A/N: Warning: fluff. I'm sorry. I heart fluff. Fluffy, like those weird Persian cats when they've just been blow-dried. Go sweet analogies!

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year.

-Pink Floyd. Song: Wish You Were Here

Blue Roses.

Chapter fifteen: Hide and Seek.

Cedric sat, leaning against the tree by the lake, flipping through the Hufflepuff team captain's notes for him. He had survived day one of his fourth year; Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, Charms and History of Magic. He was having a bit of a rough day, and he couldn't wait for some rest and relaxation. He looked out onto the lake as the sun glittered off of it. He admired the way the surface never broke, and it looked completely calm. He wished things were that simple.

He thought of the way Skye constantly pushed him off. He felt as if he was doing something wrong. Did she not like him anymore? He shivered at the thought. He thought he was probably putting too much pressure on her.

He saw Skye flouncing towards him, her hair long, brown and in a braid that lined her back. He smiled, knowing that whatever her reason to avoid contact was, it didn't matter; she was perfect the way she was.

"Hey," she said, as she sat beside him. "What're you reading?"

"Oh, notes," he replied.

"That's cool."

There was an awkward pause as they both stared out on the lake as the sun slowly moved down into the lake, appearing as if it was melting into the lake.

"Perfect," Skye muttered. Cedric grasped her hand and smiled at her.

"Just like you."

Skye looked down at the ground, blushing.

"We need to talk," she said, her voice unusually cool. "There's something I need to tell you that I've been hiding from you."

"What is it?" Cedric asked, placing his hand on her cheek and turning her head towards him.

"It...has to do with your advances," Skye said, stuttering slightly. "Why I've been avoiding them."

"Am I doing something wrong?"

"Of course not, you could never do anything wrong. It's me. It's my past. Whenever we get close, it comes back to haunt me."

"Skye, what is it?" Cedric said, concern on his face.

"My uncle," Skye began, fighting off tears. "When I was young he...he raped me. Many times. Whenever he babysat me, he hurt me, Cedric, he hurt me!"

Skye broke out into tears and put her head on Cedric's chest.

"Did you ever tell anyone?"

"I couldn't! He threatened me, he said he'd hurt me if I did!"

Cedric held Skye's head, rocking her back and forth. "It's over now. We don't have to worry about that now. It's over, it's ok, and we definitely don't have to do that. I'm ready when you are."

"Cedric, just getting it off my shoulders...it helps. Thank you for listening."

"It's what I'm here for."

"I'll be ready someday. And you'll be here, right?"

"Right. Come on, let's go inside. You have to go see Professor Dumbledore, right?"

Skye nodded, and Cedric stood up, pulling her up as well.

- - -

Skye stood beside the gargoyle that lead to Professor Dumbledore's office, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Are you sure I can't go in? I have an appointment set."

The gargoyle gave a bark of laughter, "of course you can't. I'm not that easy."

Skye pulled out her wand and practiced her summoning charms.

"Accio book," she said, sending a book flying to her. "Accio mouse."

"Good to see you're practicing."

Professor Dumbledore had come out of his office, and had watched Skye perform her charms.

"Though, I must say you lack the correct flick of wrist."

Skye looked up at him, and a smile flickering in the corner of her mouth.

"Come now, let us proceed inside my quarters."

Skye followed Dumbledore past the stone gargoyle, up the spiral staircase and through the wooden doors. Dumbledore sat down at his desk, and ushered Skye to sit before him.

"What can I help you with on this fine Tuesday evening?"

"It's something I heard this Summer. When I was in the Ministry of Magic with Amos and Cedric, I stumbled upon the Department of Mysteries."

Dumbledore shook his head, smiling. "I'm sure you just stumbled upon it. Pardon me, continue."

"Well, when we were there, we went into the Hall of Prophecies, and we found a prophecy relating to myself."

"Did you really?" Dumbledore said, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes," Skye continued. "And it scared the wits out of me. It...it went like so: 'This is her fate; she whom is the lone daughter of Severus Snape, born in the waning of Summer during times of great peril, will be the one who changes the fate of our kind. It shall be she who chooses whether the ones to prevail will be light or darkness; this is her fate.'"

Dumbledore linked his fingers together and stared at them. "Curious, very curious."

"What do I do, Professor? Does it relate to You-Know-Who, or something greater than that?"

Dumbledore looked up at Skye through his half-moon spectacles.

"I believe this is something you'll have to find out on your own."

- - -

3 years later.

"...something you'll have to find out on your own."

Skye looked up from the blank piece of parchment, little interest on her face. She closed her eyes, feeling sleep take over. Her head drooped, and she didn't hear Professor Snape approach her. He slammed the book that was open on her desk closed, making Skye jump.

"Do you find my class a bore, Miss Cunningham?"

"Well, though I find the Draught of Living Death and yourself a bore, your class, if taught by someone more qualified than yourself would be much less a bore."

Professor Snape's face turned red as the class began to stifle laughs around him.

"If you wish to be so pompous, make me a Draught of Living Death. Failure to do so will result in plenty of time in detention with myself, the bore."

Professor Snape stomped off to the front of the class, where he resumed his speech.

"As I was trying to say, before I was so rudely interrupted, now that we are at NEWT level, you will have to find out most of these things on your own. I am no longer here to push you along; rather, an assessor..."

"What're you so tired from?" Chad whispered to Skye, as she yawned again.

"It was Cedric..."

"Doing the horizontal Monster Mash?" Chad asked, giggling.

"No, no. We were doing research on the Triwizard Tournament. He really wants to enter, but I suggested we do a little research first. See previous tasks, injuries, deaths...and so on. Things happen, you know."

"I'm so excited about our little Cedric becoming a big man! I hope he gets in, can you imagine him all hot and sweaty as he fights off Flobberworms or whatever?"

Skye stifled a laugh as she pulled out her cauldron and weights. She then went over to the ingredients cupboard where she pulled out a few things before returning to her desk and beginning work.

"I'm so proud of him," Skye whispered. "Look at him! Captain of the Quidditch team, Head Boy, top marks in all his classes, he got all his OWLs, he's become so attractive he's like a magnet, and he's going to compete in the Triwizard Tournament!"

"Oh, and look at yourself, Mrs. Most-wanted-girl-in-Hufflepuff, Exceeds Expectations on all your OWLs, best Potions student seen in years..."

"Ironic, isn't it, that Potions is my best class, with him teaching," Skye said, nodding towards Snape.

"He's just a bundle of joy, isn't he," Chad said sarcastically.

"This," Skye pointed to her potion, "isn't a problem. I could do this in fifth year! I'll have it done better than he could ever do it."

Skye wasn't kidding. When she finished the drought and brought it to the front of the class, Professor Snape examined it, mumbling to himself knowing that there was nothing that he could deduct marks for. He told Skye that she was off the hook and sent her out, grumbling angrily to himself for passing his Potions talents to his daughter.

"Cedric!" Skye called, when she saw Cedric standing in the hallway, his eyes searching for her. He had, though thought impossible, become even more handsome since their fourth year. He had grown even taller, though barely, and had become even more built. His smile had straightened out and his lips plumped, his eyes becoming more daring.

"Skye!" he cried, running to her and picking her up. They kissed passionately before Cedric put Skye back on the ground and they walked down the hall hand-in-hand.

"How was Potions?"

"Atrocious! And Ancient Runes?"

"Couldn't have been more boring. I have something to show you after a bite of supper, though!"

Skye smiled up at him, and they entered the Great Hall, all eyes on them. Through the grapevine, Skye had heard that they were the talk of the town; the perfect couple, they had been called by many. This wasn't a word of a lie; to all eyes, they were.

After they had a fabulous dinner, courtesy of the house elves, Cedric took Skye by the hand and led her upstairs. Skye had lost track of the flights of stairs up and down they took until she found they were in an unfamiliar corridor.

"Wait here," Cedric said, letting go of Skye's hand. He began to pace past and empty space in the wall. After he passed it three times, a door materialized where the blank wall once stood.

"Follow me," Cedric said, walking through the door. Skye followed him, and found herself in a large room, dim with candlelight. It smelled of sweet roses, and there were rose petals that lead from the doorway to a large bed.

"You, you said you were ready. So I thought..."

Cedric's sentence was cut off as Skye ran and jumped on to him, throwing him onto the bed. She kissed him passionately, her tongue darting in and out of his mouth. Cedric let out a soft moan as Skye unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his chiseled chest and stomach. She began to kiss down, reaching farther and farther...

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Cedric asked, his breathing becoming shorter as she began to hastily unbutton his trousers.

"Never been more sure of anything."

And with that sentence, the pair took each other to places of ecstacy rarely though possible.

- - -

A/N: I'm sorry about the time skip, last one, I promise. Things are really gonna get GOOD. So, be patient. Thanks to all my readers & reviewers, I love you all.