Right. So I don't know if you've noticed, but it's been a while since I've updated.........
I'm not going to make up a decent excuse, as you won't believe me; so honestly, my muse just left me for a while. Hopefully, it shall be back for longer this time, but who knows. Sorry, I must be the worst updater ever!! Oh and sorry for the misunderstanding about reviews and withholding story, I have a strange humour apparently!
Thank you for bearing with me so without further or do, here's the long awaited Chapter 10.
CHAPTER 10
Meet me in our classroom. Straight after dinner.
C.
Harry looked down at the message and he saw red. Cedric hadn't spoken to him since he had confessed to still seeing Cho and this was all he was going to get?? It had been weeks since their last meeting and it was a week before the Second Task. Harry had yet to solve the egg however it seemed that Hermione was more frantic than he himself was. It was pretty clear to the Gryffindor bookworm that Harry's mind was with a certain Hufflepuff.
"Harry, will you stop thinking about that idiot and focus on the Second Task! You only have a week left and I assure you that the other Champions will have solved it already!"
"Hermione, don't you think I know that?" Harry said angrily as he flopped down onto this four poster bed. It was Saturday and the other members of his dorm were off tackling their Transfiguration essay, something Harry was thankfully excused from.
"Well Harry, you have a funny way of showing it!" Hermione replied shrilly as she too joined him on his bed.
"Hermione, you don't understand....."
"Harry, I think it's time you let go of this fantasy about Cedric Diggory. In the time you haven't seen him, he's had no problem having Cho Chang firmly planted on his arm."
"But I told you about what....."
"Yes Harry, I know you did. However is he really worth all this heartbreak? He seems perfectly fine just being with Cho."
"HE'S NOT! He said....."
"Harry, in all fairness, how would you know if he's alright? You haven't spoken to him in weeks and he's shown no inclination of speaking to you now."
"He sent me this just now," Harry said, waving the piece of parchment in the air. "He wants to meet me in our classroom after dinner."
"Oh how nice! Let me guess, he's going to apologise for ignoring you and then whisper sweet words into your ear and everything's going to be all right, isn't Harry? Hermione said sarcastically.
"Hermione, don't...."
"Harry, I'm only looking out for you....."
"Mione, I think I love him. No, actually, I know I love him. It's just.....I can't explain it. He just makes me feel complete, special even. It's like I matter, for a reason other than being the Boy-Who-Lived. With him, I'm just Harry."
"Harry....," Hermione started.
"Mione, I know you're worried about me but let me figure this out first."
"Harry, you still have the Second Task to worry about...."
"Hermione, drop it."
With that, Harry stood up and walked out of his dormitory, leaving a pensive Gryffindor behind. Hermione only hoped that this would turn out for the best. If not, Cedric Diggory had better be good at dodging, as Hermione didn't know what she would do if Diggory broke Harry's heart.
***
Fortunately for Harry, the day seemed to fast forward to dinner. Harry quickly shovelled some food down his throat, much to the disgust of some of the surrounding Gryffindors. Harry didn't take notice as he was dead set on seeing Cedric tonight. Once he had finished thoroughly disgusting the surrounding Gryffindors, he set off to his and Cedric's classroom.
He opened the door and felt slightly disappointed as for once, Cedric wasn't waiting for him. Harry looked at his watch but then realised Cedric hadn't specified a time, he just said to come straight after dinner. Harry decided to wait a couple of minutes and minutes turned into hours before Harry found himself drifting off to sleep.
***
"Harry? Harry sweetheart, you've got to wake up...." said a soft voice that echoed in Harry's subconscious.
Harry slowly opened his eyes and when his vision came into focus he saw Cedric's grey eyes staring back into his, his hands running through his raven locks.
"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Cedric joking said, his hands never leaving Harry's hair, not that Harry minded.
"What time is it?" Harry murmured but he was still not fully awake.
"It's one o'clock in the morning." replied Cedric uneasily.
"What!" Harry jumped at this, suddenly fully awake. "What happened to straight after dinner? Well, I can tell what happened to it!"
Cedric's appearance was dishevelled, unusually so. His hair had been roughed up, his tie was crooked and his shirt was inside out. It was pretty clear what Cedric had been up to when Harry had been waiting and the thought of it was like a stake through Harry's heart.
"Harry........" Cedric began but then stopped himself and reached over at the table behind him. In his hand he held a bunch of daffodils tied together with a green ribbon.
"Your favourites," Cedric murmured softly as he saw Harry's eyes light up ever so slightly at the bouquet. "I help Professor Sprout with the greenhouses so she let me pick them. Of course she probably thought they were for Cho......."
Harry's eyes darkened at the mention of the Ravenclaw and the glimmer of happiness he had previously felt had just vanished.
"Well then, maybe you should go give them to her. You seem to spend all your time with her; you may as well give them to her."
"I don't want to give them to her. These are beautiful flowers for my beautiful Harry."
"I'm not your Harry! You've made it pretty clear over these past few weeks, including tonight. Whilst you're off having sex with her, I was waiting for you and foolishly I was excited to see you! God, I'm such an idiot to think you actually want to be with me. Thinking that I was more than just a bit on the side...."
Harry was cut off by Cedric crashing his lips against Harry's. Cedric cupped Harry's face in his hands and wiped away the tears that flowed down his cheeks. After a few moments, Cedric pulled away, his forehead pressed against Harry's.
"Harry James Potter, if you ever think that you are nothing more than a bit on the side, there will be consequences. You mean the world to me; you are the only thing that is keeping me going. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what I'd do,"
"Isn't that pretty obvious? You'd do exactly what you did tonight," Harry replied bitterly.
"Harry, didn't you just listen to what I said?"
"It's all words though isn't it? How can you prove this isn't just the same rubbish you come up with every single time? How do I know this isn't a set up and you're going to go back to Cho and laugh about poor little Harry Potter. And I don't want to even think about what you do with her...."
"I've never slept with her if that's what you're talking about. I'd never do that to you."
"But you'd ignore me in the hallways; pretend I'm not even there. For goodness sake Cedric, I talk to bloody Malfoy more than I talk to you and you're meant to be my boyfriend!"
"Harry, please....."
Cedric paused for a moment before he began to rifle through his bag. Harry stood there confused although his anger hadn't dissipated. Cedric finally took out a thin box, wrapped in green ribbon and held it out to Harry.
"I was going to give you this after the Second Task but I think it would be a better idea if I gave it to you right now."
Harry untied the green ribbon and slowly opened the box and gasped. Inside, was a beautiful ornate bracelet. It was made up three very delicate pieces of gold which were interwoven in a Celtic design. On the clasp, there was some sort of symbol, one Harry didn't recognise. He looked up at Cedric questioningly and Cedric began,
"I went to the Diggory vaults in the Christmas holidays to find that. Took me a good few hours to find it! It is a pureblood tradition to give a gift to the person you are courting, once you know that you are serious about them. You see, when you court someone, there is an initial period where you can withdraw from the union however once a gift is given, it means that eventually...."
".....you'll get married." Harry finished, his eyes never leaving Cedric's. "You want to marry me?" Harry asked incredulously.
"One day, yes Harry, I do. You don't have to worry about that now; I'm not going to force you into marriage anytime soon. I don't think either of us is ready for that. It's just, as the heir to a Family; I've got to think of these things." Cedric trailed off.
"You can't possibly be serious about this? Why would you want to marry me?"
"Because you are beautiful, funny, compassionate, fiery, intelligent. Did I mention beautiful?"
"Cedric, this is madness. How can you possibly decide if you want to marry me now? I'm fourteen years old!"
"Harry, I know you're young but I know that I couldn't imagine spending my life without you. No one has ever made me feel the way you do."
"What about Cho? She is the reason we can't go public."
"I'll find a way Harry. I'll do anything for you."
"Really?" Harry said hopefully, he said as he gazed at the bracelet below him. "What if I'm not meant to be with you? What if you're making a mistake?"
"I'm not Harry, something shown by the bracelet. If you weren't right for me, that bracelet would be burning through your skin right now."
"Ouch. What if you were wrong? I would be in a pretty bad state!"
"Because Harry, when it comes to you, I know that this is it."
"Ok," Harry replied softly as he gently ran his fingers over the bracelet. This seemed so much in such a short time but Cedric seemed so resolute that Harry knew this had to be right.
"Is that the Diggory symbol there?" Harry questioned, pointing to the clasp, his voice still shaking from what Cedric had just said.
"It is and with our motto below it. Loyalty above all," Cedric remarked bitterly. "May I put it on you?" Cedric asked gently.
Harry looked up into to Cedric's eyes and stared into them for a few moments. By giving Harry this bracelet, he knew Cedric took this seriously. Heck, this bracelet meant that marriage was coming in the future! However, Harry couldn't help but smile at the thought of being married to Cedric.
With that Harry held out the bracelet and his right wrist for Cedric to take. Cedric's whole expression brightened as he gently opened the clasp and placed it round Harry's delicate wrist. Once finished, Cedric grasped his hand and softly kissed Harry's palm, his kisses slowly getting higher and higher up his arm until he reached Harry's rolled up sleeves.
He then diverted his lips to his neck and settled there, causing Harry to softly moan. Harry gripped Cedric's shoulders and let the Hufflepuff have his way with his neck. Cedric soon withdrew from his neck, causing Harry to omit a disappointed sigh, much to the delight of Cedric. Cedric then buried his face in Harry's neck once more and inhaled deeply. He then lifted his head to Harry's ear and murmured,
"You smell so wonderful. Strawberries and vanilla. Perfect Combination."
Harry giggled slightly at his boyfriend's antics and pushed Cedric gently away. He then took his turn in inhaling Cedric's sent and replied,
"Apple and Cinnamon. Not as perfect as me, but it will do."
Cedric chuckled and suddenly brought his arms around Harry's waist. He placed soft butterfly kisses on Harry's lips, then his nose and then across his face. He then pulled back; his expression had darkened as he asked,
"Have you solved the egg yet?"
Harry's good mood immediately evaporated at the mention of the Tournament and he came crashing back to reality. He burrowed his face into Cedric's shoulder who was still holding onto to him firmly, refusing to let go.
"No. I've spent so much time worrying about us that I really haven't worked on it properly. Even when I do, I don't know how to overcome the screeched!"
Cedric lay his head on top of Harry's and appeared to be debating with himself. He then lowered his face to look into Harry's eyes.
"Go to the Prefect's Bathroom tomorrow night. The password is Pine Fresh. Mull things over in the water."
Harry looked at Cedric quizzically but he trusted Cedric so he quickly agreed to meet Cedric tomorrow in their classroom and they would both make their way to the bathroom. They then sat together in silence, basking in the time they were together when Harry softly asked,
"Cedric, what's it going to be like when we're married?"
Cedric smiled down at the petite Gryffindor and was rewarded with a soft peck to his lips. Cedric didn't know what he had done to deserve such a perfect boyfriend, and future husband.
"Well Harry, after we get married, we'll move into a nice house in the country. We'll be away from everyone so we can have some privacy. They will be huge gardens and a large tree with a tyre swing attached to it. The house won't be too big or too small, just perfect and will be surrounded by a white fence. We'll have tons of children running around our feet, with messy blonde hair and bright green eyes or black hair and grey eyes. I'll do the whole "Honey I'm home" thing every day and when our kids are asleep, we'll curl up in front of the fire and tell each other about our days and just lie together. It will be perfect and we'll grow old together. Eventually, we'll have grandchildren surrounding us. When we're married, no one can tell us what we can or can't do."
"Sounds perfect," Harry softly murmured, a soft, contented smile on his face. "Although, I don't know about the tons of kids! How many times do you expect me to be pregnant?" Harry cried indignantly.
Cedric chuckled into Harry's hair and replied, "Only four times, each time having twins. That way we can start our own quidditch team and have a sub as well!"
They both burst out laughing at the thought of having that many children. However when they calmed down, Harry raised his head and softly kissed Cedric. The kiss, although soft, held so much passion that it made Harry shiver slightly. Harry pulled away momentarily and said,
"I don't mind how many children we have, as long as I have you by side it will be perfect."
"Perfect indeed," Cedric replied whilst nuzzling Harry's cheek.
"I love you Cedric Diggory."
"And I love you," Cedric replied, surprised at how easily the words came out. If you had told him at the beginning of the year that this would happen, he would have laughed in your face and told you to lay off the firewhiskey.
However as he looked down at his raven haired beauty, he knew that he would love no other. For Harry Potter had stolen his heart and refused to give it back.
***
There we go!!!
I apologise for the lack of progression in time in the chapter but I got caught up in the fluffiness of Harry and Cedric and wanted it to end there.
Reviews are always appreciated, although not mandatory ;)
Till next time!