one sickle ~ f.w.

chapter 36

-- y/n's pov --

it's fred and george's birthday in a couple of weeks, and for the last few days i've been thinking about what to get them. i asked mum during the holidays and she said i should get them something that shows how special they are to me. i've come up with a few ideas for fred, and i think i might just get george something similar to what i get every year.

i have herbology in about an hour, so i think after that i'll talk to lee about a party. we haven't talked much about it, but i know he'll have some great ideas.

***

i casually walk through the almost empty hallways to class and start to think about who's in my class, wondering if we'll do group work today - we haven't in a while. cedric pops into my head - it feels like ages since i've seen him, even though i do at least once a week. he never even looks at me anymore. of course i'm happy about that - the whole situation with him a few months ago sucked - but it feels kinda weird. like weird and nice at the same time.

i enter the greenhouse, deciding not to think about it anymore.

"good morning class. today you will be learning about puffapods," professor sprout says cheerfully. she's always in such a good mood.

i'm kinda zoned out as the professor explains the lesson in more detail. it seems to be over quick enough, although for some reason i'm slightly anxious about the work. 'it should be fine,' i tell myself, why of all days would i be paired with him? sure, it sounds like something that would happen to me with my luck, but i've been pretty fortunate recently. i think i'll be okay.

"alicia and christopher."

"patricia and roger."

"y/n and ..." my chest tightens and i hold my breath. "... graham."

i was right. i am okay.

"adrian and cassius," professor sprout continues reading out the names and the rest of us split off and start the work.

it goes okay for the first 35 or so minutes, and i'm getting things done pretty easily. i don't need to talk to graham as much as i thought i would, which is good - not like i don't like him or anything, i guess i just prefer to do things independently.

a few minutes after i finish the penultimate question, i decide to smile at cedric. apparently i'm feeling bold today. when he sees me looking at him, i do it, not knowing what to expect - and to my surprise, he gives a half-hearted smile back. that felt good - but now i find myself wondering if this means we have closure or if he wants to start something with me again. 'it should be fine,' i tell myself - again - and continue my work, finishing the last question.

but just as i'm about to go up to the teacher and hand in my work, i hear a thump coming from cedric's side of the room. i turn my head immediately - he's lying on the floor, passed out. my eyes widen, i think i remember him telling me something about how he passes out easily. maybe puffapods weren't the best plant to study today.

"what happened? did someone pass out?" professor sprout asks, worried.

"cedric, miss." cedric's partner says. everyone's crowded around them by this point.

the professor comes over, and soon enough, he's off to the hospital wing.

after all that commotion, it's the end of the lesson, so i plan to meet lee, then the others once we've finished planning the celebration.

i walk out of the greenhouse calmly, heading to the common room. i hope me and lee both get there before the twins - it might be a bit awkward and inconvenient if they were there, they'd probably want to hang out or something and we'd have to decline.