Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Harry Potter.

Clash of the Gods

By Rogue Wingweaver

Chapter 2

Bath Towel

The next few days passed without Cedric and Draco seeing much of each other. Most of the students were swamped with homework. All it seemed but Fred and George Weasley. They seemed to have the time to recruit many a first year to be willingly subjected to their new products. The weather outside was cooler and the Yule Ball was approaching. It would be on Christmas Day and was all everyone talked about.

All of the champions were instructed that they would need partners for the dance. Cedric didn't like this idea. Of course he knew who he would ask, he just didn't want to do it. The girl he had in mind was Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw and an excellent Quidditch player. They had been friends for a while now. The only problem was, lately she acted like she wanted them to be more than friends. Not long ago he had thought he liked her too but lately things seemed to be different. He couldn't think of another girl to ask and he had to go with someone. Then a thought went through his mind.

What if I went with Draco?

This of course would be impossible but thinking about it lifted his spirits. He was sure the professors would never allow it. They hadn't said plainly that his partner had to be a girl but he was sure that is what they meant.

Well, I might as well get it out of the way. Cho should be getting out of Defence Against the Dark Arts any minute.

He waited for a bit outside the DADA classroom, then he heard the familiar commotion that told him the class was over. Students started pouring out the door and then he saw Cho.

I'll just get it over with.

"Cho, can I talk to you for a minute?" He yelled in her direction.

Cho looked up and saw Cedric. A huge smile broke on her face and she ran over to him.

"Hi Cedric, what do you want to talk about?"

"Well I was wondering if you would like to go to the Yule Ball with me." He said quickly, trying to say it with a smile.

"Really, you want to go with me?" Surprise and pleasure shown on her face as she spoke.

"I'd love to go with you Cedric."

"Good, I've got to go. Bye." Cedric said and then walked off.

"Bye." Cho yelled as she watched him leave.

The days leading up to the dance went much to fast. At least Cedric thought so. He wasn't sure how he was going to get through the dance. It was a few nights before the dance and Cedric was pacing the halls trying to figure out his golden egg. All it seemed to do was wail when he opened it. There had to be some sort of trick to it, but what? His concentration was interrupted when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He looked up to see a flash of white blonde hair, it was Draco. Cedric's heart started pounding as he took a closer look. Sure enough, Draco was walking up the hall with his head down. He seemed to be in deep thought and Cedric could hear him mumbling to himself. Draco walked right past Cedric without looking up and he could hear him saying,

"Father is so stupid. If he doesn't watch it, he'll land himself in Azkaban. The Dark Mark, why now?"

None of this seemed to make much sense to Cedric at first. Then it all came together. Draco's father had been a death eater. He must be worried. Cedric had seen the Dark Mark in the sky himself, at the Quidditch World Cup. It had been unsettling enough for him, how must Draco be feeling?

What if I followed him? In this state he can't be safe alone. I have to follow him.

So quietly Cedric followed Draco. They went down many more halls and up a few flights of stairs. He seemed to be on his way to the prefects' bathroom, why Cedric had no idea. They where now on the fifth floor and Cedric could see the statue of Boris the Bewildered. Sure enough, Draco said the password and went through the fourth door on the left.

Cedric was unsure what to do but he wasn't turning back now. He put the egg in his robe pocket, said the words, "Pine Fresh" and went in the door after Draco.

Once inside, he saw Draco sitting at the pools edge fiddling with one of the golden taps. He had discarded his robes and was now wearing what looked like swim shorts. A fluffy towel was slung over his a shoulder but he was wearing nothing more. Draco looked up but didn't seem surprised to see Cedric staring at him, he looked pleased. He calmly smiled and said,

"Would you like to join me?"

Without a second thought, Cedric took off his robes and was soon down to just his boxers. By this time, Draco had the water full and the bubbles ready.

Draco set his towel down and slid into the water. Cedric followed and felt a rush as the warm water touched his skin.

"I heard you talking to yourself earlier in the hall." He finally spoke.

"You are right to be afraid. I would be too if I were you. The Dark Lord's returning is something he wants to be feared."

"I don't like being afraid, it makes me feel weak." Draco smile faded as he said this.

"Why do I feel like you know me? When I am around you it's different, I feel like I can relax and be at peace. It's like you understand but how can you?"

"I know what you mean. I feel it too." Cedric replied.

"I used to feel so alone, like there was no one in the world that I could talk to. Then that night up in the Astronomy tower changed everything. You were there."

A small tear ran down Cedric's cheek.

"I have never been close to anyone before. My friends were tools to get me through life. I don't know if I can trust anyone." Draco said with uncertainty.

"Draco, I like you and I want to be with you. Let's just try this and see what happens, no commitment. We need each other right now." Cedric said. Then he swam over and put his arms around Draco, pulling him into a long hug.

"I've needed someone like you for so long." Draco whispered in Cedric's ear.

"It's hard being alone."

"Well, we're not alone anymore, we have each other." Cedric answered.

Draco nodded in agreement. He now had someone who cared about him. So many feelings whelmed up inside him that he needed to release them. He took his hands from where they had been wrapped around Cedric's waist and put them on each side of Cedric's face. Then in one smooth action he pulled Cedric's face up and then lowered his own to place his lips on Cedric's. Cedric's shock turned to pleasure.

Then they were interrupted by a noise, something rolled into the water. It was the egg. It hit the bottom of the pool and opened but it didn't wail this time. Instead they heard a song. The water made the words to the song indistinguishable but they heard what sounded like words.

Cedric and Draco both dove under the water to get a closer look. Once under the water they could hear the song plain as day.

1

"Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you're searching, ponder this:

We've taken what you'll surely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took,

But past an hour, the prospect's black,

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."

"What's that all about?" Draco asked when they had surfaced.

"Where did that egg come from?"

"It's mine, champion stuff." Cedric shrugged.

His mind was turning and he played the song through his head again.

What does it mean?

Then his eyes caught on the painting of the sleeping mermaid, and it all made sense.

He looked at Draco, who seemed very confused, and one line went through his mind.

We've taken what you'll surely miss.

Would they take Draco?

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

A/N: the title to this chapter is dedicated to a friend of mine who has been writing a Fic called Bath Towel. The plot of her fic is pretty disturbing because the pairing is Draco and Dumbledore. She asked that I name this chapter after her fic so I could write this little plug for her story. Even if you don't read it, you are still probably twitching with disgust and the thought is forever planted in your head. The words, Bath Towel, take on a whole new meaning.