The Unexpected Task [H.P.]

Chapter 11 - The Tournament Begins

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 It had been an entirely sleepless night- I'd spent most of it tossing and turning, reliving the same odd dream about that Caretaker over and over until I accepted that I'd just have to resume my old tradition of being the first student at Breakfast. I had stumbled down into the Great Hall before dawn had truly broken and begun sleepily pouring a coffee into my mug when the bench across from me scraped against the floor, causing me to jump in my seat and lock eyes with Harry. His dark green eyes were rimmed with deep set circles, he'd seemingly gotten as little sleep as I did.

"Is Sirius Black your Godfather?" I ask, stirring milk into my coffee. Hary blinks at me from across the table, and a moment passes before he nods solemnly.

"Okay," I reply, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry shakes his head, staring at the plates of muffins before him with little interest.

"When my brother was really upset about something," I began gingerly, reaching forward and setting a muffin on the plate in front of him, "we'd always fly it out. I... I think we should pay the Quidditch pitch a visit."

Harry looked up from across the table, a small grin etching at the side of his lips, "You know how to play Quidditch?"

"Of course I do," I smirk, tipping my head at him, "Come on, eat your muffin." I point at the pastry before him, paying no mind to the abandoned toast in front of me.

Ten minutes later, he's devoured his muffin, and I've drained my third cup of coffee waiting for him to return to the Entrance Hall with his Firebolt. I lean against a marble pillar and watch as the Great Hall slowly fills with drowsy students, trying to remind myself not to be surprised when silk-robed Beauxbatons girls flit past and round-shouldered Durmstrang students ogle our golden goblets and plates. At the top of the stairs across the hall, I see the top of Harry's unruly head as he approaches with his Firebolt, and I push off the column towards him, blind to the person walking straight at me. Suddenly I've collided with them, feeling solid, warm muscle beneath my outstretched hands and I stumble back, startled.

I glance up, seeing the pristine yellow coating of a Hufflepuff Prefect pin, and curse myself silently, knowing immediately who I've face planted into. A hand grips my shoulder, and I'm forced to look into Cedric Diggory's eyes for the first time, a blush redding my flustered cheeks.

"I'm so sorry-" I breathe out, taking a step back, his hand still on my shoulder. Cedric grins, a dimple appearing as the blush across his face mirrors my own.

"No worries," he responds, a deep rhapsody, and I melt a little. He gives my shoulder a pat, and carries on, his Hufflepuff robe starchy as it flows behind him. I wobble a little on the spot, my hand absentmindedly drifting to my shoulder, where I swear I can still feel the weight of his hand.

I'm surprised to find Harry beside me, his Firebolt secured on his shoulder, staring quizzically after Cedric, then back at me. We're silent for a moment before I shake myself out of it, "Um, sorry."

Harry's eyebrows knit together, and he dips his head, "Let's go."

I grin, and we head outside, my mind still reeling from the sudden meeting. Cedric was handsome from far away- but up close, Merlin- his hair was shiny, and the lightest spatter of freckles dotted his nose. His jaw was squared in that Muggle movie star way-

"Emorie," Harry's voice drew me out of my reverie, and I realized we were already at the Quidditch pitch. "What's going on with you?"

I shake myself out of it once and for all, "Nothing, promise. Drank too much coffee, maybe."