my best friends brother - fred weasley

xv. oh dragons

Harry had spent the next few days getting lessons from everyone, from Hagrid to Moody, about how to approach the first task. I tried to be as much emotional support as I could be, while also trying to fix my relationship with Cedric. The circles around my eyes had gotten darker, my cheeks hollower, and my wrists were skinnier. I did manage to make more conversation with my friends, though, mostly at meals to forget about how sick I felt. Harry looked about as pale as I did, the morning of the first task. He was crouched over a bowl of cereal, refusing to eat.

"You need energy. You aren't fighting Cornish Pixies, you're fighting a Dragon." I shove the bowl closer to him. He just looked up at me, pushing it back. 

"Eating is the last thing I can do at the moment." He stands up and walks out of the hall, leaving me by myself at the table. I look around and see everyone slowly making their way out of the room. I wrapped my scarf around my neck and stood up as well, following them all to the arena for the first challenge. It took me a while to find Ron, he looked as angry as ever. I sat down next him and wrapped my arm around his shoulder as a supportive hug.

"Have you seen Hermione?" He asks and I shake my head. 

"Maybe she's just in the library?" I  suggest and he just shrugs, we wait for it to start. Hermione finally appears, sounding out of breath.

"And where were you?" Ron interrogates her.

"I was just... in the library. Lost track of time." She sneaks a look at me, as a way to tell me that everything will be okay. I hold my breath as a cannon fires. There's a big part of me that hopes Cedric was able to bail out of the tournament, to just refuse from participating, but as soon as I see the boy step out of the tent, I know that he's in this until the end.

Hermione and Ron each clutch onto my hand as we watch Cedric fight his dragon, the Swedish Short-snout. Each time the dragon goes to attack, I jump and the crowd screams. It feels like torture watching him struggle and not be able to do anything to help. He finally manages to grab the golden egg and the entire crowd cheers. I release a breath I didn't know I was holding and relax into my seat. Hermione whispers in my ear, telling me how to get into the champion tent and I run down.

"Cedric!" I yell as I burst through the curtains, he looks over to me with a small smile. He's holding the big golden egg as I run over to him. He puts in down as I throw my arms over his shoulders and I'm surprised when he doesn't hug me back straight away, I pull away quickly. He smells like smoke and I look up at his hair. There are some arts a bit singed by fire and some dust on his face. 

"Are you okay?" I say quietly. 

"Never better." He replies. He picks up the golden egg and I look down. He opens it slightly and an ear piercing scream is let out. He slams it shut and laughs, confused by the clue the egg is supposed to hold.

"Um... is it supposed to do that?" I ask and he just shrugs. "Well, you did amazing."

"Thanks, Clover." He mutters. "But you don't have to be here, you don't want to be."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Don't pretend to be supportive, just go." I hesitate before giving him another smile, saying goodbye and heading back to Hermione and Ron to watch Harry. 

⊱✿⊰

It feels like the entire Gryffindor house is packing into the common room as we celebrate Harry's victory over the Dragon. He's hoisted into the air by Fred and George as everyone claps and cheers. Some of the 3rd year girls organised a party for him, so there was music playing and sweets spread out across the room. 

"We knew you wouldn't die Harry." The twins laugh. 

"Lose a leg."

"Or an arm."

"But pack it in all together? Never!" They throw him up and down. Harry opens the egg for the room. I cover my ears before he lets go and the screech fills the room. The twins drop Harry and everyone covers their ears.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron says in the new silence. everyone turned around to stare at him in shock, it wasn't a secret that the pair had been fighting because of the tournament. 

"Alright, turn the music back on, this will be awkward enough without everyone listening in." Fred pipes up, breaking the tension in the air. The music resumes and everyone starts chatting as Ron and Harry talk in the corner. 

"So, how was Cedric?" Hermione tugs on my arm.

"He was good, I think. It was really awkward to be honest. I hugged him and tried to talk but he didn't really... respond to any of it." I frown and she pats my shoulder. 

"Boys." She rolls her eyes. 

"Talking 'bout us?" Fred says from behind me. I turn around and look at him up and down. His smile drops into a worried frown when we make eye contact. I shoot him a small smile before excusing myself.

 I walk up into my dormitory and lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. This would be the perfect time to cry, however I feel too tired to even do that. It had only been a few months at Hogwarts this year and already I was exhausted. I thought back to last year and how different it was already. I remembered my boggart, a reflection of myself, but with a cold expression. Even through all of the reports and notes I wrote about the lesson, I was still stumped on what it meant. I wished that I could just have a normal fear, like clowns, instead of an abstract idea of a fear. I lied there staring at the ceiling as I heard the party die down downstairs. Girls came into the dorm, getting into bed straight away, some were crying because of drama that must've happened, and some left almost as quickly as they came in. I closed my eyes, trying to sleep through their giggles and whispers. 

⊱✿⊰

Now that everything between Harry and Ron was patched up, I didn't have to eat practically alone during meals. I was sitting with the trio, Ginny and the twins during lunch. Owls were coming in with mail and Hermione was reading The Daily Prophet, complaining about what Rita Skeeter had written about her. Harry was staring at Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw, who I had seen hanging out with Cedric. It was obvious to everyone, except for Harry, that he was crushing hard in her. I was watching him silently as she returned his eye contact, he spat his drink out in response. I cringed for him and turned back to my plate. 

A first year named Nigel, runs up to Ron with a parcel in is hands, and stares at Harry. Ron and Nigel whispered to each other before Nigel ran off. Ron shrugged and started opening the parcel. He pulls out a hideous robe and everyone around us laughs. It's an ugly red colour with frills all over. 

"Well, it does match your eyes. Is there a matching bonnet?" Harry laughs, searching through the parcel, pulling out an even uglier undershirt. 

"Ginny, these must be for you." Ron shoes them over to his sister.

"I'm not wearing that, it's ghastly." She replies, screwing her nose up. 

"They're not for Ginny, they're for you." Hermione laughs. "They're dress robes."

"Dress robes! For what?" Ron whines, throwing his head back.