This is what you get.

Why on earth did you agree to a date with Cedric of all people? A Hufflepuff, for Merlin’s sake. What were you expecting? That he’d actually show? That this wouldn’t end in disappointment?

You should’ve listened when everyone warned you. When they said this was a mistake. That one of you would end up hurt. And now, here you are—sitting alone in a dimly lit restaurant in Hogsmeade, blinking back the sting in your eyes.

Crying is for the weak.

The thought does little to ease the hollow ache in your chest as you push back your chair and leave. The evening air is sharp against your skin, but it does nothing to clear your mind. You don’t know where to go, but deep down, there’s only one place, only one person you can turn to without judgment.

Lorenzo.

Your best friend since First Year. Your only real friend.

Fumbling for your phone, you send him a quick text. The response is instant, as if he had been waiting. You can almost hear the concern in his voice, see the way his brows furrow as he reads your message.

"Stay where you are."