Harry made his way downstairs, silent as Cedric trailed behind him.

"arry... H…"

Though somewhat alleviated, the nervousness about the trial still gripped his heart. He figured that no amount of shocking revelation would take away from the thought of going to the Ministry or even worse, leaving Hogwarts…

"Ha-… -rry… Oi, Harry!"

Cedric's voice blinked Harry out of his stupor. He turned to face him, "What's wrong?" but before Cedric could even respond, Harry soon realized that he was still holding onto his wrist.

"Oh! Sorry!" he said, letting go.

"No, I didn't mean—" Cedric moved forward and made to grab Harry's hand before abruptly pausing; his own hand hovering mid-air as he realized what he was just about to do.

"Cedric?"

"Oh, I was—… I was just—"

"HARRY POTTER, YOU BETTER GET A MOVE ON OR YOU'LL BE LATE FOR YOUR HEARING!" came Mrs Weasley, screeching from downstairs. Harry sighed.

"C'mon, you heard her," he said, smiling weakly. Cedric nodded and followed him down the stairs once more. But this time, behind his back, his fingers brushed around the wrist Harry had held.

"Is it alright if I send a letter from here?" said Cedric. Beside him at the dining-table, Harry was trying to scoop as many baked beans and toast inside his mouth without letting it drip onto his newly-ironed suit.

"Of course! Though you can't say much about your current living situation, dear, even if she is your girlfriend," Harry heard Mrs Weasley reply.

"Right… Well don't worry, I was just sending these to my friends,"

"Oh! Sorry Cedric, go right ahead! Errol will be pruning himself on a windowsill, I bet." Mrs Weasley replied, and then she darted into the hallway, a laundry basket held against her hip.

Munching on breakfast, Harry turned to Cedric, "You're not going to write to Cho?"

"No, these are to my friends," Cedric said again, quickly flashing the names 'Evan' and 'Hidiyah' on his envelopes. "They're probably worried, I haven't written to them since I came to Grimmauld."

Harry nodded. He was slightly confused, wondering why Cho wouldn't as worried as Cedric's friends, if not more .

"I'll tell you later if you like," Cedric said, watching him with a slightly amused smile.

"...Was it on my face?" Harry said.

"Yes, along with the bits of beans and bread—" said Cedric circling the entirety of his mouth—

"Oh shut it!" Harry said. He watched as Cedric doubled over, crumpled by the pain of Harry's fist against his shoulder but still laughing weakly into his hands.

Harry took it back.

Maybe there were some things that could make him feel less anxious today.