Disclaimer; I don't own any of the characters, nor the base of the plot. All of the said things go to the ever fabulous J.K. Rowling.
xTeenageAmbitionx
a
Cedric/Harry fanfic.
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"Gay?" Ron repeated softly, as if not hearing him right.
Hermione on the other hand looked Harry straight in the eyes, "I think I've known for a little while. It doesn't really bother me. But Harry," she clenched his hands even tighter with her own, "you know I won't not like you because of your sexual orientation." She had a look of total concentration on her face, for lack of better word.
"Thanks." He said. "Ron? What do you think…about my new discovery?" he laughed a bit dryly, as if trying to make it seem funny.
"Um, sure…" he forced a little laugh, "just don't come on to me and it'll be all good." He said. Hermione scowled at him again and stood up, walked to the other side of the table and gave Harry a big hug.
"Oh!" Harry said, looking at the clock which read 8:47. "I…I have to go." He let go of Hermione who looked a little hurt.
"Where are you off to at this time of night?" she asked a little tenderly.
"Uh…well I guess I owe it to you to tell you…'member when Ernie pulled me over to tell me something?" Hermione nodded so Harry continued, "Well he told me Cedric wanted to meet me in the Great Hall at 9:00 tonight."
Hermione smiled, "Fantastic! Tell him how you really feel, Harry!"
"…but I didn't tell you I fancied Cedric." Harry's eyes went wide in terror of what Ron would think.
"Oh…well I just figured since you've been looking at the Hufflepuff table an awful lot that you liked him. Sorry it was tactless of me to assume…" she mumbled.
"Well," Harry's face turned a light shade of scarlet, "your assumption was right. But why would he want me to meet him in the Great Hall?" he asked more to himself then to anyone else.
He looked back at the clock which now read 8:50. "All right, well I'm off. Thanks for understanding. This really has lifted some weight off my shoulders." He hugged Hermione one last time and was about to go over to Ron but stopped, Ron had just flinched as if Harry was trying to hurt him. "Um…right. Bye." He, instead, waved to Ron and left the commons.
"So what would Cedric want to meet me for?" Harry thought to himself, walking down the corridor that led to the Great Hall.
"Harry?" a calm welcoming voice said in the looming darkness.
Harry turned and saw a tall very handsome sixth year Hufflepuff staring at him.
"Uh…h-hi," He muttered. "Why did you want to meet me here?" his cheeks turned a delicate pink, "Err…sorry for being a little blunt."
Cedric chuckled, "That's okay. I just wanted to talk with you without interruptions. And since you're with me, you won't get in trouble for being out of the Gryffindor dorms this late.
Harry nodded and smiled a bit. "So…" he started.
"Well, have you figured out the egg yet?" Cedric said.
"So this was it, he just wanted to know if I figured out the egg's secret. Damn it, and to think he might actually like me." Harry thought to himself. "Uh…actually I haven't." he said, now finding a great fascination with his shoes.
"Ah. Well you know the prefects bathroom on the fifth floor?" Cedric asked, leaning closer to Harry.
Harry looked up to see Cedric's face close to his. He could almost feel his breath on his neck. "Uh…yeah? What about it?" Harry asked utterly confused.
"It's a nice place to mull things over. Take the egg and…have a little soak." Cedric winked.
Harry stared at Cedric, obviously taken aback. "Uh…all—all right. Thanks, I suppose. Is…that all?"
Cedric stared at Harry, from lips to mouth then back again. He opened his mouth as if to speak, and then shut it. After a few seconds he said, "Yes…I suppose."
Harry nodded and turned to leave, cursing slightly under his breath. "Of course that was what he wanted. Pf, as if I had any chance with him! He's probably straight." Harry thought to himself, "Yeah, he just wanted to help me as pay back when I tipped him off about the dragons." He stopped talking to himself and looked backwards. He saw Cedric staring at him. "Uh…do you…want to walk me to the Gryffindor commons?" he asked awkwardly. "Aw shoot, why'd you have to do that? He probably thinks I'm some queer madly in love with him. …well that's true but that's totally not the point." He dismissed this thought and looked up at Cedric.
He just smiled his warm glowing smile and nodded, "Sure."
They walked in silence, once more, until they got to the landing where the Fat Lady portrait hung. "Th-thanks…for walking me back."
"Sure thing," Cedric laughed a bit, "but one question, why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you want me to walk you back? You seemed mighty uncomfortable last time. Sorry about that, by the way." he put his hand on the smaller boys shoulder.
Harry's face grew hot and he knew he was blushing. It was now or never, "Maybe…" he squeaked, "Maybe…I like you." He looked up, his face now the color of his robes. "Eek! I'm sorry…I have to go." He turned around; brushing the older boys hand off his shoulder while doing so, muttered the password to the portrait and hurried inside.
"Ah Harry!" Cedric shouted, but it was too late, the smaller boy was already in his common room.
- -
The next morning Harry told Hermione and Ron everything that had happened.
"Oh Harry!" Hermione shouted. "That's so bold! Good for you!" she hugged him tightly.
"But…now he knows, he probably thinks I'm some freak." Harry frowned slightly. Ron muttered something inaudible to either of the two at this statement and Harry felt a bit awkward.
Hermione was the one who broke the tension, "All right well how about we go down to the Great Hall for breakfast?"
"I'm not going." Harry said at once, "What if Cedric's down there? He might've told all his friends! Everyone will know I'm some queer, I know it." He skulked off toward an arm chair near the fire. (Which was, of course, out at this time in the morning.)
"Oh Harry, I bet Cedric didn't tell a soul! I don't think he would be one of the people who would do something like that. Possibly a Slytherin, but aren't Hufflepuffs supposed to be friendly, just and loyal?"
Harry pondered Hermione's statement but shook his head. "I'd rather not Hermione. You two go without me, I'll see you later, 'k?"
"You are some pathetic queer, aren't you?" Ron finally spoke. "I don't mind that you're gay, because that's certainly not what this is about," he glanced at Hermione who had a pained yet angry expression on her face, "but seriously, you just told someone you like them! So you're queer? Who cares? Grow up and face him!" with that he walked out of the commons.
Hermione sat down next to Harry and put her arm around his shoulder. "I think that was Ron's way of trying to cheer you up." She said with a tinge of anger in her voice. "But part of what he said was right…I think you should face him, Harry." Harry shot an angry look at Hermione, "I'll bring you back toast ok?" she then got up and left the commons.
- -
The next day was a Sunday. Since Harry hadn't left the Gryffindor commons all day yesterday he got all his homework done and out of the way. This also made him a little anxious to go out and do something, "Well…I guess I'll go and work out that egg. What did Cedric say to do? Uh…ah! Go to the prefect bathroom on the fifth floor." He said to himself, grabbing his egg and leaving the common rooms.
He walked down corridor through corridor until he found the right bathroom. He stepped up to the door and whispered 'pine fresh', the door opened up for him, just like Cedric said it would. He walked in and found Cedric relaxing in the baths. "Ah! Cedric, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were here." He stumbled around and tripped over his own feet, dropping his egg while doing so. The egg crashed to the floor and opened up, shouting its crude tune throughout the marble-clad bathroom.
Cedric turned around and smiled. When Harry finally managed to close the egg he said, "It's quite all right, I don't mind."
"You don't mind what?" Harry asked sheepishly.
Cedric just chuckled, "I don't mind if you come in here with me."
Harry's face turned numerous colors before sticking with a bright red.
"I don't bite, you know." Cedric said as Harry took his clothes off a few paces away from him.
"Err…I know." Harry said foolishly.
His agile scrawny frame slipped into the water. "Um…now what do I do?"
"You kind of have to put the egg in the water." Cedric said, stepping a bit closer to Harry. "Let me show you." He put his tough but firm hands atop Harry's and directed him with the egg.
A little while later Harry had cracked the mystery. "Thank you!" he said happily, forgetting about the awkwardness. Once he remembered he straightened up and blushed, "Uh…about the other night."
"Forget about it, Harry."
Harry nodded, "All right. Well thanks again." He got up and dried off while Cedric was still in the water. It took all Harry's strength not to look at his highly muscled chest before getting fully dressed. "Well…bye then." He waved and left the bathroom.
"Harry! Wait" Cedric said, but it was too late. Harry had all ready left the room.
End Notes; Ha! There was almost a romantic Cedric/Harry moment! You'll just have to wait to find out what happens in the next chapter. I'm not sure if I like this chapter at the moment, though. I'll just have to see how it goes I guess. C&C is much appreciated! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, I appreciate it!
