Chapter Five: Falling Water Droplets

Present Day - Room of Requirement

At the end of an hour, Harry called a halt.

ʹYouʹre getting really good,ʹ he said, beaming around at them. ʹWhen we get back from the holidays we can start doing some of the big stuff ‐ maybe even

Patronuses.ʹ

There was a murmur of excitement. The room began to clear in the usual twos

and threes; most people wished Harry a ʹHappy Christmasʹ as they went. Feeling

cheerful, he collected up the cushions with Ron and Hermione and stacked them

neatly away.

Ron and Hermione left before he did; he hung back a little. He thought he might get a head-start on his lesson ideas for next term. Besides, he had a suspicion that Malfoy might show up later, wanting to get in one more dueling session before leaving for the Manor for the holidays...

Harry turned and saw Cho standing in the middle of the room, tears pouring down her face.

ʹWha—?ʹ

He didnʹt know what to do. She was simply standing there, crying silently.

ʹWhatʹs up?ʹ he said, feebly.

She shook her head and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

ʹIʹm ‐ sorry,ʹ she said thickly. ʹI suppose... itʹs just... learning all this stuff... it just

makes me... wonder whether... if heʹd known it all... heʹd still be alive.ʹ

Harryʹs heart sank right back past its usual spot and settled somewhere around

his navel. He took a deep breath, trying in vain to clear some of the weight that had settled on his chest.

ʹHe did know this stuff,ʹ Harry said heavily. ʹHe was really good at it, or he could never have got to the middle of that maze. But if Voldemort really wants to kill you, you donʹt stand a chance.ʹ

She hiccoughed at the sound of Voldemortʹs name, but stared at Harry without flinching.

ʹYou survived when you were just a baby,ʹ she said quietly.

ʹYeah, well,ʹ said Harry wearily, moving towards the door, ʹI dunno why nor

does anyone else, so itʹs nothing to be proud of.ʹ

ʹOh, donʹt go!ʹ said Cho, sounding tearful again. ʹIʹm really sorry to get all upset

like this... I didnʹt mean to...ʹ

She hiccoughed again... Harry felt thoroughly miserable...

ʹI know it must be horrible for you,ʹ she said, mopping her eyes on her sleeve

again. ʹMe mentioning Cedric, when you saw him die…'

Harry flinched as she said it - actually said it out loud.

She continued, 'I suppose you just want to forget about it?ʹ

I could never forget about it, he thought to himself, but he said nothing.

ʹYouʹre a r‐really good teacher, you know,ʹ said Cho, with a watery smile. ʹIʹve

never been able to Stun anything before.ʹ

Thanks,ʹ said Harry awkwardly.

They looked at each other for a long moment. Harry felt a burning desire to run

from the room and, at the same time, a complete inability to move his feet.

ʹMistletoe,ʹ said Cho quietly, pointing at the ceiling over his head.

ʹYeah,ʹ said Harry. His mouth was very dry. ʹItʹs probably full of Nargles, though.ʹ

ʹWhat are Nargles?ʹ

ʹNo idea,ʹ said Harry. She had moved closer. His brain seemed to have been

Stunned. ʹYouʹd have to ask Loony. Luna, I mean.ʹ

Cho made a funny noise halfway between a sob and a laugh. She was even

nearer to him now. He could have counted the freckles on her nose.

ʹI really like you, Harry.ʹ

He could not think. A tingling sensation was spreading through him, paralysing

his arms, legs and brain.

She was much too close. He could see every tear clinging to her eyelashes…

And then she was kissing him.

It was like Harry's brain had shut down partially. He could only stand there while she moved her chapped lips against his, scraping slightly. He could still hear her sniffling.

He could taste the salt of her tears.

Immediately, Harry pulled away, breathing hard.

"Harry?" Cho asked, a little frightened.

But he couldn't respond. He could only taste salt, smell dirt. Image after image flashed through his mind. He collapsed on the stack of cushions that he'd just straightened.

"Harry!" Cho exclaimed, and the dark-skinned wizard's eyes shot open. He focused on the ground. The ground was stone, not dirt.

He looked up. No gravestones. No cauldron. He was in the Room of Requirement.

"I'm sorry, Cho," he managed to choke out.

She was crying even harder, terrified at his sudden episode. "Are you okay?"

Harry nodded, forcing himself to take deep breaths, just like he'd taught himself to do.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized again. How could he explain the thousand reasons why he didn't want to kiss her? "I'm not- I can't-"

"No, I'm sorry, Harry," she interrupted. She was still crying, but she'd calmed down enough to give him a watery smile, "I don't… this was a bad idea. I don't think I'm ready for anything like this."

Harry nodded again, relieved beyond words that he wouldn't have to explain why he thought it was a bad idea, too.

She gave a small hiccough that could have been a laugh, "I can't even kiss someone without crying. I'm a mess!"

Harry knew how she felt. He couldn't kiss someone, especially her, without going into a near panic.

"I'll…" Cho took a deep breath and let it out in a huff, "I'll see you around, Harry. Happy Christmas."

And with one more small smile, she left.

Harry sat there, among the fallen cushions, letting his mind go where it wanted, still breathing deeply.

In and out. In and out...

...

Last Year

Harry traipsed along the stone hallway, stopping in front of a door with a large "P" engraved in stone on its surface. He said the password Cedric had given him and opened the door.

Harry was stunned by the sheer size of the bathroom. It had a tall, arching ceiling with a beautiful stained glass window of a mermaid, who was currently sleeping. On one side of the room was the tub, which was large enough to swim in. On the other side of the room were a few sinks situated below a large mirror. Standing in front of that mirror was none other than Cedric.

Harry stared at him. Cedric was standing with his back to Harry; a towel was tied low around his hips, exposing a tanned, muscular back dotted in droplets of water. Green eyes followed the movement of one of the droplets as it slowly made a trail downwards. Harry gulped.

Suddenly, Cedric looked up. Their eyes met.

"Harry!" he exclaimed with a smile, turning to face the dark-skinned boy, "You took my advice!"

Harry was momentarily stunned. Cedric was gorgeous. His lean Seeker physique was breathtaking, especially when Harry traced the two lines on his hips that disappeared below his towel…

Harry adjusted his grip on the egg, positioning it in front of him so that Cedric wouldn't be able to see how much he affected him.

"...Harry?" he asked again.

"Yes!" Harry answered quickly, brain finally catching up with the conversation, "Yes, I took your advice. I didn't think you'd be here, though. I'm, er, sorry for interrupting, I'll just come back later."

"No, please don't leave on my account," Cedric waved him further in, "I was just leaving after I get dressed. Thought I'd have a quick bath before my rounds."

Harry took a few tentative steps in, still struggling to keep his eyes on Cedric's face.

Cedric was looking at him curiously, "Are you all right, Harry?" He stepped close, grey eyes searching Harry for any sign of injury. Harry watched as his eyes flicked down to Harry's lips, lingering there for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm all right," Harry responded in a low voice.

Cedric nodded, stepping back and still looking slightly concerned.

"Well, I need to get dressed…" he said, looking away for a moment.

"Right!" Harry said, laughing nervously, "I'll just step out into the hall-"

"Don't bother with all that, just turn around."

Harry gulped again, gripping the egg tighter, and turning to face the wall behind him. He could hear the soft rustling of the towel, and he tried not to imagine the scene behind him.

Come on, think of something else! Your broomstick servicing kit! Harry thought desperately, 'Firmly grasp your broom by the tail' - no, no, that's not working!

He shook his head a little, when he heard Cedric say with a laugh, "All right, there's nothing over here to blind you now."

Harry seriously doubted that, but he turned around nonetheless.

Cedric was still shirtless, but he had added a pair of trousers and rid himself of the remaining water droplets. Harry still had to concentrate on keeping his gaze up.

"So," Cedric began, a serious tone to his voice, "Have you been able to find out who put your name in the Goblet?"

Harry shook his head morosely, "No, I've been too busy concentrating on how to get past a dragon and learning to dance for the ball…"

Cedric laughed, and a balloon inflated in Harry's chest.

"Well I recall thinking that you moved quite well at the ball. I saw a number of jealous looks in the direction of your date. Are you and Patil…?" he trailed off, making it a question.

"No!" Harry said a bit too quickly, "No, er… Padma is great and all, but she's not exactly… my type."

Cedric nodded in understanding.

Harry pressed on, not allowing himself the chance to chicken out, "And what about you and Cheng?"

Cedric's smile faded slightly, "She's great too… but I'm not sure if she's really my type either."

The balloon in Harry's chest seemed to expand.

"What, exactly, is your type then?" he ventured.

"Well, I suppose, er…" Cedric stumbled slightly over his words, glancing down and brushing his hand through his hair, "I've always liked more-"

But at that moment, a silvery figure zoomed up through the floor.

"Myrtle?" Harry asked, surprised.

Giggling, the ghost answered, "Hi, Harry."

Cedric gave Moaning Myrtle a small wave before hurriedly grabbing his shirt and doing it up, ignoring the her obvious ogling.

"Well, Harry, I'll - er - leave you to it, then."

"Right. Um, see you later, Cedric."

Harry watched, disappointed, as the other boy retreated towards the door.

"Oh, Harry," he said, turning in the entranceway, "Do feel free to use the Prefect bathroom any time. Being a Hogwarts Champion has to come with some benefits, right?"

He smiled again, and then he was gone.

Harry stayed staring at the door for a minute or so longer, a dopey grin on his face, before Myrtle roused him from his thoughts:

"It's good to see you again, Harry. You haven't visited my toilet in ages."

Harry kept himself from wincing, "Oh, yeah, sorry Myrtle. Things have been a bit busy recently. Say, I need to take a bath. Could you, er, give me a bit of privacy?"

Myrtle's expression fell, but she left, saying that she'd return in a bit so they could talk.

Harry turned one of the taps to the bath, marvelling at the different scents and bubbles that poured into the tub, filling it to the brim.

He quickly got in, allowing his thoughts to return to Cedric, and wishing that Myrtle hadn't interrupted their conversation.

He could have sworn, the way his eyes kept flicking towards Harry's… but no. Even if he was gay, there's no way that he would even notice Harry.

But he had, hadn't he? He specifically sought him out to speak to him on more than one occasion. And he'd been concerned for Harry's safety…

And the way he'd done up his shirt so quickly when Myrtle came in, like he didn't want her to see him half naked… but he'd had no problem being shirtless in front of Harry. In fact, he specifically told Harry not to leave…

But none of that would matter if he didn't like blokes. Harry wished there was a spell for that sort of thing, because as much as he might want to, he could never ask Cedric outright…

...

"Are you gay?" Harry asked.

Cedric burst out laughing, and a blush bloomed under Harry's dark cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why I asked, it just sort of happened…" Harry mumbled, quickly getting to his feet and heading for the door.

"No, Harry, wait!" Cedric said, grabbing his arm as he made to leave, "I was just caught off guard that you asked straight out!"

Cedric motioned for Harry to sit back down by the edge of the bath, as had become their custom. Reluctantly, Harry took his seat and, pulling up his pant legs again, dipped his feet back in the water.

"I'm sorry," Harry said quickly, looking down at the purple and blue bubbles, "I was just confused, because I thought you might be, but then you took Cheng to the ball, and in the Second Task she was the one thing you'd miss most, and... You really don't have to answer…"

"No, it's fine," Cedric said, waving off his comment, "You and I have been friends for a while now, and I'm not exactly subtle."

Harry looked up at him, "So… you are, then?"

"Well, not exactly."

Harry just kept looking at him, confused.

"I don't really see it so black and white, you know?" Cedric continued, "It's not so much about being attracted to a person's gender as it is the actual person - their personality, attitude, sense of humor."

"So you could see yourself… fancying a bloke?"

Cedric smiled his easy, genuine smile, "Sure. If the right one came along and he fancied me too, I could easily see myself falling for a bloke."

Harry gripped the side of the bath in an attempt to steady himself, for he'd gone suddenly dizzy. Cedric was gay - well, sort of. Still… could that mean…?

"You and Cheng, though…" Harry trailed off.

Cedric shook his head, "Cho and I are just friends."

"But… but the Second Task-"

"I broke it off with her before the Second Task. I guess that the staff hadn't gotten wind of it in time," he shrugged.

Harry's brain seemed to have shut down temporarily. "You broke it off with her?"

"Yeah," Cedric replied, "She's really is brilliant, and pretty, and... but there was just something missing. I talked to her about it right before they called her away to be a 'hostage'. She was rather upset at first, but said she understood. Actually, she really seemed to come around after I rescued her from the lake. She said that she'd always be there if I change my mind. I just don't think that will happen. There was no, er…"

"Chemistry?" Harry supplied.

"What's chemistry?"

Right; Cedric was a pureblood. Harry fixed his eyes on the ground as he spoke, "It's like a spark between two people that draws them together."

"Yeah…" said Cedric, "There was no chemistry." He said the word slowly, as if tasting it on his tongue, before he continued.

"What about you, Harry?"

"What? Me?" Harry stammered.

"Yeah, you. Do you prefer blokes?"

Harry gulped.

He'd never said it out loud before.

"Yeah," he admitted in a small voice, eyes fixed on the water in front of him.

His hand felt suddenly warm. Looking down, he saw that Cedric had covered it with his own.

Steeling himself, he raised his eyes to Cedric's.

He had to stifle a gasp. Cedric was much closer than he'd thought, and he was leaning in even further.

Harry barely heard what the other boy said next through the pounding in his ears.

"Good, because if you didn't, this would be a bit odd…"

Harry's heart nearly exploded out of his chest as Cedric's lips touched his own. He'd never felt anything like this before. He leaned forwards into the kiss and hoped Cedric couldn't hear his heart pounding.

After a long moment, Cedric pulled away.

"Chemistry," he stated simply. Then he smiled.

Harry had always appreciated Cedric's smile - always so easy-going, so real - but this one, this smile was something different.

It was pure joy.

And it was just for Harry.

A/N – There you are! A sort-of-Christmas chapter on Halloween. I tried to make it a bit longer to make up for how long it's been since I've posted. I hope you like it!

Thank you so much to everyone who has read, followed, and favorited this story. And a special thanks to my reviewers – you are seriously the best. Happy Halloween to you all!