Don't Leave Me (Cedric Diggory)

21. Chang or Fianze?

Narrator:

-Bye, guys! Behave! Cora... - Molly spoke to the girl. - Watch over Fred and George.

Cora smiled with amusement as the twins crossed their arms.

This was their fourth term. They were excited. Who knew the pranks they could make?

-Come on! The compartments are filling up! - Fred dragged Cora into the train.

-Wait! - She spoke, to which he let her go. - Goodbye, Ronnie. - She hugged him. - I'll see you around, okay? - The redheaded boy nodded, and went with Harry and Hermione. - We can go now.

-Why do you hug him? - George asked.

Cora just shook her head with a smile, and slided her arms over both boys' shoulders. Because they were taller, she could barely touch the floor.

When they found a compartment, they entered and started talking nonsense.

-Guys, isn't it strange that Lee's not here? - Cora spoke up.

-Did you call? - The mentioned one appeared and sat with them.

Fred and George exchanged frowns. How had Lee appeared out of nowhere?

-I wish Gryffindor wins this year's House Cup. Let's just hope that little Potter doesn't disappear in the final match like he did last year. - Lee told his friends.

-It's certain you will win. - Cora assured, making them look at her. - I mean... haven't you see the favoritism Dumbledore has with Gryffindor?

The group stopped talking when the door slided, revealing a nervous and concerned Cedric.
-Cora... - He hugged the girl. There was no one else in the compartment before his eyes.

-Cedric, I... I'm sorry about the letters. - She began, but he interrupted.

-No, seriously. You don't have to apologize. - He reassured. - Are you all right? - He placed his hand over her injured cheek.

No one said a thing in that instant. Cedric and Cora were just staring at each other.
-Are you two about to kiss or...? - George spoke.

Cora blinked out of her trance, and blushed immediately. Just like Cedric. He was about to say something, but no words came out of him.

-Cedric! - They all watched how Cho Chang hugged him, and he returned the hug.

Cora seemed to glare at Cho. However, she just sat down.

The twins and Lee were holding their laughter. Cedric is such a dumbass. They thought.

-Erm...I should umm... I should go. - Cedric told her.

-Wait. I'll go with you. We can catch on what we did. - Cho intervened. Cora, on the other hand, couldn't hold back, and laughed out loud. - What's so funny to you?

Cora:

-What? Oh, nothing. Resume what you were doing.

Cho glared at me and suddenly smile.
-You're just jealous. - She told me, holding Cedric's arm.

-Sometimes I wonder if you ever listen to yourself. - I retorted, to which Fred, George, and Lee burst in laughter.

-Cora, that's enough. - Cedric warned. He was the only one missing.

I rolled my eyes.
-Why don't you two go to hell, for example?

-It's not nice to send people to hell, Cora. It's rude. - Cho spoke with superiority.

-Sending people to helll is not an insult. It's just a way of helping certain people find their corresponding way in life. - I smiled.

-Let's go, Cho. I don't know what happened to you, but I don't like how you're treating people. - Cedric turned around, leaving along with his lapdog.

Once they left, I scoffed and sat back down. I looked through the window, hearing how the boys attempted choking their laugh.
-Now what?

-Seriously. I can't imagine how you think of those answers. - Lee spoke.

-My way of joking is telling the truth. It's the funniest way. - I shrugged.

[...]

-Jeremy? - He turned around and hugged me.

-You're now on the entire front page. You could even become famous. - He told me, making me smile. - How's it going?

I watched how Cedric said goodbye to Cho with a hug before sitting down with the Hufflepuffs.

-Never better. - I responded sarcastically.

Cedric:

-Well, then... - I looked at Anthony. - Chang or Fianze?

-What?

-Oh, come on. I'm not stupid. - He laughed. - I think you're better with Cora. - I immediately shook my head.

-We're fighting. - I said, looking at her.

-What have you done now?

-Nothing. We were just talking in the train, and Cho came in to say hi. And the, Cora started trash talking her, and I was deffending Cho. - Anthony lifted an eyebrow.

-Okay, now I can tell you like Cho. But don't come to me saying you miss Cora and that you're an idiot.

I rolled my eyes and continued minding my own business. After all, this is just another term... the fifth one.

Nothing exciting.

[...]
Cora:

Finishing the banquet, I stood up and made my way to my dorm, needing to sleep urgently.

-Cora! Fianze! - I turned around, finding the Ravenclaw Quidditch capitain, Roger Davis. - You see, we need new players, and Wood told you're you're really good. Is that true?

-Oliver told you that? - He nodded. - Yeah, I do know how to play... But I'm not sure if I should apply. - I looked back at Oliver, who winked at me, provoking me to roll my eyes.

-Oh, come on. Some friends or yours are applying, as well. Cho for Seeker, and Elizabeth for Keeper. - I frowned. Have I heared that properly?

-All right. I'll go to tryouts. - Elizabeth was about to know who she had messed with. And wouldn't make it easy for her at all.

Roger said goodbye and went back to his friends. Suddenly, I saw Cedric approaching me. I wasn't in the mood to talk, and he had asked for it. We were best friends, so why would he defend Cho? I looked away and turned back around and head to my common room.

There, I stood straight in front of the door, waiting for the riddle.

-Cora, wait! - I didn't look at him. What did he want now? - We need to talk.

-In a race, you overtake the second place. In which position are you now?

-If you're right, we can talk. If not, you leave me alone. - I spoke, without looking back at him. I knew it was unlikely for him to get the correct answer, so...

-That's easy. You end up first. - He smiled, to which I shook my head. - How...? - The door wasn't opening since the answer was wrong.

-If you overtake the second place, you're now the one in that position. - I corrected. - I hope you respect the deal. - I entered the common room, leaving him completely alone.

I felt like an idiot at this point. I didn't want to be with him, but I also wanted to talk to him... Entering my bedroom, I found Elizabeth, who was reading. I said nothing and put on my pijamas.

-Cora... can we talk?

Merlin, I cannot catch a break.