A/N: I like cough syrup.

And I believe this may call for a proper introduction, and well
Don't you see, I'm the narrator and this is just the prologue

Swear to shake it up, if you swear to listen
Oh, we're still so young, desperate for attention
I aim to be your eyes, trophy boys, trophy wives

-Panic! at the Disco. Song: The only difference between suicide and martyrdom is press coverage.

Blue Roses.

Chapter twenty-four: I aim to be...

Cedric and Skye sat together in Defense Against the Dark Arts, scribbling violently as they attempted to complete their quiz in time.

"Time's up!" Professor Moody growled. "Hand in your tests and pack up your stuff. I'll see you all on Monday."

Skye swung her bag over her shoulder and quickly shoved her books into it, eager to get to lunch. She brought her test to the front of the classroom and headed toward the door.

"You," Moody growled. "Stay here. I'm not done with you."

Skye stopped abruptly, rolling her eyes before turning around.

"See you at lunch," Skye muttered to Cedric over her shoulder before strutting to Moody's desk.

"Sit," he said, flicking his wand and creating a chair. Skye paused before taking a seat in the chair, watching as Moody paced. He flicked his hip-flask open and took a swig of its contents as his blue eye swivelled in its socket, absorbing the room.

"So..." he began, his blue eye first looking at her face, then her bag, then her wrist, then back to her face. "So..."

"Yes, sir?"

"What do you think of Cedric in the third task, eh?"

"Well I'm proud of him, he's in first, and..."

"But it's dangerous!" Moody said loudly, cutting Skye off. "People have gotten killed in that maze!" Moody stopped pacing, and began leaning into Skye, the strong smell of something raunchy emitting off of him. "He is in grave danger! Do you realize what you could be doing letting him do this? You could be killing him!"

"Err...well..."

"You have to think of his safety before his pride! The first two tasks were fun and games but now, oh it's dangerous now."

"Worse than dragons?"

"FAR WORSE!" he snapped, causing Skye to fall backwards from her chair. "You need to be scared! Death is possible! Is that what you want?"

"No," she muttered, standing up and pulling the chair with her.

"Well then, you're dismissed."

- - -

"Please, Cedric, you have to listen to me, he said it's more difficult than dragons!"

Cedric and Skye sat together in the library. He was trying to help her get some last minute Charms studying in before the exam; he was exempt because of the tournament.

"I entered this for a reason, Skye. This is it, this is my big chance, I'm not going to lose my pride over it. I entered this knowing it was going to be dangerous."

"Ced, you've always been the one with common sense in this relationship. Use it!"

"I trust Professor Dumbledore. I trust that he has this protected and that he will make sure no one gets injured."

"I know, I know, but there's still risk!"

Cedric placed his hand gently on Skye's cheek and massaged it with his thumb.

"I'm more scared then you are. Please, just support me. Please."

Skye brushed off an oncoming tear. "All right."

"Now, let's get some work done. What is the incantation for a hair-growing charm?"

- - -

The next evening, after Skye's charms exam was over, she plopped down next to Cedric in the chintz armchair by the fire in the common room.

"How was it?" he asked.

"All right," Skye replied. "The written went average, a few I couldn't answer. The practical went great; the only time I messed up was when the examiner asked me to perform a nonverbal Aqua Erupto charm but instead I set his sleeve on fire..."

Cedric smiled at her from the corner of his mouth.

"Let's celebrate!" Skye said, standing up and sitting on Cedric's lap.

"Don't you have to study for Potions tomorrow?"

"It's Potions. You're more important."

They both stood and Cedric grabbed Skye by the wrist, leading her up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. After making sure there was no one in there, he closed the door behind him and, with a 'click', he locked the door. She immediately threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. She threw him onto his bed and ripped his shirt off, revealing his chiseled yet slightly scarred chest from his encounter with the dragon. She kissed down the longest scar that lead down his stomach before taking him away to passion.

- - -

NEWT week crawled by, every day more painful than the last. Wednesday was Skye's Potions exam which Skye felt she had received an 'Outstanding' on; Thursday was History of Magic in the morning which Skye felt she had received a 'Troll' on and Astronomy in the afternoon and evening which she was questionable about; Monday was a messy Transfiguration exam; Tuesday was Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy to tie up her exams.

"I am officially done school," Skye said to Cedric as they sat outside to celebrate exams being over. "I no longer have to study, or take notes. No longer do I have to deal with Snape, or any of that. I'm done. This is weird."

"Next stop is the working world."

"Oh, don't remind me!" Skye said, giving a shiver. "I still don't know what I want to do."

"I thought you wanted to work in my dad's office!"

"I changed my mind."

"What's wrong with my dad, eh?" Cedric said, grabbing Skye by the sides and tickling her. "Not a good enough boss?"

Skye giggled loudly. "Stop it!" she cried, giving a squeal. "Stop tickling me!"

"I don't think I will."

Skye kicked and laughed uncontrollably. "Stop it, I can't breathe, I can't breathe!"

As soon as Cedric stopped tickling her she launched on top of him and tickled him in revenge.

"Ok, ok, you win!" he declared, when he was out of breath. She lay on top of him, running her fingers through his hair, moving up and down with his breathing.

"I've been thinking," Cedric said.

"About?"

"Well, spare our...temporary setback...we've been together for five years. That's a long time."

"Yeah."

"And we're almost out of school. We're both of age now."

"And?"

"I'm going to assume that we're never going to be with anyone else, other than each other."

"Of course not!" Skye said.

"Well...I ...Skye, what I'm trying to get at is, once we get our priorities straight and our jobs figured out and our housing all done and all that; we should get married."

"Married?" Skye asked, shocked.

"It's too soon, isn't it?"

"It's perfect!"

Cedric reached over beside him, picked a flower and wrapped it around Skye's ring finger.

"Consider this a promise ring," he said. "It isn't much, but I don't have any money so..."

"It's perfect, just like everything!"

- - -

George stood, leaning on a tree, watching Skye and Cedric. He couldn't help but feel a tug at his heartstrings every time he saw the two of them together.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked off. He always felt upset about Skye and Cedric being together, knowing he lied to her, but he refused to ever say anything to Skye about how he felt; they were so happy together...

- - -

A/N: I really like cough syrup :)