The Last Riddle

38. Okay you're like 13

The remainder of the Christmas holidays are a blur of studying with Cedric, playing games with Ginny and Poppy and relaxing in front of the Slytherin fireplace with Blaise. No matter how much time I try to spend with Harry he always seems to be preoccupied with something, I have also noticed that Ron and Harry really seem to be continuing their grudge with Granger. The three of them have spent no time together since Christmas Day and instead Granger seems to be spending all of her time with Hagrid.

Students slowly start arriving back at school and soon the castle is back to its usual full self. As soon as Flint returns he has us practicing and training for our match against Ravenclaw. Due to Gryffindors loss against Hufflepuff, we need to win this game by a fair number of points to be in with a shot of coming first. My time with Cedric soon becomes non existent as I am spending all of my time training instead.

"Considering you have your first game of the season tomorrow you seem awfully melancholy" Poppy comments as we walk between classes, my head is hanging down and I can feel myself dragging my feet.

"I am not melancholy! I'm just bloody exhausted, Flint has me training every second that I'm not sat inside a classroom." I groan as I drag my bag along behind me.

Poppy snickers "yeah sure, I'm pretty certain you're just acting this way because you're missing Cedric, but whatever you say Ang."

Blaise laughs from my other side "she isn't wrong". He nudges me gently and hoists my bag onto his shoulder for me "you may be exhausted but you're also missing Cedric and you know it."

I throw my hands up annoyed "okay! So I am perhaps missing Cedric, can you blame me?"

Poppy grabs my arm and links it with hers "no one is saying we blame you silly, we are just teasing you that's all." She hesitates for a second before clearing her throat "I mean it's only been a few days without you guys seeing each other properly and it's already affecting your mood significantly. Do you not think that maybe you guys are too reliant on each other?" Her voice is soft and full of concern.

I sigh "no I don't think we are too reliant on each other, I love him. That's all it is, I miss him because I love him so much."

Blaise rolls his eyes as we stop walking to stand outside our classroom together "okay you're like thirteen you really need to chill it with the intense love stuff."

Poppy glares at him quickly before turning back to me with a soft smile on her face "what Blaise means to say is that we are worried. We are worried that you're falling head over heels in love with someone who is two years older than you, and could potentially want things that you're not ready for."

Blaise glares back at Poppy before tutting impatiently "no what Blaise really means is" he crosses his arms "I think you're way too intense about a school relationship. They way you two are carrying on, you'll be engaged by 16, married by 17, pregnant by 18 and then divorced at 20."

Poppy hits his arm with her book "stop being so aggressive!"

Blaise raises an eyebrow at her sarcastically "oh sure the girl hitting me with the book is telling ME not to be aggressive."

I lean against the wall feeling exhausted "listen guys" they both turn to look at me their faces etched with worry "I know what I'm doing. You guys know Cedric, you know who he is and what he stands for. He will never ask me to do anything I'm not comfortable with. For the first time ever in my life I feel truly loved by someone, I've never experienced that before and I'm not ready for it to end okay? I promise I'll take it slow and won't rush into anything, I'm smarter than that. I love Cedric and I know he loves me, that's all there is to it really."