Miss Moony would like to say that she doesn't own Harry Potter and that she had no help with this story from Miss Wormtail, Miss Padfoot or Miss Prongs.

Slash warnings, of the Harry/Cedric variety. Inspired by my viewing of the GoF film. Also, AU, between the second and third tasks.

------- I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good -------

See the Stars

They make their way outside from the castle, broomsticks in hand but not heading in the direction of the quidditch pitch-turned-maze. The taller of the two is clutching a winged, golden ball, and he lets it go as soon as they reach the edge of the forest.

The ball rises, and then zooms away. The two boys chase after it, and it's a close match but the dark-haired boy's the one who manages to scoop it out from under his companion's nose.

He laughs, and the taller boy jokingly asks for a rematch. They're soon zooming off again, chasing the snitch, but also chasing each other, until they tumble off their brooms and land in the mud together, snickering.

The dark-haired boy rests his head on his companion's chest after a moment, and they lie there silently for a while, until the older boy says, 'When are we going to tell them, Harry?'

Harry shrugs, and shifts uncomfortably. 'They'd hate me,' he says, his voice small, and slightly choked.

The older boy's grey-eyed gaze rests on the top of Harry's head for a moment, and then shifts back to the sky. 'See the stars?' he asks, and Harry looks up, then nods.

'See Orion, over there?' He points, and Harry nods again. 'The next time the sky's clear enough to see Orion will be the night we tell them, okay?'

Harry smiles, and agrees, and then kisses him.

The next time Harry can see Orion, it's tainted green from the light of the killing curse burnt into Harry's retinas. He's clutching onto the Triwizard Cup with one hand, and his lover's arm with the other, and no matter how hard they try, no one can pry him away.

When Harry sees his best friends coming towards him in concern, taking in his red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes and shaking hands, he doesn't tell them anything, because Cedric's dead, so there's nothing to tell.