anna and I politely said "Thank You", but Snape was fast to kick us out of his class.
After dinner, I met up with Cho and Anna outside the Great Hall. Cho and I had plans to hang out in the library, and it would be rude not to invite Anna.
When I got closer to the two girls, I noticed that Cho was looking a little stressed. Her eyes told the tale. But I ignored the matter. "Cho and I are planning to go to the library tonight. Would you like to come, Anna?" Although we made up and agreed to work on our friendship, things were still awkward between me and Anna. And by the look of it, I could tell she felt the same way.
After a moment's hesitation, she replied, "Sure, sounds fun."
It surprised me, though, when Cho spoke up. "I'm sorry guys, but I have a lot of homework to do tonight. I don't really have time to waste. I'm really sorry. But don't let me stop you! You two can go by yourselves, that's fine with me."
I looked at Anna who seemed to be fine with it, but held the same guilt that I did about leaving Cho alone. "We can go another time, really." I wanted some time with Anna, especially after what happened this morning, but Cho was my girlfriend. She deserved my attention, first and foremost.
"Guys, really, go! I want you to go. I can handle myself."
Anna seemed just as lenient as me, but shrugged her shoulders as if to say 'Yeah okay'. I spoke for the both of us. "Alright, Cho. You go and get some work done." I kissed her and she kissed back.
Anna cleared her throat after a few short moments. I shouldn't have made her feel awkward like that. Instantly, Cho and I broke apart. We muttered a quick 'Love you' to each other before Anna and I took off for the library. When we got there, we chose to sit at an empty table near the back. It was more private and more serene, if that were even possible with a strict Madam Pince guarding every inch of the place.
We kept to ourselves the whole time, Anna reading her poetry book and I reading "Hogwarts: A History" because of an upcoming assignment. I wanted to bring my "Romeo and Juliet" book that Anna gave me, but I was sure it would turn out to be an awkward conversation if she saw me reading it. Bringing back memories was not exactly a step we were ready to take yet.
We read in a friendly silence for about half an hour. That is, until someone decided to approach us. "Hey Diggory! Hey Anna." Oh great. Did this git, Bryan Chase, really have the nerve to interrupt my reading time? Or, more importantly, my time with Anna? Yes, she is a pretty girl, but that didn't automatically give him the right to intrude.
"Hi Bryan," Anna giggled at his greeting and I felt like vomiting all over again.
"Hello Bryan." I acknowledged him, but tried my best to pretend he didn't even exist. His presence wasn't wanted after all. Well, maybe I was the only one who didn't want him there. Anna, on the other hand, would've gladly done all his homework if asked right then and there.
"Mind if I join you two?" Well, I obviously do.
"Of course not! Here, sit." I rolled my eyes at Anna's hospitality for this bloke, but neither of them noticed. What made him so special? It felt like I didn't even exist.
"Thanks," Brian gladly took the seat and then focussed all his attention on Anna. I kept trying to read my book, but it was increasingly difficult. I was able to block out the two of them for a good couple minutes. They kept whispering things to each other. I couldn't understand what either of them said, but by the giggles and smirks, I could tell Bryan was using his supposed "moves".
Things were alright for a few moments. That is, until I heard Anna say something that caught all my attention ."No, definitely not. I mean it's just a date right?" Did she just say "date"?! A date with Bryan Chase? Oh no. I shot my head up as soon as she said the word. She saw me and knew she'd been caught. It was clear on her face that she didn't intend on telling me.
"I'm sorry, did you just say you two were going on a date?"
I could see Anna grow red, probably a combination of both embarrassment and anger. She was embarrassed that I had to find out this way, but angry because I didn't just let it go. Typical Anna.
"I'm taking her to Hogsmeade this Saturday actually." Now, I was furious. First, he interrupts my time with Anna. Then, he tells me that he asked her out. Wait…did he just say Hogsmeade this Saturday? Well, what a coincidence, huh?
I could see Anna's confused expression when I smiled coyly. This is perfect. Pure gold. "Actually, it's quite funny you should mention that Bryan." I looked directly at Anna. "Because I just remembered that Cho and I are taking a trip to Hogsmeade this Saturday, as well." I could already see the fire in those green eyes. Anna was pissed, but she deserved it for agreeing to go out with someone like Bryan.
"Brilliant! We can all go together!" Anna's jaw dropped at what her date suggested. It made the situation all the more satisfying. You know Bryan, I'm actually kind of glad you chose to interrupt.
"That's perfect then. I'm sure Cho would love to join us. All four of us." I emphasized the last part and smiled right at Anna. She looked livid, but hey, Bryan agreed to the arrangement. All she could do was go along with it.
"Excellent!" Bryan clapped his hands loudly. He earned himself a harsh 'Shhh' from Madam Pince. Normally, I would've given him a stern look since I hardly ever associated with people like him. But in this case, all I could do was laugh to myself and shake my head. When he saw that Madam Pince wasn't looking anymore, he continued. "I plan on picking Anna up at the Ravenclaw Tower, so you can do the same with Cho. For convenience, of course."
"That sounds very convenient." I could see Anna roll those beautiful eyes of hers.
"Great. I should be heading off, though. I have some important homework to attend to." Homework? You are definitely NOT the kind of person that considers homework a priority. I could only raise an eyebrow in disbelief. I received a scoff from Anna who rolled her eyes.
"So I'll see you later Cedric. And I'll see you, Anna, hopefully sooner," I rolled my eyes at this guy's ego. What really ticked me off was when he reached for Anna's hand and kissed it. He's got class, I thought. But there was another voice in my head that said, "Yes well, that's only because he's got experience." I frowned at the thought of Anna just being another one of those girls. Neither of them noticed, though.
After Bryan left, I was left with a very giggly Anna. It got aggravating after a few moments, so I spoke my mind. "Next time, can you tell your little friend not to interrupt when the book's just gotten to the good part?" I then muttered, "That stupid, no good prat" but Anna didn't hear. All of a sudden, I feel sharp pain on my arm. I look up to see Anna furiously flicking my arm.
"What the hell are you doing? Ow, Anna, stop that!"
"You shouldn't have invited yourself and Cho on my date with Bryan! What the hell were you thinking?" I guess I saw this coming. After some hundred flicks, she seemed to get bored and switched to hitting me with her book.
"Ow! Anna, stop!" I kept trying to defend myself with flailing arms. "I just thought that it'd be convenient for all of us to go together. We were probably going to see each other anyway, so what's the big deal?" Of course I didn't suggest the idea just because of the convenience. It wasn't about what's easier and what isn't. It was about Bryan Chase trying things with my best friend.
"The big deal is that it was supposed to be just the two of us, alone! But I see now it's going to be the two of us, plus you and Cho." She kept hitting me with her book.
After some time, it got plain funny. Anna started laughing and it wasn't long before I joined in. Madam Pince, however, was quick to come over, punish us for our volume, and kick us out for our loud behaviour. We continued laughing all the way to the corridor from the library.
"That woman needs a good laugh." Anna chuckled at what I said.
"Well, it's none of your business critiquing what other people find funny." We both laughed at Anna's matter-of-fact tone and sarcasm.
"You're right. I should keep my comments to myself."
The rest of the walk to the Ravenclaw Tower was completely silent. It grew more awkward with each step we took. It felt weird, I'll be honest. I could tell Anna felt entirely the same way. This obviously wouldn't have happened before. But this was our new friendship. Like Anna said, it only needed time.
When we arrived at the Ravenclaw Tower, Anna turned and face me. "You know, you really didn't have to walk me back here. I know this place like the back of my hand."
I chuckled at her self-confidence. "I don't doubt your intelligence, Anna. But it's late, and I don't trust this castle at night. Besides, I have Prefect duty to attend to, so I don't mind walking a late-night wanderer back to her common room."
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Late-night wanderer, huh? I always knew I was the sneaky type." We both laughed. "But thanks anyway, Ced. Goodnight."
I smiled. "Goodnight, Anna." I left when I heard Anna mutter the answer to the riddle.
I returned to my dormitory at around ten o'clock, only to find that Derrick and all my other friends were still awake. It was evident that they were waiting for me.
"Well, look who decided to join us lads! Cedric Diggory himself." I chuckled and shook my head at Derrick's immaturity. Some things never change overtime.
"Very funny. You are all aware that I have Prefect duties to attend to."
"Yes, of course. How could we forget? You are, after all, The Golden Boy." This earned snickers from around the room.
"I think we should all be heading off to bed. It's getting late."
"Come on, Ced. Have some fun, mate! We just plan on talking anyway. Unless you have Cho Chang hidden underneath your bed. Then you're sure to have fun!" Everybody laughed and threw wiggly brows and suggestive looks my way.
"Really? That was the best you could come up with? If I'm going to engage in this conversation, leave my girlfriend out of it, please and thank you."
"Wish granted my friend. That means that we're free to talk about any other girls besides your girlfriend. That leaves every other girl in Hogwarts!"
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at their high hormonal levels. I didn't think it was possible.
The girls that entered the conversation were the usual: Pansy Parkinson (not because of her looks, but because of her tendency to cling onto Draco Malfoy), Harriet Cartwright, Astoria and Daphne Greengrass, even Hermoine Granger and Ginny Weasley. Obviously, age was but a number to these boys, considering Granger and Weasley were three years younger. I, of course, did not put any of my opinions on the listed girls. It wasn't right, in a moral sense, and because I have a girlfriend who remains faithful to me. I became tense when Anna's name came up in the conversation.
"So," Derrick smiled mischievously. "How about Adrianna Summers?" The room was suddenly filled with approving sounds and whistles.
"You know, she was always attractive, but there's something about her this year that just puts her over the top. You know what I mean?" Derrick's question was followed by many nods and verbal agreements.
"I think she's, by far, the hottest girl in Hogwarts right now." I felt my insides burn at what one of my friends, Jesse, just said. That's my best friend they're talking about! For some reason, I stayed quiet, but it didn't look like any of them noticed.
"It's not like we're the only ones," Derrick added. "Tons of guys are drooling over her, too." I felt like asking who those guys were, so I knew who I needed to put in place.
"I hear Marcus Flint and Roger Davies are already planning things. Ever since she came back, she's been number one on just about every guy's "list"." I shuddered when Jesse mentioned the word "list". I obviously knew what he was talking about. I felt like punching every single guy that talked about Anna that way.
"What about you, Ced?" Derrick looked my way. "You've been pretty quiet, but how's your love life with Cho? You don't talk about her much. Does she like…not put out or something?" The guys all laughed. I didn't find it at all funny. Cho was a great person. I could care less about our lack of physical intimacy.
"Just because we don't have sex every day, something that you would probably do when you get a girlfriend, doesn't make Cho less than any other girl."
"No need to get feisty there, I was just kidding. We all know you love each other…But, let's just say that if you weren't dating Cho, would you go for Adrianna Summers?" When Derrick saw that I remained quiet, he kept talking. "Come on, we're all friends here. No one's gonna tell. If you tell us that you'd bed Summers given that you and Cho weren't an item, we'd all have to agree with your choice."
This was all wrong. I was upset that they were making fun of my girlfriend, yes. But what brought me over the edge was hearing them talk about Anna like she was….an object. They didn't know what kind of a person she was, her great personality, her intelligence. All they say was her attractiveness. Hearing them talk about my best friend like this enraged me. I did my best to stay calm and control my angry by breathing slowly, but at this rate, I was lucky if nobody got a fist to the face.
"Don't you dare talk about my girlfriend like that. And don't you dare talk about Anna like that! She deserves more respect than that!" I wasn't shouting, but my voice was louder than usual. The guys were all taken aback by this. By just one looks at their faces, I could tell they were sorry.
"We're sorry, mate. We just get jealous sometimes of your life. Come on, don't tell us you don't notice how girls practically throw themselves at you. We forget that you're better than this." I thought about what Derrick said. Why would they be jealous?
"Why would you lads be jealous, though, in the first place?"
Jesse scoffed. "Why would we be jealous of Cedric Diggory? That's not even a question worth asking. Ced, really, you're top of the class in every subject, Head Boy, the most popular guy in school, you're nice to everyone, and not to sound gay, but you're good-looking! You've got the total package." Everybody nodded in agreement. I instantly felt guilty.
"I appreciate the compliments guys. But let's not go any further. It's almost eleven. I suggest we go to bed." I needed to put a stop to this before things go any more "interesting".
"Alright, Ced. Sorry again about upsetting you."
"Don't worry about it. I just got angry because…" I looked at their eager faces and knew that they wouldn't understand the situation with Anna. "…because of Cho. We really do love each other. I just got offended when you insulted our relationship."
Their faces immediately became softer and Derrick stepped forward. "We get it mate. No need to explain. It won't happen again, promise."
After saying quick 'Goodnights', we all headed off to our separate beds and turned off the lights. I told myself that I'd try to forget all the things they said about Anna. I'd try to forget the things they said about Cho. I closed my eyes, but before falling into a deep sleep, I remembered the night Anna and I had in the library. I ended up falling asleep with a smile on my face.
Chapter Eight is up! Hope you all enjoy it! By the way, I know it may seem like things with Cedric and Anna are moving pretty fast, but I thought it would be better to NOT have them feuding 24/7 for the first ten chapters. Yes, they are friends now but that'll eventually change, of course! Please read and review!