Found AIAOY 4

Chapter 14

The Great Hall was adorned with decorations of pink and red, paper hearts spread along the tables and bowls of sweets around as well.  Fred and Rebecca entered breakfast as they had every morning since the Yule Ball--hand-in-hand.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked back at his oatmeal.  "They don't have to be together every second."

Ron scoffed.  "I know.  It's disgusting."

Ginny passed them on her way to her friends, rolling her eyes.  "You two are both just afraid you'll die alone."

Hermione agreed entirely, but stayed silent on the subject.

"Good morning...sourpusses."  Rebecca raised an eyebrow at the matching scowls meeting her.  "How are you?"

"Just bloody peachy."  Ron snapped, taking a bite of his massive breakfast pile. 

Rebecca raised her eyebrows, looking to Hermione for an explanation and getting nothing but a returned eye roll.  "What are your plans for the day?"  Hermione asked, changing the subject.  "Valentine's and all."

Fred smiled.  "We're planning on seeing where Hogsmeade takes us without plans."

Rebecca looked down, smiling too.  "The carriage ride there and back are all that are certain."

Hermione looked away, sad that she had been chosen as the one to pass on what Harry had revealed to them before the pair had arrived to breakfast.  "Well, we might want to talk first."

Rebecca's smile disappeared.  "Your tone tells me this is bad."  Hermione nodded.  "Hold please."

Fred put the teapot next to him in her hand, pouring the little milk she liked as she poured the tea before grabbing a sugar cube--which she did not actually like--to throw in the air and catch in his mouth.

Rebecca raised the cup to her mouth and closed her eyes, preparing herself.  "I'm ready."

"Harry has not, in fact..."  Hermione paused, sighing.  "Cracked the egg."

Ron looked at Hermione disgusted.  "You did not just make a pun about this."

"I thought it would soften the blow!"  Hermione argued instantly.

"Harry.  James.  Potter."  Rebecca covered her hands with her eyes and drank from her tea again.  Fred patted Harry's arm solemnly, preparing his eulogy already.  Rebecca spoke calmly, surprising to the others considering what had just been revealed.  "This is a problem that needs solving, yesterday it seems.  We have ten days and-"

"And naught."  Cedric interrupted from behind her.  Cedric frowned as Rebecca turned in her seat to see him, remembering Harry's scolding when he'd warned Cedric about the dragons.  "Harry, take a bath with the egg.  I think you'll find the answer.  Here," Cedric slipped a piece of paper onto the table discreetly.  "The password to the Prefects' bathroom, should be empty today with the Hogsmeade trip and all."  

Harry took the paper begrudgingly, unable to force the image of Cho on Cedric's arm at the ball from his head.

Cedric looked over Fred, directly at Rebecca.  "And, to you, I'm sorry."

Rebecca was taken back, not expecting that at all.  "Sorry?  You just saved-"

"No."  Cedric couldn't hear any justification about what he'd done now, especially when it didn't erase what he had done before.  "I'm sorry for how I spoke to you before the first task.  That was wrong and rude of me and, for that, I apologise."

Rebecca nodded her head once, still shocked.  "That's kind of you, Cedric.  I accept your apology."  Fred nudged her, prodding her forward.  "I admit that I might have gone too far when I said you didn't have any loyalty..."  Her voice lowered in shame.  "Like a Hufflepuff was supposed to."  Fred nudged her again and Rebecca nudged him back, budging no further.  "But I will take nothing back about your friends.  I meant what I said about them."