Disclaimer: Don't be ridiculous. Of course I don't own Harry Potter. A girl can wish though.
Cedric didn't think he'd ever been more excited to go back to school.
He'd had a good summer. He'd seen his friends. Visited Diagon Alley the day after Lockheart and Harry visited, much to his dismay. He'd read all his new school books, and practiced his Quidditch skills.
Mostly he'd practiced his Quidditch skills.
And Cedric Diggory wanted to show Hogwarts, wanted to show Harry, how great he was with a broomstick.
So it was with great trepidation that Cedric boarded the Hogwarts Express on September first. Cedric looked all over the platform for the shining, eager young face of Harry. He found Rhyss and Henry, he saw Fred and George with yet another Weasley, this time a girl, but for as long as he looked, he couldn't seem to find Harry, or Harry's Weasley. Cedric saw the bushy haired girl that Harry was friends with, but no Harry. Where was he?
Harry wasn't at the feast either. Had he been expelled during the summer? Had he dropped out of Hogwarts? Had he decided to stay living as a muggle? Different scenarios flew through Cedric's head, each more ridiculous than the last. Of course, as often happens at Hogwarts, the truth was the most ridiculous scenario of them all.
"You know Harry Potter and that Weasley kid? Yeah, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived? Yeah, apparently they flew a car into the Womping Willow. Isn't that wicked? Its too bad though, they'll probably be expelled, Snape's the one who found them."
Cedric's rampaging imagination came to a shuddering halt. Harry? Expelled? Crushed by the Womping Willow? Cedric spent the rest of the night in a waking daze, barely registering Dumbledore's speech and the walk down to the dormitories. Harry? Gone? Cedric felt betrayed. How could Harry do that to him? They weren't even friends yet!
Cedric's fears we're quelled the next morning when he heard the whole story. Yes those two second years had flown a car from London direct into the Womping Willow, but they got off with just a detention.
Word was, even Fred and George Weasley were jealous. Cedric knew he was jealous. Or he was, until he heard a shriek worthy of a banshee echo from the Gryffindor table.
A howler. The boys had received a howler.
An unusually loud one.
As the shouts echoed away the great hall sat in shocked silence. It was like the aftermath of a war. What just happened?
"Perhaps," Henry muttered into Cedric's ear, "now would be a good opportunity to get up and go."
"Yes, thats probably for the best." Rhyss agreed.
So the boys left the silent and awkward dining hall for their first class of their fourth year.
The year continued on as normally as years do in Hogwarts. Cedric gazed at Harry every chance he got. Cedric disliked Justin Flinch Flighty, some second year, more and more, because Justin would not stop talking about working with Harry Potter in Herbology.
Cedric had heard about the incident with Filch's cat. Who hadn't? But he didn't believe that Harry had done it. He couldn't have. He wouldn't! The Harry that Cedric knew was kind and forgiving, not vengeful and Slytherin.
Still, Cedric could hear the whispers. He made sure Rhyss and Henry didn't encourage them, but most of Hufflepuff would tell anyone who would listen that Harry was Slytherin's heir. To Cedric, the idea was preposterous, Harry deserved Hufflepuff's support, not their vicious gossip.
And so it was that on the day of the eagerly anticipated Gryffindor versus Slytherin game, Cedric could be found, decked out in Gryffindor scarlet. No one complained. The only other option was Slytherin after all.
The game was thrilling. While most of the students were laughing at Harry's aerobics on his boom, Cedric was in awe. Harry could fly. Harry was amazing! Harry was like a bird, he was graceful and beautiful and perfect and..
..and his arm had just snapped in half.
But he caught the snitch! Merlin's beard, that boy was unstoppable! He caught the snitch with a broken arm!
Cedric jumped and stomped and screamed with the rest of the non-Slytherin students. Harry was a Quidditch god!
After dinner Cedric sprinted up to the hospital wing, determined to give Harry the congratulations he deserved. He arrived in the hospital wing just as what looked like the entire house of Gryffindor was leaving. A few of them nodded at Cedric, but most were too busy praising Harry's flying ability to notice the fourth year Hufflepuff.
With bravery befitting a Gryffindor, Cedric steeled himself for the inevitable fight with Madam Pomfrey and strode into the hospital wing.
The fight never came. Pomfrey saw Cedric, and with a resigned sigh said, "Fine, but you are the last visitor, and only for five minutes!"
Harry looked up with a curious face, probably wondering who hadn't come to visit him yet. When he saw Cedric, he looked confused, like he wasn't quite sure who Cedric was, or what he was doing in the hospital wing.
"Hello Harry.." Oh god, Cedric panicked, 'He doesn't remember me! I'm making such a fool of myself!'
"Its, ah, its me. Cedric. Remember? From the.. from the zoo." Cedric finished, eyes downcast.
"Oh, yes I remember you. Hello Cedric." Harry replied kindly, if a little bewildered. "Um.. ah, sorry but is there something you needed to tell me?"
"No.. I mean, not really. I just wanted to say that you did a really good job during the game today.. "
"Thanks"
"Yeah and.. well, I don't want to seem rude but, well Idon'tthinkyou'retheheir!" Cedric said in one breath.
"I'm sorry, what was that last bit?"
"I don't think you're the heir, y'know, the heir of Slytherin... I'm sorry, you probably don't need to hear that."
"No Cedric, um.. thanks! Really. Its.. nice, to know that someone doesn't hate me."
"How could they hate you? No, no Harry they don't hate you. They're just scared. They'll get over it, I'm sure. Especially after your catch today. That was something else! With your arm broken and all, I mean wow, just.. wow..completely amazing.. wow.."
Cedric broke off, red faced, and hung his head. Why did he have to rant like that? Why couldn't he just act calm and collected around Harry? He looked up slowly, expecting Harry to be mocking him, but instead what he saw made something in his stomach flutter. Harry looked pleased. More than pleased. He looked almost joyous. Smiling like a maniac, Harry opened his mouth to say,
"Alright boys you've had your five minutes. Mr. Potter you need rest! You have to re-grow thirty-three bones! Get to it!"
What? Could Madam Pomfrey possibly have worse timing? Cedric left the hospital in a huff, stopping only once to look back and grin happily at Harry, who grinned just as happily back.
Interruptions aside, that may have been the best conversation of Cedric's short life. He walked the whole way to his dormitory with a significant bounce in his step.
The bounce continued into the next morning, as Cedric left his dormitory for breakfast.
The bounce receded when Cedric heard the news. Some first year Gryffindor had been petrified during the night. The malicious were saying it was a first year that Harry Potter didn't like.
The evidence against Harry was mounting, but really, Cedric just couldn't believe it to be true. Not only because of his status, but because of last night: the relief, and joy, on Harry's face wasn't faked. It just couldn't have been faked; the emotion was too real. Harry wasn't that kind of actor.
'Maybe Harry Potter is a great actor… maybe that's how he defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.. by convincing him..'
No, no, no. Not possible. Cedric shut down the evil voice in his head. Harry was a baby that Halloween, it wouldn't matter how great an actor he is now; he wasn't an actor then.
'But still, he could be an actor now.'
No, Harry wouldn't lie to him, Cedric was sure.
'How can you be sure? Harry doesn't even know you!'
Cedric's conviction was wearing thin, or it was, until he walked into the Great Hall and saw Harry. Harry looked so forlorn, so lost, those were not the feelings of a murderer. Harry Potter was not the heir of Slytherin.
Still, Cedric decided to watch Harry for a few days, to see if his mask would slip. To see if there were any mask at all.
Cedric didn't have to wait long to test Harry's mask. In fact, Cedric didn't have to approach Harry at all. Walking to charms, he literally bumped into Harry. Harry, who had been running full out down the hallway, fell on the floor after the impact.
"Hello again, Harry." Cedric greeted as he pulled Harry up from the floor. Harry smiled slightly,
"Hey Cedric," he replied, still out of breath from his sprint down the hall.
"Where's the fire?"
Cedric could have smacked himself. Where had that come from? i 'Where's the fire? /i What a stupid thing to say. Surprisingly however, Harry laughed.
"I had to go back to my dorm to get my essay for Snape, and I'm going to be late for potions." Harry suddenly looked worried and frantic.
"Well, I won't hold you up then, see you Harry."
"Yeah, see you later Cedric.."
And he was off, sprinting down the hall just as recklessly as before.
'No mask dropping there. Haha' Cedric gloated to his brain.
'What do you expect him to do, yell 'I'm the heir!'? Are you mad? And why are you gloating to your own conscience?'
Cedric chose to ignore that last statement, fearing for his sanity, and entered the charms room, no closer to a decision on Harry's innocence.
Cedric didn't actually see Harry later, or he did, but they didn't have another conversation.
Cedric had heard the rumor's that Harry's next victim was Justin. Well, rumor was a bit much, he'd heard Ernie yelling it to the whole common room. Poor Justin. The idea was ridiculous, but Ernie had Justin hiding out in his dorm whenever he wasn't in class.
Still one morning at breakfast, something very suspect happened. Maybe that rumor wasn't so 'ridiculous' after all. Cedric was approached by Harry as he was leaving the Hall.
"Hey, Cedric, wait.."
"Yeah?"
"Have you seen Justin? He's a second year in your house."
Yes of course I've seen him, he's in the common room, hiding from YOU!
"No, um, I don't think he came down to breakfast."
"Oh, alright.."
"Why?"
"No reason really, I just want to tell him something."
Tell him, or attack him?
"Right, well bye Harry."
"Bye."
Harry walked away, looking as lost as usual. This conversation however, Harry hadn't smiled, not once. Maybe that was why Cedric changed his mind. Maybe that was why when Cedric rushed out of the Transfiguration room, his hair still looking like it belonged on a badger, he didn't tell Ernie to be quiet. Maybe that was why, when he saw Justin frozen on the floor, he looked at Harry with the same accusatory stare as everyone else in the hallway.
Whatever the reason, Cedric had made up his mind. Harry was the heir of Slytherin, and Cedric was furious.
How DARE he? How dare Harry turn his back on Cedric, on his parents, on the light! Killing anyone who isn't a pureblood! Harry belonged in Slytherin!
Cedric avoided Harry after that. He ate meals at strange times, took the long way to charms, did everything possible to avoid seeing Harry Potter. Cedric couldn't bare the sight of his former hero. 'Ohh,' Cedric raged, 'HOW DARE HE!'
While this evasive tactic worked only in keeping the two separate, Cedric's anger didn't abate at all. Even on the day of the Hufflepuff verse Gryffindor game, Cedric was furious.
Still, he hadn't seen Harry in so long that his anger was just beginning to lessen, when something happened to bring it surging back into his mind.
"Hey, Cedric, wait!"
Oh, it was HIM, probably coming to gloat about Justin. Maybe taunt him with hints about who was next. Or exhibit his wonderous acting skills, the Slytherin snake.
"Harry." Cedric greeted, coldly.
Harry seemed taken aback by the anger. "Cedric, what's wrong?"
'Oh, that boy and his acting. He wants to know whats wrong? Well then, he can know whats wrong!'
"You want to know what's wrong Harry? Let's start with Justin, shall we? Justin was just being honest with you, telling you about Eton. He was thrilled to work with you in Herbology, used to talk about it non-stop in the common room. But he doesn't any more. And why is that Harry? Hmm? Maybe its because you attacked him! You with your sad, lost, innocent face. Yeah. I see through you and your feeble acting skills. Why did you come over here Harry? Was it to gloat? To BRAG?"
Cedric took a deep breath, preparing to continue his rant, when he was interrupted by a small voice.
"Oh, I see. Well, Cedric, I guess I'm sorry you feel that way."
And just like that, Harry walked away. With that stupid, pitiful look on his face, hiding the smug bastard lurking within. He walked away without even apologizing for attacking Justin. Who does he think he is?
Cedric was distracted by his teammates after that. And his thoughts turned to the upcoming match.
This match was going to be brilliant. This match was going to be wonderful. This match was... cancelled?
He couldn't believe it. It was cancelled? Why? He had to beat Harry! Had Harry attacked someone on his way down to the match? He was fast!
Cedric returned to the common room, and sat down on one of the chairs to listen to Professor Sprout. She probably came to tell them that someone from Ravenclaw was gone now, and that Harry was expelled.
"Students, as you have probably realized, there was been another attack. A double attack. One Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater..."
…'Yeah, knew it, Harry was making sure every house got one…'
"… And" Sprout said the next name extremely slowly, as if she couldn't really believe it, "Hermione Granger.."
Oh no.
Oh gods.
What had he done? Cedric almost died from the shame. How could he have believed it was Harry? Of course it wasn't Harry! Harry would never, ever, have attacked Hermione. Everyone knew about the Goldren Trio. They were inseparable.
Everyone else in the common room seemed to be having similar thoughts.
What had they done?
Cedric knew he had to apologize as soon as possible. Harry had to forgive him! They had been so close to becoming friends.
What had he done?
Cedric waited nervously for the next time they would be allowed into the Great Hall. Other than during meals, Cedric would never have a chance to see Harry, what with all the new precautions.
Cedric nearly pounced on Harry the moment he walked in.
"Harry!" Harry merely looked at him, and kept walking. Not to be hindered, Cedric called again, "Harry please!"
"What Cedric?" Two words. Two words that really shouldn't have that much bite in them.
"I'm.. I'm sorry." Cedric faltered. He really couldn't apologize for what he had done. Harry had trusted him as a believer, and Cedric had turned his back.
"You know Cedric, I'm not sure I believe you."
And Harry was gone. Just like that. Cedric knew it wouldn't be easy. But he didn't think it would be this hard.
He tried during the next few meals to gain Harry's attention. Sometimes Harry would glance at him with a sad look on his face. Mostly he ignored him.
Cedric did notice one thing, Harry was always with Ron.
Ron was a real friend. Ron had stood by Harry. Ron hadn't caved in to some rumors, and coincidences, Ron had been a real friend to Harry.
Cedric found himself jealous of Ron. Jealous of his loyalty. Maybe Ron should be in Hufflepuff.
But no, Ron went beyond loyal, Ron was brave to stay near Harry through it all.
'Hermione was brave as well, and look where It got her.'
'Yeah, well, I was a coward, and look where it got me.'
Cedric didn't give up though. He kept approaching Harry. He approached Harry up until they got the notice that Ginny Weasley had been taken into the Chamber.
And then, Cedric prayed. Because he knew, he knew that Harry would go after her. That was who Harry was.
And he was right of course. Harry did go after her. And he saved her, saved the school from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, once again. Harry wasn't the heir at all. Harry was the one who saved them all.
During the feast that night, Cedric didn't see Harry frown once. He didn't frown when Hermione ran in, yelling, 'You solved it!' He didn't frown when Justin went over to apologize endlessly, he didn't frown when Hagrid, fresh from Azkaban, threw him into the trifle, he didn't frown when he won two hundred points for Gryffindor, he didn't frown once, all night.
He didn't frown until he met Cedric's eyes.
Harry frowned then.
Harry's eyes frowned almost more than his mouth. Their vibrant green lost its vibrancy. It was as if his eyes were saying, 'Why?'
And Cedric knew that it would take more than a feeble 'sorry' to gain back Harry Potter's friendship.