Cedric Diggory and the Second Chance

Serious Conversation?

The very same night, as Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati were gossiping, Scott knocked on the door of Cedric's Head Boy room door. It was late. Scott felt incredibly bad about asking Hermione out, though he was also quite confused and needed Cedric to clear things up. Cedric was writing in his journal when Scott knocked. Nobody ever knocked, either Scott barged in because he knew the password or nobody bothered to bother Cedric.

Cedric hoisted himself up off the bed and used his crutches to cross his bedroom to the door. He turned the knob and there was Scott, looking awfully guilty. "Hey, Ced... can I come in?"

"Sinc when do you ask?" Cedric laughed, but his laugh fell when he saw Scott wasn't doing it as a joke. "Yeah, of course." Cedric stepped to the side to allow his friend in. Scott rushed in and sat on Cedric's bed.

"How did it go?" Scott asked, not looking at Cedric. He had let the guilt build-up throughout the day. Cedric was his friend, so how could they go for the same girl? How could he be a good friend and still go on the date with Granger? He felt awful. He knew Cedric better than Cedric. He knew that Cedric and Hermione were going to be better off.

"It went well-"

"I know you like her, Ced. Crush or not."

Cedric's breath hitched. Had he made a mistake telling Violet? Had Violet gone off and blabbed to Scott? Cedric's legs ached and he felt very faint. Cedric sat on the opposite side of his bed, quite embarrassed, really, of his friend's sudden accusation.

"And what should I do about it?" Cedric asked finally, after moments upon moments of silence.

Scott was truthful. "Either give up or go get her, Ced. I mean, what harm can it really cause? You think she's hot, you think she's nice... you're perfect for each other."

"I shouldn't like her like this, Scott. I'm too old for her. She's got 2-3 years left here and I'm in my extended year already. Plus, she's agreed to go on a date with you."

"Well, I can easily cancel that, mate. Just say something's come up and I need to deal with it. Maybe just tell her she's not really my type or tell her that I made a mistake... she's a great match for you, Ced."

Cedric straightened out and removed his leg braces, then hoisted his legs up on to the bed with a wince. "I don't know, Scott... I think I'll try not liking her and hopefully, I can get over this. Been a while since I had such a silly little crush. I feel like it's 4th year all over again."

"You can try, but I promise you I'll stay backed off."

"You're a good friend, Scott." Cedric clapped Scott on the back and smiled. "Goodnight, mate."

"Night then," Scott grinned back and retreated to his own room where he had invited Marianne. Cedric smiled to himself, then swallowed as he knew he had to try and figure out a simple plan of not liking Hermione anymore.

This would be hard.

When the morning came, Hermione woke at her usual earliness and felt... refreshed. Parvati and Lavender were asleep sideways on her bed, Lavender muttering insults quietly in her sleep. Hermione giggled to herself. Oh, Lavender.

Hermione rose from her bed, careful not to wake the other girls, and went over to the mirror on the wall. She looked as refreshed as she felt. Her hair wasn't it's normal frizzy mess, it was stilled pinned up in the ragdoll curls and Hermione was excited to see her results. She admired her skin in the mirror. It looked glowy, almost. Like dew. Hermione eyed herself up and down. She was pretty, she supposed. Wide eyes, long eyelashes and nice eyebrows, freckles on her nose and cheeks, forehead not too small or too big, slim waist, nice chest. Though her chest was rather small, it wasn't too big or too small. Her teeth were fixed. She had nice hips, Hermione thought to herself. Hermione, for once, felt beautiful as she stood in the mirror.