Twenty-Four:
The days following the Quidditch match were some of the best of Cedric's life. Not only because of the amazing memories of getting to play Quidditch alongside Harry Potter (though, that was a big part of it), but also because he was the most popular he'd ever been. Everywhere he turned someone was greeting him, or pointing him out to their friends, people came up to him to praise him for his skills and even ask him for pointers. Sure, all of this attention actually got to be a bit annoying at times, but ultimately it was all just proof that he'd almost achieved the goals he'd set for himself in third year.
Jona too, seemed quite happy for him. He vehemently expressed how amazed he was with Cedric's improvement at Quidditch (but, only after he'd scolded his ear off about " asinine death-defying stunts").
For once in his life, Cedric finally felt like he was almost the person he was supposed to be.
"Scheming are you?" questioned Jona over the din of the packed corridor between classes.
Cedric blinked, pulling himself from his thoughts. "Hm?"
"Yes, hm." Jona uttered dryly. "I've been talking to you for the last minute, you know. Usually the only time you tune me out is when you're scheming."
"You make me sound like some sort of children's book villain. I don't scheme, I plan."
Jona rolled his eyes. "Fine. What're you planning then?"
"Nothing."
He received a sceptical brow raise in response.
"I mean... not right now. Truly. I was just thinking about all the attention I've received lately."
"Ah, yes. How is that?" Jona questioned offhandedly, sending grimaces at some of the students who were staring admiringly at Cedric. "Everything you dreamed it would be?"
Cedric paused, mulling the question over. "It's nice. It's not really this part that I dreamed about, if I am being truthful. I mean, I wanted it conceptually, but I never really thought about what the student-body's reaction to me would be if I became... you know... ideal."
Jona scoffed. "Just say popular, Ced. You're not fooling anyone." This comment earned a bit of a chuckle from Cedric.
Jona's expression sobered a bit after a moment and he made direct eye-contact with Cedric. "I really am glad you're happy, Cedric. I want it to stay that way."
Cedric blinked, unnerved at the sudden tonal shift. "Me too?"
The shorter teen simply nodded before stopping and pointing to the staircase they were just about to pass.
"That's my route to Divination, thanks for walking me this far." He waved loftily as he climbed the stairs, leaving Cedric.
"Er... bye!" Cedric called awkwardly, before turning around to make his way towards the library.
He took a leisurely pace and soon the halls began to clear as the majority of students were tucked away in their respective classes.
He was about halfway to the library when he suddenly heard someone yell, "YOINK!" and cast something inaudible.
And he felt the sudden pull of some sort of summoning spell that began to drag him bodily towards and alcove; however, with a quick flick of his wand and a voiceless 'Protego' he cancelled the spell a few feet before he was pulled into the shadows of the alcove.
"Ooooh, that was quite impressive!" said the voice of none other than Colin Creevey as the tiny boy popped his head out from his hiding spot, abandoning the alcove to approach.
"It's extremely rude to cast on someone who's back is turned, Creevey. Five points from Gryffindor."
"Aw c'mon!" exclaimed Creevey. "I was just having a bit 'o fun with you, Ced!"
"For the last time. You do not have permission to use my first name and you certainly don't have permission to abbreviate it."
The boy held up his hands in surrender, though in doing so, revealed the little green folder that was clutched in his left hand. Immediately Cedric's eyes zeroed in on it with an unwavering gaze, his expression slackening.
Creevey grinned, and moved the folder around, watching Cedric's eyes follow it.
"I'll give you a bit of a discount if you gimme those points back."
The older boy blinked and his blank expression morphed back into the usual sneer he wore when dealing with Creevey.
"I'll just take them at full-price, thank you."
The boy sighed, but seemed a bit impressed. "No bribes for this Prefect, I see. Very noble. Well anyway, here's a sample."
He produced a photograph from the interior pocket of his robes and held it up for Cedric to inspect.
Cedric snatched it away and pulled it closer to his face, barely an inch from his nose.
Unsurprisingly it was a picture of Harry, looking as radiant as ever. However, this one was quite different from its predecessors. Largely because there was someone else in it.
That someone being Cedric himself.
Cedric knew exactly when this photo was taken. How could he forget?
It had been that moment outside the Great Hall, when Draco Malfoy had the audacity, the absolute gall to cast a slicing hex at Harry. Just milliseconds after Cedric had healed the small cut on Harry's cheek.
It was a profile of the two of them, Cedric's hand still resting on the boy's cheek. Harry was looking up at the photo-version of him with sweet, soft eyes that glinted in the firelight. Perhaps it was Cedric's own wishful thinking, but it almost looked like he was snuggling into Cedric's palm.
After a moment, Harry briefly broke away from his staring at photo-Cedric and caught sight of the real one. A wide smile crossed his lovely face and his eyes sparkled. He raised a hand, seemingly preparing to wave, but before he could do so, the hand on his cheek, lightly turned him away, pulling him back to look at photo-Cedric.
Cedric took that moment to inspect his own visage in the photo and was a bit surprised to see him glaring up at him with a scolding expression.
Though, it really should have been that surprising, he supposed. Cedric always wanted Harry's eyes on him.
Photo-Cedric wasted no time in turning back to look at photo-Harry. His face softened into an expression Cedric had never actually seen on his own face before.
He couldn't quite put his finger on what the emotion was exactly.
"It's a special collection." said Creevey, startling him out of his thoughts.
"Special how?" he questioned, a bit suspiciously.
Creevey hummed and looked down at his folder, thumbing through the photos absently. "Well, I intended them as sort of a gift for you. I mean you'd still have to pay of course, but this is a private collection, for one. You'll be the only one to receive these, even I wont keep a copy, as much as it pains me to part with them."
Cedric blinked, Creevey's words taking a moment to register. "The only one to recei-"
He prowled forward, using his superior height to tower over the miniscule boy. "You mean to tell me you've been selling photos of Harry to other people?"
Creevey froze a sheepish expression crossing his face. "W-w-w-ell... er... not just anyone, Cedr- Uh, I mean, Diggory. I take Harry's safety very seriously. That's actually why-"
He yelped, when Cedric drew his wand, settling the tip just underneath his chin.
"Who? Who else is buying these? Is it Chang?"
Creevey grimanced, looking rather offended. "Chang? Don't be silly. Why would I sell them to her? She's hardly the proper sort. No, I only sell to people who care about Harry as much as I do or more. I do a very serious vetting process, you know? I can't have just anyone keeping such private photos of him."
"Who?!" Cedric repeated, his voice becoming more gravelly with frustration.
The boy pleaded. "I can't tell you! My customers' privacy is important! What if I told anyone who asked that you were buying these photos, hmm? It wouldn't be right!"
"IT'S NOT RIGHT THAT YOU'RE SELLING THEM AT ALL!"
Something about Creevey's expression became sly, his eyes narrowing deviously. "You weren't saying that when you thought it was just you buying them."
Cedric grinded his teeth, and in his anger a tiny spark ignited at the tip of his wand, making Creevey yelp, but leaving him ultimately unharmed. This is why Cedric couldn't stand the kid; he had an awful knack for pointing out all of his hypocrisies.
"Now, if you're done threatening me..." hissed the little cretin in an affronted tone, yanking his shirt out of Cedric's grasp and stepping back. "I was going to explain the premise of this special collection that I so lovingly put together for your unappreciative arse."
"Oh hurry it up." snapped Cedric. "I've studying to do."
Creevey sighed. "I eavesdr- er... overheard a conversation between Harry and his friends about their time at the Quidditch Cup and apparently you played quite the boy-hero for our darling Harry."
Cedric resisted the urge to tell Creevey that Harry wasn't their anything.
"I'm grateful that you were so willing to look after his safety even at the risk of your own. So I thought it would be a swell idea to take a few photos with Harry and edit you into them or something. However, imagine my surprise when I find that you and Harry are becoming fast friends! No editing required. So, this is basically just a collection of any photo I managed to snap of you and Harry together."
Cedric froze, turning his eyes to glance down at the photo still carefully clutched in his hands. There was more? More souvenir's of he and Harry's time together? He couldn't think of anything he wanted more.
"How much?" It was only as he spoke that he realized his breathing had changed, his breathes coming in shallow and quick. "I- I'll pay anything. Anything."
Creevey's face was cat-like. But, Cedric could not bring himself to feel any sort of annoyance, too busy with his desperation to see the interior of that little green folder.
"Well, as I said, I intended to be a gift of sorts, so there's no upcharge despite the extra work I went into stal- I mean... following the two of you. Eight galleons."
"Done." he fished the money out of the pouch he kept in his pocket, and snatched the folder up as soon as the money touched Creevey's palm, clutching it tightly to his chest.
"Will you take more? Pictures, I mean." Cedric pleaded, past the point of keeping up his calm facade. "It's okay if it costs more. I'm okay with that. But, could I have more? Please?"
The blonde grinned and chuckled, shrugging. "Sure, I suppose. If I see you two together again, anyway. I get to keep the new copies, if I want, though. Okay?"
Cedric felt his eye twitch a bit at the concept of anyone besides himself having these photos, but, he held his tongue, the benefits far outweighed the consequences.
"Fine. Thank you." He turned around, preparing to leave, but looked back to see the Gryffindor still standing there, a slightly longing expression on his face.
His large, blue eyes caught his staring and a melancholy smile crossed his face.
"I hope you realize how lucky you are, Diggory."
He knew immediately the Creevey wasn't referring to the photos, but clutched the folder closer to his chest all the same. He felt a sudden and irrational desire to fuse with them, make them disappear from unwanted eyes, forever. How stupid. He wouldn't be able to see them if he did that.
"I worked for this, Creevey. None of this was luck." he snapped, but he softened after a moment. "But... I am grateful."
The boy seemed to contemplate this for a moment, before a satisfied look crossed his face. He nodded, turned around and skipped off, whistling a tune.
Cedric rolled his eyes, then made his way to his dorm, excited to get acquainted with his new acquisitions.
-0v0-
"Deep breaths, Ced. Stay calm." said Jona teasingly as they entered the Great Hall, Cedric's new entourage of sycophants following behind them.
Cedric resisted the urge to snap at him, knowing it would reflect poorly among his followers. Instead he sent him a discrete glare, his annoyance spiking even more when Jona smirked back.
"I'm not nervous." he lied expertly as he settled into his seat at the center of the Hufflepuff table. He only barely stopped himself from preening as he watched other students scramble to get a seat as close to him as possible.
Jona, remained unaffected by this behaviour however, and simply elbowed his way in-between Cedric and Marietta Edgecomb, ignoring her affronted exclamation before she stomped off to the Ravenclaw table.
"Yes you are." Jona sang with a long grin on his freckled face. He reached out a finger to poke one of Cedric's cheeks. "You can't fool me, Ced."
Cedric swatted the offending hand away. "What do I have to be nervous about? If I'm not picked then so be it. It only means that I didn't have what it takes to be the Triwizard Champion."
The girl sitting adjacent to Jona piped up, speaking in an unnecessarily soulful voice. "You do have what it takes, Cedric. Don't sell yourself short!"
"He wasn't." replied Jona dryly. "You'll note he never actually said that he thought he wouldn't be picked. Too prideful for that." He turned back to Cedric. "And you are nervous. It's okay. Totally healthy and normal reaction."
"And you're annoying." Cedric growled, reaching for a dinner roll far more violently than necessary.
Jona wasn't wrong. Of course Cedric was nervous. His whole plan for this year banked on him being picked for the Tournament. There was no way he'd be able to elevate himself to the top of the school, to Harry's level, otherwise; the champion would always be above him. There was no other option.
He took a large bite out of the roll that was still in his hand and chewed absently. His eyes flitted around the hall, glancing at other potential Hogwarts Champions. They all looked confident, driven, powerful. Liable to be picked.
What if?
What if someone was picked besides him?
He'd contemplated this before, but only briefly. Forcing himself to focus on the positives. On the things he could control.
But, there were... technically still options for him if things went awry.
In the most recent edition of the Triwizard Tournament rule guide there was a clause that stated that if one of the selected students is rendered physically incapable of participating in the tournament prior to the first task then the judges would be obliged to prompt the Goblet of Fire to select another student in their place.
But, how would he go about doing such a thing?
He sighed, annoyed with himself. He really should've planned for this possibility earlier.
There were of course many ways to incapacitate an individual for an extended amount of time, but unfortunately the majority of them were illegal. That's not to say he was all that opposed to breaking the law if necessary, but any 'accident' involving a Triwizard champion would surely be thoroughly investigated. He would have to work very hard to make certain that it wouldn't be traced back to him. Perhaps if he could figure out what it was that caused all the petrifications a few years ago he could-
"Whatever you're considering doing, don't." hissed a voice in his ear quietly, but urgently; dragging him sharply from his thoughts.
He turned his head in it's direction, eventually registering that it had been Jona. However, when he looked over he saw the boy had already gone back to his conversation with Cesaria.
He blinked and turned back to his plate, only just realizing that the only thing on it was his half-eaten dinner roll.
Maybe he was putting the cart before the thestral a bit. The champions hadn't even been announced yet.
"Y'know," He was surprised at how many of the discussions around him came to a halt with just a single word from his mouth, each person turning in his direction.
He scratched the back of his head a bit sheepishly. "Jona's right, I am a bit nervous."
The people surrounding him stared for a moment before bursting into good-natured laughter. Oddly, he felt a bit calmer.
Dinner went much more normally from that point on as Cedric was eventually dragging into a three-way argument with Cadawaller and Finch-Fletchley over what the tasks would consist of. If it had not been for the sudden drop in noise in the hall he may not have even noticed when Dumbledore had risen from his seat with Karkaroff and Maxime.
"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the front of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" He indicated the door behind the staff table. "where they will be receiving their first instructions."
He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. The pale, blue flames within the Goblet of Fire shone more than ever before, almost eye-wateringly bright.
They waited. Cedric could feel his breathing pick up just slightly. He knew logically the only seconds were going by, but it felt like hours.
The flames in the goblet suddenly turned a bright, unnatural, red, sparking violently. The next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it and the whole room gasped.
Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue.
"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."
Cedric sighed as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. He certainly wasn't surprised, but was a bit annoyed at the concept that Viktor Krum actually had the skills necessary to participate in the tournament. He sneered at the sight of Krum lumbering his way up to the front of the hall, graceless and ungainly.
Well, hopefully this just meant Cedric would get the chance to trounce him.
Assuming he gets picked at all.
The noise eventually died down and everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.
"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"
The cheering this time around was slightly more subdued than Krum's though still deafening.
Cedric was, again, unsurprised by this outcome. If Delacour was actually part-veela like the rumors suggested, then she would have quite the advantage.
'Though not against me.' he thought darkly as he watched her vanish into the side chamber. He did not even feel the distant, objective attraction that he'd felt for her when the Beauxbatons first arrived anymore.
Silence fell again, yet somehow it seemed even louder than the shouting from before.
He looked down at the, now clear, table; unable to even look at The Goblet any longer. He had to get picked, he just had to. He'd put so much time and effort into this. Surely there was no one more suitable than him to be Triwizard Champion.
Everything was riding on this.
He looked over at the Gryffindor table and almost immediately found Harry's face in the crowd of nobodies, his beautiful features sticking out like a beacon above a dull sea.
Cedric felt his heart settle at the sight.
There was a collective gasp, and he knew that the Goblet had surely spat out another name. However, he kept his eyes on Harry keen to see his reaction to- to whoever's name Dumbledore would say.
"The Hogwarts champion," Harry leaned forward in his seat, gaze fixed on Dumbledore. Cedric's nails dug into his palms.
"is Cedric Diggory!"
There was a roar of noise and excitement around him. Jona slammed his palms onto Cedric's shoulders, shaking him to-and-fro, Cadawaller was hopping up and down in elation, Cesaria was screaming something into his ear.
And Harry.
Harry was looking at him with the widest, most sincere, most wonderful smile that Cedric had ever seen.
Cedric had truly never seen anything more magnificent in all his life.
He felt...
He felt-
It was indescribable, the level of elation he felt.
He pulled himself out of the hug he did not realize Jona had enveloped him in. He was about to get out of his seat, but realized he was already standing. As he walked toward the front of the hall students from every house screamed their congratulations at him, some reaching out to pat his back or high-five him. He accepted it all grinningly, but his mind was still fixed on Harry's wondrous expression.
But, when he reached the interior of the side-chamber, the doors closed behind him and silence returned, along with it, his cognizance.
He let the smile remain on this face, but inspected Delacour and Krum, sharply. They both looked back at him with a similar shrewdness. He forced an air of vapidity and was satisfied when a dismissive look crossed both of their faces.
He walked further into the room and settled next to the fireplace, his hands behind his back. He stared into the fire and his thoughts immediately turned back to Harry.
They waited in silence.
Eventually, he heard the sound of the doors reopening, the low murmur from within the hall filtering in as someone entered. He did not turn around until after Delacour spoke.
"What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"
He glanced over his shoulder and his immediate thought was that he was perhaps hallucinating.
"Harry?" he found himself questioning before his mind had even caught up.
The boy's bright green eyes traced up from where they'd been inspecting the floor to meet his own. They were wide and fearful.
His feet took a few steps forward on their own accord. "What happened? What's wrong?"
Harry opened his mouth, but he seemed unable to make a sound, his lips quivering in a manner Cedric could not stand. He looked so terribly small.
There was a sound of footsteps, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward. Cedric felt a jolt at the sight of the man's hands on Harry.
"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing the boy's arm. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen... lady," he added with an oily little grin towards Delacour, approaching the fireside and addressing the room.
"May I introduce -incredible though it may seem- the fourth Triwizard champion?"
Immediately, Cedric's head whipped back towards Harry, confusion running rampant through his mind. Surely this was a joke? Or some sort of mistake?
However based on the expression on Harry's face it was anything but.
The first clear emotion to cross his mind was a swift, sharp sense of betrayal. How could Harry do this? He'd known how important this was to Cedric hadn't he? Why would he ruin this for him? Why would he take this from him?
Cedric had devoted everything of himself to Harry and this is what he got in repayment?
While Cedric stood there numbly, the conversation around him continued. Delacour seemed to believe it all to be a joke, however Bagman vehemently denied it, seeming far too excited about the situation to be normal.
The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Dumbledore, followed closely by Crouch, Karkaroff, Maxime, McGonagall and Snape. Immediately the room was filled with a disorienting amount of yelling and Cedric struggled to focus.
He groaned and closed his eyes, only barely stopping himself from rocking back and forth. He hadn't planned for this. Not at all. Not at all. Not at all! NOT AT ALL!
Everything was going completely wrong! Of all the people to ruin his plans, of ALL the people GET IN HIS WAY how on earth could in POSSIBLY BE-
Dumbledore's voice cut through the din like a knife through skin. "Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?"
Cedric opened his eyes for Harry's reaction and was glad he did.
Harry glanced around the room, taking in each person, but ultimately, he looked directly at Cedric, and said softly, imploringly, and most importantly: honestly
"No."
Immediately Cedric felt a strange and unpleasant mixture of guilt and relief settled over him.
What was wrong with him? How could he think that Harry would ever do something so terrible? After everything they'd been through together. After everything between them.
Embarrassingly, he felt the slightest bit of moisture in his eyes as he held Harry's gaze. Despite this, the boy sent him a grateful and deeply relieved expression, clearly just happy to find anyone who believed him. Cedric felt himself sink even deeper into his guilt.
"Mr. Crouch... Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous, "you are our- er... objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"
"We must follow the rules," replied Crouch with a level of calm that was ill-suited for the situation. "and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament. The only exception would be if he was-"
"-maimed or killed." Cedric found himself completing, unconsciously stepping closer to Harry as he was suddenly filled with protectiveness.
"Yes." agreed Crouch succinctly.
The arguing continued, Karkaroff easily the loudest. His yelling reached a crescendo just as Moody limped into the room.
"After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I did not expect something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"
"Empty threat, Karkaroff," growled Moody darkly as he slowly made his way towards the fireplace. "You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"
"Convenient?" scoffed Karkaroff in a tone just shy of being convincingly disdainful, his expression especially shifty. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."
"Don't you?" said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."
"Evidently, someone who wished to give Hogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.
"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -"
"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Moody.
"Why should he complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. "He has ze chance
to compete, hasn't he? We have all been hoping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money- zis is a chance many would die for!"
"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl.
An extremely tense silence followed these words. And Cedric felt his stomach drop at the very concept. Moody was right though, there was simply no other logical conclusion.
"Moody, old man..." Bagman's voice was quickly becoming insanely grating with each foolish word that came from his oversized mouth. "what a thing to say!"
"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons."
"Imagining things, am I?" growled Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet."
"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.
"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong enchantment to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament... I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category..."
"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, "and a very ingenious theory it is- though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously."
"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff. As you ought to remember."
"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly before continuing more calmly. "How this situation arose, we do not know, but it seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do so."
Many people seemed tempted to argue, Cedric included, but ultimately no one spoke.
The silence was broken with a clap of Bagman's hands. "Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"
Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie, jolting to attention. "Yes," he said, " Yes... the first task."
He moved forward into the firelight looking worn and slightly annoyed.
"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told them, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard. Very important."
He went into a bit more detail about the rules before eventually excusing himself. After that, everyone slowly filed out of the room leaving only Harry, Cedric and Dumbledore.
"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. Cedric felt a wave of disgust for the man. How could he possibly smile after such a revelation?
"I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."
There was no way Cedric was about to genuinely celebrate anything, but he still nodded, albeit absently, and steered Harry out the room with a light hand on the boy's back.
The Great Hall was deserted now; the candles had burned low, giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie, flickering quality.
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but uncharacteristically, Cedric found himself interrupting.
"I should've defended you back there."
Harry blinked, clearly taken aback by his statement, before vehemently shaking his head. "Not at all. There was no need to make that argument any longer."
He nodded. "I suppose you're right."
They stood there in silence for a moment, before Harry worked up the courage to speak.
"Do-" he looked down at his shoelaces, before looking back up again. "Do you... believe me?"
"Yes." was his instant reply, as if Cedric saying it speedily enough would make up for his previous mistrust.
He stepped closer and fell to one knee, taking each of Harry's hands in his own. "You will get out of this tournament alive, Harry." He vowed in a voice that was deep and sincere. "I promise, I will do everything I can to protect you."
Harry froze for the briefest instant, before his eyes took on a watery sheen and he jerked forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Cedric's neck.
"Thank you." The words were whispered against his ear. "I'm so glad to call you my friend, Cedric."
He enveloped Harry into his arms, burying his nose into one of his shaking shoulders; and realized with equal amounts of guilt and satisfaction, that he could turn this all to his favor.
A/N: I apologize for the slightly late update. As you can probably see this chapter ran a bit longer than usual, so I had to take some extra time to proof read it.