After breakfast, Cedric and I are given some alone time to open each other gifts. I leave the door open and grab Cedric's gift out of the desk drawer. Cedric pauses in the door frame and watches me place his gift on the desk.
"You are so pretty." I scoff and pull at my messy, slept in braid.
"Right... Me and my dad's sweater and pj pants. Quite the look." He smiles and shakes his head.
"You'd look good in anything."
"Such a flirt."
"You love it." I smile and sit on the floor.
"Come here and sit down." He does and sets a small bag in my lap.
"Happy Christmas, Goldie."
"Happy Christmas, Cedric." I hand him his gift.
"Open yours first, love." I pull out two smallish boxes, they look like jewelry boxes.
"Cedric, this is too much."
"Not for you. Open one of them" I open the square one and a simple beaded bracelet that is brown and green hazel.
"It's our eye colors as a bracelet. I made one for me too!" He rolls up his jumper sleeve and shows me a copy of the bracelet that I am holding. I slip mine on.
"That's so sweet, Ced. Come on, open yours.'
"You didn't open the other one yet."
"Yeah, but open mine, Ced." He smiles and pulls me closer to him. He opens up the box and smiles at the watch.
'How'd did you know?"
"Know what?"
"My watch stopped working after the Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor Quidditch match." I smile.
"Lucky guess... turn it over." He does as I rub his arm. He rubs. his fingers over the engraving of his initials.
"This is wicked, love." I smile.
"I'm glad you like it. Dad helped me pick it out... he was very proud of it."
"Well, he has good taste." I giggle.
"Open the other ones, love." I pick up the other box, which is much bigger than a jewelry box.
"This is rather large for a piece of jewelry." He smiles and nudges my hand.
"Just open it, Golds." I unwrap it and open the box and just stare. Two tickets sit in front of me.
Quidditch World Cup
"It's coming to England this summer," he explains as I stare at him blankly, "We won't know the teams that are playing for a while, but its like... a once in a lifetime opportunity for it to be in England-.." I throw my arms around him and he chuckles.
"Merlin, Cedric! This is wild!" He squeezes me tightly.
"It's going to be amazing! This has been my dream for years!" I giggle and press a quick kiss to his lips.
"I didn't even know that these tickets were out yet! Oh, Harry's going to be so jealous!"
"Now, I didn't do this to come between siblings." I smile at him.
"Well now I feel stupid." He pauses and holds me out so he can see my face.
"What?"
"I just got you a s-stupid watch... and you got me all this."
"It's not a stupid watch. I love it! It's practical and exactly what I need. And it is not a competition." I stick my lower lip out and sign.
"But..."
"No buts, love. I love it, okay. And those tickets are for both of us. So if anything, it's the bracelet versus the watch."
"But the bracelet is so thoughtful."
"So is the watch. My old one does not work anyway and I needed a new one."
"Call it even, Ced?"
"Of course, Golds." I smile and press another kiss to his lips.
"Thank you, love."
"Of course, Golds. Happy Christmas."
"Happy Christmas, Ced."
That night when Cedric has to leave, I was not happy. My tears were almost immediate when he brings out his bag from the basement.
"Love, what's that about?" My breathing gets a little shaky as he reaches me.
"I don't want you to leave," I cry softly. He pulls me straight into his chest and rubs my back.
"Sweetheart... it's okay. We're going to be back school in like a week and you'll see me there. I'm sure the days will go by so quick." I sniffle into his shirt and wrap my fingers in it.
"But, Ced... I.." My words get caught in my throat before I can even hope to get him to understand. He notices, of course.
"What, love?"
"I'm scared. I don't want to tell anyone because everything that has happened has been my fault." Cedric sighs and pulls my up into the office.
"None of this has been your fault, Goldie. It is totally fair to be scared, but your dad is out there looking for this guy right now. He's going to find him and put him back where he belongs."
"But what if he just escapes again?"
"Well, that's a bridge we'll pass when we get there... and why don't you want to tell anyone you're scared about this?"
"Because what if they just pull me from school? I... Mum threated me with putting all these rules out for me and I flipped. If I admit that I'm scared... I don't know what they'd do." Cedric presses a light kiss to her forehead.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," he whispers, "I'm gonna do everything I can to keep you safe, alright. Just like your dad and uncles. I love you."
"I love you too." I smile and lean in for a kiss. He pulls me right in. My tears quickly dry up and he kisses my forehead.
"The rest of this year is going to be great," he says, "I have this great feeling about it." I smile up at him.
"I hope you're right, Ced. I don't think I can do another semester of that."
"And you shouldn't have to, love." He kisses my cheek and pulls me back downstairs.
"I'll see you in a little over a week." I finally smile and squeeze his hand.
"Yeah, and it will go by fast."
"Of course, you'll write if you need something?"
"Yeah."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
YOU ARE READING
What If? Year 2
FanfictionMarigold Potter is back for her 2nd year at Hogwarts. She technically a third year, after passing all of her exams, but it still feels weird for her to say her third year. With Tom Riddle 'out of the way', she is free to have a normal schooling expe...
