An Unbreakable Vow ~ Harry Potter

ix - in which cedric is introduced

"I can't believe that the Triwizard Tournament is happening!" Valerie exclaimed, pumping her fists high over her head.

"Put your hands down," Ron whispered, gesturing to Cedric Diggory. "Diggory might think that you're talking about him," he added.

Valerie blushed. "And that would be bad because..."

They were sitting at a table in the library. Hermione had roped them into homework, however badly they didn't want to do it. After Dumbledore had announced the Triwizard Tournament the night before, they had been very curious about what would be in store. The Goblet of Fire was to be open until that night. Hermione didn't seem to see why the Triwizard tournament mattered if you weren't of age. After all, you weren't exempt from exams unless you were a champion.

Valerie found the whole ordeal exciting. A Hogwarts champion winning would be amazing. Secretly, though Ron hated it, she wouldn't mind if Cedric Diggory did get picked as champion. She had talked to Harry about it. They had confided in each other about their fantasies of somehow getting their name in the goblet; of getting picked. It would be so amazing to be in the Triwizard Tournament.

That was far off, however. Valerie sighed and propped her elbow up on the table, resting her chin on her hand. She listened vaguely to Ron's list of reasons why Cedric Diggory should not be the champion because he was a Hufflepuff...

"...and that's why!" Ron finished with a flourish and a final wave of his hand.

"Hm? Oh, yes," Valerie snapped out of her daydream.

"She wasn't listening to your rambling," Harry yawned. Ron narrowed his eyes at his friend and fell silent.

"Sorry, Ron, I'm really... tired," Valerie said, her eyes snapping back to the boy from Hufflepuff a few tables away. She took a big swig of her pumpkin juice.

Hermione nudged her mid-drink. "If you ask me," she whispered, "No one has the right to be that handsome."

Valerie spat out her drink all over Ron, who was across the table from her. "WHAT THE HECK?!" Ron sputtered out, grabbing his wand. Hermione beat him to it. "Tergeo!"

Instantly, the orange stain all over Ron's robes and face disappeared. He shot Valerie a dirty look, and she shrugged. "No harm done."

Hermione gave Valerie a knowing glance. "Sorry about that," she whispered so only Valerie could hear.

Harry wiped off his glasses and looked confusedly at the scene around him. "Why'd you —"

"Just got a little off track," Valerie hurriedly finished, her cheeks a deep scarlet. Harry didn't seem to believe her, but he let the subject drop. She fiddled with the red-and-green striped scarf slung around her neck, fighting the urge to look back up at Cedric Diggory.

Ron muttered something to himself that they couldn't hear. "This studying is pointless, Mione," he finally looked up at them. "It's the beginning of the school year. Why are we already getting ready for exams? O.W.L.S. aren't till next year," he hurriedly added in before Hermione could say anything.

Hermione shook her head. "I have half a mind to stop letting you copy off my homework." Her look was a bit threatening.

Harry looked sheepish. Before he could think about what he was doing, he raised his hand in the air.

"Yes, Pottah?" Hermione said in a perfect impression of Malfoy. "Why are you raising your hand?"

Harry's hand dropped. "Sometimes I forget with you," he said. "But Hermione, if we can't copy your notes and homework, we'll get such bad grades, we'll get expelled from Hogwarts, and then where are your friends?"

Hermione paused to think. "You better not make me regret letting you copy," she finally responded, giving in with a sigh. "Ron, you ought to set a better example for Harry."

"Who, me?" Ron looked around the room for anybody else who might be named Ron. "You're joking."

"She's not joking," Valerie cut in. "She's right."

Ron gave Valerie a quizzical look before turning back to Hermione. "When have I ever been a good example?"

Hermione paused. "Well..."

"Shut up," Valerie smacked Hermione's arm. "It's not funny."

"It is kind of funny," Hermione laughed.

"Oh, I'm always the butt of the joke, aren't I? The goofball, the dumb friend," Ron muttered, more to himself than the others.

"That's not how we feel about you," Hermione argued. "It's just that sometimes, you're, well..."

Valerie sensed a growing argument between her two friends. She shot Harry a "help me" look and inclined her head towards Ron and Hermione. Harry shrugged.

"Well what?!" Ron said. "Oh, tell me! I really want to know your opinions on this topic, Mione!"

"Sometimes you don't talk like..."

"Oh, I'm so dearly sorry. I really am. I should talk more politely. Please and thank you," Ron sneered, his hands curled in fists on the table. He was leaning closer to Hermione.

Hermione was getting really angry now. She leaned closer to him and spat out, "You're crude! You're never really trying to engage in any sort of conversation that's not about you! You're jealous of somebody who is famous for not dying! You pity yourself!"

Valerie had a sharp intake of breath. Only half of those statements were true, or overly exaggerated, but when Hermione got mad, her Little Mrs. Perfect act dropped. She was just an awkward, temperamental girl.

Meanwhile, when Ron got mad, he kept a level head, which annoyed Hermione even more. He was the only one who could argue with Hermione. That was why their friendship worked.

Valerie and Harry generally tried not to get in the way of these arguments. They were more of the silent type, preferring to solve problems by pushing them away. When they finally bubbled up to the surface, it was hard to fix them. Valerie usually ran to Harry when she was anxious or melancholy, and vice versa. That was why their friendship worked.

As for Valerie's friendship with Ron and Hermione, it was complicated. Hermione and Valerie never talked much. They weren't close close, but they liked talking with each other. Valerie argued with Ron a little bit, but her relationship with Ron almost paralleled that of her's with Harry's. Many a sleepless night she had stayed up late talking or joking around with Ron.

Her mind wandered back to the present argument between Ron and Hermione.

"...That's not relevant!" Ron spat out.

(A/N): And so the conflict/love triangle is introduced! Fun fact, this book was originally supposed to be Valerie x Cedric, but I kept writing and said ~ "What am I doing with this book?" I mean, it was so obviously Valerie x Harry, so ~ yeah.