Chapter 6

A/N: Wow, I am proud of myself for finishing this chapter so quickly. As a result, I hope it is not crap. Shoutout to ILUV_Rumbleroar for reviewing, ;) and thank you so much to all my other reviewers/alert people/favoriters/READERS! I know this story moves really painstakingly slow, but something significant actually happens here, so R&R! Thanks again!

Chapter 6

That evening, Hermione helped Harry write his now overdue Transfiguration essay. This took even longer than it would usually, due to the fact that Harry didn't remember a thing even remotely related to the topic (what was the topic again?) thanks to, erm, certain distractions in that class.

When they (mostly Hermione) finally managed to fill the required length of parchment, it was 10:30 PM. Harry noticed the time and remembered that he was supposed to meet Cedric on the Quidditch pitch at 11:00.

"Well, now that that sodding pile of rubbish is out of the way, goodnight Hermione. Thanks again for helping me."

"No problem Harry. I'm off to bed too I think."

With that, Harry yawned, mostly for effect, though he realized he was tired. On top of his confusion about Cedric and the insane amount of energy he expended trying futilely not to think about Draco, there was also the looming issue of the first task to be dealt with. Harry avoided that train of thought, because he quickly found that when he thought (obsessed, more like) about the first task, time seemed to move in fast motion. And Harry still had zero ideas of what was coming or what he was going to do about it. Cedric hadn't said anything, so for all Harry knew, Cedric was clueless too. Perfect.

As he contemplated this, Harry had donned his Invisibility Cloak and left Gryffindor tower without a sound. He now walked swiftly through the labyrinth of halls, almost missing a moving staircase that he needed to descend to reach ground level. He jumped the last few stairs and winced as the thump of his landing echoed through the corridor. Harry hastened to a jog until he reached the exit and stepped out onto Hogwarts' expansive grounds.

The cool night air felt good on his skin, it helped him clear his mind as he headed towards the pitch. Suddenly, he felt as if this was just what he needed, to see Cedric, to be close to him, just them, alone. He needed love, reassurance, and he needed to escape thoughts of him, er, forget his stresses for a while. Yes, that was it.

As Harry stepped onto the pitch, he could see Cedric standing against a goalpost. His expression was unreadable as Harry neared.

When Cedric was at arms length, Harry reached out to place his hands on Cedric's waist.

"Hello love", Harry said softly, smiling and shuffling closer to place a kiss on Cedric's lips. Harry kissed him sweetly, deeply, wanting to revel in the feeling, to lose himself in the sensation. But...no, something was wrong. Cedric wasn't responding. Harry pulled away with a quizzical expression.

"Ced, what's wrong?" he asked, growing slightly worried "What is it you wanted to ask me tonight, love?"

Cedric took a deep breath before answering, and when he did his voice was strained with the effort of keeping it even and quiet.

"Well I was going to ask you how it was possible for your name to come out of that goblet. But what I'd really like to know is why Draco fucking Malfoy was fawning all over you this afternoon!" His voice rose gradually as he continued. "There's something going on between you two, isn't there? I knew it from the beginning, really. I saw how broken you were and I wanted to help you love again. I loved you". Harry winced at his use of the past tense and felt his emotions creeping up on him "But I always knew you'd go running back to that snake someday Harry. What happened? Why now?" Cedric finished, his eyes questioning. Harry broke down and the tears spilled over. He found the breath, and spoke:

"What? Cedric, no! N-Nothing's going on, I s-swear! Malfoy c-came up behind me today and started being a git. I t-told him to fuck off, multiple times, but he's Malfoy so he didn't! Please believe me, Ced, I love you, I would ne-"

"Don't even bother to lie to me Harry" Cedric choked, voice brimming with coming tears "I saw the way he smiled at you. I saw his eyes, Harry. I saw you, fidgeting and running a hand through your hair like you do when you're nervous". He laughed humorlessly to mask his tears, and began again.

"I couldn't see your face, your back was turned to me, but I'd bet my last Knut you blushed when he smiled at you like that."

There was a dreadfully uncomfortable pause, then he continued:

"He touched you, Harry. I stood there and watched him touch your face, and laugh and whisper something to you, and touch your ass! And you did nothing!"

"That's not true, Cedric!" Harry finally got a word in. "I told him to fuck off, to never touch me again. I told the git I loved you, only you, and I do! I slapped his hand away when he had the audacity to touch me!" Harry sobbed.

"Not soon enough Harry. Don't lie, because I saw everything. I didn't hear, but I'd bet the little snake was trying to seduce you. And I saw enough to think that maybe it's best if we gave each other some space for a little bit. You need to figure out who you want, I won't share you Harry."

As Cedric said this, as cliched as it sounds, Harry felt his heart shatter into a million tiny, sharp fragments that seemed to pierce his chest as he sobbed. Cedric was right, he had no idea who he wanted, he was right to leave a boy who couldn't love him fully. Cedric was right. Harry felt like the rottenest git alive. And he was going to kill Malfoy.

"Cedric, I'm sorry, you're right, I can't love you fully, just give me a-"

Just then an ear-splitting, high-pitched wail pierced the night, and Harry's selfish mind that was focused on emotional self preservation immediately thought: Saved by the...what the bloody hell was that anyway?

"What the bloody hell was that?" Cedric breathed.

If Harry hadn't been so shaken, he might've laughed as Cedric voiced his own thoughts. Well, almost. He seized the distraction "I don't know, let's find out" Harry spoke quickly "It sounds like it's coming from Hagrid's hut!"

Harry awkwardly pulled the Invisibility Cloak over both himself and Cedric, forcing them into uncomfortably close proximity. Any other night, this would've been fine, even nice. But not tonight.

"Come on" Harry said, and they hurried up the hill towards the back side to Hagrid's abode.

The boys froze as soon as they were close enough to see what was making all the noise. Four massive reptilian creatures, enclosed by 150-meter high barbed wire fencing behind the hut. Each beast had a team of handers, pulling and tying long ropes attached to the creatures' various flailing limbs. One of them spouted a jet of fire from its mouth and Harry's suspicions were affirmed.

"Dragons! Dragons, Cedric! It's the first task! We have to fight dragon's!"

"Bloody hell" Cedric gasped, his breathing became shallow.

"I have to go" Harry whispered hastily, pulling them into the shadows and taking the cloak off of them both. With one last pleading look into Cedric's cold, yet sad steely gray eyes, Harry pulled the cloak over just himself and ran full tilt for the castle. Away from him.