13. Blind As A Bat
||Elliana's P.O.V.||
"—And that's why it's more important than ever.." Lonnie cut himself off due to needing to catch his breath before continuing, panting with exertion, "..that we keep up with our training."
Lonnie and I were running laps along the Quidditch field, working on our stamina for Pro-Dueling. Three days had passed since my friend's arrival. Luckily, he was sorted into Hufflepuff (imagine that), so we had been practically inseparable; it made it that much easier to sneak away and focus on training. The rest of our team would be arriving in the very near future to gear up for the tournament, so we needed to be in tip-top shape.
I wiped at the sweat beading on my forehead with the back of my hand, keeping up with him. "Well, when Jay gets here, I need to have a word with him."
I still wanted to know why he had charmed the feathered ring on my hand to prevent me from taking it off or 'spilling my identity'. Evidently, he hadn't charmed anyone else's ring; Lonnie had no issues taking his off.
Lonnie noticed the sternness of my voice, causing him to quirk an amused brow.
"Uh oh. What did he do?" He chuckled, nearly stumbling over his feet due to a large rock in our path.
I shook my head in annoyance at the reminder, not wishing to speak on the subject. "Can we just.. finish running laps in time for breakfast?"
He studied me for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, alright. Let's pick up the pace."
||Cedric's P.O.V.||
"Where's Elliana?" I asked the second I joined my friends in the courtyard.
It seemed like I was seeing less and less of her as of late, and I didn't like it. Used to, she and I were glued at the hip. Well, before I started dating Cho anyway. I had to stifle a sigh at the reminder of my ex-girlfriend. A part of me missed her, but I didn't necessarily long for her like I imagined I would. At first, it had hurt something awful seeing her with Pansy Parkinson, but there was no denying how right they were for each other. Their eyes lit up like stars every time they glimpsed at each other, so I was happy for her. A bit better, sure, but happy, nonetheless.
Natalie shrugged. "I think she's with Lonnie."
Lonnie. My mouth fell open before snapping shut with an audible click. Fred and George exchanged a glance, snickering to themselves.
"..Lonnie, huh?" I forced the words out, baffled by the anger that coursed through me. "She seems to be spending a lot of time with him, doesn't she?"
"Indeed, she does," Fred quipped, followed by George, "She's always with the bloke."
My hands involuntarily clenched into fists. Since his arrival, she's hardly spent any time with us at all. It seemed like every spare second she had went to Lonnie.
"Why do you think that is?" I asked my friends, my voice clipped.
"Isn't it obvious?" The twins responded in sync. "She's got the hots for him."
My jaw went slack as I exhaled sharply, looking back and forth between them. Deep down, I knew they were right. But hearing someone else say it out loud felt like getting slapped in the face. She could do far better than Lonnie. He seemed to be a bit of a dunce, if you asked me...
Is that why she didn't wish to discuss how things were left between us before my.. you know? Because of Lonnie? Was he my replacement? She had secretly been in love with me for six long years.. Had Lonnie managed to steal her heart away in less than six months? My stomach rolled at the thought.
Natalie frowned, narrowing her eyes at Fred before looking at me, "We don't know that. We shouldn't assume things."
"Come on, Nat. Who are you kidding?" George chuckled.
"Yeah, Love. It's blatantly obvious," Fred said to her.
She shook her head. "I'm not getting that vibe from them. I really think they're just friends."
Her words brought me comfort, but I doubted how true they were. Still, I clung to them. "You think so?"
"I do." She assured me with a firm nod.
As if on cue, Elliana seemed to appear out of nowhere, wearing a pair of gray leggings and a cropped white T-shirt. Her hair was piled in a messy bun on top of her head with a few stray curls framing her face in a delicate manner.
"Hey, guys," she greeted us with a warm smile before taking a seat next to Natalie.
I couldn't help but frown at that. Used to, she would always sit next to me. Now, it was rare for her to do so.
"Hi, Elle," Natalie returned her smile.
"Hello, Beautiful." George smirked, winking at her.
Fred and I rolled our eyes in sync. Nowadays, George never failed to flirt with her any chance he got. I believed it to be harmless, but it was still rather annoying. He never flirted with her before.
Elliana's smile grew when she looked at George and said, "Hello to you, Handsome," without missing a beat.
Before, she would have blushed like crazy at the compliment. Now, she simply rolled with it; entirely unfazed. Granted, it was George who was doing the 'flirting', which I was chalking up to the reason behind her reaction (or shall I say— lack thereof).
Curiosity was getting the best of me, and I had to admit, I wanted to see her blush, which was why I found myself taking a page out of George's book. I missed seeing her get tongue-tied with blushing cheeks. It was quite adorable when she nervously stuttered.
"Elliana," I spoke her name, causing her to meet my gaze.
"Cedric." She grinned at me.
My heart skipped a beat. The sound of her saying my name made me lose my train of thought. I felt my face heating up as I struggled to collect myself. What was I trying to say?
I could feel my friends' eyes on me, watching the interaction with amusement.
Clearing my throat in a bid to buy myself some time, I said the first thing that came to my head. "I like your shirt."
Fred pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly holding back laughter at my expense. My cheeks reddened even further when Elliana glanced down at her plain white Tee before looking me in the eye and quirking a brow in confusion.
"Uh, thanks.." She sounded unsure.
I mentally slapped myself. That is not what I intended to say. What in Merlin's beard is wrong with me?
"I-I mean the shirt is lovely," I was quick to say, blinking rapidly when I took in her amused expression.
"Thanks, Ced." She chuckled softly, pulling a granola bar from her bag and unwrapping it.
That's still not what I wanted to say. George looked at me and wagged his brows, smirking devilishly. I wanted to strangle him.
"The shirt looks lovely on you," I blurted out, squeezing my eyes shut. My entire body heated up several degrees as I added, "..You look lovely, I mean."
When I opened my eyes, I locked gazes with Elliana, who was offering me a kind smile.
"Thank you," was all she said before taking a bite out of the granola bar.
Did I say the right thing? No. It still didn't sound right..
I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, ignoring the twins' teasing stares as I worked up my nerve before saying, "..I mean— You look lovely regardless. With or without the shirt."
Fred and George could no longer hold back their laughter. They threw their heads back in sync and cackled like a couple hyenas. My blushing intensified when I realized my choice of words— I felt heat spread to my neck and the tips of my ears.
Elliana offered me a sympathetic smile which made my embarrassment so, so much worse.
"That's–That's not what I meant. I mean— I didn't mean for it to sound like that." I was rambling. Clearly. "...I'm just going to stop talking," I breathed out, blushing like a fool.
"Good idea, mate." Fred laughed, smirking along with George.
Elliana shot them a stern stare before meeting my gaze and saying, "..I know what you meant. And thank you. Every girl loves being called 'lovely' from time to time. Right, Nat?"
Natalie nodded, offering me a smile. "We do. Take notes, Fred."
I breathed out a nervous laugh, still reeling from that awkward exchange. Looks like I've lost my game.. Either that or my earlier theory was correct, and her blushes were now reserved for Lonnie and Lonnie alone... I haven't seen her blush on my account since her return. At the thought, a feeling of dread settled in the pit of my stomach, and didn't leave. Elliana had never had an actual 'boyfriend' before. Sure, she went on several dates with that idiot Lockhart, but they never amounted to anything. The thought of her belonging to someone in that way left a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Are you coming to the practice, Elle?" Natalie asked her, giving me a discreet knowing smile that caused me to furrow my brows. "We haven't seen the boys play in ages."
My palms grew sweaty, and my stomach churned. Was I coming down with something? Perhaps I should skip practice..
Elliana sighed, offering me and the twins an apologetic smile. "Sorry, guys. I can't. I'm fixing to work out with Lonnie."
Again? The two already went on a run this morning before breakfast.
My entire body stiffened. While my stomach was churning before, it was now twisting into a giant knot.
"You can't do that after?" I blurted out.
George was quick to agree. "Yeah. Practice will only last an hour if that."
She frowned apologetically and shook her head. "No. We've got... plans afterwards."
"Plans?" My brows flew up my forehead. "What sort of plans?"
I could feel myself turning green. She has been coming around less and less, and Lonnie was to blame. It was blatantly obvious that Natalie was wrong— They aren't 'just' friends. There was no way. And I was genuinely surprised by how much that bothered me.
I chalked it up to the fact that I didn't want to lose her. She was my best friend, and I loved her dearly. The thought of something potentially jeopardizing our friendship was... unthinkable. The anger and... envy(?) I felt towards the nuisance of a boy was due to the fact that he was coming between us. He was becoming an obstacle in our friendship.
Elliana pulled her lower lip between her teeth, absentmindedly catching my eye. Her lips looked so... soft.. and I briefly imagined how they would feel against my own. Before my thoughts got away from me entirely, I forced my gaze elsewhere, choosing to focus on Fred's unopened bottle of water. I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for thinking of her in that way.
Don't get me wrong— I've always been aware of her beauty. Elliana was a beautiful girl. Gorgeous. But I've always been able to separate her sexual appeal from my friendship with her. Now, it seemed as though those lines were blurring together.
"We're, um..." She fiddled with a stray curl, catching my eye once more.
I wanted to wrap her blonde curl around my finger and admire the silky texture. What in the bloody hell is wrong with me?
"We're going to get some studying done. You know, just catch up. That sort of thing."
"You've been 'catching up' with him for three days now," I quipped, quirking a brow in challenge. "What about your friends that have known you for six years as opposed to a few months, huh?"
She was putting me on the backburner, and I didn't like it. Not one bit.
Elliana blinked rapidly, looking taken aback. Natalie and the twins shared looks amongst themselves, watching the interaction with curious eyes.
"I'm just.." Elliana started to speak, looking at me with a blank expression. "I'm helping him get settled in and stuff. And I still hang out with you guys every day, so I don't see what the big deal is."
Maybe I was being dramatic, but I couldn't help it. This was Elliana we're talking about. My Elliana. And I'll be damned if some guy that she's only known for a few months was going to come between us.
"You spend like every waking moment with him.." I pointed out, feeling a bit vulnerable. "And even when you're 'hanging' with us, nine times out of ten, he's there too."
To my dismay, Natalie spoke up, and she wasn't taking my side. "There's nothing wrong with Elle having other friends.."
My mouth fell open. "I never said there was. The problem arises when she chooses her new friend over the old ones. It's not right.."
A deep sigh escaped Elliana, her sea-green eyes meeting mine as she softly spoke, "...I'm not choosing anyone over anyone, Ced."
My heart lurched at the sound of her soft voice. She sounded sincere; I couldn't argue with that. But still, something didn't feel right. I had the feeling that she wasn't being entirely truthful with us.
Before I had a chance to respond, the current bane of my existence appeared out of nowhere, flashing Elliana a lazy smile and saying, "Ready, Elle?"
She nodded, saying, "See you guys later," and standing up.
As she was walking away, she cast me a glance from over her shoulder, offering me the faintest of smiles before gallivanting away with Lonnie.
***
||Elliana's P.O.V.||
Lonnie and I chose to sharpen our dueling skills for about an hour or so instead of strictly 'working out'. Dueling itself is a workout, after all. We had found a secret spot near the Forbidden Forest and charmed the daylights out of it, ensuring we wouldn't be interrupted during our training session. Afterwards, I took a quick shower and met Lonnie in my dorm. He was sprawled out on my bed with his head in a Muggle book, gushing over the guy on the cover of the romance novel.
"Those abs have to be airbrushed," he commented, trailing his finger along the cover.
I chuckled as I started sorting through my clothes, trying to find my robes. "Pretty sure that photo is AI generated."
He pursed his lips, continuing to stare at the shirtless guy on the book. "Well, someone was used as the inspiration. No 'robot' could conjure such beauty from scratch."
I smiled and playfully rolled my eyes as I grabbed my bra. "Speaking of guys— How are things going with Brice?"
At that, he beamed immediately, dropping the novel to the floor. "Oh, great. I'm missing him like crazy, but he'll be here soon. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, am I right?"
My heart clenched as Edward's face drifted through my mind. I missed him more than words could ever describe, and unlike Lonnie, I wasn't sure when I'd see the love of my life again.
"..Right," I breathed out, forcing myself to smile despite the pain in my chest.
The ache never lessened as the days went by. I kept waiting for it get better— To get used to the miles upon miles that separated us. But that wasn't the case; the ache only grew stronger. My heart and soul noticed the absence of my fated mate, and there was nothing I could do to change that. I could only hold onto the hope that I'd be reunited with him sooner rather than later.
I turned around and dropped my bathrobe to the floor, quickly donning my skirt and bra. Lonnie walked around the room, finding my rock collection. He picked one up from the wicker basket and rolled it around in his palm, admiring the heart-shaped stone.
"This whole 'stone' thing you and Edward have going on is pretty cute, I must admit," he chuckled to himself. "Brice isn't into all that sentimental stuff, but sometimes I wish he was.."
Just as I was fixing to respond, the door to my dorm flew open. A startled yelp flew through my lips as I grabbed my bathrobe and covered my bra-clad torso before locking eyes with Natalie.
"Oh, it's just you." I breathed a sigh of relief, dropping my bathrobe to the floor once more.
Natalie knitted her brows, looking between me and Lonnie with a bewildered expression.
"Hi, Nat," he waved at her with his forefinger and smiled as he continued to dig through my collection.
She looked at me with wide eyes, her mouth falling open. I quirked a brow at her expression as I grabbed my shirt and started buttoning it.
"What's up?" I asked her, curious regarding her impromptu arrival.
"Oh, um.." She blinked rapidly, seeming to be taken aback for some reason. "I was just wanting to talk to you about some things, but..." She trailed off, stealing a glance at Lonnie and flashing me a smug smile before saying, "..It can wait."
Before I had a chance to respond, she all but darted out the door, leaving me alone with Lonnie once more.
He wore a look of confusion as our eyes locked. "What was that about?"
"No idea.." I mumbled, grabbing my tie.
***
That evening, when I walked into the Great Hall and took my seat next to Natalie per usual, I was met with several curious stares from my friends.
"What?" I asked, looking at the four of them.
When my eyes locked with Cedric, there was no denying the deep frown seated on his face. Fred and George simply appeared amused.
"I must say I'm disappointed, Elle," George sighed dramatically.
My brows furrowed. "Huh?"
"I thought we had something special.."
I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was only teasing, but I was still at a loss as to what he was going on about.
"I'm lost," I chuckled, reaching for my silverware.
Fred snickered to himself as Cedric's frown seemed to deepen.
"We know about your 'relationship', Elliana," Cedric spoke dully, meeting my confused gaze. "Why didn't you tell us?"
I felt the color drain from my face. How did they find out about Edward? I had been so careful.
"..I-I.." I stammered, a blush rushing to my cheeks as I looked at each of them. "I'm sorry. I just.. H-How-?"
I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence, but Natalie understood what I was trying to say.
She sighed quietly, flashing me an apologetic smile. "I, uh.. I may have told them about you and Lonnie," she said to me, lifting a shoulder in a sheepish manner. "You two are really cute together, by the way."
My mouth fell open before a laugh escaped me. What on earth? "You did what?"
So, they didn't know. Thank Merlin.
"I'm sorry.." She spoke softly, guilt evident in her eyes. "I didn't think you'd be upset. I just thought you were being shy about the whole thing. I'm sorry if I overstepped.."
I looked at her in disbelief, a moment of silence passing before I erupted into a fit of giggles. Cedric narrowed his eyes at me while the rest of my friends simply stared in confusion.
"That's what his is about? Me and Lonnie?" I asked between bouts of laughter.
"What's so funny?" Cedric asked, folding his arms on top of the table.
My laughter died down, but the occasional giggle continued to slip through. I hadn't laughed that hard since my return.
"You guys couldn't be further off the mark," I explained, wiping away an imaginary tear.
Natalie quirked a brow, leaning towards me to whisper, "Elle, I saw you two. In your bedroom.."
"Yeah? And?" I looked at her, still not following. "Since when is it a crime to have a friend in my dorm?"
Her eyes widened as she whispered in my ear, "You were shirtless.."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Cedric's jaw clench. Fred and George continued eating, popping pieces of fruit in their mouths like popcorn.
When I processed Natalie's words, my jaw went slack. How hadn't I put two and two together? I hadn't given 'undressing' in front of Lonnie a second thought due to the fact that he had a boyfriend, but it was apparent that my friends were entirely clueless regarding Lonnie's lack of interest in me.
"I.. So?" I whispered back, unsure how to respond. I wasn't sure if Lonnie would be comfortable with them knowing about his sexual orientation. Regardless, it wasn't my place to tell them.
"So?" Natalie repeated, blinking rapidly.
"..Nothing happened, Nat," I mumbled, running a hand through my hair and ignoring Cedric's incessant stare. "We're just friends.."
"Friends?" Cedric spoke up, his brows flying up his forehead. "Friends don't go around getting undressed in front of each other, do they, Elliana?"
I released a shaky breath, trying to rack my brain for a response. "Natalie's seen me change clothes countless of times.."
Cedric scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That's hardly the same. Lonnie is a guy."
My eyes narrowed into slits as a wave of frustration washed over me.
"First of all, I'm not exactly Lonnie's 'type'," I used air quotes, speaking firmly. "And secondly, I don't see how it's any of your business, Cedric.. Or anyone else's, for that matter."
Whereas at first, I found the situation amusing— Now, I was just plain frustrated and a bit angry, if I'm being honest.
Cedric's face flushed, his eyes widening as he stared at me. Fred and George pressed their lips into a thin line, all traces of humor vanishing from their faces. Natalie looked back and forth between me and Cedric with wary eyes.
When I took note of the hurt etched in Cedric's features, I immediately felt guilty. There I was snapping at my best friend who had miraculously been resurrected from the dead. What the hell is wrong with me?
"..I'm sorry," I whispered, quickly backpedaling. "I didn't mean to snap. I just.." I ran a hand through my hair, pulling my lower lip between my teeth as I tried to explain. "You guys shouldn't assume things, ya know? Lonnie and I are just—"
Before I could finish the sentence, the subject of our conversation appeared out of nowhere. Lonnie wore a toothy smile as he plopped down beside me, completely unaware of the tension in the air.
"Your hair's a mess," he muttered to me, chuckling as he took it upon himself to start French braiding my hair. He looked up and noticed the curious eyes watching our every move, causing his brows to furrow. "..Uh, what's up, guys?"
I sighed as he continued braiding, his expert fingers making quick work of my hair.
I quirked a challenging brow at Cedric, as though silently daring him to speak, but I didn't think he actually would.
To my dismay, my stormy-eyed friend spoke up, saying to Lonnie, "We were just discussing your relationship with Elliana."
Lonnie paused, his hands stilling in my hair as he looked at Cedric. "Uh.. Relationship?"
This was unbearable to watch.
"It's really none of our business," Fred was quick to say, followed by George, "Yeah. None of our business."
"That's right," Natalie nodded in agreement.
Cedric shot them a not-so-discreet glare before turning his attention to Lonnie once more, leaning across the table as he spoke in a low, clipped voice, "Well, I disagree. She's my best friend, and I won't stand for someone taking advantage of her.."
I all but face-palmed.
Lonnie's brows flew up his forehead, tearing his eyes from a stern Cedric and meeting my apologetic gaze before the hugest of grins stretched across his face.
"Nor would I," Lonnie responded, unfazed.
Cedric stared at him, unblinking. "How long has this been going on?" His eyes flickered to mine, asking, "..And why have you kept it a secret?"
My patience was wearing thin. As much as I loved my best friend, he was pushing my buttons. The word 'secret' cut right through me— Because it was true. I was keeping secrets from them; just not the 'secret' they believed. In our friend group, we treasured the fact that there were no 'secrets'. We had always been honest with one another. Well, aside from keeping my feelings for Cedric hidden from him over half a decade, but that was different. Right?
"Man, you've got it all wrong," Lonnie chuckled, shaking his head. "She's not my type at all.."
I bit back a smile at that.
However, Cedric wasn't convinced, breathing out a scoff and mumbling sarcastically, "Yeah, I bet."
"Seriously." Lonnie held up his right hand in a 'scout's honor' gesture, smiling in amusement as he added, "My boyfriend back home can vouch for that."
Cedric's jaw went slack, his blushing cheeks every bit as red as the twins' ties. Fred and George threw their heads back and laughed. Natalie pressed her lips together to stifle her own laughter at Cedric's shellshocked expression.
"..Oh.." He breathed out, his eyes flickering back and forth from me to Lonnie as he ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand up on end.
I simply looked at him before shooting a half-hearted glare at each of my friends. "You're all idiots."
The twins chuckled once more, not disagreeing with my playful statement. Natalie offered me an apologetic smile.
"Sorry for assuming, Elle. Will you forgive us?" She asked softly, her voice dripping with sincerity.
I released a deep sigh before nodding. I had never been one to hold grudges, and I wasn't about to start now; not when it comes to those I love anyway.
"..Yes. Of course," I was quick to assure her, forcing a small smile to my lips.
Cedric shyly met my gaze, his flushed cheeks still red as a beet as he mumbled, "Sorry, Elliana.."
I stared at him for a moment, studying his stormy gray eyes in a bid to decipher the emotions swirling in their pupils. Cedric had always been protective of me and now was no exception. Before, I didn't mind his overprotective tendencies. I had been too blinded by my love for him to be annoyed by it. But now, it seemed to be a bit much.
"..It's okay," I finally spoke as Lonnie resumed braiding my hair.
Lonnie snickered quietly, amused by the whole misunderstanding. "I can't believe you guys thought we were... Wow." He shook his head, grinning as he continued, "..Even if I was into girls, I wouldn't go near Ellie with a ten-foot pole."
My mouth hit the floor, a blush rushing to my cheeks. The twins cackled once more.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked Lonnie, playfully shoving him.
His grin only grew as he responded, "Well, I don't have a death wish, do I?"
A death wish. Ah. He was referring to my 'vampire' of a boyfriend, no doubt, believing that Edward would rip him limb from limb. His comment, however teasing it was, had me on the defense. Edward would never harm any of my friends, even if one of them was interested in me romantically. Plus, Lonnie knew better than to mention him in front of anyone. He understood the importance of keeping my relationship a secret for now, so I was at a loss as to why he would even bring Edward up.
Cedric and Natalie both furrowed their brows as they processed Lonnie's words.
"..Lonnie," I whispered, shaking my head. "You know better than that."
He and Edward were friends, so I hoped he didn't actually believe such a thing to be true. Surely, his comment was only in jest.
"I was talking about Jay," Lonnie blurted out with a smirk, taking me by surprise.
My brows flew up my forehead, taken aback. So, he wasn't referring to my vampire mate? But to our Pro-Dueling captain? What on earth...
It was my turn to laugh at the absurdity. Why would Jay care in the first place?
"You're kidding, right?" I asked after my laughter ceased.
"Who's Jay?" Cedric asked, knitting his brows.
Ignoring his question, Lonnie said, "I'm serious, Elle. As a heart attack," he chuckled, continuing, "He's totally crushing on you. You haven't noticed?"
I shook my head. There was no way. "That's ridiculous, Lonnie.."
Lonnie laughed joyously, his shoulders shaking from the force of it. "Are you blind, girl?"
Natalie and the twins exchanged amused glances before looking at Cedric.
Before I had a chance to collect my thoughts enough to respond, much to chagrin, Fred spoke up, saying, "Some might say that, yes."
"Blind as a bat," George added with a playful wink.
||AUTHOR'S NOTE||
Don't worry, guys. We'll be getting a bit of an update on Edward in the next chapter. :) I know this story is sort of dragging right now, but you guys know by now how much I love angst/slow burn lol! Eventually, I'll be following along a bit with the actual Harry Potter storyline, but for now, I'm focusing on her relationships with everyone. SO many adventures await us!!
It's going to be hilarious when her friends find out that Jay is 'Jerome Morrison' AKA 'Rowan'- The face of the Whispering Wisps. That's going to be super fun to write!