When I woke up the next morning, it took me a moment to work out what the uneasy feeling in my stomach was about.

And then I remembered. The maze. Cedric's proposition.

I looked across at Pansy who was still snoring in her bed and I wondered if she was having sex yet. With Draco.

The thought made me feel queasy as hell. So I quickly dismissed it and went and got ready for another day.

Draco was on the sofa when I stepped into the common room. Our eyes met, like they often did when one of us entered a room the other was in.

I found it oddly comforting that he looked for me like I looked for him. Even if we never spoke.

I swallowed, wanting so desperately to go over to him. And I wanted so much to talk to him about the previous night. But I knew it was pointless, that if he even wanted to talk to me, then he sure wouldn't want to discuss Cedric.

He broke the contact first, casting his eyes dismissively back down to the book in his lap.

Biting back the tears, I marched past him, hating that I missed him so much that it made me want to cry.

Cedric was waiting in the Entrance Hall.

"Blaire," he called, striding over to me as soon as I reached the top of the dungeon stairs. "I want to apologise for yesterday. I was out of line."

"It's, um... okay," I shrugged, looking up into his pained face, relief flooding me at the genuine regret in his eyes.

"No, it isn't okay," he said at once, pulling me into his arms and kissing the top of my head. "I woke up feeling horrified with myself. I don't know what came over me, I shouldn't have even suggested it. You know I'd never push you into doing something you're not ready for, right?"

I nodded against his chest, closing my eyes as his scent invaded me. I loved his smell. It always made me think of our stolen kisses by the lakeside.

"Come on, come and sit me with me for breakfast," he said, dropping his arms from around me and taking my hand. "I've been to see Flitwick already and I got him to grant you another day for your essay, so I can help you with it tonight, okay?"

"What did you say to him exactly?" I asked, curious as he led us into the Great Hall.

"Oh, just that I had taken up all your time getting you to help me prepare for the tournament," he shrugged, "honestly, you should start using it more. Perks of being my girlfriend... amongst other things, of course."

As he said this, he halted right in the middle of the Great Hall and, in front of everyone, pulled me dramatically to his chest, before leaning me back for a big showy kiss, his mouth smothering my gasp.

Wolf whistles and catcalls instantly rose up around us. I could feel Cedric smirking against my lips, loving the attention.

I pushed him off of me, feeling completely flustered. I glanced around in horror to see all eyes were on us, including a pair of piercing silver grey ones. Draco had entered the hall, glaring over in our direction as Pansy clung onto his arm.

Cedric chuckled unabashedly, pulling me over to the Hufflepuff's who all held their hands up to high five him as he sauntered alongside the table until he reached the chair at the very end. The head.

There was no second empty chair, but this did not seem to be a problem for Cedric who simply pulled me down onto his lap.

"Today my queen dines with us!" He roared loudly, lifting up his goblet to his fellow Hufflepuff's who all cheered with equal gusto as, they too, raised their goblets.

Wow, this was so embarrassing.

*****

When I sat down at one of the low tables in Divination, where a crystal ball was already set, I tried to disguise my shock when Draco claimed the other seat.

Pansy, who had walked in behind him, stood with a look of confusion on her face.

"Move along dear, move along," Professor Trelawney trilled impatiently at her, coaxing her on. "Two to a table now, that's right dears."

As Pansy stropped off to a different table, ordering Millicent Bulstrode to move so she could sit with Daphne Greengrass, I glanced up at Draco questioningly.

But he refused to meet my eye, instead staring determinedly to the front of the class, waiting for Trelawney to issue instructions.

Finally, after she set us some stupid crystal gazing task to do in pairs, he turned to me.

"I don't like him, Blaire."

"Oh surprise, surprise," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "You don't talk to me in two months and, when you finally do, the first thing that comes out of your mouth is something negative about my boyfriend."

"He's treating you like some sort of fucking trophy." Draco continued, ignoring me. "I saw your face this morning in the Hall. You hated it."

"I did not hate it."

"You pushed him off."

I felt a fury start to bubble in my stomach. Trying to ignore it, I yanked the crystal ball towards me and frowned into it, making out I was trying to 'see'.

"I'm sorry I threw your Easter present in the fire."

I stilled, slowly lifting my head. Silver eyes stared solemnly into mine, the hardness that had been in them for the last two months gone.

"It was petty of me," he continued, not taking his eyes away from mine. "And I regretted it as soon as I had done it."

"Why didn't you say so then?" I asked, not being able to help the petulance in my voice. "That was nearly two weeks ago."

"Because I didn't want to admit I was wrong," he shrugged, "and because I was still pissed off at you."

"I never meant to hurt you, you know," I said, immediately softening, relief hitting me that he was talking to me again. "There's no excuse for that, and I won't keep trying to give you any; but I do want you to know that I am genuinely sorry."

"I know," he murmured, his lips tugging into a small, regretful smile. "I've missed you, Blaire."

"I've missed you too," I said, smiling helplessly back as my heart swelled with an immense joy. "I hate not talking to you."

"Let me guess, all Hufflepuff ever talks about is himself?" Draco smirked, reaching over to slide the crystal ball in front of him.

"That's not true." Yes, it was.

"Yep, thought so," he drawled, cocking an eyebrow as he gazed into the ball, "here he is, our little champ, Ceddy; thanking his hair for winning the trophy."

"You know you actually just complimented him," I said, teasingly poking my tongue out as I pulled the ball back to me. "Clearly you think he's capable of winning the tournament."

"Well, I want a Hogwarts victory, don't I?" Draco snorted, folding his arms in front of his chest, "and it's hardly going to be Potter; the Boy Who Gets By On Good-Old-Fashioned-Dumb-Luck."

"Glad to hear the love's still as strong as ever between you guys," I smirked, gazing into the crystal ball. "Oh look... yep - I'm getting a vision of your wedding cake... and awww - it's topped with a mini Potter figurine holding hands with a cute little furry ferret."

"You little..." Draco lurched forward to grab the ball, but I was quicker and snapped it up in my hands, holding it out of his reach.

The bastard played dirty and started tickling me. Through fits of laughter, we ended up toppling onto the floor, not giving a shit about the rest of the class as we wrestled shamelessly for the ball; which somehow ended up getting smashed to pieces in the tussle.

And that's how Draco and I landed an evening detention where we spent five hours side by side polishing crystal balls.

It was the best night I'd had in a long time.

*****