Cedric crept up the stairs to the astronomy tower, peering into the top where Sage was already sitting on the balcony. "Cedric?" She turned around, and he nodded.
"What do you want to talk about?" He sat down beside her, their feet dangling over the edge of the balcony. "Same thing as Breakfast." She shrugged. "Have I been annoying you, or is it the studying?" She asked him again.
"I'm not annoyed." He shook his head. "Ced, you always look mad, or upset. If you're angry with me, I want to fix it." She pouted. "I'm not angry at you." He rested his chin on the metal barrier, and Sage picked up the slight emphasis on the word 'you.'
"So you're angry with someone else?" She frowned, before it hit her. "You're angry at Harper." She sighed. She knew what the problem was now, but just didn't know why it was a problem. "Because we keep spending time together?"
Cedric nodded.
"You're jealous?"
Cedric hesitated for a moment, before nodding again. "Why?" Her tone was soft and kind, hoping she could get it out of him faster if she was nice about it, not annoyed. "I have no right to be." He shrugged.
"You have every right to your emotions." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me." She smiled assuringly, and Cedric felt safe. "I'm just being sensitive." He shrugged. "I guess it feels the same as when you two were dancing together at the Ravenclaw party, and that whole fight."
"Ced, I don't like Harper." She linked their ankles together, watching them as they swung back and forth over the edge of the tower. "Harper likes you." Cedric whispered. "How do you know?" she kept her eyes on their ankles.
"I can just tell." He shrugged. "It wouldn't matter anyway." She sighed, resting her head on the barrier. "Don't be mad at Harper. He's not trying to upset you." She lifted her head, resting it on his shoulder as he wrapped one arm around her waist.
"I'm sorry." He exhaled. "Don't be." She smiled. "I'm glad you worry about our friendship." She closed her eyes, not seeing how Cedric physically cringed at the word. "Yeah." He swallowed. "I got an owl from Amos this afternoon, I forgot to tell you." She told him.
"I know. You're coming to Italy with us for the Summer." He smiled. "Just two weeks." She frowned. "But I am grateful!" She defended after Cedric scoffed at her. "He wants to distract me." Cedric frowned, and Sage knew he was talking about his mothers death.
"I'm going to get an Outstanding O.W.L in muggle studies. I just wish she could see it." He smiled sadly, his mother taught muggle studies at an overseas Wizarding school. "She will." Said Sage. "She'll see." She pointed up at the sky.
----
"Why do you think it took so long for her to approach you about it?" Harper interrupted. "Maybe she thought i'd try to fix it first." Cedric shrugged. Cho Chang had attempted to fix her and Cedric's friendship earlier that day.
"Are we going to that Gryffindor party tomorrow?" Said Jill.
"I don't know.." Sage glanced nervously in between Cedric and Harper. She had neglected going to every common room party since her first one, bad memories. "Oh, come on Sage." Harper laughed. "Hakuna Matata." Jill giggled.
"Hakuna Ma-What." Sage frowned. "It means no worries... Haven't any of your watched the Lion King?" She frowned. "Anyway, you can't live in fear forever." Jill urged her friend. "As long as there's no repeats of last time, you'll be fine." She advised Sage.
"Why not." Sage shrugged. "I won't drink any alcohol this time.. I didn't think any parties would be on. The O.W.L's are next week." Sage furrowed her brows. "They need someway to let loose a little bit." Harper shrugged.
