Disclaimer: Don't own and never will

AN: This one is a challenge laid out by the fanfiction writer ChoCedric on her profile. I highly recommend her writing and hope she likes my poor attempt at answering her challenge.

The atmosphere in the arena was buzzing with excitement as the Hogwart's students watched Victor Krum being carried out of the maze. Of the four champions, only two remained and they were BOTH Hogwart's students.

"Look at that! Look at that!" Marietta squealed excitedly. "Just Harry and Cedric left now! Your boyfriend could win this."

Cho gave her friend a nervous smile as her stomach gave a leap as she thought about Cedric.

"He will. I'm sure he will," she said with a confidence she didn't really feel. It wasn't that she doubted Cedric's ability to win but her father had a saying about counting chickens that she thought was…appropriate to the situation. And despite the fact that she told herself that it was safe, that Cedric would be fine, but a niggling little voice at the back of her head kept worrying away at her that something could go horribly wrong.

Cedric was special to Cho. He had been her friend since she was very young and ever since he asked her to the Yule Ball, he had been a lot more.

Cho smiled to herself as she thought about how much more he had become to her. She revelled in their kisses and loving looks and everything else that came with the two of them finally being together.

Time passed and still there was no sign of either contestant coming out of the maze. A nervous tension began to fill the air as the clock ticked on and on and on, the sound echoing in Cho's head as she crossed her fingers and gave a quick prayer to any deity that would care to listen to her and protect Cedric, before giving herself a mental shake. Cedric was going to be FINE, she told herself. But it didn't stop her from worrying.

After what seemed like an eternity, there was a flash and suddenly Harry and Cedric appeared. Harry hit the ground face first, the Tri-Wizard Cup in one hand and Cedric in the other. It was obvious that they were both hurt and suddenly Cho felt her stomach turn violently. She wasn't a seeker for nothing and she could see Cedric's blank, glassy stare, the stare that didn't belong on his lively face, the one she had had nightmares about since he had been chosen as the Hogwart's champion.

"Dear Merlin…please do-" she murmured, hoping against hope that she was wrong, that it was just a bad spell that made him look that way, or it was a nightmare or anything other than what she was seeing. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, everything moved in slow motion. Dumbledore was crouched over Harry and Cedric's father was close behind when suddenly someone shouted out the words she never wanted to hear.

'He's dead!'

The world turned silent and time slowed to a crawl in a way that seemed almost corny to Cho. She could see people talking, but she couldn't hear a sound. She felt her knees buckle beneath her, a scream she couldn't hear emerged from her mouth that wouldn't stop and she fell to her knees. It was dark before she move again and when she did, it wasn't through a veil of tears, but instead a completely silent, zombie-like affair, a feeling of hollowness running through her heart, as though the world itself had shattered and there was nothing left but the cold empty darkness.

Marietta talked to her, tried to get through to her friend but nothing seemed to work and eventually she put her arm around Cho and that was what broke through her fog and with a scream, Cho threw herself to the ground and with broke down into tears as a mixture of pain, anger and sadness overwhelmed her.