metanoia - cedric diggory

chapter fourteen

December 15th, 1994

Being at a school full of peers around your age, rumors spread faster than wildfire in a forest. Everyone seemed to be whispering about who was taking who to the Yule Ball, what they were going to wear, and everything in between.

Everyone already seemed to know Hermione Granger was going with Viktor Krum and Seamus Finnigan was going with Lavender Brown. The dance was a little bit more than a week away, and people were dashing around for someone to bring.

George had already asked about three different girls, been turned down by every single one, and returned to sit next to his friends in the Great Hall with a frown on his face. Clementine and Penelope watched as he walked around, practically begging, and looking a little pathetic.

"Who are you taking, Penny?" Clementine asked her fellow Hufflepuff friend, shoving mashed potatoes into her starving mouth.

Penelope paused for a second to finish her food, and glanced around the table, thinking of something to say in response.

"I was thinking about asking Cedric Diggory. Would that be alright?" She responded, shoving something else in her mouth, trying her best to make sure she didn't crack a smile.

Clementine nearly began to choke on dinner, Penny watched her eyes grow wide and cough a little bit, causing a short blush to fall onto her face.

"Well, um," She responded, trying to regain her posture. Technically, anyone could go with him. She wasn't even sure she'd want to go, let alone let everyone see her with Cedric.

"I'm just messing with you, Clem!" She let out a loud chuckle, leaning forward and then back at Clementine's reaction. "He's all yours."

Clementine let out a fake chuckle in response, nodding her head softly and allowing her brain to begin to overthink.

Would Cedric ask her to the ball? Would she even say yes? That seemed a little more public than either of them seemed to want, but Clementine felt like she would throw up if she saw him dance with someone else.

"I might just let George ask me, all I have to do is stand beside him." Penny shook her head, looking up at the poor ginger boy once again.

"He'd be a great date, you know. These girls have no idea what they're missing." Clementine thought of how he loved to dance and crack jokes, and he was quite the gentleman.

Everyone else seemed to be already paired up and ready for the ball, looking like love sick puppies at the men who finally asked them to attend.

As much as Clementine dreamed of the ball and the dress she'd wear, the music, and laughing with her friends, the thoughts quickly subsided when she noticed Draco Malfoy staring at her.

She hated that she and Draco had some sort of line that kept them together, he was the only one who understood the Death Eater drama. No matter how hard she attempted to explain it to her friends, they'd never truly understand it.

Draco had been keeping a close eye on her, giving her more anxiety than she needed, and she wondered what went through his mind.

She still had yet to understand what he meant and what damage she could possibly do at school, how her personal events could affect the Death Eaters.