𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 | 𓆙

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑒

     Your eyes fluttered open to view the sun peeking through the emerald green curtains in the girls' dormitories. As you glanced around, you noticed that you were the first person to wake. Slowly getting up, you folded the sheets back and put your feet on the cold floorboards. Quietly getting a warm sweater and jeans from your trunk, you got ready to go for a walk. You could use some time to yourself, and breathing in the clear Fall air sounded like the perfect way to start the day. You quietly made your way into the common room, trying not to wake the other girls.

The common room looked so peaceful when it was empty. Taking just a second, you observed all the fish swimming and the seaweed swaying in the Black Lake. That was one thing you loved about the Slytherin common room. You could see the Black Lake through the underwater windows. As you walked to the passageway, the floorboards creaked under your feet. You hoped no one woke up because you didn't want to have to talk to anyone quite yet. Finally, reaching the passageway, you stepped outside into the hall of the dungeons. You walked to the nearest entryway that would take you out into the courtyard.

As you walked, the fallen leaves crunched under the weight of your feet. You decided it would be nice to go on a walk around the Black Lake and maybe sit under a nearby tree. Along the way, you made sure to take time to notice the small things of nature. Like the leaves changing, or the birds gliding through the sky. It may sound silly to others, but appreciating those little things helped you realize that there was more to live for. More to see and explore.

Near the Black Lake, you noticed a figure sitting under a willow tree. That was the spot you were going to, the tree that you had sat under for years. You stopped in your tracks, trying to decide whether or not you still wanted to go. Eh, what the heck, you thought as you continued to walk to your favorite tree. As you got closer, you recognized the back profile of the person. Who wouldn't be able to identify those caramel-coloured waves? It was Cedric Diggory in his dandelion yellow Hufflepuff sweater. The weight of your feet did not help with the whole idea of trying to be quiet. Cedric turned his head, locking eyes with you. Once he realized who you were, his lips formed a smile.

"Hey, (Y/N). Guess I am not the only one who likes to go on morning walks, huh," Cedric said kindly. Merlin, he knows my name, you thought.

"Hi, Cedric. No, I guess you're not," you answered nervously. He giggled as you stood there awkwardly, not knowing if you should leave him be or not.

"You can sit down if you'd like," he said as he gestured towards a spot under the tree, right next to him. You accepted his offer, and sat down beside him. You gazed at the sun rising over the surface of the water.

"Beautiful, isn't it. I come here every morning, mostly," he said, looking out to the sun with you. You noticed a small leather journal he was holding in his hand.

"What are you writing?" you asked curiously, peeking over his shoulder. He looked at you and then down to his journal.

"Oh, this? I know it's not very manly of me, but I enjoy journaling quite a bit. I just like the idea of keeping a record of the day. Bad or good, the memories remind me that I'm human," Cedric answered smoothly. His voice was intoxicating. He spoke so gracefully and with ease.

"That doesn't make you any less of a man," you said with a smile. "It actually makes you more of a man, at least in my eyes." He smiled from ear to ear and scratched the back of his head nervously.

"That's really cool of you. You know, I've seen you around a lot lately," he said as he played with some leaves on the ground.

"Oh yeah? You should've said hi," you said.

"Yeah, I just never thought you really would say hi back," he said, looking at the ground. "It's just you always looked so concentrated in everything you did. Like... uh studying in the library or even just talking to a friend. I admire that." You couldn't help but smile; he was just so sweet.