Anything that rings a bell belongs to JK Rowling

Chapter Twenty Three: Lions who Lunch

"Ky!"

She turned around and saw Apple running towards her. She told Mi to go head for breakfast and ducked into the empty classroom he just entered.

"Are you OK? Did Snape give you another detention? I saw him walk away with you, I'm really sorry, it's all my fault you were caught after curfew, and I wanted to follow you and tell Snape that-"

"Woah! Let's make this one rule. Let's never have the urge to tell Sev anything. Ever. He'll flip out and I don't think you want to go into the next task with one leg. He already thought something was going on with us before."

"And what did you tell him?" He was sizing her up with his charcoal grey eyes, waiting for her response.

"That we were just friends."

"Oh. Is that what we are?"

Oh, fucksickles, this was that 'what are we' talk. Just as she was about to open her mouth and put her foot into it, she was rescued by the door bursting open. A couple came giggling in totally ignoring their presence, hands and eyes, only for each other. They realised they were just kicked out and made their exit.

"Look, I have a pretty busy day ahead of me. I'm running late for Charms. Can you meet me in the basement room at around 8? We'll talk then." He rushed off, stopped, turned around and made his way back to her.

He put his hand in her hair and played with a strand, whilst giving her a deep stare and then leaned down, placing a light kiss on her forehead. "See you later Kid."

Fucksickles.

-x-x-x-

Ky's heart was still beating at a higher rate when they sat down for lunch that day. She was barely listening to the chatter around her. Just a simple sensation had her feeling like that? Did she like Apple? She did like how direct he was, she didn't have doubts of whether he fancied her, his actions and his words were so in sync.

Unlike some people.

Her eyes searched for jet black strands, not finding him, but she suddenly snapped her head away when she heard Apple's name.

"Missy Leeson said she saw Cedric with some girl up on the seventh this morning, near our common room. Of course, she didn't see the girl's face considering Robert was sucking her own off at the time."

Ky and Hermione started paying attention to Bobby and Parvati's conversation, an unprecedented occurrence.

Parvati laughed, "Pad told me that Missy spent the rest of the lesson fantasising about Cedric. Do you blame her though; Roberts's nose is so off centre it might as well be called his lips."

"Ugh and that ghastly haircut. Not like Missy is the bee's knees, did you see what she wore for the last Hogsmeade trip."

"Yeah, can you spell skank? If he was talking to a girl near our common room, she's probably from our house, right?"

"Oooh, I bet its Katie. They would make the cutest couple."

"You bet what's me." Katie sat down with Alicia and Angelina, looking at Bobby curiously. Ginny and some other girls from her year that Ky knew by face but not name, moved in closer. Ugh… this was becoming a gossip fest.

Bobby leaned in dramatically, soaking up the attention. "Cedric Diggory was spotted making out with a girl in an abandoned classroom near our common room. So, we figured she must be a Gryffindor."

Where did 'making out' come from?

Katie laughed, "And you think it's me? Believe me ladies if I was snogging Cedric Diggory, you lot would know about it, seeing as I would have screamed it out in the middle of the Great Hall."

"Or had her name tattooed on his forehead." Alicia chipped in.

"Or his arse." Everybody laughed at Angelina's comment.

Mi cut in, "Well not that it is anybody's business, but by the logic you're using, and by the fact that Cedric is really smart, the girl is probably not from Gryffindor. I mean… why take the risk of getting caught so close to home. She's probably a Ravenclaw…or a Slytherin."

Ky smiled at her best friend, grateful for the attempt, even if it was a poor cover story.

"Well, whoever the sneaky little ho is we'll find out soon." Bobby said, a tad bit threateningly.

Fred and George jumped in between Angelina and Katie, "Are you going to let these young un's call you a sneaky little ho Ang."

George turned to the group, "Ang is not sneaky. She's a big ho and she's proud of it."

Angelina hit him on the head. One of Ginny's friends piped up, "How would we find out."

Bobby gave the girl an exasperated look. "Well, you children wouldn't know, but the Yule Ball is coming up and Cedric is probably going to be taking the Gryffindor sneak as his date."

Ky felt a nudge and she moved down the bench, Ron took the spot and Harry sat on his other side. Mi was avoiding all eye contact, looking as if she was about to burst any second.

Fred laughed, "Oh please, that Puff can never get one of our ladies to go with him."

Bobby, Parvati, and some of the younger girls gasped at the absurd accusation. Angelina, Katie, and Alicia didn't though.

Angelina shrugged, "Unfortunately Fred has a point."

"Oooh Ang, let's not pretend that you don't know just how pointy I am." The boys laughed at that.

What looked like a second-year girl piped up, Cedric was really pulling a crowd, "But why…he's very…handsome." She looked down quickly, blushing both at the attention and her words.

Lee took this one, "Well little cub, you'll soon learn. We Gryffindors may not be known for our loyalty but that doesn't mean we don't have it. Dating Diggory will be the same as outwardly stating that we believe he is the real Hogwarts Champion."

There were murmurs of agreement and Ky watched Harry closely. He didn't seem to have much of an opinion on the matter and was chewing his lamb pie. Ron on the other hand did, "Might as well get 'traitor' tattooed on your forehead like the last one."

He laughed at the squeak the little girl emitted and Mi scolded him and cut in.

"Don't worry, we do not brand people here. I think you lot are being ridiculous. Harry wouldn't think it would be treason if someone from Gryffindor went with Cedric for the Yule Ball."

"Well, it's not Harry's opinion that matters, is it Mione'. It's about how it looks. If Harry's own housemates don't support him, how can the rest of the school?"

Mi gave Ron a deathly stare at his words, "I bet you would change your tune if Fleur Delacour asked you out."

"Well, that's different." Everybody looked at Dean. "She's actually hot."

The boys laughed and then George added, "And taking a Durmstrang or a Beauxbatons student is fine because you could still be supporting Hogwarts. Taking Cedric or Harry is a direct declaration of your choice as the true Hogwarts Champion. It's house honour at stake."

Bobby groaned, "Now I definitely have to tell him 'no'."

"Well, you won't have to worry about that Lavender…because he won't ask you." Everybody laughed at Seamus, whilst the blonde smacked him up the head.

"Who do you think you'll ask, Harry?" Neither Harry, or Ky had been mentally prepared for Bobby's question.

Their large group had broken off into smaller conversations but Ky didn't think she had ever paid better attention than she was now, despite looking anywhere but at Harry.

"I don't really have anybody in mind." She had been tracing circles on her knee as she waited for his response, and her finger froze on its movement. She glanced up, but Harry's attention was on his plate, and she caught Bobby and Parvati pass each other excited glances…what was going on over there?

She ate the rest of her pie in silence…well this is something to think about. So Harry wasn't even thinking of asking her to the Ball? Why was that upsetting? Would Cedric even ask her?

Ugh this stupid Ball! Minnie mentioned it this morning in class, but Ky didn't think she'd have to go. She was jumping the gun; it's not like Cedric asked her. He was a champion so he'd have to go, so maybe he'd take a friend instead. That blonde girl that always walked with him to class. Or the redhead he sat next to in potions. Anyway… when did Ky even care what other people thought?

She was pulled out of her reverie by an invasion of space, the suspect being a certain green eyed messy haired individual. Ron seemed to have wandered off at some point and was now engrossed in quidditch talk with the others, Mi was reading her book, and the rest were talking about dresses.

Harry moved up close enough that Ky could feel his familiar scent linger in her air, and she had to adjust in her seat to distract from his closeness.

"Talking about all this..."Harry trailed off, scratching the back of his neck and Ky had to place her fork and knife down or it would give away her trembling, was he going to ask her?

"I know I never said it…out loud. But I am grateful. I mean… I've known Hermione for years and even Ron, my best friend needed convincing…but, not you. You just…supported me from the get-go. I mean all these other people," Harry's voice dipped low and she leaned forward, a long dark lock falling on his crisp white shirt, giving him her ear, "They only really started supporting me from the whole dragon thing…but you…you've been there from the beginning….it means…it means something to me."

She leaned back and took in the sincerity on his face. Her lips trembled, and for once she didn't have a funny retort. She waited expectantly for him to go on, and she watched as he let out a small breath, "Anyway. Just wanted to say thank you, Ky."

And he left the bench.

Fucksickles.

-x-x-x-

Ky hid behind a suit of armour, waiting for the two prefects to move. Why did she feel like she was walking to the gallows, how ridiculously dramatic of her. She need to pull a Moody and start drinking from a personal flask - Bobby and Parvati aren't above slipping her a Character Changing potion or two for revenge about the whole Brad-Pitt-under-bed debacle.

She knew that Bobby saw her leave with George that night, she could smell her suffocating perfume anywhere. She also knew that the only reason why they weren't telling the whole school was because Ky had walked in on her two roommates waxing their butt cheeks the other day.

Seriously…there are some things once seen that cannot be unseen!

Like the look of genuine appreciation Harry had given her earlier… she reached the little goblin statue and muttered the password.

Anyway, this whole thing is hypothetical; maybe Apple kisses all his female friends on the forehead. And maybe he didn't want to go to the ball with her. Maybe he liked having a casual no-labelled relationship.

All these maybes flew out of her head when she walked into the small room.

Bobby and Parvati may be insipid sycophants, but they had a point; Cedric Diggory was a work of art. Ky watched him adjusting the cushions on the floor, his handsome face deep in concentration and his long body bent over. He looked up and she caught his charcoal grey eyes, and Ky must have blushed because he smirked confidently. Apple straightened up and she noticed he wore light blue jeans and a grey tee that made his eyes pop.

Did she just think the sentence 'eyes pop'?

Ky hovered at the door, as he approached her.

"You're early."

She smirked, "Don't tell anybody. I have a reputation to uphold."

He chuckled, "I wouldn't dare. Stop that…"

He tugged at her chin, and she stopped biting her bottom lip, an anxious habit she had. He left his hand on her chin for a few seconds and stared deeply into her face…he dropped his hand and turned around. "There's hot chocolate and chocolate sundaes…I didn't know what you were in the mood for?"

She dropped down onto a cushion and realised he was waiting for a response, "Surprise me."

He nodded and started busying himself, "My mother always said that food and drink should be as handmade as possible. Said magic sometimes takes away the personality of the dish. Her one exception is potatoes; she says no woman should peel her own potatoes."

"Smart woman your mother." Ky took the hot chocolate that he passed her; he put little marshmallows and topped it with cream. She gulped down half of it and she caught his amused smile, and she realised she must have a milk moustache, but instead of licking it away, she began fidgeting with it.

"What on earth are you doing?"

She stopped adjusting the froth on her upper lip and faked a man's voice, "There is a stick. A long thin stick. It is up my butt. Come Weatherby…help me remove it." He laughed at her.

"Is that Crouch you're doing? You're horrible at impersonations you know that."

"Everybody is a critic. It's your turn now."

She expected him to protest but turns out he knew better than that. He picked up a cushion from the floor and shoved it under his shirt. He stood up with his chest sticking out and started speaking in a horrible French accent.

"Ze wallz ar' so ugleee. Ze food iz so bland. Ze boyz are too manleee. Ze girlz ar 'too fet."

Ky laughed at him, "I didn't know you had a problem with Fleur Delacour."

Cedric pulled the cushion out from under his shirt and lightly tossed it on her head. "I don't…I was doing Madam Maxime. I guess they're not far off."

He lay across the cushions, and he practically stretched the breadth of the room. He propped his head up on one hand and grabbed a few strands of her hair with the other. He ran the lock between his thumb and index finger. Ky sat quietly fidgeting with the hem of her tee.

"Ky?"

"Apple?"

He didn't flinch like he usually did at the unusual nickname. He caught her gaze and held it there. That look he gave her did weird things to her skin, and her blood. It heated it and sent it to all the wrong areas; she was trying to do the impossible and stop her blood flowing north and hide a blush.

He traced her cheek bone with his index finger and then cupped her whole left cheek; it was like instinct moving into his action. Her throat was dry, and she was sure if she opened her mouth she would croak. He moved closer and adjusted himself so that his face was almost touching hers.

Almost.

Ky licked her lips, another involuntary action, one that didn't go unnoticed by him. She was pleasantly surprised how unafraid she was…and glad that she felt this…whatever this was…that masked man hadn't robbed her of the ability to want this.

Apple moved his hand from her cheek and traced her lower lip and her breath literally caught in her throat. It came back with a vengeance, and her breathing rate had her chest rising and falling quickly in anticipation. Suddenly the only thing she wanted was for Apple to put his lips on her. She tried conveying the message with her eyes, a stare they did not break for minutes.

"You're exquisite."

Nobody ever said anything like that to her before. She was told she was pretty by Linus and Len, and she knew she wasn't ugly because boys did look. But exquisite…and the way he said it. He smirked at her and ran his thumb against her cheeks, "For someone so feisty, you blush like a pretty little princess."

Ky rolled her eyes at that; she was far from a princess. Made brave by thoughts unknown she reached forward and touched his face. He had very defined chiselled features and she didn't know what she wanted to feel first.

Prominent cheek bones, thin but soft long lips…she adjusted herself, so she was sitting with her legs tucked underneath her, observing him like a specimen. She decided to run her hand across his cheek and the most exhilarating feeling ran up her arm. He had a 5 'o clock shadow that left him looking slightly rugged and the texture enticed her smooth skin in weird ways.

Ky ran her hand up and down his cheek and he smiled at her, showing his white teeth and at this close proximity she could smell his toothpaste mingled with that cologne he wore and his aftershave.

She wondered what she smelt like to him.

He changed positions again, grabbing both her hands to steady her and leaning flat down on the cushion and pulling her down with him. He placed her hands on either side of him, preventing her from falling flush against him.

She hovered above him, her hair cascading down, falling on his face…his neck. She finally broke eye contact to stare at his chest, which she could practically see through the thin shirt. The sudden thought to rip the tee crossed her mind and she was shocked at herself, and her cheeks became heated. When she looked back to his face, there was no sign of a smile, and his eyes burned with a fire.

She gulped, her mouth feeling like sandpaper.

Suddenly with agility she didn't know he possessed he swapped positions. She lay on her back, breathing heavy, her eyes wide in shock set against the red canvas which must have been her face. He didn't hold eye contact for long and stared at the powerful rise and fall of her chest, a stare that did weird things to said area. He slowly let go of her hands and placed his fingers on the space between her tee and sweatpants and she gasped at the contact.

He looked up at her and found her gaze and held it firmly as he ran feather light touches across her tummy. Ky didn't even realise she did it until she felt the softness of his hair between her fingers, and he let out a soft moan and she pulled his face towards her.

Ky practically squirmed to make up the space between their bodies as his face slowly descended towards her. Her heart stopped and her brain was in a haze.

There was no touchdown though as just as she was about to move her face to his she felt his lip at her right ear. He pecked at the lobe quickly and the weird sensation increased the temperature by five degrees. He spoke in a husky voice that dripped with what she could only label as hunger…as need…

"Ky…be mine."

It wasn't a question. A simple statement that tore her at the seams. He looked her in the eye, and Ky could feel the cushion move beneath her head as she nodded fervently. He smiled and moved closer, his dark stare holding her there….and suddenly the grey eyes were not there anymore, they were bright green and sincere.

"Stop."

She didn't say it loudly, a soft whisper that escaped her lips. His reaction was so quick that you would have thought she screeched it at him, in a matter of moments Cedric was off her and standing at the furthest wall, breathing heavily.

"Fuck…I'm so sorry. I wasn't supposed…I was just supposed to…and then you looks so fucking…. fuck Ky I'm so sorry that I scared you. Especially after what you've been through! I forget that you-"

She scrambled to her feet feeling like the world's biggest idiot. She shushed him with her hand, "I didn't mean stop. I meant pause. I want to kiss you. I'm going to kiss you, probably for the next hour or so. I just think we should sort some stuff out before we…get preoccupied."

He looked slightly less stressed at that, "Of course. I mean that was my whole intention from the beginning before the…. well. I like you."

She looked at him as he stared at her with such honesty, "I like you." Ky replied.

He smirked, "What I mean to say is…I like you in a way that made me realise that I haven't truly liked a girl before. You do things to me that I didn't even know could be done. I think about you in class and laugh to myself at the odd things you say and let's not start with the dreams…"He shook his head, a chuckle falling off his lips, "In all my years in Hogwarts I don't ever remember feeling as free and comfortable as I do than when I am with you. So, what I'm saying Ky is that I like you, and I want you."

She smiled at him and fought the urge to jump on him right there, "I want you too. I didn't even think the things certain parts of me are doing could be done…oh screw all the emotional parts, it's so hot I think I'm going to explode." Ky really did feel that way and she was fanning herself.

"I can help with that." He took a step forward, but Ky stopped him again.

"Though, what exactly do you want from me?"

He looked confused for a few seconds and then seemed to have understood something. He gave her a reassuring smile, "Ky, I know you're younger and more inexperienced and I'm never going to force you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or awkward."

"Like hell you won't. If all that…touching was making me feel like this, I want more, and you shouldn't hold back just because I'm less experienced than you are…something I plan on rectifying soon and with much haste. But I didn't mean physically…I mean…emotionally."

"Well obviously this is not going to be one prolonged snogfest. I would never do that to you. I've never had what people consider a proper girlfriend before and I plan on doing everything right by you. I know I'm busy with this tournament but I'm there when you need me, to walk you to classes, to sit with you at lunch…"He looked down, his face slightly red, "You don't know how many times I looked over at you in the Great Hall and just wanted to come over…to be the one that was making you laugh."

Ky remained silent for a few seconds, "I don't need that…I'm not going to be one of those clingy girlfriends that will want you to spend all your time on her."

"I know you won't be…but I do really want to spend all my time with you."

"And I want to spend time with you."

"Good…now that that's settled." He stepped forward but Ky stepped back.

"It's just that I can't. At least not right now…" He looked at her, his mouth hanging open in confusion. She continued. "I want to be your…"Ugh she couldn't say girlfriend, it felt like such a weird concept, "person. I want to sit with you at lunch and piggyback on you to classrooms and the whole nine yards. It's just that we can't. Not now at least. Not with this tournament…Harry-"

"Is that what this is about? Did your friends say something?"

"No! Nobody said anything. I just know what it would look like if we had to start dating."

His face was red for all the wrong reasons and his nostrils flared, "What would it look like Ky?"

"That I've made a choice about who I believe is the real Hogwarts champion," It sounded just as stupid coming out of her mouth as it did in her head.

But Harry's eyes kept replaying in her mind.

Apple blinked and shook his head, and she realised what he must have thought that she meant. "I do believe you're the real Hogwarts Champion. I really do. It's just that I also believe in Harry. He really didn't put his name in the cup, and he had to deal with a lot of crap from the whole school about this and he's got so few people that really support him, I just don't think our friendship can survive this. He is the first friend I made in this world…I don't want to be the person that throws away a friendship for a romantic relationship."

He didn't seem to be listening, shaking his head continuously, his hands in tight fists. Ky's heart literally hurt, it physically pained her to look at him and she was so frustrated that she couldn't make him understand what she meant. "I want to be yours Cedric! I do like you. Why can't we just continue like this for a few more months…the tournament will be over soon and who needs the world to know our business. It's our business. Our feelings wouldn't change."

"EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE KY! Everything! Do you know how I feel about you! Damnit! I want to shout it out in the middle of the Great Hall that you're my girlfriend. That you're mine! That you belong to me…with me. Yet you…you want some hidden relationship. Some sleazy relationship where we meet in little rooms like this, make out and then run off back to our friends and pretend nothing the heck happened." He started moving for the door and she grabbed his hand, but he threw her off.

"Cedric that's not what it would be like, you're too angry to see it now. It'll be simple and personal-"

"No Ky. It would be convenient. Convenient because you won't lose your little friend over it."

"Cedric I-"

"Shut up!" Ky flinched at the thunder in his voice. "You obviously made your mind up before you even got here today and I'm a damn idiot for even telling you half the things I did. I thought you were different…I guess you are…just in the wrong way." He walked away and stopped in the doorway, breathing heavily, "You know most of the school is out there with their support Cedric Diggory badges…yet the only person…the one person that I want…that I need to have one…"

"Cedric-"

But he left. He was gone just like that.

Ky dropped down to the floor…

There was no cushion there this time.

A/N: I know if you're rooting for Harry/Ky this is a hard chapter to read, but I had to be honest, if fourteen year old Ky who is getting no validation from Harry is being actively pursued by seventeen year old Cedric, she's going to be tempted. She is being a bit immature wanting to have everything on her terms - but I thought that would be an honest representation of her character at this stage - what do you think?