Chapter 17 – Pre-Ball

The month leading up to the ball went by quick and slow at the same time. Quick because I had the twins to keep me busy, slow because I haven't said a word to Cedric since the first task. Did he try to talk to me? Maybe. Did he push to talk to me? No. He tried to talk to me the next day, but after that he just glanced from the other side of the room. He was still with Cho so what is there to talk about. I bared my soul and my heart out. I finally told him how I felt but he still chose to stay with her. So, I stayed away, I tried to move on which wasn't easy. Even though the twins didn't know what happened after the first task, they knew something happened as I was spending more time with them and in the Gryffindor commons. But they never asked about it, instead they just dragged me with everything they did, even their pranks. The first time they roped me into it, I didn't know what they had planned and when it came to it, it was too late to back out. But I had fun and Lee made sure I wasn't in anyway connected to the prank. I enjoyed my time with the Gryffindors. Not only the twins, but it was also nice to reconnect with Lee. Or even to get to know Hermione and her friends better. Lyra and Odin felt torn, trying not to pick sides. I told them what happened, and they were furious. They only talked to Cedric when Cho wasn't clinging to his side which wasn't often.

It was a week before the ball, and nobody had asked me. I was in my dorm, standing in front of the mirror in my dress my mum had bought. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I felt sad that I didn't have a chance to show it. I heard the gasp before I saw Lyra standing in the doorway with Odin.

"You look amazing!"

"Thanks." A sad smile on my face. "Too bad nobody is going to see it."

"They will. I'm surprised George hasn't asked you." She said as she placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Me too. I mean I don't know if I would've said yes, because I don't know if I'm ready, but..."

"Someone will ask, I know it. I'm guessing before the end of this week."

"That's in two days!" I said incredulously as I looked to her on the mirror.

"I'm with Lyra." Odin announced from the door.

"Of course, you do." I chuckled. "I'm going to change; I'm meeting up with the twins."

"Oh, that's why we came here. They are here."

"Here?" I squeaked. "In the common room?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck, okay. Give me a minute." The couple nodded and walked out of the dorm, closing the door behind them.

I quickly changed into something more comfortable and walked nervously to the common room. Cedric was sitting the corner of the room, alone for once, glaring daggers at the twins. I rolled my eyes to myself, because he doesn't have any reason to act like that. My smile turned wide when I saw the boys looking at the Hufflepuff common room in interest. They haven't even notice me coming in. A few Hufflepuff girls where giggling at something they said. I was so focused on George that I didn't see that Lee was with them and he snuck up next to me.

"Seems like you're falling for a certain Weasley twin."

I snapped my head at him. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Right." He grinned. "What were you doing anyway?"

"I was trying on my dress, not that it matters." I muttered as we walked towards the twins. "It's not like anyone asked me." I saw Lee look at me wide-eyed.

"Asked you what?" George asked, hearing the last part of the conversation.

"To the ball." I glanced down to the ground, so I missed the look the three boys shared with each other.

"I thought you were going with one of the Beauxbatons guys." Lee inquired.

"What?" I huffed a dry laugh. "Why would you think that? I only talked to one of those boys about two weeks ago, who asked me to pass over the gravy." I frowned as I looked from Lee to the twins. "Who are you guys going with?"

"I'm taking Katie." Lee said with a goofy smile.

"And you, Fred? Since Hermione is going with... someone else."

"I- you know who she's going with?" Fred raised an eyebrow.

"I do, but I'm not telling, I promised."

"Fine." Fred grumbled. "I'm going with Francine from Beauxbatons."

"What about you?" I reluctantly asked George and looked to him, but he didn't meet my eye, he actually avoided it. "George?"

"Oh, uhm... I'm going with Angelina." And again, my heart broke. I tried to put on a neutral face, and it took everything in me to do so. I swallowed away the hurt that came with his proclamation.

"Oh, you three have fun then." I smiled forcedly at them. "Uhm, I can't go with you tonight."

"What? Why?" Lee asked pouting. I didn't look at the twins and focused my all of my attention to Lee.

"I -" Come on, come up with a lie quickly. I thought to myself. "I have to meet with Hagrid, to go take care of the Thestrals for extra credit. I totally forgot about until I saw it on my calendar just now."

"Can't you go another time?"

"No, I already rescheduled it when we snuck out of the castle." I lied.

"Oh, alright. What about tomorrow?"

"I pretty busy until break." I avoided everyone's eyes and looked to Lyra and Odin. "I'll come find you when I have time. I have to go." I summoned my cloak and once it flew into my arms I walked out of the common room, leaving three stunned Gryffindors behind.

I wandered around the castle for a few hours, just going nowhere. I only came out of my daze when I bumped into someone. Firm hands grabbed my shoulders to steady me and looked up in the blue eyes of Luke, the seventh year Ravenclaw.

"Lost in thought, Northon?" He grinned.

"Maybe just a little." I managed a smile.

"So, how's it going?" He asked bouncing on his heels.

"Fine." I drawled out, unsure where this is going.

"Good, good. I noticed you and Cedric aren't talking."

"Not at the moment no."

"And you and one of the Weasley twins, is there something going on?"

"Just friends, why?" I frowned as I looked at him running his hands through his hair. A nervous tick, I saw the twins and Cedric do numerous of times.

"Want to go to the ball with me?" He said with a lopsided smile.

"You're telling me you don't have a date yet?" I chuckled in surprise; my eyes wide.

"I don't. I mean, girls have asked." He grinned.

"Of course, they have." I shook my head laughing.

"But I wanted to go with someone I knew, someone fun."

"And that's me?" I scoffed a laugh. "We barely talked the past two years."

"Yeah well." He shrugged. "Friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, got in the way, didn't they? So, what do you say? Oh shit, you already have a date, don't you? I knew I waited too long"

"I don't…" I smiled at his rambling as I contemplated his proposition. Since George was already taking Angelina fucking Johnson, and Fred and Lee had dates, she couldn't imagine going with someone else. "Alright, you got yourself a date."

"A date? Don't push it, Northon." He chuckled. "Meet me in front of the great hall?" He asked already turning.

"Sounds good."

"Oh, -" He turned and faced me again. "What colour is your dress? Because I don't want the hottest couple of the evening to clash." He winked. I smiled and shook my head at him, maybe the ball wasn't going to be so bad after all.

By the time I got back to the common room, I was in a better mood and the common room was empty. I sneaked into my room and changed quietly before I crawled in my bed. I nearly screamed when I saw Cedric sitting there. The curtain closed again when I lifted my leg up on the bed and I scooted on to the other side, away from Cedric.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed at him as he put a silencing charm around the bed.

"I needed to talk to you." He said looking at the wand between his fingers.

"It's been a month; you don't think it's too late to talk about any of it?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I know, I'm sorry." He whispered. I waited for him to continue because this couldn't be it, right? Thank Helga, it wasn't. "When you said that you loved me, I panicked. I had a flashback of what I thought was a dream, but then… I told you I loved you, didn't I? On your birthday." I gave a short nod. "FUCK!" He yelled and I was happy for the silencing charm he had placed around the bed. "I fucked up, I know! First for telling you like that while I was pissed, then Cho…" He grumbled to himself and clenched his fists. "And I love you too."

"What?" I squeaked in surprise.

"I don't think it's that much of a surprise." He smiled softly. "I really do love you, I'm in love with you but…"

"This isn't the right time for us." I answered and when we looked at each other, we both had tears in our eyes. "And that's alright." I said with a shaken voice. Cedric leaped forward and pulled me close against him.

"I'm so sorry about everything." He whispered in my ear.

"Me too." I wrapped my arms around him. After several quiet minutes, we pulled apart and laid down in the bed together, facing each other. "I miss you."

"I miss you more." He clasped my hand in his. "Can we go back before… everything."

"I don't know if that's possible." I glanced down. "But maybe we can be something better."

"As long as I have you back, I don't care." He squeezed my hand and offered a small smile. "Want to save me a dance next week if George is okay with that?"

"I'm not going with George." My voice broke a little and I hoped Cedric didn't notice. "He's going with Angelina."

"What?!" Cedric practically shouted, making me wince. "Sorry." He pulled at my hand until I was nuzzled on his chest. He breathed in deep. "Even if I hate to admit it, I know you like him."

"Ced-"

"No, it's okay." He rubbed my back softly. "I'm in no place to say anything about it. Besides, he's a good guy."

"He is." I admitted. "But yet again another woman is chosen over me." I sighed dramatically and let my hand fall on my face, I chuckled dryly.

"We're all idiots, trust me." He kissed the top of my head. "But you are coming, aren't you?"

"I am."

"With?" He inquired impatiently.

"A boy."

"Winnie." He groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Does it matter." I laughed and pushed myself up to look at him.

"Guess not. As long as you save me a dance."

"I can do that." I kissed his cheek and snuggled back in his side. "Are you staying or going?"

"Staying, if you don't mind."

I didn't answer, I just kicked my blanket from under us and draped it over the both of us. He held me tight, and I sighed a breath of relief. It was weird being seventeen, it was confusing. Cedric and I finally admitted our feelings for each other, but still we weren't together. But life isn't that easy, sometimes you can't be with the person you love. And I think that if we tried it now, it would explode quickly. So, for now I was happy to have my best friend back and the most important thing was that we'll always be there for each other, and I'll help him get through the Tournament without any serious damages.