I was feeling much love for Cedric this morning, and felt compelled to write a little Twist!Verse. If you haven't read Twist, it might not make much sense, but doesn't contain any spoilers.

This is the letter to Cedric wrote to Simon, after leaving the downstairs locker room, in Twist of Fate's Chapter 9 (Troubled Waters)...

There was a pause on the record player and the next song came on. Draco flashed Harry a smile. "My dance."

"This one?" Harry asked with surprise as "Wild Horses" started playing…

"Definitely," Draco murmured, pulling Harry out of his chair.

Cedric close up his book, "I think I'll leave you to the dancing and go and write a letter to Simon up in my room. Remember that curfew is in a half hour."

Draco and Harry scarcely noticed he was going. Harry swayed with Draco, their feet barely moving.

OOoooOOO

Simon,

Remember the first time we danced together? At the Ravenclaw Halloween party?

I was thinking of that tonight, how amazing it felt to be in your arms. I was with that couple I wrote to you about, the one that can't be seen together in public. There's a place in the castle where they secretly meet. We'd been studying and listening to Muggle music and when they decided to dance, I came back to the dormitory to give them their privacy. It was bittersweet watching them. D was holding H in his arms and his eyes were close and I could just tell from the expression on his face, how much he cares for H.

It made me want to come straight back to the dormitory to write to you and tell you that not an hour goes by when I don't think of you. I miss you so badly that my body aches.

Please tell me that you can come up for the next Hogsmeade weekend. I've learned the secret about the Shrieking Shack, as we've always suspected the legend of it being haunted were invented to keep students away. The story told to me, by someone in the know, was that years ago, there was a Hogwarts student who was a werewolf, and Dumbledore, the sly fox that he is, started the rumor so that the student would have a safe place to go during a full moon.

Now all I can think about is how it would be the perfect spot to meet, don't you think? I can't tell you how desperately I want to be alone with you. To feel you against me again…how I miss you, Simon.

Afterwards, we can walk down to Rosmerta's for a late lunch, after all the other students have headed back to the castle. Have you ever thought about how fortunate we are that we can walk down the street holding hands, or have lunch together, and not be afraid? It is really difficult watching H and D struggle to maintain their public personas that have to be, for their own protection, very antagonistic.

I fear for them, I don't think many adults could cope with what they are going through, what possible chance can two 14-year olds have? I know what you're thinking, Simon, that most fourth-year crushes end after just a few weeks or months, and for most students they should - schoolroom relationships are just part of the growing-up process. It isn't desirable or healthy for any couple to get too serious, too soon. But the exception, I think, is H & D.

They need each other - the things they have been through, you just can't imagine. Far worse than anything I encountered last summer at the Muggle counseling centre. It makes me so angry. What they go through in the summer months, it is horrendous. H actually has to hide food, or rely on food that is owled to him by his friends because his 'family' all but starves him. And, for D, he is torn between what is right, and what his family expects of him. I fear for him having to go home this coming summer. His father is powerful and dangerous.

I will help them as best I can, although I'll tell you that their problems are far greater than anything I can handle on my own. I'm tempted to go to Dumbledore, and ask him to help them, but I don't know how I can do that without revealing their secret. There is time though, summer is months away, until then they are safe in their secret room where no one can hurt them. Maybe I'll go to Dumbledore after the Triwizard is over...

Ugh, the Triwizard, I still haven't solved the riddle of the damned egg. I can't describe how terrible the noise is, I tried opening it under a pile of duvets in the dorm last night, to see if that would make it any more bearable, it didn't work. Any insight you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Please come to Hogsmeade, Tell those goblins that there is a family emergency, or that you've come down with dragonpox, anything, so that I can hold you again.

Until then, all my love,

Cedric.