Chapter 38 The third task

He was terribly nervous, and desperately hoping Cho wouldn't notice. He couldn't help it though, to be more edgy than usual and felt terrible about it because it meant he did not please her as much as he wished to do. Now she was making homework which he found totally unnecessary because the third task was tonight, and he had hoped for at least a little attention from her. Though Cedric had no homework to do, he knew that Cho did but he could not bring himself to respect that, taking her pencil away from her several times.

'Cedric!' Cho called out annoyed as he did it again.

'Choho…' he whined. 'the third task is tonight!'

He had the right to whine! She was his girlfriend, he was nervous! He wished attention and she wouldn't give it, but focus on that stupid… - what was it anyway, transfigurations?

'Don't be such a baby,' Cho said. Cedric couldn't resist wrapping his arms around her tight, holding her in his arms.

'I need some love,' he tried. Cho pressed an absentminded kiss on his head. He groaned. Was that really everything he could get? Come on. Today he had the right to have her all for himself and she didn't even look at him.

'Hey!' she called out as he decided to stand up, grab her and hang her over his shoulder. She was laughing half, trying to struggle free.

'Seriously Cedric! Put me down!'

'No!' he said stubborn, she needed to listen to him right now. He fell down on the couch pulling her along, laying her on his lap, stroking her face and hair. She sighed softly.

'Hush!' Cedric said, edgy, before she could say something. She could do that homework tomorrow. 'Today you are mine and you can't protest because I need you,'

'Fine…' Cho said rolling her eyes. Cedric gave her a content smile even though it kind of hurt him, that he needed to do so much for her attention, surely today now his mood wasn't great already.

'Shouldn't you practice or something?' she asked then.

No he shouldn't! Did she want him to leave or so? He grew even more edgy though he kept having this loving look in his eyes. He couldn't be mad at her, even not now though he wished she would just love him.

'I can't! I don't know where for to practice! It's a maze!'

'Well you could practice the spell that makes your wand go north so you know which way to go?' She said. Oh she was way too smart! What on earth did he do that he deserved this? It only made him more nervous. He had wondered a lot about the tournament and what would happen in case he did not… win. He never thought Cho would leave him for such thing but today he started, in fact, to doubt about everything. Stupid task, stupid nerves, stupid tournament. Where was his self-assured cocky self gone?

'Don't be nervous, it will be alright, you are going to win I can feel it,' she smiled as if she could read his thoughts.

Cedric looked down at her, suddenly noticing something else in her eyes, almost… fear. A light sparkle of fear was in the dark brown and he laid a hand on her cheek.

'Yeah, why won't you say what's really on your mind?' he asked her, polite almost.

Cho bit her lip, he laid his fingers on it.

'Well?'

'I think you shouldn't go join in the third task I have a really bad, bad feeling about it I think you should just drop out and stay with me…comfy..' Cho spoke her thoughts and he smiled, wondering if that was why she seemed to be so focused on her homework, not willing to think about tonight.

Cedric laughed softly.

'You're really weird,' he said loving kissing her nose. Now Cho grumbled and he smiled in triumph, taking her hand.

'I'm not going to drop out, I'm not a coward and you are right, I'm going to win this thing!'

She sighed like she tought she could change his mind, but then her loving smile appeared and he felt her slim fingers on his cheek.

'I'm secretly so very proud on you,'

That was all he needed to hear, Cedric smiled widely and kissed her lips loving, calming her down and telling her there was no need to worry.

That evening his parents came over. His mother was all emotional, so emotional it really bothered him and he just hugged her cheery, telling he really was alright. His father whined about Harry Potter and something about 'Stolen Glory' of his son. Till Cedric's surprise, Cho agreed with the man, which made him feel a little more at ease. He was holding Cho all the time, for she was the only thing he ever held on to and now he needed her more than ever before. He needed to leave for a moment, though, discussing something with Dumbledore and as he returned the clock kept ticking towards the start, their time together got less with the second. They walked together to the maze, the tribune where Cho would sit.

Instead of guiding her to her place, he hid with her behind the tribune, away from all the people and he pressed her against him.

'So this is it,' Cho said smiling.

Cedric took a deep breath, a very deep breath which tensed his muscles and made him look pretty manly, while gaining his self-assurance back.

'This is it,' he agreed.

Cho stroked his hair tenderly and looked into his eyes. It felt good, she was close. He stood against her begging, craving, and she took it, just comforted him without knowing she did and she caught his gaze with her gorgeous eyes.

'You can do this,' she assured him.

Cedric nodded seriously.

'Now kiss me,' Cho smiled. He wouldn't have done anything else in the whole world rather than kissing her and Cedric pressed his lips softly on hers, into a kiss that would last really long and probably never would have ended if Cho didn't break. She did, at one point, he tried to hold on but she didn't allow him, laying a hand on his cheek.

'I love you,' Cho said, and once again; 'you can do this.'

Cedric nodded again, looking at her.

'This will be for you,'

Cho looked flattered. He smiled. Everything was for her, all things he did were for her. Only the good, off course, but… he loved her so much.

'When you win this thing, I will be your price,' Cho told him. He started shining, holding her hands, squeezing them. He had to win this, he had to win! He would win!

'I won't let you down!' he said. He promised. Then the time came they had to leave and he guided her to the tribune, holding on as long as possible after have given one single last kiss. He needed to, she had allowed him because she knew.

As he walked with his father into the field, everyone cheered and his eyes searched for Cho though somewhere the audience, the cheering of his name, it all felt so great. He could almost hear Cho cheer for him and his dad pulled his arm up in victory. Cedric pulled it down a bit embarrassed, muttering: 'Dad,'

Then it was time to go into the maze. He and Harry shared an equal amount of points so they could start. As soon as he got into the maze, Cedric got disorientated. It was really strange, nothing of the cheering nor music could be heard, only this almost deafmaking silence. It was scary, Cedric feared the silence and as he made his way through the maze, he feared the creatures there even more. He could not forget this, ever. He wondered about Cho. Was she alright? Scared? Was she alone? Having comfort? At one point he caught Victor in his gaze, his eyes were strangely empty and a movingless Fleur laid at his feet. Harry was there to, Victor stretching his arm but before he could curse Harry, Cedric already paralyzed the Drumstrang boy. He wished to win, but he wished to win in a fair way.

Now only he and Harry were left. Red sparks got shot into the air so they would pick up Victor and Fleur. Harry and Cedric sprinted, Cedric was faster, grabbed the cup. The bluish light filled his eyes and an unpleasant feeling spread through his body. A portkey? It was a portkey?

As he smacked on the ground, there was no cheering yet, only silence and the howling of a dog - or wolf. Cedric stared around. A graveyard. Was there a final task? It couldn't be, he defeated anyone else! He gazed around once again. No one was there. Doubting he looked at the cup. The wrong direction, maybe? A former installed position that the portkey messed up?

He grabbed the cup again, bluish light, unpleasant feeling, a smack on the ground and cheering, screaming and touching. He gazed up, disorientated but then he got such a wave of happiness through his body it almost made him fall down.

'THE WINNER OF THE TRI WIZARD TOURNAMENT, CEDRIC DIGGORY!' Dumbledore called out. His father ran toward him, hugged him. Cedric was shining, disbelieving. He won! He had won! But now, the most important thing; Cho, where was his Cho! He searched for her in the crowd, everybody ran through his sightfield but he managed to catch her gaze, starching he hands out the her and smiling widely the moment he saw her.

'CHO CHANG!' he yelled without thinking. 'MARRY ME!'

Everyone gasped, people gasped, there was a moment silence but when he started running towards her the crowd moved again, screamed again, cheered again. He took her in his arms the moment he reached her, grabbed her. Cho cried, kissing him.

'I love you, I love you!' he kept saying to her. They kissed, muttered sweet words.

'I'm so proud on you,' she said, once again and he held her close.

'Marry me?' he said again while kissing her. He needed to know. He survived this, he could do everything.

'Sure,' Cho wept emotional. It was his evening, his perfect evening! Cho, his Cho! He buried his face in her neck, grabbing her hands.

He got called to the field again, willingly to drag Cho along but she refused, saying this was his moment and pushed him towards his fans.

'DIGGORY, DIGGORY, DIGGORY!' Everyone screamed, cheered, Dumbledore yelled, giving him the money.

'We gladly give you, one thousand Gallions!'

His father looked proud. It couldn't have been better.

It was one big party on Hogwarts! It was all so exciting! But he felt all the time like leaving. Leaving with Cho, who danced with him and kissed him and he wouldn't let go of her any minute. When everyone was drunk, or busy getting it, too cheerfull for words, he dragged her outside. He was almost insane, so cheerful, holding Cho, tugging her along. She laughed, smiled, her face glowed pleased. He brought her to the lake, the silence. Their silence.

'I'm so very prou…' He didn't let her finish, Cedric pressed his lips on hers, pressing her down on the ground, into the grass. She held on to him, answering the kiss and he took off his shirt without thinking. There were scratches all over, from the maze. He saw Cho look.

'Cedric?' she asked softly.

'Later…' he couldn't worry about his injuries or anything else. He wanted her, wished for her to want him. He held her, loved her, kissed her, undressed her and reacted all his happiness out on her. She could have it all, have his life, his heart and body. They were one, in the grass, at their spot, at their moment. This was something they would never forget.

He had never been so happy before.