Disclaimer: It's not mine –yes it is! –No, it's really not, despite how much my mind wishes it was...
Dawn
"In heaven, there is no judgement, but rather an opportunity to examine our lives - who we touched, the choices we made, and the consequences of those choices." -- Mitch Albom (The Five People You Meet In Heaven)
The world was overcome by a white haze when Draco opened his eyes. He couldn't quite remember why he was on the ground – a flash of green, hissing, a scream – it was all a vague memory, blurred together.
As his eyesight grew accustomed to the light, he registered the clean white beds around him; he was lying in what seemed to be the Hogwarts Hospital Wing. Surely that was impossible, he thought, hauling himself to his feet. Hogwarts had been practically demolished during the Second War, and yet here it stood, undamaged and as clean as it had during his earlier years.
"It looks different now, I gather." Draco spun on his heel at the strong yet quiet male voice that had broken through the silence. His eyes widened instantaneously in shock as he took in the well built boy before him.
Standing there, as clear as day, in the black and yellow Hufflepuff uniform, was the round-faced, tall figure of Cedric Diggory. He brushed his light brown hair out of his blue eyes, giving the blond Slytherin a once over.
"You certainly look different, at any rate."
"How-Where…You're dead-" Draco stammered. "Where am I?" He managed, feeling utterly confused and stunned by the sudden meeting with a boy who had died in his fourth year. Cedric directed a kind smile at the panicked Draco.
"Welcome to the In-Between, Draco Malfoy."
Silence followed as Draco processed exactly what this meant. He had been told of this place, in childhood tales from his mother... It was the Place before Death.
"So, I'm dead?" He queried shakily, looking at the Hufflepuff.
"For all manner and purposes." Cedric replied, walking towards the pale teen, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise empty and quiet Hospital Wing. "You aren't in Death, but your soul has left your body in Life."
Not understanding, Draco frowned. "How long am I here, then?"
Cedric smiled good-naturedly at Draco's lasting imperiousness.
"There is no Time here; it is simultaneously forever and not at all. It is the moment you depart Life and the moment you pass through Death."
"If that's so, how are we here speaking like this?" Draco demanded, more confused than ever at the vague explanation the once Hogwarts Champion had provided.
Cedric merely gave a knowing smile and repeated his previous words.
"Time does not exist here."
"Fine." Draco replied, exasperated with the conversation and the perpetually calm Hufflepuff. "Why are we here?" He asked instead, indicating the medical environment around them.
"I've been waiting for you." Cedric answered, sitting on one of the neatly made beds, swinging his legs gently as he stared out of the open window where the sun shone over the lake.
Draco looked up at that, his eyebrows knitted together.
"Waiting for- Why waiting for me?" He asked. "We hardly know –knew – each other."
Cedric continued to stare out the window, a faraway look on his face as he answered Draco's question.
"To guide you to Death."
Draco fidgeted, feeling restless, out of his depth and entirely confused about the whole situation. He ran a hand through his blond hair.
"That still doesn't explain why you are the one meeting me here." He told the bigger boy.
Cedric finally removed his gaze from the window, and slid from the bed, fixing his intense gaze on Draco. It made him feel decidedly uncomfortable; as if the Hufflepuff could see his deepest secrets, see straight through him.
Draco cleared his throat awkwardly, avoiding Cedric's blue eyes as he waited for an answer.
"You were the catalyst in my death."
Draco felt coldness wash over him even as he opened his mouth to deny the accusation, but faltered as the Hospital Wing scene changed to one of the expansive hallways.
A student hurried towards him, passing straight through Draco, merely sneezing as he did so, causing Draco to gasp. And then Cedric was beside him, silent and watching the far end of the corridor.
Draco followed his gaze only to see himself, at fourteen, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, talking loudly about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Pansy was hanging off his every word, holding onto his arm as Daphne and Blaise followed behind.
The possy moved closer, and Draco spotted the past-Cedric just as he was able to make out the words his past-self had spoken.
"Of course, Father says only Purebloods should be allowed to compete, and even then some of the people who apply shouldn't bother. I mean, honestly, Hufflepuffs shouldn't even consider it – Hogwarts Champion, ha, what a disaster that would be."
The Slytherins laughed, agreeing with their 'Prince', not noticing the fifth year Hufflepuff seated in one of the alcoves.
Draco observed as past-Cedric watched the younger Slytherins disappear down towards the dungeons. He only barely caught what past-Cedric murmured under his breath.
"Hufflepuff deserves more respect than that. Hard work can take you anywhere. You'll see that one day, Malfoy."
Draco turned to Cedric as the past-Cedric faded and their surrounding changed back into the Hospital Wing.
"You made me determined to enter the contest…to be the Hogwarts Champion." Cedric looked wistful. "And I did, I proved to all of Hogwarts, and to the Wizarding community, that Huffepuff wasn't a house full of pushovers and pansies and nobodies.
I lived up to the Sorting Hat's song; I worked indecently hard in the lead up to the tasks, and I came out on top – with Harry, of course, but I was proof that a Hufflepuff could stand in the light of Glory, not fearing danger or death." Cedric focused on Draco once more.
"I hadn't thought about entering until I heard you slight Hufflepuff House that morning." He said to his companion, no malice in his voice at all.
Draco was feeling severely awkward at the honest way Cedric was retelling his story, but was saved from having to formulate a response as the other boy began to speak again.
"You didn't kill me, but it was you who caused me to enter the tournament. You were the catalyst that sent me down the path to my death."
Remembering the chaos when Cedric's lifeless body had been returned, the cries from the Hufflepuff's mother reaching into his mind, Draco visibly crumpled - feeling defeated - for the first time in his memory.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, staring at his hands as he sat heavily on the edge of one of the beds.
Cedric smiled a sad little smile.
"You changed a great deal, Draco Malfoy. You're Life wasn't contained in that one moment."
The room began to brighten, filling with white light. Cedric closed his eyes blissfully as the light encased him like thousands of ribbons creating a cocoon.
"Fare well on your journey to Death, Malfoy. I'll be seeing you." He directed one last handsome smile to the blond Slytherin, before the white light completely encompassed his body and Draco was forced to close his eyes with its intensity.
Part One of Five (possibly Six). Inspired by Mitch Albom's wonderful 'The Five People You Meet In Heaven'. If you haven't read it, read it. If you have, high-five, don't you agree? He is an amazing author.
I hope you have found this enjoyable, I quite liked writing this one.
Love always.