So sorry if you have left a review and I haven't replied. Things have been a bit manic in the real world. Hope you enjoy the next installment x

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

BPOV

Edward released my arm as soon as we arrived, crossed to the opposite side of the cabin and muttered a few words so quietly I barely heard him, but I felt my wand leave my pocket and appear in his hand. Shoving it deep into his own pocket inside his cloak, he then sealed the cabin with magic. Wrapping my arms around myself, I felt the first stirrings of anxiety as Edward leaned against a rickety table, folded his arms and regarded me steadily, his green eyes flashing with irritation.

"Give me back my wand," I said, fighting to keep the tremor out of my voice. Edward shook his head. "I want to go back to Hogwarts."

"You're not going anywhere," he replied, darkly. "You wouldn't be able to just apparate into Hogwarts anyway; the only reason I can is because Carlisle is on the staff." As he withdrew his own wand and pointed it at me, I swallowed hard and took a step back.

"Why have you brought me here?" I asked, tremulously. Edward kept his wand fixed on me, his eyes never leaving mine, almost hypnotising me with his stare.

"You know where we are," he said, conversationally. I nodded, watching nervously as he started to approach me, his wand held in front of him. "Then you will know why I have brought you here."

"I don't," I said, stepping back, only to find myself up against the wall. Edward was suddenly directly in front of me; his wand touching my throat. I swallowed hard, my eyes widening with real fear now. Edward tilted his head to one side and pushed the tip of the wand so hard against my throat that tears sprang to my eyes. At the sight of them Edward seemed to come to his senses and removed his wand, springing away from me. "Please, Edward, please take me back to Hogwarts. I don't like it here..."

"Why don't you like it here?" he asked, softly.

"Because whenever he brings me here Cedric is so sad, Edward. I can feel his sadness even now and he isn't even here. What is this place?"

"The last holiday we ever had, before Mom and Dad split up was here. The four of us came and one night Cedric and I camped out here. It was wonderful. We stayed up all night talking and laughing. It was after that holiday that Mom told me that we were leaving; just me and her, going to America. Do you know how it feels to be parted from your twin? Do you know how much pain it causes; physical pain, Bella?"

"I'm sorry Edward, but I don't see what this has to do with me?"

"You have spoken to him; you have heard him. I have waited from the day he died to hear his voice again; my brother! I see him but I cannot hear him; it is so frustrating. So bloody frustrating!" He broke off and then glared across at me. "You see him every night when you dream and he speaks to you. A bloody girl he never even met! And are you as rude to him as you are to me?"

As these words came out I realised what was wrong with him.

"You are jealous," I murmured, softly. He flew across the room and his wand was back at my throat, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You have no idea!" he snapped. "He was my brother! He was my brother..." As the words left his lips I felt his anguish. It was an almost physical pain that permeated the air between us; his grief was excruciating to watch. He dropped the wand from my throat again and turned away, dropping onto his knees on the floor.

"Edward," I said, putting a tentative hand on his shoulder. He didn't respond to my touch and I crouched down beside him. His body was shaking and I realised that he was weeping. Forgetting how much he had just frightened me, I wrapped my arms around him and held him against me. Edward rocked against me, allowing me to hold him as he silently wept out his grief. When he was finally done, he went to pull away from me, but I tightened my arms around him.

"It's ok, Edward," I said, softly. He laughed bitterly and shook his head, wiping a hand over his face.

"What is wrong with me? I apparate us here without even asking, threaten you with my wand and then cry like a bloody girl..."

"Why did you bring me here, Edward?" I asked.

"I wanted to see if this was where he brought you. I had a feeling it was, but you wouldn't tell me anything..."

"You kinda told me not to speak to you," I replied. He laughed again and shook his head, getting to his feet, keeping his back to me.

"Yes, you strike me as someone who always does as they are told," he said, sarcastically. I smiled and shrugged.

"Cedric has been bringing me here more and more often. He's told me to trust the ones I cannot trust whatever that's supposed to mean..."

"Oh God," muttered Edward.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said. "Please carry on."

"And he told me that I am his soul mate and by that token, yours as well, I guess." I felt my cheeks flame red as Edward turned back to me, his eyes reddened and his face tear marked. Seeing me staring he muttered scourgify and his face was clean once again.

"Bella, how often do you dream of Cedric now?" he asked. I thought hard for a moment and then met his eye.

"Every night," I breathed. "He does not always speak and we are not always here, but every night I see him in some way."

Edward ran an agitated hand through his hair and sighed deeply.

"What does Hermione think of it?"

"She told me to tell Harry," I replied. "Neville was really worried after the other day when Cedric left marks on my arms where he had held me so tightly..."

"He's not the only one who was worried by that," said Edward. "Cedric was never ever aggressive; he would certainly never have put his hands on a lady..."

"He wasn't being aggressive, Edward. He was scared," I said. Edward gave me a long hard look and then shrugged. He sat down on the floor and patted the space beside him. I scooted up beside him and he glanced across at me, giving me a small smile.

"I don't even know why I've been fighting this so hard," he eventually said.

"What?" I asked, falling silent when he reached across a hand to cup my cheek. Leaning across, he captured my lips with his in the sweetest kiss, before he leaned back again, placing his arm around my shoulders.

"Wow," I said. "That was unexpected. Nice, but unexpected."

"I probably shouldn't have done it; I'm breaking all the rules..."

"What rules?" I asked.

"Nothing for you to worry about," he replied, dropping a kiss on the top of my head. My eyes narrowed.

"This isn't some crap about Purebloods and Muggles is it?" I asked. "Because if it is you should know that I am not a racist and I really can't stand people that are..."

"It has nothing to do with bloodlines," he replied, but there was nothing reassuring in the tone of his voice.

"Edward, when we got here, why did you point your wand at me? What were you going to do?"

"Force you to tell me everything that Cedric had said to you," he replied.

"You hadn't even asked me?"

"You seemed quite perturbed that I had brought you here."

"Perturbed? Pissed off more like! I mean who in their right mind grabs a girl and apparates her to some run-down cabin in the middle of nowhere..."

He pressed a finger to my lips and gave me a crooked smile.

"You really do use the most disgusting language on occasions young lady," he said. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah well, maybe you bring out the worst in me," I said. He laughed and pressed his lips to mine again, closing his eyes tightly as he did, his brow creasing with worry.

"Oh, Bella, I wish that things were different. I wish that I could say this will be wonderful and easy."

"This?" I queried.

"Me and you," he replied. Resting his head against the wall behind him, he looked across at me. "That is if you want there to be a me and you?"

Suddenly he looked a little less sure of himself and that was almost endearing. I thought for a moment and then gave him a confused look.

"I thought you hated me," I said, softly.

"I could never hate you, Bella," he replied. "Cedric is right; you are the missing part of my soul."

His words sent a flutter of butterflies into my stomach and my cheeks reddened. He smiled and brought a hand to my face again.

"You do turn the most appealing shade of red, Isabella," he murmured, before stealing another kiss.

"So why have you been so mean to me, Edward? Why did you tell me we could never be friends?"

He was silent for a moment, looking down at our hands, which were now joined on my leg. When he finally looked across at me there was so much sadness in his expression that I almost regretted asking.

"I was trying to protect you," he replied.

"From what?"

"From me."

For a moment I contemplated his words and then I sighed.

"If you really mean it, I think I would like to get to know you better, Edward," I said. His face lit up briefly, but I shook my head. "What I need to know though is why I would need protecting from you and why you are so... so different to Cedric."

"Am I?" He sounded a little sad and then he sighed. "I guess I have reasons to be different. He might have died but he was the lucky one. Everyone loved Cedric, Bella, including me. I have lost so many people; Dad, Mom, Cedric... Just this once I want to have someone that I won't lose..."

"You think it was your fault they all died?" I asked, incredulously.

"Everyone I have ever been close to has been taken from me, Bella. What would you think? It's like a curse!"

"Edward..." I brought a hand to my head as I suddenly felt dizzy. Trying to keep my focus on him I narrowed my eyes, but he was swaying beside me, fading in and out until it seemed he was wearing a Hufflepuff Quidditch uniform.

XXX

"Bella, please you must listen to me." Cedric's voice is urgent in my ear. He leans towards me going to grab my arm, but after last time I move away from him nervously. Cedric runs a hand through his hair, in a way that is reminiscent of his twin.

"What do you want?" I ask. Cedric looks saddened for a moment.

"I am sorry, Bella. I frightened you last time I saw you. I wish I had not. You do not deserve to be so frightened, but you must be careful. Trust the ones you cannot trust..."

"I don't know what that means..."

Cedric is silent and then he steps back from me and folds his arms across his chest, appearing deep in thought for a moment.

"Harry and I, we were never friends, not really, but he was there when I died. In that moment when the green light flashed I knew what I had to do; I knew his life was more important than mine. Even if I didn't know why. But when I died, Edward... he changed. Because we are twins when I died I took part of him with me. But I left part of me with him."

"I don't understand what you are telling me, Cedric," I say, a little desperately.

"Has he shown you yet? Has he told you why he seeks to protect you from himself?"

"He thinks he is cursed..."

"The only curse is the one he put on himself with what he did... Beware, Bella. My brother is not all he would appear..."

XXX

"Bella? Bella? Are you ok?" My eyes opened slowly and Edward's face came into focus. He reached down to touch my cheek and I closed my hand over his.

"Cedric?" I murmured. Edward leaned back slightly, his expression darkening.

"No, it's Edward," he said, a little coldly.

"Edward," I breathed. "So glad it is you." I felt a little light headed from the dream and when I went to stand up my legs gave beneath me and Edward caught hold of my arm.

"Bella what happened?"

"Cedric," I replied, leaning heavily against Edward, wrapping my arms around his waist to keep myself upright. There was something unreadable in his green eyes which were searching my face.

"I had no idea you are a Necromancer," he said.

"Not a Necromancer, Edward," I said, sleepily. "Martyr's Voice."

"Martyr's Voice?" he echoed.

"Something is coming; Edward and the Martyrs are trying to protect us." As the words left my lips I collapsed against him again.

When I awoke, I was back in my own bed and Hermione was sat beside me, brushing the hair back from my face, her eyes alight with worry.

"Bella, what happened?" she asked. "Edward carried you in; he said he found you unconscious at the back of the library. I thought I had checked there, but obviously I was wrong. He said that you fell ill..."

I sat up and grabbed her, holding myself to her tightly. Surprised Hermione reached across and wrapped her arms around me. When she finally managed to get me to release her, Hermione stepped back, regarding me with a concerned expression in her face.

"Bella what happened?"

"Something is coming, Hermione," I whispered. "Cedric has told me to trust the ones I cannot trust. Hermione I'm afraid."

Taking a deep breath, Hermione tried to force a smile on her lips, but then gave up, grabbing my hands.

"I am too, Bella," she whispered. "I am too."