Chapter Eleven: I Always Keep My Promises
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that belongs to the Harry Potter series. I only own my OCs and the plot of this fanfic.
Author's Note: Thank you SO much to all of you that gave me input in regards to the fate of Cedric. I really appreciate it! I'll be sure to make shout-outs to those of you that responded over the next few chapters. Please keep giving me your opinions about Cedric's fate through either reviews or private messages. It'd help a lot! On with the chapter!
Cedric P.O.V.
Friday that week felt like it would never end. Potions seemed to drag on longer than usual, even with Anna and Cho sitting next to me. Every class after bored me to death and it was as if time became ten times slower. Don't ask me why because I'm not sure I'd have an answer. Perhaps it was because it was just another date with Cho. What is this, like the hundredth one already? But for Anna, it was her first date with Bryan. Actually, make that just "first date". I wouldn't exactly classify the day we hung out together on another trip to Hogsmeade in third year a "date", although I do remember agreeing to go as friends. But isn't that what we always did? Go as "friends"?
I remember that day like the back of my hand. It was great being alone with Anna. Sometimes, other things get in the way of our time together—homework, tests, more homework, and on occasion, Cho. Before we started dating, her and Anna were almost inseparable, and, if I might say so, I got jealous at times. But like all things in life, everything would go back to normal and Anna would reassure me that I was her best friend. Clearly, my feelings towards Cho have changed over the years.
I remember that day with Anna not just because it was fun, or because we laughed our asses off at the Three Broomsticks as per usual, or even because it was the day she bought the "Romeo and Juliet" book for me. No, it wasn't any of those reasons. The real reason why that day never ceases to leave my memory is because it was the time when I finally admitted it to myself. I was in love with Anna.
It took me three years to realize how I truly felt about her. She was still my best friend, but she became something more. She was what kept me going whenever I was down, the shoulder I could lean on, the one person I could count on for anything and everything. Anna was my rock. I needed her in my life, and without her, Merlin knows what I would've done.
"Have you ever cheated on a test?" I asked her. She took a drink. I couldn't believe my eyes!
"Are you serious?! Goody-two-shoes Adrianna Summers cheated on a test before?" I laughed in disbelief. Anna could only blush.
"Look Ced, it was in sixth grade and I was never good in algebra, so I cheated off of Eunice Fields, the nerd that sat next to me." I laughed even harder at her protest. Hearing that one of the smartest girls in Hogwarts cheated on a test before was something to be considered hysterical. It just didn't happen.
Anna crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well, have you ever cheated on a test?" I didn't take a drink because, truth is, I never did cheat on a test. She scoffed, not believing any bit of it.
"Yeah right."
"I'm dead serious!" I held my hands up in surrender. "I'm completely innocent, unlike some of us…" I winked, which only earned me a hard kick from Anna under the table.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"That was for being annoying!" She stuck her nose up high in the air triumphantly, proud of the abuse she did. I shook my head and laughed at her level of animosity.
"Next question," she continued. "Have you ever kissed anybody?" I was slightly embarrassed by her question. I didn't take a drink because my first kiss hasn't come just yet. After seeing my response, Anna's jaw dropped.
"No way! You're telling me THE Cedric Diggory hasn't had his first kiss yet?!"She practically yelled. I was about to hush her, but she was too stubborn for that kind of child-like scolding.
I blushed. "Look, I'm just waiting for the right girl, alright? There's no shame in believing in a little thing called fate." It's true. I believe in 'fate' and 'destiny', no matter how cheesy and completely cliché that may be. Things happen for a reason, and I just happened to believe that there was a reason I haven't found the right girl yet. But something inside me told me I already had…
"Aw, I never knew you were such a man of words. And trust me Ced, there are tons of girls that are just waiting for you to be theirs. Your first kiss is gonna come before you know it."
"I just want the time to be right, you know? I don't want that moment to mean absolutely nothing." I know tons of people that didn't treasure every moment of their first kiss. It was as if it was just another ordinary moment of their life. I couldn't have regrets about it.
Anna stayed quiet, thinking about what I said. We looked into each other's eyes for a long time. Those beautiful, green eyes crashed with my blue-grey ones, and neither of us snapped out of it for a long time. It was like we were talking in our own little, secluded world where only the two of us existed. For some strange reason, I felt a warm feeling inside. What was this? I've never felt nervous around Anna before. I ignored the tingling sensations in the palms of my hands.
I couldn't stand it anymore, so I decided to ask another question. It seemed to break us both out of our trances. "Have you ever been in love?" It was the only question I could think of. I know it was stupid, but I couldn't stay in the limbo state I was in forever. Merlin knows what would've happened.
Anna seemed more than confused at my question. She furrowed her eyebrows. "In love? I don't think I'm old enough to even love anybody else outside of my parents and Garrett."
"Come on, Anna. Maybe not to the extent of love, but perhaps a crush?" I have no clue why I was so interested in Anna's love life. There just seemed to be something about her liking a boy that nerved me a little. Wait…was this jealousy? Why would I be jealous? It's not like I like Anna…right?
Anna thought about my question for some time before taking a drink. I wanted to interrogate her for the rest of the time, asking who the hell this bloke was. But I knew that wouldn't be right. So I did my best to fake a grin. "So, you wanna tell me who he is?"
She practically choked on her sip of butterbeer. "I really don't think that necessary. Plus, I'm not even sure if I consider him like that." I wasn't the least bit convinced. Of course she liked this guy. She's never talked to me about him before, which made me somewhat sad. But it also made me kind of angry knowing that her heart longed for someone else…someone who wasn't me.
"You'll tell me who this guy is eventually though, right?"
She bit her lip before nodding. "Of course, Ced." We sat in silence, but after some time, she asked a question. "What are your thoughts on love?"
I didn't know how to respond to her question, mostly because I was mentally debating with myself on who I even liked. The only girl I really spend time with is Anna. And I certainly didn't like her. Or did I? I don't even know! I mean sure, she's intelligent, athletic, funny, caring, not to mention beautiful. She's Anna. She's my Anna. Since when did I start thinking of her as mine? Why does it bother me that she likes someone else? Merlin, it's because I'm in love with her.
I looked up after a long time of fighting with myself internally and staring at the wooden table. I met Anna's immaculate green eyes. "I think it's both the best and the worst thing that can ever happen to a person. The best because it brings out the realness in people, their true selves. But the worst because it can make a person weak. Love can make a person do things they would normally never do." It's true. I just had a full-out war with my conscience because of my heart being bipolar. One minute, she's my best friend. And the next, I want her to be mine.
To my surprise, she laughed. "So what you're saying is that love is a good thing because it lets people be themselves, but it's a bad thing because it causes people to not be themselves?"
"Well, yes and no."
"Stop trying to be a smart-ass and just tell me what you really think." I smiled. She was always so honest.
"That is what I really think, though, Anna. I guess I just worded it wrong. Here: I think love's a great thing, but I guess the underlying danger of loving is not being loved back."
She tilted her head a bit in confusion. "But, if the only reason you love is to be loved back, then it's really not loving at all."
"Well sometimes, you're in love with somebody, but they don't love you back. It's still loving, but you're vulnerable. You're vulnerable to rejection." Basically, what I'm saying is that I'm vulnerable to rejection as we speak. It's obvious that she doesn't feel the same way, and it's more than difficult to accept that. I wish I never came to the conclusion of how I felt about her.
"Sounds like someone's in love." She said in a sing-song voice and smiled slyly. "Why didn't I see this before? Of course you're in love! That's why you're so into this conversation! It's because it applies to you!"
I turned red, knowing I've been caught. "What? Are…are you serious? Me…in love? That's…that's just crazy, Anna." Why did I have to stutter? It was an obvious giveaway!
"Okay then, fine, don't tell me her name."
"I'm obviously not going to tell you her name…" My hand immediately shot up to cover my mouth after realizing what I just said. Cedric, you idiot! Anna, being the smart person she is, began laughing hysterically, seeing as though I just admitted there was a girl I was in love with. The only thing she didn't know what that that girl just happened to be her.
"Ha! You just admitted it. I knew it!" she exclaimed proudly. I could only run a hand through my hair in frustration. Frustration because she found out my secret, but also frustration because she didn't feel the same way. She didn't have to tell me or downright admit it for me to sense that the feeling wasn't mutual.
"Don't worry though, Cedric. You don't have to tell me who she is. But whoever she is, I doubt she isn't head over heels for you. Ced, EVERY girl at Hogwarts is in love with you!"
"Not EVERY girl, Anna." I then muttered, 'Not you at least' under my breath, but thankfully, she didn't catch it. Perhaps she heard something come out of my mouth, but either way, she brushed it off.
We had already gone through two glasses of butterbeer, and decided to call it quits on the game. It was only half past one. We spent the rest of our time sitting quietly, not speaking to each other. After our conversation, things got pretty awkward, mostly because 'Love' was a topic we never talked about. It made me wonder why she was so interested in my thoughts on it. Though I was looking down at my hands, I could see Anna deep in thought from across the table. Her next question snapped me out of my thoughts.
"What's she like, Ced?"
"Hmm?"
"The girl you're in love with. What's she like?"
Describe her was really all I had to do. "Where do I start? Well, she's got a great personality. She's funny, super intelligent, caring, compassionate, and always puts others before herself. She's also beautiful, very beautiful. I feel like I could spend hours just looking into her eyes. Sometimes, I feel like the two of us have conversations with just our eyes, like the world around us doesn't exist. I probably sound like a fool right now…" A love-struck fool at that. I never spoke this way to anyone before. Well, I've never been put in a situation where I had to tell my best friend about the girl I was in love with when that girl was actually her.
"No, I think it's…beautiful. I've never heard you talk like this before. But if this girl, whoever she is, can get you to act this tame and shy, perhaps I should start hanging out with her." She joked and I chuckled. Anna always knew the right cards to play. Her cute sense of humour was like music to my ears.
"Anna, Anna, Anna, you'll never learn, will you?"
"Perhaps not," she smiled widely, and I couldn't help but do the same.
We stayed at The Three Broomsticks for another half hour or so before returning to the castle. The walk back was dead silent. Really, the only sound I could hear was the sound of our footsteps on the ground. It was obvious that both of us were still thinking about the conversation we had that afternoon. I was in deep thought about it, every bit of it. I confessed everything I felt about 'Love', not to mention the fact that I admitted I was guilty of being in love with someone. Anna admitted she had a crush on somebody, and it irked me to no end to try and figure out who this bloke was. It bothered me to think that she was in love with someone who wasn't me. I scolded myself over and over again for having to realize how I genuinely felt about Anna. I'd be in love with her, but all she'd ever see me as is Cedric Diggory, her best friend, nothing more and nothing less.
I walked me back to the Ravenclaw Tower. I told her that it was "part of the date", which in my opinion it was. When we got to the entrance, she turned around and faced me. "Cedric, I really had a great time. Thank you so much. You truly are my best friend." 'Best friend'. I've come to really loathe those words, knowing that that's all I would ever be to her. She wrapped her arms around me and I didn't hesitate in returning the embrace. I found myself getting lost in her scent, vanilla and strawberries. We stayed like this for a long time. No matter how much I didn't want to, I pulled away. I couldn't have her getting any thoughts, especially ones about me. I couldn't have her thinking I fancied her, which I did. Though I think the word 'fancy' is a bit of an understatement. The way I felt about Anna was much more than that.
"Don't even say that Anna. It was my pleasure. I had a great time, as well." It was then that a piece of her hair had gotten loose from the plait it was in. I stepped closer to her and tucked it gently behind her ear. She looked up, but when she did, she looked somewhat embarrassed. I realized how close we were. I felt my palms get sweaty when she began to lean in. Merlin, she wanted to kiss me! I gave in to the sensations running through my body and leaned in, too. This was the moment. Our noses were touching and my lips were about to brush hers when I heard a loud BANG. We both jumped back after hearing the sudden noise. We looked down to see the bag of books from Tomes and Scrolls on the floor. Anna bent down to pick up the bag. I watched her all the while. When she got back up, our eyes locked. My gaze lingered on hers for a bit longer before I looked to the floor quickly, suddenly becoming very interested in the stone work. Things got very awkward very fast. We've never been in this kind of situation with each other before.
After an eternity of silence, my eyes snapped back to look at Anna who had just cleared her throat. "Well, I should go inside now. Lots of homework to do. I'll um, see you later, Cedric." I could tell she felt just as awkward as I did. She never stuttered, ever, in front of anyone.
I was at a loss for words, speechless. I didn't know what to say and it was obvious she struggled, too. I could only watch her enter the common room after answering the riddle. It's kind of funny how the answer to the riddle was a kiss.
I stood in front of the entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower for a while before leaving, dissecting every bit of what just happened. We almost kissed. Sure, things were going to be awkward between us for some time, but eventually, they'd clear up like they always do. Moreover, I didn't know how I felt about it all. I mean, I just almost kissed the girl I was in love with. I should be feeling giddy inside, which I sort of did. But it just made me feel ten times worse, knowing that she didn't feel the same way.
On my walk back to the Hufflepuff common room, I replayed the whole thing over and over again in my mind. The way I tucked that stray piece of hair behind her ear, the way she leaned in, the way our noses touched gently, the way our lips were barely centimetres apart. I was ecstatic, yet at the same time, so confused. What puzzled me so much was the fact that Anna leaned in first. That means she was entertaining the thought of us kissing, but more importantly, that thought sat well with her. Or maybe she was just pretending after seeing that I leaned in, too. Goodness, why do girls have to be so confusing? Correction, why does love have to be so confusing? Anna couldn't feel the same way about me, right? I mean, she only thinks of me as her best friend and nothing more. It was something I'd have to come to terms with, no matter how many times I'd try to convince myself otherwise.
It's safe to say that my feelings towards Anna remained constant throughout our third year. As anticipated, it took us a while to get back on track. That awkward day we spent together never seemed to leave our thoughts. But, being the kind of friends we were, we eventually got over it. I never found out who Anna's crush was, much to my dismay, and she never found out who I was in love with. My third year consisted mostly of me admiring from afar, but from a close distance, too, so to speak. I couldn't bring myself to tell Anna that I was in love with her, but we still stayed best friends. It was emotionally painful for me, but hey, I got through it. Why did I stop feeling the way I did towards Anna? Well, during fourth year, we stopped talking. I wanted to stay friends with her, but instead, I became an arse. The rest is a story that's already been told.
Somewhere along the way during fourth year, I started having feelings towards Cho. It's simple to say that us getting together was mostly Anna's doing. It took me a long time to get over Anna. But somehow, someway, I was able to convince myself that I didn't deserve someone like her. She would never return my love. Cho was there for me when Anna wasn't. Being together with Cho obviously changed my perspective. Sure, there were times when I wished she could be more like Anna and when I missed Anna's personality. But I've grown to love Cho, and I've grown to see Anna as my true best friend. I guess you could say things really worked out for the best.
When I got up that Saturday morning, my clock read ten thirty. Bryan and I would be picking up Cho and Anna at eleven. And knowing Bryan Chase, he'd be on time, considering the amount of times he's taken girls on dates. I still felt leery about Anna agreeing to go out with Bryan, no matter how happy she was. Normally, I'd say that seeing her happy makes me happy. But Bryan's reputation doesn't exactly support him as a worthy candidate. If he were to ever hurt Anna, he'd be sorry, and that was a promise.
I took a quick shower and got changed. By the time I finished getting ready, it was already a quarter to eleven. So, I decided to head to the Ravenclaw Tower. It's better to be early than late, I thought. Plus, Chase would probably already be there, wanting to be early to impress Anna. I was hoping it would take more than punctuality to make her swoon over him. When I arrived at the Ravenclaw Tower, I saw that Bryan was already there, as predicted. Cocky git. I walked up to him, and he flashed me a smile.
"Hey mate! How's it going?" It amazed me how bubbly this guy could be. Normal people weren't like this. Maybe this was how he got girls to fawn over him.
"I'm alright. Yourself?" I tried to sound polite and civil, no matter how much I truly loathed the guy. After all, it was just common courtesy.
"I'm psyched for this date! I'm the first guy to go on a date with Adrianna Summers this year. You don't even know how many guys would kill to be in my spot right now." I wanted to punch him square in the jaw. It was as if Anna was a prize to be won. Bryan had absolutely no respect for her personality. Just like so many other people, he was blinded by only what he saw.
"I'm sure," I said sarcastically. I wanted it to come out so much harsher, but that's all I could muster.
"You must consider yourself a lucky guy having someone like her around you all the time." He paused a bit. "Are you sure you don't have any history with her? I mean, if I was in your position, I'd just feel like snogging her senseless all hours of the day." That did it. Just because Anna liked this guy didn't mean I had to. I was about to say, no, shout something at him when Anna and Cho came out through the portrait hole. If they hadn't shown up sooner, I would've had my fist embedded in Bryan's perfectly tanned nose.
Bryan turned to face Anna as soon as she stepped out. I gave her a quick smile before walking to greet Cho with a kiss. "Hey," she said sweetly after we broke apart. I smiled back at her and reached down to take her hand, lacing our fingers together. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Bryan greeting Anna.
"You look absolutely beautiful, Anna." He even kissed her cheek. Wow, I thought, this guy really does have experience with girls. I have to admit though, Anna did look beautiful—her long brown hair was curled perfectly, her make-up emphasized those gorgeous green eyes, and she was wearing her usual dazzling smile. Well, she always looks beautiful. Any person could see that, even a dumbass like Bryan Chase. "I can't wait for today," he said as he smiled at her.
She blushed. "Same here, and thank you."
"Shall we?" He asked, holding out his hand. I wanted to stomp right over there and slap his hand away.
Anna laughed at him, completely awed by his "moves". "Yes, we shall." She took his hand, and I noticed how they intertwined their fingers. They already started walking ahead of me and Cho. So, I took advantage of my hand being locked with Cho's and gently led her with me to follow Anna and Bryan. She, of course, caught on and her pace became even with mine.
The whole journey there was pretty much silent for me and Cho. Occasionally, Cho would ask me something like 'Your classes are okay, right Ced?' or she'd say 'You really didn't have to take me today' for like the billionth time. I tried to give adequate responses, or a genuine smile here and there, but I was so much more interested in the two people that were walking in front of us. It was as if every two minutes, Anna laughed at something Bryan said. Please, the prat couldn't possibly be that funny. I doubt he was even telling jokes. Not once did she turn around to look at me or Cho, not even a quick glance. I guess she's just trying to block us off, since it was supposed to be their date, but still. Anna was obviously enjoying being in the company of a good-looking guy like him. It still puzzled me how someone as smart as her could've possibly fallen into this trap. EVERYONE at Hogwarts knows about Bryan Chase's reputation with girls. Anna is certainly not dumb, so why would she agree to go out with him in the first place?
We stopped by Honeydukes for a little bit to pick up some sweets. Afterwards, we headed to Tomes and Scrolls because Bryan said he needed to get a new book to complete his Charms essay. Really? You're certainly not someone I want to give up my time for. I made the effort to come here. I'm not making time just so that you can finish a paper you're probably going to fail anyway. I could tell just by the look in her eyes that Anna sensed that I was annoyed. Cho noticed, too, and assured me that it was okay with her. I guess if it's okay with Cho, it's okay with me. But don't me wrong, I was still annoyed. Just being in his presence pissed me off. I don't know how Anna managed to put up with him…how anyone managed to put with him for that matter.
We didn't stay at the bookshop long, which made me a tad less annoyed. It took Bryan less than ten minutes to find what he was looking for. He went to go stand in line to purchase his books. Seeing as though it would take a few minutes for the cashier to be free, I decided to browse around. I walked over to a nearby shelf and began going through books. I felt Cho come up beside me, and I looked up from the book I was currently sifting through to give her a smile. I put the book down and grabbed the one beside it. When I read the all-too familiar title, I could feel the memories rushing back to me already. I ran my fingers over the delicate cover that read "Romeo and Juliet: The Book Version". This was the book that meant so much to me, the one book that held a special place in my heart. I could tell Cho was confused as to why I was practically caressing this book, but she just didn't understand. When I looked up, expecting to see my girlfriend's chocolate brown eyes, I instead met the alluring green eyes that belonged to Anna. She walked towards me and Cho, and her smile grew ten times wider when she saw the book I was holding.
"Remember this?" I asked her. I couldn't help but put on a smile of my own.
"How could I forget?" she replied. We both knew why this book was so important to each of us. The book I have, though, is much more special because of the charm I cast on it. Now, whenever I read it, I can read Anna's beautiful hand-writing that wrote the most precious letter I've ever received. By the look on her face, I could see she was thinking about something. She opened her mouth slightly to say something, but Cho beat her to the punch.
"What's so special about this book though?" Cho asked sweetly. I wanted to tell her, but there was something inside me that made me want to keep it a secret. This book was a memory of my friendship with Anna. It was a reminder of why we chose to fight for our friendship even after all we've been through. Sure, Cho was my girlfriend, but I didn't feel that she absolutely needed to know. I looked back at Anna, who seemed to be thinking exactly the same thing as me. She looked like she reached a conclusion, and opened her mouth to speak, but Bryan interrupted. It was something he was awfully good at.
"Hey, sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I really appreciate it." I rolled my eyes and smirked at him. I could've done worse, but he didn't take long looking for his book. So, I could at least give him that. Cho smiled sweetly, and I wondered how she could always stay so neutral and sweet. Bryan wrapped an arm around Anna, and suddenly, I felt like taking back that smirk.
"Don't even apologize. I would've done the same for you." She kissed Bryan on the cheek, leaving silly smiles on both of their faces after the contact. Come on, Anna. I thought you were better than that. That line, I have to admit, was cheesy, even for Anna. She was practically worshipping the ground he walked on! It was pitiful to see her being so desperate like this. Never before would she have let any boy, not even me, take control over her. This was a first.
I didn't need a mirror to see that I was giving Bryan the dirtiest look. I had every right to. The way he made Anna bow down to him didn't sit well with me at all. Cho, on the other hand, seemed happy as always. I don't know how she could possibly be happy with the way Bryan treated Anna. If only she heard all the things he said about her. I clenched my fists at the thought of what he said earlier before we picked Cho and Anna up. I needed to regain myself. I couldn't show my anger so easily. So I grabbed Cho's hand and held it tightly. I knew it was the one thing that could get me to calm down in a situation like this. When I felt more at peace, I decided to make a suggestion. "How about we go to the Three Broomsticks? I could really have myself a butterbeer right now. What about you guys?"
"Sounds good!" Bryan exclaimed. I saw him take Anna's hand. "I'm sure Anna, here, would love one as well."
She giggled and blushed. "I would."
"Great then. Let's go before the place gets too busy." I cut her off quickly. I had just about enough of this yuck fest, and I needed to get out. At least in The Three Broomsticks, I had a clear view of Bryan, so I could see every move he made.
We walked to The Three Broomsticks and got a table. I sat next to Anna, across from Cho. Bryan sat across from Anna. In spite of the fact that it was Bryan who chose the seating arrangement, I wasn't that annoyed, considering that I was sitting next to Anna. Cho didn't look disappointed either. Instead, I think she found it more romantic to sit across from me rather than next to me. After ordering our drinks, I found that the table was really quiet. It wasn't that there was nothing to talk about. It was just that we simply didn't want to say what we wanted to in front of each other. The only person I could truly say everything I wanted to in front of was Anna. I snuck a quick glance at her and I could tell she was thinking the same thing. I found it weird that I couldn't say certain things in front of my own girlfriend.
After what seemed to be an eternity of silence, Bryan finally spoke up. "So, Anna, how's life?" I wanted to burst out laughing at his pathetic question. I mean, really? Who the hell asks "How's life?" You just don't ask something like that. But of course, Bryan Chase wasn't exactly the finest male specimen.
"It's okay, I guess. I dunno, how's yours?" I started laughing when I saw Anna struggling for words. How else could you answer that question? Honestly. Anna joined in my laughing, and soon enough, we were having another one of our insane laughing sessions.
I could tell just by looking at them that Cho and Bryan were embarrassed by our laughter. Cho was looking around to see if other people were annoyed by us. Meanwhile, Bryan was looking at Anna as if she was an animal. It's clear that he's never seen this side of her. Correction, he's never seen the real Anna.
After a very long time of laughing, and even crying for Anna, we settled down. I heard Bryan release a sigh of relief, and I rolled my eyes at his immaturity. I also heard him mutter something under his breath. What that something was, I had no clue. But it seemed as though Anna heard this, too. "I'm sorry, what was that?" I could tell she tried her best to sound sweet, but it came out as anything but that.
"Oh nothing, don't worry about it, Anna." Bryan tried to reassure her that things were alright. He even reached across the table to grab her hand, but Anna pulled away, still not convinced.
"No, tell me. If it's stupid, then I'm sure you can spare telling me, right?" she asked. I couldn't help but snort at how much of an idiot this guy was.
"It's just that yours and Cedric's laughing was a little bit more than outrageous. If you guys didn't stop, we would've gotten kicked out for sure. I'm not trying to be an arse, I'm just saying that, well, Anna, I expected you to be more classy than that." He did not just say that. I could feel myself boiling inside at the nerve of him. How dare he say that to Anna! She deserved more respect than that. He had absolutely no right to insult her. Nobody had the right to insult her.
"You don't think I'm classy enough for you?" Please Anna, don't try to reason with him. She needed to stop trying to please him. I had just about enough of it.
"Anna, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you should be more reserved than that. I mean, I've seen you at meals…you're a complete pig! Someone with a face like yours should consider revising their eating habits." My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had no clue that someone could have that much air about them. I looked across the table and saw that Cho's mouth was visibly open, too. It's safe to say that we were more than surprised. But what shocked me was that, when I looked at Anna next to me, she was smiling.
"Thank you Bryan, for that…helpful piece of advice. But, since you felt that helping me was necessary, do you think it's alright if I give you some help, too?" Anna asked, extending her hand to touch Bryan's from across the table. What the hell was she doing? Did she not hear what he said before?! I snuck a quick glance at Cho and saw that she was just as puzzled as me.
Bryan blushed, but regained his cocky façade. "Sure, anything for you, babe." Merlin, this guy was unbelievable. I know that Anna hated being called "babe". I know that I hated hearing someone call her "babe", especially if that someone was Bryan Chase.
"Well, I think…" she leaned a little closer to him.
"Yes…" he leaned closer, too, smiling suggestively.
"That you're a total asshole!" she screamed in his face. He jumped back at her sudden outburst, clearly shocked. It looked like things were just about to get interesting. "You decide to ask me out on a date, and you know I'm obviously going to say yes, which unfortunately, I did. Then, you have the nerve to insult me on our 'date'? I don't think so! Who do you think you are?! Honestly! You think you're the hottest guy in school, which I was stupid enough to think you were! You think you can get any girl. And now, I feel so stupid, so, so stupid, because I am just another one of those girls! I mean, do you even like me?" I agreed with everything she said, yes, but I pitied her towards the end. I didn't know for sure if she truly cared about Bryan, but hearing her plead for his approval of her made me feel sorry for her.
Bryan stayed quiet. He reddened, probably because nobody's ever called him out like that before. It took him a while to find his voice again. But when he did, his voice came out quite loud. "I don't know, Anna. I really don't. I just wanted to see how things would go on this date. But it's clear that things didn't go as anticipated." You could've detected his sarcasm from a mile away, and you could've sensed my rage from two miles away. I honestly couldn't believe that he was actually blaming the whole thing on Anna! It wasn't even her fault! I mean, what did she even do?
"Don't you go blaming this shit on me! It's your fault your pompous ass had to go insulting me, telling me not to be myself just because you're with me. I have enough respect for myself and enough dignity to not put up with somebody who doesn't even care about me. I need a genuine person. I need somebody who will love me more than he loves looking in the mirror. "
"You're something else, you know that? You go around Hogwarts winking at boys and flirting aimlessly. Don't even talk about 'a genuine person'. You wouldn't know what a genuine person was if they slapped you right in the face!" He laughed harshly. "You're just what everyone else says you are. You're a slut." Now, I felt like punching him. How dare he call Anna that. How dare he call my best friend that. Nobody, nobody, had any right to say that about her. Anna was anything but a slut. She was everything above and beyond that.
It was right at that moment that the waiter came by with our butterbeers. Perfect timing, I thought. Anna stood up and grabbed one of the glasses off of the waiter's tray. She chugged the butterbeer, until the glass was completely empty. She slammed the empty mug down on the table. Bryan, Cho, and I jumped back from the forceful contact. Cho looked somewhat frightened, but I on the other hand was completely amused with this little show Anna was putting on. The best part was that I knew she had more tricks up her sleeve. What can I say? I was a little bit more than relieved that she finally came to the realization that Bryan Chase is an asshole.
Bryan looked startled, and turned pale. Before I knew it, Anna had taken another glass of butterbeer from the waiter's tray. She smiled mischievously and then dumped it on him. Merlin, this is great! He stood up as soon as the liquid hit him, Anna continuing to empty the glass all the while. She smiled widely at him, content with the work she did. It was then that I looked around and noticed the audience that had formed around our table. Some people clapped, laughed, hooted and hollered. To end the entire thing, Anna kissed Bryan full on the mouth, smiling the whole time. When she broke free, she headed straight for the door. Before leaving though, she turned around and smirked at Bryan. "By the way, it's Adrianna. You don't deserve to call me Anna." With that, she left.
It took Bryan, Cho, and I a while to register what just happened. Bryan was still dripping wet with butterbeer, Cho still looked shocked, but I was dying of laughter. I couldn't help myself, in spite of the death glares Bryan was giving me through sopped pieces of hair. The crowd around us eventually dispersed, leaving us to ourselves once again. It wasn't long before Bryan spoke up.
"How dare that girl think she can just do something like that and get away with it!" he snarled through gritted teeth.
"I'm sorry, but who do you think you are?" I asked, standing up. I was an easy couple inches taller than him. "You insulted her, called her a slut, and now you expect some sort of apology?" I scoffed, in total disbelief. Cho tried reaching for my hand to calm me down, but I pulled away. I wasn't about to let anything get in the way of me confronting this guy.
"Well, obviously I expect an apology! I'm dripping wet with fucking butterbeer! Not to mention she completely ruined my clothes! Words cannot describe how expensive these cost!" he exclaimed, pointing to his pants and shirt. "She probably wouldn't even be able to afford one stitch of these…stupid Mudblood." That's it.
I practically leapt for Bryan, and before I knew it, we were on the floor, me on top of him. I began punching the living daylights out of him. I didn't care if people were watching, heck, I didn't care if Cho was screaming, telling me to stop. I just kept punching, using more and more power with every hit. He had no way of defending himself. It got to the point where Bryan's nose was spewing blood. It was rare that I lost control like this, but what he did and said to Anna…this was what he deserved. I was only keeping the promise I made earlier that day.
"Cedric! Cedric, stop! Stop!" Cho was screaming, trying to get a hold of my fist. She was practically on top of me. Clearly, this tactic didn't seem to prove to be effective, so she opted for a new one. The next punch I was about to throw at Bryan, Cho shielded him, putting herself between the two of us. I quickly retracted my fist. She knew I'd stop if she did that. Though I wanted to keep giving Bryan a taste of his own medicine, I was grateful that Cho found a way to stop me. Merlin knows what kind of condition he would've been in if I hadn't.
The mass of people around us began to clear as I stood up, Cho's shaking hand in mine. Bryan somehow managed to get up, though wobbling all the while. He found a way to steady himself, and wiped some of the blood off his nose with his arm. He no longer looked cocky or arrogant or defiant. Instead, he looked something I never imagined he would: scared.
"You stay away from her," I said darkly. "If you even think of laying one hand on her or insulting her one more time, it'll be worse." I glared at him, and by the look of it, he knew I was serious. He knew he crossed a line. Bryan gave me one last glance before exiting the Three Broomsticks.
Once again, the crowd of people slowly dispersed. I sat down with Cho at our table, still breathing heavily from the fight. I didn't even bother looking at her face, which was probably glazed over with fear and worry. Instead, I kept a hard focus on the wooden table. I could feel Cho's hand still shaking in mine, so I covered it with my other free hand. When I looked up, I saw that she had tears in her eyes.
"Don't scare me like that ever again, Cedric," she said through sobs.
"What was I supposed to do though Cho? Just let him say all those things about Anna and get away with it? You saw what he did, you were there. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do something," I tried explaining to her calmly.
"I understand, Ced, but if I didn't stop you, who knows what would've happened. I'm pretty sure Bryan already has a broken nose, but it could've been worse," she looked down, ashamed of her constant worrying for me.
"Cho, you need to stop worrying about me. I can handle myself and you know that. You're my girlfriend, you should trust me. And Anna's my best friend. She doesn't deserve to be called those things or treated the way Bryan was treating her."
"I trust you, Cedric, I really do. I just don't want you getting hurt. I understand that Anna's your best friend, that's fine. But how do you think she'll react if she found out about the fight? Do you think she'd be happy?" She was still crying and sniffling. I honestly didn't see the problem though. Cho was overreacting. It made me kind of angry, seeing how she was saying that I did the wrong thing. In my opinion, I did what was right.
"She wouldn't be happy, but she wouldn't be upset. That I know for sure. Cho, I really think I did the right thing. I was standing up for Anna. How can you accuse that as being a wrongdoing?" I was about to mention something about fourth year, how I'm choosing to stand up for Anna now, but I couldn't. Cho couldn't find out like this. We were already getting into a somewhat fight as is.
"I never accused you of anything. I just want you safe," she said shakily, and the tears were coming down harder now. I tried stroking her hands to calm her down, but it didn't seem to work.
After a while of trying to get Cho to stop crying, I needed some fresh air. Moreover, I needed to find Anna. I knew she wouldn't be handling the situation too well. I couldn't trust her on her own after what happened. I'd feel guilty about leaving Cho, but Anna needed me.
"Cho," I spoke up to break the silence, "I think I should go look for Anna." Her brown eyes were flooded with tears and I instantly felt bad about wanting to leave her. She looked sad, of course, but gave me a weak smile.
"That's fine, Ced. I'll be able to make it back on my own."
"Are you sure? I mean, I could take you back now if you want…" I didn't want to waste time in finding Anna, but the least I could do for my own girlfriend was take her back to the castle. After all, she cared so much about me.
"No I'll be alright. I had a good time today," she said sweetly. I could tell she really didn't, but she hid her negative thoughts well.
"Okay. I'll see you tonight at dinner." I stood up and gave her a kiss before taking off.
Where could she be? I hoped she didn't already go back to the castle. I kept walking, passing Honeydukes and Tomes and Scrolls on the way. I walked for another ten minutes before spotting a girl sitting on a rock, overlooking the castle. I knew exactly who it was. I began making my way towards her. She seemed to have heard my footsteps, as she turned around quickly to see who it was. When she saw it was me, she turned back around to face the magnificent view.
"Did you come to gloat? To say 'I told you so'? Which by the way you did…" She looked down, ashamed. Indeed, I did tell her. But this wasn't the time to poke fun. I took a seat on the rock next to her.
"No, I didn't come to gloat. But I can if you like." I smiled, hoping it would cheer her up. She gave me a small one, still sad.
"Go ahead. I don't care anymore. I mean, it's not like he cared, so why should I." I hated seeing my best friend hurting like this. It hurt me to see her like this. I could see her eyes starting to water.
I frowned. "Anna, it's not your fault. He's a jerk, that's what he is. So what if he didn't care? I mean, really Anna, did you even care about him?"
She thought about this for a while before answering. "No…" she looked down again, letting tears fall.
"You're better than him, Anna. Don't feel like you're not good enough because let me tell you, you're more than good enough." Anna deserved the world. It pained me to see her begging for other people's approval of her like this. She is a beautiful person. She just has to convince herself that she is.
"Do you really mean that?" she asked through sobs and sniffles.
"Of course I mean that. You're an amazing person, Anna. And one day," I leaned forward a bit to wipe her tears with my thumb, "you're going to find that one person who will love you for you are, who will accept you, cherish you, and want to spend every minute of their life with you." I paused, thinking about how stupid Bryan is to not see the kind of person Anna is. "Jerks like him don't come close to deserving girls like you." I meant every word I said to her, and I could tell she was listening.
She smiled before wrapping her arms around me tightly and I returned the embrace. She whispered softly in my ear, "Thank you, Ced, for you know…being you." We stayed like that for a long time before breaking apart. When we did, I smiled back at her.
"Anytime, Anna."
"Wait, where's Cho?" She sounded shocked, like the thought had just hit her. I couldn't tell Anna about my little fight with Bryan, nor could I tell her about how I just left Cho by herself. I don't know how she'd react to either. I'd tell her eventually, but she's been through enough today. I had to make something up for the time being.
"Oh, don't worry. Bryan left shortly after you did to get cleaned up and what not. And I was ready to leave, too. Cho saw how eager I was to get out and told me to go find you. She said she'd be able to make it back by herself."
To my surprise, she laughed. "So you decided to leave your girlfriend to wander through Hogsmeade alone just because you wanted to find me?"
"I'm pretty sure she's capable. And plus, you're my best friend. After what just happened, I couldn't trust you on your own," I teased, smirking.
"Oh please. If anything it's the other way around." We both starting laughing. After a few minutes, we were able to catch our breaths. I looked at Anna, and she seemed to be thinking about something. Her angelic green eyes remained in a staring state, pondering something.
"Would you like me to read you some poetry?" Her question surprised me. I didn't think that she'd ask me this for a long while, considering it was a great part of our past. I wasn't sure if we were ready for that just yet. But clearly, she thought we were. I've always admired the poems Anna read in
that book of hers. Not only were the poems inspirational and full of emotion, but I knew that they were important to Anna. I respected anything she held high. Her asking me if I wanted her to read me a poem wasn't just any opportunity. It was a privilege, a chance to reminisce good memories from the past. It was a part of our friendship.
My head moved up slowly, and my eyes met Anna's. I smiled at her. "How could I say no?"
"Which one do you want?"
"I think you know the answer to that one." It's been four years since I last heard this poem. I was excited to hear it again. My friends would probably think I'm crazy for getting giddy over a poem. But Anna was one of the only people whose opinion I genuinely treasured.
She flipped to the poem she loved so much, and took a deep breath before reading it.
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
She read with such expression, such clarity. The words came out beautifully, as they always have. Anna closed her eyes and smiled, letting every part of the poem sink in. I watched her eyes flutter open, and our eyes met once again. She gave me a cheeky grin before closing her book and putting it back in her bag. While she was, there was a question I've been wanting to ask her for a long time. I wasn't sure how she would respond to it. It could be a touchy subject for her for all I know. But I decided to ask it anyway.
"Anna?"
"Yes?" She looked back up at me.
"You never told me why that poem always meant so much to you."
She looked down sadly. It was clearly something she didn't intend on telling me about. I could tell the reason, whatever it happened to be, was something she didn't talk to many people about. Perhaps it was one of those things she didn't want to revisit again. I felt guilty about my curiosity and asking the question. But by the deep breath Anna took, I knew she had an answer ready.
"I loved the poem from the minute I first read it. It sparked great interest in me. When I used to read it to you in our favourite spot, there really was no significance behind it. I just liked it. But after I left in fourth year, things changed. Garrett died, as I told you before. You know how close we were, that doesn't need explaining. But on the day of his funeral, that poem became more than just a poem. It became a goal I had to achieve. I wouldn't let what happened between you and I stop me from living my life. So, I vowed to do everything I could to change myself. I guess you could say that poem was Garrett's way of telling me to keep going, to never give up."
Wow. That was the only thing I could think. I never knew that a poem could symbolize that much to one person. It made me remember that I was the reason she changed in the first place. I know we agreed to leave the bad things in the past, but something like that is impossible to let go of, especially when it happened to your best friend. There was still so much I wanted to say to Anna, so many apologies I had to say to her. But I knew that she wouldn't appreciate me bringing all that up again.
I looked at Anna, who was looking out over the breathtaking view. I thought about how strong of a person she is to have been through all that she did. We stayed silent for a long time, but I decided to speak up. "I'm sorry, Anna."
"Pardon me? I didn't hear what you said."
"I said I'm sorry, I truly am. I'm sorry for everything I did." I looked down, ashamed of everything I did, all the pain I caused Anna for the past three years.
She frowned and scooted closer to me. "What's done is done, we can't change what happened. But we can move on," she said, giving me a smile. I was completely awestruck. After all that happened, after how much I hurt Anna, she still found a way to forgive me. She still found a way to make me feel like I didn't do anything wrong. This is why she's my best friend.
"You're right." I smiled back at her.
We spent another hour or so sitting together, talking and laughing. It was nice being alone with Anna again, just the two of us. It felt like old times, the times when we didn't need to worry about life always getting in the way. Being with my best friend felt like there was no pressure around me to be perfect, or any evil forces in the world that could defeat good. I missed these kinds of times…
The walk back to the castle was pretty much silent. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the friendly silence. It was refreshing to have a break, especially from the busy events of the day. I walked Anna back to the Ravenclaw Tower, remembering when I once told her that it was part of the date. I smiled at the memory. When we got to the entrance, she turned around to face me. She averted her eyes to the floor instead of looking at me. I did the same. Things became awkward as we both remembered what happened last time. We almost kissed. I remembered how happy I was when I realized I was in love with Anna, yet how depressed I was when I realized that she would never feel the same way. I remembered how confused I was when our lips almost met.
My thoughts were stirred when I heard Anna clear her throat. "Thanks for being there for me today, Ced. It really means a lot." She gave me a sweet smile.
"Anything for you, Anna." I smiled back at her and took a step forward to wrap my arms around her. She returned the embrace. We stayed like that for a while before breaking apart.
When we did, I asked her a question I'd been itching to. It was something we let go of a long time ago, but there was no harm in bringing it up again. "You never did tell me who it was that you had a crush on back in third year."
"Well I guess you'll never know," she teased as she grinned at me. She turned around and was about to step through the portrait, but I grabbed her wrist. She turned back around to face me.
"Don't be like that, Anna. Come on, just tell me. I mean, it was four years ago! I'm pretty sure we've both matured since then."
She crossed her arms over her chest. I braced myself for a smart comment to follow. "If you're so eager, then why don't you tell me the name of the girl you were in love with." Shit. I honestly didn't think she'd remember, but I shouldn't have doubted her in the first place. She's an intelligent girl. She remembers everything. I could feel myself redden. My face was probably as red as a tomato.
"No way! I'm not telling you unless you tell me." I probably sounded like a little kid, but I didn't care. Anna knew how I could be sometimes.
She started laughing. "We're so immature. We don't even have the guts to tell each other about our loves from four years ago!"
I couldn't help but stifle a laugh myself. "Why don't we keep it a secret?"
"It has been a secret for the past four years," she chuckled.
"Well then why don't we continue to keep it a secret? It's clear that both of us are too stubborn to tell the other person, so why don't we agree to tell each other…say, by Christmas Eve?" I knew I'd probably regret this when the time came for me to tell her the truth, but I already had my hand outstretched. She seemed to be thinking the same thing. I saw that she was deep in thought, probably weighing out the pros and cons. But she eventually shook my hand in agreement.
"Deal," she said, smirking.
"Great," No, not great. Cedric, you just made the worst promise of your life. "I guess I should let you go now. I'll see you tonight at dinner. Oh, and don't be too upset over Bryan. Remember what I told you."
"Of course. Thanks again, Cedric," she said, smiling. She answered the riddle and entered the portrait hole.
I made my way back to the Hufflepuff common room, all the while thinking about the deal I made with Anna. Sure, it happened a whole four years ago, but it might make things rocky again. Things just cleared up between us. I couldn't afford to make things worse. I couldn't hurt her again. Telling her I was in love with her would definitely make things awkward. Knowing Anna, she'd probably find the nicest way possible to tell me she never felt the same way. But, on the other hand, she'd have to hold up her end of the deal, too. I'd find out, after ALL this time, who the guy was that once held her heart. It's easy to say that I wanted to back out of the deal. But I couldn't do that to Anna. And, as proved through the day's events, I always keep my promises.
I hope y'all enjoyed Chapter 11! The next one won't be up for another week or so, but I'll do my best. Please review my wonderful readers!