AN: Thank you a million times to everyone who has read and reviewed this story for me. I am still completely blown away by the response this story has gotten ever since I posted the first chapter over a year ago. This chapter may seem a bit choppy and almost confusing but I was hoping to convey Cedric and Hermione's own confusion with it and hopefully, I was able to get that across to all of the readers. Please read and review it for me. There is just one - maybe two - chapters left. Thank you.

Chapter Ten – Words Never Spoken Before

The dark ominous clouds that had been hanging low in the sky for most of the day finally broke in the early evening and a light rain, more of a mist, began to fall, slowly soaking everything in its path. It was the perfect sort of weather to stay tucked warmly in one's bedroom and drink a cup of hot chocolate while reading a good book and staying dry.

He knew that that was exactly what Hermione was doing in the Gryffindor tower though she kept getting distracted as her thoughts constantly wondered to daydreams of him. She wanted him to come. She needed him just as he needed her. It had almost been four hours since he had been inside of her last and his body was aching for the sweet release that only she could provide from the pain that engulfed his entire being when he was away from her.

Cedric remained on the Quidditch Pitch though, standing in the center of the field, allowing himself to get soaked and hoping that the coolness of the rain would calm his body down. He had to concentrate and he needed to shove Hermione from his thoughts for just a while. She was always there just as he was always in hers. There was never a moment to themselves and that was all Cedric wanted. Just a moment's thought without her immediately knowing of it as well.

He loved her. God, he loved her more than anything. He hadn't even thought that feeling this much love towards one other person at his age was possible. But how could he not love Hermione? She was beautiful and sexy and funny and so intelligent, it sometimes was frightening. She was everything he could possibly ever want. He may have been young – both of them may have been – but he did know that.

A man couldn't share what he had with Hermione and not be in love with her. He had gotten to know her ever since all of this had started and he knew that no one knew him as well as Hermione knew him. They had shared so many lives together. They were so connected and there was nothing that could tear them apart.

There wasn't, was there? Cedric frowned.

No one knew what was happening to them. Being Bound was still something so unheard of in the magical word and even with Dumbledore studying for endless hours in his chambers, there were still so many questions. The cry of the baby the other night in the hospital wing was just one mystery to what was happening to them. Both had shifted through memories of their lives in search of an answer to that one. There had been a few lives in which Hermione had been pregnant but she either miscarried or the baby died during its birth. They had never had a healthy baby in their life together. Cedric didn't know why and he didn't know why they had heard a baby cry.

But Hermione had given herself a pregnancy test – a short spell said while holding one's wand to the abdomen. If the test was positive, green sparks would shoot out. If negative, red sparks would appear instead. Both Hermione and Cedric had sighed with relief when they saw red. Neither wanted a baby – at least not at that time. They were still so young and they still had so many things to figure out for themselves. Hermione was still convinced that something was going to happen to him if he participated in the third task and he was still convinced she was going to drown somehow. There was far too much going on for a baby but they still couldn't explain the baby's cries. They still couldn't explain a lot of things.

He had the third task within a week and he should have been preparing himself. He couldn't focus his mind though. He couldn't concentrate on anything and for another fleeting moment, he found himself blaming Hermione, pushing her away. He needed her to leave him alone for a few minutes. Neither knew how. There didn't seem to be anyway whatsoever to block the other out. It was exhausting most of the time. It was hard enough being a teenage male with his own thoughts let alone adding the thoughts of a teenage girl on top of that. He now understood why of the two other reported cases of the Bound spell throughout history, did they both end in suicide.

Being Bound was beyond any magical ability that almost everyone in the magical world had ever experienced. It couldn't be explained and it couldn't be stopped. It was overwhelming and scary and beyond a person's control. Their minds and bodies were no longer their own. They were now under the spell's power and it was almost as if they had no say in the matter. He could see how others weren't able to handle everything that came with this.

Are you that miserable?

Cedric closed his eyes for a moment as Hermione's question asked in his mind. She was hurt and sad and her emotions punched him in the chest.

I love you. You know that, he told her, tilting his head upwards towards the gloomy sky, his eyes still closed, the rain falling now a bit harder, soaking him further.

Are you that miserable, Cedric? Hermione asked again, more firmly this time.

He didn't answer. He didn't have to. She already knew what his answer was to that particular question. The wave of sadness that rolled over Hermione slammed into him again – more powerful than a punch this time though. It felt more like a bludger ramming into his stomach and the force of it, he fell onto his knees, gasping for air.

A barrage of thoughts took no pity on him and he felt as if his head was moments away from exploding. The ground was muddy from the rain and he tried to grab fistfuls of grass, needing to hold onto something, but he couldn't grip onto anything. He couldn't breathe, couldn't stand up, and he couldn't get away from what he saw.

He saw what life had been like before Hermione. He saw how empty and meaningless his days were. He saw his friends but none of them truly knew him. He saw Cho but she was only with him because of how well they looked and how popular they were when together. He saw his life filled with nothing but Quidditch and his studies. He was obsessed with succeeding at everything he did with failure never even being an option. He was a proud intelligent young man with nothing in his life that made it special.

And then he saw his life with Hermione. Dozens of lives shared together and in every single one of those, he had been blindingly happy. He was always smiling or laughing when he was with her. The way she looked at him, he felt like he was special. Like he was someone worthy of her. He saw them kissing, hugging, making love. He saw their weddings and their days spent together. He felt how empty he was each time she died and he was left alone until he soon followed her.

He didn't know how he had survived without her. He didn't know how he ever would.

Through his own pain, he felt Hermione's as well and knew that she was experiencing the same things he was. He tried to call out to her, tried to tell her that he was sorry. He wasn't miserable. Not with her. Never with her. He was just tired and had the third task to worry about. But he couldn't tell her these things.

His mind could only scream as the white searing pain burned through his brain and he fell over into the mud, his hands grabbing his head, his cries of pain echoing throughout the air, nearly being drowned out by the rain and the rumbling of thunder off in the distance. It became too much for him though and his eyes rolled in the back of his head before he passed out.

"Cedric!" Hermione gasped, shaking him gently, the rain pouring down now and she shook her head slightly to get the water droplets from out of her eyes. "Cedric, wake up. Please!"

Her head was still pounding and she had no idea how she had managed to get herself down from Gryffindor Tower to the Quidditch Pitch but she had made it, practically crawling across the ground to where he laid, being too weak to stand anymore. Her entire body ached as if it had been thrown against a wall repeatedly and she had never experienced such pain before. She had no idea where those visions had come from but the instant Cedric tried to push the spell away, the moment he tried to fight it, both were punished for it.

The strength of the spell terrified her – so much, that it nearly made her weep. Cedric's thoughts kept echoing in her mind. He was sick of this. He didn't want this, or her, anymore. He wanted things to go back to how they used to be. He wanted to go backwards, before he even knew her. She thought he loved her but now, she began to wonder if it was just because of the spell. She knew that without the spell, they never would have spoken to one another let alone know one another. Without the spell, she would probably be… she didn't know. Pining for Ron or something though that was a thought that made her shudder with disgust. He was like her brother. Cedric on the other hand… she loved him. Didn't she?

Of course she did. She scolded herself for even the briefest of thoughts that doubted that. She loved Cedric more than anything. More than life. She knew that without the spell, she probably would have as well. He was everything she could ever want. He was handsome and kind and intelligent and the way he was to her – so sweet and gentle – he was the kind of man most women envisioned spending their lives with.

Ever since the second task and things between them really began to take a turn, she had spent countless hours researching though information on being Bound was quite limited. She read the same chapters in books over and over, searching for clues, though she wasn't sure what she was searching for anymore. They had clearly switched roles though. At the beginning, Hermione was desperate for this to end, wanting to find the magic to break this binding spell and Cedric was the one reluctant to change anything between them. But now… she was making him miserable and her heart felt as if it was shattering over and over with the thought.

"Cedric," Hermione said, shaking him with a bit more force.

He groaned softly, his eyes squinting slightly and Hermione smiled, happiness elating through her, cupping his cheeks in her hands and planting kisses all over his face.

"You're awake," she stated the obvious but she didn't care.

Cedric groaned again, a hand going to his head, grateful that the excruciating pain had left and now all that was left was a slight headache. Hermione leaned back on her knees, her hands slipping from his face and he immediately missed her touched. He peeled his eyes open, staring up at her. The rain was falling down, her hair drenched, drops rolling down her face, and she looked absolutely beautiful. He lifted his other hand towards her cheek but she shook her head, gently pushing it back down. He frowned, forcing himself to sit up. They were both soaked and muddy and yet, going inside didn't even cross his mind. He kept staring at her.

"Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded her head though Cedric noticed immediately that she was barely able to meet his eyes for more than a few seconds at the time. She definitely wasn't alright. "Does your head hurt? How did you get down here? How could you even walk?"

"I don't know," Hermione whispered, glancing at him and unable to stop herself, she reached out and brushed back some of the hair plastered to his forehead. "I could barely walk but… I made it. I felt you and... I had to see that you were alright. I felt your pain."

He reached out to touch her again but she again refused his hand and managed to stand up, her legs a bit shaky beneath her. Cedric stared up at her, frowning. His head was still spinning but he ignored that for the time being and forced himself to stand up as well. He nearly toppled over again as soon as he was on his feet and fell into Hermione, her thin arms wrapping around his frame, trying to keep him up.

"You passed out, Cedric. You need to take it easy for a few minutes," she advised but he ignored her words as well and stared down at her.

"You do not make me miserable," Cedric informed her, knowing that she was pulling away from him because of his earlier thoughts.

"I'm so tired, Cedric," Hermione whispered, tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks at any moment. "I just wish…" she took a shaky breath and his hands tightened its grip on her hips when he read her thoughts. He didn't want to her say the words, let alone even think them. They ripped into him like stray chunks of shrapnel and the pain ripping through his chest was becoming too much. He felt as if he was going to fall on the ground again. He shook his head fiercely but Hermione put her hands on his cheeks, making him look her in the eyes. "I wish this had never happened between us."

"No, Hermione," Cedric immediately argued. "Don't stay that."

"But it's the truth, Cedric." Her hand swept up to his forehead, resting there as if she was checking to see whether or not he had a fever. "You're thinking it too. I know you are. You wish that none of this had ever happened. You wish… you don't want this anymore. You don't want me. You said so yourself. You are miserable being like this." She paused, her chin trembling as she tried controlling her tears. "This spell is destroying us."

He shook his head again. Yes, he may have thought those things for milliseconds before he took it all back. He loved Hermione. He needed Hermione. It wasn't just the spell. He knew he truly did. He didn't know what he would do if he didn't have her. She had become such a part of him, there was no future for him without her.

When Hermione turned to leave, he grabbed her wrist, spinning her back around towards him. "I love you," he said forcefully, holding her tightly, making it impossible for her to leave.

"Because you have to!" She suddenly exclaimed, struggling to break free of his grip. "You HAVE to love me, Cedric! Neither of us had any say in any of this! All of those earlier lives, we just blindly went along with it. We let it run our lives. We let the spell rule us and we never tried to stop it. This time, I want to stop it! I refuse to be with you, or any man, who is miserable to be with me!"

"I am not miserable being with you! I thought that, yes, but just for a second! I'm tired too, Hermione but that does not mean anything!" Cedric shouted back as she pushed him in the chest, stumbling out of his arms.

The rain began falling harder, blurring their vision, making it almost impossible to see the castle now or the stands that surrounded the Quidditch pitch. They could hardly see one another and Cedric reached out, snatching her wrist.

"I took it all back though!" He continued, his fingers squeezing her, keeping her close. "I know I love you! I know I need you!"

"No, you don't!" She cried and then choked slightly as some of the rain poured into her mouth and down her throat. "The spell loves me. The spell needs me. Not you!"

She coughed again and Cedric went completely still. This was it. This was his dream. Hermione and the water. It had all been so unclear in his dreams and he had never been able to fully see what happened but now, he knew. The water choking her. She was going to get sick. Standing in the cold rain, she was going to get pneumonia and they wouldn't be able to cure her. Her lungs would slowly fill with liquid and she would drown in her hospital bed. It hadn't been water like in a lake that drowned her like he had always thought. He heard her coughing in the rain and he immediately knew.

That was how Hermione Granger was going to die.

"Mione! I have to get you out of here!" Cedric shouted, beginning to panic.

God, please don't let it be too late, he thought to himself as he snatched the struggling girl but he had height and weight on her and despite her efforts to try and get away, he grabbed hold of her and threw her over his shoulder like some sort of caveman.

He was not going to let her get sick. He had to get her to the castle and into some warm dry clothes before sitting her in front of the fire and refusing her to leave. Hermione continued struggling, demanding that he put her down, but he ignored her and tried to walk up the hill that led back to the castle. His legs still felt weak from the blackout and the searing images that had burned his mind and the ground was so muddy, he had difficulty finding sturdy footing.

Hermione hit his back with her small fists though nothing she did seemed to be effecting him whatsoever. She couldn't tell if tears were rolling down her cheeks or if it was just the rain. She didn't want him holding her. She didn't want him anywhere near her. She wanted him to leave her alone. He had no idea how much he had hurt her with those thoughts of his – no matter how brief he had had them for. He was miserable with her. He didn't love her. She would do anything for him and she knew, deep within herself, that it wasn't because of the spell. She was in love with him.

He, on the other hand, was in love with her because of their enchantment and she wanted nothing to do with him right then. Her heart was ripping apart in her chest only to put itself back together so it could shred itself over and over again. He was hurting her. Couldn't he feel that? Couldn't he feel what he was doing to her now?

Cedric's foot slipped and before he could balance himself, he fell forward, him and Hermione falling into the mud on the ground with a thud. She scrambled away from him, her own feet sliding in the mud, making it nearly impossible for her to stand up. She couldn't believe how muddy the Hogwarts grounds were but this was a heavy storm and it seemed to only be growing worse. The sky above was black as pitch and the ground seemed to shake with the rolls of thunder.

She supposed that they made quite a scene – both completely soaked and covered in mud with Cedric crawling after her as she scooted backwards away from him. She could see their scars shining such a bright red, it was nearly blinding. She had read that scars didn't just react to the passion between them but played more on their emotions. She was so furious at the moment, it did not surprise Hermione that the red glow was as powerful as it was now.

"Stop it, Cedric!" She screamed as he tackled her successfully, pinning her on her back, his fingers locking her hands above her head.

"I love you! I love you so fucking much and not just because of some bleedin' spell!" He shouted at her. "You don't make me miserable except when you make me do crazy shite like this! Stop trying to get away from me!"

"I have to set us free, Cedric. Living like this is killing us!"

He frowned with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I have to do this!"

"Do what?" He had to shout as the thunder rumbled, it sounding as if it was right over their heads now.

"I have to say the words that we have never said during all of our lives together!" Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, her eyes welling with tears and she stared directly up into his face. And then, as loud as she could, with all of the air in her lungs, she shouted: "I hate you, Cedric!"

As soon as the words passed her lips and echoed into the storm around them, the red glows instantly turned and shone a great blinding white light and almost immediately after, both Cedric and Hermione fell into a still heap onto the ground, their hearts stopping.