A/N: Im not Rowling, so this isnt mine. just the plotline.

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There he was, walking, almost floating, through the halls as if dead. His only thoughts were of the Yule Ball, and how much fun he had dancing and laughing with his friends and classmates. A majority of the students had retired to their dormitories for the evening, and the only sounds that could be heard were of the pounding rain and lightning laying siege to the grounds. Cedric Diggory, Hufflepuff prefect, was to patrol the corridors that night, much to his displeasure.

Turning the corner, he continued walking, only breaking the silence to mutter, "Just perfect. The one night I wanted to get to bed on time, I get stuck with patrol."

Walking further still, he takes time to look out the window and notice the severe deluge. Waves and waves of rain soaked the grounds, as the wind beat against the stony castle, almost threatening to topple it over. The trees swayed to-and-fro, and the lake was twisted from calm and serene to vicious and unyielding.

A sharp crack of lightning snapped him back to reality, and as he remembered his purpose for being out as of late, he continued walking. Shuffling down a flight of steps, Cedric heard muffled sobs, something not expected to be heard of this time of night. Moving to investigate, he walked around another corner and saw a bundled heap of clothing huddled in a corner, rising and falling heavily. Walking up and sinking down onto his knees, he takes his hand and moves a bit of the cloak, revealing a bushy haired, fourth year Gryffindor in heaps.

"Are you ok?" he asked nervously.

"Wha?... Oh, I'm fine" sniff "I was just..."

"You were crying. What happened?" Her eyes were red from all the tears, her nose was red, and she had bags under her eyes.

"Umm... it's nothing." sniff "I'm fine." said Hermione, attempting to convince Cedric that she was fine.

"The hell you are, come on. Come with me," he said, standing up and extending his hand to her.

"Come? Come where?"

"Just trust me. Come on." he said, losing patience quickly.

"No, I'm fine. I'll just be heading back to my dorm."

"No, I don't think so. You're coming with me," he said, and with that he picked her up bridal style, much to her displeasure. Holding her close, he started walking down the empty corridor, turning corner after corner, looking and searching for something. Coming up to a pair of double doors, he uttered the words "Mermaid Feet", and the doors swung open, revealing one of the most spectacular bathrooms Hermione had ever seen.

Setting her down on one of the benches, he conjured up a towel from the towel rack, and gave it to her, which she started dabbing on her eyes.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I told you..."sniff "Nothing happened, I'm fine."

"If you were fine, you wouldn't have been on the floor crying your eyes out." he said, hoping to convince her to reveal why she was obviously so distressed.

"Krum... he tried to..." sniff "...tried to..." she started.

"Tried to what?" asked Cedric, panic rising in his chest.

"Have...sex...with me" sniff "But I... didn't want to..." sniff "So he...stormed out..." sniff "after waking up my whole house and... screaming that I was... the..." sniff "ugliest girl he's ever... had the... displeasure... to know." And with that she buried her face in Cedric's muscular chest, muffled sobs coming from the cloth.

"That bastard..." said Cedric, shaking with rage.

"I tried to run... as far as I could..." sniff "but thats... the farthest... I could get."

"Then what did you do?" he asked, thinking he knew the answer he was about to receive.

Picking her head up, she looked at him still teary eyed before responding, "This." With that she pulled her sleeve back and Cedric looked with horror at her arms, which had deep slashes all the way up to her elbow; some crusted over, beginning to heal; others freshly cut, shimmering with still wet blood.

"Hermione..."

Tears pouring from her eyes, she said, "I didn't...know...what...to...do."

Pulling her close, he wrapped his arms around her and rubbing her back.

"Shh... it's going to be ok." he uttered, trying to soothe her.

"Can you walk?"

"Um... I think so." sniff "Why?" she asked.

"You need to get to sleep. I'll walk you back." With this Hermione jerked her head up to look at him.

"NO! I can't" sniff "go back there."

"Then I guess you're coming with me." he said, standing up.

"Where?" she asked wiping her eyes.

"To my dorm. If you're not going to your room, you're coming to mine."

"No, I think I'll just... stay here until morning." she said, looking around.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way Granger. Your choice." he said, standing up and pushing his sleeves back.

"I told... you..." sniff "I'll be... fine...here."

"You are stubborn." he stated, picking her up again and walking out into the corridor.

Her eyes, being inflamed and bloodshot, didn't allow her to see where she was being led. This, to Hermione Granger, was most irritating. Rounding another corner, the pair came up to a hall of nothing but portraits. Walking up to one, Cedric whispered something to it, and it swung to the side, revealing a doorway.

Walking in, he bypassed the couches and chairs, and walked up the steps. Pushing the door open to the sixth year boys dorm, he silently shuffled to his four poster, pulled the yellow hangings back, and sat her down.

"Cedric, where are we?"

"The Hufflepuff dormitories. Don't worry, I'll leave you be until morning." Getting up, he spelled the hangings shut, and started walking to the door.

"Wait!" she whispered, yanking the hangings back.

Twisting his head, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"I... don't want to be alone. Not now."

Chuckling, Cedric tugged off his shirt, and climbed in next to her. Hermione snuggled up to him as he pulled the hangings shut, then pulled the covers over them both. Snaking an arm around her stomach, he laid his head on the pillow and dozed off.

Hermione, however, stayed awake for a little while longer, listening to the rain, and Cedric's even breathing. Even though it had turned out to be the worst night of her life, strangely, she couldn't have been happier.

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A/N: what did ya think? reviews are great :-) should I make this multichaptered? I dont know yet.