Ughhh it's been hours now. I've been laying in bed tossing around restlessly trying to sleep. I glance over at the clock: 2:00am, I groan and climb out of bed tired of being so stiff.

Maybe a walk around the commons will ware me out. It's worth a shot. I pull my socks on and grab a cozy sweater before walking out.

I descend down the stairs into the dimly lit commons and as I reach the last step I crash into someones chest.

"Er-um, sorry," I say quietly. Who the hell else would be up so late? I wasn't expecting to run into anyone, both metaphorically and physically.

"Y/n?"

"Cedric?"

We both laugh for a moment.

"Why are you up so late?" I ask dropping down from the last step.

Cedric rubs his eyes in an attempt to slightly wake himself. "Water," he responds in a sleepy voice as he hold up a cup. "And yourself?"

"Can't sleep," I respond.

Cedric yawns and stretches out his arms above him, clearly he'd just awoken. "How are you going to fix that?"

I shrug.

Cedric gulps down the remainder of his water before placing it onto the nearest flat surface. "Come on," he says overly dramatic as he grabs my hand leading up the stairs.

I figured he would just take me back to my room and make sure that I stayed there, but once we passed it I realized that was no longer the case. Intrigued by Cedrics remedy I stay quiet.

We soon arrive in front of Cedrics dorm and before opening it he turns back to me. "Don't worry Anthonys not here," he immediately stops and stammers. "N-Not that it would be weird if he were- I," He sighs struggling to find the words. "I'm half asleep, just bear with me." I smile nodding my head.

I still wasn't quite sure why he was brining me to his room. Did he have some herbs, tea or a stash of dreamless sleep draught that could help? Still very confused, nonetheless intrigued. Plus, it's funny seeing him stumble around half asleep.

Cedric crosses the room and places himself upright against the back of his bed with his eyes half closed. He motions his hand towards himself, gesturing for me to join him.

I chuckle approaching the foot of his bed. "Ced it's ok, you don't have to. I can just go make myself some tea."

"Tea won't do anything. Just-" Cedric sighs. "I'm trying to help you. I can sing you to sleep or whatever. Just come."

I hesitate and wonder whether fully awake Cedric would do this, not likely. But it was either this or hanging out by myself in the commons until I fell asleep.

"Fine," I sigh playfully.

Cedric perks himself up as I saunter over to him. I take the obvious spot Cedric had in mind for me and slide myself between his legs, it felt rather—intimate—I felt a bit uneasy, but as soon as Cedric wrapped his arms around me all the worry washed away.

"Ok, so do you want to hear a bedtime story, want me to sing-?"

"No, you're half asleep Ced," I chuckle. "Just rest."

Cedric drops his head down atop mine clutching his hands around me tight like as if I were his teddy bear. "I'll just hum then," he whispers. Cedric hums a lullaby in a drowsy tone doing his best to stay awake in order to soothe me.

By the time his humming starts to fall out of tune with the melody I feel my eye lids growing heavier. "Goodnight Ced," I manage to mumble out before closing my eyes.

---

I abruptly get awoken by the loud sound of the door opening and closing, I turn over on my back and look up at the door.

"Well well well, what do we have here," Anthony announces still standing by the door.

I replay the last thing I can remember about last night: couldn't sleep, went to the commons, saw Ced, Ced took me to his room- I instantly jolt out of the bed, Cedrics bed and steady myself on my feet.

I start shuffling my hair back to its original place as I walk towards the exit. "I don't feel like explaining, not that there's anything to explain-" Anthony starts to snicker. "Ugh, just talk to Ced," I say before walking out and heading to my room.

I shower and change into my robes trying to distract myself from any thoughts that have to do with Cedric and of course I did the opposite. I was skimming though a vast amount of thoughts about Ced and last night like: why did he leave me there? why did he take me to his room in the first place? He was drunk wasn't he? But he didn't smell like-

Shit.

I couldn't even avoid him if I wanted to. We had plans to study for our OWLS today, first thing in the morning too. We had about two more weeks until the OWLS.

Well maybe he'll study elsewhere, maybe I won't run into him in the library.

Honestly, I didn't think last night was weird, I thought it was fine, it was sweet. Until I found myself ALONE in his room. Actually that's a lie, I wasn't alone, Anthony disturbed me, but still! I place the finishing touches on my hair and then grab my bag to head over to the library.

---

The library was packed with a large amount of students who were also there studying for the OWLS. I saw Luna and Harry in one corner surrounded by books and notes, Hermione in another looking through a book vigorously as if it had done her wrong and Ron, surprisingly enough was looking through some papers, probably notes. In the back of the room not too far off from Luna and Harry I spot Cedric at his own table taking notes as he references a book.

It would be childish of me to ignore the situation and ignore Ced. I swallow thickly and approach Cedrics table.

"This seat taken?" I ask, approaching Cedric from behind.

He laughs shaking his head.

Cedric places his paper in his book and closes it turning his attention to me. "Y/n, last night, I'm sorry. I put my wants ahead of what was rational and appropriate-"

"Cedric it's fine, honestly. I would've left if I thought it was inappropriate. It was a really sweet thing to do," I smile up at him. "Definitely the best remedy for my insomnia."

"I'm glad," Cedric grins. "My door will always be open for those wandering the commons at 2 am."

I laugh, "Noted."

---

Cedric and I cooped up in the library for hours studying up for our end of the year OWLS. Today we covered Charms and Potions. Snape promised we'd never hear the end of it if we did poorly on our Potions OWL. But of course, it was hard to focus when studying with a friend, but Cedric always did his best to keep me on track, though he did humor me often.

After a good chunk of our day was spent studying in the library we made our way out to an early dinner since we skipped lunch. We sat with Luna and our other friends at the Hufflepuff table. The dinner consisted of lamb chops, potatoes, apple pastries, rice, cake and much more.

Even though I had the OWLS on my shoulder and whether I would be ready enough, being here at dinner with all my friends truly made my heart full. We each talked about what profession we wanted once we were done with school since Flitwick made it clear that time was running out to choose the right path. Even though we still had two more year left. I still didn't know what I wanted to study yet, everyone else already had a fairly good idea of what they wanted to do.

As dinner was wrapping up I looked up from our table over to the Slytherin one. I saw Blaise having an animated conversation with some other Slytherins as he hate his dinner. I hadn't spoken to Blaise since we last hangout at Hogsmeade before everything happened.

"Do you want to go to come to the field with me?" Cedric asks leaning into my ear distancing me from my thoughts.

"Of course, I'll meet you at the entrance of the hall. There's something I have to do first," I respond getting up from my seat.

I saunter over to the Slytherin table making my way to Blaise hugging him from the back as he stays seated at the table eating his dinner.

I lower my chin down on his shoulder. "I know you're not one for physical contact." He laughs at my true statement reaching for my arm holding it gently.

"You know me so well," he chuckled.

"I do. So you'll have to make an exception just for me." I respond. "I can't talk now, but could we meet up tomorrow? Talk some things though?"

"Sure sure," he responds.

I take a step back, "I'll see you tomorrow then Zabini."

I meet Cedric at the entrance of the great hall.

"Ready?" he asks with a small smile. I nod.

As soon as we cross the courtyard to get to the other half of the castle I notice Draco out of the corner of my right eye and he looks p i s s e d. There's no way he could be mad at me, what for? I would've believed that if he hadn't been staring daggers at me as I walked with Cedric.

I quickly turn over to Cedric not wanting to start anything more between the two of them, "Ced, I think we should do this another night, I'm getting kind of tired." I say hoping he wouldn't be able to see through my so obvious lie.

"Y/n, it seven o'clock, how could you possibly be tired?" Cedric asks, clearly oblivious to the angry ferret that was approaching us.

"I don't know, I just am. Can we go now?" I ask getting impatient as I saw how close Draco was getting.

Cedric sighs. "Alright fine," he says turning back.

Damn it.

Cedric turns back to face me, "So it isn't because Malfoy is approaching us clearly ready for round two then?"

I roll my eyes, "Come on, let's just go. It's not worth it."

"Y/n, haven't you told him numerous times to leave you the hell alone?" Cedric asks getting irritated.

"Well yeah, but he-"

"Do you still have feeling for him?" Cedric questions.

"No!" I blurt out. "It's over."

"You want him to leave you alone don't you?" I nod. "Ok, then trust me."

Cedric closes the space between us pulling me closer to him by the waist leaving one hand there and bringing the other up to the side of my face. Cedric looks into my eyes with a deep sense of adoration and slides his hand into my hair as he lowers his lips down to meet mine.

Stunned at first I hesitate to kiss him back, but once the shock passes I do the same and kiss him pulling him closer to me if were even possible.

Cedric gently pulls away still keeping me in arms reach as he grins down at me, "Another?"

I smile pushing him away playfully.

"Worth a shot," he laughs.

"Goof."

I rise myself up on my tippy toes and place a warm kiss on his cheek. "Thanks Ced."

Cedric reaches for my hand intertwining it with his causing the butterflies in my stomach to flutter madly.

Neither of us thought to mention Draco and whether the kiss was effective enough to drive him away. Rather we just proceed down to the Quidditch field hand in hand.

---

That night I got a whole eight hours of sleep and couldn't help but smile when I though about the kiss Cedric and I shared. Though it was simply to help a friend—just a friend—a friend. I repeated that over and over again in my mind until it was engraved. I wonder if Cedric felt the same way? Of course he didn't! He was simply trying to help me with my pest problem.

I got ready for the day and got an apple from the great hall before going to meet Blaise in the courtyard.

I whisked into the green courtyard and sat at a grey stone bench beside a tree eating my apple as I waited for Blaise. By the time I saw Blaise I was finishing up my apple and throwing the core into a trash bin just in time for him to sit beside me.

"Hey bestie," Blaise greeted with a faint smile placing his bag next to him.

"Hey bestie," I responded with a bright smile.

Before we dove into the deep stuff Blaise told me about Daphne and how their first date went. He said she was 'so freaking hot' and that 'oh yeah she definitely wanted this' when I asked him how the date went. Clearly, he wasn't going to tell me anything else besides the fact that she was hot, he was hot and they knew the other was hot.

"So, what'd you want to talk about y/n? Anything new?" Blaise asks.

I roll my eyes at his knowing tone, "It's not what I wanted to talk about. But I'm not dumb, lay it on me, tell me how dumb I was to do that."

Blaise sighs. "Draco came in basically busting down my door last night infuriated claiming he saw you and Diggory snogging in the halls."

"We weren't snogging," I scoff. "It was one kiss. Ced assured me it would be enough to keep Draco away since he still hasn't gotten the message about us yet. Blaise its almost been a month now, I'm at a loss."

"Draco, just heals in his own way," Blaise shrugs, "He'll see his faults in time. And until then I'll do my best to keep him civil, like how I have been. But I'll do better, just for you bestie."

I looked up at Blaise with a small smile. "Aw, you care for me don't you?"

"No," he snorts. "It's just the decent thing to do," he says shifting his gaze off of me.

"Yeah right, and the sky is red," I respond with a laugh.

"Shove off y/n."

"It's ok, I missed you too Zabini," I say ruffling his short hair. "I've still got to figure out a way to get back into Slytherin-"

"Wait, you want to come back?" Blaise asks taken aback. " But you like being in Hufflepuff don't you? There isn't much to gain by coming back to Slytherin."

"Sure Hufflepuff is great, but I'm no Hufflepuff. I was sorted into Slytherin remember? Though I have friends there I still want to be back where I've been for the past four years. Plus, you'll be there too." I respond.

"That's very Slytherin of you," Blaise responds with a tight smile. "You still don't know how you're going to get back?"

"Well I always had a plan, but it involves knowing who actually put me in Slytherin in order for the plan to work."

"I-I know Draco used to help you with that, so if you need any help I can make myself useful."

"That'd be amazing Blaise. I would really appreciate that." I smile. "Ok, I feel like we've been here for hours, want to go study for our OWLS?"

"Yeah, but just one more thing Y/n," Blaise announces a bit hesitant. "There were several way to get Draco off your back, kissing Diggory wasn't the only solution and I think you know that too. I know it's not my place, but—you know what— it is, cause I'm your friend." He says matter-of-factly. "But from the few encounters I've seen between the two of you, it seems like Diggory had a reason to approach the situation the way he did. You know what I mean?" Blaise asks raising a brow.

"I know what you mean Blaise. I just think you're wrong." I reply with a small giggle.

Blaise rolls his eyes.

"Alright fine, let's go study then," Blaise says standup up sliding his bag over his shoulder.

I do the same with my bag before we saunter over to the library to prep for our OWLS.