"I still can't believe you said yes to him," Daphne uttered while brushing out a section of my hair. I was sat down in front of the vanity in our room and she was standing behind me, trying to make my hair look more presentable for the evening.

"It was a temporary lapse in judgment," I defended myself while brushing on some powder to my face.

"A lapse in judgment that ended up with you having a public date with Cedric."

"For the hundredth time, it's not a date. He even said it can just be an escort and us spending the evening together. Totally... cordial... no romance at all."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "It starts out with just dinner, then he invites you for a walk in the courtyard, then he kisses you in the moonlight, then before you know it you're back at his room and—"

"Daphne!" I cut her off, actually earning a laugh from her.

"Sorry, y/n, I got carried away there. Still, you know what I mean. Just be careful? You don't need Draco finding out about this."

"What's to find out? That he and I, along with a group of other students in our year, all got together to meet for dinner with a professor? There's nothing wrong with that."

"Weren't you supposed to be on prefect patrol tonight?"

"Cedric got someone to cover it. Quite a few of us are going to the Slug Club, so," I muttered, a bit quieter. I added some blush to the apples of my cheeks to bring back some color; I was looking a tad washed out.

"Cedric this, Cedric that," she tugged on my hair rather harshly, causing me to yelp out in pain. She chuckled mischievously. "Did that hurt? Oops."

"Ouch, Daph, way out of line," I brought my hand to the back of my head to rub the soreness away. It only hurt for a second, but still.

"You kind of deserve it after playing with everyone's feelings this way," she shrugged.

"Cedric is a nonfactor, okay? And to set the record straight, I am positive that Draco feels nothing—"

Before I could finish my thought, I was cut off by a tapping at the door. It was quick but not heavy-handed. Tap tap tap tap tap. In fact, it was quite light and almost like someone had been knocking with just one finger... or a stick maybe?

"Sounds like loverboy's here," Daphne whispered lowly, giving me something of a glare.

Merlin, I'd have to deal with her later. She's been in such a mood lately. Not that I could blame her, I'd been so busy we hardly had any friend time together, but still. She could try helping and not exacerbating the situation.

I gave her a look of acknowledgement before getting up to answer the door.

Much to my surprise, Cedric wasn't there. In fact, nobody was there. It was actually a small black box on the floor and an owl next to it. I bent down to pick up the box and the owl flitted away. I had no idea whose owl it was (but I really never paid any attention to that). It was quite large and had bright orange eyes that seemed to examine mine, as well as a giant wingspan as I saw it soar down the corridor and away from my doorstep.

With the box in hand, I turned back to face Daphne and held up it up quizzically. When she realized what was going on, she rushed over and inspected it.

"What's this? Some jewelry box?" She mused, taking it out of my grasp and holding it up to the light. Closer to the lamp, we could tell it wasn't actually black, but a very dark, Slytherin-like green. Actually, almost too dark to be Slytherin.

"Looks like it," I replied, snatching the box back from her. "It has my name on it, thank you very much."

She rolled her eyes. "Go on and open it. Maybe you've got another secret admirer... you would."

Ignoring her slight dig, I gently opened the box to reveal a gorgeous gold necklace. It had a diamond crescent moon in the center with golden stars hanging off...

Wait. Had I seen this before? It looked awfully familiar.

I took it out of the box and held it up closer to the lamp on my vanity. I had definitely seen this before.

But where? I never went out jewelry shopping really... if I saw it somewhere, I would've bought it.

Except when I went shopping with Theo. That was months ago, though.

"It's very pretty," Daphne gawked. "Whoever sent this has good taste."

"Daph, check if there's a note in there," I ordered, my eyes fixated on the necklace between my fingers.

"Don't mind if I do," she perked up, always interested in the drama.

Given it was a very tiny box, we probably would've seen a note if there was one. However, once she pulled out the holder of where the necklace was secured, there was indeed a slip of paper behind.

She handed it to me and we swapped what we were holding. I took the parchment and brought it up to look at it.

The handwriting wasn't quite perfect calligraphy, it looked a tad messy or naturally masculine. Yet, the short lines were neat and straight; the strokes of the quill were thin and almost elegant, not like some people whose ink splatters all over the page.

"'The brightness of your cheek would shame the stars.'

Wear them around your neck instead, my love."

My eyes darted back to the necklace she was holding and my gaze lingered on the stars that were attached to the same clasp as the moon. They were smaller, yet still as pretty and a bit shinier, if anything.

"That first line... it's from some muggle play; we learned about it in Muggle Studies, remember?" Daphne offered up. "What was his name? Wordsworth or something?"

I shook my head. "It was Shakespeare."

"All the same. Now if only we had a name to attach to this..."

My mind scrambled itself. "It couldn't be Theo, maybe? I was with him when I first saw this."

Her eyes widened. "Theo?! Y/n, it can't be. He's Draco's best friend, there's no way he would be wooing you over with expensive gifts; he must know it's a lost cause."

"Who else would it be then? He was the only person I told that I liked this... and I haven't been back at that shop in months, I think?"

She shrugged. "I mean, it could be, but I don't think so. I can't see him risking getting into hot water with Draco just to give you a necklace, especially with such romantic undertones."

She did have a point there. Especially since I never even considered Theo might like me; it was always strictly platonic between us and we were both content with that.

Well, barring our latest argument which had us pretty much at odds with each other, we were platonic friends. He hadn't spoken to me since. I couldn't quite blame him either, I knew he was pissed off and needed time to recoup. This, however, was not the way to apologize, if he was planning to do so.

But if not Theo, then who else?

"I suppose you're right. It could just be a coincidence, it is pretty after all. But if that's the case, it still doesn't answer who sent it?"

At that, a knock at the door was heard. An actual knock. It was gentle and rhythmic, but not the tapping of an owl like minutes ago. Knock, knock, pause, knock.

I shoved the box and note into Daphne's hand, not wanting Cedric to see it, and went to answer the door.

I slowly swung it open to see Cedric standing there, looking devastatingly handsome.

He had on a preppy (but not obnoxiously pretentious) sweater with a dress shirt underneath that peaked through on top from the collar and at his wrists where the sweater ended. The dark slacks and dress shoes he was wearing made him look tall and lean; it was enough to make me want to keep him at the doorway and just stare at him the whole night.

The more neutral, non-distracting colors of his clothes made the highlights of his styled honey-brown hair look more golden and accentuated the blue of his eyes to shine brighter.

Merlin, it was hard to not throw myself at him right then and there.

"My, my, you look wonderful, y/n," he smiled, teeth shining white as he stood up a tad straighter. His eyes scanned me up and down for a moment before locking back onto mine respectfully. He then bent down to place a kiss on both sides of my cheeks which I returned as a greeting.

"Thank you, Cedric... you look great, too," I did my best to plaster on a smile as if I didn't have a swarm of thoughts flooding my mind.

He cocked his head to the side and waved to my best friend behind me. "Daphne, always a pleasure to see you. It's a shame you're not joining us this evening," he greeted her.

I noticed a blush tint her cheeks as she walked closer to stand next to me. He had that effect on people.

"Nice to see you too, Ced. It's no big deal, I have plans tonight anyway. Hope you two enjoy rubbing elbows with the rich and snobby tonight," she jested.

"Daph, most of them are our friends."

"Doesn't make them any less rich and snobby. Now Diggory, treat her right... keep your hands to yourself... she's my little girl and I want her back by midnight, understood young man?"

He held up his hands defensively as he chuckled. "I'll be a perfect gentleman, sir. Are you ready, y/n? We can head over whenever you'd like."

"Yeah, sure. Just let me grab my purse—"

"Don't forget your necklace!" Daphne urged, pulling me away from Cedric for a moment.

I lowered my voice to a hush, glaring seriously. "What? Why would you say—"

"Might as well find out if it's from him as soon as possible," she deadpanned, turning me around and clasping the necklace with some wandless magic. It was much faster than doing it by hand, I'd admit.

"Daphne, I don't think—"

"She's all yours, Diggory!" she nudged me back to the doorway before throwing me my purse that sat on my bed. "Like I said, midnight. Not a second later."

Cedric laughed boyishly before bidding her goodbye. I felt like I was being thrown about between the two of them, the only problem being that Cedric had no idea what was going on.

I was dreading walking down the Slytherin dorm rooms and through the common room to get back to main corridors of the school, but luckily since it was Friday, most Slytherins were out on the town or too busy to loiter in the common room. I felt a wave of relief wash over me once we made it through only being seen by a few lower years who surely wouldn't tattle.

There was the issue that I'd be seen by everyone at the Slug Club... especially Blaise and Theo. I felt anxiety bubbling up inside me at the prospect of this somehow getting back to Draco or—

"You okay, y/n? You look a little... frazzled," Cedric asked, voice laced with concern.

I took a deep breath in and tried to relax myself. Come on, y/n, don't make it so obvious.

"Of course, thank you for asking," I plastered on a smile to sate his curiosity. I doubt it worked.

"Right," he nodded, but something told me he was just trying to make me comfortable. "And if I wasn't clear enough earlier, you really do look stunning."

The rest of the walk there consisted of small talk; nothing too important. He made a few remarks about the dress I was wearing, how pretty it was or how it was perfect for the event, and I forced myself to let out a few similar compliments about how classy he looked and he'd be the most sophisticated gentleman there. I wasn't lying; I'm sure he would be battling for best dressed (rather, best looking) of all the boys there. It just wasn't at the forefront of my mind while I felt the metal of the necklace pressed against my skin, making it the only thing I could concentrate on.

Upon reaching the party (which was really Slughorn's classroom that he magically transformed into a grand looking dining room), I was struck by just how all out Sluggy went for this. The decorations, the food, even a few elves from the kitchens to bring the food out could be spotted running in and out. It was very elegant, and I could tell these must be the ghosts of Slughorn's elitist socialite past coming out to play. Old habits die hard.

Everyone there was styled similarly to us. The girls had on modest yet sophisticated dresses or sweaters while the guys all had some type of dress shirt and slacks. My suspicions were confirmed after viewing everyone; it was definitely a toss-up between whether Cedric or Theo was easiest on the eyes out of the boys. The only problem was Theo seemed to have a malicious sneer on his face as opposed to Cedric's warm smile, which meant the latter was definitely the winner.

Speaking of which, Theo was second only to Slughorn to speak with us when we stepped in. Slughorn was jolly as ever; it was honestly a refreshing change of pace to the otherwise glum or confusing emotions I'd felt lately.

Slughorn had made a sort of sitting/drawing area that was meant for some socializing before dinner, which I used to chat with Cedric, then Theo and Blaise who made their way over.

"Fancy seeing the both of you here... again," Theo sipped from his glass of wine. His eyes were fixated on me more than Cedric, however.

"Theo..." I slightly glared at him, hoping to elicit a better reaction.

"Nice to see you, Theodore. And you as well, Zabini," Cedric grinned, his usually gleeful self.

"Nice sweater, Diggory. Heading to the frat house after dinner?" Zabini snorted.

I nudged him, growing to despise their distasteful banter. It was so unlike them... especially Theo. I thought he liked Cedric? He'd even told me a few times that he thought he was a decent guy, despite them not necessarily being friends.

Cedric, however, always turned the other cheek. He seemed totally unbothered.

"If I'm in the company of this gorgeous young lady here, I don't mind where I'm headed," he smiled.

At that, I couldn't hide the blush on my face. It was so gracious of him to turn a snide comment into a flirty remark that he knew I'd like. I let out a soft laugh to mask the flush of my cheeks.

When he noticed my reaction, a small scowl grew on Blaise's lips. "Ever the charmer, Diggory. It's incredible how you manage to keep so many girls' hearts on a string."

"Especially the ones who have no business paying you any attention," Theo added.

"Could you really not have found another date?"

"Any girl in here would've been keen to accept from 'golden boy' Diggory. You just had to choose y/n?""

"Guys, that's enough," I deadpanned, instinctively scooching closer to Cedric before looking up at him. "I'm so sorry, Ced, I don't know what's gotten into them."

I noticed Cedric stiffen up a bit, perhaps at the contact I was giving him but more likely from the subtle attacks he was getting from Theo and Blaise. He looked unthreatened, however, just a little tense. It was clear that the two Slytherin boys were attempting to appear domineering, but Cedric wasn't taking part.

"No need to apologize, y/n," he looked down at me before peering back at Blaise and Theo. "Not quite the compliment I was expecting, but if you boys need any tips on wooing the ladies, I might find the time to give you a few pointers."

Blaise and Theo exchanged looks, their nostrils flaring and eyes sharp. Cedric on the other hand appeared a tad smug, however otherwise unaffected. Actually, the lopsided grin he donned was attractive.

"It's not us who needs the help," Blaise glared before the two Slytherin boys walked off to discuss among themselves. I took note of the dirty looks they sent our way.

"Ced, I promise I'll have a chat with Theo later and ask him to lay off, he was way out of line there," I sighed, frustrated. "He's been a pain for a few days now."

"Don't stress," he grinned. "Don't spend a minute worrying about those two. They like causing trouble."

"I know, but Theo always said he liked you and I don't know what's gotten into him—"

"Shh, darling," he cooed, pulling me in for a warm hug, arms wrapping loosely around my waist. "I've handled much worse before; I can deal with a flip of Nott's attitude for you."

He pulled away slightly, arms still clinging onto me and looked into my eyes. My hands were on his upper chest, being warmed up by the heat he radiated. Everything about him was soothing, especially that smirk he offered up, but not out of malice. It was to try and make me comfortable again after our run-in with the boys, to cheer me up.

A small smile grew on my lips, causing him to smirk a little more.

"Now, we're going to have fun tonight, because we both earned a place here, got it? Chatting up the professor, eating great food, and bragging about all your accomplishments because you deserve it. You're not going to let those snakes ruin your night."

"Hey, just because they're Slytherins doesn't make them snakes," I chuckled.

"You're right, but them being themselves makes them snakes."

He pressed a soft kiss to my right temple, sending shivers down my neck and spine to where his hand rested on the curve of my back.

I leaned into him and his touch. I was still grappling with my being here with him, and after Theo and Blaise made a big deal out of it, I knew it was wrong. However, that didn't mean it felt wrong. Cedric had some magic charm to him that made everything seem alright. Even if I knew it wasn't right, he made me relax and find solace in him.

I couldn't let this go on forever; it would end soon. Might as well soak it all in while I can.

---

A/N: For all y'all hating Cedric (I love him but he's gotta go-) you're gonna be some happy campers in the next couple chapters. He had a good run.

I've written numerous chapters in advance, and I have to say, my own Draco content gave me butterflies. Not to toot my own horn but, toot. Chills. You're in for a good time these coming chapters.

Also Theo (+ Blaise) are kind of being the worst, sorry about that but it's temporary. He's siding with Draco and... can you blame him? I would too. Or just ditch Draco entirely and run away with Theo. Either one works for me. Hehe.

vote + comment! xoxo