Author's Note: Hello all and thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed!!! Thanks also for your patience. I know it has been a while since my last review but with work and all, I have to write what little I can when I can! Be patient with me. I'll stop rambling now so that the story can begin! Don't forget to review!!!
Chapter Two: The Fifth Year Gryffindor
Cedric woke up early. He always woke up early. He didn't enjoy sleep. It made him feel vulnerable. The only reason he did it at all was out of necessity; in order to stay fully alert he needed to be well rested. He got out of bed and pulled on the same sweats and tee shirt from the day before, along with his trainers and headed outside for his morning run.
As his feet methodically hit the pavement, he lost himself in the rhythm and thought. He liked running. It gave him time to sort through his thoughts and feelings about everything. It was his peace. This morning, as he ran, he thought back on his conversation with Dumbledore. Things were going to be unpleasant. Hadn't he expected that? It was no real surprise; but somehow hearing Dumbledore say it aloud made it seem real. Things were going to get worse. Harry's hearing was this morning. Complete rubbish if you asked Cedric. The ministry just wanted to discredit him further. It was more than clear that he had used magic out of self-defense and therefore out of necessity. There was no cause for his expulsion or arrest or even the damn hearing. It was all just further evidence of Fudge's growing desperation.
Cedric felt as though his insides were all twisted into knots. He wanted so badly to be of use to the Order, and yet he felt completely helpless. They would not even allow him to attend Harry's hearing for fear that he himself would be turned into a target. He wanted to help Harry; to speak on his behalf; to damn the Wizengamot for their apparent determination to ignore everything that was happening; damn them for pretending that Voldemort was not back. So he ran harder today than he had in a long time; he ran to dull the frustration that radiated throughout the entirety of his body. When he was done with his run, he burst through the entrance of headquarters and fell back against the door, sucking in large bursts of air, sweat pouring down his face and soaking in through his shirt. His joints ached and his muscles felt tight. He hadn't stretched well enough this morning in his desire to get straight into the running.
Pushing himself away from the door, he made his way through the house to the kitchen in search of a cool glass of water. His mind focused completely on his need for hydration, he didn't notice the oh-so-soft snuffling sounds until he had already drank one glass down and was steadily working on his second. He heard the muffled noise coming from the hall and moved to investigate it. There, nestled against the side of the staircase, tucked into a small ball, sat Hermione Granger. Her face was between her knees which were drawn up to her chest, her arms securely closed around them. Her thick, curly brown hair was draped over her arms, hiding much of her form from Cedric's view, which for some reason or another, frustrated him to no end. He slowly approached the young witch.
"Granger?" he said softly.
She looked up at him only to flash him an annoyed look before turning away from him completely. She had looked at him for a second, no more. But that second had been long enough for Cedric to see the tears streaming down her cheeks. Undeterred, Cedric drew even closer and kneeled by her side.
"All right, Granger?" he asked.
"Fine," She snapped.
He sat down, stretching his long legs out and leaning his back against the wall, facing her side, "Why do I not believe you, then?"
"Perhaps you're thick." She retorted.
"Wouldn't be the first time I'd been accused of that." He said, trying to coax something out of her, not really knowing what reaction it was that he was going for.
She looked up at him with an expression that seemed to say that she thought he was the biggest idiot on the planet. At the sight of her face, it felt as though something sharp and painful had pierced him through the gut. Her lovely brown eyes were bloodshot and puffy, her already wild hair was even more out of control than usual and there was a steady stream of tears pouring from her eyes. He had the strongest desire to reach up and wipe the tears away with the pad of his thumb but at the same time just the thought of actually touching her was enough to paralyze him.
"Today is Harry's hearing." She stated.
"Yeah."
"I'm just so worried."
"Of course you are. He's your mate. We're all worried for him." Cedric said.
Hermione eyed him curiously and Cedric felt again as though she had transformed him into a puzzle that needed solving. "You care too, don't you?" she said as though realizing it for the first time.
"More than you know." Cedric admitted.
"The way you stepped in for him last night, he needed that."
"I know he did. They all needed to remember that he has a say in his own life. I think, sometimes, they all forget that we, we being younger wizards, of age or no, have minds of our own." He said, "We may be young, but in a lot of ways, we're much older than we seem."
"Perhaps you more than most." She said, looking thoughtful.
"Count yourself on that list, as well, Granger." Cedric said, cocking his head to this side and looking at her with a sly grin, "I know about the things that you've been through. Harry's told me."
"Has he?" she asked suddenly.
"Oh, yes. We kept in touch over the summer. Nothing about the Order," Cedric hesitated, "which I think he is a little sore with me about, but just writing you know. In a way, we kept each other company. I'd be at that damnable hearing right now if they would let me."
"We all would." Hermione nodded, then looked him over for another moment, "You're going to do well as Head Boy."
"How'd you know about that?"
"Please. It's a given. Has been since your fourth year I should think." She stated matter-o-factually.
"Hufflepuff stands for equality and unity and if there was ever a time when Hogwarts needed that, I think it's now." He said before he even knew the words were forming in his brain.
Hermione stared at him for a long moment. Her face went through an entire barrage of emotions; everything from fear, panic, sorrow, concern and finally settling on something akin to pained compassion, "Things are going to get bad, aren't they?"
Cedric wanted so badly to tell her "No. Everything is going to be fine," but he could not bring himself to lie to her. Instead, he said simply, "It's likely."
Hermione looked frazzled for a moment, then she seemed to come to a determined conclusion. "The Ministry will come to their senses. They will have to see that Dumbledore is trying to do what's best; that Harry and you are telling the truth; that—that he's back. They will see that. That have to!"
Again, Cedric wanted to agree with her; but again, he didn't think he could say he felt the same and mean it. The Ministry was just going to so much trouble to discredit Dumbledore, himself and Harry. They had turned him into a glory-hungry fiend, Harry into a liar and Dumbledore into a running punch line. There did not seem to be any line that they would not be willing to cross. It angered him so much that even now, with Hermione so close, he had to bite down on his rage to keep from screaming. He didn't want to do or say anything to frighten her any more than necessary. He managed a weak nod, not trusting his voice.
"Well," Hermione said suddenly, her voice much lighter and seemingly more chipper. She wiped both hands across her cheeks twice to clear away the tears, then smoothing them both down her hair in vain attempt to calm her wild mane. "Best get cleaned up, Cedric. You can't come to breakfast drenched as you are. Mrs. Weasley won't stand for it."
Cedric felt himself chuckle somewhere deep in the back of his throat, a smile breaking across his lips. Hermione sprang at once to her feet and stared down at him. He sighed and climbed steadily to his own. She looked up at him for a moment, granted him one last soft smile then disappeared up the stairs. As Cedric stared at the place that she had just been standing, he could not help but to think about just how lovely she really was. He then looked down at his own appearance, noticing for the first time that he was soaked through with sweat and salt and cringed at himself. Why could they not have had this intimate conversation when he smelled of aftershave and not a dirty gym-sock? That would have been better.
When Harry returned to headquarters, he was greeted with a mass amount of celebration. Everyone continually said that there really was no other possible outcome because of the evidence, struggling to hide how concerned they had all been. It was true about the evidence, but Harry knew just as well as everyone else in the Order did, the hearing—which had turned out to be more of trial than a hearing—had not been about evidence. It was not a matter of underage sorcery or even magic being performed in front of a Muggle; it had been about further discrediting Harry. The fact that Dumbledore had swooped in to Harry's aid was a comfort to the Order and to Harry; but the fact that the Ministry had turned a simple matter of underage magic into a full-fledged trial made Cedric uneasy. It showed Fudge's determination and now that he had failed in his attempt at expelling Harry, he would be all the more desperate to get Dumbledore out of Hogwarts. Things were going to be even worse than he had originally feared. However, as Harry entered Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, Cedric pushed all those thoughts to the back of his mind and rushed to embrace his friend and congratulate him on his victory. There would be no worries about the future for that night. For that night, everyone was happy. Everyone was together. Everyone could pretend that everything was all right.
…
As Cedric stepped onto the Hogwarts express, he made his way to the very back car, which was reserved for the Head Boy and Girl. He walked through the door and was delighted when he was greeted by the sight of Angelina Johnson, a chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. She smiled her brilliant white smile at him.
"Thank God, it's you!" she said, "I was terrified that I would have to be putting up with some sniveling git akin to Percy Weasley!"
"You know, I don't much care for that prat. Let's not darken the day by talking about him." Cedric beamed, shuffling through the to take her by the wrist as they would do on the Quidditch Pitch. "By the way, I hear Gryffindor has a new captain."
"One to talk," Angelina said, cocking one perfect eyebrow.
As Angelina had already done, Cedric slipped into his school robes, Head Boy badge winking in the light. He tightened his tie and straightened his shoulders before turning to his co-head. "So, do you know what we're supposed to be doing, because I'll be damned if I do."
Angelina chuckled, "I think we have a meeting with the fifth year prefects to explain to them what their duties are."
"Bloody hell," Cedric groaned in mock self-pity, "You mean all this authority and all we are is glorified babysitters?"
Just as the chuckle erupted from Angelina's lips, there came a tiny knock one the cabin door. Angelina slid the door open and was greeted by the sight of Padma Patil staring at her, looking both hesitant and expectant at the same time. Standing directly behind her was Anthony Goldstein. "Let me guess," Angelina said, "Ravenclaw prefects?"
Padma nodded, seeming to be relieved that she would not have to explain their presence. Before they were both entirely through the door, they were joined by Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson of Slytherin. Cedric resisted the urge to whack Draco Malfoy upside the head as the younger boy sat down, sprawling out across the seat and looking about as though he owned the world. A moment later, the cabin door opened again and Cedric's feelings completely flip-flopped into utter delight at the sight of Hermione Granger walking through the door, followed close behind by Ron Weasley. He couldn't suppress the chuckle that came from his throat as he watched a look of unmasked disgust cross Hermione's face as her gaze fell on Pansy and Draco. She crossed to the opposite side of the cabin and took the seat nearest to Angelina. Cedric was not entirely sure why, but he felt a sudden pang of disappointment that she did not opt to take the vacant seat beside him. Ron sat down beside her.
He's sitting a little too close to her¸ Cedric thought, Wait a second! Where did that come from?
The door opened again, drawing Cedric's attention away from the young Gryffindor. A large dazzling grin broke across his face as Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott from his own house came strolling through the door.
"I thought it was all a bunch of bollucks!" Ernie bellowed, causing Padma Patil to jump slightly in her seat, "Who in their right mind would put you at Head Boy, Diggory?" Even as he said it, he dropped down into the seat beside Cedric and bumped him with his shoulder. Anthony, being the kind man that he was, scooted himself beside Draco so that Hannah could sit on his other side between him and Padma.
"Somebody up there likes me." Cedric grinned, "Surprisingly enough."
"All right, then," Angelina began, smiling widely at the younger students.
Cedric just sat back and let Angelina run the meeting. She was the typical Type A personality; she spoke with authority; she knew what she was talking about. Cedric let her run through the spew about how they were to take care of the first years after the feast, show them around and back to their common rooms and answer any questions that they may have. She then explained their responsibilities every night in walking rounds to make sure that there was no after hours loitering, bed check and reports to herself and Cedric. Cedric noted to himself that she was very thorough in her explanation of how things worked. She finished, then turned to him, her dark eyes shining, "Cedric, do you want to add anything?"
"Well," Cedric said, pasting his most charming smile onto his face, "I think that one of the key things to remember this year is time management. You all have a lot of responsibilities to your house mates, but also to yourselves. You will have rounds, homework and constantly be bombarded with questions from underclassmen, but you also need to remember that your O.W.L.s are this year. It's a lot to deal with and it can be easy to feel weighed down by it all, so I want to stress that you should never hesitate in coming to either me or Angelina if you need help. That's what we're here for."
Angelina nodded her approval to him and then dismissed the meeting. It seemed as though all of the prefects started talking to one another at the same time as they all stood and began filing out of the compartment. Cedric got quickly to his feet.
"Oi!" He called, "Granger!"
Hermione stopped in the doorway. Ron halted with her. This annoyed Cedric for reasons that he was not altogether clear on.
"Yes, Cedric." Hermione said, blinking her large, bright eyes at him.
Cedric leaned in close to her, speaking softly, intimately, "Do me one and tell Harry I'd like to see him before we reach Hogwarts?" He flashed her a crooked smile along with his request, his eyes raking over her face, openly admiring her.
Hermione did not even seem to notice. "Certainly." She said, then spun out of the room. Ron, however, did seem to notice. He flashed Cedric a quizzical look before following Hermione down the hall back to the cabin that they were sharing with Harry, Ginny, and Luna Lovegood.
Cedric sat back and ran both hands back through his hair, emptying the air from his lungs at the same time.
"What do you need Potter for?" Angelina asked.
Cedric smiled, "He's just a mate. Not sure if I'll get a chance to see him once we reach school."
Angelina accepted that. It was no secret that Harry and Cedric had become close after the Tournament the previous year. How could they not have? Cedric stood to stretch out his legs then pulled some money from his pocket and headed for the door. He had heard the trolley lady a moment earlier and could do with a pumpkin pasty. Gentleman that he was, he turned to Angelina before stepping out into hallway, "Angelina, want anything from the trolley?"
"No, thanks, Diggory." Angelina said, settling down in her seat and opening a book; looked like a Quidditch playbook. Cedric smiled. It was probably the Oliver Wood's old playbook. He would not mind a peak in that book but his sense of morality and fairness would never allow him that—unless Angelina offered—which wasn't likely.
Cedric turned away from her and stepped out into the hall. He had just made his way into the next car when he heard a soft, familiar voice call from behind him. "Ced!"
He turned around instinctively and within less than two seconds, Cho Chang had thrown herself around his neck. A broad grin burst across his face and he wrapped his own arms around her and lifted her off of her feet, pulling her tighter against him. He gave her a final gentle squeeze before setting her back on the floor. "My Cho," he said, lightly tugging on a strand of hair that had come loose from her ponytail and fallen into her face, "as I live and breathe! How was your summer?"
"A right load better than yours, I'd wager," she said, sorrow twisting her pretty face, "everything they've been saying about you in the papers—"
"Not a word on it." Cedric said, cutting her off, "If I don't fret about it, why should you?"
"Because you're my friend," Cho stated plainly, her dark eyes just as kind as he remembered them to always be.
Cho had always been dear to him, ever since the time when during her first year at Hogwarts she had fallen unceremoniously from her broom during a flying lesson and he had been there to tell off the first years who had made fun of her. None of them would mess with him. He had been a mature second year after all. Both seekers for their respective house's Quidditch team, they had shared in a healthy competitive friendship in which they never hesitated to tear the mickey out of each other, but they had also been there to watch each other's backs, as well. During the Yule Ball the previous year, Cedric had been trying to turn away numerous girls without being detrimental to their egos and, feeling sorry for him, Cho had swatted him playfully upside the head and said, "You're a right good for nothing sod, you know that? Will it help if you just say you're going with me?"
He would owe her for that one for the rest of his life, especially after he found out that two days later, Harry had asked her to the ball and she had had to turn him down. They had had fun together at the ball that night, though. They had even toyed with the idea of dating afterwards. That notion lasted about ten minutes before they realized that it would never work because one of them would kill the other and call it an accident. He draped his arm casually over her shoulder now and walked her toward the trolley that lingered a mere ten feet away, "Can I treat you to a pasty, my sweet Cho?"
"Depends," she said, nudging him with her hip, "will you respect me in the morning?"
Cedric shook his head, "Probably not."
"I just saw Harry." She said, looking down at the floor, her tone suddenly serious, "I don't think he was very happy to see me, though."
"Why would he not be happy to see you?" Cedric asked.
"I think I just caught him at a bad time. He was covered with some strange kind of goop all over his face…I think I embarrassed him or something."
Cedric chuckled, "Poor lad. I think it's a rule for being a teenage male that the girl you fancy is obligated to walk in on you when you are at your utmost unattractive."
His mind wandered unwillingly to just a few days earlier when he had walked in on Hermione just after his morning run and he was hot, cheeks flushed red, hair a mess, shirt soaked through with sweat. He knew he had looked like rubbish and smelled something rotten. It had to be a rule somewhere otherwise it was just too damn unfair.
Cho looked up at him helplessly, "I don't know what to say to him. How do I start a conversation with him?"
"Talk to him like he's me." Cedric laughed.
"What?" Cho exclaimed, "Tell him he's a lazy git and has no taste in Quidditch players?"
"Oh, bollucks to you, Chang! Grandlesky can outfly Harper any day of the…"
"CED!"
"Okay," Cedric conceded, "maybe not the best approach."
"Maybe not," Cho glared.
"I don't know, Cho," Cedric said, his cheeks flushing red. He didn't know anything about how to chat up a guy! It wasn't terribly difficult for him to talk to girls, really. He wasn't boasting or anything, but he knew that he was fairly easy on the eyes and most of the time girls approached him. The Yule Ball once again flashed through his memory. What he knew about his time spent with the opposite sex was that they liked to hear nice things about themselves; compliments on clothes and shoes…and hair! Hair was vital! Hair was something that must be paid attention to at all times! One slip up on the hair could equal death for a bloke! He and his mates talked about girls; that would most likely not help Cho. "He's a normal bloke. Just…say hi or something."
"I just tried that and it didn't turn out to well." Cho said losing hope, "Merlin, Diggory, you're useless."
"Story of my life." Cedric muttered, purchasing two pumpkin pasties and offering one to Cho with a smirk; her consolation prize! Again, he slung his arm around her shoulders and spun them around in the hall.
"Cedric, Hermione said that you wanted…" whatever else Harry was going to say stuck in his throat when his eyes landed on Cho—or more accurately, Cedric's arm around Cho.
"Oi!" Cedric said, dropping his arm.
"Hi, Harry." Cho said quickly—too quickly if Cedric were to be honest with her.
But Harry's response came just as quickly, "Hi, Cho."
Cedric looked back and forth between the two, trying to control his expression. This was almost painful to watch.
"Well," Cho started and when some other topic of conversation did not immediately come to her, she continued with, "Bye, Harry!"
With that she took off down the hall back towards her compartment. Harry and Cedric both watched her until she disappeared from sight, then Harry turned back to Cedric, somber look on his face. "So," he said, "you and Cho are—."
"—not what you think, at all." Cedric said with a sympathetic smile.
Harry seemed to roll that around in his head for a moment before deciding that he would accept it. "Hermione said that you were looking for me."
"Yeah," Cedric said, not certain how to begin what it was that he wanted to say, "let's walk and have a chat."
They started slowly heading back in the direction of Cedric's cabin and Cedric began his impromptu speech. "Thing is, I had a talk with Dumbledore before your hearing and some of the things he said to me made me a little uneasy."
Harry smiled, "I know that feeling."
Cedric had to chuckle at that, "He told me that some of the things that would be needed of me this year would cause me to alienate my friends. That's not in my nature but if it is something that needs to be done, obviously, I will do it. I just wanted to tell you that before everything started because I don't want you to be one of the friends that I alienate. No matter what happens this year at Hogwarts, know that I am without the slightest hesitation, on your side."
"Oi, mate." Harry said, a thoughtful look on his too young face.
The two shook hands, Cedric clapping Harry's slender shoulder, then turned and went their separate ways, each wondering exactly what Dumbledore had in mind for Cedric and what lay in store that year for Harry; for both of them.
Author's Note: That's all for now. Please, please, please review!!!
