THE NEWS OF AN UPCOMING ball spread throughout the school rapidly, instantly becoming a popular topic. And as if they hadn't already been before, girls began to surround Cedric at such a great quantity that he was never remotely alone. Everywhere he went, a trail of girls toyed behind him, all whispering and giggling stupidly.
At the moment, Arden was sitting in an empty classroom with the rest of the Gryffindor class, who was split between boys and girls, watching Filch attempt to play a huge gramophone. After four, dreadfully long minutes of the caretaker ceaselessly failing, the door opened and Professor McGonagall entered, followed by Professor Sprout and what appeared to be the entire Hufflepuff class.
"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for well mannered frivolity," Professor McGonagall announced, looking behind every few words as Filch still struggled.
"As representatives of the host school, we expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the Yule Ball is first and foremost,
a dance," Professor Sprout added, causing groans to emerge from the boys' end of the room. The two professors looked on either side of the room, as if scanning for certain people, before calling forward Cedric and Ron. While Cedric looked happy as he stepped up to Sprout, Ron expressed nothing more than a sheer look of mortification and dread.
"Now to dance is to let the body breathe. Inside every girl a secret swan slumbers, longing to burst forth and take flight, and inside every boy a lordly lion prepared
to prance," Professor McGonagall said, grabbing a hold of Ron's arm. "Right hand on my waist, Mr. Weasley," she instructed, grabbing his arm and placing it in the proper position. Students from both ends of the room began to snicker, including Cedric, before Professor Sprout snapped her fingers in front of his face.
"And what do you think you're up here to do, Diggory, stand and watch? Hand on my waist!" Cedric stopped laughing immediately and his eyes slightly bulged, which only increased the surrounding snickers, before he hesitantly obliged. However, once he began to follow Professor Sprout's instructions, his once slightly-reddened face was overtook by an expression of pure concentration; he was paying close attention to the woman, which somehow caused her and the line of girls in which Arden was seated with to become flustered. Arden's struggle to keep her laughter under controlled only became harder.
"One two three, one two three," the professors chimed, waltzing with the boys.
"Now, everyone come together!" Professor McGonagall announced after a few moments, letting go of Ron, who, at this point was as red as his hair.
Cedric attempted to reach Arden when Sprout let go of him, but was too late when he saw Fred Weasley offer her his hand. His shoulders dropped as he turned and looked around, asking a random fifth year (whose eyes bulged as she eagerly chanted yes.)
"You're a natural," exaggerated Fred, spinning Arden around with shocking ease. Arden rolled her eyes and laughed, surprisingly enjoying herself in the dance class.
"Only because I have you as my partner," she said sarcastically, looking at Fred. However, Fred was no longer looking at Arden; he was looking over her shoulder, sporting a stupid smirk. "Now why are you making that face - "
" - A certain boy, whose name rhymes with Fedric Biggory, is giving me an extremely foul look," Fred grinned, looking back at Arden. When she tried to turn around to see for herself, the boy stopped her and began to pick up the pace.
"Frederick!" Arden groaned, stumbling now that the boy was waltzing at a jig pace.
"Mr. Weasley, like a lordly lion!" Bellowed Professor McGonagall, "Not a babbling, bumbling, baboon!"
"Sorry Professor," Fred replied, slowing down, "got carried away." Professor McGonagall sighed and made her way to Seamus Finnigan, who, appeared to be waltzing as if his legs were made of tin. "Aha," Fred suddenly said, the previous smirk he wore coming back, "my plan worked!"
"What plan?" Arden asked, becoming unsettled at the thought of another round of Fred's waltz-jig.
"The plan that lures Golden Boy Diggory over," he said nonchalantly, continuing to sway.
"What - "
" - Mind if I cut in, Fred?" Arden heard Cedric's melodious voice chime in from behind. Her eyes widened as she stared up at Fred, who, feigned a pained expression.
"I sincerely apologize I was not up to your standard," he sighed dramatically, giving a slight bow to Arden before throwing her a wink. Fred then stepped aside and linked arms with the girl Cedric was with (whose once protuberant eyes were now shooting daggers at Arden.)
"Sorry I interrupted whatever you were in the middle of," said Cedric, causing Arden to avert her narrowed eyes from Fred to him. "We can change back if you want." She noticed that there was a waver to his voice, as if he was uncertain or even bothered.
"No, no, no," she began, shaking her head quickly. "I am glad you cut in, Fred was turning this into the Macarena." Cedric flashed her a beautiful smile before spinning her around with such grace that even Fred couldn't top.
After the class ended, it was their afternoon break so the two decided to walk to the nearby courtyard.
"So," Arden coughed, turning her head to glance at Cedric, "got anyone in mind for the ball? You know, to ask as a date?"
He lightly grinned and shook his head, releasing a small sigh before replying. "I have someone in mind, but she'll probably reject me." Arden tripped on her feet, thankfully not falling, after he responded, unhappy at his answer.
"Oh." Her sudden change in mood appeared to go unnoticed by the boy, so she shook it off and continued walking in silence.
"What about you?" He asked a few moments later, lightly kicking the back of her shin as they walked. She swallowed and looked around, thinking of what she should answer with.
"Fred," she impulsively blurted out, catching not only Cedric, but herself off guard.
"Are you serious?" He had stopped in the middle of the courtyard and looked down at her, a look on his face that she had never seen before. (ik u all can imagine what scene this is 👁👄👁)
"Yes," she replied tentatively, not making eye contact, "He asked me when we were dancing."
Cedric's insides crushed at her words, anger and sadness seeping through the damage. He looked away momentarily to collect himself, but found it hard to muster up any response, so he decided to continue his trek across the courtyard.
"Hey!" Arden called out, jogging to catch up to him. "What's wrong?" He stopped again and looked at her, his face briefly appearing stern before softening.
"Nothing, I'm just gutted that you got a date before me," he confessed, his light-hearted tone cracking a smile on her face.
"Some champion you are, am I right?" She sneered, nudging him in the arm. "Don't worry though, Diggs, you have a long line of fangirls who would just die if you asked them. The list will last you until next year, if I recall. . ."
He grinned at her as she spoke, shoving down his anger and pain so she didn't notice.
AN sorray this is my first filler chapter I think I'm not really sure ➖👄➖
