keeper → g. weasley [EDITING]

↝sixteen

   MALLIE COULD HEAR VOICES as she neared the Hall.

She rounded the corner and could see the champions being let out: Victor Krum walked past her towards the grounds where their ship was docked, looking surly. His headmaster followed suit.

She couldn't help but freak out a bit inside, he was Victor Krum after all. Greatest seeker of all time. 

She saw Fleur Delacour floating down the opposite corridor with the Beauxbatons' tall headmistress leading her.

Mallie spotted Cedric, he was talking to Harry Potter. The conversation ended quickly and the Chosen One made his way down an empty corridor in the direction of the Gryffindor common room.

Cedric turned to walk away, but Mallie quickly caught up to him.

"Cedric!" she called once she was sure there were no more teachers lurking about.

Cedric turned around and offered a small surprised smile, "Mal, what are you doing here? It's late."

"I am well aware of the time, Cedric." She playfully shoved him, "I came to check on you."

He reflected the comment off, "Mal, I'm great. I'm Hogwarts champion!"

Mallie gave him a sad look and Cedric immediately cut her off before she could say anything else;

"They are. Letting Harry compete I mean. But it's okay! Less pressure on me."

Mallie knew Cedric, and she knew it wasn't quite as okay as he claimed, but didn't push it.

"You think he did it? Put his name in the Goblet?" She asked.

Cedrics eyebrows crinkled, and he shook his head.

"I asked him, says he didn't. I don't know if I believe him, but Crouch was explaining the technicalities of the Goblet: he'd have to have created a fourth category ... and I don't know how capable he is of that. Chosen One or not."

They were now nearing the Hufflepuff dorm, "I don't suppose the other schools are too happy about it?" Mallie asked again.

Cedric laughed loudly enough for it to bound down the corridor, "Absolutely fuming!"

They walked together until they reached the fork where the common room split into girls and boys dormitories.

"Cedric." Mallie said seriously now,
"You'll be careful, right?"

He grabbed Mallie by the shoulders and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"Mallie," He whispered down into her ear, "I don't want you worrying about me. It's gonna be okay."

She wrapped her arms tightly around him. His words did nothing but cause the bubble of worry in her stomach to swell.

"Okay?" Cedric confirmed.

Mallie nodded her head into his chest, but neither let go.

Mallie was Cedric's family, his little sister. He couldn't afford getting hurt in this tournament, who would watch out for her?

Cedric pulled away, finding Mallie's watery eyes in the dim light of the fire and lifted his pinky finger, wrapping it around hers. and kissing where they met, "I promise."

He leaned over to place a light peck on her forehead, then left.

××××

The days flew by like stray leaves in the Autumn wind, growing ever closer to the First Task of the Triwizard Tournament.

As the weeks went on, Cedric's face was turning greener and greener. Although, Mallie, who was too deeply buried in school work, barely had a moment to glance at the calender.

Charlie had, after a four day strike, apologized to Mallie and she forgave him, with terms and conditions of course.

He wasn't allowed to be rude to either of the Weasley twins, in person or on the topic.

Mallie was growing increasingly fond of the two, and a day barely passed when they didn't come greet her. Either at breakfast or in the corridors between classes. They were becoming a constant Mallie was growing to rely on.

When Mallie did eventually take a glance at the date, it was the evening before the first task.

Her and their group of friends sat at the Hufflepuff table around Cedric, who was an unhealthily pale color.

Cedric told Mallie just that afternoon that Harry had shared his knowledge of the First Task, but withheld it from Mallie.

Mallie admired his decency, and not that she'd been especially bitter with him, but when she saw Harry again in the corridor, she made an extra effort to offer him a genuine smile.

He returned it mildy.

Mallie was barely offended. The whole school had been giving him trouble about getting into the competition and he looked as if he were about to faint from anxiety when she passed him.

Cedric picked gingerly at his pork roast as people around him talked in excited voices.

West prodded him in the side with the back of his fork, "Come on Ced, you'll be fine."

Cedric nodded faintly and gurgled something inaudible.

Mallie looked at her friend with sympathy, "Be happy! You're a champion, tomorrow's the big day!"

Cedric managed to give an overly large, and without a doubt fake, smile with far too much teeth.

Mallie rolled her eyes, and in the buzzing Hall, climbed out of her seat and stood up.

She picked up her Goblet of pumpkin juice, holding it over her head and in a loud voice announced:

"To Cedric Diggory!"

Once the table realized what she said, the Hufflepuffs leapt up, clinked their goblets together in celebration and chorused:
"To Cedric!"

A few people from the other houses joined in, and Mallie's gaze fell to the Gryffindor table.

Harry Potter had buried himself behind his goblet and was a bright, embarrassed red.

She turned a bit to face him and raised her glass again;
"And to Harry Potter! Our two champions!"

The Hufflepuffs roared again. This time, the Gryffindors stood too, and a chorus of "Our brave, our strong! Our lean, our mean! Our Hogwarts Champions!" rang throughout the Hall.

Harry was blushing. Helooked up and made eye contact with Mallie. She couldn't help notice the small smile evident on his nervous features."

Soon, nearly the whole of Hogwarts were walking between the Gryffindor and the Hufflepuff table, taking turns to pat the champions on the back.

The Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students sat watching idolly, offering a weak one or two claps.

Mallie sat down again, and feeling a pair of eyes on her, glanced back at the Gryffindor table again.

A hand touched her shoulder and Cedric leaned forward to speak to Mallie over the noise.

"Thank you, Mal."

She looked back over her shoulder to Harry Potter and then back to Cedric, 

"You're in this now, Cedric. And win or lose, we'll love you the same."

××××