Chapter Text
Fred and George were walking down to breakfast one morning when they came upon a crowd of students huddled around a sign in the entrance hall.
“What’s it say?” George asked, squinting and standing on tiptoe.
“Er… it says, ‘Triwizard Tournament- The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o’clock on Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guests before the Welcoming Feast.’”
A fourth year Fred didn’t know exclaimed, “Only a week away! I wonder if Cedric knows? I think I’ll go and tell him…” and hurried off.
“Cedric?” said a confused fifth year.
“Diggory,” her friend conspired. “He must be entering the tournament.”
The twins made their way to the Griffindor table and sat down.
“So,” George began, his voice low. “First, we have to find out how we’re getting that gold from Bagman.”
Fred grabbed an apple and took a bite. “What about how to enter the tournament?”
After discussing all through breakfast potential ways of tricking the judge, they walked out of the hall empty handed. After all, they had no idea who the judge was or what the judge was looking for.
They began to weave through hallways and staircases to their next class. On the way, they saw Cedric rifling through his bag, biting his lip.
“Everything alright, Cedric?” Fred called out.
“No chance either of you have got a spare quill? I think I left them all in my dorm.”
Fred pulled one out of his bag and handed it to Cedric.
“Thanks, Fred, you’re a life saver!” Fred tried to stop the blush from coming, but his cheeks bloomed bright pink anyway.
“Oh, and did you have luck with yesterday’s Transfiguration homework? I could never get the flowery pattern off of my rabbit's ears,” Cedric laughed. The question could have been asked to both of the twins, since both were in the class, but unless Fred was imagining it, Cedric’s eyes seemed to be resting on Fred alone.
“We had homework?” Fred said. Everyone laughed, especially Cedric. He said goodbye and hurried off, and the twins continued down the hall.
“Maybe he’s nicer than I give him credit for,” admitted George.
“He’s- I mean, yeah- so nice. Incredible, really- I mean, not incredible, fine. Well, more than fine-”
“I know, you don’t have to explain,” George smirked. “You should ask him to study with you sometime. Or walk around the lake. Or practice on the quidditch pitch, or something. Hang out.”
“You think? I-I don’t even know if I’m worth his time-”
“Stop. Where did that sort of thinking come from?” He held up his palm. “You are funny, and intelligent, and charming, and Cedric is lucky to be your friend.” The blush returned to Fred’s cheeks.
“Thanks,” he mumbled.
“Just think about it. Ask him to hang out sometime.” George walked into the classroom. Fred followed behind.
The rest of the morning, Fred’s thoughts were occupied by daydreams of spending time with Cedric. He would usually never be caught dead studying in the library, but if Cedric was at his side, he would do it in a heartbeat. And a walk around the lake? Fred envisioned a windswept Cedric with the sun in his hair and robes swaying elegantly behind his tall frame. Fred smiled to himself. That would have to happen at some point. But then a voice in his head scoffed and scolded him for his naivety. A walk round the lake is for couples, it said. People would get the wrong idea. Whether or not this was true, it made Fred second guess himself. He decided that it was safer to go with studying or quidditch. That way, no one could even consider that anything else was going on. Because there wasn’t. Obviously.
All that there was left to do now was work up the courage to ask. He tried to remind himself that Cedric had seemed to have fun with him on his birthday. But that was weeks ago now, his anxious thoughts hissed. What if he’s changed his mind? This made Fred’s stomach clench, so he repeated what George had told him earlier in his head.
At lunch, he tried to pay attention to what Lee and George were talking about, but his gaze kept finding Cedric chatting away happily with his friends at the Hufflepuff table. He made a plan to ask tomorrow during Transfiguration. He wouldn’t let himself chicken out.
Bok bok bok baaawk! A voice in his head taunted Fred as he sat halfway through the class and not one word about hanging out had come out of his mouth. The class was working with their desk mates on a reading assignment, but the room was filled with chatter that was only half on-topic. Fred took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly.
“Hey, Cedric?”
“Yeah?” He looked up from his textbook and smiled.
“I was just gonna throw it out there, but, er, if you were interested, would you ever like to hang out, or something? Study in the library, or play on the quidditch pitch? Just a thought…” To Fred’s delight, Cedric’s face lit up.
“Yeah, absolutely! I was actually planning on going down to the pitch tonight with Cho Chang, the fourth year? Would you want to meet us?”
“I’d love to,” Fred grinned. It doesn’t matter if there’s someone else there, he told himself. I’m sure Cho is perfectly nice, anyway.
His excitement as he walked toward the pitch had little to do with flying. Even from a distance, he could spot Cedric gleefully swooping around the goalposts and someone else, probably Cho, swirling about beside him. As soon as he reached the trimmed grass of the pitch, he kicked off on his broom and shot toward the other two.
“Cedric!” he yelled, feeling exhilerated in the cool October air.
“Fred!” The larger of the figures started racing toward him, and the smaller followed. The two got closer, and Fred could make out their features more clearly. He was struck by Cho- though only fourteen, she had already matured into a striking young woman. Her lushious dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail that revealed cheekbones rivaling Cedric’s, and she had long eyelashes that gave off the ever-constant impression of perfectly applied mascara. But when the other arrived, Fred realized that he was having quite a difficult time looking away from him. If Cedric was radiant sitting behind a school desk, he was blinding sitting on a broomstick. His enthusiasm and positive energy was infectious, making Fred all the more excited to be there.
“Glad you could make it!” Cedric flew in position next to Fred. “I know you two are familiar with each other, but how about a formal introduction? Fred, this is Cho; Cho, this is Fred. We have Transfiguration together.” They nodded to each other and said their hellos.
“We were just playing It, wanna join?” Cho asked. Fred had been right; she seemed very nice.
“Yeah, who’s it?”
“Me!” Cho whipped through the air, showing off her impressive quidditch skills, and tapped Fred on the shoulder.
“You’re it!” She had already zoomed off before he could get her back, so he extended his arm to an unsuspecting Cedric and brushed his hand upon his thigh.
“You’re it, Cedric!” he yelled, already halfway down the pitch. His fingers were tingling from where they had touched Cedric’s robes. The Hufflepuff had quick reflexes, however, and caught up with the other quickly. He dove under Fred’s broom, yanked on his shoe, and yelled,
“Got you! Ha!”
Pretty soon Cho had completely slipped from both of their minds until she had to fly back into their view so they would remember she was there. This happened two more times. She didn’t seem to mind, though, and looked to be having just as much fun as the other two. They all felt like little kids again, dashing about the pitch and giggling and pulling on one another’s robes. Too soon, the sun was nearing the horizon, and they all decided to return to the castle. For a moment however, Fred and Cedric hung in the air, gazing at the brilliant reds and oranges in the sky. Cedric bumped playfully into Fred, who wobbled gently and laughed. He made a mental note to thank George when he got back to the dorm.