"How dare you?" She said heavily. Her hands balled into fists.

She slapped him.

She pushed him.

She punched his chest.

"I'm sorry." He breathed out, although he knew she wouldn't just accept that simple two word apology.

She fell on her knees and started crying. "You have no right, no right at all to do that!"

He frowned. His knees suddenly felt wobbly. Shouldn't she feel the least, grateful? That he had gone that far just for her? At Hogwarts, he was far more popular than Harry Potter, even though he was no boy-who-lived, but he sure was a champion in every sport and academic aspect.

She shook her head and let out a sigh.

"From now on," she started, Cedric looked at her now, his gentle and understanding eyes meeting her raging ones, "I don't know anyone by the name of Cedric Diggory."

With that, she left.

He kicked everything that was within his reach and shouted. For the first time, he felt so weak; too weak to even stand up.

---

They avoided each other. She avoided the library, because she knew he would be there, waiting for her. Whenever they would passed by each other, she never gave him a second look, but she did notice one thing, and those were his sad eyes.

She was somehow moved by the fact that after all what she said to him, he still wanted to be friends, and she was somehow grateful for what he did for her too. But to ask Harry Potter to date his best friend just to make her happy was something that tore her pride apart. Maybe one of these days, she'll be able to talk to him, because she never planned on not talking to him forever anyway. She just needed some time along – away from him.

---

"Did you see Cedric?" Hermione asked a Hupplepuff who she met on her way to the library. She was now prepared to face him and forgive him for what he did two weeks earlier.

The Hupplepuff student only gave her an apologetic look, which made her confused of course. "Yes. He's been looking like shit lately." He said, which made Hermione a bit offended by the foul language. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to say that word. It's just that… we're sad and very worried to see him so… I don't know what the appropriate word should be used, but, let's say, weak." He continued.

Hermione felt guilty, and somehow, a feeling that something bad was going to happen. "I see…" she didn't plan on asking why, since she herself knew she was the cause of his misery, "do you know where I can find him?" she asked her fellow student. "Um, sure, but I have to bring you there. He doesn't want anyone but a Hupplepuff student to talk to him, but since you two are close anyway, I'm sure he would talk with you."

"Okay." Was all she could say. She felt so selfish.

Even though Hermione didn't ask why he said Cedric looked weak, the Hupplepuff student who accompanied her to the place where Cedric liked to spend some time alone with himself offered in telling so. She tried to fight back the tears that were building up on her eyes.

After a brisk five minute walk, the pair arrived. In front of them was a hut closely similar to that of Hagrid's, except that it was fairly clean and well-maintained.

"Wait here." He said.

He knocked on the door and said his name aloud. After a while, the door opened.

Hermione was shocked to see his face.

He looked so pale. He looked like he had cried for hours. Cedric was surprised at the visitor next to his housemate.

The Hupplepuff student, whom she now knew as Gregory Mills, stood to her side and whispered to her ear. "I told you he looked like- " "I know… You don't have to say that word." Hermione hissed.

"Leave." Cedric said weakly.

"Cedric, I-" Hermione tried saying.

"LEAVE!" he now shouted. Gregory Mills silently exited, not wanting to know why Cedric Diggory was shouting at Hermione Granger.

"I-I'm sorry." She said.

He shook his head and tried to close the door, but Hermione ran immediately and stopped him from doing so.

"I said some things I shouldn't have," she breathed out, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for being selfish." She said.

He tried hard not to cry again. He was crying because of her the past few days. His selfish side came, and he thought, how many girls would want to be in Hermione Granger's shoes and be cried about? How many girls would want to be with him all the time besides being one of the golden trio?

Then suddenly, she threw herself on him and hugged him hard, almost choking him. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Cedric." She cried. Then he realized, he didn't really have the heart to stay mad at her forever. He should have given her some space, but he only wanted to make sure she was far from danger, far from death.

He hugged her back, happy that he was able to smell her scent closely again. Her bushy hair. The softness of her body that he had his arms wrapped around. Hermione then spun around to face him, kind and gentle eyes meeting his dull ones. Then, something caught her attention.

She gasped at the sight of deep cuts on his wrists and arms.

"Oh Cedric… What have I done?"

He rolled down his sleeves, but he wasn't ashamed of the wounds.

"Please… Please don't be someone like me… Oh God." She cried in his chest.

After a few moments of silence, Hermione felt him inhale some air. Then,

"I love you."

Finally, he's got it out.

Hermione froze.

"What?"

He frowned, making himself ready for rejection, because he knew it would be her only answer.

"I said I love you… From the very first time I kissed you."

No, this shouldn't be, she thought to herself.

"But I- " She tried to say, but was silenced by his finger pressed to her lips.

"I know. Please don't say it. It'll hurt more coming from you. It'll hurt a hundred times more than it did in my dreams."

Silence followed after that, and Hermione broke it this time.

"I'm sorry." She apologized for what must have been the twentieth time that afternoon.

His voice was gentle, though the hurt was clear in it. She couldn't understand how he could be so nice, so understanding, so patient and loving. People like him are rare in the world, be it in the magical or the muggle world.

Cedric broke away from her and closed his eyes as he pressed his lips on hers. It lasted for merely half a second. What surprised him was that she didn't break it off.

"I'm willing to let you go, even if it means tearing my heart into pieces. Even if it's killing me inside."

She would give the whole world to him if she could, as a sign of gratitude towards everything he had done for her. But for the first time, Hermione Granger wasn't able to give back what he had for her.