Title: A Lack of Color, Chapter 10

Author: kevo

Pairing: Harry/Cedric

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to these characters or the series they're from.

Summary: An alternate version of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts. (Goblet of Fire canon re-write)

The Love So Green Collection

Playlist #1:

a lack of color


CHAPTER TEN

"We're Okay"

While the crowd continued to cheer for Harry's heroic escape, Madam Pomfrey dragged him into the first aid tent so she could attend to his wounds. He had gotten away relatively unscathed, the creature's tail had only grazed Harry's shoulder, but any wound received from a dragon was to be taken seriously. She led him to one of the tent's cubicles and sat him down.

"Last year dementors, this year dragons," Madam Pomfrey muttered as she checked Harry's shoulder, "what are they going to bring into this school next? You're very lucky … this is quite shallow … it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though…."

Harry waited patiently as she applied a purple liquid to his cut. He grimaced in pain, and annoyance, when the liquid caused his wound to smoke and sting. Apparently Madam Pomfrey didn't think it was necessary to warn him about the potion's side-effects. Harry looked over at the wall separating his section of the tent from the next one. He could just barely make out Cedric's shadow on the canvas. Harry couldn't tell what kinds of wounds Cedric had sustained through the heavy fabric, but felt comforted by the fact that the other boy was sitting up. If it was something more serious he would probably be lying down or something. After Pomfrey had healed his cut with her wand, Harry got up from his seat, hoping to go check on the older boy.

"Now, just sit quietly for a minute – sit!" Madam Pomfrey said, forcing him back into his chair. "And then you can go and get your score."

Who cares about my score? Harry thought angry. I want to go and get Cedric.

He didn't voice these thoughts. Instead Harry rolled his eyes and nodded. She had healed him, after all. And if she wanted to, Harry reckoned Madam Pomfrey had a few tricks up her wand to make sure he stayed put. He watched her march out of his portion of the tent and right next door to Cedric's.

"How does it feel now, Diggory?" Harry heard her ask through the canvas.

His insides clenched with renewed anxiety. That didn't sound good. Harry already nearly had a heart attack listening to Bagman's tantalizingly cryptic comments while Cedric was facing his dragon. (Comments like "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow" and "He's taking risks, this one!") After spending so much time worrying about facing the dragon, he damn near burst out into the arena to make sure Cedric was all right. Deciding a slightly cross Madam Pomfrey wasn't entirely as scary to face as a fully-grown dragon, Harry hurried out of his cubicle to go see how Cedric really was. He pulled aside the flap that served as a door and found himself face-to-face with Hermione and Ron.

"Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione cried. She was absolutely glowing with admiration, despite tearstains running down either side of her face. "I knew you could do it! I just knew you could!"

"Thanks," he said to Hermione, but he was looking at Ron instead. "Do you have anything to say?"

Ron's ears turned pink.

"That was some pretty fancy flying," he said in a fake casual voice.

"You're telling me," Harry smirked.

"Harry…" he began awkwardly.

"It's okay," Harry said, suddenly realizing he didn't need an apology. "Forget it."

"No," Ron said. "I should never have—"

"Then don't," Harry interrupted. "It's okay."

"Okay," Ron replied, smiling genuinely now. Harry smiled too. A sharp sniffle drew their attention to Hermione, who was dabbing at a fresh batch of tears with her sleeve. "What are you crying about?" Ron asked.

"Shut up, Ron," Hermione snapped.

"Careful there," Harry warned, picking up his Firebolt the golden egg he had collected. He winced, finding their weight put more strain on his still sensitive shoulder than he expected. "We don't need another feud; I've had my fill for the year."

"Good point," Ron said, taking the broom and egg from the injured boy before he could argue. "C'mon, they're probably ready to put your scores up."

Ron led the way out of the tent, followed by Harry and Hermione, with the battered champion leaning on his female friend for support. Harry tried to catch a glimpse of Cedric as they passed his stall but the flap was closed. He wanted desperately to ask his friends if the Hufflepuff boy was all right but was afraid to mention him so soon after making up with Ron.

Unable to contain himself, he asked guardedly, "So, how did the other champions do?"

"By other champions, do you mean Cedric?" Ron replied with a nervous grin.

Harry squirmed.

"You don't…I mean, we don't have to—"

"No, it's okay," Ron assured him. "He did pretty well, actually. Not nearly as good as you, but then who was?" Harry flushed with pride. "Anyway, he did this cool bit of Transfiguration, turning a rock into a dog. I think he was trying to get the dragon to go after it instead of him. Didn't work out too well. He's all right," Ron added off the look on Harry's face. "He got a little burned, but he was able to walk out of there on his own."

The tight feeling in Harry's stomach alleviated dramatically as they made their way back to the enclosure. Cedric was okay, if a little crispy. Ron was speaking to him again. He had faced the dragon and survived. Things were actually looking up the first time in weeks. Not even Karkaroff's entirely biased score could dampen his spirits. The three of them were just about to head back up to the castle when Charlie Weasley stopped them and told Harry he was needed back in the champions' tent.

Ron and Hermione waited outside while Harry went in. A moment later the other three champions entered as well. Fleur and Krum had a few scrapes and bruises but for the most part seemed fine. Cedric, on the other hand, was much more obviously damaged. The entire right side of his face was covered with a thick orange paste. Harry's eyes bulged in surprise. Ron said Cedric had only been a little burned, he didn't say anything about half his face needing mending. Cedric grinned as soon as he saw Harry, making the younger boy feel slightly better.

"Good one, Harry," he said with a wink.

"And you," Harry managed to say.

Before any more words could be exchanged, Ludo Bagman came bounding into the tent to congratulate them all. He went on to give the date of the second task and explain that the eggs they had collected contained a clue to help them figure out what the task would be. The champions were dismissed, and Harry and Cedric exited the tent together.

"So that could have gone worse," Cedric said brightly.

"Says the guy who got a massive burn on his face," Harry replied, eyeing the orange goop Cedric was covered in.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Cedric told him, placing an affectionate hand on Harry's good arm.

Harry looked into Cedric's calm, reassuring eyes and nodded to let the boy know he believed him. It occurred to Harry that they were standing mere feet from where they had shared they first kiss. It also occurred to Harry that they were being watched.

"Uhm, my friends are, uh … are waiting for me," Harry stammered.

He gestured at where Ron and Hermione were still standing, very close by. Cedric glanced over at them. Ron smiled and Hermione waved sweetly.

"Then I should probably let you go," Cedric said. "Are we still on for tonight, or has fighting the dragon taken your last shred of nerve?"

"I think I've got a bit of nerve left," Harry confirmed.

"Good," Cedric said. "I'll see you later then."

With a nod and a wave at Harry's friends, Cedric turned and strode off toward the castle. Hermione immediately descended upon Harry.

"Tonight?" she asked excitedly. "What's going on tonight?"

"Er, well," Harry said. "Cedric sort of asked me if I would meet him in the entrance hall at eleven. And I sort of told him I would."

"So what does this mean?" Hermione inquired. "Is it a date?"

Harry blanched. The word "date" hadn't even crossed his mind until Hermione said it. Was it a date? He'd never been on a date before. Even worse, he had no idea how a date between two boys worked. Should he bring Cedric flowers or something? Or would Cedric bring him flowers? Harry's brow scrunched. That didn't sound right somehow, Cedric bringing him flowers. He should probably shower or something, though. Maybe try and fix his hair. Ron, who seemed to sense how much strain Hermione's line of questioning was putting on his friend, stepped in on Harry's behalf.

"Blimey, Hermione," he said, "he just got done flying his broom against a dragon. Give him a bit of time before you start laying into him with the questions."

"Fine, fine," Hermione said, waving a hand in surrender.

Once again Harry was reminded why it was better to have two best friends than one.

O O O O O O O

By the time Harry, Ron, and Hermione reached the Owlery, they were chatting like the past few weeks hadn't happened at all. If anything, they were even closer now that there were no secrets between the three of them. After Harry finished his lengthy retelling of his clash with the Horntail for Sirius, he sent the letter off with Pigwidgeon and they all headed back to the Gryffindor common room. It was then that Ron decided to test the tenuous bonds of their newly restored friendship.

"So, are you gay or what?" he blurted.

To both boys' surprise it was not Harry who shouted in response to the question but Hermione.

"Ron, hush!" she admonished.

"What?" Ron asked innocently. "There's no use pretending we don't all know what's going on, I just thought—"

"No, you didn't just think!" Hermione interrupted. "Of course we all know, but we don't want the rest of the school to! The walls have ears, Ron. Especially at Hogwarts."

Ron gaped at her. It was obvious that this thought had never occurred to him.

"You're right," he admitted. "But we can't just not talk about it."

"So, what, we'll talk in secret code or something?" Hermione blinked at her own words. "That's actually a pretty good idea. What should we use in place of, you know, it?"

They both looked at Harry, who stared back blankly. He was stunned by their eagerness to discuss the very secret he had been dreading them discovering.

"How about Quidditch?" Harry suggested. "It kind of fits. You know, since it's named after Queerditch Marsh. Get it?" He smirked at Ron. "Queerditch?"

Ron grinned back sheepishly.

"Fair enough," he said.

"So, wait," Harry said. "What's the question then?"

"I guess the question becomes, which team do you play for?"

Harry thought carefully about how to phrase his answer with their newly concocted metaphor.

"Well," Harry said slowly, "I guess you could say I play for the boys' team. I mean, I wouldn't mind playing for the girls' team, I don't think I would hate it or anything. But if I had to choose I would probably say boys' team." He gave Ron a sideways glance. "Does that bother you?"

"Not really," Ron shrugged. "The only reason I said that … that thing to you when we had our fight was because I was angry. Whichever team you play for, it doesn't bother me." Then with a grin he added, "As long as you don't try riding my broomstick."

Harry punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Boys are so vulgar," Hermione complained as Harry and Ron threw a few more fake punches. "I don't know why I even bother."

Ron rolled his eyes at her and began the rest of the way down the rest of the Owlery steps.

"There are many things you're an expert on, Hermione, but clearly the bonding rituals of teenaged males is not one of them," he pontificated.

"Clearly," she muttered.

O O O O O O O

The party was already in full swing when they reached the Gryffindor common room. The food was abundant, the noise was raucous, and the air was sparkling with Filibuster's Fireworks. Dean Thomas had done some remarkably good drawings for decorations. Most of them were of Harry and the Horntail, though there a few depicting Cedric with his head ablaze. Hermione tore these down before Harry even had time to react.

Harry ate and mingled and laughed with everyone else, thoroughly enjoying the celebration in his honor, but in the back of his mind he was counting down the minutes till eleven. He kept throwing subtle glances at the clock. Either he was checking far too often or time had slowed down because every time he looked it seemed that the clock's hands had barely moved at all. Harry did his best not to worry about the time too much, but he couldn't help himself.

While everyone else was distracted by Gryffindors transforming into canaries at random, thanks to Fred and George's concoctions, Harry sank into an armchair by the fire to reflect on all that had happened to him recently. The Goblet, the fight, Cedric, the dragon; Harry had been through a lot the last few weeks. It was nice to finally have a moment to catch his breath.

It's all over though, he though, a lazy smile spreading across his face. The task is done, and the next one isn't for months. Ron's speaking with me again. And Cedric….

Harry smile widened a little as he thought about Cedric.

"What are you smiling about?" Hermione asked, handing him a cup of punch as she sat in the armchair across from his. Harry eyed the drink suspiciously.

"This wouldn't happen to be laced with Canary Cream, would it?" he asked.

"Oh, Harry, you see right through me," Hermione quipped, rolling her eyes. "Thinking about your date?"

"It's not a date," Harry said immediately. "It's just two people who are romantically interested in each other spending time together." His friend stared at him over her drink with an amused look on her face. "Shut up," he finished.

"I didn't say a word," Hermione laughed. Her demeanor turned more serious and she added, "Promise me you'll be careful?"

"You worry too much, you know that?" Harry told her. "I'm sure we'll be fine. Cedric wouldn't have suggested we meet in the entrance hall if he thought we would get caught."

"That's not what I meant," Hermione said.

"I know," Harry replied.

Their quiet moment was broken by Ron suddenly rushing over from the other side of the common room.

"What the hell are you still doing here?!?" Ron cried.

"Uh, I don't know if you've forgotten," Harry said, "but we're not mad at each other anymore. So this yelling thing has to stop now."

"I thought you left already," Ron said. "Weren't you supposed to meet at eleven?"

"What do you mean 'supposed to meet?'" Harry asked, utterly bewildered. He took a quick look at the clock. "It's only a quarter of."

"No," Ron answered, holding up his watch-clad wrist. "It's a quarter after."

"That can't be right," Harry said in alarm, rising from his chair. "The clock says—" A horrible awareness dawned on him. "Hermione, last night, didn't you say that the clock was…."

"It was running slowly," Hermione finished. Her eyes bulged. "Oh, Merlin!"

Without another word, Harry bolted from the common room, praying with every step that Cedric hadn't given up on him.


End Notes: Gasp! Oh noes! Will Harry be able to reach Cedric in time?? Probably. There's 20 chapters left, after all. -kevo