Alex Weasley: Book 3

41

The day before the Christmas holidays, there was a Hogsmeade trip. Alex met Cedric in the great hall, after Professor Sprout ticked them off the register.

"I like your hat." There was a glint of mischief in Cedric's eyes and she glared.

"I hate you for making me wear this stupid thing. How long do I have to keep it on for?"

"The duration of our date. And it's not my fault you don't back down from a dare."

"The only alternative was Emiko's truth question about what happened at the end of first year." She grumbled. "I don't really want to talk about that."

"Well I think these little pom poms suit you." He said tugging on the little balls attached to the knitted hat she was wearing.

"I'll get you back for this, you know." She said.

"I have no doubt, but I'll enjoy this for now."

"After helping you when the twins wanted to prank you, you'd think you'd show some loyalty."

"You going against the twins was more about you hating them than you liking me."

"I don't like you." She retorted, before groaning. "I can't say that anymore, can I?"

"Nope." He sounded too gleeful for her taste and she crossed her arms. "Alright, come on. This is our last day together before you leave for home tomorrow."

"I wish I could stay at Hogwarts." She pouted. "It's going to be so boring."

"You'll have most of your family and Emiko. And don't forget, your next potions competition is in five days, so you'll have your hands full."

"True."

"So you see, you have to go home so that you can attend. And I might not be able to come this time, but I do want a detailed account of everything that happens."

"I'll write you an essay." She promised.

"The scary thing is, I actually believe you." He said.

"Why is that scary? It's not like I'm going to humiliate you in front of everyone. Again."

"No reason. None at all." He smiled. As the cold got to her, she raised her gloved hands to her mouth and blew on them.

"Let's start with some hot cocoa." She suggested.

"Sure. I can keep you hands warm for you until then if you want." He said cheekily. She took his hand in reply huddling against his arm.

"I'm sorry but I will never believe divination isn't a waste of time. You're either born with the gift to see the future or you don't have it, in which case no amount of classes will change that. It's just an excuse for students to coast by on a single optional module. It doesn't really count if all you do is pretend to look into the future and predict nonsense."

"There's more to divination than simply divining the future. There are other branches that can help even a non-seer work out what's coming." Cedric countered. "Every day the earth shifts. Nature can tell when something's amiss so she sends warning signs."

"But that's not true divination. That's earth based magic."

"Which is mostly a forgotten branch of magic and is being reintroduced through divination."

"Look, you either have the gift or you don't. No matter what they say in the textbooks, you can't teach divination anymore than you can teach a squib magic."

"Okay, but it has its merits as a subject. Maybe not the way Trelawney teaches but reading the stars and earth magic are important and are slowly being forgotten. At least divination brings back the old magic."

"It would be better if we brought back the old magic and called it that, rather that sticking it under a whole other discipline." She argued.

"Maybe one day. But at least for now, the more people that are interested, the better the chance it becomes more commonly known. As it stands, there aren't enough wizards interested in earth or any elemental magic or in reading the stars and communing with nature."

"I didn't know you were so passionate." She said.

"Maybe you're not the only one with a little mystery."

"I got you all figured out." She said. "And you knowing so much about earth magic doesn't fit in with what I know."

"You do not have me all figured out. I surprise you all the time."

"Calm down, you've only surprised me twice in the two years we've known each other. And cue the shot to the heart." She said as he grabbed his chest in fake pain. He quickly dropped his hand.

"That was creepy."

"I told you, I've got you all figured out." She said. He raised a brow.

"Bet you don't know what I'm going to do next." He teased.

"I might." She protested, unwilling to accept defeat. He stopped in front of her, brushing her hair away from her eyes. He glanced at her lips, leaning closer and closer, all the while his other hand creeping up behind her. Right as he was about to kiss her, he smashed a snowball on her head and pulled away. "Hey!" She screamed in surprise, her hand instinctively reaching for her head, and brushing away the cold snow before her eyes narrowed on him. He had the good sense to look a little frightened before taking steps backwards.

"Okay, it was just a bit of fun. Oh god, oh god you're going to kill me." He continued moving backwards as she ran over, pouncing on him so he fell back into the snow. She sat on him, and grabbed some snow in her hands making a large snowball. "Please don't." He begged, but she smirked and smushed it in his face. She moved off him, laughing as he spluttered out snow. He sat up, grinning. "Solid tackle."

"Thanks. Perks of growing up with six boys." She reached out to dust a bit of ice off his brow. "Stay still, you've got some on your face." She started brushing off invisible pieces of snow.

"Still?" The edge of one lip quirked up.

"Yeah." She said, before shoving another fistful of snow in his face and jumping away.

"Hey!" It was his turn to be surprised. He stood up and tried to throw snowballs at her but she dodged them. "How are you so good at this?" He asked.

"Like I said, I grew up with six boys and Ginny. She's actually really ferocious in the snow." Giving up on trying to pelt her from a distance, Cedric balled up some snow and began to chase after her. She laughed as she ran away eventually stopping to catch her breath Cedric right behind her. She closed her eyes, her hands held out in surrender. "Okay, I give up. Just get it over with." She kept her eyes firmly shut for a few minutes before giving up and slowly opening them. Cedric had dropped the snowball so his hands were empty. Alex looked suspiciously for a moment. "Am I safe?"

"With me?" He asked. "Always." She smiled and put her hands on his cheeks before leaning forward, slightly reaching up and softly placing a kiss on his lips.

A/N- Okay, but why does Cedric have to be so cuteee. I really can't, he's too sweet.