Eleanor Snape- Book 2

Promises, Promises

~Sarah Beth

Draco made me follow him around like a lost puppy, making me do anything and everything he wanted me to. He scoped out random tasks, ranging from ridiculous to just plain lazy to him. I didn't really complain much, since this was all about keeping Gregory clueless and happy, until we ran into Rufus and Dean Thomas standing outside the library after dinner. Draco pulled me back around the corner before they could see us.

"Go talk to Rufus. Tell him how much you love Nathaniel." He nudged me, grinning slyly.

"But I love Gregory..."

"Then why did you snog Nathaniel?"

"Because it's none of your business!" I snapped. He clicked his tongue.

"I guess you don't love Gregory enough...I'll just go tell him!" He started to turn around, but I grabbed his arm.

"No!... I"ll go talk to Rufus."

"Glad you came to your sense. Oh, and act love stuck." I scoffed. Resisting the urge to punch him, I went around the corner of the hallway. I put on a smiled that said 'absolutely nothing is wrong' and strutted up to Rufus with fake happiness. His back was to me so I threw my arms around his torso, surprising him.

"Frecky!" He turned around and hugged me back.

"Ruffie!" I let go of him, "Hi, dean." I waved.

"Hey," He waved back.

"What brings you this way?" Rufus asked. "You're not allowed in the library."

"I, um..." I remembered what Draco said about being love struck. "I think I'm in love!" I put my hand over my heart dramatically. Rufus rolled his eyes.

"Look, I'm glad you're so happy that Goyle is you-"

"Goyle?" Dean asked in disbelief. "As in Gregory Goyle?" Rufus nodded. "Sarah Beth! Why? You're such a good girl! Don't get tangled up with him. "

"That's what I told her!" Rufus explained. I stepped between them.

"No, not him." I put one arm around Rufus's shoulder and the other around Dean's. Rufus had grown over the summer so I had to stand on my tip toes to reach him.

"Then who are you talking about?" Rufus asked, hopeful. He was starting to smile. I looked down and bit my bottom lip, grinning, to form a sense of suspense. "Yes?" I giggled.

"Nathaniel!" I giggled and put my face against his chest, letting go of Dean.

"Nathaniel the Ravenclaw?" He sounded disappointed.

"Yes!" I happily squealed. I threw my arms around him and gave him a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to him. His drip wasn't that light, which was odd, like his heart wasn't in it. "Isn't life just wonderful when you're in love?"

"Yeah..." He put his chin on top of my head. We stood there for a moment as I made my fake happiness bubble over. I pulled off of him, making him lift his chin.

"Today is just lovely! Life is just wonderful!" i stood back on my tip toes and kissed him on the cheek. "I've got to go! Bye!" I hugged him again and turned around to skip off back towards Draco, who was surely waiting for me around the corner. "Bye, Dean!"

"Bye," He waved. I continued to skip as I started singing something I made up off the top of my head.

"Love makes life lovely!

I love love!

Love! Love! Love! Love!...

Love!" I skipped around the corner and immediately stopped, letting my smile fall. That was awful! Not only had I kissed Nathaniel and Cedric thought that he was my boyfriend, but Rufus also thought I was madly in love with him.

"I hope your happy." I snarled as Draco approached me. He laughed.

"Good performance. You almost had me convinced. You should join the Drama Club!" He joked.

"I have enough drama in my life." I replied in an almost monotone voice.

"Oh, there will be more," He assured. "Count on that!"

"Oh, goodie." I pushed past him.

"See you later, what was it Rufus called you? Freaky?" He evilly sneered.

Annoyed, I quickly made my way to the Common Room before he could think of something else to make me do.

I tapped the barrels outside the kitchen in the right rhythm, just the way Cedric had taught me my first year. I ducked in through the rounded doorway. I slowed, breathing in the familiarity of the warm, homey atmosphere. Relaxing a bit, I sat down on one of the Hufflepuff Yellow sofas next to the fireplace. I started playing with one of the any plants around the room's leaves.

"Hey, Sarah Beth? Can you clear something up for me?" I looked up: It was Cedric. My heart gave a little flutter.

"Y-yeah," I stuttered, resisting the urge to really giggle.

"Okay," He sat down beside me. I suddenly sat a little straighter, tensing up. "Remember a couple months ago when you said that Nathaniel was your boyfriend?"I looked down.

"Yes..."

"Well, I was talking to him and he didn't know what I was talking about. Why did you lie to me?" I stared straight at him, unable to speak. What was I suppose to tell him. "I'm not mad...just curious.

"Because, I was afraid you would be disappointed in me if you knew who my real boyfriend was."

"Sarah Beth, you know that it would be really hard for you to disappoint me." He gently patted me on the back. I looked away from him,, feeling guilty. "Sarah Beth, look at me." Reluctantly, I did. "I'm not mad. Just forget it happened." He smiled his winning smile, making me do the same without even thinking.

"Does he make you happy?" He simply stated.

"What?"

"Goyle. Does he make you happy?"

"Yes." I softly replied.

"Then I'm happy as long as you are." That statement made me feel 10 times lighted, like a burden had just been taken off my shoulders.

"Really?" I asked, barley being able to believe that he was taking the fact that I was dating a Slytherin so well. He laughed.

"Yes, Sarah Beth. I don't care who you're with as long as they bring you joy." He put his arm around me, making me feel incredibly small, like a child. I leaned against him, taking in his sent. He smelled the same as always: like clean linen with a small hint of the woods. It made my body tingle with jealousy. Cho got this everyday "All that matters is that you're happy."

How come he could ALWAYS make me feel better? How was it that he, unlike Rufus, could always understand me? That was one of the things I loved about him: he was always there fir me, even when Rufus wasn't.

"Cedric?" I asked, looking up at him. "Promise me you'll never leave me." He laughed again: his soft, gentle laugh.

"I promise. I'll always be here for you Sarah Beth." Then we hooked pinkies, something we always did when we were younger. Anytime we made a promise we did that. True, it wasn't The Unbreakable Vow or anything, but it was good enough for us. That sealed it. It was a pact. There was no way he would break it. He promised me he would always be there, and Cedric NEVER breaks a promise.