Hey again! This competition is sooo great! I've never tried writing these before, and it's so much fun! Ahh, I love Moon for making this and inviting me!

The Houses Competition:

House: Slytherin

Category: Short Story

Prompt: Cho Chang [character]

Word Count: 1223

Thank you so much, Andromeda of Oyths, for helping beta!

He's gone….Cedric's gone.

Cedric was dead. He had been killed by the Dark Lord. I knew it. I wouldn't believe it, I don't want to believe it.

How could he die? Why would he die? How could he leave me?

My head flooded with memories, denial and sadness. I didn't have any hope left, no happiness. I wished this was all a dream. That I could wake up and be sure that it was all just a dream, and that Cedric actually wasn't gone. To wake up and find him in the great hall, smiling at me from the Hufflepuffs' table, to go out to the grounds after lessons were over, and talk about things, our hands intertwined together. It couldn't have been real.

But it was. And I would have to believe it sooner or later.

The next day in the Great Hall, I trudged sadly to the Ravenclaw table, the world around me a blur. I could see my friends quickly surround me, whispering words of comfort, but I wasn't comforted.

All I could do was stare ahead at the Hufflepuffs' table, at the empty seat on the bench. I was sure that Cedric would be there, to smile and wave as I sat down. But he wasn't.

"Cho? Are you okay? Cho?" I heard one of my friends say. Maybe it was Marietta, maybe it was Padma - I don't know, but what I did know was that I wasn't alright. Not at all.

Flash Back

I ran down the corridors, the wind blowing up my black hair. It was six am, and as I ran through the hallway a huge, excited smile grew on my lips.

Today, Cedric Diggory, aka the charmer from Hufflepuff, told me to meet him there before breakfast! I know it's still an hour before breakfast starts, but I can't wait!

Not wanting to be late, I hurried into the empty hall. No one was here...except a brown haired boy leaning against the wall, already in his robes, a yellow tie sloppily thrown on.

"Cedric!" I exclaimed, trying not to sound excited but failing miserably.

He smiled crookedly at me. "H-Hey, Cho…"

He called me Cho!

"Hi! You..uh...wanted to speak to me?" I asked, walking towards him slowly. He nodded abruptly, and motioned me to sit down on the bench with him. I did, and carefully placed myself next to him, immediately feeling shy under his watchful gaze.

"Yeah...but first," he paused and reached behind him. "I got something for you…"

Cedric held out a bouquet of daisies, beautifully tied up with a purple and yellow ribbon. How did he know that they were my favourite colors? I blushed, and slowly took it. "Th-thank you.." I managed to say. "They're beautiful.."

I looked up to see Cedric swallow. "No p-problem.." he mumbled, his ears matching my red cheeks.

"Listen...I...uh..wanted to ask you.."

I perked up. "Yes?"

"I wanted to ask...if...maybe..you'd like to go to b-ball with me?" he asked.

Did I hear correctly? Did he just... ? "Sorry?" I said confusedly. Oh great, now he's going to think I'm stupid for not hearing correctly.

Apparently, Cedric was as embarrassed as I was. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I said...would you like to go to the ball with me? I mean, unless you already have a date, in which case you shouldn't have to. And you probably do, seeing that you're the prettiest girl I've ever met, and I'm sure that-"

"Cedric!"

"-No, no, it's okay if you can't. I guess-"

"Cedric!" I repeated louder, a laugh escaping my lips. "Of course I'll go with you."

His worried face brightened like the sun. "Really?" he said in disbelief, "Really? You will? This is the best day - uh, I mean..cool...see you...at...uh...breakfast then!" he stammered nervously.

"Um...we're kind of at breakfast.. But yeah?" I bit my lip, trying not to smile at his eager and excited ways. He nodded in embarrassment.

"Yeah, right! Anyway, I should...go!"

"To...breakfast?" I laughed.

I smiled sadly at the memory. What else?

*Emma's little suggestion*

I smiled sadly at the memory. Because that was all I had of Cedric now: memories. I both hated them and loved them. For all the hurt I felt now, I couldn't say I'd wish I had never had them in the first place. We laughed and talked and walked and just were together. The Yule Ball was only the beginning. But it wasn't just Yule Ball, or the Second Task. It was also small moments we had together, just the two of us.

Flashback

"Really?" I laughed. Both Cedric and I went down the path together, shoulders 'accidentally' bumping as we walked. The cold wind blew mercilessly around us, and I pulled my jacket tighter around me.

"Yeah, you should've seen the look on - you cold?" Cedric broke off suddenly, stopping abruptly to look at me.

I shook my head, "N-No?" he gave me a disbelieving look.

"Here," he reached out and put his arm around me. I swear my cheeks weren't red because of the wind, and hopefully he didn't notice that. Huh, maybe I don't feel that cold anymore, considering that my skin's on fire right now.

"Better?" he asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. "If you're still cold...we could go back..?"

"No! Uh...I mean...I'm good! Let's just...stay here?" I stammered.

He laughed. "Alright then.."

For a few moments, we simply walked in comfortable silence. I could feel his warm body next to mine, and I secretly - or as secretly as you can do that - snuggled closer to him.

Glancing up, I saw his lips tug upward into a soft smile, and suddenly, the watchful, caring brown eyes were on me. I swallowed, unable to say anything.

"Uh..I got something for you…" he muttered, releasing me and digging into his pocket. I watched curiously as he took out a chain, in the end of which hung a simply beautiful heart pendant. It was purple and yellow, just like the ribbons, and the stones shimmered in the sunset light.

"The colors of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.." Cedric said, "You know, yellow and purple? To show that two different houses can actually love..?"

Happy tears filled my eyes. "Thank you...it's beautiful…"

"I want us to always be together, Cho… and no matter what happens, even if something does, please keep that…and remember me?" he asked softly.

"Always," I hugged him tightly, laying my head against his shoulder, wishing this moment would never come to an end.

But it did come to an end, everything did. He was gone, everything was over. But I did keep my promise.

I gripped the necklace, feeling the heart pendant dig into my palm. I closed my eyes, feeling more lost than ever. I knew love can hurt, I have seen and consoled enough brokenhearted girls, but… It never felt real. This definitely felt real: the pain in my chest, numbness of the body… And perversely, I didn't want it to end. As long as I was in pain, I knew Cedric had been real. That way, he would never fade from my memory.

Suddenly, I decided I wanted to remember him forever. There would be no other boy like him, no one who I would allow to touch my heart and make it forget Cedric's existence.

I will be Cedric's, and he will be mine, until the end of our days.