[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

xl . those sleepless nights

chapter fourty
THOSE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

   "OKAY, LADY, that's enough."

   Ruby's mind snapped out of a trance like state, blinking rapidly to get her eyes focused on a deeply worried looking Cedric.

   "Where's Laney?", she asked, looking around for her other friend, who had been with them in the common room.

   "She left fifteen minutes ago, meeting with her Beauxbatons Prince", Cedric slowly replied. "Ruby, what the hell is wrong with you lately?" 

   Rubbing her eyes, Ruby surpressed a yawn, slightly shaking her head. She was tired, oh so tired, but sleep wasn't looking for her company lately. Neither were long showers or any other sort of relaxing activities. Her hair was dangling in greasy locks from her head and she was sure that the bags under her eyes wouldn't even be able to get covered by Leilani's special make-up.

   But rest was not an option. Even more often than before, Ruby was spending every free second in the library, trying to figure out anything about her ancestors, but it was pointless. She knew nothing, and as much as she was reading about immunity, never had there been mentioned a name, or even a picture of a person been shown. Despair slowly took over, nevertheless that didn't mean she would lay to rest.

   "Ruby?"

   Blinking again, she sunk into Cedric's marble grey eyes, wishing nothing more than being able to tell him what was wrong with her. It wasn't just, though, that she had promised Dumbledore and Moody to keep her secret as it was, but also knowing that Cedric would leave his own tasks undone, doing everything to solve Ruby's problem.

   "I —", she said, but cut herself of by shaking her head. "I'm alright, I just have my difficulties with Transfiguration lately and I fear that if I'll mess up another test, McGonagall will skin me alive ..."

   Cocking an eyebrow, Cedric leaned forward.

   "See, if you don't want to talk about it, I'm okay with that", he said, "but I won't watch you grow into a grumpy old Snape lady. Go, have a long, hot shower, and then you will sleep."

   "But—"

   "No", said Cedric, lifting his hand to make her shut up. "Go and have a shower, or I'll have to drag you into the bathroom myself!"

   Her shoulders sacked down, defeated. Slowly she got up and hung her bag over her shoulder, before she wrapped her arms around Cedric from behind, her lips softly touching his cheek.