What Aren't You Telling Me?
Cho Chang's eyes looked up and down the disheveled looking Hufflepuff next to her. Her brown eyes were clouded with worry and concern for him. For the first time since she had known him, she found his eyes would not meet hers.
His fingers, laced between her own, gripped her small hand in his own larger palm. She could feel the slightest hint of his trembling as his hand shook her own. His palm was getting sweaty too.
It didn't bother her though. Her own palms may very have been sweating as well for him if she was facing what he was facing.
"Cedric, you'll be great out there! You know you have nothing to worry about!" Cho spoke the words gently into his ear. He was scared in a way she had never seen him before and it honestly had her feeling more than just a little scared herself.
Cedric said nothing in response. His grey eyes met hers for half a heartbeat before looking away again.
"You beat the Dragon in the first task, and you saved me from the Merpeople in the second task. What is a maze compared to that?"
Cedric's grip tightened around her hand at her words. She almost winced from it, but his grip wasn't hurting her yet. She could tell her words had reached him on some level. So she kept going.
"Look, it's almost over. After tonight this tournament will be finally over. Whatever happens. You've already made me and your parents and Hufflepuff and even Hogwarts so proud of you."
She scooted herself closer beside him on the stone bench they shared.
"You're the Hogwarts Champion and you're in first place! You're going to win this!"
As she spoke she cupped the hand she was holding with her other hand and squeezed.
Cedric looked at her again, but still didn't look any more convinced.
"Potter is also the Hogwarts Champion, and I'm not in first. Me and him are tied."
"Tied for first. It's still a Hogwarts victory Cedric."
She brought his hand up to her face and let go of it, pressing it to her cheek instead.
"You're my champion. Harry is not."
That seemed to do the trick for Cedric. His fingers flexed slightly around her cheek. Maybe it was only just then that he noticed the tears that had fallen down them.
Whatever trance he had been in, it had felt like Cedric was drifting far away from her. But in this moment, Cho could feel his presence warming up beside her until if reflected the passion she had fallen in love with about him from the start.
"Cho, I feel sick."
They both shared an embrace then. She felt his arms wrap around her and press her to his chest. The comforting safety she always found here washed over her again and swept away her worries.
Cedric had been this way before all the tasks and, surprisingly, even the Yule Ball. But she had always been able to keep his spirits up and constantly encouraged him. Despite everything that had happened this year, including that ridiculous S.P.E.W. thing the Granger girl was always on about and especially the even dumber 'POTTER STINKS' badges everyone was wearing.
It had definitely been a year of ups and downs. As many low points as there had been, there had been just as many high points that made it all feel worth it for a time.
Seeing the bravest student of Hufflepuff house reduced to the nervous wreck he had been when he asked her to the Yule Ball had been the kind of thing Cho would never forget.
Neither of them felt like letting go of each other. Cho couldn't complain, but something occurred to her in the back of her head. This wasn't like any embrace before it. Cedric was holding her to him in an almost desperate way. Like he was reluctant to ever let her go again. Did he think this was the last time they would see each other?
It only felt like a few seconds had passed but more likely it had been several minutes that they stayed that way. Eventually, all good things must come to an end, and this was no difference.
Ludo Bagman's voice boomed from the Great Hall for all the Champions to meet at the Quidditch field.
"Break a leg." Cho said, sniffling back her emotions as Cedric pulled away from her.
His fingers never let go of her until they clasped her hands at the end of his reach. Without meaning to, she found herself reaching out ad far as she could to him as well.
"Cho Chang. The real Hogwarts Champion."
Cedric then kissed her hands, and finally let go.
Cho watched him walk away, doing her best to recover herself and regain her composure. Something she found that boy was always able to make her loose. It was only when she got up herself to go join the rest of the school in the stands that something strange occurred to her.
She thought back, remembering the way Cedric walked away from her and how he didn't glance back at her even once.
"There's something you aren't telling me Diggory. . ."
Why did it only just now occur to her as she walked across the school grounds what was so strange about Cedric's behavior.
"He knows something I don't, and he wasn't going to tell me either. . ."
She chewed her lip and continued walking. Hearing the cheers of the stands grow louder and louder with each step. The worry gnawing at her chest more and more.
The third task was about to begin, and she was scared of what would happen next.