K A T E

A week later, Rosie and I decided to take a walk around the castle grounds and get to know each other a little better. I had already learnt that she had a younger brother in first year called Thomas and that they weren't that close. It wasn't believable at first because Rosie was incredibly kind, but when she explained that her parents had died and Thomas became mute that it all made sense.

We were in a very heated discussion about who was more attractive, Edward Cullen or Jacob Black from the muggle movie Twilight.

"I'm telling you Rosie, Edward is the best boyfriend that anyone can have. He's pure gentleman because he was turned in 1918." I argued to her as we walked across the grass.

"Well yeah, but have you seen Jacob's abs. They're heavenly!" She replied, her eyes had a little twinkle in them.

"I can't disagree on that." I laughed as I gave up my argument.

"Badge?" A voice asked from beside us. We turned to look and our eyes lay upon a gathering of badges that transitioned between 'Cedric Diggory' and 'Potter stinks'. My name wasn't on there, which was good, but I was still frustrated that someone could do this. My thoughts went directly to Draco Malfoy.

"Why are you giving these out? It's extremely offending." Rosie exclaimed as she snatched the box out of the boys hands and threw it to the floor. The badges spilled all over the floor and some snapped. The boy looked at us with his mouth hanging on the floor.

"I-uh, I owed a favour to Malfoy."

"What's your name? And what house are you in?" I asked, taking in his features. He had a baby face that made him look younger than he was, even though we was most likely our age.

"Ash Gerrick and I'm in Hufflepuff 6th year." He said, straightening his back in attempt to stand taller. Even though he was already taller than both Rosie and I.

"Nice to meet you Ash. I'm Kate and this is my best friend Rosie." I stuck out my hand and he shook it with a blush on his face. He went to shake Rosie's, but she was too busy staring at him to notice. Ash cleared his throat awkwardly and dropped his hand and went back to looking at me.

"Well, we have to go now. See you around Ash." I announced as I grabbed Rosie's arm and pulled her along. We didn't get very far because Ash's voice spoke up.

"Can I come with you? I have basically no friends at the moment."

Rosie looked at me pleadingly, she ad a very obvious crush on this boy, but he didn't seem to notice. "If you get rid of that badge on your robe you can." I sighed in defeat. He smiled and ran up to us, walking beside me. Resulting in Rosie pulling a frown on her lips. We continued walking along the grass until a group of boys came up to us.

"Hey Ash, who's your friends." One said with a smirk.

"Isn't that the girl Cedric doesn't shut up about?" Another whispered to him.

"Hey guys, this is Kate and Rosie. They're from Slytherin." Ash introduced.

"It is her!"

"Hey Kate? Come with us will ya? Your friends can come too."

"Oh, um, okay." I stuttered as they pulled on my sleeve and led me over to a bench that was surrounded by a group of more Hufflepuffs. All of them had the badges on except the one who lay on the bench with his arms over his face.

"Hey Cedric, look who we found! It's your Slytherin friend!" The boy dragging me shouted and pushed me infront of them. The guy on the bench lifted his arms and I could now see that it was the boy who I had a crush on.

"Katheryn, hey. What are you doing here?"

"Your friends dragged me here that's what." 

"Oh, well sorry if they were a bit harsh. They have a stereotype against Slytherins." He explained and I nodded.

"It's alright, they don't know me. So I guess they just assume I'm a difficult person."

"Katie!" Rosie shouted from behind me. I turned to look at her and saw that she gave me the thumbs up. Laughing, I turned back to Cedric.

"Who's that?" Cedric asked, eyes still looking in Rosie's direction.

"That's my friend Rosie and her crush Ash."

"I know Ash, he's my roommate." He acknowledged and turned back to me. He didn't get to say anything though, as Harry Potter had came up to us.

"Can I have a word?" Harry asked, ignoring all the taunts Cedric's friends threw at him. 

"Alright."

"Yeah, Harry of course."

"You stink, Potter!" The boy who dragged me shouted as we walked away. Cedric put and a fake smile and laughed at his friends whereas I frowned.

"Dragons." Harry stated, looking up at Cedric and I because we were both taller than him. "That's the first task. They've got one for each of us."

"Come on, Ced!" One of his friends shouted from where we came from. Both Cedric and I were at a loss for words.

"Dragons?" I exclaimed, leaning forward a bit more towards Harry.

"Are you serious?" Cedric asked. Harry nodded in response.

"And Fleur and Krum, do they--"

"Yes."

"Come on Ced leave him." The same voice from before shouted again.

"Right" Both Cedric and I said at the same time.

"He's not worth it."

Harry went to leave, but Cedric stopped him. "Hey, listen. About the badges. I've asked them not to wear them, but--"

"Don't worry about it." Harry brushed off and walked away. I looked at Cedric with a sad smile and then rushed to Harry.

"Harry!"

"What?!" He snapped back at me.

"I-uh, I just wanted to say sorry on behalf of the school. I'm sure Malfoy is the reason behind this."

"You don't have to apologise Kate. It's not like you're handing them out, but you're also not the one being picked on either." 

"What?" I asked confused. I had no idea why he was so angry. Watching him as he walked away, I sighed and went back over to Rosie and Ash. Who were having a conversation with the Hufflepuff group.

We started to talk about the Dark arts homework that was due in a few days time, when there was an obvious crowd gathering by the trees.

"C'mon!" Ash shouted as he grabbed my hand and pulled me with him, Rosie trailing behind a bit with a sad expression as she looked at our joined hands.

Once we got there, I saw Professor Moody with his wand at a white ferret. Harry was off to the side, smiling like an idiot. The other professors came and Mcgonagall started to scold Mad-Eye.

"Professor Moody! What are you doing?"

"Teaching." He replied, not taking his eyes off the ferret as he waved it up and down with his wand.

"Is that a-- Is that a student?" She asked alarmed.

"Technically, it's a ferret."

Moody then proceeded to put the ferret in Vincent Crabbes's trousers. I walked up to Cedric whilst he was laughing.

"Is that Malfoy? The ferret?" I asked, still looking at a struggling Vincent.

"Yeah, he tried to hex Harry whilst his back was turned."

"Well he's a right clotpole isn't he." I replied, Cedric looked at me with a smile.

"Have you been watching Merlin?"

"Yes. Yes, I have."

Finally, Mcgonagall got out her wand and cast a silent spell that turned the ferret back into Malfoy, who was now crawling on the floor on his hands and knees. He got up and started to twitch like everything was scaring him.

"My father will hear about this!" He screamed as he ran away.

"Is that a threat?" Mad-Eye's voice boomed as he went limping after Draco. Mcgonagall stopped him and then gave him a big scolding.

"Away!" She demanded and everyone started to split up. Cedric went off with his friends, but not before saying a quick good-bye to me.

"Do you have a thing for Cedric?" Ash asked from behind me. I turned around quickly ready to deny it, but Rosie beat me.

"Yes she does. It's really obvious isn't it? I could tell as soon as I saw them together."

"Oh. You would make a good couple." He replied and then walked away with his head hanging a bit low.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked Rosie as he walked away.

"I think he likes you."

"And you like him." I voiced, nudging her shoulders playfully.

"Wha--"

"That's why you told him I liked Cedric. Because you like him, but he likes me. So you tried to make me off limits so that he would end up liking you."

"Yeah, you're right. I do like him, he's sweet. We got to talk when you were taken away with Cedric and Harry." She sighed dreamily.

"Oh God! Now I know what I look like when I think about Ced." I laughed, Rosie joined in too.

"Right, so...first task tomorrow. Come on, let's go practice some spells. Do you know what it is?" She asked as we went to the library.

"Dragons."

"Dragons?! Wow."

"I know right? Awesome."

"Just, be careful okay. You're like- my only friend. Scratch that, you are my only friend. Beside Ash, but he doesn't count because he's a future love interest."

"Alright."