Redamancy (d.m)

Chapter thirty three-dating a brick wall

Two days later, I woke up on the morning of the first task with a tired mind and aching muscles. I had endured copious amount of stress despite not partaking in the event myself. Overwhelming worry for my boyfriend and my best friend had tipped my sanity over the edge. I ate with Cedric, who tried to remain unbothered, though I knew it was only in an effort to keep me calm. When Professor McGonagall arrived to accompany Cedric to the grounds in preparation, the kiss we shared was panicked, like I was asking him not to go by the force I used against his lips and the hand he brushed comfortingly over my cheek was his way of assuring me he'd be okay.

The walk down to the tent was unbearably slow despite my quick pace, like the walk of a lone women at night, or a candy loving child on the journey to the dentist chair. I barely registered taking my seat beside Hermione, waving absentmindedly at Ari, my gaze fixed onto the dragons with dread. I felt an incredible release in tension when his transfiguration turned out successful, and by the time Harry had soared above the cheering crowd, golden egg in his hand, I felt like the universe was wrapping its arms around me, telling me not to worry.

I attended, first, the Hufflepuff common room party behind the rows of barrels. The room emitted scents of comforting freshness and I had never been happier than when I was dancing and laughing with Cedric and his friends. I left early, heading back to my own common room, where an equally high energy party was taking place. The twins immediately noticed my fashionably late appearance, ushering me in and offering me butter beer and food they undoubtedly stole from the kitchens.

"You two finally made up , huh" I said, noticing Harry and Ron joking around as Hermione laughed

The next day, my mood was high throughout transfiguration class, as Professor McGonagall lectured,

"The Yule Ball is approaching — a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above — although you may invite a younger student if you wish. Dress robes will be worn and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day, finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to — er — let our hair down" she announced disapprovingly, adjusting her robes stiffly before continuing, "but that does NOT MEAN that we will be relazing the standards of behaviour we expect from hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way."

I had resorted to use Hermione, Ron, or Harry as a human shield against hopeful approaching boys, in an effort to turn away their invite to the ball without seeming rude. I technically had no valid reason to turn any of them down, seeing as Cedric frustratingly had not asked me, though we were together. I remained patient, remembering it had only been two days since the announcement of the Yule ball, and in those two days, I had turned down Seamus Finnigan, Ernie MacMillan, both Weasley twins, and Oliver Wood

"Lestrange" I looked up with disgust at the face of Adrian Pucey, trailed by some Slytherins
"Go away, dimwit" I said, being pulled back into Cedric's lap as he glared protectively at Pucey
"Sure, after you agree to go to the ball with me"
"I've broken every single one of your limbs, you find that particularly attractive, do you?" I said sarcastically
"Aw come on, Lestrange, don't be so boring. I hear you've turned down every guy who's asked. Why is that? "
"It's because she already has a date, Pucey" Cedric snarled, and I raised my eyebrows in pleasant surprise, "call my girlfriend boring one more time and I'll bash your brains in"
"Girlfriend?" A new voice scoffed from behind Pucey, ruffling his blond hair, "Gone and caught yourself a little slut, haven't you, Diggory"
"Leave it" I said sternly as Cedric pushed me off him, reaching for his wand and glaring daggers at Malfoy
"What's wrong, Diggory, can't even defend her? So you're saying she is a slut then?"

And that's how Madam Pompfrey gained two new patients, bearing black eyes and cuts from sharp knuckles. I buried my face in my hands as I sat across from Cedric in an empty hospital bed as he sat grinning at me bashfully

"What're you smiling at, you dipshit" I said chuckling
"My gorgeous girlfriend" he replied simply
"Shut up"
"Little help please" he said, pushing out his lips childishly, but I shook my head, smiling
"You can't charm your way out of everything" I said, "you shouldn't have punched him" I nodded at Malfoy, who was a few beds down, getting bandaged up
"Yes I should've" he said stubbornly, playing with my fingers and kissing my knuckles
"It's like arguing with a brick wall" I sighed
"You're dating this brick wall" he joked and I laughed, getting up and connecting my lips to his
"I'll be back soon" I said, swinging my book bag around my shoulder
"Down worry about me, I'm barely scratched" he called after me

"Where've you been?" Harry asked as I sat down in the festive great hall, twenty minutes late for dinner
"Hospital wing"
"Wha-are you okay?"
"Oh yeah I'm fine, Cedric got into a fight-with Malfoy" I rolled my eyes, reaching for the chicken
"Oh no" Hermione said
"What'd the git do?" Ron asked
"Well, Pucey tried to ask me to the ball, and then Malfoy popped out of the shadows and called me a slut, then Cedr-"
"HE CALLED YOU A WHAT?!" Harry and Ron roared, and multiple heads turned in our direction
"A slut" I commented calmly, "and Cedric punched him and he punched Cedric and I'm going to punch you both if you don't calm down"
"I'm gonna kill him" Harry seethed, and Ron nodded, both scanning the Slytherin table
"See that's not what calming down looks like" I observed

After a fully healed Cedric walked me back to the Gryffindor common room the next night with an arm in mine, he left me to deal with a hysterical Ron and Ginny, who was trying hard to conceal her amusement along with Harry

"Why weren't you two at dinner?" I questioned, to which Ginny replied
" because they've both been turned down by the girls they asked to the ball"
"Tough crowd, eh boys?" I teased, sitting in an overstuffed armchair next to them, "told you you should've asked someone sooner"
"Hey, Neville's got a point-" Ron said, gawking at me and Hermione, "you two are girls"
"Actually I'm a rare breed of werewolf" I replied sarcastically, taking a bite of my apple
"Well that's our problem solved!" Ron said, ignoring my remark, "Hermione, you can come with me, and (y/n) you'll go with Harry" at this, Ginny glared at me and Harry turned scarlet
"If you take your attention off of yourself for once in your life you might find it interesting to know that both me and Hermione have already got dates" I snapped, and Hermione nodded
"No you don't, you're just saying that because you don't want to go with us"
"Just because it's taken you two three years to notice doesn't mean no one else has spotted that we're girls" Hermione argued
"And that we're hot" I added casually
"That's not true, I've noticed" Harry said indignantly, "famous and attractive, remember?"
I grabbed a throw pillow and swung it at his head
"Stop being a kissass, it won't get you a date with a girl who already has one"
"Who're you two going with then?" Ron said
"My boyfriend, obviously" I snapped
"I still don't like that" Harry said disapprovingly, and I chucked my apple core at him
"At least he can get a girl" I mused
"It's harder than it looks, (y/n)" Harry defended
"No it's not" I said, watching Parvati and Lavender pranced into the common room, "watch"

The pair of boys looked at each other dumbly, as I called out

"Oi, Parvati! Harry wants to know if you'll go to the ball with him!"
After her fit of giggles subsided, she answered, "well alright then!"
And I turned to Harry with an "I told you so" look, before looking at Lavender, "what about you, Brown? Fancy waltzing with a ginger?"
"She's going with Seamus" Parvati answered, and the pair broke into another set of giggles
"What about your sister, then, Padma, was it?"
"I suppose so, I'll ask her for you" she said, and I turned back to Ron and Harry, who looked at me gratefully