To Hell ~ Fred Weasley

Chapter 21.

The Quidditch game between Hufflepuff vs Slytherin went by much more pleasant weather wise. It was still cold out and Helena had brought with her Cedric's yellow scarf, getting some odd looks from other Hufflepuffs who were whispering when they saw her but she did not care at this point.

Nina tried to convince the twins to come with her so she wouldn't be alone now that she had gotten used to being with them most of the time, but they declined the offer, Fred saying they did not feel like watching her swoon over the Hufflepuff captain every time he flew past her, so she went by herself.

In the end, Hufflepuff lost even though the team was playing impressive tactics but they weren't enough to beat Slytherin's cunning moves.

"I still think all of you were amazing!" Nina told Cedric on their way back to the castle after the game.

"Thanks," the boy sighed, taking off his Quidditch gloves. "I just didn't want to diminish our chances to win the Cup."

"Hufflepuff will get it's time to shine, I know it!" Nina encouraged.

The two of them walked upstairs to Gryffindor Tower when Helena mentioned she needed to get back to her History of Magic essay and Cedric wanted to step away from the crowd before heading to the Great Hall, so he kept her company.

Cedric grabbed her hand before she stepped inside the portrait to stop her.

"Nina, I just want to tell you that, er..." the boy shifted on the spot where he was standing, eyes staring at hers and then quickly turning to the floor before looking back at her. "I... I like you-- more than friends, I mean."

What?

Helena had thought for a second that she must have imagined hearing the words, but seeing how nervous and serious the brunette was, made her realise he really said he liked her and could not believe it.

But her shock and silence was seen as rejection in Cedric's mind and he was starting to consider running the other way.

"Oh god... I shouldn't have said anything, right?" he muttered, embarrassment all over his face. "Let's pretend I didn't just make a fool of myself and--"

Nina leaned in to kiss his cheek making the boy blush like crazy.

"I like you too, Ced." Helena smiled already feeling her cheeks burn red, her heart racing with joy as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"And I'm relieved you said it first," she continued, "because I would have ended up dragging the topic on and on. I tend to do that when it's something important, I've noticed. And at the end maybe I would have just chickened out and not say anything at all and feel all crappy about it later--"

Cedric placed a hand over her mouth, shutting her up as he looked down on her with endearment.

"You're adorable when you ramble, did you know that?" he chuckled, putting his hand down to see her grinning back at him.

Helena was feeling overwhelmed by eveything she was feeling as she gazed at the Hufflepuff. It was certainly a new experience for her, something she would only empathize with the characters in the romantic movies she watched or in the muggle novels she read back home.

It was too early to tell where this would take her but just having taken the first step, was enough to brighten her day.

"I better get going," said Cedric, "the team will need a pep-talk before they start getting depressed about losing. I'll see you around, Rosemund!"