The Conclusions
Harry liked going to Care of Magical Creatures because it was the only class where he and Ron could talk without vexation. On their first day back Hagrid didn't give them much work, so when the two finished they secluded themselves from the others inside the hut. Hermione wanted to accompany them, but Harry told her that they were going to have "guy talk". They sat at the table: Harry was hunched over in his chair while Ron was relaxed.
"I can't get what Cedric said at the Ball out of my mind. What should I do?"
"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it," Ron replied. "Have you talked to him about it?"
"No, he hasn't said much after that night. What if he's waiting for the right moment or something?"
"I'm not an expert Harry, but I think that if hasn't made a move yet then he must not want it that bad."
"I bet he's done it with his old boyfriend Adam before. Ugh, I'm so confused."
"Why don't you ask Sirius?"
"No! I'm not ready to tell him! He'll find out when everyone else does."
"I'm surprised you haven't told him yet. He's your godfather! Plus, I'm sure he's… been around."
"Don't say that!" Harry then glanced at the golden ring he wore and sighed. "Anyway, you're right; I should talk to Cedric. Tomorrow we're supposed to meet in the Pit."
"The Pit?"
"That's what we're calling the prefects' bathroom now."
-----
Harry nervously stood outside the Pit's door under his invisibility cloak. After a minute he finally uttered the password and went in, but then he couldn't move. Cedric had filled the pool with steaming water and bubbles, and he was swimming in there. His robes and two towels were lying near the picture of the mermaid. Then he noticed Harry taking off the cloak and motioned him to enter. A perplexed Harry slowly walked towards the pool while Cedric swam to him.
"What's all this for?"
"The golden egg, I can hear it underwater. Come in and listen." Cedric sensed that Harry was shy, so he reached out a hand and held his boyfriend's. "Do you feel comfortable with me? I mean, do mind me seeing you naked?"
"I need to tell you something… about what you said at the Ball. You… You said that you would like to do more with me than just dance and kiss… I know what more you want to do, and after I thought about it… I realized that I'm not ready to do it just yet." Then Cedric seriously peered into his boyfriend's green eyes.
"Harry, I would never force you to do it if you weren't apt for it. When I said that, I was just teasing you. I'm sorry that it affected you so deeply. Believe me, I would love to do it, but not if you don't."
"Thanks for understanding." Cedric kissed Harry's hand and then he started to undress. He slipped off his shirt, shoes, socks, then his pants, and finally his underwear. Cedric watched and grinned while Harry blushed.
"Babe, you are beautiful."
"Well, you saw me. Now let me see you." Cedric climbed out of the pool and Harry observed his wet, muscular body. "You're lovely!" Harry went over to him, and Cedric was expecting an embrace, but instead Harry pushed him in the water. Then Cedric surfaced and shook his head.
"What was that for?"
"That was for teasing me!" A smiling Harry jumped into the pool and splashed Cedric. Then they laughed and squirted water at each other for a while. "Hey, didn't you say something about the golden egg?"
"Oh yeah, follow me." They dived and Cedric grabbed his egg from the bottom of the pool. Then he opened it so Harry could hear the riddle inside. When it ceased they went up for air. "Did you figure it out?"
"I think so. There's merpeople, and they're going to take something we'll deeply miss, and we have to retrieve it within an hour, or it'll be gone forever."
"That's what I thought too!" There were rubber ducks floating in the water, and Cedric decided picked one up.
"I wasn't going to say anything earlier… but why are there rubber ducks in the pool?"
"Because I like them," and while saying that he squeezed it, making Harry chuckle.
"You like ducks, but you don't like penguins."
"Yeah, don't you think ducks are cute?"
"Not really."
Cedric playfully threw the toy at Harry, then he tossed it back, and soon it turned into a rubber duck brawl. Ducks were flying back and forth until Harry raised his hands to surrender. Cedric suddenly embraced him, but then he remembered that they were both nude. He tried to withdraw, but Harry was holding him tight.
"I thought you said…"
"We're not doing anything," Harry replied. "We're just hugging."
Cedric hugged back and planted kisses on Harry's neck. Harry caressed Cedric's back and loved the feel of his skin. Then Cedric's lips met Harry's and their tongues conflicted. Harry brushed Cedric's hair as his ass was being groped. When they stopped the two gazed in each other's eyes, and then Harry began rubbing his boyfriend's back again.
"I love you babe," Cedric moaned.
"I know love; I can feel your boner."
-----
The weeks flew by for Harry and Cedric after that night in the Pit. They still met every other night, and each time they took a bath and messed around with rubber ducks together. Harry never told Ron or Hermione anything, except that they weren't making love. One morning in the Great Hall Harry was talking with Ron when the Daily Prophet arrived. Normally Harry wouldn't glance at it, but that morning there was a picture of him and Cedric on the front page; the pretty-boy had his arm around Harry and they were smiling. He looked across the Hall at Cedric, and he seemed flustered. Harry himself turned crimson as he read the article.
Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory:
Hogwarts Champions… and Boyfriends?
Harry and Cedric are, without a doubt, studs, writes Rita
Skeeter. But, are they going steady? It is known that both
took lovely ladies to the Yule Ball, but witnesses state that
the two spent most of their time together conversing and
giggling.
"I saw them leave together," says Padma Patil, a perky
fourth-year student. "They were gone a long time before
coming back. They were probably snogging!"
This brings up an interesting question: Did Cedric put
Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire? It's plausible and
logical! Harry must have begged him to enter his name,
but why the goblet chose both as champions is still a
mystery.
"They wrote their names on the same piece of parchment,"
says Draco Malfoy, a handsome Slytherin in Harry's year.
"It's the only way both could've been chosen!"
That's one theory. And, for all we know, the two might be
helping each other with the tasks. If so, then it looks as if
Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum don't stand a chance against
Hogwarts' dynamic 'dating' duo.
After reading the piece Harry surveyed the Great Hall to find many people staring at him oddly, and some girls were giggling. He tried to find Cedric, but he had left. Then he turned to Ron and Hermione, who looked just as shocked as him. Others at the Gryffindor table gaped at him as well.
"Is it true," asked Neville. "Are you and Cedric going out?"
"No, it's not true," Harry flashed. "Rita Skeeter just made that up to make it look like Cedric entered my name in the goblet."
"I saw you two leave together also," Dean jumped in. "Were you two snogging?"
"No, we both went to the lavatory."
"Why did it take so long then?" Harry quickly raked his brain for an excuse and tried his best to lie.
"I had diarrhea." Suddenly everyone around him turned their heads in disgust. "I know it's nasty, that's why I didn't tell anyone. I let Cedric go before me, and when I came out he was still there to make sure I was ok. He's my friend, noting more." With that Harry got up and walked out of the Hall with Ron and Hermione.
"That was a brilliant tale," said Ron.
"I thought it was gross."
"I know Hermione," Harry replied, "but it was the only thing I could think of." As he said that Cedric approached him with a serious look on his face.
"Did you see the paper?"
"Who didn't," replied Hermione.
"That's libel what she did! Anyway, I saw you drop something." Cedric held out a folded piece of parchment and Harry took it. "See you around." Then he walked away, and Harry opened the note to scan it.
Harry my love,
I think that for the time being we shouldn't speak to each other, or look at each other, in public. We can still meet in the Pit, but only twice a week now. Once the tournament is over we will be free to love openly. I'll be thinking of you always babe.
XOXO Cedric XOXO
"What does it say," Hermione asked Harry.
"That's none of your business," Ron replied.
"He's my friend and yours too, so it's our business!"
"If that's how it is, then how come you didn't tell us your business with Viktor?"
"Stop arguing," shouted Harry. "You two are worse than… wait, nobody's worse than you two."……
