Chapter 45 – If you want to
GN
"Ced, you're my best friend." Our heads were still touching, and I had my eyes closed. I felt him move away, so I quickly cupped his cheek and looked up to him, his eyes looked sad at me. "I will always love you. And even with this whirlwind of a year, I still love George." He now took a step back as he cast his eyes down.
"That's why you didn't need to answer me, Winnie. Not yet."
"Hey." I stepped closer to him again. "Let me finish, okay. I love George, I do, but I'm also in love with you." His eyes sparkled. "I know it's not fair to either of you. I thought my feelings for you had gone, but the last few months -" I shook my head. "I don't know if I'm ready to start something serious, but I think we finally have the time to see where this can go."
I leaned on my toes, letting our noses graze. Cedric locked his eyes with me, his hand cupping my cheek and he closed the distance. It felt like my stomach, my heart exploded. This kiss was free, not tainted by crazy girlfriends, booze or boyfriends. We were both free and had grown since our relationship changed two years ago. My arms wrapped around his neck, and I pulled him down. But he just took the opportunity to pick me up, and gently push me against the door.
"I've waited so long for this." He whispered against my lips, both breathing rapidly. He pulled back with a large beaming smile. "Why don't we sit down and eat. You must be starving." He gently lowered me back to the floor. "Because even though I can keep doing this for hours." He said as he kissed my cheeks, my nose, my lips. "That's not the reason I brought you here."
"Hm." I smiled up at him. "I could use a bite to eat."
Cedric lopsided grin made my heart skip a beat. "Well then, let me show you this fine arrangement I've put together." He led me to the large picnic blanket; we sat with our backs against his trunk as Cedric started unloading the food. He really had made an effort, more than he would have done in the months prior. Some sandwiches, a whole platter of fruit with only my favourites. Cedric chuckled as I took each and every strawberry from the platter. The moment I was finished with eating, Cedric pulled me against him, his arms securely around me.
"So, all filled up?"
"Yes." I chuckled and craned my neck to look at him. "Thank you, Ced. This means a lot to me." I let my lips grazed his cheek.
"Hold on." He put his index finger on my jaw and guided my lips to his. And I willingly let him. It was weird sitting here like this, kissing him freely, our feelings once again out in the open. I couldn't help myself and shifted until I was straddling him. His hands went up and down my back before they rested on my hips. "This feels unreal." He said as we pulled back panting, his hand came to rest on my cheek.
"I know what you mean." I leaned into his touch. "And as amazing as this is... I want to keep it quiet for now. You know how the rumour mill is here, if they would get a whiff of this -" Cedric stopped my rambling with a kiss.
"It's okay, I understand." He said as he pulled back. "They probably would think we were together while you and George... Like I said, I understand. And I will understand if you want to hold off on us too."
"No." I shook my head with a smile. "Gods, you're amazing. I want to keep it quiet, but I want to explore this, us. As long as you want to."
"I will never not want to." He looked at me with so much love and honest it made me feel flustered. "Do you still want me to go with you?"
"If you want to go with me, then yes." I rested my hands on his jawbone, his hands again rested firmly on my hips. His eyes sparkled with joy, and it made my smile grow wider.
"Kiss me." He whispered, still unreal that he could ask that. I bit my lip to hide a smile before I indulged him.
Ten minutes later we had both changed and crawled into bed together. Nothing happened that night besides kisses, teasing and cuddles, it was the beginning of something new.
The next morning, I woke up with my head on Cedric's chest. I enjoyed the feeling for a moment before I opened my eyes to look at him. He was still asleep, his chest rising slowly up and down. He had let his hair grow a little, so now a thick brown lock covered an eye. My hand that rested on his chest reached for his hair and brushed the lock aside. I smiled as his nose scrunched a little in his sleep. I pushed myself up a little and let my lips brush his. His grip on me tightens as he pulled me on top of him.
"Hm." He hummed with his eyes closer, before they opened. "I don't mind waking up like that every morning."
"Oh, you like that?" I looked at him with a grin. "Thank Helga that you're coming with me then." I chuckled as I played with the buttons of his pyjamas. "We better get down for breakfast, I have my CMC exam and you have Arithmancy in an hour." I said as I pushed myself up.
"Just two more minutes." He grinned before he flipped us over, so that he was hovering over me. A giggle escaped me by the movement before our lips crashed together again.
GN
Well, keeping it a secret was harder than we thought, especially from Lyra and Odin. They found out at breakfast that day. Cedric and I were already seated and eating at the Hufflepuff table, stealing glances at each other.
"Morning." Lyra yawned as she sat down across from us with Odin.
"It seems like you didn't have much sleep." I snickered, and as mature as Lyra was, she stuck out her tongue at me. Before the two started to eat, the four of us had our books on the table for a last revising and we ate in silence. Suddenly Cedric leaned closer and whispered in my ear.
"You're one to say." His breath sends a shiver down my spine.
"Hush you, we were perfectly innocent." I nudged him as I smiled broadly.
"No way!" Odin exclaimed suddenly in a matter I never heard him speak. Cedric, Lyra and I all turned to look at him in surprised. But his eyes were flickering between me and Cedric.
"What is it, sweetie?" Lyra asked, touching his arm.
"Those two." He pointed between them. "I thought I never see the day."
"What are you -" Lyra looked to me and Cedric, and she must've seen something. Maybe it was Cedric's blush he couldn't hide or a certain glint in my eyes. "Oh my god!"
"Shhh!" Cedric and I shushed as people started to look in our direction.
"So, it's true. You two are finally..." Lyra's finger went between us.
"Yeah." I smiled sheepishly as Cedric send me a wink.
"But... How? When?" Lyra asked excitedly in a whisper while Odin was eating his eggs, one eye on us.
"I'll tell you, but you two have to promise to keep it a secret." Cedric held out his hand as Lyra was about to interrupt. "We don't want the gossip mill going around for our last weeks."
"We keep our mouth shut, promise." Odin said with a nod before turning back to his breakfast. So, Cedric started talking about what happened the night before.
GN
Expect for a few stolen kisses between exams, and crashing late at night together in bed, we haven't had much time alone together. The days were filled with studying, practicing, taking exams and visiting Hermione and the others in the hospital after their break-in in the ministry. So, when I walked out of the last exam with Cedric, two days before we would leave Hogwarts forever, he pulled me in the first vacant cupboard and snogged me senseless.
Cedric and I were wandering around the castle, his arm loosely draped over my shoulder, like he did for years, so it wasn't anything strange. We were reminiscing about our last seven years. It was weird leaving a place that's been a second, or for me, a third home to me. But here we are, we're bound to leave tomorrow morning. Starting a life after school, we all have been thinking about it since fifth year, but seeing it actually here, just around the corner, it made me feel nervous. So, now I was more than happy to have Cedric with me to go travel around the world, something of home to take with me. Someone who loved me unconditionally, someone who I felt safe with.
We walked over to the quidditch pitch in the beaming sun when I suddenly stopped. We were standing on the spot Cedric almost died. My hand subconsciously went to my necklace.
"Ced." My voice barely a whisper.
"I know, love." He stepped in front of me and tilted my head with his index finger. "I just wanted to see the place where you saved my life before we're gone."
"I still have nightmares about that day."
"Me too, until you appear in it. Given me a reason to live. I love you so much, Winnie." He cupped my cheek and stepped closer. "And I know you don't want to go to fast, but -" A grin appeared on his handsome face. "Would you do me the honour of being my date to the Northon-Weasley wedding?"
"I was already going." I clicked my tongue. "But I don't oppose on a date."
"It seems we are alone."
"It seems so." I curled my arms around his neck before leaning on my toes and kissed him.
GN
Lyra and I were packing our trunks an hour before the train would leave. The four of us had spent the previous night talking and playing games in the common room. So, now we had little to no time to pack everything up. The boys were in their dormitory doing the same. Lyra was just shoving everything in her trunk and was now trying to sit on it to get it to close. I laughed as she was jumping on the trunk.
"You are a witch, you know." I grinned as I waved my wand, and my clothes came flying out of the cupboard neatly folded. Lyra pursed her lips at me but jumped off her trunk anyway and with a few waves of her wand her trunk closed without resistance.
"I'm packed." She hauled her trunk to the door. "Are you nearly done, or should I send Cedric in to help you." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"I got it, thanks." I grinned and she left the room with wink. I let the next stack of clothes fall in my trunk when my eye caught a red and gold fabric, George's quidditch jersey. I took it out of the trunk and sat down on my bed, my fingers grazed the fabric softly.
"Winnie? Lyra said you needed help." Cedric voice came behind the door, before it opened. He must've seen something in my expression because he came over quickly. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Everything. Leaving school, leaving the country. You, George." I gripped the fabric harder. "I should send this back."
"You could, but you don't have to." He rubbed my back softly. "You and George were together for a while; it isn't something you just get over."
I leaned into him as I dropped the jersey on my lap. "I love you."
"I know, and it's okay to still love him too."
"You are truly amazing." I kissed him lightly.
"You're the amazing one." He pulled me to my feet. "Let me help you pack, alright? Or we'll miss the train."
"We can always go to Hogsmeade and apparate from there if we do."
"That we can." He kissed my forehead. "But I don't think Lyra, Odin or Lee would appreciate that much."
I chuckled as I placed the jersey back in the trunk. "I believe you're right. Thanks." I smiled as he handed over the last stack of my things.
"Let me check under the bed, you check the drawers, then we can leave."
"Okay." I squeezed his hand before he dropped himself on the ground to see if we missed something.