Cardigans are Cool

The First Task

The night before the first task, Lilah and Noah stayed awake, curled up together in the kitchen. Delilah and Cedric had spent the whole day together, but Cedric needed his sleep since he was literally fighting dragons the next day. The twins didn't say much to each other - their company was comforting enough. Noah had planned to stay awake with her sister, since she knew she'd need the support, but the truth was that Noah was worried sick for Cedric. The two had grown to become very good friends, due to their shared house and mutual love for Lilah. Noah wouldn't be able to sleep even if she wanted to. So, the two sat cuddled up in silence, munching on cauldron cakes, pondering the events of the next day.

"He'll be okay, Lilah. He's an amazing wizard, and you literally showed him how to make friends with a dragon." Noah said humorously, nudging her sister's shoulder gently. Lilah managed a small smile, thinking about that dragon. She sincerely hoped they were all being treated well, and made a mental note to speak to the twins about their brother Charlie, who worked with dragons. Lilah thought that seemed like a career she could get behind. Eventually, the two drifted into an uneasy sleep, curled up in the corner of the kitchen.

"...Miss Valis? Are you alright?" A small voice asked. The girls groggily peeled their eyes open, to be greeted by a timid looking house elf. Delilah jumped slightly, but Noah giggled.

"Sorry, Klimpert. This is my sister!" Noah said cheerily. Delilah instantly relaxed when she saw how comfortable Noah was around the small creature.

"Oh! Lovely to meet you, Miss Valis." The house elf said, "Klimpert at your service. Delilah giggled.

"You're so fucking cute, oh my god." She said in awe. She reached out her hand, smiling widely at him. "Nice to meet you, Klimpert! Call me Delilah." The house elf timidly shook her hand, and gave her a warm smile.

"You should return to your common rooms, girls. It was lovely talking to you." Klimpert smiled, and the girls got up to go and get ready for the dreaded day. When they were about to part ways, the two were tackled in a hug. They both let out a squeal from the unexpected contact. When they were released, they turned round.

"CEDRIC!" Lilah cried, jumping up on the poor boy. She clung to him tight, and he didn't let her go. Lilah pulled away to look at him, her legs still wrapped around his waist. "You're meant to be at the-"

"I know. I snuck away for a bit. I wanted to see you, cuz I knew you'd be freaking out." Cedric said. His tone was so calm and soothing, and she could see determination glinting in his eyes. A newfound confidence for the boy arose in Lilah when she saw this, and for the first time since Cedric was chosen - she smiled a genuine smile. Delilah kissed him gently, and hopped down from his grip.

"Good luck, Diggory, you'll smash it." Noah grinned at him, sensing his confidence. Cedric smiled widely at her.

"Aw, come here. you." He said, pulling her into a sudden tight hug. "I'm doing it for you two, don't forget it." Cedric whispered in her ear, and Noah found herself very glad this boy had come into their lives. She grinned at him, and they pulled apart.

"Do you remember everything I taught you the other night?" Lilah asked. Cedric thought back to his badass girlfriend making friends with a dragon.

"How could I forget?" He grinned, ruffling her already messy hair. 

"I hope you get the Swedish Short-snout. He licked you, so there's a good chance he'll remember you." Lilah said.

"Oh, you sexy thing." Cedric said, relief washing over him. "Right, I need to go, wish me luck." He said, taking a deep breath. He pulled the two girls into one last hug, and jogged down the hall. Lilah and Noah watched him retreat, and they found themselves feeling strangely calm.

"He's gonna do amazing." Noah said, staring up at her infatuated sister. Delilah nodded, an emotional smile on her face.

"Let's go and get ready." Lilah said, taking a deep breath. The twins shared their goodbye handshake, and parted ways.

Noah ran back to her dorm, wanting to get ready as fast as possible so she could support her sister. Despite Cedric's clear determination, they were still terrified. She slipped on her favourite purple jumper that Delilah had knitted for her, a skirt and tights, and hauled on her thick brown coat. Meanwhile, Delilah ran to her dorm, also wanting to get ready as fast as possible. She put on Cedric's hoodie for ultimate comfort, leggings, and furry brown boots. She left her hair in the loose twin braids that she'd slept in, and ran downstairs to meet her sister. They met back in the hallway, linking arms and speedwalking to to site of the First Task Their breathing sped up, and the twins met them there, pulling them both into a comforting hug. Although they were jealous of the attention Cedric was receiving, they weren't COMPLETE assholes. The four made their way to the stands, anticipation driving them mad. Lilah and Noah held each other's hands so tightly that their knuckles went white, their stomachs churning unbearably with nerves. Cedric was first. They announced his name, and the stands erupted into applause. The girls remained silent, eyes fixed on the field. Delilah stared at the scene before her, and almost cried with relief. 

The Swedish Short-snout.

After the task, the girls pushed out of the crowd, running faster than they'd ever run in their lives. They wound round the paths, pushing past anyone in their way. They made their way to the Champions' tent, and they grinned when they saw a tall boy dressed in yellow, a little beaten up but very much alive. As soon as he saw them, his face lit up, and he ran towards them. The three students collided in a tight hug. They didn't pull apart - in fact, they stayed like that for a good ten minutes, and they ended up sitting on the floor, still hugging. Delilah looked up from the hug, seeing Harry gathering his things. 

"Harry!" She said, and he looked at the three students bundled up together on the floor. Harry smiled, his heart warmed by the display in front of him. "Well done! You smashed it, and most of the castle it seems." She joked, reaching her hand out to him. Harry smiled, taking her hand, but was taken by surprise when she yanked his arm and dragged him into the group hug.