saving the spare // cedric diggory

chapter 9

Jasmine's pov

I see Cedric next in the Great Hall after I leave Dumbledore's office, still reeling with confusion over what the Hogwarts Headmaster said to me. Is he telling me to not try to change events? To not prevent the future like I tried to do at Ilvermorny?

"Jazz."

My chest blooms with warmth, and I forget the pains in my head for a moment as I turn around excitedly. Only one person calls me that; one person that I wish I wasn't so obsessed with.

"Ced!" I exclaim, sounding like a total idiot. Damn you, Jasmine, sounding so excited around him. "I haven't seen you in a while. I mean, not a while. It's fine."

"No, Jazz, we're friends." That word, again. Why does it bother me so much? "I'm sorry, I should've tried to say hi or something," he admits sheepishly. His arm brushes up against mine and his hand touches the top of my uniform sweatshirt. He smiles at me, his eyes sparkling even more than usually because of the brightness of the hall. Then, he gulps and puts his hand down, glancing nervously to his left.

I follow his gaze and see the blonde boy from the other day. Draco Malfoy, was it?

"Ced, is Draco bothering you?" I say with a frown. I observe Cedric's nervous glances and twitching fingers carefully. "I saw you arguing the other day."

His eyes widen considerably and he steps back, almost tripping over his own feet. "What? You heard that?"

"Heard?" I question, confused. What's the big deal? "No, I just saw you guys. I couldn't hear anything. Why?"

Draco waves at Cedric and approaches us fast, his robes swirling behind him, holding an apple up in front of his pale face and biting into it. Two other guys in Slytherin robes follow behind him, looking like the smug bullies from some cheesy comedy shows I came across from the muggle world once.

Cedric seems to calm down once I say I didn't hear anything, but I'm suddenly very interested.

"Oh, nothing," Cedric says nervously, putting his hands in his pockets. "It's getting colder, huh? Let's get out of this place."

He makes a move to grab my hand but I cross my arms. "Come on, tell me. If Draco is bullying you, we can tell Dumbledore about it or something," I suggest, concerned for him. "You practically ghost me for a week and now it just sounds like you're keeping secrets." Keeping secrets? Damnit, Jasmine, you barely know him. He isn't obligated to tell you everything.

"I mean, I guess I don't really know you. Nevermind," I mumble hastily, backing down and looking at my feet. Cedric's hand makes its way to my face and he almost touches me. My heartbeat quickens and I'm about to say something, but-

"With your little mudblood girlfriend, Diggory?" Draco sneers at us, his pink-red lips curled into a smirk.

My face burns red. The slur isn't used in America as much, but any educated wizard or witch knows well enough it's inappropriate to say. "Don't call me that," I snap, angry heat surging through my body.

"Mudblood," Draco enunciates slowly, tossing the apple behind him onto the floor. "Mu-u-ud bl-oo-ood. Scared of a word, Katz?"

Cedric steps in front of me, and I'm grateful beyond words. I don't think I can speak a coherent sentence that doesn't involve intense cussing at this time.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Cedric says, and I stare into the back of his head, my heart beating quickly. Mudblood. I've never been called that before. A slur. An insult like that. It hurts.

I shake my head, whispering a "thank you" to Cedric I'm not even sure he hears and then I slip out of the Great Hall.

Cedric's pov