The Hogsmeade Trip was a much needed distraction, but it didn't come without its problems.

On Halloween, Lyra had woken up late and was rushing to meet her friends, and so she passed Luna Greyback in the corridor. 

Luna growled at her as they walked past one another and spat out the word, 'slut'

"Shut it ginger" Lyra snapped back and walked off, Luna growled as she walked away.

"What's up with you?" Pansy asked as Lyra finally arrived in the courtyard,

"Greyback growled again, and decided that I'm a slut because her best friend asked me out" Daphne and Pansy scoffed.

"She's just pissed Diggory has a thing for you and not her" Daphne stated, smiling slightly, putting her arm around Lyra's shoulders. "What are you doing about that anyway?"

"Ignoring him, I don't like him" Lyra answered, Daphne and Pansy nodded approvingly.

"Good, you deserve better than a Mudblood loving Hufflepuff" Pansy smirked as the trio made their way toward the village.

They ventured to the clothing store, Honeydukes and Zonkos before heading to the Three Broomsticks. Lyra and Blaise went to the counter to the drinks.

"Yeah we'll have eight butter beers" Blaise smiled at the barman, who simply nodded and began to make them, "what's all this Cedric Diggory stuff?" He asked her, Lyra groaned.

"He keeps asking me out and it's really annoying because I do not like him- why do you ask?"

"Because he's walking over right now" seconds later, Lyra felt a tall presence standing behind her. Cedric Diggory was annoyingly tall, she turned around to look at him.

"What?" She folded her arms, glaring slightly.

"I was going to offer to buy you a butterbeer.... But I see you've already ordered" he smiled, chuckling slightly and running his hand through his hair. Her glare remained. "Can I buy you a cauldron cake instead?" He offered,

"No"

"Please...."

"No, get it into your head I don't like you!" She shoved some money across the counter, grabbed the butter beers and walked off. Blaise hurriedly grabbed the remainder of the drinks before following her.

"That was mean" Blaise chastised,

"He needs to get it into his head that I will never go out with him"

"There's this thing called letting someone down slowly?"

**

Lyra took longer than her friends did to pack up, so she told them she'd meet them outside.

"Hey" Cedric Diggory came over and sat down next to her, Lyra groaned.

"Can't you just leave me alone! I don't like you" She went to stand up but he held onto her wrist. It sent a shiver down her spine, her wrist growing hot under his touch. For a moment she froze, not knowing what to do.

"I know you don't like me now. But, I'm hoping to get you to like me..." he whispered, her eyes met his and for a fleeting moment her face softened. A small smile grew on his face, "so please just let me show you that I just want to.... Be there for you and be in your life" her mouth fell open, and she suddenly regained her composure,

"In your dreams" she pulled her wrist out of his grasp and walked away, Cedric Diggory watched her as she left. She glanced back at him, their eyes met as she left the pub.

***

The Halloween Feast took place like normal, the hall was decorated with the usual arrangement of pumpkins. Lyra's eyes cast over to the Hufflepuff table as she ate her dinner.

Cedric Diggory was staring at her.

He always seemed to stare at her.

"Pretty boy is staring at you" Nix whispered, Lyra groaned and rolled her eyes. "You're blushing"

"Am not!" Lyra protested, huffing slightly. Cedric Diggory's eyes remained on her. But, her cheeks were indeed turning a shade of red that rivalled the Weasley's hair.

"Why are you blushing?" Pansy questioned, Lyra felt her eyes widen.

"Oh I ate a chilli pepper..." she lied, Pansy seemed to believe her. Cedric Diggory kept his eyes on her.

"Oh he just can't take a hint" Pansy cackled before going back to talking to Daphne.

Once again, Lyra's eyes were drawn to the Hufflepuff table. Cedric Diggory was still looking at her. His gaze unwavering. Their eyes met. And Lyra, unwillingly, felt her gaze soften.

"Oh you do like pretty boy...." Nix smirked,

"I do not"

She hurriedly tore her gaze away from Cedric Diggory's and managed to get Nix into a gossip session,

They had barely been in the common room for five minutes when they were all rushed back into the Great Hall by the Prefects. They wouldn't tell them exactly what happened.

The Gryffindors were already there as the rest of the school walked in.

"Are you alright?" Cedric Diggory ran over to her, looking worried, she looked up at him, confused.

"Uh yeah" he breathed a sigh of relief at her words and she saw him relax slightly, "what happened?" He seemed surprised at her question, but something in his eyes lit up as she spoke to him,

"Sirius Black slashed the Fat Lady's portrait" he told her and she felt her eyes widen, he quickly grew worried again, "don't worry.... He's gone now, I think...." His hand reached toward her and she backed away, "oh I'm sorry"

"Whatever" she grumbled, folding her arms, he sighed and looked at her, his gaze soft and containing something else she couldn't determine,

"Lyra..." he started but Dumbledore began speaking,

"Sirius Black was sighted in the school, so for your own safety you must remain here for the night" The room filled with chatter, "silence! Teachers will search the school and Prefects will keep guard at the doors. The Head Boy and Head Girl will be in charge, send word with the ghosts at the first sign of trouble" Dumbledore and the other staff walked toward the exit, "oh and you'll need these" Dumbledore flicked his wand and the tables moved to the side, leaving a large empty space in the middle of the room. A sleeping bag appeared before all of them. "Good night" he then left, shutting the door behind him.

"Lyra...." Cedric Diggory started again, looking at her once more.

"Don't you have doors to guard?" She walked off to her friends, taking her sleeping bag with her.

"Where is he then?" Lyra asked Nix, who sighed.

"Well, let's see...." Nix disappeared for around two minutes before reappearing, "hiding out in a cave, shame really he's still a dog"

"Right...." Lyra whispered, Nix nodded before changing the topic of conversation.

***

Flint announced they wouldn't be playing Gryffindor. Draco was too injured, so Hufflepuff were playing Gryffindor instead.

"How badly is he injured then?" Cedric Diggory asked, walking up to her in the corridor,

"Why are you talking to me?" She stared at him, confused and annoyed.

"Because that's how a conversation works Lyra. You talk"

She rolled her eyes and stormed away from him, he called out a request for a date as she did, she just flipped him off.

***

Lupin wasn't in their next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, Snape was. Lyra stared shocked as she took her seat with Theo,

Snape began teaching them about werewolves and Lyra felt her eyes widen once more,

"You know why he's doing this...." Nix angrily whispered, floating next to her. "I'm going to..."

"Don't" Lyra sighed, although she was angry herself, "it's not worth it"

Hermione questioned Snape and Ron's defence of her earned him a detention, he then set them a werewolf essay for homework.

***

Lyra went to the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match, she wanted to see what they were up against.

"So who exactly are we rooting for?" Blaise questioned as they reached their seats,

"Hufflepuff" Draco stated proudly, "anyone but Gryffindor"

"Even if that means rooting for Lyra's admirer?" Theo teased, Draco groaned and nodded.

"Unfortunately"

Lyra cast a drying spell over them as the rain continued to fall, it created an invisible shelter above them to keep them dry and out of the wind.

The teams flew onto the pitch and Lyra could barely make out who was who through the pouring rain. But, she could tell who one person was. Cedric Diggory,

Cedric Diggory could be distinguished from his fellow players.

She could tell him apart from the others because he was taller than the rest of the players.

She could tell him apart from the others because he was flying up to her more than the rest of the players.

She could tell him apart from the others because he was.....

No.

The game ended with Harry plummeting to the ground with the arrival of a dementor, and Cedric Diggory catching the snitch.

Strangely, Lyra found herself smiling at the Hufflepuff seeker's win, and although it was raining, she could've sworn he saw this.

Although, this only made him try and ask her out again the next day.

"Lyra, I was wondering if you would consider going on a date with me?" He smiled softly, looking into her eyes, standing close to her.

"No, I wouldn't. I don't like you. I don't trust you" she folded her arms, glaring back at him,

"Just give me a chance.... I promise you I won't hurt you..."

"No!" She stared at him, angry, he sighed. "Just leave me alone!" She shouted and walked off,

**

Lyra also began to get along with Hermione more as they were partners in both Artithmancy and Ancient Runes.

"You're not that mean, you know?" Hermione smiled slightly, looking over at her as she translated a set of runes. Lyra looked over at her,

"I'm aware, I believe in treating people as they treat me" Hermione laughed slightly,

"What about Cedric Diggory?"

"Excuse me?"

"He's nice to you...everyone knows he has a crush on you, and you seem to hate him" Lyra sighed,

"I don't hate him, I just don't like him" She answered, not knowing why she was talking to Hermione about this.

"Well, I think you should be nicer to him. Even if you don't like him..." Hermione explained as she continued to work,

"It's just... he's so annoying and stupidly perfect, with his perfect face and golden boy status. It drives me insane. And he's stupidly good at Quidditch and..." Hermione was smiling broadly, "what!"

"You like him"

"I do not"

"Yes you do!" Nix flew over and floated next to her,

"Out!" Professor Babbling yelled and Nix laughed before disappearing from the room,

"I don't understand why he keeps doing that...." Hermione sighed. Nix often came into her lessons only to be screamed at to leave. He listened, except when it came to Snape and Lupin. Lyra shrugged and kept translating the runes.

***

The Hufflepuff vs Ravenclaw game was an interesting event. The weather was growing ever colder and Lyra soon regretted not bringing her coat, but on her way up to the stands, Cedric Diggory rushed over, handing her his scarf.

"Please... you're cold" he was wearing his Quidditch stuff already and Hooch was approaching to send him back to the changing rooms. "Please Lyra" reluctantly she took his scarf and he smiled before walking off,

However, she did wear his scarf for the whole match. And she didn't return it after.

Hufflepuff lost the match, very badly, and Lyra couldn't help but feel slightly sorry about it. Hermione's words were getting to her.

She had been overly mean to Cedric Diggory. She could at least tolerate him, he'd never done anything cruel to her, so why shouldn't she at least try and tolerate him.

So the next time he approached her, she didn't reject him instantly.

"Hey Lyra" he smiled, coming to sit next to her in the library as she struggled through her Herbology homework, "how's that going?"

"Fine" she lied, circling a random answer. Herbology still made no sense. He glanced at her answer,

"It's B, by the way" he smiled slightly and Lyra hurriedly changed her answer.

A moment of silence hung between them, Cedric Diggory was sat smiling at her, looking at her. Lyra glanced over at him, before looking back at her page.

"Thanks"

"Anytime" he smiled at her, "I could stay and help with the rest of it, if you'd like?" He offered, smiling. His stupid smile.

"I'm fine..." she replied, she wasn't fine. Herbology was impossible.

"You sure?" He didn't seem to believe her, he was leaning closer as he spoke. She nodded, staring at her page and circling another random answer. "That one was C" she corrected it again, "if you're not going to let me help you.... At least let me give you my old notes...."

"I don't need any help, I can do this" she snapped, slightly harsher than intended,

"I know, but there's nothing wrong with accepting a little help" Lyra turned and glared and he sighed, "it was just an offer Lyra" she went back to her homework, "by the way, am I ever getting my scarf back?"

"No" she answered, feeling her face growing hotter.

Cedric Diggory moved closer to her.

"Why not?" He smiled, teasing. Flirting.

"You gave it to me, it's mine now" she answered, he moved closer to her again. Her head turned so she was looking at him. They were exceptionally close together,

"Is it now?" She could feel the heat of his breath on the tip of her nose.

"Yeah" she answered. His eyes weren't just grey. They had flecks of gold in them, but they weren't always visible.

"What are you doing?" He questioned as her eyes kept darting around his.

"You have flecks of gold in your eyes" she answered, before snapping back to reality and moving away from him.

As she glanced back over to him, she could see his face was a shade of red that rivalled every Weasley's hair.

"Keep the scarf, you can always steal more of my stuff if you want it" he shrugged and smiled as he walked off, Lyra rolled her eyes but found a smile growing on her face.