Chapter nineteen

Explanations

The Hospital wing seemed too cold and in different from him tonight… it seemed to drift in and out of reality as the true impact of the nights events hit him.

Harry Potter the boy who lived had seen it in their eyes as he told them all that Voldermort had returned, his friends looked at him with fear but acceptance of his statement. But there was far too many who looked either disbelieving at him or coldly joyful for him to feel that they completely understood what he had been apart of.

His anger was still seething when the fake Moody was given the kiss before he could confess to planting his name in the Goblet then altering Dumbledore's spells to make sure Harry's name would be called.

It was with those alterations that another Hogwarts students name was pulled out of the Goblet one Harry knew shouldn't be in there in the first place.

Voldermort had pointed it out… Cedric Diggory was a vampire but before Harry could think about that further he had been dragged away by the fake moody while Amos Diggory bellowed his son was dead.

When Harry was dragged to the hospital wing he didn't have a chance to find out what happened to the vampire, all he could gather was that Cedric had been hit by a powerful spell.

Harry could only hope Ron wouldn't be an idiot and offend Hermione while she must be going through her heart breaking.

"Potter please for the sake of Merlin stop thinking so loud" the voice ordered from the bed on his right, Harry shot his green eyes to the even paler figure of Cedric who was smirking at him. Thankfully Harry didn't have to hope for long because he soon found Cedric in the hospital wing being fussed over by his mother and Pomfrey.

"Why" Harry questioned as Cedric rolled his eyes before sitting up too quick for Harry to register because Cedric laughed when Harry blinked at him.

"I'm recovering from near death here and I don't need you to think so loudly… a vampire can suffer a head ache too" Cedric joked as Harry laughed relaxing against his pillows.

"Sorry… I'll try to be quite" Harry admitted as Cedric laughed again swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, his Hufflepuff outfit torn and tattered from their nights adventure.

"Though I'm still mad at Hermione for keeping this a secrete" Harry pointed out as Cedric shook his head looking at the younger boy.

After an hour Cedric was shocked to do something he hadn't done in a long time; he woke up. Assuring his mother and healer that he was fine Cedric looked at Harry and the pair talked about what had happened. Cedric was tempted to lie and twist a few facts but some strange courage glimmering from the boy made Cedric reconsider and admit the truth about what he was and how he survived the killing curse.

"She's pretty good at keeping secrets for her friends" Cedric admitted looking down when Harry raised an eyebrow at his chosen word of friends but he said nothing on the subject.

"That's because she's loyal" Harry said instead as Cedric chuckled before looking to Harry seeing a question spread across the boys face and mind.

"I promise I won't" Cedric admitted as Harry stared at him before nodding firmly giving him a lopsided smile.

"Like I could hurt you if you did break her heart" Harry laughed feeling strange at having his question answered without even asking it out loud.

"Don't worry Harry… if I ever hurt her even in the slightest way I would hurt myself before any of you got the chance to" Cedric promised firmly gaining a questioningly look from Harry before the boy nodded.

"HARRY" Hermione screamed as she raced into the wing with Ron and Scott following closely behind her. Cedric laughed as the boy gave an undignified umph when he was crushed by his best friend leaving Ron and Scott attempting to catch their breaths after having to chase after the witch.

"Hermione" Harry chocked before Hermione pulled back wiping tears away, Harry smiled at Ron and Scott before Hermione jumped to her feet and with the same crashing speed threw herself at Cedric who was the only thing holding them up.

"Bloody hell Hermione this is the hospital wing their meant to be getting better" Ron scolded as Hermione pulled back blushing, but before she could attempt to get to her feet Cedric clamped her closely to his side beaming as he watched Ron sit on Harry's bed and Scott roll his eyes before sitting beside the red head.

"But she's right mate I'm glad your ok" Ron declared smiling brightly at Harry before Hermione cleared her throat and Ron blushed before glancing to Cedric who toyed with a piece of Hermione's hair.

"I guess I'm glad your ok too Diggory" Ron admitted before he grinned and sent Hermione a wicked grin.

"Besides I don't really want to deal with a moping and crying woman if you didn't make it" Ron admitted with a laugh when Hermione snorted and went to hit him but Cedric held her in place.

Scott and Harry both chuckled as Hermione pouted but didn't seem too upset at having to sit with Cedric holding her tightly to him.

"And who else would you two have to play the greatest games of Quidditch against if I was still mourning the death of my best friend" Scott asked as Ron and Harry looked at each before laughing out loud.

Scott huffed before throwing at glare to the two younger boys, Hermione simply sighed and lent her head against Cedric's shoulder.

"So are you going to tell us how you managed to survive… you were beaten up Cedric" Ron admitted before flushing and ducking his eyes when the older boy smirked at him.

"I mean Diggory" Ron corrected himself clearing his throat when Harry snorted at him and Scott beamed brightly whispering there was hope for the red head yet.

"I think that's a story told on another night Ron… I however have a more interesting story" Hermione ignored the looks sent to her from Ron and Scott before she grabbed the bag she dropped on the floor after she charged at the two boys. She shot Cedric a look when he refused to release her, only doing so when she glared at him.

The four boys watched with interest as she pulled a jar with a colourful beetle flittering around inside out and held it up for the boys to inspect.

"It's a bug Hermione" Ron pointed out as Scott snorted while Hermione glared at them before looking back to the bug inside the jar.

"remember when I said I didn't know how Skeeter found out all those things we spoke about… how she knew things that she couldn't possible know. Well I figured it out… when Harry said she had to be bugging the school some how and Malfoy seemed to be talking to a bug in the grounds. Everyone I would like you to say hello to Rita Skeeter an unregistered animagus" Hermione stated proudly as the boys peered closely only Cedric laughing loudly caused them to jump back and stare at him. Harry, Hermione and Scott understand that Cedric had vouched for it being Skeeter after reading her thoughts.

"Hermione… that's… well that's just bloody brilliant" Ron admitted impressed before he gulped lifting his blue eyes up to Hermione who smirked.

"You did put holes in there for her to breath right" Ron questioned as Hermione rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Of course… Skeeter will be allowed out once she is a safe distance from both Hogwarts and Harry. Of course we came to a little understanding, she won't write anymore of those horrible stories she likes to write and I won't tell anyone about her secret" Hermione declared as the boys gapped at her.

"Blackmail" "Hermione" "that's brilliant" the three boys on Harry's bed declared while Cedric chuckled.

"It's bloody scary is what it is… you are one witch I don't want to mess with" Cedric admitted gaining a glare from Hermione before she looked at the beetle who now stopped moving.

"What are you going to do with her" Scott questioned as Hermione frowned before a shadow fell over them.

"I believe I will take care of Miss Granger's pet" Dumbledore declared as the black dog at his legs cocked his head watching the group with interest while Harry, Ron and Hermione all beamed at the creature.

"Professor" Harry started looking to the dog who seemed to smile at Harry but Dumbledore raised a hand and held it out for the jar while Hermione swallowed hard.

"Professor" "I will take care of your interesting pet Miss Granger, you can collect her after you have finished here… I suggest that you bring this charming animal I found back with you" Dumbledore ordered as Hermione smiled brightly handing the jar back to Dumbledore blushing when Cedric held her to him once more not once ashamed when the head master gave him a smirk.

"I trust that you three won't keep these two boys up all night… say what you must then get yourselves off to bed" Dumbledore ordered before he turned and left the wing shaking the jar a little as he walked out.

"So I take it we can trust the mutt" Scott asked as said mutt leapt on to the bed and began to lick Harry's face. The dog turned to throw a glare at Scott who just grinned at him.

"Snuffles missed you Harry" Ron offered trying to keep his voice at its normal level while Cedric laughed and lent back in the bed pulling Hermione with him while she exclaimed and attempted to sit up.

"I think we're already for a good story… Scott I'm going to love to see your face when you hear the truth" Cedric admitted gaining a curious look from his best friend, Ron and the dog sitting by Harry's side.

"Well always love a good story" Scott ordered kicking his feet out smirking at Ron when he nudged the boy.

"And it better detail just how we're going to help fight against Voldermort now he's back" Scott ordered as Ron paled and Hermione giggled forgoing the struggle to remove her self from Cedric's arms and instead snuggled into his side waiting for two stories to start.

One she knew of by heart as she had lived through most of it while the other one, well she just couldn't wait to see Ron's, Harry's and Sirius's face when they found out they weren't just in the company of a vampire but a werewolf too.

It's not quiet finished yet you just have to bare with me for just one more chapter as one reviewer pointed out that Hermione and Cedric haven't kissed yet.

Enjoy this one because the next one is going to be the last one.