Quidditch was his life. He lived it, breathed it, and dreamed it. There was
nothing more exhilarating than being in the sky, the wind whipping past his
face, the moment when the catch of the snitch was inevitable. Cedric's
father had always told him that there was more to life than Quidditch. He
should think about his future and finding a nice witch to settle down with.
Cedric wasn't concerned with his schooling more than necessary. He made good grades, the teachers liked him, and he hadn't ever had a detention. Girls were a different story entirely. Though Cedric was kind, smart, and talented at Quidditch, it seemed that everyone had always passed him by. He wasn't worried though. His Hufflepuff mentality always served him well. He could continue to be optimistic. After all, there was someone out there for him.
~~~
He wished Quidditch could be his life. Ever since he'd found out he was a wizard, Harry Potter had been expected to defeat the most terrifying wizard in recent history. Voldemort was always first in his mind. Followed by Quidditch and the dreaded Potions. The only things that kept him grounded were his best friends Ron and Hermione. They always had some solution to Harry's biggest problems. Whether it was Hermione suggesting that he color- code his study schedule or Ron forcing him into a game of wizard's chess, there was always something to keep Harry's mind of the impending doom that is Voldemort.
There were two things that Harry Potter envied: any new broomstick that he hadn't yet bought and Cedric Diggory. He loved his Firebolt dearly. Harry even thought that he might give his life for it. He kept it perfectly groomed, never letting so much as a twig get out of place. He kept the Firebolt by his bed, and made sure no one except Ron came within ten feet. Harry never thought it was obsessive, but the Firebolt was one of the few things he had to his name that meant something - just a broom and an invisibility cloak.
Cedric Diggory was another story entirely. Harry didn't see much of the fifth year Hufflepuff, but he couldn't help envy what he did see. Cedric was an amazing Quidditch player. That was all it took for Harry to take notice. Harry was extremely good for his age. He could catch the snitch in record time, and Gryffindors often told him how wonderful his flying style was. For Harry it was all instinct. He didn't try to do anything, it just came to him. Being in the skies was as natural as breathing.
But Cedric - Cedric flew like the wind itself. Even on a Nimbus 2001, he could out-fly Harry any day of the week. He maneuvered like a breeze through the treetops, whipping this way and that, diving and swerving. One thing that Harry noticed about Cedric was his concentration. The way he bit the side of his bottom lip as he surveyed the skies, the way he hunkered over the handle of his broom with white knuckles, and the definite ruffle to Cedric's hair were all undeniably...gorgeous.
Harry didn't know when the first time he had thought of another boy as gorgeous, but it had been a kind of turning point. He was sure that many of the students at Hogwarts were gay, but it was just so sudden. Who would suspect the Boy Who Lived of being a poofter? It was just one more thing for Harry to be unsure about. No one saw him as Harry anyway. If anyone knew he was gay, what would they think of him then?
~~~
Harry stalked up the stairs from the dungeons where Snape had just destroyed any shred of hope he had in him for passing Potions. He'd been berated for an entire period about everything the greasy git could think of. As he rounded the last corner into the main corridor, Harry ran smack into something tall, broad, and.extremely fit.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled as he rearranged his glasses and started to walk away.
"Wait! Harry!" Cedric called as Harry dashed away, blushing fiercely.
Harry turned around slowly. Was Cedric going to get mad? His day couldn't possibly get any worse.
"I just...well, Harry, beat Slytherin, all right? Hufflepuff can't stand a loss to Slytherin. We can deal having less house points than Gryffindor, but..." Cedric gave Harry a strange smile. "You get my point, right?"
"Yeah."
"See you around, then, Harry." Cedric smiled strangely again as he walked away.
~~~
Gryffindor had Quidditch practice at 8:00pm sharp. Wood always managed to book the pitch before the sun rose and right before it fell. As the team swept around the pitch practicing moves, Harry flew laps high above. Wood seemed to trust him to train his eyes and agility, not often including him in their formation practice.
Harry dove down to watch the proceedings of the team, but mostly kept to himself. He didn't even notice when someone pulled up beside him. That someone brushed his arm and Harry turned on his broom swiftly to find none other than Cedric Diggory hovering beside him.
"What? Why? This is Gryffindor practice," Harry exclaimed indignantly. "You're not spying, are you?"
"Just because I'm not a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't be stealthy if I want to cheat."
"Oh," Harry ended lamely. "What are you doing up here, then? It's almost curfew."
"I, well...I'm not sure exactly. Something just told me I should talk to you."
Harry was speechless. He just clung onto his broom and looked at Cedric. The same strange smile crept onto Cedric's face, but as he started flying towards Harry, Wood's voice boomed through the stadium. "Curfew. Showers and back to the castle!"
Before Harry could say a word to Cedric, he was gone.
~~~
Ron and Hermione didn't bother to ask Harry why he looked so sullen. They knew when to push and how far before Harry would clam up and stalk away. This was one of those times when a single prod might cause him to snap shut. Harry went to the dorms alone and contemplated quietly uninterrupted that night. There wasn't much to think about, but there was one thing of which he was sure: Harry wanted to share his first kiss with Cedric Diggory.
Harry wasn't sure where that thought had originated. Certainly the desire hadn't been there before. It definitely wouldn't be Cedric's first though, and Harry didn't know if that should worry him. What if he did it all wrong? What if Cedric never looked at him again because he wasn't good enough?
Being thirteen and in the middle of puberty didn't help things at all. Harry was constantly thinking about sex or actively engaging in it (with himself, of course). He thought the whole 'growing up' thing was a wretched idea created simply for the fun others got from watching young boys (and the occasional girl) suffer.
Harry placed a silencing charm on his four-poster. As he wanked that night, running his thumb along the shaft and pulling just-so, he thought about Cedric with that strange but beautiful smile spreading across his face and the dark hair that was oh-so-fine and laid perfectly all time. It didn't take long, and when he was done, he administered a cleaning spell and changed into pajamas. He drifted into a rare night of pleasant dreams. His insatiable teenage mind offered plenty of compromising positions all night long.
~~~
Cedric Diggory didn't often find himself in such a precarious position. And said positions never involved younger boys. They certainly didn't involve the Boy Who Bloody Lived. He had taken opposition of the parents to an entirely new level. When his father had told him to find a witch to settle down with, his brain had apparently decided that 'No,' it didn't want a woman. Cedric wanted a man, if only for the simple reason that such a thing could infuriate Cedric's father.
He sighed warily. Things never seemed to go quite right. Never badly, he supposed, but never right to the point where he could be proud he'd accomplished something properly. Maybe his father wouldn't kill him if he brought home a lad. It wasn't even worth thinking about if he couldn't get said lad to even look at him.
~~~
Gryffindor was to play Slytherin that afternoon. Harry was nervous as always and poked at his kippers during breakfast as Wood bombarded the team with the usual "rousing" pep talk and proper amount of berating. Fred and George made faces every time Wood looked away, and even sometimes when he was looking straight at them. Such were the usual pre-game antics.
The game itself was nothing out of the ordinary. Malfoy tried to scare Harry with his Dementor impressions. A well-placed Wronski-Feint took Draco by surprise, but as Harry pulled out of his impressive dive, the snitch literally hit him in the face. Wood would have killed him. Harry pulled the flitting gold ball off his face and raised it in triumph. The stands erupted mostly in praise.
Harry grinned stupidly and flew down to meet his team and take a shower.
~~~
Harry never made it to the showers. He was ambushed as he walked past the stands and pushed against the Ravenclaw banners. He would have been uncomfortable if it weren't for the hot, sweet lips that were pressed so fervently against his. His first kiss and he hadn't even seen it coming!
He pushed away almost fiercely. "What!?" And then he noticed whom it was doing the kissing. Harry blushed a shade of crimson that would do the Gryffindor banners shame.
"God. I'm so sorry, Harry! I thought..."
But Harry threw his arms around Cedric's shoulders and pulled him back. He kissed the Hufflepuff clumsily at first, unsure of himself, but when Cedric responded by licking his lower lip, Harry assumed he'd done something right.
Cedric pulled away slowly. "How about we finish this after you've had a shower?"
Harry nodded, "A cold one."
~~~
Maybe Cedric wouldn't be able to bring Harry home to his father, but he certainly thought that something had gone completely right for him. The only matter left to attend to was the cold shower. Cedric wondered if joining Harry would defeat the purpose.
Cedric thought hormones could be damned as he walked stealthily towards the Gryffindor locker room.
Cedric wasn't concerned with his schooling more than necessary. He made good grades, the teachers liked him, and he hadn't ever had a detention. Girls were a different story entirely. Though Cedric was kind, smart, and talented at Quidditch, it seemed that everyone had always passed him by. He wasn't worried though. His Hufflepuff mentality always served him well. He could continue to be optimistic. After all, there was someone out there for him.
~~~
He wished Quidditch could be his life. Ever since he'd found out he was a wizard, Harry Potter had been expected to defeat the most terrifying wizard in recent history. Voldemort was always first in his mind. Followed by Quidditch and the dreaded Potions. The only things that kept him grounded were his best friends Ron and Hermione. They always had some solution to Harry's biggest problems. Whether it was Hermione suggesting that he color- code his study schedule or Ron forcing him into a game of wizard's chess, there was always something to keep Harry's mind of the impending doom that is Voldemort.
There were two things that Harry Potter envied: any new broomstick that he hadn't yet bought and Cedric Diggory. He loved his Firebolt dearly. Harry even thought that he might give his life for it. He kept it perfectly groomed, never letting so much as a twig get out of place. He kept the Firebolt by his bed, and made sure no one except Ron came within ten feet. Harry never thought it was obsessive, but the Firebolt was one of the few things he had to his name that meant something - just a broom and an invisibility cloak.
Cedric Diggory was another story entirely. Harry didn't see much of the fifth year Hufflepuff, but he couldn't help envy what he did see. Cedric was an amazing Quidditch player. That was all it took for Harry to take notice. Harry was extremely good for his age. He could catch the snitch in record time, and Gryffindors often told him how wonderful his flying style was. For Harry it was all instinct. He didn't try to do anything, it just came to him. Being in the skies was as natural as breathing.
But Cedric - Cedric flew like the wind itself. Even on a Nimbus 2001, he could out-fly Harry any day of the week. He maneuvered like a breeze through the treetops, whipping this way and that, diving and swerving. One thing that Harry noticed about Cedric was his concentration. The way he bit the side of his bottom lip as he surveyed the skies, the way he hunkered over the handle of his broom with white knuckles, and the definite ruffle to Cedric's hair were all undeniably...gorgeous.
Harry didn't know when the first time he had thought of another boy as gorgeous, but it had been a kind of turning point. He was sure that many of the students at Hogwarts were gay, but it was just so sudden. Who would suspect the Boy Who Lived of being a poofter? It was just one more thing for Harry to be unsure about. No one saw him as Harry anyway. If anyone knew he was gay, what would they think of him then?
~~~
Harry stalked up the stairs from the dungeons where Snape had just destroyed any shred of hope he had in him for passing Potions. He'd been berated for an entire period about everything the greasy git could think of. As he rounded the last corner into the main corridor, Harry ran smack into something tall, broad, and.extremely fit.
"Sorry," Harry mumbled as he rearranged his glasses and started to walk away.
"Wait! Harry!" Cedric called as Harry dashed away, blushing fiercely.
Harry turned around slowly. Was Cedric going to get mad? His day couldn't possibly get any worse.
"I just...well, Harry, beat Slytherin, all right? Hufflepuff can't stand a loss to Slytherin. We can deal having less house points than Gryffindor, but..." Cedric gave Harry a strange smile. "You get my point, right?"
"Yeah."
"See you around, then, Harry." Cedric smiled strangely again as he walked away.
~~~
Gryffindor had Quidditch practice at 8:00pm sharp. Wood always managed to book the pitch before the sun rose and right before it fell. As the team swept around the pitch practicing moves, Harry flew laps high above. Wood seemed to trust him to train his eyes and agility, not often including him in their formation practice.
Harry dove down to watch the proceedings of the team, but mostly kept to himself. He didn't even notice when someone pulled up beside him. That someone brushed his arm and Harry turned on his broom swiftly to find none other than Cedric Diggory hovering beside him.
"What? Why? This is Gryffindor practice," Harry exclaimed indignantly. "You're not spying, are you?"
"Just because I'm not a Slytherin doesn't mean I can't be stealthy if I want to cheat."
"Oh," Harry ended lamely. "What are you doing up here, then? It's almost curfew."
"I, well...I'm not sure exactly. Something just told me I should talk to you."
Harry was speechless. He just clung onto his broom and looked at Cedric. The same strange smile crept onto Cedric's face, but as he started flying towards Harry, Wood's voice boomed through the stadium. "Curfew. Showers and back to the castle!"
Before Harry could say a word to Cedric, he was gone.
~~~
Ron and Hermione didn't bother to ask Harry why he looked so sullen. They knew when to push and how far before Harry would clam up and stalk away. This was one of those times when a single prod might cause him to snap shut. Harry went to the dorms alone and contemplated quietly uninterrupted that night. There wasn't much to think about, but there was one thing of which he was sure: Harry wanted to share his first kiss with Cedric Diggory.
Harry wasn't sure where that thought had originated. Certainly the desire hadn't been there before. It definitely wouldn't be Cedric's first though, and Harry didn't know if that should worry him. What if he did it all wrong? What if Cedric never looked at him again because he wasn't good enough?
Being thirteen and in the middle of puberty didn't help things at all. Harry was constantly thinking about sex or actively engaging in it (with himself, of course). He thought the whole 'growing up' thing was a wretched idea created simply for the fun others got from watching young boys (and the occasional girl) suffer.
Harry placed a silencing charm on his four-poster. As he wanked that night, running his thumb along the shaft and pulling just-so, he thought about Cedric with that strange but beautiful smile spreading across his face and the dark hair that was oh-so-fine and laid perfectly all time. It didn't take long, and when he was done, he administered a cleaning spell and changed into pajamas. He drifted into a rare night of pleasant dreams. His insatiable teenage mind offered plenty of compromising positions all night long.
~~~
Cedric Diggory didn't often find himself in such a precarious position. And said positions never involved younger boys. They certainly didn't involve the Boy Who Bloody Lived. He had taken opposition of the parents to an entirely new level. When his father had told him to find a witch to settle down with, his brain had apparently decided that 'No,' it didn't want a woman. Cedric wanted a man, if only for the simple reason that such a thing could infuriate Cedric's father.
He sighed warily. Things never seemed to go quite right. Never badly, he supposed, but never right to the point where he could be proud he'd accomplished something properly. Maybe his father wouldn't kill him if he brought home a lad. It wasn't even worth thinking about if he couldn't get said lad to even look at him.
~~~
Gryffindor was to play Slytherin that afternoon. Harry was nervous as always and poked at his kippers during breakfast as Wood bombarded the team with the usual "rousing" pep talk and proper amount of berating. Fred and George made faces every time Wood looked away, and even sometimes when he was looking straight at them. Such were the usual pre-game antics.
The game itself was nothing out of the ordinary. Malfoy tried to scare Harry with his Dementor impressions. A well-placed Wronski-Feint took Draco by surprise, but as Harry pulled out of his impressive dive, the snitch literally hit him in the face. Wood would have killed him. Harry pulled the flitting gold ball off his face and raised it in triumph. The stands erupted mostly in praise.
Harry grinned stupidly and flew down to meet his team and take a shower.
~~~
Harry never made it to the showers. He was ambushed as he walked past the stands and pushed against the Ravenclaw banners. He would have been uncomfortable if it weren't for the hot, sweet lips that were pressed so fervently against his. His first kiss and he hadn't even seen it coming!
He pushed away almost fiercely. "What!?" And then he noticed whom it was doing the kissing. Harry blushed a shade of crimson that would do the Gryffindor banners shame.
"God. I'm so sorry, Harry! I thought..."
But Harry threw his arms around Cedric's shoulders and pulled him back. He kissed the Hufflepuff clumsily at first, unsure of himself, but when Cedric responded by licking his lower lip, Harry assumed he'd done something right.
Cedric pulled away slowly. "How about we finish this after you've had a shower?"
Harry nodded, "A cold one."
~~~
Maybe Cedric wouldn't be able to bring Harry home to his father, but he certainly thought that something had gone completely right for him. The only matter left to attend to was the cold shower. Cedric wondered if joining Harry would defeat the purpose.
Cedric thought hormones could be damned as he walked stealthily towards the Gryffindor locker room.