The Story of Harry and Cedric

by Hermione Granger

a sample

Some say that newly formed couples are the most self-centered people of all. They don't want to see their friends, and only have time for each other. That may be true to some extent about anyone who's just fallen in love, but I was very happy to find out that particular malady didn't have much effect on Harry. Some might say it was just because he simply couldn't spend much time with Cedric without blowing their cover. Others that it was because he needed all the help he could get with the second task of the Tri-wizard tournament. In any case, Harry continued to keep his friends close and tell us about his escapades with Cedric. Needless to say, I loved that. Ron was still to come to his senses about his feelings towards me, and Harry's stories helped quench some of my thirst for romance. By the way, I am, as ever, convinced that the reason why Harry didn't abandon us is simply that he genuinely likes his friends. He has never been much of a pretender.

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THE BOY WHO LOVED

Chapter 10

The Gillyweed

The next couple of weeks before the second task of the tournament must have been the happiest time Harry had ever known. He went to classes, ate, studied – just like any other time in Hogwarts. But when nobody was looking, or at least when Harry thought nobody was looking, he was also dating the most gorgeous and charming bloke he'd ever met. They couldn't be together as much as they'd have liked, but still, an hour a day, a half an hour, a conversation, even just a moment a day with Cedric made this the most magical of springs for Harry. He took advantage of his Invisibility Cloak almost nightly, sneaking to secret encounters with Cedric. They spent a lot of time kissing, and doing things that were even better. But, unexpectedly, the best of all was just to sit with Cedric hand in hand or in the safe nest of his lap, and talk.

They exchanged the stories of their lives. Harry told Cedric everything that he remembered of his lonely childhood with the abominable Dursleys, his closet under the stairs, the hundreds of owls and Hagrid coming for him, and the glory and wonder of coming to Hogwarts for the first time. Cedric told markedly different stories about his childhood by the river, his parents and their devotion to him, and about friends and sunny days. But as happy as his life had been, it still had its share of clouds, too. His father was overly proud of him in front of others, but very demanding. No matter how well he did, his father never seemed quite satisfied. And Cedric's future had been planned out for him by his parents without ever asking what Cedric wanted for himself. Sometimes it seemed to Harry that Cedric was living in a golden cage. He was well loved at home, but still a prisoner of his parents expectations.

In other times, when he couldn't be with Cedric, Harry was trying to find a way to breathe underwater. He still hadn't found any, and the time was running out. On the Sunday just three days before the second task, the couple had sneaked through the secret tunnel that started under the Whomping Willow and ended in the Shrieking Shack. The idea was to have some hours just for themselves. But Harry was feeling a rising anxiety about the task, and couldn't really stay relaxed. When Cedric asked if he had ants in his robes, Harry finally overcame his pride and asked Cedric for help.

"What!" Cedric exclaimed. "Why didn't you ask me before? I had no idea you hadn't gotten it all figured out. You're cutting it awfully thin, you know."

Harry looked sheepish. "I know. But can you think of anything?"

"Well, yes and no. I'm going to use bubblehead charm myself. But it's quite complicated, took me two and a half weeks to master. I don't think I can teach it to you in just three days. Also, you'd need to practise in water, and we can't arrange much time together in the prefect's bathroom."

"Oh..." Harry looked mortified, and his anxiety about the tournament turned into a real panic. Why had he been so stupid? He could have asked Cedric's help right after they had made up. Harry kicked himself mentally, and not just once. Then he realised Cedric was speaking again.

"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked. "I was just calling myself all sorts of names."

"With a good reason, too. Anyway, excluding the bubblehead charm, there are two ways of doing this that I can think of," Cedric repeated. "One could change into a dolphin or something, but you can't do human transfiguration yet, can you?"

"No," Harry admitted.

"Okay. That takes even longer to learn than the bubblehead charm. But there is a third way. I remember reading about a grass or a weed or something, that can do the trick. And no practise involved. You just have to get it somewhere."

"A grass?" Harry asked, grasping at the straw like a drowning boy he was afraid of becoming.

"Some sort of a magical plant, anyway. It's supposed to make you a sort of half fish, so you can breathe underwater. I read about it in some Herbology book. I can't think of either the name of the book nor the plant right now, though. But the book was definitely from the library, and not even from the restricted section."

"Sounds great," Harry said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"But Harry, promise me something, okay?"

"What?"

"If you can't find a way to do it, please don't take part at all. It could be really dangerous, and I can't stand the idea of losing you." Cedric looked at him, gray eyes full of concern.

"I can't promise you that. You were there when this whole thing started. Don't you remember? The stupid goblet spitting my name is supposed to be a binding magical contract. I have to do this, whether I want to or not."

"Bloody hell, I had forgotten that. Sorry."

"No big deal. And don't you worry, I have no intention of dying for a mere competition. I love you way too much."

Cedric's serious face melted to a heartbreaking smile. He cupped Harry's face in his hands and kissed his lips with utmost tenderness. "I love you too, wonderboy," he replied huskily. The second kiss turned into a heated french affair. After a while Cedric came up for air. He looked determined.

"Let's go find the book, then. It shouldn't be too hard."

"Wait," Harry said, and kissed him once more. Getting to know of the way to do the task had unwound him considerably, and it's amazing what a little snogging can do to ease worries. Harry was quite relaxed now, except one part of him that the making out was making quite rigid. "Speaking about hard, maybe we should stay here a while longer, after all. There's plenty of time for the library, and I bet you are too hard to be allowed in public, too." To get Cedric altogether out of the serious mood, he tickled him on the sides, which to Harry's continuing delight were quite sensitive. Cedric burst into convulsive giggles.

"I'll show you hard, whelp!" Cedric threatened when he was able to, launching a tickling attack of his own.

"I was... sort of hoping... you would..." Harry replied, getting frequently interrupted by uncontrollable laughter. All and all, it took the boys quite a while before they managed to leave for the library.

Of course, the book was not there. They searched every shelf of the Herbology section, trying to look like they weren't together at all, especially if other students happened to be nearby. Nothing. Cedric even asked Madam Pince, which was, as usual, a futile attempt. Instead of being an invaluable aid, like a good librarian is, she was a stickler with petty rules, and so distrusting of the students, she never volunteered any useful information. When they were leaving, defeated, Cedric suddenly had a moment of inspiration. He returned to Madam Pince.

"Look, I just remembered the name of the book," he told Madam Pince. "It is Magical Plants of the Mediterranean or something like that. I've been trying to find it for ages. Are you sure someone is not keeping it longer than allowed?"

"Impossible!" Madam Pince exclaimed, looking extremely affronted. "I always know if that happens. Do you really think I'd leave the books unprotected in the grimy hands of you rascals? I've put spells on them! And the correct title is Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean, boy."

"Then you must know who has the book, don't you?" Cedric asked.

"Of course I do! But it's none of your business. Professors can keep books however long they like."

"Thank you, Madam Pince. That helps enormously. I just hope I'll find it before I have bothered all the professors..." And he gave her his very best smile, which he knew capable of charming even the most severe of old ladies. But this time it was a close call. Madam Pince kept looking at him suspiciously for quite a while, trying to decide if she was more flattered by the smile or scandalized by the audacity of the words. Just when Cedric felt his smile starting to freeze, she finally replied.

"All right, Mr. Diggory," Madam Pince relented. "After all, you have always returned your books in pristine condition. Professor Moody has it, if you really must know."

"I'm very much obliged." And Cedric took her hand and gave it a little kiss, bowing like a courtier. Very few people can pull that off without looking ridiculous, but Cedric was definitely one of them. Under Harry's incredulous eyes Madam Pince got faint roses blossoming on her wrinkled cheeks and did the unthinkable: rewarded Cedric with a fraction of a smile.

"Go on, then," she said. "You too, Mr. Potter. I'm going to close the Library for today. And Mr. Diggory, tell Professor Moody to return the book, it's six months overdue."

"I will, Madam Pince," Cedric promised. "Thank you."

"It was amazing!" Harry exclaimed, when he was telling the story to Ron and Hermione late that night in the Gryffindor common room. "I never imagined Madam Pince even capable of being friendly and helpful to anyone. But then again, Cedric is quite irresistible."

"Speak for yourself, mate," Ron said grinning.

Harry looked fittingly embarrassed, but decided to defend his point. "Well, he is. Hermione, support me on this."

"What? Of course he is," she said matter-of-factly. "I would take him any day of the week, if he wasn't, you know, out of bounds."

"You would?" Ron asked, looking positively alarmed.

"Sure, he's such a doll," Hermione said casually. "But back to more important business; I must confess it never really crossed my mind to look for a plant. And there is another thing that is curious too, don't you think?"

"What?" Ron asked, still ruffled.

"Alastor Moody, once again. He saved Harry from Snape but confiscated the Marauder's Map. He spied on Harry's little scene with Cho. And now this."

"He didn't confiscate the map," Harry protested. "He asked politely if he could have it. And he's been helping me, too. He practically told me to use the Firebolt in the first task."

"I know," Hermione said. "But still, he's popping up suspiciously often."

"You suspected Cedric because of that, too," Ron said.

"And I was right, wasn't I?" Hermione asked rhetorically. "He just didn't happen to meet Harry by chance. He had set a homing spell on him."

"All right. I'll keep my eyes open and try to get the map back, okay?" Harry promised. "But first I still have to get the book somehow."

"No problem, it's practically done," Hermione said cryptically, causing both boys to stare at him, mystified. "Hey, Neville!"

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Could you let me borrow me the book you got from Moody?" she asked politely.

"MagicalWaterPlants of the Mediterranean?"

"That's the one. Would you be a gent and bring it here?"

"Sure," Neville said. "Hold on a minute."

"Hermione, you're a bloody genius!" Ron exclaimed. "How did you know that?"

"All I did was look at the cover back when Mad-Eye lent it to Neville. Come on, it is a book. Of course I wanted to know what it was about. Who wouldn't?" But despite trying to look at least a bit modest, Hermione was lifting her chin proudly and looking extremely pleased with herself. Soon Neville was back, and now he sat with them and offered the book to Hermione.

"So... what are you looking for exactly?" Neville asked.

"There is supposed to be a grass or something that makes it possible to breath under water," Harry explained. "I need it for the second task."

"Gillyweed," Neville said at once. "It's not a grass, though. It's a seaweed, a sort of large algae. It gives you temporary gills and makes your hands and feet webbed, like fins, so you can swim faster, too."

Harry and Ron goggled at him, flabbergasted, but Hermione just smiled sweetly and offered the book back. "Could you show us, please?"

Once Neville had (very quickly) found the correct page, they all read the passage through carefully. By the time Ron finished, Hermione had read it twice already.

"It says here gillyweed is used in various potions," she pondered. "Snape must have it in his cupboards."

"I wouldn't like to steal from his stores," Harry said. "It's too risky. If I got caught, he'd make sure I'd be disqualified from the tournament."

"There's an easier way," Neville said. "Haven't you ever explored Professor Sprout's glasshouses?" he sounded astonished. "You should. They are wonderful. There are huge amounts of strange, exotic and beautiful plants there. In the round glasshouse she has water plants, including gillyweed."

"I think we're going to see the place very soon," Harry said, starting to smile widely. "Neville, you're a treasure. Could I persuade you to come with us, show us the sights and make sure we get the correct weed?"

"I... I wouldn't miss it f... for the world. Thank you, Harry." Neville stammered, flustered because of the praise he was unaccustomed to.

"No, I'm the one who should be thanking," Harry said. "You just saved my neck."

The next day, they robbed the glass house. Well, in a very small scale, since they only took enough gillyweed to fill a small jar. The excursion was very unusual, as their adventures went, since it could be done in clear daylight with minimal risk of getting into trouble. The only really forbidden part was the quickly accomplished deed of cutting some gillyweed and stuffing it into the jar. All the seriously dangerous plants were in a different glasshouse, which was pretty much impenetrable for the students, and the other ones were, if not really open for business, not out of bounds either. They were just very seldom visited, except during Herbology classes.

Also, for once, Neville was the one in charge. His knowledge about various plants was astonishing, and his enthusiasm for them made him act much more self-assured and relaxed than his usual self. All and all, it wasn't a bad way to spend a couple of hours. Once Harry and Hermione saw how much the visit meant for Neville, they didn't have the heart to leave any sooner. Ron, true to form, grumbled a bit, but tagged along anyway. And Harry would have sacrificed quite a bit more than a little time to get where he now was: properly prepared for the looming task. It was a very reassuring feeling.

The next morning brought an owl from Cedric, arranging a meeting for that very night. Again, it was unsigned and wouldn't have given anything away to an outsider.

Meet me tonight at eleven on the corridor where we crashed for the first time. Wear your cloak.

Love.

A tad after the designated time Harry skidded to a halt on the familiar corner. At first glance Cedric was nowhere to be seen. Then Harry heard some noise and when he turned to look, the face of his boyfriend appeared from behind a column a dozen yards away.

"Hello?" Cedric asked, whispering. Harry let the invisibility cloak fall and rushed into his arms. He felt it had been way too long since their last meeting on Sunday. And if his hungry kiss was anything to go by, Cedric felt exactly the same. After some literally breathtaking moments Cedric gave Harry a smile that reminded him of the smiles he got when they were still at the early tentative glances stage of their relationship. It was beautiful, but etched with sadness or worry.

"Put your cloak back on," Cedric said. "I have found a better place for us."

"What about you? Are you okay? The cloak should be big enough for both."

"I'm fine, and a prefect. We do have a bit more slack. Besides, if someone sees me alone, it's a lot less trouble than if we were both caught. Also, we have some climbing to do, and it would be too hard if we weren't able to move independently. Come on."

Cedric led him a few corridors further, and then stopped in front of a strange looking statue depicting three gargoyles. He faced the statue, his face solemn, and voiced:

"Oh ye beasts of noble fright,

Let us pass to the place of height,

Under moon and stars to see their light."

There was a low melodious sound, like a distant bell. Behind the statue the wall disappeared. Harry wasn't quite sure how it happened, but in an instant there was a staircase instead. A new secret of Hogwarts had just revealed itself to him. He took the cloak off again, and after looking at Cedric who was smiling at his amazement, went in. Cedric followed, and somehow the wall remade itself after them. The staircase became pitch-black.

"Lumos." Cedric said, and his wand started to glow.

TO BE CONTINUED