Even Birds Chirp in the Dark (D.M)

Chapter Nine

    He met us as we were walking back from Hogsmeade a few months later. Draco and I were joking around about something that had happened in Potions. I saw on Cedric's face, seething in anger, that something had come up. Draco stepped forward slightly, defense in hand, and I had half the mind to back away from them. As I looked back to Cedric I finally caught sight of Neville.

    "Neville!" He stood behind Cho, a black eye and split lip evidence that he had been hurt. I rushed over to him, grabbing his arm. He winced, but still smiled at me nonetheless.

    Cedric gritted his teeth at Draco, his fists clenching. "I know what you did Malfoy." He hissed. One of Cedric's friends looked from Ced to Malfoy, his stance defensive. Cho, however, looked straight at me. I sent her a questionable look. She stepped forward towards them. 

"Cedric, let them be, he didn't do anything, Dean was lying through his teeth. C'mon, let's just go." She looked at me, and I knew she was expecting to me to jump in between them, and defend one, but I was frozen. I realized whose side I was on, and said nothing.

    Cedric looked over at her, but stayed where he was. "Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't." He looked at Malfoy, who stood his ground, his hands calmly clenched at his side. "Why should we have any reason to believe that he didn't?"

     Malfoy finally spoke up. "Do what?" He scoffed. I turned to face him, and saw that he was looking at Neville with some type of pity in his eyes. But as soon as he met my gaze, it vanished.

     "Neville was jumped on his way back from Honeyduke's. They took all his money and beat him senseless," Cedric said, clearly annoyed by Draco's very presence.. I looked at Draco, whose eyes were now back to cold blue stone. "He didn't even see who it was."

     Draco raised an eyebrow. "So you just automatically think of me?" He retorted, rolling his eyes. "I was with Wyler the entire time. Never left her side." He smirked slightly, winking at me. I could feel Neville sigh in exasperation as he leant on my arm. 

     "What the hell Malfoy! you think this is some kind of joke?" Cedric started forward but I stepped between them. "She's not just some thing you can talk about like you know-"

"Cedric. It's true he was with me the entire time."  I laid a careful hand on his shoulder, willing him to turn to me and relax. Relax, but also forgive me for defending Draco.

     "It's no joke Diggory." He said under his breath, walking forward. "Longbottom will be fine." He said in a louder voice, striding around us. His eyes met mine as he walked away, and I saw that they looked lighter than they usually would. He was stiff as he muttered, "Goodbye Wyler, see you in class." 

     I shook my head to clear my surprise. "Bye Draco." I said in a daze.

     "You and Malfoy?" Cedric mumbles to me as we walk back to the castle. "What were you doing in Hogsmeade?"

I sigh, and turn to look at him. "We just ran into each other. He wasn't bothering me or anything." I lied, almost easily. There was still some uncertainty in his eyes, but I could tell he believed me.

     "I get a feeling Malfoy doesn't just run into people Gen." He warned. "You never know what Malfoy is up to." He still seemed pissed slightly, so I stepped forward and laid a hand on his arm. 

"Cedric?" I gave him a half smile, hoping he would return it. He just looked down at me, the furiousness lost, but his face still grim.

"Look I'm sorry, I just know he's been giving you shit about Erin so-" He broke off, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts. I shrugged, remembering our conversation in the pub. I hadn't forgotten what had happened the first day of school, but I knew I needed answers from him.

"Meet me in the library later? We should talk." Cedric smiled only partway, but it made me feel better almost instantly. 

"Go on golden boy. Cho and I have Neville."

This time he smiled, rolling his eyes as he started back to Hogsmeade with his friend. "Right after dinner, potions section?" 

I nodded, rolling my eyes as I wrapped Neville's arm around my shoulder. "You got it."

Cho smiled at me, taking Neville's other arm and helping me take him up to the castle. He protested slightly, wanting to tear his arm away from my grasp. I rolled my eyes carried him along to the hospital wing, stepping gingerly as he winced from time to time. I paused when I saw a blonde-headed boy hiding behind the wall.

      "Draco?" I called. He turned to me and grimaced.

      "Got to carry Longbottom with Chang on your own eh?" He retorted, crossing his arms and leaning against it. I rolled my eyes and carried on, darting my eyes forward. Cho gave me a nervous look to which I replied with a wide eyed face that was supposed to say something like, I have no idea, keep going.

      "Not now." I huffed, shifting my weight so Neville didn't have to limp along as much. We pass a narrow-eyed Draco, who looked as if he might say something.

     "Wyler!" I heard a voice call from behind, Heavy footsteps fall closer to us, and suddenly an arm is on my shoulder. "You're looking for Flint. I heard him talk about pranking someone on the way back, it had to have been Longbottom." 

Cho exchanges a glance with Neville, who seems just as astounded as the rest of us. She tugs him along. "I'll get him to Madam Pomfrey while you..." She trailed off, blinking. "Come on Neville."

I watched her half drag half carry Neville down the hall and through the hospital wing doors. I turned to Draco, who was looking at me expectantly.

"Draco- why would-" I broke off, shaking my head as I tried to understand.

"What? Even Longbottom doesn't deserve this." He admitted, his face still grimacing. He shook his head then, regarding me carefully. "I'll see you later than Wyler."

And with that, he was gone. The only traces that he was there, was the surprise in my eyes, and the faint smile tugging at my lips.

I finally sat with Neville and Cho in the infirmary, before the clock chimed, announcing dinner. I stood up from the side of the bed, seeing Madam Pomfrey bring a tray of soup for Neville. He was just picking through it when she turned to us. "Visiting hours are over in half an hour you two, but I suggest you head to dinner. Mr. Longbottom will be good as new tomorrow morning. 

I sat with Cho, mostly catching up on our day, and wondering about Draco. By the time the hour had passed, I was so deep in conversation I almost forgot. 

"I have to meet Cedric!" I pushed my bowl to the middle and said a quick goodbye to Cho, who was giggling at my bad timing. I started the hike to the library, being careful not to be too loud as I passed hordes of focused students. I finally met him in the potions stack, giving him a face as he rolled his eyes dramatically. 

"I saw you with Cho in the Great Hall, you two sure took your time yeah?"

"Oh shut up." I sank down beside him, glancing over at his Charms book. He closed it before I could read it, and turned to face me. 

"Look I know that these last few months have been hard, for both of us. Everything with black has brought up a lot for us I think." He began, fiddling with the sleeve of his sweater. "But I want you to know I'm here for you. Dad and I are here for you." 

"I think that we both have to move on, but it's just hard you know?" I nodded as he spoke, not really wanting to say anything, but I wanted him to know I was listening. "We never had any sort of closure. I'm not saying I ever want to speak to him again but-" He cut off, sighing. 

"I want to ask him why." I suddenly spoke up, my voice barely coming out in hoarse tendrils. 

"Why he did it to them?" Cedric wasn't even looking at me anymore as he gazed away. 

"Just why." I felt selfish for wanting to ask why he did it to us, because the Erin I knew would never.

"Just why." Cedric echoed, his voice sounding empty. I looked across, and found him staring into space. I felt my hand reach across and squeeze his, and suddenly I realized-

he was all I had left.