𝐈𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 (𝐂𝐄𝐃𝐑𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐱 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑)

3: The Morning After

Y/N PERSPECTIVE

Needless to day, I did NOT feel good the next morning.

"Blimey," I groaned, rolling out of bed. The light streaming through the windows hurt my eyes, and I felt like I was going to be sick. Breakfast was the last thing on my mind, but I still dressed in robes and dragged myself to the great hall.

I sat down heavily next to Elaine, who was chattering away with anyone around her who would listen about how her night had gone.

"Y/N! Thank goodness, I was so worried that you were caught by Filch last night!"

"Nope, made it back in one piece. Hey, you know that Diggory boy right–" I began.

"I have just GOT to tell you what happened with me and Wood yesterday!" Elaine interrupted. "After we... well, you know... he asked me to wear his scarf to the Quidditch game tomorrow!"

I was too exhausted to really care that she wasn't listening, and besides, I was happy for her. I was about to respond when a sneering remark cut me off.

"You did what, exactly, with Wood, Barrows?" I glanced over to see a pair of red horn-rimmed glasses peering at the two of us from down the table. Squabs.

I didn't particularly feel like talking to anyone this morning, and nobody less than Sweetpea Squabs. Squabs was the biggest know-it-all in Hufflepuff, and probably in all of Hogwarts, next to that Granger girl. Don't get me wrong, from what I've seen, Granger is fine, but you gotta admit that the constant blurting is irritating.

"Rumor has it that Squabs has a thing for Wood," whispered Hannah Abbott next to me, "and she's particularly territorial about him." I figured just as much, not that Wood would ever go for Sweetpea.

"Sod off, Squabs," I snapped, not in the mood for any kind of confrontation. She huffed angrily, but thankfully stood up and stalked out of the great hall.

"What's going on, Y/N?" asked Elaine.

"How are you so chipper? I feel like rubbish," I groaned. 

"Simple!" Elaine said with a smile. "Try some of this."

She produced a small flask from the pocket of her robe, and passed it to me. I took a long drink, and gagged at the taste, but instantly felt the churning in my stomach start to recede.

"What is that?" I choked, handing the flask back to her.

Elaine shrugged. "Hangover potion. I got it from–"

She was interrupted by a flurry of red hair. "US!" cackled the Weasley twins, popping up behind her. Fred snatched the flask from Elaine's hand and tossed it jauntily to George, who caught it and whooped.

"Hey! Give it here! I might need more of that!" Elaine whined.

"What's in it for us?" the twins said in unison.

"I heard you shagged Wood last night. Care to share? Maybe some... embarrassing facts about our dearest Quidditch captain?" Fred laughed. Elaine rolled her eyes.

"No comment, boys," she said mischievously. 

"Shouldn't you be at practice anyway?" I asked. 

"Yep! Starts in a bit. Gotta run!" George yelled as the two took off, broomsticks in hand. 

Elaine chuckled, then grabbed my hand and led me out into the courtyard.

★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★

"So... Quidditch tomorrow, you say? Are you really going to be rooting for the opposing team?" I said with a laugh. The first game of the year was kicking off with Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor, a classic amiable rivalry, and tensions were high.

"Why not! It's not like anyone in Hufflepuff would REALLY care. They're all too nice to be bothered." 

Elaine was right. Hufflepuffs were generally more understanding, certainly under circumstances like these.

As we traipsed about the Hogwarts grounds, with the idea of the impending Hufflepuff-Gryffindor game on my mind, I caught myself nearly thinking of Diggory again... for reasons I wasn't really sure of. He did play for our team, I knew that of course... why was I looking forward to the game even more, all of a sudden?

★゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜☆゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜★