Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Warnings: Slash, flirtly-as-heck!Harry
Notes: Written for the "Can You Do It?" AU Extravaganza (College) and the AU Challenge and Competition 100 Points (Charity Kissing Booth).
Of Lollipops and Kisses
Cedric sighed, slumping further into the chair. The hard plastic made him shift again in an attempt to get comfortable, a task that proved to be impossible for the past half hour he had been there. He had been roped into helping out at the school's festival, and Cedric had never been able to say no to anyone. Being the most popular male student in Hogwarts University due to his dashing good looks and infinite kindness and not to mention his status as the star player on the school's soccer team, Cedric was assigned to the most humiliating station of all: the kissing booth.
He understood it was for a good cause and everything, but this was just too embarrassing. A bright flush flooded his cheeks, and Cedric ducked his head down, pulling the hood of his jacket up to hide. Not that there was anyone around to hide from. The festival had started only five minutes ago, and the other vendors were still too busy setting up to pay any attention to the blushing boy wishing the world would just swallow him whole.
Leaning forward, Cedric sank down onto the smoothly polished wood of the booth, resting his forehead against the cool surface. Reaching out, he stretched his arms in front of him, flexing his hands as he arched his back, holding the position for a few seconds before collapsing with a sigh. Cedric turned his head to the side, cheek pressed flat, probably leaving a red mark. His fingers tapped a nonsensical beat as his mind wandered off.
Sounds of small chatter filled his ears as people started to arrive. Cedric vaguely recalled a sense of obligation to sit up straight and look as presentable as possible so people will come over. However another part of him just wanted to stay lying down and pretend that no one else existed. In the end, he decided to at least attempt to do his job lest Hermione Granger, one of the student head coordinators of the school's activities, caught wind of his slacking off. That woman can be vicious when she wanted to be. Cedric had seen the way she tore into her opponents in debate competitions. A shudder ran through his spine. Getting on her bad side was practically suicide.
A tap on his head, gentle enough not to hurt but strong enough to draw his attention, startled him out of his thoughts. Cedric jerked back into his chair when he realized a person was standing in front of him. He chuckled to himself at his reaction, rubbing his neck sheepishly.
A young man with a slim stature stared down with a small quirk of his blue stained lips. A hand was at his hip while the other twirled a bright blue lollipop between his index finger and thumb. His heart shaped face was thin but his cheeks still retained the vitality of childhood. Emerald gems framed regally by black lashes twinkled mischievously from behind circular wire glasses. He tilted his head to the left, and immediately Cedric's eyes latched onto the milky pale column of his neck. The unconscious gesture, innocent yet surprisingly seductive, had Cedric swallowing his suddenly dry throat.
The stranger was an odd combination of contradictions. His small stature exuded an almost overwhelming air of confidence. The soft, delicate features of his face (the gentle arch of his eyebrows, his small button nose, the pale pink of his lips) contrasted sharply against the intense emerald of his eyes, a color so vivid Cedric had previously thought it was nonexistent.
There seemed to be a perpetual upward tilt to his lips, as if only he was privy to the world's penetralia, showing his amusement with that little gesture.
A pale hand reached up in an attempt to flatten the chaotic mess of inky black tresses. Cedric instantly followed the motion with his eyes, a stranger desire to mouth at the thin wrist filling him.
"Is this booth open yet?"
"Yeah," Cedric said, flashing a charming grin, "interested in playing?"
The young man paused in answering as a pink tongue poked out between rose petal lips to sensually lick the smooth surface of the lollipop, unabashedly staring into Cedric's widened grey eyes before popping the candy back into his mouth.
"I'm glad I agreed to come early to help Hermione then. This booth will undoubtedly be the most popular in the whole festival, especially with you as the vendor."
Cedric laughed off the flirty compliment, but pink stained his cheeks regardless.
"But at least I get to be the first" was the soft declaration before he was overwhelmed by green, such a mesmerizing green that he simply froze. A small hand brushed the right side of his face and rested against the crook of his neck.
The kiss was soft and surprisingly innocent for the previously flirtatious behavior, just a gentle press of lips against his. Cedric breathed in deeply, relishing the moment, vaguely realizing the blue raspberry lollipop was removed sometime before the kiss.
After a few seconds, the stranger lingered in the close proximity before drawing back. Cedric blinked his eyes open, surprised by his tight grip on the edge of the booth. His tongue darted out instinctively to lick his lips, savoring the sweet taste.
"Well, I'll be taking my leave now before the masses come barreling down your door," the stranger joked.
"Wait! Could I get your name?"
"Harry Potter, at your service," the brunet replied with a mock bow.
"Cedric Diggory," he said, standing up and extending a hand.
"I know," Harry admitted with a cryptic smile as they shook hands. While Cedric pondered this newfound information, Harry stuck the lollipop back into his mouth and gave a two-fingered salute.
"I'll see you around, killer," he teased with a playful wink.
With their kiss ghosting pleasantly against his lips, the childish taste of blue raspberries on his tongue, Cedric sank back down on the uncomfortable plastic chair, grinning to himself in anticipation. He would have to bulldoze through the clean-up afterward, so he could catch Hermione when the festival ended. He planned to extract all the information she had on Harry Potter before he went home today. And hey, maybe he would be lucky enough to run into Harry again?