nostalgia • cedric diggory

- one

CEDRIC DIGGORY looked across the great hall, his eyes fixated on the raven haired beauty whom was adorned in emerald robes that made her eyes shine. Cedric often admired her as though she were a painting, for she was art and held a mysterious aura around her.

No one really knew much about Melaine Hollows, infact her entire family appeared to be unknown to the Wizarding World. This would not be uncommon if Melanie was muggle born, but she was pureblooded and so many wondered what the big secret about her family was.

The hufflepuff boy shared many classes with Melanie, and everytime she raised her hand in the air to answer a question - normally about a topic that the rest of the class had no clue about - he wondered by she didn't possess robes embroidered with sapphire thread rather than the emerald. But that was part of what Cedric liked about her; she was a mystery waiting to be solved.

They had never spoken in their six years at Hogwarts, infact Cedric repeatedly doubted as to whether Melanie was even aware of his exsistence. He pouted slightly, resting his chin in his hand as he watched Melanie's eyebrows furrow and her dust pink lips tighten as she read the letter she held in her hands.

"Diggory's drooling over Hollows again." Charlie sniggered. Sam looked over at Cedric to find that dispite the ebony haired boy's use of hyperbole, he wasn't far wrong. Quickly, Sam reached forward and whacked his fist against Cedric's elbow causing his arm to slacken and his jaw to fall through the air. Charlie snorted loudly and high fived Sam as they watched Cedric look around, wide eyed.

"I was not drooling." Cedric grumbled in response, pulling the cuff of his sleeve down to reach his wristbone.

"Of course you weren't." Sam retorted sarcastically and rolled his eyes. "Because you don't stare at her every day or anything." Charlie piped in and Cedric's mouth opened and closed as he attempted to scramble for a reply.

"Lover boy look, she's finally acknowledging your exsistence." Sam teased, poking Cedric in the ribs as he looked at Melanie who sat at the Slytherin table, now accompanied by her best friend. Cedric followed his gaze and blushed furiously when he found Melanie looking at him with what appeared to be curiosity.

"Stop making it obvious." Cedric hissed as he sharply looked down at his toast. Sam and Charlie grinned at each other - winding Cedric up was the Hufflepuff pair's favourite passtime.

"Stop making what obvious Ceddie Weddie?" Charlie pouted in a baby voice as he dramatically rested his head on Cedric shoulder. "That you love her?" He added, dragging out the word 'love'. Cedric grumbled something incoherently that sounded oddly like a string of curse words, and then proceeded to shove Charlie away, causing Sam to burst into a fit of laughter.

As his two best friends sat laughing so hard tears began to form at the crevice of their eyes, Cedric felt as though someone's stare was burning holes through him. And so he looked up and found Melanie Hollows looking back at him, only this time she smiled.

•°•°•°•

Melanie resisted the urge to scream in joy as she eyed the letter that the owl had left moments before. She snatched the letter into her hands, staring at it as though it was worth more than all the gold in the world. And in a way it was, for it was a letter from her older brother.

Melanie loved Meliorn more than she loved anyone on the universe - even more than her mother and father. Meliorn was her whole world, and each letter she received from him was priceless. Over excited, Melanie ripped open the envelope and pulled the letter out, her sapphire eyes quickly scanning the words, cherishing each word.

Melanie's eyebrows furrowed as she continued to read the letter, her stomach churning. The letter felt cumbersome in her petite hands - these words, they were Meliorn's words, but they weren't Meliorn. Something wasn't right. Meliorn's letters were always filled with terrible puns, and not a single detail left out.

But this letter, it sounded formal - nothing more than phatic talk. The letter was short and not a single joke within it. The onyx haired girl was snapped from her catastrophic thoughts when Angelia Zabini slid into the seat beside her, bumping her hip against hers.

"What's that?" Angelia inquired, gesturing to Melanie's letter as she reached forward and scooped scrambled eggs onto her plate. Melanie folded the letter up and placed it back in the torn envelope before replying to her best friend. "It's a letter from Meliorn." Melanie replied and Angelia's eyes lit up causing Melanie to bite back a laugh.

It was no secret that Angelia had a crush on Meliorn. Infact, the majority of the Slytherin house did - it was rather uncomfortable actually and incredibly creepy. He didn't even need charm to make women swoon, he merely looked at them with those sapphire eyes, and he had a trail of women falling at his feet. But Meliorn was oblivious to it all, he was always so carefree dispite their parents, but this letter began to make Melanie wonder just what exactly had changed since she had left home.

"Uh oh." Angelia commented as she took a sip of her orange juice, her left eyebrow arched. "You have your 'something is wrong' look going on. What did Meliorn's letter say?"

Melanie would've smiled at the girl's terrible attempt at mimicking Melanie's facial expressions of it weren't for the fact that she was genuinely worried.

"Is his writing more handsome?" Angelia teased as she munched on her toast, reaching across Melanie to try and grab the letter. Huffing, Melanie slapped Angelia's hand away. "One;" She began and Angelia pouted, not wanting one of Melanie's lectures. "Writing cannot be 'handsome' and two; please stop doing that weird eyebrow wiggle thing when you talk about him."

"Fine." Angelia huffed. "What is it?" She asked, genuinely concerned now that she truly saw Melanie's troubled expression. Instead of explaining it to her best friend, the onyx haired girl merely handed her the letter, allowing her to scan through the laborious and formal letter.

"Ew." Angelia announced, setting the letter back on the table once she had finished reading it. "That is not Meliorn at all."

"I know." Melanie agreed, running her hand through her hair. "I'll write to him later and try and find out what's wrong. If that doesn't work I'll write to mum and dad."

"Damn you are feeling brave." Angelia noted and Melanie scoffed, shaking her head. Angelia looked around the great hall, mumbling about a 'late broomstick delivery' but alas no owl came anywhere near her.

"Mel, why is Cedric Diggory staring at you?" Angelia asked, her nose scrunched up. Melanie turned round and followed Angelia's gaze, her eyes landing on a hufflepuff who was not even trying to hide the fact that he was staring at her.

She faintly recalled seeing him play Quidditch, being both the seeker and the captain. His ebony locks fell into his grey eyes that were fixated on Melanie, his bottom lip jutting out as he rested his chin upon his hand.

"He's pretty." Melanie observed and Angelia rolled her eyes as Melanie swivelled round and continue to eat her breakfast. "He's gorgeous." Angelia corrected. "And he's staring at you."

"Well then clearly no one ever told him thay staring was rude." Melanie guffawed. When she received no response she turned expectantly to her best friend, huffing as she saw her glancing in the direction of the hufflepuff table once more. "Merlin Angie, now you're the one staring."

"He's blushing." Angelia cooed and Melanie swore under her breath. She had serious things to deal with and would rather not have to even play along with Angelia's games. But nonetheless she looked round again to find she was true to her word. And something about him in that moment made her smile.

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a/n
this chapter is so crappy im sorry