Chapter nine

Confessions of a fur face and blood boy

Cedric found Scott wearing a gouge into his backyard, with each turn the werewolf tore up another part of the garden.

The other boys breaths were coming out in pants, growls slipping from his lips every now and then as the vampire watched him.

Scott's thoughts were all focused on Hermione and what he would do if anyone dared touch her, with a sinking heart Cedric ventured as close to the werewolf as he dared without being hit again.

"You fell in love with her then" Cedric cold voice held no hint of accusation nor hurt, in fact to anyone else it would sound more like a statement. One that made Scott stop and glare at his friend, the internal battle of thoughts now waging against Cedric's presence there.

"I love her Cedric… and you better not even dare tell me I can't" Scott snarled lowering his shoulders ready to fight the vampire.

"That's not what I said Simmons… you fell in love with her" Cedric declared again with a deadening cold voice that made the werewolf flinch back.

"Why does it bother you if I did or not" Scott demanded now moving forward baring down on the vampire who bent his knees and threw his shoulders back ready for the attack.

"You left Diggory… you left her to pick up the pieces so you have no right to dictate anything in her life besides trying to protect her after the mess you made" Scott snarled now dangerously close to Cedric who was clenching his jaw to stop himself from snapping at the werewolf.

"Did you think I enjoyed one part of my choice… do you think her heart is the only one breaking" Cedric hissed through his gritted teeth only angering the werewolf further.

"YOUR HEART… your heart" Scott spat the words turning his face away from the creature he had called best friend. With determination not just for himself but for Hermione too he looked Cedric in the eyes and forced his thoughts into the vampires mind.

Cedric wouldn't flinch back when he saw through his best friends thoughts just what he had done to Hermione. He saw her during Hogwarts while Cedric was still apart of her life, he saw her laugh smile and blush.

Then he saw her from of point of view he didn't have during the war, he saw her loyalty… her determination… her fear but more importantly her broken spirit as she fought against Voldermort's army along side her best friends.

With wavering courage he saw the aftermath of his disappearance from her life, he saw how she changed from the girl who was bubbly and happy to a young woman fighting with each day just to carry on not for herself but for those who loved her.

Then he saw the young woman broken after a two day coma, the life was back in her face but it was barely half the one she had all those years ago.

"If you had a heart Cedric… if you had half the heart I do you wouldn't have done" Scott spat in a whisper causing the vampire to turn away gritting his teeth while his heart twisted and his throat tightened.

"I had to do it" Cedric hissed attempting to turn back but Scott gripped his arm and made him stay in place.

"Had to break her heart… why would anyone have to do that" "because I couldn't let her leave… I couldn't let her leave with Harry and Ron; I couldn't risk everything to go with her and put her in danger. I had to leave because I knew that I would hurt her more then I already have" Cedric pointed out as Scott laughed in his face before throwing his arm back.

"That didn't stop you from coming back for the war though did it" Scott snapped coldly as Cedric looked at him surprised.

"You knew" Cedric questioned quickly scanning his friends thoughts only to be cut off by Scott growling at him.

"Of course I did… it was hard to ignore the twins when they started saying that there was a vampire fighting for them" Scott snapped as Cedric lowered his eyes remembering clearly the day Fred had received his fatal injury.

"I didn't tell Hermione because she was already going through so much… we were scared she wouldn't snap out of that terrible state she was in once you left. After the war when you didn't come back I thought it best not to bring it up" Scott explained as Cedric growled at him.

"Making it that easier for you to fall in love with her and have her turn to you" Cedric snapped with his teeth biting the air that stood between him and Scott.

"If my hand wasn't still throbbing I would hit you again… I never fell in love with Hermione for three reasons. One I knew that no one would ever stand a chance to hold her heart or what was left of it. Two for some stupid reason I still couldn't do that to you despite the bastard you turned out to be and three… I fell in love with her in a different way. Your parents weren't the only ones who wished for another child… with Hermione I found a sister; I found someone who didn't judge me because of what I am but because of who I am and she loves me for me, she loves me like a brother and I was selfish Cedric because I never turned her away because I wanted that love and I never once worried about hurting her because I needed her too much" Scott declared clenching his fists not showing any discomfort over his injured hand.

Turning Cedric glared at the house, then the sky and finally the ground. He didn't want to feel stupid but he couldn't help the feeling of guilt washing through him at ever thinking that Scott would ever betray him despite being an ass in the way he treated Hermione.

"Scott" "What Diggory… what could you say to make any of this some how better" Scott hissed glaring at the vampire who lowered his eyes unable to answer straight away.

Grunted Scott pushed past him making his angry retreat back to the house.

"I love her" Cedric whispered causing the werewolf to stop stiffly, his head cocked to the side as though trying to see hear those words clearer.

"I still love her… I've always loved her, I always will but I just… I just couldn't" Cedric felt the werewolf turn at his words but he did not look up to see his reaction.

"I can't ask her to live my life… because in the end isn't that all I could offer her. It wasn't the fact she was leaving to help them that made me leave… it was the fact that both Harry and Ron thought that everything would be happy after they came back, after they stopped Voldermort. How could she be happy with me" Cedric whispered feeling the words and meaning burning his throat.

Scott threw a look at Cedric and for the first time Scott was looking nor thinking anything bad about him… in fact Scott felt sorry for him.

"That's the thing Cedric… Hermione was always different, you figured that out in the first few minutes of seeing her. In fact she was so different- is different that she would have surprised you" Scott declared as Cedric snapped his eyes to his best friend.

"She would have been happy Cedric… she would have been happy just to be with you" Scott declared before offering a small smile and heading back to the house leaving the vampire to deflate under his own thoughts and Scott's statement.