This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Word Count: 1460

Title: Don't Ask, Can't Tell

Note: Muggle!AU, Soldier!AU, Crossdresser!AU Cedric. Gay!Harry/Draco. Inspired By Klaus in Umbrella Academy and his year as a soldier.

Warnings: War, Homophobia, transfobia, fat shaming, and bullying.

Beta: herochick007

Quidditch League:

[Team]: Pride Of Portree

[Position] Captain

[Theme]: Quidditch Supplies

[Prompts]

[Theme]: Book Club

[Prompts]: [colour] Periwinkle Blue

[Theme]: Pokemon

[Prompts]: (genre) angst, [#330.] Flygon: Write about someone hiding from others

XX Cedric XX

Cedric had that dream again, he shook his head to clear his mind, and his eyes roamed the tent. He saw the sleeping men, and the smallest hint of moonlight coming into the tent, it looked almost silver. He loved silver, it used to be his favourite colour growing up, and if he were honest, it still was. He remembered the good old days, before his mother left, he was only four, and was sitting cross-legged in front of the full length bathroom mirror with his mother's make up, carefully closing on eye, and using the tiny brush to put the silver eyeshadow all over his eyelid, first one eye, then the other. He heard a snore, and was shook from his memories. It was Harry Potter. He could tell the difference by now, which he supposed was another unusual thing about him.

Potter's father was an Army Veteran as well, so it was hard to compete with the legacy. Cedric was slightly jealous of the younger man, as he seemed to have a natural talent and agility at the obstacle courses they ran. Despite his constant bickering with their other bunk mate, Draco Malfoy, the two of them were always top of the class. Deployment, however, was not like training. Cedric suppressed a shudder as he remembered the first time confronted with enemy gunfire.

Of course, lieutenants Malfoy and Potter were bickering again.

"Take cover!" Cedric shouted, and they fell down, hiding in the trench they had been digging that same day. 'Just in time,' Cedric had thought as he grabbed his rifle, aiming fire at the enemy troops, and the rest of the squadron followed suit. He couldn't help but snigger when Potter said. "Don't be such a princess, Malfoy," as Malfoy complained about his brand new boots getting covered in mud. Why Malfoy was in the army, Cedric wouldn't hazard to guess, but it was none of his business, after all.

"Up and at-em, boys," their leader, Colonel Dumbledore said, his periwinkle blue eyes making Cedric wonder which colour eyeshadow would bring out that natural sparkle even more. The Colonel was an old man, with grey hair, and a beard almost like Santa Claus. He had a wiry frame, and wore strange half-moon spectacles. Cedric jumped out of bed, rubbing his eyes to pretend he hadn't been awake for hours. As soon as the Colonel disappeared, Cedric overheard Malfoy muttering to Potter.

"It's going to be so easy to kill you and make it look like an accident."

"Oh really, Malfoy, would love to see you try," Potter smirked.

"None of that, guys, we are supposed to be a team," Cedric said in a defeated voice, the nightmares clearly hadn't been plaguing them as much at night.

It wasn't ten minutes, before all the beds were made, and even Lieutenant Longbottom had his bed made and the men went to the food tent for food. Cedric took his tray, and watched the man load it up with something grey, that didn't resemble oatmeal in the slightest. Cedric watched the two men, despite them both sitting at different spots in the tent, their eyes kept flickering to the other man, curiously Potter would watch Malfoy eat, and pretend to be interested in his own meal if Malfoy's eyes left his own food.

Cedric wondered if anyone thought about the fact that he was a couple of years older than them, all the rest of the Hogwarts Squadron were only eighteen or nineteen, fresh out of high school. He remembered that day only too well, he shuddered, taking another mouthful of food. It didn't help to dwell on the past, and his father's disappointment wasn't able to reach him here.

"Pansy child!" His father screamed, coming across Cedric wearing a full length silver dress, complete with red high heels, Cedric was doing his make-up, about to go out for the night, before his father arrived home from work. His final addition- a red wig, was still on his dressing table. His father's rough, calloused hand smacked his face, and Cedric felt it stringing where his father smacked him. "I always knew there was something queer about you!"

"Father, I…" Cedric didn't know what to say. That it was normal? That he wasn't gay? That he just liked pretty things? His father would never understand that.

"Get that off right now, boy! I knew there was a reason you didn't want to enroll in the army, and I have had enough of this nansy bullshit, if I can't beat it out of you, the army sure can."

'Shit,' Cedric thought. He knew there would be no getting out of it now. He had managed to sneak away every Friday night for three years, and despite his regret at his father catching him, he didn't regret who he was. After his father had a couple of drinks, he snuck out, he made sure to change, he didn't want to look dishevelled on his last night at the bar. His silver dress had been ruined in his father's fury, so he removed the bottom of his closet, removing a red satin dress. He made sure his foundation was fixed, covering up the bruise he was sure would be purple the next day.

He got into his car, starting the engine, and holding his breath for a noise from inside the house, but his father was out cold.

He reached the bar, and stopped his car in the usual spot. The manager, Madam Rosmerta appeared looking livid. Cedric knew he was late… He just hoped she would understand.

"Celia!" she said angrily. "I thought you wanted this job, how do I explain to the customers waiting to see you that you just decided to not show up for work this evening?"

Cedric felt himself flush. "I'm sorry, Rosmerta."

"Celia, I don't want excuses, just get out there and do what I'm paying you for, got it?" she said in annoyance.

Cedric nodded. As soon as he got up on stage, he felt his worries melt away as he swayed to the music, singing and letting himself be carried by the music. The audience's eyes were trained on him, and only him. There was something so comforting in knowing that they were all here to see him, well, Celia anyway. After his shift was over, he went to the bar to get a beer, and Rosmerta came up to him.

"Celia, something is going on, isn't it?"

He nodded, sipping, looking for the words. "My father doesn't approve of me singing," he said. 'That's an understatement,' Cedric added to himself.

Rosmerta gasped. "Dear child, he didn't!"

"He forbade me to come here anymore, I came to resign." He ignored her gasps, knowing that she was well aware of what had happened, despite his attention to detail, there was no ignoring that mark on his face.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked, but Cedric just shook his head.

"Well, that's really bad news, the customers are really drawn to you, dear," she said, her voice soft, despite the frosty edge Cedric knew was directed at his father.

"I love it here, performing, it's a passion," Cedric said softly, taking another sip of his beer. "But it's over now."

Rosmerta nodded sadly. "Take care of yourself, darling."

"I will," Cedric promised her.

Grinning to himself, he wondered what his father would think if he found Cedric's secret clothing and make up stash in the bottom of his dresser. He doubted his father would go as far as picking up floorboards, no matter how often the room had been tossed up in an attempt to get to Cedric's unnatural things. He finished his oatmeal, and went to the sink to rinse out his bowl. He wondered how many of the other men noticed things that other's ignored.

"Hey, Diggory," he heard a voice, and spotted the messy hair of Potter grinning at him.

"Potter," he replied.

"You know Malfoy isn't serious," he said by way of explanation. Cedric just nodded. "He is a bit of a prat, isn't he?" Potter added, looking over at the table where the other male sat, playing with his food.

"I suppose," Cedric replied in his quiet way.

"Diggory, why are you older than us?" he asked, the curiosity was genuine, but Cedric wasn't sure how to tell him, without explaining the whole sordid affair.

"I don't see how it matters," Cedric said, although he was showing no signs of panic, his heart was beating in his throat.

"Fair enough, don't ask, right?" Potter grinned, pushing his messy hair out of his face.

"Exactly," Cedric agreed.

Maybe he would tell them, one day, when he understood it himself.