It was about 5:00 in the morning the next day when I got up to go to the Owlery. I hadn't written to my brother, Levi, since right after my accident and I felt it was about time I wrote to him again, even if my Dad wouldn't let him read it. In my letter I talked all about the Triwizard Tournament, meeting Cedric, how much I miss him, and that I can't wait for him to live with me after Hogwarts.
I sent my letter with one of the Hogwarts Owls and then stood there, in the dirty Owlery, watching the sunrise. I don't know how long I stood there before I heard another pair of footsteps from behind me. I spun around to see a face I didn't know I wanted to see, "Cedric." I said, addressing the figure in front of me.
"Evelyn." He said, giving me a nod and a weak smile.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying to make small talk as he sent his letter.
"I'm sending my Father a letter. I just came from entering the Tournament and I just wanted to tell him." Cedric said, growing quieter when he mentioned the Tournament.
"Oh." I said, turning back around to see the sunrise. I could see him out of the corner of my eye go and stand right beside me. We stood there for at least 10 minutes before anyone said anything.
"Listen," I said, spinning back to him, "I am so sorry that I got mad at you for entering, it was your choice and I really have no right to get mad at you for it. I just was worried about you."
Then, before I could say anything else, Cedric pulled me into a bone crushing hug. "I am so sorry too," He said, not bothering to let go, "I shouldn't have said all of those bad things to you or gotten defensive, I knew you were just being protective."
We let go of each other, and were now standing face to face. "To be honest," Cedric said, "I really feel like your my first friend too. I know we've only been friends for a couple months now, but I find my self telling you things that I haven't told anyone, and I feel like I can be myself with you more that anyone else. I mean, I've had friends amongst my classmates before, but they never really seemed to truly care about me or my well-being. You and me are different though, and if yesterday taught me anything it is that you truly care. Is it safe to say that I feel like were close friend, maybe best friends?"
That was when I started crying in between my nods, we were friends, actual best friends. "Cedric, I need to tell you something." I said hesitantly, and it was then, in the Owlery, that I told Cedric everything. I told him about my Mom passing, my Dad's abuse and rape, and my suicide attempt. Everything except the moment stolen between Severus and I.
At the end of it all I was sobbing, and Cedric pulled me into another hug. I buried my face into his shoulder and he rubbed my head, whispering soothing words into my ear. I could tell he was trying to be strong, but I knew he was crying too.
—
Cedric and I held hands that night at the Halloween Feast, not caring what people think. The champions were being announced and we both knew this was it, this was the night that would determine the rest of our lives and our friendship.
"Viktor Krum from Dumstrang." Dumbledore announced. The Great Hall exploded in cheers and Cedric and I looked at each other with anticipation as Viktor got up and left the Great Hall.
"Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons." Dumbledore announced again, and I held my breath.
"Finally, from Hogwarts, Cedric Diggory." He said.
The school went up in cheers, and Cedric reluctantly let go of my hand as he went to the other champions. I cried, and I could care less that Harry Potter was chosen a couple minutes after, I still just cried.
—
The second Dumbledore left the hall, I collected my belonging to go find Cedric. The only thought I had in my mind was seeing him.
I ran what felt like the entire school, until I got to this little door that I knew all of the Champions were behind. I knocked once, and no one answered. So, I knocked on the door again. No one answered.
"Cedric." I whispered in between tears "Cedric." I repeated.
After a couple of moments Karkaroff opened the door half way, standing in my way of getting in.
"Hello Beautiful, I see we meet again." He said, giving me a creepy stare.
I ignored him though, yelling for Cedric instead while trying to squeeze past him.
"If you wanted a repeat performance of last night you could've just asked." Karkaroff said, laughing at my attempts to get past him.
Still crying I ignored him and yelled out for Cedric again. This time though I heard my name faintly shouted back.
"Evelyn!" Cedric yelled from inside the room.
"Cedric!" I yelled back, more frantically this time, while finally busting through Karkaroff's blockade.
It was almost in slow-motion how Cedric and I ran to one another. Ending in him picking me up and hugging me while I cried in his shoulder for the second time that day.
"Cedric." I mumbled.
"Evelyn." He said back.
"I have this feeling Cedric." I said while crying, pulling back from the hug, "I have a feeling you're going to get hurt."
He pulled me back into the hug and said, "I'm going to win. I'm going to win for you Evelyn, and when I win I'm going to make sure no one, and I repeat, no one, ever hurts you again."
"Promise?" I whispered in between tears.
"Promise." Cedric said, hugging me tighter while I cried harder. Neither of us could care less what anyone in that room thought.
—
It was at least 10:30 when I left my room that night. I don't know if I was feeling sentimental or emotional from the day, but I decided to go confront Professor Snape. It was past curfew and I was a mess, but it sounded like a good idea at the time.
I had to hide from the teachers, Prefects, and one pesky cat, but somehow I made it down to the Potions Classroom without trouble. When I got there I just stood in front of the door for a couple minutes, seriously considering what I was doing, before opening it.
He was there, sitting at his desk, probably grading papers, when I walked in. He didn't even look up when I began speaking, like he was expecting me. "We need to talk." I demanded.
"I don't see why." He said nonchalantly, still not looking up from his papers.
"Why?" I said sarcastically. "Because I kissed you last night, and you kissed me back, that's why!" I practically screamed at him.
He finally looked up as he began, "Listen Miss Owen-"
"Evelyn." I interjected.
"Evelyn," he said, correcting himself, "what happened was wrong, and it won't happen again, so I don't think we need to discuss it farther."
"Why was it wrong! Is it because I am your student, because if I heard Karkaroff correctly last night, that doesn't really bother you!"
He sighed, got up, and walked around his desk so he was leaning against it. "It's wrong because I took advantage of you! I am no better than Karkaroff or you sad excuse for a Father!" You were upset and vulnerable, blaming yourself for rape, and I chose to use that to my advantage! That is why it is wrong!" He snapped.
I was taken back, and a couple seconds later I yelled, "Well I kissed you, I was the one who pushed it on you! You didn't take advantage of me!"
He shook his head and placed it in in his hands before raising it to say, "You don't get it do you? That is still me taking advantage of you! I am the older one, I am the one who should know better and shouldn't have kissed you back!" He paused for a moment, as if debating whether he should finish what he was going to say, before he continued. "Listen Evelyn, I am in a similar situation to you. When I was little boy my Father used to like to bang me around. He liked to push, punch, and cut his son, saying it will make me a man. But my torture as a child was mostly contributed to the fact that I had to watch my Mother get it so much worse. For every punch I got, my Mother got double, for every cut I got, my Mother got so much more. I used to run to my room and cover my ears as a little boy because I couldn't stand to hear my Mother's screams as she was raped. And, until the day she died, my mother would make me promise that I would never be like him. To never hurt or take advantage of a girl, and that's what I did! I betrayed her! I have made so many mistakes in my life Evelyn, please don't make me make this one." He finished in a pleading tone, and I didn't know what to say.
It was a couple minutes later when I replied, "Look Severus," I said, waiting a moment before continuing, "When I kissed you it was the first time in my life that I had actually wanted anything like that, it was what I consider my first kiss, and it was was a great one. The best part though was wanting it. It was the most freed, empowered, and whole I'd ever felt. You are the one that makes me feel all of those things, when I am so broken. Sure, I can feel some of that when I am with Cedric or when I am with my peers, but it isn't quite the same. I get that you don't want to take advantage of me or betray your Mother, but I need to move on in my life. I need to be exposed to better men that make me doubt all of my preconceived ideas about them. I need to be with you. So please," I said, stepping closer to him so we are right in front of each other, "let me." And with that I kissed him, and this time when our hands got adventurous, we didn't stop.