Chapter 8

"Cedric, which chapter are you on?" Sage peered over at Cedric's textbook, he appeared to be way ahead of her. "I'm on chapter seven.. What are you on?" He asked. She was on chapter two.

"Nevermind.." She grumbled, glancing around the library for a distraction from her reading. "Oh look, Harper. That's your sister, isn't it? Oh, please introduce us." Sage pleaded. "No way, she's annoying." He shook his head. "Please, Harper." She begged, but Harper refused.

"Fine, I'll get her myself. Excuse me!" Sage whispered across the table, and the Ravenclaw girl looked up. "Hello, I'm Sage. Your Harper's little sister?" She asked. "Oh.. yes, i'm Ophelia." She smiled brightly.

"Oh, please sit with us." Sage beamed as the girl obliged, sitting beside her brother. "Harper." She wrapped her arms around her brother, hugging him. Sage had expected Harper to push her off, but he seemed to be enjoying her display of affection. 

"Hi, Phelia." He smiled, ruffling her hair. Sage laughed as Harper looked up, remembering his friends were there, and pushing his sister off. "Hey." She frowned. "Are you guys going to that Ravenclaw party tonight?" Ophelia suddenly remembered.

"The what?" Cedric frowned, looking up from his book. "You know how the houses host those common room parties all the time." She continued. "No." Jill entered into the conversation. "Oh.. They said they're quite frequent." 

"We never host any.." Jill frowned. "No, Hufflepuff never hosts common room parties." Olive added matter-of-factly. "Every single house but us does, it's quite annoying, actually. Makes us look exactly like our stereotype." She sighed.

"Care to evaluate?" Said Rowan. "The houses host common room parties, usually there's one going on each month. There's lots of alcohol and sometimes drugs, so it's for 5th Year and above." She explained, as if it were obvious. 

"Yes, but they pretty much let in anyone who comes." Ophelia interrupted. "Supposedly they're pretty strict on third years and below, so I won't be allowed out of my dorm." She pouted. "Good." Harper scoffed, he didn't want his sister near alcohol. 

"Are you talking about the Ravenclaw party tonight?" Cho Chang, who was walking by, butted in. "Yes, we are." Cedric smiled. "Oh, do come." She smiled. "We rarely have Hufflepuff's come." She sighed. 

"Er- Yeah, we'll be there." He nodded, and she walked away. "You're very buddy-buddy with her, aren't you." Olive glared daggers at Cedric, before sending a sympathetic look Sage's way, for what reason, Sage couldn't figure out. 

"We're not even friends. Acquainted." Cedric rolled his eyes. "Shall we go?" He asked the group, and they all nodded. "I'd like to see what it's like." Said Jill.

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"What year?" Asked a Ravenclaw boy, who was guarding the entrance to the common room, as if it were a club. "5th Year." The group of Hufflepuff's lied, and they were let in. "It's very loud!" Olive blocked her ears as the sound of music blasted their eardrums upon entrance.

"And dark." Sage added as they wandered into the common room, which was lit by colourful party lights. "It looks like a strip club!" Rowan yelled. "How do you know what that looks like?" Harper laughed.

"Oh look. It seems there is Alcohol." Jill pointed over to the left, where a clutter of alcohol bottles were scattered everywhere. "Okay. Well, we've seen it. Want to go now?" Rowan made a break for the exit, but Harper grabbed his collar. 

"Let's drink." Harper grinned. "No way. We're underaged." Olive shook her head. "Come on, Olive. Loosen up, it'll be fun." He chuckled, leading the way to the table. "Harper, no." Olive shook her head as he picked up one of the bottles, reading the label. "Vodka." He read aloud.

"Harper!" Olive groaned as he brought the bottle to his lips, taking a sip. "Oh god." He shut his eyes. "That's really strong." He groaned. "You shouldn't be drinking!" Rowan laughed. 

"Oh, come on.. Sage?" He held the vodka up to Sage, who took it, staring at the bottle. "Sage, don't even think about it." Jill placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sagie.." Sage heard Cedric from beside her. 

"I've never had alcohol." She told Harper. "I've only had a bit." Harper shrugged. "Don't encourage her." Cedric growled. "She's fine, aren't you Sage?" Harper grinned. "I want to try it, just a little.." She looked up apologetically at Cedric.

"Sage, no!" Olive scolded her, but it was too late. Sage brought the bottle up to her lips, taking a large gulp, and spitting half of it out. "Gross." She laughed. "Beer?" Harper chuckled, handing her a bottle of beer. "You might like beer?" 

"Seriously, Harper." Cedric tried to take the beer, but Sage had already grabbed it. "I'm not a baby, Cedric." She frowned. She wanted to prove to him that she wasn't a child, so she took a sip of the beer. It was much nicer.

"Not amazing, but it's not as bad as the vodka." She yelled over the music. "You don't have to drink it all." Harper smiled. "Oh, you came." Cho Chang wandered over to the group, smiling at them. "Oh, you're drinking?" She turned to Sage, who took another sip of the beer, cringing at it's strong flavour.

"She shouldn't be." Cedric frowned. "Loosen up, Cedric." Cho picked up a few shot glasses, pouring an unknown bottle of alcohol into them, and handing one to all of us. Olive and Rowan put it down, of course, but Jill and Cedric looked at the alcohol with curiosity.

"Don't do it." Rowan sighed, but Jill, Sage and Harper had already downed it, and Cedric was debating his coarse if action. "Let's just go." Rowan led Olive out of the common room, after Cedric gave in. "That's the spirit!" Cho laughed, making her way back to the dance floor. 

"It's gross." Cedric laughed. "I love it!" Said Jill. "Want to dance?" Jill grabbed Sage, dragging her to the dance floor. "I can't hear anything!" Sage laughed as they danced, both Cedric and Harper watching from the table. "I wish we threw common room parties!" Jill yelled. "Me too!" 

"Oh my god, who's that!" Jill shrieked, pointing at a nearby Slytherin boy. "Adrian Pucey!" Sage told her, and Jill took them back to the alcohol table, grabbing the bottle of vodka. "Jill!" Sage laughed. 

"Oh, hey.. Where's Cedric?" Jill turned to Harper, who was by himself. "There." Harper pointed to the dance floor, where Cho and Cedric were dancing. "Hmph." Sage took another bottle of alcohol, not reading the label, and dragging Harper with them to the dance floor. 

"Harper, do you know Adrian?!" Jill pointed at the boy. "No, why?" He frowned. "Nevermind, i'll just introduce myself. Ugh, he's gorgeous." Jill waved the two of them goodbye, wandering over to Adrian Pucey. 

"What's got you all riled up?" Harper laughed as Sage downed a few gulps of the alcohol. "You shouldn't drink that much, especially if you're new to it." He made a grab for the bottle, but she pulled it away. "Uh-uh." She frowned, glancing over to Cedric, and one tipsy looking Cho Chang.

"Are you upset over Cedric and Cho?" He raised his eyebrows. "No." She rolled her eyes. "Want to make him jealous..?" Harper leaned into her ear. "No.." Her breathing hitched as his breath hit her neck. "Are you sure?" He whispered. This felt wrong, they're only 15.

Sage passed Harper the bottle, and he took a sip. "I don't want to make him jealous, I just want to dance with you because I can." She lied, taking the bottle and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh?" Harper grinned. Sage's eyes flickered over to Cedric, he wasn't watching. 

"I hate this song!" Harper yelled over the music as they danced. "Me too!" She laughed, pushing herself closer to him, which he must have noticed, seeing as a smirk slid across his lips. "Rowan tried for over three years to have a single moment with you, and here you are all over me." He whispered in her ear, as a blush crept onto her cheeks. Cedric was watching them, now. 

"Don't flatter yourself." She grinned mischievously. Cedric did not look happy. She took another sip of the alcohol, and Harper spoke again. "Is it because you're drunk?" He chuckled. "I'm not drunk." She rolled her eyes, tangling her fingers in his hair.

"Tipsy?" He raised in eyebrows. "I don't feel any different?" She shrugged. "You look different." He smiled. "What do you mean?"

"Not appearance wise.. Though, you do look quite beautiful tonight.." He added. "Your body language is different. You've probably had a bit too much to drink." He takes the alcohol from her hand, and she releases his neck, frowning. 

"Do you want to get drunk?" He rolled his eyes. "Yes, actually. I want to know what it feels like." She made a grab for the alcohol, but he pulled it away, handing it to a nearby Gryffindor who was evidently quite surprised, but not unhappy with the unexpected gift. 

"Harper." She whined, wrapping her arms back around his neck as he smiled. "Sagie." He teases. "I thought you were the fun one." She groans. "I am the fun one." He whispers daringly. "Not right now, you're not." She raised her eyebrows. 

"This dress is pretty." He looked down at her, she was wearing quite a flattering dress. (Picture whichever dress you'd like) "You like it?" She hummed. "I do.."

Her eyes flickered over to Cedric, he had not taken his eyes off them. "I'm glad..." She leaned in, placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth, not quite touching his lips, but it did it's job, nonetheless. 

Before Harper could react, they were torn apart by a pair of strong hands. Cedric was over in an instant, and he would not watch them go any further. "What are you doing?!" He yelled, pure rage present in his face. "What?" Sage scoffed.

"What do you mean 'what'? You're all over Harper, that's what!" He glared. "What are you doing with Cho Chang, then? Huh?" She rolled her eyes. "So that's what this is? You're trying to make me jealous, then?" 

"Not at all. I'm just having fun, come on Harper." She grabbed Harper's wrist, dragging him away from Cedric and out of the common room. "He was pissed." Harper laughed, but Sage wasn't in the mood for laughing anymore.

"Sage?" Harper stopped, and seeing as their fingers were intertwined, she stopped with him. "He was so angry.. I've never seen him so angry." She pouted. "Why was he so upset, Harper?" Tears pricked her eyes. "Come here." Harper pulled Sage into a hug, stroking her hair. 

"He's just.. Protective, I suppose. You'll have to ask him that." He rested his chin on her head. "I doubt he'll ever speak to me again." She sniffled. "Don't say that." Harper smiled sadly, pulling away as she wiped the tears on her cheek.

"He's just upset, he'd never be angry at you for more than a day." Harper smiled kindly, different from his usual mischievous grins. "You think so?" Sage was hopeful. "I know so."

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"Sage!" Olive met Sage at the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room, pulling her into her arms. "No! No, I am very disappointed in you!" She pulled away, scolding Sage as if she were her child. "I'm sorry, Olive." Sage burst into tears once more, and Olive's eyes softened. 

"What happened." Olive cooed, stroking her friend's head. "Cedric yelled at her, never seen him so angry." Harper told Olive, and they made their way upstairs. 

Sage collapsed onto her bed, sinking into her soft mattress as Olive and Harper exited into the hallways, talking quietly amongst each other. Harper must be telling the story, and when Jill returned, Olive would tell her.

Sage knew she had acted foolishly, childishly. Perhaps she had deserved the scolding she'd received from Cedric. After all, he had not been intimate with Cho, as she had been with Harper. And he had not seeked to provoke jealousy within her by dancing with Cho, as she had been with Harper. 

She had probably upset him. He had probably felt Harper was stealing her, as she often felt Cho and other girls who spoke with him, were stealing him. 

She was in the wrong, she realised this. She had to apologise, but for now.. She was tired, and she felt ill, she had drank too much alcohol. It did not go well with her body. But above all, she was confused. She could not decipher the meaning behind her own actions. Why had she acted the way she had? She could not answer herself. She did not know.

So she decided to wait till the next morning, then she would find her best friend, and perhaps then, she would understand her own emotions, and her actions that accompany them.

"Sage?" The door crept open, and in came Jill and Olive. "Jilly?" Sage smiled. "Did you have fun with Adrian?" She sat up. "He was nice, yes. Are you okay?" Jill and Olive sat beside her. "Oh, it's my fault. I'm fine. I'll apologise in the morning." She sighed. 

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