George Weasley x Reader ~ Jaffa Cake

24 - The Death Omen

It would have been entirely silent in the hallway outside the Gryffindor common room, if it hadn't been for Cedric and Harry. 

They were bickering.

Rather ostentatiously. For two lads who preferred to fly under the radar, anyway, in terms of being loud and obnoxious, they were being uncharacteristically noisy. It wasn't impossible to hear what they were arguing about since they were practically announcing it to the entire corridor, which for them was fortunately empty, and you felt a little uneasy eavesdropping as they both adopted quite exasperated looks. It seemed they were getting tired of it.

'I dunno how that'll come across though, Cedric!' Harry grumbled, looking anywhere other than the taller boy's eyes. 'What- What if they-' 

'Harry, for the last time! No one will care!' 

'So why do we need to make it so known?' Harry sounded so done with the argument, so overworked with the same words. 'What if they all- the-' he was stumbling over his words now, and you frowned sympathetically. There was no context to go off, so you had no idea what they were arguing about, and you weren't about to assume. 

Cedric actually began to look commiserating as Harry's voice trailed, cracked and sounded stale. A lump formed in your throat as you listened to him struggle. 

'No one will care, Harry', Cedric was saying to Harry with a softer tone, having realised how much he'd managed to wear him down. 'You told y/n, didn't you? She's lovely, out of anyone who'd be judgemental the last person would be her.' 

You perked up at the mention of your name and squinted as if it would help you hear better.

'Maybe we should ask her what she thinks', Harry suggested quietly, and Cedric smiled in agreement. 'Let's get her now, yeah?' 

They began to walk towards the portrait, the door of which you were hiding behind, so in a flurry you straightened yourself up and began to walk casually from behind it as if you'd never been waiting there. 

As soon as Harry saw you, he blinked and looked from Cedric to you. You smiled falsely, pretending you'd simply been leaving, and looked back at him, then to Cedric. 

'Everything alright boys?' you asked in a tone that was much unlike yourself, hoping that it would go unnoticed. Thankfully, the nerves rushing through them seemed to be taking up most of their attention. 'Boys?' you said again, when neither of them replied. 

'Y/n, we need to talk..' Cedric eventually managed, and you put on a strained surprised face, feeling the muscles in your neck contract tightly. 'Let's go to a bench or something?' 

Nodding silently, you followed them outside to the castle grounds, off to that same area that you'd been in a little while ago in late February when Fred had blindly made fun of Harry. 

'So uh', Cedric began slowly as you sat next to Harry, looking you directly in the eyes, 'I know Harry told you that he's bi, and now I'm.. I'm telling you that I'm bi by telling you that Harry and I are.. are-'

'Are in a relationship', Harry said firmly, allowing a little smile to play on his lips as Cedric breathed steadily. A small part of you had seen this coming, but you were trying so hard to get out the habit of assuming things that you pushed it away. Instead, you fully took in that two of your closest friends were out to you and were happy. It was quite a comforting feeling.

'That's so cute!' you exclaimed, grinning as Cedric's hand briefly brushed over Harry's. 'That's so damn cute guys, I'm so happy for you!' You watched them exchange looks of relief and ataraxy before considering the argument they'd had prior, and frowned. 'Is that why you were bickering a moment ago?'