Chasing Shadows || Draco Malfoy x OC

Year 4- Ch. 37

Céline grabbed her bag and stepped out of the classroom with Daphne and Tracy. They planned to head to the library to do their homework after dinner.

When they got to the Great Hall and headed to their table they all sat in their usual seats, except Céline who moved to sit next to Tracey, avoiding the annoyed gaze from the platinum haired boy.

Daphne leaned in front of Tracey, toward Céline gesturing for her to lean in, so she did.

"So," she whispered to the two other girls, but directed to Céline, "why are you avoiding Malfoy and the golden trio?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

Céline sighed and rolled her eyes and she straightened her back again.

"I refuse to speak with Malfoy, until he realizes he was wrong in starting that stupid fight with Ron the other day." She said quietly enough for them to only hear. They nodded in understanding.

"And your other friends?" Tracey asked.

"Ron needs to apologize to me for saying something hurtful. I understand he was upset, but there was no reason to be so mean."

"So you're only upset with Weasley?" Daphne questioned

"Malfoy wasn't the only one throwing rude insults about someone's mother." She huffed. "I know both mothers... and they've both been kind towards me." They both nodded in understanding.

"What about the Granger girl?" Daphne asked,

"Unfortunately Hermione's always around the boys so she's unintentionally caught in the middle of all of it." Céline sighed.

"So who do you think will give in first? Malfoy or the Trio?" Daphne asked now in a more amused tone.

"Malfoy is stubborn, but Gryffindors are known to be stubborn as well." Tracey tapped her chin, a small smirk forming. Céline just rolled her eyes at them with a small smile.

All of a sudden Céline felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She looked up behind her and saw a familiar pair of bright gray eyes. Her two friends also looked behind them and instantly blushed seeing the popular Hufflepuff student.

"Hey Céline." Cedric looks down at her with a brilliant smile. She smiled back, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

"Hi Cedric." She said kindly.

"I was wondering if you wanted to eat dinner with me at our table?" He asked, pointing behind his shoulder with his thumb.

"Oh! Um.." she paused to look at her friends since she was about to eat with them, but before she was able to say anything. She was pushed out and out of the seat by Tracey and Daphne.

"She would love to!" Daphne said excitedly.

"Yes! She must be starving, go on Cél." Tracey said enthusiastically. Céline looked at them confused, but gave in. She stood up from her seat grabbing her bag. She smiled and waved to her friends and followed the tall Hufflepuff back to his table.

Many of them began whispering, nothing bad thankfully, about her. She sat down on the empty seat next to him. He introduced her to his friends, where one girl with blonde hair shyly shook her hand. "Hello Céline, we've heard a lot about you last year, sorry I haven't been able to properly introduce myself. I'm Hannah Abbott by the way."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Hannah. It's alright, we weren't in many classes together last year, but I hope we can get to know each other this year." Céline smiles brightly at her.

"Should we start eating?" Cedric leaned in a little bit, "you were on quite the mission the other day to eat dinner." He chuckled. She blushed and nodded and started piling her plate with food. Hannah looked at her plate with big eyes.

"Céline you're going to eat all that?" She gasped. Céline looked at her confused as she took a bite out of her bread.

"Yes?"

"Sorry I didn't mean it in a bad way. What do you do to keep yourself fit?" Hannah asked.

Céline laughed at her face that had reddened. "It's alright I didn't take any offense." She smiled at her, "hmm... well I think I've always had a fast metabolism. But I guess what really helps is that I like to fly a lot. I suppose thats pretty good core excerise." She shrugged.

"You like flying?" Cedric's eyes sparkled.

"I love flying." She nodded. "It's very liberating."

"You know Cedric is captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team... Too bad Quidditch is canceled this year." Hannah sighed sadly, "would you have tried out for it, well at least for the Slytherin team, if it hadn't this year?"

Céline looked at her and smiled sadly as she shook her head, "I would have loved to, but I can't play. I took a serious injury to my arm my second year at Beauxbatons. So I'm not able to play sports like quidditch."

"Oh that's awful." Hannah said. "Sorry I brought it up."

"It's fine," she shrugged and sighed, smiling brightly again, "I've accepted it. I'll gladly cheer from the stands and support all of my friends who play!"

"That's the spirit." Cedric smiled and patted her back gently. Her cheeks turned red.

"Since we're on the topic of sports, Cedric, will you be entering for the tournament?" Céline asked him.

"Ah, I'm thinking about it. It sounds like it would be a lot of fun." He said scratching his head

"I think you should go for it." Hannah said, "Céline and I will cheer you on if you become a champion!" Céline nodded in agreement, which made Cedric's cheeks turn slightly pink.

They all continued eating while they chatted about quidditch, the tournament and other things. Céline had been so immersed in her conversation with the Hufflepuff upperclassman, she never even noticed a pair of gray-blue eyes burning holes in her back.