The sun was a dim yellow jewel suspended on the horizon, casting weak light on Cho as she made her way through the grounds. She was on her way to the last task of the Triwizard Tournament, the one she dreaded the most.
All logic pointed to the assumption that she should be happy. After all, it was the last task, the one that would mark the end of a historic competition and a likely victory for Cedric. But the very fact that it was the last task made her instantly suspicious. It seemed that, at the moment, nothing could be more perfect. Her boyfriend, Cedric, was beautiful and on the verge of winning glory for Hogwarts, she was one of the most well-liked girls in school, her grades were top-notch. But it seemed too good. This last task for her seemed to be the one thing that would throw her life out of balance. She could not explain it, but only felt a strong instinct that her perfect life would end tonight, at the last possible moment. Perfection snatched from her hands.
And so, it was with an intense unease that Cho Chang entered the Quidditch field. A crowd instantly blocked her view of the familiar arena. She found herself being jostled back and forth as people struggled to storm up the stands or to make out what the next task would be. People around her started screaming with excitement.
Suddenly, Cedric had pushed his way to the crowds. She smiled, and it felt as if it were the first time she had done so in days. She felt her heart settling as he approached her, at once comforted by the warmth radiating from his eyes. In an instant, she was locked in his embrace, her head nestled on his square shoulders.
"I've been looking for you everywhere. Why didn't you come earlier?" he said, reaching up to run his hand through her hair.
"I…" she couldn't tell him the truth- that she had spent the last hours pacing in her room, too afraid to see what would be in store for Cedric. "I had to finish an essay up for Potions. Last minute stuff. Sorry, Cedric."
He smiled his all-encompassing, boyish smile, a grin that captivated Cho Chang. "No problem. You're here now. I have something to give you." From his pocket he extracted a small, purple velvet box. Cho gasped.
"What..what is it?" she said, taking the box.
"Open it and see," said Cedric, grinning again.
She snapped the box open and gasped. In it was nestled a beautiful necklace. Its fine silver chain seemed to glow even in the dim light. A brilliantly azure cut sapphire pendant hung from the chain, its facets gleaming and casting light on to Cho's face.
"It's…beautiful…Thank you." Cedric said nothing, but only pulled the necklace out of the box and leaned over to fasten it around her neck. Then leaned to her ear.
"I…" He stumbled, licked his lips. "I love you." Cho closed her eyes, a weak smile playing at her mouth. Suddenly, she wished she could stand there forever- his hands on her shoulders, whispering in to her ear, that feeling of complete safety. They alone, together in a sea of others.
She opened her mouth to say the words that she had thought for so long, words that had remained dormant. But suddenly, Dumbledore's voice rang out over the churning crowd.
"All students, please find a seat. The Last Task is about to begin." Cedric looked in to her eyes and smiled. He squeezed her shoulders and backed away, his body seeming to melt in to the crowd. Cho Chang climbed up the bleachers and found a seat next to one of her friends, Laurel. She clenched her fists when she saw the vast hedge maze loom before her, so large that its other end disappeared in to the misty distance. Grim faced, she watched Cedric- her Cedric- smile at the crowd for a final time as his name was announced and as he and Harry Potter turned. He disappeared in to the maze, in to a darkness she could not pull him from.
As the first hour passed, Cho began to worry. She judged the size of the enormous hedge maze, trying in vain to guess how long it would take to get out. By the second hour, she was mumbling to herself anxiously as she scanned the sky for the red sparks that meant someone in the maze was in trouble. By the third hour, her eyes were clenched shut and she was silent with worry. The looming possibility of Cedric getting hurt clawed at her heart.
Suddenly, Laurel turned to Cho and whispered, "Someone's coming out of the maze!" Instantly, the entire crowd was buzzing as a shape began emerging from the shadows of the hedges.
"Who is it?" she heard someone scream.
"It's Viktor!" said a burly accented voice.
"No, no it's Harry!" shouted someone else.
Suddenly, a scream. Everyone on the bleachers seemed to leap up at once, all of them stampeding off the bleachers and to the entrance of the hedges.
It's Cedric, thought Cho. He's come out first and they're going to congratulate him. Cho Chang had half risen out of her seat when screams began sounding out across the grounds from the crowd.
"He's dead! He's dead!" Cho's heart shattered. She closed her eyes as she relived the nightmares she had been plagued with for the past week.
"EVERYONE MOVE AWAY! GIVE THEM SOME AIR!" Them? Who was them? Almost paralyzed with fear, Cho edged her way off of the bleachers and to the edge of the crowd. She pushed her way in to the crowd, burrowing deeper and deeper until she reached a small clearing in the center. There, laying prone on the ground were Harry Potter and Cedric. She staggered. Cedric. She blinked her eyes furiously, trying to clear the tears that had instantly clouded her vision. Cedric.
Dead, dead, dead. She was certain of it. He was so pale in the dim evening glow, his strong jaw slack and his arm twisted at an insane angle. But he was so beautiful.
Her breath caught in her chest as her body dragged itself to the floor, as she rocked back and forth with tears pouring to the ground. Her nightmares were a reality, her plans for she and Cedric shattering before her eyes. She saw him that last moment they had shared together, his strong arms encompassing her and that feeling of utter safety. She could still hear the dim words in her ear, the words she never repeated aloud, the words he could never hear. She couldn't hold back the sobs tearing at her lungs as she whispered, "Cedric, Cedric, Cedric. I love you. I loved you."