Hello to all! This is a New Years special for you! It's shorter than the other chapters have been, but it's more of a transition I think… well her we go!
Ps. I don't own HP, just in case you thought I did.
Cedric took the calming draught that Madame Pomfrey offered him without hesitation, and downed it with one gulp. He felt the effects immediately. Madame Pomfrey must have made the dose extra strong. He laid down as she went to tend to Harry, and stayed still as she healed his various cuts and scratches, pondering over the events that had occurred.
He was back. Voldemort, the man who had seemed to be nothing but a villain in a fairytale… was back. And he was just as cruel as people had said. It was a lot to take in. He could only imagine what Potter was going through. He glanced at the other boy, but he was lost in thought staring at the ceiling.
Cedric realized how tired and exhausted he felt, and fell asleep in the hospital wing.
-
"Only you Harry, will have the power to defeat him," Cedric heard a voice say distantly as he slowly became awake. He rubbed his eyes and sat up when he saw where he was, and then lay back down as he remembered everything that had happened.
"Ah, Mr. Diggory, I see that you have joined us," Dumbledore said appearing at his bedside. Cedric sat up, leaning against the wall. He looked over to Harry, and they made eye contact, before Cedric nodded toward him.
"Well, I know both of you have had a rough time, but there are certain things you must know before you can get ready for the ceremony in the Great Hall this evening," Dumbledore said, the twinkle in his blue eyes had returned. "The Ministry, has declined to acknowledge Voldemort's return."
"What?!" Harry cried in shock.
"You can't be serious," Cedric muttered.
"Oh but I am Mr. Diggory. Cornelius Fudge has made it quite clear that he believes me to be a dimwitted fool, and that both of you are merely glory seeking teenage boys who have nothing better to do with your time than to make up childish stories for attention."
"That bloody wanker-" Cedric started.
"Though I understand your opinions completely Mr. Diggory, I can not condone any ill speech regarding our Minister," he said sternly looking at them above his half-moon spectacles.
Cedric held himself from saying anything else explicative, and blushed profusely after realizing his use of foul language in front of the headmaster. Harry looked downright murderous. "Attention-seeker my arse," Cedric heard the boy mutter.
"Well, I do believe I must go, but there are two very disgruntled people outside the doors waiting to see you Mr. Potter. I do believe Ms. Granger is using a listening spell to overhear what is being said at this moment. Ms. Granger, and Mr. Weasley, you may come in," Dumbledore said with a wink.
The hospital wing doors opened, and a very red faced girl with large bushy hair stumbled in holding on to a jar containing some kind of bug, followed by a red-head boy who was definitely a Weasley. Cedric felt a pang of sorrow that no one was there for him.
The girl glanced nervously at Dumbledore's retreating back, and as soon as he had exited the room, she practically flew over to Harry in a blur of brown curls, throwing her arms around him. That's right, hadn't the Prophet mentioned the two were dating?
"Merlin Harry you gave us a fright! Ron and I were going crazy trying to find out what happened, and of all people, Snape took pity on us and told us and I couldn't believe it myself, and oh, I can't believe that it wasn't really Moody, I mean I knew something was off about him when he did that to poor Neville-" she rambled, but the redhead cut her off.
"What Hermione is trying to say mate is that we know what happened, we're glad you're all right, we support you despite what that wanker Fudge says, and we can't believe that it was the greasy old bat who told us. Dumbledore had to have made him do it."
"Ronald, it was rude to cut me off but yes, that is what I was trying to say," the bushy haired girl said primly. Cedric chuckled to himself. The girl whipped around in confusion, noticing him for the first time before looking at him suspiciously.
"Cedric saved my life Hermione," Harry whispered touching Granger's arm. Granger gave him a strange look for a moment before her face split into a smile, and before he knew the girl was squeezing him tightly.
"Thank you so much Cedric, and congratulations for winning the Triwizard tournament. You too Harry," she added, letting him go. And for some reason he felt a pang of guilt that he had wanted her to continue hugging him and not to return to Harry's bedside.
"What's with the jar Hermione?" Harry asked after a bit of an awkward silence. The Weasley's face lit up at the mention of it.
"Oh it's just brilliant! Bloody brilliant Harry!" He said enthusiastically.
Granger blushed again her cheeks turning rosy. She glanced again at him hesitantly.
"Really Hermione, Cedric can be trusted," Harry repeated.
"I won't bite," Cedric joked smiling.
Granger nodded. "This," she said picking up the jar, "is that evil wretch of a woman Rita Skeeter."
"Hermione- you can't mean- you turned her into-" Harry spluttered.
"Honestly Harry I would never do such a thing," Granger scolded sternly, but then a mischievous glint came into her eyes, and Cedric realized that she would pity the fool on the wrong side of her wand. "I wouldn't unless I'd get to see Malfoy as a ferret again. Now then I would gladly do it."
Weasley snickered.
Harry looked confused. "Well, if you didn't do it-"
"She's an animagus." Granger finished for him in a very matter-of-fact voice. "an unregistered animagus."
Cedric's eyes widened. "How'd you find that out?"
Granger blinked and looked at him astonished. It was clear that her friends had never asked her how she had done something. "Well, after she had printed that awful story, I realized that no one knew that Viktor had asked me to come to Bulgaria with him but Viktor and me. And I wondered how could she have found out then? Viktor wouldn't have told her and I didn't tell her, so that meant she had to have been there, at the time-"
The Weasley boy interrupted with a snort. "Don't you mean Vicky, Hermione?"
Harry snickered.
"No Ronald. I have never, nor will I ever refer to Viktor as Vicky." Granger said glaring at the boy. "Well, after I had come to that conclusion, I went about finding exactly how Rita Skeeter was getting all of her "inside information." And isn't it fitting that she's a beetle? Let's just say she won't be printing anymore baseless rubbish about me or Harry anymore," Granger concluded looking very proud. Cedric had to admit he was impressed. But there was one thing he didn't understand.
"Baseless rubbish? Then you and Harry aren't…"
She looked horrified. "Oh Merlin, no!" she practically screeched. Then looking at the disgruntled look on Harry's face she added "No offense Harry but you aren't exactly my type. And it isn't as if you hadn't had your eyes elsewhere" sheepishly.
Harry's face turned bright red and he looked down, muttering something like "you aren't my type either."
The redhead snickered. "Of course Harry we all know your type."
"What? Potter you've got a crush?" Cedric said amused.
Granger grinned and opened her mouth obviously about to reveal the identity of this mystery girl, but then she suddenly snapped it shut. And there was another awkward silence.
"C'mmon mate, you can tell me," Cedric said encouragingly, giving his most charming grin. But Harry continued to avoid eye contact and turned an even darker shade of red.
Before Cedric could ask again the Granger girl cut in. "Cedric, I think it would be particularly uncomfortable if we were to tell you…" she trailed off.
Cedric raised his eyebrows. "The only person that you might think would make me uncomfortable would be- ah. Cho. Cho Chang correct?"
Harry didn't answer, but both of his friends nodded.
Cedric chuckled. "Well, that's quite alright Harry. We aren't dating you know. We just went to Ball together. To be honest, she was the only girl I know who wasn't fawning over me constantly and well I- you get it don't you? You have my blessing," He concluded with a wink.
Harry looked increasingly awkward, and shifted. "Errr… well thanks, I think."
"No problem Potter."
"Don't you think it's a bit silly to call each other by our last names? I mean, after all we are friends now aren't we?" Granger said hesitantly, fumbling with her hands.
Cedric looked at her abashed. The girl was rather straightforward, wasn't she? "Well, I-I guess we've never been properly introduced is all."
"Oh. Well then, I'm Hermione Granger. You may call me Hermione." She said sticking out a creamy hand. He took it and shook it.
The boy offered his hand next. "And I'm Ron Weasley."
"Your older brother is in my year, isn't he?" Cedric asked. Ron nodded.
"Well, I'm Harry Potter. You can call me Harry. Oh yes, and before you ask," Harry swiped his hair aside and showed Cedric his scar grinning.
Cedric chuckled. "I guess you must get that a lot?" Harry nodded. "Well then, I'm Cedric Diggory. You lot can call me Cedric."
Granger-no, Hermione beamed. "Well, I believe it's time for my chat with Rita. You two are free to leave right?" They nodded. "Well then, I suggest that if you want to be included in my agreement with her, you will come with me," Granger said slyly.
Merlin. Hermione sounded like a Slytherin.
"'Mione you know this is downright devious?" Ron said grinning as they left the hospital wing.
"This Ron, is not devious, it is sweet revenge, and don't call me that wretched name," Hermione retorted.
For a bunch of fourth years they weren't too bad to be around.
Well, please review!!!! I hope you caught a bit of Cedric's attraction to Hermione, though it's hardly gut wrenching at this point. I promise it will get steamier.