CEDRIC HAD SPENT THE PAST FEW DAYS MULLING OVER HARRY'S TIP, his mind only slightly clouded by Antioch's odd behavior the night before the first task. Nonetheless, Cedric manages to pull himself together during the pre-competition lunch. He feels that his head is sufficiently cleared by the time he slips in to the Champions' Tent . . . that is, until a flash of familiar Slytherin robes practically barrels in to him.
Cedric instinctively grabs Amata by the arms so as to keep her from falling backwards; she only stumbles slightly, steadied by Cedric's hold on her. "It's you." is all she says. Still, there's no trace of malice in her voice. Cedric welcomes this semblance of kindness with a meek grin. "It's me." is all he manages to answer.
"A-hem."
Amata straightens and looks over Cedric's shoulder. "Viktor." she says in recognition. "I was just looking for you . . ."
Ducking underneath Cedric, Amata doesn't turn back with so much of a thanks as she stalks to one corner of the tent with Viktor. Cedric grits his teeth and ambles over to the opposite direction where he ends up sitting with Fleur Delacour.
"You are jealous." Fleur says the moment he sits. Cedric lets out a laugh of disbelief at her frankness. "That's a bit of a hasty generalization, isn't it?" he shoots back, rubbing his knuckles. "You are very expressive to zose with a keen eye, Cedreec," Fleur hums. Cedric steals a glance at Viktor and Amata who seem to be engrossed in their conversation; he swallows the lump in his throat and glances back down at his hands, making Fleur giggle. "See? Like that!"
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"There's nothing to be jealous of." Cedric says tersely, to which Fleur pats him sympathetically on the shoulder. "You are very attractive, Cedreec." she tries to assure him. Cedric shakes his head, mumbling "it's not that" until he feels Fleur's elbow poking in to his side.
"Look zair."
Following Fleur's gaze, Cedric watches Harry speak to Hermione Granger through the tent flap. "Oh, they're just friends." Cedric says dismissively. He'd seen the two around - with one of the Weasleys; Ron, if he recalled correctly - and had never heard of any romantic affiliation between any of them in all their years as a trio. Still, it was easy for rumors to go around.
Rita Skeeter's camera goes off with a flash just as Hermione bursts through the tent to envelope Harry in a hug. "That witch." Fleur grumbles, pulling another chuckle out of Cedric.
"Pretty boy."
Cedric looks to where the voice came from and spots Amata beckoning at him before slipping out of the tent. For a moment, Cedric isn't sure what to do until he feels Fleur nudge at him again. "Zair's your chance!" she hisses. It's enough to get Cedric on his feet and out of the back exit, just as Rita and the rest are distracted.
Amata is unwrapping her Slytherin scarf around her neck when Cedric ducks out to meet her. "Hot out here, isn't it?" she points out in an enigmatic tone. "Almost like a dragon's nearby . . ."
Cedric laughs breathlessly, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking on his heels. "Harry Potter beat you to the tip." he warns. Amata looks stumped for a moment before raising her shoulders in a defeated shrug. "Well, there goes my peace offering." she sighs, and Cedric's heart - a bloody traitor - flutters.
"Peace offering, huh?" he repeats as calmly as he can muster. "For being such a horrible bitch to you," Amata offers. When Cedric tries to protest, Amata waves a hand in his direction. "You can deny it, but I know how I've treated you. Antioch has been badgering me non-stop, and it guts me to admit that he's right."
"Please don't tell me you're just doing this because you think I might die."
Amata smirks at this. "That would be unfortunate." she says cheekily. "But, no . . ." Pulling aside her robes, she shows off something pinned to her shirt: a Support Cedric Diggory badge. "Before your Hufflepuff arse tells me not to wear this on behalf of Potter, I'll let you know I enchanted this one a few days back so that it has none of those ' Potter stinks ' animations." Amata assures him. "Though I certainly wouldn't mind having that function . . . "
"Mr. Diggory? Ah, here you are," Dumbledore interrupts, peeking out from inside of the tent. "I would hate to intrude, but you're needed in here. We're about to begin."
"To be continued?" Amata volunteers as Dumbledore disappears back in to the tent. "I would like that." Cedric says, unable to contain his smile. "Stop looking at me like that." she warns. "Like what?" Cedric teases in turn.
"Mr. Diggory!"
"Give them hell, pretty boy." Amata says laughingly, pushing Cedric back in to the tent. As Cedric trips over himself and makes his way to where the rest of the champions have convened, he finds that his head is clearer than it's ever been.
