warmth - cedric diggory

chapter twenty

"how are the girls treating you?" edmund wore a dazzling smile while looking at athena's father, wrapping the older man in a close hug. everyone watched as mr rosewood warmly received the hug.

"every day is surprising but still better than the previous one." the two lads chuckled together before turning to the others that stood before them. athena couldn't help but recall all the times her father described edmund as the 'son he never had', it was a precious bond the two held.

her father greeted the rest of the gathering with large hugs and small chat questions. athena glanced at the tall soft boy that stood in her house for the first time, wondering what he was thinking, studying the expression on his face.

before she knew it, cedric was allowing himself to meet his smaller girlfriend's glance before a smile grew on his face. definitely a goofy smile, but he couldn't help it. he was so happy to be in the presence of the people that raised his astonishing girlfriend.

"cedric diggory, how are you son?" their eye contact was immediately broken when her father stepped in front of cedric. her father had a cheesy grin planted on his cheeks as he shook cedric's hand.

"doing quite well, sir. how about yourself?" the two mirrored happy expressions and spoke lightly for a few more minutes, mr rosewood talked about how delighted he was to have another man in the house for a few days, which caused athena to roll her eyes.

cedric stood confidently in front of her father, but still obviously nervous. with his deeply flushed cheeks and nervous grin, he tried his best to be himself.

after a few more minutes of speaking to each other, a door from upstairs was loudly opened and a young girl's voice followed afterwards. "is that pumpkin's voice i hear?" the girl sounded to be leaning over something, but she wasn't in sight. anyone could hear the thick british accent within her words.

"it most certainly is, poppet." athena yelled back at the voice while walking towards a hallway that led to a set of stairs, at least cedric assumed it did. loud footsteps could be heard as they ran down the stairs and then a small girl appeared from around the corner.

"oh, my sweet penelope!" athena engulfed the shorter girl in her arms as the girl held her tightly back.

the small girl had long light brown hair, dark brown eyes, and freckles pressed against her small nose. cedric quickly assumed this to be her sister, who he didn't have much idea about. anyone could've guessed this was her sister because the two girls clearly resembled each other.

"and you brought my friends!" she quickly ran to ivy, belle, and edmund and embraced them each.

"ced, this is penelope, the youngest of the rosewoods." athena gestured toward the younger girl who had her fragile arms wrapped tightly around ivy. penelope wasn't exactly paying attention to cedric and her sister, but after a few more seconds, she walked over.

"cedric diggory? like the cedric diggory pumpkin write's about in all her letters?" the younger girl laughs loudly and leans her head back, just like athena does when she laughs.

"oh, poppet." athena covers her blushing face with a single hand while peering to the ground out of embarrassment, everyone just giggles quietly while penelope wraps cedric in another hug. "if i knew this was a day of embarrassment, i wouldn't have come."