School was tough that day. Harry glanced nervously around every corner, searching every pair of eyes. It was as if everyone knew of his dream. It was as if he was standing naked in front of the crowd, with every shameful act he had ever done recurring over and over again. Goodness, it was just a dream. Every one had them. Maybe it was a nightmare. Yeah, that'd make sense. Harry had had a nightmare, involving a kiss with another man.
But then things started to make less sense. Everyone that passed seemed to have that smile on their face, like they knew. Like they all knew. They were all laughing at him, he knew. Just before he panicked, he saw something he had never expected to be a relief: badges of failure, his face splashed upon them. Everything was so messed up, and Harry needed a friend more than anything. Upon finding who he once thought was a friend to him, he realized it may not be the same anymore. Having recently learned about the upcoming event, and what he and his fellow champions would be battling, Harry knew he'd have to face Cedric soon. He couldn't have the advantage of knowing if no one else was informed. It just wasn't right. He had already faced the other two and now it was time to step into a queasy, uncomfortable conversation he wasn't sure he'd handle well.
The sun was shining brightly, so strange in contradiction to Harry's morning. He was sure that the morning was bitterly cold, due to his immediate shock upon his wake. Maybe his body was just acting strangely that morning, but the clouds had been rather gloomy, only to be whisked away to the afternoon. Harry felt heat on his face as he watched Cedric and his buddies goof off near a shady bench blanketed by shade from the leaves of a towering tree. Cedric's robe was on, even in the heat of the weather, and although his face was free of sweat, you could see his skin glowing with energy. He really was like a child. How could such a man be expected to care for a young Harry Potter?
The stone wall he leaned against was cold in the shade he hid within, his body pressed up consuming as much as possible. He was sure on the other side of the wall was a stone oven, the afternoon sun trying to break through with immense force. His face rested against the jagged, dirty stone until he was ready to show himself to Cedric.
The girls he flirted with were thoroughly unimpressive. They were moderately attractive, yes, Harry could admit. Though, they obviously lacked in self esteem, the way they threw themselves at the obvious modest and uncomfortable Diggory. Harry bit his lip and cringed as their shrill giggles echoed through the crowded courtyard. They were tickling, and mocking, giggling at their new badges, bowing down to the genius Cedric. He presented a sort of confused acceptance, not entirely sure what he had done, but plenty proud to have done it. Harry sighed and looked down at the grass. The fact that Cedric's groupies were around wouldn't make it much easier.
Having just fought with his 'friend,' Ron Weasley, though, Harry felt a strange sense of urgency and adrenaline. He would have to step forward without thought and just do it. And like that, Harry was across the courtyard, asking to step aside with Cedric. He wasn't even sure how he had done it, but there he was. He looked a blonde girl in the eye, and suddenly the sun's heated rage was tearing through his flesh, making its way to the heart about to fall from his rear. He felt a soft hand on his back and adjusted his eyes, forcing the black spots away, to see that he was now in the shade, opposite from the other side of the tree. He could hear some giggles and his name through green leaves.
"Dragons," was all he could mutter. Cedric looked down at him, smile faded and seriousness instant. Harry felt the need to go on. "That's our first task." He nodded as Cedric asked about the others. He found it surprisingly easy to focus as long as he didn't look Cedric in the eye, or didn't acknowledge exactly what it was he was doing. Harry suddenly found, though, that he was standing in silence. He had no choice. Looking up, he found the eyes, and they were absolutely wonderful. Cedric was smiling. It was a sort of confident, sly smile. Harry tried to look away, but was suddenly awestruck, his mouth hung open a bit. He even tried to speak, but it was no use. Cedric glanced around once, twice, and then looked down at Harry again.
Suddenly, he realized how close they had been standing. If the tree hadn't been there, everyone would be staring at the two at this moment, wondering what secrets they had to have been passing. Harry could actually feel Cedric's breath on him; see his already growing five o' clock shadow, noticing the top button of his shirt, slightly limp with a loose thread, carelessly left open revealing smooth collar bones and skin. Harry tried not to gawk at the sight when suddenly he saw it, or rather, felt it. Cedric, after only a second's hesitation, lifted his hand slowly and brought his knuckles to Harry's cheek. His eyes closed as the knuckles softly stroked, a tiny giggle-like sound escaping Cedric's lips.
Harry almost felt his legs give out on him. It was as if he was asleep again. In fact, that may have been it. Maybe he was asleep, and that's why he was so relaxed. That's why he was letting this happen. Cedric's body was now pressed against his, lightly, but noticeable, and he felt his warmth against his temple, scruffiness tickling his skin as he heard, "Thanks for the warning. Take care of yourself fighting out there, all right, Potter?" Harry replied with a nearly silent, "Mmm," as Cedric smiled, face buried in Harry's dark hair.
And then in an instant, Cedric was back on the other side of the tree, triumphantly shouting out immature jokes, leaving Harry alone and flustered, hands clutching the strap of his bag. He had forgotten how to breathe and his eyes had torn open. He stood there, body swaying slightly, gasping for breath and trying to wake himself up. Suddenly, as he heard another shout from Cedric, his legs were working again.
"I want to run…I want to hide…I want to tear down the walls…That hold me inside…"
Harry took off in an instant, the wind pushing his hair out of his face, eyes stinging and skin light with sweat. He clutched his stomach, nausea filling him out of sheer confusion. He pushed past students, grabbing walls to keep balance as he ran. He didn't dare speak, for he wasn't sure he still had a voice. Where was he running? He did not know.
"I want to feel, sunlight on my face…See that dust cloud disappear without a trace…I want to take shelter from the poison rain…Where the streets have no name…"
Harry soared down stone steps, through high grass, eyes blurred and legs aflame. His shirt tore at his chest, begging for mercy as momentum increased. His legs were somehow at full speed, but his thoughts were completely empty. Already the previous moment was black.
"The cities a flood…And our love turns to rust…We're beaten and blown by the wind…Trampled into dust…"
Cedric's body was still against his, his hands still softly stroking the side of his face, his breath still washed against his neck, his lips still caressing the corners of his temples. He was still running when the sun began to set; it couldn't have been too long, for the afternoon was merely ending. He felt himself leap over obstacles, arms outstretched and eyes focused now, not noticing the surrounding. He was running through darkness, nothing stopping him…
Until he reached the Forbidden Forest. His legs were stopped immediately and he felt his body cry out in pain, but he did not move. His face was blank as he stared straight ahead into darkness, panting and drained; he collapsed to the ground, landing hard on his knees and toppling over onto his stomach.
His face landed in the cold grass. Half of his vision was blocked by green blades, while the other half watched for miles as the air swept over the vast, empty patch of grass. He still panted, bag at his side, temples throbbing, until finally he felt his eyes slowly close and he slipped away into some strange dream world. His body was soft, light, easy, and he was walking slowly down a corridor. He turned corners sharply, expressionless, flicking his wand here and there, sparks flying out but not really directed at anything. His feet squeaked as he realized he was walking down a waterway, the hallways turned into rivers. And Harry had the power to walk on water.
Then finally he stopped and felt himself sink beneath the chilly surface. He swam around, the ability to breathe meaningless, naked and innocent in a pool of wonder, until finally he found him. Harry swam a few yards deeper and caught Cedric in his arms, a watery smile breaking through the bubbles. Cedric reached up and dug his fingers into Harry's wet hair, face floating upward to meet Harry's. Their lips met and the water around them began to glow a sort of gold as they drifted. Suddenly, though, Cedric's body grew heavy and began to slip away from Harry's grasp. His arms wrestled for contact but he seemed to slow in the water's heavy lock. Cedric slipped away fast, bright golden eyes fading, arm reached out for one final desperate touch.
Harry awoke to the sound of voices.
Bwa ha ha, cliffhanger. I really am sorry, y'all. I do have a plan for the next chapter, at least I'm not just 'winging it,' so to speak. Oh, by the way! That's right, I actually used lyrics for once. I happened to be listening to a playlist that played that song right as I began to write about Harry's runaway scene, so I included it. It spoke of the sunlight on one's face and whatnot, something I definitely included, so I think it fit in well. Glad I got this done, keep the reviews coming and thank you so much for your support; it's pretty much the only thing keeping me going. By the way, it's 1:47 am. Be grateful!!
And my brother's doing a very strange dance that looks kind of like a fish after you've just caught it. Dang. We both need sleep.
"Where the Streets Have No Name" - U2