Too Shy To Tell You (Cedric Diggory x Reader)

Empty Promises

You watched as people waltzed around the ballroom. Laughing. Smiling, Having fun. You sat on sidelines, wishing you were anywhere but here. You were returning to Hogwarts in just one week, but it felt you'd be waiting forever. You fidgeted with the sleeves of your white dress, making sure they covered the fresh bruises that were blooming on your arms. The lace fell around your wrists, hiding the dark spots that peppered your body. One slightly harder to hide, was the black and blue mark that made itself present on your jawline. Even with all the makeup you piled on, it was still evident. Your father had made it very clear that you were to come up with a believable excuse, or else there would be consequences.
The ball was a success. Your father had managed to, once again, put up a charming façade, fooling all of your guests. He had made several important business deals, that you were just dying to ruin. It was Christmas. Your family was supposed to be spending quality time together, but that's not how it worked. Not now. Not ever. Instead, your father floated around the ballroom, your mother on his arm, looking as pleasant as could be. Matt was sitting in the corner with Draco, in complete silence. You sat back, your seat in the corner opposite Matt's. No one had paid attention to you all night, and you doubted anyone would, so you let yourself fall into your own world. Drowning yourself in thoughts.
The first day you had met Cedric Diggory was a day that you wouldn't soon forget. You were sitting alone on the Hogwarts Express, trying your best to go unnoticed. It was going quite well, until a boy, no older than yourself, had appeared inside your compartment. You glanced up at him, timidly. He smiled, the most dazzling smile you'd ever seen.
"I'm Cedric. Cedric Diggory. May I sit?" He gestured to the bench. You nodded. He smiled again and plopped down across from you. There was an awkward silence, before he finally spoke up again. "Are you going to tell me your name?" You shook yourself out of the trance you had somehow fallen into and cast him an unsure glance.
"(Y/N). (Y/N) Middlebrook." He gave you another smile. It was contagious. He had such a charming personality. You felt a small grin make its way to your lips. He smiled even wider, a few of his taffy colored curls falling over his eyes. He blew them away, rolling his eyes as he did so. You let out a soft giggle, before averting your eyes embarrassed.
"So, what house do you think you'll be in? Or at least what house do you want to be in?" He asked. That was the million dollar question, wasn't it?
"Slytherin," you stated simply. He gave you a confused look but all you did was shrug. Your whole family had been in Slytherin. And no one doubted that you would walk down the same path your ancestors had.
"Oh, I think I'm going to be put into Hufflepuff. At least that's what everyone has told me," he sighed, disappointed. You shrugged again. His frown faded and was replaced by a wide grin. You gave him an uneasy look. "You don't talk very much. You seem awful shy. Are you sure you're going to be in Slytherin?"
"I'm not shy! Maybe I'm just lost in thought! Or maybe I'm just busy worrying about other things! Ever think of that?" You snapped. Cedric held his hands up in surrender, another grin tugging on his lips. You rolled your (E/C) eyes.
"Ah! Now I see it! There's the Slytherin!" You scowled, annoyed by his antics. His grin grew even wider. It was beginning to irritate you.
"Are you sure your not going to be in Gryffindor? Because you've got to be awful brave, not to mention stupid, if you're going to try and irritate me?"
"I never said I was trying to irritate you. I'm just trying to be friendly. That's all. Don't be so uptight (Y/N/N)." You frowned, not at the insult but at the nickname. No one had ever given you a nickname. Probably out of fear of how you'd react.
"Don't call me that. I don't like it." He cocked his head to side. A pretend look of hurt crossing his features. You, once again, rolled your eyes.
"I think it suits you. I'm going to call you that. Weather you'd like me to or not. It'll catch on. Just wait. You'll grow to love it. Trust me." You shook your head.
"I doubt that, but tell yourself what you must. I honestly couldn't care less." He snickered, making your anger boil.
"Whatever you say!" He teased in a sing-song voice. Then his face turned serious as he stared you straight in the eyes, making you tense. "Promise me. Promise me that no matter what happens, we'll always be friends." You cast him another unsure glance.
"We just met. And who said we were ever friends to begin with?" He looked at you, staying silent for a while. You shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Just do it. I have a gut feeling. We'll need each other one day. One day we're going to best friends. One day we're going to be all the other has left. Just wait." You looked at him like he was crazy but you nodded.
"I promise." He smiled as he took your hand in his and squeezed. That was the day everything had started. That was the day you had met your best friend. The love of your life. You just didn't realize it then. And you wouldn't for a long time.
If you had known all those years ago that his gut feeling, was going to be your entire future, you would have taken him much more seriously. But that day, the day when you promised you'd always be friends, you meant every word. And now...Now they were just words that echoed in your past, as you spent your Christmas alone, thinking of him. Now all that was left were empty promises.