Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. But who wouldn't want to own at least one?

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Being happy was quite an understatement when it came to how Cedric Diggory and Hermione Granger were feeling, even if they were keeping things very low key and somewhat innocent. They had both confided in someone about the situation they were now in. Callum laughed at first saying that he always knew that Cedric had a soft side, but thought he handled it rather well about taking it so slow. Ginny on the other hand was erratic, asking a million and one questions, all which Hermione did not have answers for. They tried to be discreet as possible wishing to get to know each other on this new level without everyone having something to say about it. Of course it didn't stop people from noticing the beautiful bracelet Hermione now wore around her wrist. Thankfully everyone was too scared to ask her where she got it. Well, all but Ron, she of course told him it was a gift from a friend. Ron immediately decided it was from Viktor, since he did not know she had 'ended' whatever was actually between them.

After the admittance of their feelings in so little words Cedric had began to wait outside the library for Hermione's arrival. Of course he did this so he was able to hold her hand for those few spare moments they had in the day. Cedric even took to sitting next to Hermione during their study sessions instead of across like he use to. This made him able to take a hold of her hand, or brush a piece of hair out of her face any time he pleased. However, they had not been presented with the chance to really kiss again. By all means they had shared soft kisses on the cheek, and Cedric had lingered once long enough to brush his lips across her lips, but nothing other than that.

Cedric had made sure he was in the right mind set for the impending third and final task which was approaching faster than anyone had realized. Yet the closer it came to the task the more Cedric's dreams began to bother him. He was starting to believe he was having nightmares, yet he was still unable to decipher what precisely was happening within those very dreams.

Hermione on the other hand, was trying to be supportive on Cedric's decision of taking things slowly. It was not that she wanted to move fast at all, she was just afraid he would lose interest in her. She tried not to think about this and focused on other things. She was still quite upset that she had upset Winky, the house elf, that one day; all she wanted to do was help them. Her and Viktor's relationship was confusing, she had denied his invitation to visit him over the summer and shared with him that she fancied someone else. She was always certain that he would suspect it was Cedric, but for some reason he thought it was Harry. He even chose to confront Harry about this, of course Harry was beyond confused since he thought Viktor still held Hermione's attention.

She was in the great hall studying along with Harry, Neville, and Ron when an owl swooped by and dropped a piece of parchment in front of Hermione. As soon as she saw it she had a very good idea who it was from. Of course the sudden arrival of the letter did not go unnoticed by the three boys she sat with.

"Who's it from, Hermione?" Neville asked curiously.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, "I have not had a chance to open it yet, have I Neville?" She sighed softly and slowly unopened it, making sure that it was unreadable to them.

Hermione,

I'm beginning to miss starting my letters calling you Granger, but your name is rather pretty. I had to rush off after breakfast and did not have a chance to come see you like I wished. So I was hoping after lunch you would come visit me at my table, only if you want to, of course.

Also, I miss you already.

Sincerely your "mindless prat",

Cedric.

Hermione took a few deep breaths in the hope that it would help her from not blushing. She looked up at her three friends, "Well, who was it now?"

"Who was what?" George and Fred asked simultaneously as they looked away from their own conversation.

"Hermione just got a bloody letter from Viktor and Neville is being nosey." Ron said harshly.

"I was not being nosey I was just asking, I'm sorry Hermione"

Hermione smiled softly at Neville, "It is all right, I know you meant no harm."

"What did Viktor have to say for himself? Can he at least spell your name right?" George said with a chuckle as he snatched the piece of paper from Hermione's grasp, but only choose to read the last bit, "'Also, I already miss you', how sweet. 'Sincerely your "mindless prat"'---" He froze for a moment and looked at his brother's friend unsure if what he was seeing was right. He looked over the whole letter and realized it wasn't his eyes playing tricks on him. Hermione sighed softly and mouthed the words 'please' to him.

"George has a cat got your tongue or something?" Fred said with a laugh.

"Oh yeah, Viktor, well very nice." He handed Hermione the letter back and gave her a soft smile.

Cedric was afraid that Hermione would freak out over his request, up until that point they were terribly low key. Of course it was known they were friends, but nothing else besides that. He knew he was the one that suggested the whole low key, discreet thing, but sometimes he bloody well hated it. He had to admit that he was grateful that Cho's constant pursuing had become less and less prevalent. He hadn't shared with Hermione that Cho was still attempting to get back with him, he felt it was probably better if she did not know.

Everyone who was around Cedric were talking more and more about the third task and how he was going to beat Potter. Cedric just shook his head and turned toward the Gryffindor table to where he finally set his eyes on Hermione. She looked up and smiled softly at him, a gentle blush filling her cheeks. She whispered something quickly to Harry before standing up and heading his way. Cedric could see Ron out of the corner of his eye watching her intently, his eyes only widened as she came closer toward the Hufflepuff table.

"Cedric." She said softly, obviously nervous on why he had asked her over here. Especially since Cedric had not once gone over to her at her own house table, almost making him feel like a prat, "Did you need to ask me something? About studying?"

He smiled up at her before making Callum scoot down so she could sit. As soon as she did he took her hand not even caring that his 'friends' were staring at them with their mouths hanging open. Callum decided to be the one to clear the air of the awkward silence, "So Ced, only a week left and it will be time for the third task you think you'll be prepared?"

"I think so." Cedric sighed softly, he felt as mentally prepared as he could and just wished everyone would stop nagging him. He knew Callum wasn't trying to do that, he would probably be the last person next to Hermione to bother him. But it was everyone else, including his father. He was continually sending him notes to share how proud he was of his boy. Of course Cedric wanted to make his father proud, he wanted to make his house proud, and his school if, by chance, he won. He just wanted everyone to relax for a bit, because all the talk about it was making him more anxious then he wished to be.

Summer's closed his mouth and watched Cedric and Hermione continually glance at each other, were the rumors actually true? Did Cedric actually fall for the Gryffindor girl with frizzy hair and once upon a time decently big teeth, "Hermione that is a very nice bracelet you have there, where did you get it?"

Callum rolled his eyes and shot Summer a look, as if he was saying 'are you really asking her such a mindless question Summers'. Hermione just blushed softly and smiled, "It was given to be by someone very special."

"Would that someone special be Cedric?" Summers asked the question he knew everyone was dying to know.

"Summers!" Callum groaned as he lifted his hand up to rub his temple.

"What? Am I the only one who sees that they are holding hands right now and giving each other sweet looks? I mean if they do not fancy each other then I have lost my mind!"

"Yes, I gave Hermione the bracelet." Cedric sighed as he reached his free hand to play with the charm bracelet that resided on her wrist, "But can we keep that between us? And I am serious about that."

"Well I do not know, Cedric." Zacharias stated as he glanced around the great hall, "I mean you are openly holding her hand right now, not that I actually suspect anyone is paying attention to that. However they do notice that Hermione came and sat with you, especially one in particular, Cho."

Cedric glanced over to the Ravenclaw table only to groan as he saw Cho and a few of her friends watching his every move. He shook his head and looked back at his friends, "Well, all in all, everyone has come to terms that I am friends with Hermione so there is no problem with her visiting me at our table."

"You do know I am still here?" Hermione finally spoke. "I can hear every word you are saying."

This only caused all four boys to laugh, "I like her." Callum chuckled.

"What made you go to Cedric after you were with Viktor Krum, Hermione?" Zacharias chuckled which received him looks from two of the boys.

"Well, Cedric can be a mindless prat sometimes," She smiled softly at him. "However he makes me laugh and even at times can be a real gentleman."

The first statement caused everyone to chuckle, well everyone but Cedric, "So now you are going to gang up on me as well, Granger?"

"Perhaps." She gave him a stern look before smirking slightly.

He knew that it was a big step but he could not help himself but lean in and press the quickest kiss to her cheek. He whispered in her ear, "My parents have said yes about you coming to visit. Have you asked your parents yet?"

Hermione was a little shocked at his public display of affection, especially since he wanted to keep everything discreet till after the third task. She would ask him about that later, "Not yet, I will write to them later." They spent the rest of the lunch chatting with Cedric and laughing over things that were said.

The rest of the day went by remotely slow, but soon enough it was time for their study session. As soon as they sat down Cedric went into a rant over the ending of Romeo and Juliet even though he had finished it weeks prior, he randomly began to thought about it. Hermione tried to conceal her laughter, but she found it somewhat endearing how he rambled on almost annoyed about what had happened.

"Now if they had been wizards and had an owl, then Romeo would have received the letter and then in turn would have not killed himself and Juliet would have woken up and then everything would have been grand." He explained to her as he played with the cover of one of the books in front of him.

"Cedric, it is suppose to be a tragedy. It is suppose to show that their untimely death brought their families together and in that, they finally realize that their petty fighting had caused them to lose the one thing very dear to their hearts, their children." Hermione explained as she reached over to her side and placed her hand on top of his, causing him to stop playing with the cover. He turned and looked at her, a small smile on his lips.

"You look very pretty today."

Hermione suddenly started to blush and looked down at her pants, "Oh shush, I do not.."

He brought up his free hand to stroke her cheek in almost a loving manner, "Oh you do, Granger, very pretty indeed."

Hermione sighed deeply and rolled her eyes, "Cedric, w-why did you have me come to the Hufflepuff table today and have me to sit with you and your friends when I thought you wanted our--" She stopped herself not really knowing what she should refer to them as. Was it a relationship? She wasn't quite sure, "Our situation to be low key."

Cedric nodded, "Yes, but I felt why do we need to be low key around our friends? Even though my friends can be greater prats then myself. Still I-- did you not want our friends to know?"

"No I do, I just.. what about everyone else?"

"Hermione, if you think I do not want people to know about us that is untrue. I just thought that we don't need everyone to know until after the third task and everything.. I mean--"

She raised her hand and placed a finger to his lip, "Cedric, what are we?"

"Ah huh." He mumbled against her finger before pressing a soft kiss to it, "Well, I would like to think that you are my girlfriend and that I am your boyfriend. But that is really all up to you if you accept me as your boyfriend and you wish to be my girlfriend."

"I would like that." She smirked as she pulled her hand away and brought it to her lap. Her other hand was still in his grasp.

Cedric looked around for a moment seeing that they were alone and slowly leaned in toward her. He brought up his free hand to cup her cheek as he pushed his lips to hers. The kiss started off very slow, much like their first kiss. Soon enough it grew deeper, but it all too soon ended when they heard the chattering voices of other's coming their way. "We will continue with this later", he whispered softly in her ear causing a chill to run down her spine.

They both turned toward where the voices were coming only to see Harry, Ginny, Neville and Ron approaching them. At this point Hermione would remove her hand from Cedric's but she decided against it. His friends knew of them, why not her own friends. "Hermione, there you are. We were coming to find you to see if you wanted to come to---" Ron immediately stopped talking as his eyes focused upon Hermione and Cedric's closeness as well as their hands entwined above the table.

Ginny's eyes on the other hand instantly lit up as she tried to hold back her giggles, "We wanted you to come to do dinner. We are sorry if we interrupted anything."

"Oh! Dinner, I didn't even realize what time it was." Hermione admitted truthfully as she turned to look at Cedric.

"Me either, but we should both go eat. I will try to find you before I have to do my prefect duties to say goodnight." He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek then released her hand and stood up, "Good day everyone." He gathered his belongings and quickly left the library.

All eyes were upon Hermione as she gathered her belongings, "You and Diggory? That looked more than just friends to me, Hermione." Ron's voice was almost harsh as he spoke.

"Well that is because Cedric and I are more than just friends now." Hermione announced out loud for the first time ever, and she couldn't help but deny the flutter she felt in her stomach.

"Wait." Ginny grinned, "You two have made it official? I was wondering what was going on when you went and sat the rest of lunch with him. Awe! I'm so happy for you Hermione!"

"That is bullocks! You cannot fancy Cedric Diggory."

"Well I believe she is more than fancying him Ron, I do believe that she is dating him." Harry said with a soft smile.

"That is just---why would you---are you daft?---I don't understand you Hermione." Ron gritted through his teeth.

"Well, I for one would like to say I enjoy seeing you happy, Hermione." Neville smiled sweetly at her.

Hermione finished gathering her belongings and turned to look at her friends, "Thank you Neville, now let us go to dinner, hm?" She didn't even bother to acknowledge the evil look that Ron was giving her. She was in too good a mood to deal with his petty fighting.

The next week moved at a remotely rapid speed and next thing Cedric knew it was the morning of the third and final task. However something about it had him over-thinking. His dreams had become more frequent in that last week, and even a little more vivid. Yet his memory was somewhat fuzzy over what exactly was happening. Now though, he was able to tell that Harry Potter had been there, more than once. He discerned that he was in a dark setting, and at one point he could have sworn he was in a graveyard. But what graveyard, he did not know.

His father and mother would be arriving shortly and he figured he would attempt to have a few free minutes without them. He wanted to see Hermione before the task actually began. So as soon as he woke up he sent her an owl asking her to meet him outside at their 'usual' spot as he began to call it in the last few weeks. Thankfully, he did not have to wait that long for she arrived a good ten minutes after himself. She sat down on the ground next to him, not saying a word. Hermione had a feeling he wanted to think in the silence.

Cedric reached over and took her hand his and looked at her, a faint smile on his lips. "Today is the day."

She nodded slowly, "It is. I cannot help but be worried for all of you."

"Well I mean, it's understandable, haven't you be romantically connected to all of us? Well at least that's what Rita Skeeter said." He said with a smirk, Hermione's presence instantly bringing him out of the foul mood he was in when he woke up.

"Oh shush, that is not funny." Hermione nudged him in the side and removed her hand from his.

"I am only playing." He chuckled as he reached up and stroked her cheek, "You have, in actuality, only been romantically connected to two of the champions."

Hermione grinned as she leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, "You are the only one that counts."

He smiled at her and placed his hand on her neck to bring her in for another kiss, "I am glad to hear that."

"Well there is a small chance you may be glad to hear this as well. My parents have said I can visit you over the summer.. I can leave Hogwarts with you if you wish--"

"I wish very much." He nuzzled his nose against hers, "Thank you."

"For what?" She raised her eyebrow as she pulled her face away slightly to look in his own.

Cedric let out a soft sigh, "For always knowing how to bring me out a foul mood when I am in one." He reached up to push a few strands of hair behind her ear, "You have a very settling presence, I hope you know that."

Hermione tilted her head to the side and peered into his gray eyes, "Why were you in a foul mood today?"

"I had that dream again. I've actually been having it every night for quite a while." He groaned as he lifted his hand and ran it over his face, "However I still cannot figure out what exactly is happening in it. I am now beginning to have the feeling it was to do the final task." He shook his head and cracked a smile at her, "It is probably just my nerves, that is all. Can we just enjoy these few minutes we have alone together." Hermione chose not to verbally answer but instead moved closer to him and pressed her lips to his once again.

Hermione could not help be on edge as soon as she watched not only Harry enter the maze, but Cedric as well. He had kept his dream from her at first, but then after a while he finally confessed to her about it. He tried to play it off as nothing, and sometimes he didn't even bring it up. But that morning when he talked about it, she could see the worry in his eyes. She knew she was probably thinking too much into it, he had said it was probably his nerves. That is most likely exactly what it is, right?

Cedric on the other hand, was pushing the dream out of his head as he experienced everything that was going on through the maze. Krum, Harry helping him, all of it. Then finally there he and Harry stood in front of the cup, and they decided to take it together. But as they grabbed it he couldn't believe what happened next. The cup was a portkey and he was now in a graveyard. But the connection between the graveyard and his dream did not occur to him at first.

Cedric looked down at the Triwizard Cup and then up at Harry. "Did anyone tell you the cup was a Portkey?" he asked.

"Nope," Said Harry. He was looking around the graveyard. It was completely silent and slightly eerie. "Is this supposed to be part of the task?"

"I dunno," said Cedric. He sounded slightly nervous, "Wands out, d'you reckon?"

"Yeah" said Harry, he seemed glad that Cedric had made the suggestion.

They pulled out their wands. Harry kept looking around him. "Someone's coming," he said suddenly.

Squinting tensely through the darkness, they watched the figure drawing nearer, walking steadily toward them between the graves. Cedric could not make out a face, and he figured that Harry was having the same problem. But from the way it was walking and holding it's arms, they could tell that it was carrying something. Whoever it was, he was short, and wearing a hooded cloak pulled up over his head to obscure his face. And -- several paces nearer, the gap between them closing all the time --- Cedric saw that the thing in the person's arms looked like a baby… or was it merely a bundle of robes.

He and Harry gave each other quizzical looks before looking back at approaching figure. It stopped beside a towering marble headstone, only six feet from them. And then without warning Harry dropped his wand and fell to his knees, clutching his hand over the scar on his forehead.

Cedric shook there almost in shock as he watched Harry, what was going on? Who was this person? What was he carrying. His thoughts were in overdrive that he didn't even hear what was said next. Only felt as he was hit by some green light and was sent flying to the ground.

A loud cheer ran through the air as Harry and Cedric landed on the ground with the Triwizard Cup. However it quickly came to a halt as the scream of Fleur Delacour replaced it. Hermione sat there frozen as she watched the scene unfold in front of her eyes. Was he dead? Was Cedric dead? That's what the whispers started to say throughout the stands. She quickly jumped to her feet and began to run down. She didn't even bother to see who she pushed passed as she ran to the scene of her best friend and boyfriend.

Callum quickly caught Hermione by the arm and pulled her to him knowing that this would be too much for her. They stood there as they watched Cedric's father, Amos Diggory stand over his son's body almost sobbing. Hermione clung to Callum's shirt as she let the tears that had been threatening to break free the last few moments out. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as he watched his best friend lay before him dead.

Yet the next words that were spoke surprised them all, "He's alive."

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A/N: I had a lot of trouble trying to make this chapter, especially the end come out right. And I hope you all enjoy it. Many of you asked me not to kill Cedric, and I didn't want to kill him as well. But do not think everything will be happy sunshine and cupcake kisses from this point. But they will have their moments. And I do have a good amount planned so I hope you continue to read.

So how many of you are happy that I did not kill him?

Reviews are like Cedric Diggory LIVING. =]