honeysuckle. (cedric diggory.)

four. ( the first letter. )

THE LATE September sun was unseasonably warm as they lounged in the courtyard, enjoying a free afternoon with the wind tangling the scent of autumn in their hair rather than spending a few hours cooped up in Blake's personal hell — the library. In a celebratory mood over that fact, Blake had smuggled some pumpkin juice out of the kitchens, and even Milo had put aside most of his studying to enjoy a bottle, though his transfiguration book was propped open on one knee, and whenever any of them pointed out how lame he was being, he merely warned them about their impending quiz of doom.

A quiz that Elaine likely should have been more worried about, given that human transfigurations were incredibly difficult and she'd had a grudge against them since Ben gave her a pig's nose last year, but she couldn't even think about studying at that moment. It was a beautiful Friday, it was warm, and Cedric's eyes were capturing the light in such a way that they gleamed like liquid silver.

Her cheeks were warm as she glanced down at her lap and smoothed the photographs she'd just pasted into her scrapbook. A series of three from earlier in the week, when she'd captured a few shots of the boys studying; or, more accurately, not studying. Blake doodling a burrito cowboy on his charms essay, Milo covertly smuggling Tad a treat under the library table, Cedric performing an incredibly accurate imitation of Mad-Eye Moody shouting at them with one of Elaine's cheerful blue barrettes over his eye. She scribbled the date at the foot of the page, and turned her attention to the sheet of Muggle stickers Ben had sent her earlier in the week.

Along with a short letter about how he was anxiously waiting for her and Cedric's wedding announcement. She'd been quick to crumple that up before any other eyes saw it.

A soft hand touched her shoulder, a breath of warm air kissed the shell of her ear, and the scent of evergreen and cinnamon surrounded her. "I think you should use that one," Cedric said, and she heard the smile in his voice as he pointed to a pair of smiling sunny side up eggs, with 'egg-cellent!' written under them.

Without hesitation, she peeled off the sticker and stuck it in the corner of Cedric's impression. Then, she returned his crooked grin. "It's quite funny if you get the yolk," Elaine giggled.