Author's note: Hi, guys. Here is the new chapter. Hope you'll like it. Thanks for all who reviewed: I wish I could answer the 'anonymous' too (Abby, Anne and Fallon: thank you so much).

A big thanks to my beta: Kristin, you're great!

Thanks for reading. Give me your feedbacks about it.

Oh by the way, I might not post the next chapter pretty quick because I go back to school, but I'll try to update as soon as possible, though. I don't own Harry Potter.


I began to wake up to the sound of almost quiet footsteps ringing out in my ears. I kept my eyes closed, though: I was pretty sure I was in some kind of giddy dream, one where you're unable to distinguish what is a part of your 'hallucination' or what is actually going on in the real world.

I began to plunge back in my heavy sleep when I heard a hazy and sizzling voice calling.

"Mr. Diggory" the voice echoed in my ear "I need you to wake up, please ".

I fluttered my eyes a bit, fighting against my body and the fatigue to emerge. I had never felt so dazed in a morning, it was like I didn't sleep for nights and that my whole being was begging for rest. But, I had slept though. I knew it, I felt it. But it was like my body was fighting two complete opposite sensations.

I slowly opened my eyes and was hit by the blinding light coming from the big glasses of the room. Couldn't they have just drawn the curtains?! I closed my eyes and waited, waited for my covered pupils to get used to that new lighting. I finally opened them (or let's say I kept them half-closed).

"Mr. Diggory?" the voice repeated "Are you awake?"

I frowned when I recognized Dumbledore. Even if I was still groggy, I perked up my ear. Dumbledore nervously cleared his throat mentally preparing himself to speak, and trying to choose the appropriate words.

"Cedric" he began. I was surprised to hear him use somebody's first name for someone else but the other professors or Harry; obviously, he was getting at a trouble spot. He trailed off and took a deep breath. "Madam Pomfrey hasn't observed any change...and it's been a little while now. I think it would be good to warn her parents."

I frowned but kept my gaze still.

"I know it looks like we're losing hope, but that doesn't mean we'll be giving up, Cedric".

The room remained quiet.

"She may stay in the school if her parents agree" professor McGonagall added, trying to support the headmaster's announcement "You could see her as much as you want".

"Cedric, they need to know about their daughter" Dumbledore said after a pause

"They need to have her close to them. We have no right to hide it from them. We have no right to keep a daughter away from her parents' love".

After a silence, the headmaster half-smiled. "Good, I'll visit her parents tomorrow" he stated. I flinched when I pictured Dumbledore making this terrible announcement to them. They would probably be devastated. They would hug, and maybe even cry. I couldn't let them feel this; it was my duty to protect them from this indescribable pain and sadness.

"Please, don't talk to them" I mumbled with a weak and barely audible voice. I got surprised by my lack of energy and would be more surprised if they had heard me well. Nonetheless, McGonagall jumped in surprised whilst Dumbledore widened his eyes. What was so shocking to hear me speak?

I heard a noise and just when I turned my head, I caught a glimpse of Cedric leaping out of his bed and dashing towards mine. He held my hands and leaned over me.

I was surprised to see his gleaming but puffy eyes with sleep and most of all with tears. I felt guilty when I realized that his chagrin had been caused by me.

He was grinning at me, stroking my knuckles and my fingers, each part of my hands that he could have forgotten: like if he was eager to see me.

"How could this be possible?" McGonagall whispered raising her hand to her mouth. I grimaced. What was it so impossible?

"Do you remember what happened, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked.

Even if I felt a little sleepy, I didn't have difficulty to picture my last memory.

"I...remember going out of my Charm class. I cast the spell then everything went black" I murmured.

Madam Pomfrey ran to my bed, at the opposite side of Cedric and handed my wrist."How do you feel, honey?" she asked me."I'm fine, I think. Just a little dizzy" I answered."Don't be surprised. You've been sleeping for so long" she exclaimed. I glanced at Cedric, who gave me a confident smile; even if I felt he was emu.

"How long have I been here?" I asked.

"Mr. Diggory has been back with us for 3 weeks, now" McGonagall answered.

I gasped, shocked. I wanted to protest, to tell them it was impossible, that I couldn't have slept all the time they said I did, but then I gave a glance at my hands and noticed that the bruises and the cuts I had got during the night in the graveyard were almost invisible, now. I observed with a kind of fascination and horror.

"Your friends and all your schoolmates will be pleased to learn that you finally woke up" Dumbledore said with a smile. I glanced at Cedric: he was still staring at me but stayed quiet.

"Well, I think I must go warn your friends and make an announcement during breakfast" the headmaster said with enthusiasm.

"I will talk to the professors" McGonagall added.

They glanced at me, then Cedric, and shared a little smile."It's a pleasure to have you back, Miss Granger" she said with a motherly tone."Thank you, professor" I answered, still a little confused. This was just so unreal. How could I have been sleeping for so long? I couldn't even understand why I had blacked out after casting the spell.

Of course, I had felt dazed but I had supposed it was because I hadn't slept well and had had a hard night. I felt guilty when I imagined all the people who care for me, staying at my bedside, moaning about what had happened to me. I couldn't bear the idea of having causing them to suffer, to feel pain. I felt even guilty concerning Ronald! He was a jerk, but, he didn't deserve this. But, most of all, I felt guilty for Cedric: he needed me by his side, and I had just found a way to stay asleep during the first weeks of his coming-back. He had to face his parents and schoolmates' reactions alone, without me to support him. Of course, I didn't worry about how Scott has been making his part of the good friend job.

Madam Pomfrey asked Cedric to get back a couple of minutes and drew the curtain so she could have a careful glance at me. He nodded but sorely let go my hand. I caught a glimpse of madam Pomfrey rolling her eyes with an annoyed but amused way. She leaned over me and examined me. I kept silent and obeyed at all her orders.

After a few minutes, she drew back the white curtain and I saw Cedric, stood just behind, nervously nibbling his thumb.

"She looks fine, obviously" madam Pomfrey said to him. He smiled at her, even if I felt like he did it to be polite and not because it was genuine.

Madam Pomfrey helped me to sit up on the bed; she made me a comfortable support for my back with pillows.

"Is there anything you want?" she asked me. I bit my lower lip and nodded.

"I am...starving" I admitted with an embarrassed voice: I didn't like feeling people were at my beck and call.

Madam Pomfrey grinned at me.

"I'll bring you a tray. Mr. Diggory is going to stay with you" she explained. She turned to him and asked him to call for her if there was the need to.

She left the Hospital Wing, carefully closing the doors behind her. I didn't have time to realize she was gone that Cedric rushed to the bed and hugged me tight.

I smiled, surprised by his haste. I enjoyed the sensation of feeling him again and touching his skin. I hadn't had the time to get used to his flesh: it was like I was living again the delight to have him next to me.

"I knew you would wake up" he whispered in my hair. "You scared me" he confessed. He broke the hug and stroked my face.

"I'm sorry" I shamefully answered "I didn't want this".

Cedric held this sad look he was having since my wake up and finally released it to smile at me. He kissed my forehead and sat back on my bedside, staring at me like it was the first time he was seeing me.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed."There's so many things I want to tell you" he trailed off. He glanced up at me and gave me an involuntary crooked smile. "But I guess we have time now" he said.

I gave him a weak smile, still feeling exhausted. But I couldn't ignore that he looked worried, though. It was like he was trying to spare me, that he was eager to discuss something which was bothering him with me but that he kept it hidden for the moment. I felt like he was just focusing on the fact that I was back and postponed the trouble spot for later.

This worried me because I was pretty sure of what the trouble spot was. I kept quiet about his behavior though, and chose to pretend not noticing his worry because I didn't want to talk about this point right now. I'd rather wait and have time to find the good words to justify.

"Did you see Scott?" I asked to keep him from musing on the subject. He gave me what looked like a knowing glance but his good manners got over him and he agreed to follow the way I chose to turn the talking.

"I did" he answered with a smile "He'll be excited to see you".

I smiled and nervously brushed one of the mucks with my fingers to try to hide my embarrassment. Cedric smirked at me and bent his head towards me."Relax, Granger. You won't have your earful, now" he whispered with a devilish voice, brushing back my rebel lock. I couldn't help letting out a gulp and giving him a worried look.

Our talking didn't promise to be a piece of cake for me. But I would have to take on my responsibilities. I didn't regret my choice, and I was now sure that my state for the past weeks was the straight consequences of it. He smiled at me and pecked the tip of my nose. We got interrupted by the noise of the doors being slammed open. We turned and saw Harry rushing in, followed closely by Ronald.

"Merlin, Hermione" he exclaimed.

Cedric politely got up from the bed and gave way to my two friends. I didn't miss the hard glare shared between Ron and him when he walked past him.

"Professor McGonagall met us in the corridor and she told us about the news. How do you feel?" Harry asked, carefully looking at me from head to feet, like if he was expecting to find only the half of my body.

"I'm fine, Harry" I answered with a smile. I turned and gave a glance at Ron who was silent. "It's nice to see you" I said to him with a friendly smile. I didn't hold a grudge against him: I wanted him to get it.

I caught a glimpse at Cedric who was stood at the edge of the bed behind the boys rolling his eyes. He didn't look quite happy I had forgiven Ronald so easily. I knew his reaction wasn't properly mean: he was just protective of me. He knew how much I could get affected by Ron's comments; he also knew that my friend was the kind of boy who makes again and again the same mistakes.

We talked for several minutes, Cedric staying in the same posture he was before. Ron stayed grumpy and I saw him turned more shrewish when Harry began to discuss the reasons of my serious downfall. The tension between him and Cedric was visible that it could have easily burnt my eyes. Even if at the beginning, I was quite confused about it, I then found the most logical reason of it: Ron was definitely blaming Cedric for what had happened. I have to admit that the idea got me incredibly mad: I didn't bear the idea that Cedric could be criticized or accused, especially when he was not responsible. Even if I liked my friend a lot, he didn't weigh a lot in the scales against Cedric! I would have to lecture him about that at a proper time.

Soon, the boys had to go to classes, and I found myself alone with Cedric. He didn't hide his satisfaction when he watched my two friends leave my bedside and go out of the Hospital Wing. They closed the door and I began to count the number of windows in the big room, desperately trying to avoid his gaze.

Glancing everywhere my eyes could have a look at; I was surprised to find a bunch of stunning white jasmine.

"Where are they coming from?" I genuinely asked pretty curious and not just trying to avoid a serious subject to talk about."My garden" he answered walking towards the table and softly brushing one of the flowers.

"They're beautiful."Cedric smiled.

"My mother grows many kinds of flowers, those included." he explained with a hint of nostalgia.

I watched the bunch and then was hit by a detail I hadn't realized at first.

"Do you mean...your mother came here?" I asked, gulping, feeling myself turning weaker than I was.

"She has visited you almost every day" he proudly answered.

I flushed a little at the idea of Madam Diggory sitting at my bedside: it was like some official dinner with the boyfriend's parents but with no house and no food and with me unconscious. I didn't expect to meet them that quickly, I didn't expect to meet them in such circumstances."They worried for you" Cedric added. I rubbed my temple thinking of these people even those who I didn't know had been affected by my state.

"I'm sorry" I murmured again.

Cedric looked at me then sat on my bed. He held my hand and gently intertwined our fingers. His long and well modeled fingers perfectly melted with mine and my skin softened at his touch. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on mine. The warmth of his breath brushing my face was intoxicating. I took heavier breaths to not completely lose the oxygen in my lungs. His eyes closed, Cedric was slightly exhaling making my heart skip several beats.

The proximity of him was as frightening as it was ecstatic: frightening because, I had never felt myself so reliant and even needy of a boy and his touch, it was like I was completely dependent of him, and this new feeling did not fit the Hermione Granger I used to be; ecstatic because I was eager of him, I wanted him to give me more, to help me to explore all those new sensations the former Hermione Granger had never heard about or experienced.

"I missed you" he exhaled, his voice trembling with sincerity and what I recognized being desire.

I wanted to answer I missed him too, but I couldn't: my voice was paralyzed to voice any sound, my mind too blurred to think well. His forehead still stuck to mine, I felt him bow his jaw towards the base of my face. I shivered a bit but that didn't stop him though.

I didn't move, barely able to close my eyes in time. His lips were just a few millimeters from my mouth. I felt him open his eyes and hesitate: making sure I was willing to receive his kiss, I was just too silly and petrified to make any forward move. I remained the inexperienced girl concerning boys and all the relationship stuff: with him I was no more than the student I liked to be. I wanted him to teach me the rules of love.

I kept my eyes closed and hoped he would get the message.

Cedric lowered his lids and get his jaw closer to my chin. The short contact of our chins tickled my skin.

He slightly parted his full lips and brushed mine with chastity. He moved back then quickly gave me a couple of sweet and tender butterfly kisses on my lips, each time making it a bit longer and more emotional each time. Each contact made my skin light a little more; soon I felt insatiable of this sensation and his kisses.

Reaching the fifth kiss or maybe the sixth (who cares?!), he pulled apart and gave me an innocent smile. He leaned closer to me, and, to my surprise, raised his chin at the last second to kiss my forehead. I grumbled inside when I understood that the boy was clearly playing with me. I frowned at me and he just gave me a devilish smirk.

The door opened and Madam Pompfrey got in the room a tray in her hands. She rested it on my lap and I noticed there were two plates. I took a toast and crunched a piece of it. I turned to Cedric and saw him watching me with a smug face. "Cedric. I brought you a plate, too. Aren't you hungry?" madam Pomfrey asked surprised.

Cedric glanced at her and smiled."No thanks, I'm satisfied "he answered. Madam Pomfrey frowned a little but then shrugged getting back to her own business. Cedric stared at me and gave me a knowing smile: I flushed even if I didn't feel very ashamed though: lessons had begun.


At lunch, I was woken up by the visit of Ginny and Lavender. They both ran across the room and jumped on my bed. Cedric was leaned upon the wall just next to the table. The two girls blushed when they heard him chuckle.

"Hi, Cedric" they said.

"Hi Ginny...Lavender" he answered smiling and glancing at them. They both giggled and I kept the urge to roll my eyes.

"I need to talk to Scott. I'll be back later" he said. He walked past the bed and looked at the girls. "Take care of her for me, will you?" he asked with a devilishly innocent smile. Lavender dumbly nodded and gave him a grin so bright, it could've blinded us all. Cedric left the Hospital Wing and the two Gryffindors instantly turned their giggling mood to an inquisitive stare.

"What is happening between you two?" Lavender asked. I rolled my eyes to blame her girly question.

"Come on, Lavender. Hermione just got out of a coma. It needs time to get to these questions" Ginny lectured her. I gave her a grateful smiled, silently congratulating her inside for her maturity.

Lavender shamefully got quiet and they both silently stared at the floor during several seconds. A full minute hadn't gone by yet that Ginny glanced at me with an enthusiastic grin.

"Enough time!!!!!" she exclaimed "Now, tell us, are you two dating? Is he the boy you talked me about in the library? Did you two kissed? Is he a good kisser? Do you love him?"

I widened my eyes in surprised.

"What question am I supposed to answer first?" I asked. I smirked when I realized that there was only one answer to all of them: yes.

Ginny and Lavender both rolled their eyes at me, noisily implying 'Novice!'

"Well, just answer something" Lavender urged me.

"We...hmmm...are together" I awkwardly answered scratching my head.

The two girls squealed in a same voice and I covered my ears to save my eardrums.

"Merlin, isn't that weird to date him when you know that he was kind of dead?" Lavender asked. I smiled at her use of 'kind of'.

"Don't be ridiculous. I think he came back hotter than he was" Ginny exclaimed slapping her friend's shoulder.

Lavender mused a couple of seconds about the words and nodded.

"You're right. Cedric had always been the good-looking boy of the school but now he's definitely a hottie" she said "Do you think death could make people more attractive?"

I let out an amused chuckle and looked at the two girls discussing the appealing sides of being dead. This was just so unreal; they were talking about death like it had become some kind of privilege: they had forgotten the fate side of it. Death had become, to them, something that could be temporary and that you could easily get out of. I watched them and began to hope that all people could feel the same, forget the macabre side of death and only focus on the good part of coming back to life. I don't fear the ghosts, only the alive people: they're more stubborn and narrow-minded. It will be difficult to make them change their mind about death and resurrection.

It will be difficult to make them adopt Cedric.


Later in the afternoon, when the girls had gone back to their classes, I felt myself less weak then in the morning. Dumbledore came in the infirmary, followed by Professor Snape.

"Miss Granger, it looks like you're safe, now" he said with a smile. Cedric and I glanced at each other and grinned. "But" he added "you're still weakened and you won't be able to decently walk for several weeks. Your body needs to get all of its lost strength back. So until then…no more magic…at all. You'll need to be patient and wait for my approval before using your wand again. Can I count on you to do this?" he asked with a frown.

I gasped in shock: I agree to not walk, to stay lying on a bed, but I couldn't imagine myself not using magic: that was all I have in this world.

"I'll make sure she follows the rule" Cedric snapped at me.

I gave him a hard glare that clearly said 'Traitor'. The headmaster smiled, obviously satisfied. Don't they understand that I can't live without magic?

"Is there anything you want?" Dumbledore asked me.

"Actually, yes" I quickly answered, afraid that the headmaster change his mind and cancel his question. "I would like to go outside. I missed fresh air"

The headmaster hesitated and shared a look with madam Pompfrey.

"Did your coma make you deaf, Miss Granger? You can't walk" Snape muttered.

I violently bit my lip."I know but… no walking, no effort, and no magic. What do I have left, now?" I asked.

Cedric stared at me with that unbearably sad look. The professors glanced at each other. Dumbledore stepped closer and smiled."I'm pretty sure we have a wheelchair somewhere in the castle. Madam Pompfrey will bring it to you" he said. I half-smiled and nodded, grateful for his kindness and understanding.


A Half-hour later, Filch brought up a decent wheelchair in the infirmary. Madam Pompfrey helped me to get dressed then drew the curtain. I hesitated between grinning and flinching when I saw the object. It symbolizes freedom as much as captivity: okay, now I was free to go outside, but not exactly with all the liberty I had before. I raised the blankets and began to get out of the bed. Soon, I felt myself overwhelmed by the fatigue: who could have guessed that this tiny effort could be that exhausting?

Cedric placed the wheelchair at the edge of the bed and came to me.

"Let me help you" he murmured with a hint of bitterness.

I wanted to protest, I wanted to cope with this, I just wanted to do it by myself, but seeing the sad face of Cedric I stayed quiet: I knew this situation was as difficult for him as it was for me. He scooped me up then sat me in the chair.

Quickly, he made his way out of the infirmary and along the corridors abandoned by the students to go to their classes. We reached the big doors and went out in the park. Cedric strictly followed the cobblestone path unable to roll over the grass with the wheels. He tried though: it was a tuffy.

"Just let's stay here. It's good" I soothed him. Cedric nodded, a bit annoyed, and stood beside me to look at the landscape.

I breathed in the fresh air and smiled. I glanced at Cedric: he didn't seem to be in a smiley-mood.

I bit my lip when I understood that time has come to discuss the trouble spot.

"Is there something wrong?" I genuinely asked.

He sighed and scratched his neck.

"Something wrong?" he repeated "You almost died!" he shouted. I grimaced: okay, he was getting straight at the point. Obviously he had been frustrated to not say it since the morning.

"But I didn't. So there is nothing to ponder on" I answered with a serene voice.

"Why do you react just like nothing had happened? We can't just skip this point because you think it's just a detail"

"Okay, let's talk about it, then" I hissed with a provocative tone "What's really bothering you?".

Cedric noisily exhaled, he made some step towards the park, looking at the lake. He then turned towards me.

"You didn't have to do this!" he shot out "I know that there was a forewarning about the spell. You just ignored the warning and lied about it to me... You shouldn't have decided alone. I needed to know"

"You would have pointlessly freaked out about it" I said shrugging.

Cedric rolled his eyes."You're right: getting into coma and being in a wheelchair are so pointless. What would I have to freak out about?" he exclaimed with a nonchalant tone.

"I had made my choice. Tell me you wouldn't have stopped everything if I had told you the truth?"

Cedric looked daggers at me furious I had found his weakness.

"Yes, I would have" he grumbled.

I mused for a couple of seconds and looked up at him."Well it's a good thing I didn't tell you. Fear is an obstacle" I said.

Cedric opened his mouth, ready to protest, but then got quiet. "You should have told me" he mumbled with bitterness and disappointment.

I felt myself get angry. How could he be so unfair with me? How dare he judge me like if I had made a mistake?

"I don't regret anything" I shouted, my eyes getting wet. "Even knowing the consequences, I would do the same again and again, and I wouldn't feel any remorse! I wanted you next to me, and I would have done anything to get you. I don't care about me if you're not here." I was now crying. Cedric was staring at me with a sad look. He frowned and knelt down in front of me. I held his hands and sobbed. "I won't say I'm sorry because I'm not: that's probably the best thing I have ever done. And every time I see you and touch you...I just feel happy…content"

Cedric glanced away then stared back at me. He stroked my cheek and wiped my tears away.

"Hermione, you are my only obstacle: only your safety can stop or boost my plan. I can't lose you, I can't even imagine losing you" he complained. He looked me deep in the eyes and held my hand tight. "I love you" he murmured never breaking eye contact.

I let out a laugh, surprised by his words.

"I'm sorry it took me all this time to say it" he confessed.

I bowed towards him and held his face with my two hands. He stared at me with a searching face. I smiled and caressed his lips with mine then pulled back. I didn't want to rush it with him; we had all the time in the world now. We could take it slow.

Cedric was obviously thinking the same: he stood up, leaned and hugged me. I don't know what will happen next, what will the ministry and the world of wizards think about Cedric's coming back. I don't know if the fight will be hard to win and the mores easy to overturn: I don't care about the consequences and protests, I had done the best for Cedric.

His relatives.

Us.

And me.