Godspeed//Cedric Diggory

Pt. 3//the introduction

Hagrid begins class with the introduction of two hippogriffs. Harry seems quite pleased with himself, as he has already befriended one of the hippogriffs named Buckbeak. I smile as I walk slowly up to the unfamiliar creature.

"The trick is to bow gently, place your right hand on its head, and pet slowly." Harry explains to me with a cocky grin.

I look back at him with a tilted head and mischievous smile. "Aren't you a smart ass today, Harry?"

Harry smiles and throws his hands in the air. "You know what? Approach him however you'd like then I don't care. But I will not be the one escorting you to the nurse if you hurt yourself."

I rest my hand on the back of my robe and secretly flip him off as I walk towards the hippogriff.

In front of me stand two of the large creatures. Two students greet them one at a time to show respect and due diligence. Just as I approach the hippogriff I notice just next to me is the Hufflepuff Harry was speaking to earlier, Cedric.

He looks perplexed, and much more apprehensive than I. This doesn't affect his smile though, he looks back at his friends confidently, as if he has done this before and is a professional hippogriff keeper.

I do as Harry instructs me. I bow slightly to the sizable creature and slowly reach my hand to pet its head.

I gulp the terror I'm feeling down my throat and it sinks to my stomach. I love animals and all creatures of the magical sort, however, I can't help but feel small and weak in this moment. This creature is so large just it's claw could slit my throat open, and it is not unheard of. Hagrid made sure to tell us of how Draco Malfoy was an unfortunate subject to an aggressive hippogriff. He left with just a broken arm, luckily.

Nonetheless, my hand persisted forward, towards its head.

"Nice approach Gryffindor!" Hagrid exclaims joyfully.

I make contact with the creatures soft feathers and it immediately responds with pleased body language. It's head leans into my hand with each pet I give.

I giggle slightly as the animals feathers tickle my palm. I notice out of the corner of my eye that Cedric's hippogriff is not reacting in the same way as mine. The hippogriffs face is contorted in a displeased scowl, with its beak facing the sky in disapproval.

The hauntingly handsome boy next to me looks over, and to my surprise, leans closely towards my ear.

He whispers. "Please help me not look like a jackass. How did you get your bird to like you?"

I turn my head slightly so I won't give Cedric's plea for help any attention to the rest of the class. "It's not a bird. And the trick is to show the creature that you respect it. Maybe try calming your nerves a bit Cedric? That should help."

Cedric looks at me more directly this time, as if he doesn't care to pretend that he isn't asking me for help. "You know my name?" He says, completely stopping his interaction with the 'bird' in front of him.

"I do. And I suppose everyone at Hogwarts does according to Harry. But the question is do you know mine?" I ask with a slight smile as I keep my gaze on my hippogriff.

Cedric approaches me a little closer. "No. But I wish I did, Gryffindor."

"It wouldn't hurt to ask then would it Cedric?" I ask rhetorically in a confident way.

I turn my head to face his stare directly when we lock eyes for just a moment. His silver eyes are quite alluring as they scan my face for recognition. His hair flows slightly in the wind which brushes small strands of golden brown right above his brow which is raised a bit.

I flash him a small smile to try and break up the silence between us.

"Alright kids back of the line, give someone else a shot at it now!" Hagrid yells from the front of the woods.

I give my hippogriff one last gentle stroke below his beak and bow to pay my last respects before I return to the back of the line.

As I'm walking back I look over to see Cedric has yet to place his gaze off of me. "Your name?" He asks while placing his hand out in a formal motion, as if he is to shake my hand.

"Emerald." I say as I place my hand softly in his hand.

Rather than shaking my hand, he holds it in his and squeezes my hand twice in a tender manner and says, "It's a pleasure Em."

I notice Harry shift towards Cedric and I which breaks our focus on each other. "Emerald, I am glad my tips worked with taming the hippogriff. We should go for tea in the common room this afternoon. Like we used to in our fourth year." Harry says with slight irritation in his tone.

I let go of Cedric's hand and he looks to Harry and scoffs mildly. "Um yes of course." I say as I come back to a reality outside of Cedric and I's interaction.
"Sounds lovely."

Cedric looks to me one last time and says, "Once again, it was a pleasure" before he heads back to his Hufflepuff friends.

I notice my cheeks are covered in a natural film of blush before I head back through the woods to follow Harry home to the commons.