The next morning, I woke up quite early. It was Saturday, and I wanted to spend as much time as possible in the library to begin my research. I got up, went to the shower, dressed up then went to eat my breakfast.

The Hall was nearly empty, a lot of students still sleeping or just waking up. I took a seat and looked around me. Some Hufflepuffs were quietly eating while two Ravenclaws were doing their homework. I smirked thinking that I could have fitted well in this House.

I was eating a piece of toast when I saw Cho Chang. She carefully walked towards her table, looking down as if it could help her look invisible. When she caught a glimpse of, she quickly came up. "Good morning, Hermione" she said. "Good morning, yourself " I answered. She kept quiet and I frowned. "Did you want to tell me something?"

She lowered her voice and murmured. "Actually, I was looking for Harry". I politely shook my head and held back a deep sigh. "I think he's still upstairs with Ron. They like to use all their free time to snore" I smiled, hoping that Harry will never hear about this talking. He certainly didn't want to look like a sleeper to Cho.

"Oh" she said "Well, please tell him I said hello".

"Are you alright?" I asked. Her face was terrible: she was pale, had puffy eyes and two big circles that made her look coming straight from the grave. Even if her hair was combed and she was well dressed, she no longer looked like the former Cho Chang. The popular and stylish Ravenclaw had changed into a shut-in and sad-looking girl.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little tired" she murmured. I knew this excuse, I was using it everytime I was depressed.

"I know that you and Harry share the same grief. But if you want to talk about the tournament" I proposed, avoiding to name the Hufflepuff boy "I'm there to hear you".

Cho nodded, tears filling in her eyes.

"Thank you Hermione" she whispered.

She then turned back and quickly left the room. I watched her with sympathy and sadness. I knew she was suffering just like Harry. She was so close to Diggory, his death was certainly torturing her. This sight gave me more confidence to succeed on my project.

I swallowed my food and rushed to the library. I wasn't planning to see Cedric until the afternoon.

Miss Pince welcomed me with a large grin.

"Good morning miss Granger. It's a pleasure to see motivated students like you".

I gave her a shy smile and came in the library. I chose to take a seat in the most isolated table: I didn't need to be caught with some resurrection book in the hands. I decided to go to the Magical Creatures alley first: the first thing was to learn more about Cedric's new state.

I picked a half-dozen big books and quickly put them on my table. They nosily landed and I felt Pince's glare on me. "Important essay" I said with an innocent smile. She mumbled some words and walked back to her desk. I sat and opened the first book. I quickly shut it when I saw it was only treating about aquatic magical creatures, and picked a new one.

A couple of hours later, I was looking through pages. I finally shut this book too and put it upon the long pile of books I had already "read". I sighed in exasperation. Of course, I would have been silly to think that I could find in the first hour a book titled How to bring Cedric Diggory back to life, but well I hoped that I would find some clues.

And what if I never find what I was looking for? What if there was no way to save Cedric? And could I tell him that I failed, that I wasn't such a bright witch? and that he was doomed to haunt this bloody corridor for ever? I moaned and rested my forehead on the table.

"You need some help?" a male voice said in an amused tone.

"No, thank y… " I raised the head when I recognisedthe familiar voice. " Diggory? " I gasped when I saw his floating body in front of me. " How can you be there? "

Cedric shrugged. " Well, I'm able to get about in all the castle. I had merely decided to stay in the Hufflepuff corridor."

"But why did you wait until now to show me this? You could have followed me around after I left. You weren't even sure that I would come back to see you again"

Cedric took a serious face.

"Yes, but I didn't want to feel like I was stalking you. You had to make your choice alone. It was your personal decision, not mine ".

I looked at him and kept quiet long seconds: I had to confess that I was amazed by his behaviour. Cedric was such a respectful, mature good boy.

"So, I came here to help you. You told me yesterday you would be in the library."

I took a serious look and sighed.

"Diggory, I can't promise you that I'll succeed. I'm not even sure that all this is good for you. I don't want to give you false hopes. All I am about to do could be useless and it is actually unauthorised."

He bent down over the table towards me.

"I know, and I'm very thankful to you. I know that what you're doing is risky…I just trust you" he said "and if you fail or choose to stop I won't hold a grudge against you".

We kept silent a moment and then, he glanced all around him and exclaimed.

"So…How can I help you?"

I brushed my hair back into a bun.

"Well, you could look for some books in those alleys" I said pointing him some bookshelves "and when you find the most appropriate one, call for me".

Cedric nodded in agreement. He walked towards the first alley and I noticed how much Cedric was making his best to keep looking like a human. He could have floated, but he didn't. He was always chosing the normal way rather than the supernatural one. I went to my own alley and began to brush the books with my fingertips. There were so many books, I wondered if I could ever find the good one. Who knows if it was even in the library.

Half a hour later, I was back on the table with a new pile of books.

"Did you find something?" Cedric hopefully asked. I simply shook my head in answer still looking through the book.

"Oh crap" he sighed. He took a seat next to me. Surprised, I looked at him with widened eyes. Cedric got confused. "I'm sorry. You want me to sit on the opposite bench? "

"No, that's fine" I answered then got back to my book.

"Maybe I could help you and look through some books" he proposed.

"Yeah sure, just pick one of them" I pointed him the pile. During a long minute he kept quiet. I glanced at him with an inquisitive look. He was now embarrassed. "I need you to…" he trailed off. I bit my lower lip so violently that I thought my teeth just cut it. "I'm so sorry" I whispered.

I got up from my seat, picked a book, opened it and put it on the table just in front of Cedric. Then, too ashamed to face him again until the next hour (at least), my mind plunged back into the book.

Everytime I heard Cedric shyly clear his throat, I quietly turned his page and came back to my own book, even if I was sure that he needed only three minutes to peruse the pages, he was signalling me only every ten minutes.

After a long time, while I was taking some notes on a parchment, Cedric leaned in with a grin on the face. "It's noon. You should go eat something" he said. "I'm not hungry" I answered without looking away from the parchment. "Yes, you are" he stated. "Go find your friends. I'll meet you later."

I put my quill down and sighed. "By the way" he said "Did you find something? I saw you were writing down some notes". I glanced at him and smiled. "No, I just wanted to look like I was working on something". Cedric laughed.

I went to the Great Hall and saw Ron, Harry and the others already eating their lunch. Ginny who was a little isolated on the big table waved me to sit next to her.

"Come on, we need to talk about the headmaster" she said smirking.

I rolled my eyes but kept a big smile.

"Where were you?" Harry asked.

"In the library" I merely answered. I knew this answer would be enough for them. They certainly wouldn't want to talk about some books.

"How was your morning?" I asked.

"Ron and Harry just woke up, actually" Ginny chuckled.

I glanced at them and smirked.

"Oh, I had noticed their puffy eyes already" I bent to Harry and whispered. "By the way, Cho was looking for you"

My friend clumsily spat out the pumpkin juice he was drinking.

"Are you sure?" he whispered back.

I nodded. "An Asian girl with long black hair from Ravenclaw…Well, I am practically sure it was a girl". I smiled taking a wondering look.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, I mean are you sure she was looking for…me ?" he trailed off. I nodded. He then faked a surprised look. "I wonder what she wanted from me".

This time, I rolled my eyes. "Harry, I know you're seeing each other quite often. So please, just drop the acting". Harry's cheeks lightly blushed. "We're not seeing each other…not properly like you think. We just talk" he trailed off. "I know. But, you would like your relationship to go further, wouldn't you?". I tensed up waiting for his answer.

Harry shyly shook his head. "I don't know. A part of me would want to, but another part…"

"…thinks about Cedric Diggory" I continued with a severe tone of voice.

Harry sighed.

"You think that what I am doing is wrong, don't you?" he murmured.

I shook my head. I didn't know what to answer. Cho's boyfriend was dead, but I never read somewhere that the girl was supposed to stay single all her lifetime after this. But I couldn't help myself thinking that Cedric wasn't really dead, he was still there, and the last thing I wanted was that someday he found them kissing in a corridor. It would be just too painful for him. "Yes, you're wrong" I exclaimed before I could restrain. Harry was looking at me with two big guilty and confused eyes. " How can you do this to him, to Cedric? You watched him die and now you just go after his girlfriend. I would have never imagined such a thing coming from you. You, more than everybody else, should be respectful of his memory."

Harry was frozen in shock, he opened his mouth to rspond, but then shut up. Looking down, he quickly got up and ran out of the great Hall.

I sighed. I had been so rude, but I needed to protect Cedric from the pain to find his former girlfriend with another boy. I needed to protect my best friend too. I couldn't tell him that Cedric was there with us, but I was sure that if he was told about it, he would stay away from Cho Chang. "What happened?" Ginny and Ron asked at the same time.

"What did you tell him? I haven't seen him like this since the last year in the infirmary when he came back from the graveyard." Ron exclaimed with a concerned and blaming voice.

I felt guilt rising deep inside me and the tears fill in my eyes. I stood up and ran across the Great Hall to the exit doors.

When I felt the cold hair brush my skin, I took a deep breath and never stopped to run till I reached the Black lake. There, I sat down on the grass and burst into tears.

After ten minutes, I felt like my tears were insufficient, the pain was still there, burning all my heart. The more I was crying, the more I was thinking about my harsh words. I was sure now that Harry was certainly in the same state, and it was just heartbreaking for me. My sobs were louder now, but I couldn't get enough. I thought I would be really satisfied only if my tears would fill in a second Black Lake, « The Silly and Hurtful friend lake », that would be its name.

I covered my wet face with my two hands and kept on crying. After ten other minutes, I heard an alarmed voice.

"Granger? What's going on?" I glanced up and saw through my tears Cedric standing in front of me. He looked as lost as I was.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked still crying. "I didn't. I was waiting for you in the library but you weren't coming, so I looked for you until I found you ther" he said with a concerned voice. "What happened to you? Did someone hurt you?" he asked me. Those words caused a new flow of tears. Cedric was now totally worried. "Stop always seeing me like a good person. I'm not. No one hurt me, but I did hurt my best friend " I cried out. Cedric sat in front of me. "What happened?" he asked.

I shook my head still hidden under my hands. "Hermione, look at me…please" he said. I did so and saw his worried face. "Now tell me what happened" he asked in a calm voice.

"He asked me for advice, and I just spat out those cruel words to him" I explained. "What words?" he asked. I looked at him silently. He shook his head when he noticed my reluctance. " Sorry. You don't have to tell me what it was about ". "I hurt him so badly" I continued.

"I'm sure it's not that serious" he said. "It is" I cried out "Ron was right. I hadn't seen him like this since the last summer"

Cedric kept quiet a long minute, unable to find the good words. He knew that I was probably right, I had been cruel enough if I had have Harry to be in the same mood than he'd been after the third task.

"He'll never forgive me. " I sobbed. "Of course he will" Cedric murmured "He's your best friend. He, more than anybody else can forgive you. And I'm sure that he knows you didn't really mean those words".

Did I?

"I don't even know myself" I whispered.

"I'm sure you didn't" I shot him a glare, and he smiled. " Do you know why I can't imagine you're such a mean person? Because you are certainly the most devoted witch I have ever met. How can I be so sure you didn't want to hurt Harry? Because a person who sacrifices all their time and give all their patience to a stranger can't be cruel. Because a person who is ready to break all the magical rules to help somebody they merely know can't be hurtful"

I kept silent in shock. Cedric was still kindly smiling at me. I cried louder. "What did I say?" he exclaimed. "You were supposed to push me even deeper in my guilt not to sing me such a beautiful praise"

Cedric laughed. "Fine…would you feel better if I told you that all this was just lies?" he smiled.

"Definitely" I answered with a tiny smile. Cedric shook his head, smiling. He held out his hand towards my face but then stopped mid-way. "Wipe your tears away" he murmured. "And now, go find Harry, and tell him you're sorry ".

"Thank you" I said after getting up.

"That's the least I can do" he said Let me take you to your common room". I nodded, and together we silently made our way towards the castle.

"Don't worry, everything's going to be fine" Cedric sooth me when we reached the corridor leading to the Fat lady. "I'll come to see you later to take some news". I nodded and Cedric turned his back at me. "Wait!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to need your help ". Cedric stared at me with an inquisitive and uneasy look.