Chapter 17
Corinne blinked into the dimly lit room, reaching to brush the hair from over her face before realizing where she was. It was still hot, Cedric's dorm was always hot, though she pulled the blanket up higher over her bare shoulder and snuggled closer into the warmth of his chest, trailing a light touch over his bicep as he slept peacefully beneath her.
She let her mind run back to last night, though it felt a bit hazy now as her eyes fell shut again, breathing in the familiar citrus and cedar. The sun was rising steadily through the window at the edge of the dorm, revealing a light fall of snow before she remembered. It was Christmas.
"How are you already awake?" Cedric's voice rumbled through his chest beneath her and a small smile spread over his lips before his eyes were even open.
"Dunno." She whispered back, biting back her own grin as he finally looked down, Corinne's blonde hair falling messily around her face.
"Merry Christmas." He spoke, scanning the room for his roommates, though evidently, they had elected to give the two the dorm for the night or had managed to escape in silence before either of them had woken up. "Do you... how are you feeling?" His fingers trailed softly over the skin along Corinne's hips beneath the blankets.
"I feel fine." She nodded, "I'm great."
"Good." He stretched his free arm over his head, not daring to move the one holding her against him. "Though I wouldn't have minded carrying you around all of Christmas."
"Quite an ego you've got there?" She teased, ducking from beneath his arm and pulling the comforter from the bed with her, wrapping it around her shoulders and starting towards his dresser to help herself to an old quidditch shirt before tossing the blanket back to her boyfriend.
"Thank Merlin you put some clothes on..." He grinned, "Was beginning to feel a bit indecent."
"You're digging yourself into the kind of grave that ends with you never seeing another girl naked, Diggory." She shot him her best glare, rummaging through his dresser once again in search of any pair of pants that would fit her well enough to get her back to Gryffindor tower.
"Hey," His voice appeared behind her shoulder, reaching quickly into the dresser beside her to pull on a pair of joggers before yanking open the top drawer, rooting through dozens of rolled up pairs of socks before pulling out a small box wrapped in red paper. "Merry Christmas, Corinne."
Her eyes flickered to meet his, excitement shooting through her veins as she accepted the gift.
"No fair, yours is still upstairs-"
"S'fine. Open it." He shook his head, dropping back to the edge of the bed to watch as she slid one finger beneath the shining wrapping and opened the velvet box inside, a sparkling oval diamond attached to a thin golden chain lying at the center.
"Ced..." Her eyes flashed to his for only a second before they were pulled back to the glittering necklace once again.
"You like it?" He asked, crossing towards her again until he towered over her, his eyes locked to her face.
"It's beautiful... You shouldn't have done this, you idiot! Or at least warned me, my gift is nothing compared-"
"Will you shut up?" He chuckled, taking the box from her fingers and pulling the chain carefully, crossing behind her silently. Corinne could feel his fingers drag softly across her neck, gathering her hair to the side before the diamond was lowered before her face. She held still for just a moment as Cedric fumbled with the clasp before feeling the weight of the pendant fall against her chest and a soft kiss pressed against the back of her neck. "I wanted to get you something... almost as beautiful as you are."
"I think you might have surpassed me a bit." She spun to face him, catching sight of the glittering gem in the mirror behind them.
"Impossible." He whispered, two fingers clasping her chin and pulling her closer for a kiss. "I hope last night... I hope it was okay... I never really asked if you-"
"It was perfect." She cut him off, watching the glow return to his eyes. "Everything. Perfect."
He smiled down at her for a few silent moments before turning back to the dresser and pulling a sweater over himself. "Well, my love. As much as I would love to drag you into the great hall in my old clothes... I'm guessing you want to go up and change?"
"If your pants weren't dragging along the floor with every step, I wouldn't care. I'm starving." She whined, padding towards the door as Cedric chuckled.
"We'll be fast." He nodded, pulling the door open and letting her into the hallway.
"I really have to start keeping clothes here... What if your roommates had come back!" She whispered as they crossed through the common room, though nearly everyone was already at breakfast or out celebrating the holiday.
"But I quite like you in mine." He shrugged, enjoying the tiny flush that rose to her cheeks as she shook her head, her finger sliding along the diamond across her collarbones as they started up the first staircase of many.
✵
"No, please!" Corinne giggled, pulling with all her might to no avail. Cedric still easily dragged her through the thick snow near the black lake, a grin forming on his face as she struggled.
"You act like I'm taking you to be murdered!" He laughed, glancing behind him at the rosy cheeks of the girl behind him, dragging the heels of her boots through each snow pile.
"If I... no, when I fall through the ice and drown, I will consider it murder!"
"You're not falling anywhere, and if you did, I would save you!" Cedric shot her an eye roll, though he was almost certain she hadn't noticed, her eyes already scanning over the frozen lake. Cedric had gotten the idea days ago, watching a few students out each day, everyone soaking in each blistery day of holiday before classes would resume next week.
"I don't know how!" Corinne repeated for likely the tenth time.
"So you've mentioned." He shrugged, slowing near the edge of the lake and testing it with one foot, sure the ice was more than thick enough for skating. "I told you, I'll teach you."
"I could just watch." She grinned, laughing as Cedric shot her a frown.
"Yeah, how fun would that be for me. Skating around by myself like an idiot."
"What you choose to do in your free time is none of my business!" She shrugged, "Wait! Wait!" She laughed, stepping backwards as Cedric aimed his wand to her boots, skates appearing in their place as she tried to steady herself in the deep snow. "I could have fallen!"
"But you didn't!" He repeated the same spell to his own boots, stepping out onto the frozen water and turning back for her, one arm held back for the blonde. "Come on... please? I promise it'll be fun."
Corinne huffed out a dramatic sigh, taking his hand instantly and letting him pull her out onto the lake. She knew it would be fun. Even if she was terrible. She always had fun with Cedric. It didn't matter what they were doing.
"Alright, feel balanced?"
"Mhm." She lied, truly sure she would collapse onto the ice any minute.
He pulled her closer until she was pressed against his chest and smiled as her wide eyes latched onto his.
"One step at a time. Glide forward, don't lift your feet as much as when you walk."
"You're telling me there's really not a spell for this? I'm sure they have self moving skates..." She mumbled, mostly to herself as she pushed forward, one hand still squeezing Cedric's as he moved beside her with much more grace.
"You're doing fine!" He assured her, watching as she moved farther to the middle of the lake before tugging her fingers gently, grabbing a hold of each arm in his and reaching up to adjust the knit hat lower on her head. "You're so adorable."
"You're making fun of me." She crinkled her nose, trying to push out of his grip to no avail as he pressed his lips gently to her forehead.
"I would never." He answered, honestly, moving forward on the ice again and dropping his fingers from hers at last.
"Hey!" She called, leaning forward slightly and hurrying to skate after him, not quite as fast, though he did turn and let her catch up every few seconds.
✵
"You'll be alright?" He muttered, rubbing his hands together and secretly dreading having said yes to Quidditch over the break, though Preece was beginning to care more about training than he was.
"Yes, I feel much better back on solid ground." Corinne teased as they neared the entrance hall.
"I mean... technically the ice was also solid... Nevermind." He grinned, leaning down for a kiss before he started across the snow covered grounds once again, towards the Quidditch pitch in the distance.
Corinne watched from the doorway for a few seconds longer until she could no longer stand the chill from the wind, the sun already disappearing behind the clouds lining the forest in the distance. The door shut behind her with a loud echo as she began the familiar journey back up to Gryffindor tower, hugging her arms over her coat and tugging off her mittens, shoving them both into one pocket.
Her legs were burning by the fifth floor, and she made a mental note to give Cedric a good talking for keeping them on the ice for so long.
"Well, well, well..." Fred's voice echoed through the empty corridor as her foot stalled on the next staircase. She considered, for a moment, continuing up as if she hadn't heard him, though as he slowed a few steps ahead of her, she realized that was hardly an option anymore. "Where have you been? Why do you look frozen?"
"Outside." She answered, quietly, meeting his eyes for only a second before pulling them down to her pink fingers and rubbing her hands together for something to do.
"I should hope there's no where inside the castle that could turn your nose that pink." He teased, though she could hear the strain in his voice, the nerves seeping into every word.
"Mhm..." She nodded, taking another stride until they stood on the same step. "Have a good night, Fred-"
"Wait..." He stepped out in front of her, brown eyes scanning over her face as she waited. "Did you... Did you have a good Christmas?"
She bit back a sigh, meeting his eyes and nodding again. "Yeah. You?"
"Yeah." He answered, his fingers rising to the back of his neck nervously. "The Ball... you had fun?"
"Mhm." She answered, stepping slightly to the side and hoping he would let her pass when she saw his eyes lock onto the necklace peeking out between the buttons of her coat, his eyes darkening in an instant.
She paused, wetting her lips nervously as she waited for what she was sure would be some sort of familiar outburst, some hurled insult about Cedric or jewelry or perhaps even Christmas itself.
Fred didn't move for a few moments before his hand slowly reached forward, taking the gem into two fingers, his jaw locking into place, though his eyes never returned to hers.
"I'll see you around." He muttered under his breath, dropping the necklace back into place and stepping around her, disappearing almost instantly around the corner of the staircase and leaving Corinne in complete confusion, listening as his footsteps faded into the distance.