Chapter 6: Closer

"You look awful."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Thank you." She replied sarcastically.

They were in their spot again when Cedric hear that Hermione was in the Hospital Wing, and seeing as she didn't make it yesterday, he found the rumor quite believable. So he went to the Hospital Wing and oddly enough, he saw both Harry Potter and Ron Weasley but no Hermione Granger. As he exited, he heard Harry say 'library' in which he gave him a grateful smile. He wasted no time and rushed to the said place, only to find her reading in their favorite table.

"You didn't say why you were bruised." Cedric said while looking at her blotched cheek, wounded lip and bandaged hand. It was a disturbing sight for him.

"I didn't really say anything about it."

"Okay, so tell me." He insisted.

Hermione shook her head.

Cedric frowned. He was worried about her. "If it was embarassing..."

"It wasn't." She responded immediately.

"Did you get into a fight?" He asked. "They said you punched Malfoy."

She smiled slightly, the wound in her mouth opening a little. "Well, that part was true."

"That's good to know." He told her proudly, not surprised at all that she can do it. Because she really can, she has the confidence. She's just worried on what the teachers would say. "But what other parts are there?"

She sighed. "Cedric-"

"Did someone hurt you?" He asked suddenly, eyes narrowing.

Hermione looked at him. His calm exterior was slowly diminishing as he set his jaw and frowned his eyes. She couldn't lie to him. "Not in the way you think."

There was a pause of silence as Cedric looked down on his fingers. Hermione was carefully looking at his actions.

"I know you three go on unknown missions and dangerous adventures every year since you've been in Hogwarts." He stated quietly. "But can you do a small favor for me?"

She nodded, seeing as he was waiting for an answer.

He looked at her and held both of her hands softly. "Come back."

She absorbed what he said, a little unnerved by his stare. His fingers were slowly tracing on the contours of her wounds, as if he's trying to soothe the pain. She opened her mouth to answer but he beat him to it.

"Promise me." He said.

"Why?" She finally asked.

He looked at her hand, and back to her eyes.

"It's important to me."

She sighed, slightly distracted by his warm fingers. She felt like it was trying to make her agreeable, but she knows it's not fair so she says the truth. "Cedric, I can't promise that sort of thing..."

"Please- just," He took a deep breath. "Keep that promise as much as you can."

She nodded after a few seconds of contemplation. She can tell that her appearance shook him a little, that's why he's been acting like that. Although she didn't really mean for it to happen, she felt rather... Cared for. Because of those bruises, she saw how much Cedric cared for her and that tingled something in her, but she cannot identify it yet.

They talked after a while. Cedric thankfully decided not to interrogate her more about the bruises, though she can tell that he very much wanted to know.

As dinner was coming near, they decided to part ways.

"See you, Cedric." Hermione said, standing up from her seat.

Just then, she felt him wrap his arms around her waist and hugged her. She stood there, a little shocked. They've never been this physically close before. Hand - touching, yes. But this was a development that she decided, she liked. He still wasn't letting her go when she got over their closeness so she slowly hugged him back.

She felt his arms tightened around her, and then she felt warm on her abdomen. He let go of her waist, and held her face in an utmost care. He kissed her forehead affectionately.

"See you, Granger."

And Hermione knew that everything's going to change now.

AN

I know it's short. The next chapter's on the way and thank you for the reviews! I apologize for the wrong tenses, grammars and spellings for all of the chapters. I hope you like this :) Don't worry, they'll eventually get together, and more.

PLEASE READ AND REVIEWWWWW :)