Date Started: 02-28-07
Pairing: CedricxCho, CedricxHarry, Future HarryxCho and HarryxCedric
Disclaimer: This was written for a challenge, I suppose. Besides... Cedric is dead and now Harry loves Malfoy just doesn't fit well in my opinion. The challenge was for - http://hp. - I'm basing Cedric's year... as his seventh. It's stated that Cedric's birthday was Sept or Oct of 1977. ( It's also stated that 1993 was his fifth year. To me that doesn't make sense. ) It's also been stated that student's that would have turned 11 before August 31 would recieve their letter. Cedric, being born in Sept or Oct wouldn't have gotten his letter until 1989, just before his 12 birthday. This would make the year 1993 the year that he became Quidditch captain and Seeker. In 1995, his sixth year, according to the way I see things, he was chosen for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, having turned 17 shortly after the begining of the school year.

c /c

"Both of us."

"What?" Cedric raised a brow, not sure what Harry meant.

"We'll take it at the same time. It's still a Hogwarts victory. We'll tie for it." Harry said from his spot where he fell, nodding.

Cedric slowly unfolded his arms, gray eyes carefully sizing Harry up. He asked, "You - you sure?"

"Yeah. Yeah...we"ve helped each other out, haven't we? We both got here. Let's just take it together." Harry nodded again, his eyes drifting up from the goblet to Cedric's face.

The Hufflepuff seeker was giving a look of disbelief. After everything he'd heard, thought, every small little detail that he held that might have been true about the Harry Potter faded away in that very second. His eyes softened and he pushed some brown hair from his face.

"You're on," he said. "Come here."

He bent down, carefully reaching under Harry's arm and pulling the shorter boy up to full height, his arm slipping around the Gryffindor's thin waist. He felt Harry wince and waited a moment before helping Harry limp towards the plinth the Cup was resting on.

"On three, right?" Harry said as they both extended a hand to the cup. "One - two - three - "

They both reached for the cup but something startled Cedric when he felt the weight leave his arm. He blinked and Harry was gone. He looked around almost frantically, taking a few steps back and looking around. Where had Harry went?

Then it dawned on him. The cup had been a portkey. He'd been too slow. Only thing didn't make sense. Where was Harry?

Cedric gave another look around. "Harry!" he screamed but when he got no answer he lifted his wand straight into the air and sent up a bright red stream of sparks.

Within minutes he heard footsteps and he raised his wand defensively, causing the woman to jerk herself back a step, a hand clutching the front of her robes. "My word, Mister Diggory. Put that down."

Looking down, Cedric flushed, giving a weak grin and lowering his arms. "I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall."

She shook her head as if apology wasn't needed before stepping closer to the tall boy, lifting a hand to move some hair from her face as she looked around. "My... Where is Potter?"

"The cup was a portkey, I assume, Professor." Cedric had since moved his arms behind his back, standing very politely, watching the Professor's reaction.

Minerva looked worried for a moment before quickly gesturing for Cedric. He followed her out of the maze and looked around at the crowd who were all waiting eagerly. That was two contestants down in their eyes.

Cedric stood still, waiting as McGonagall had walked to speak with Dumbledore. Neither of them looked at anyone but each other for what seemed like hours.

Cedric could feel his blood going cold as he stood there. It was almost too unbearable when he heard a scream and looked up just in time to have a very ruffled looking Harry Potter fall infront of him amazingly on his feet. He would have applauded the boy's landing but instead found the boy tumbling forward against him, knocking him backwards in the process.

Harry looked significantly dirtier than he had been in the maze and he was clinging to Cedric in a way that made the older boy feel completely sure of the world. He faintly smelled of grass and a small hint of blood. Harry was shaking and Cedric did the first thing he could think of. He placed his arms around the smaller male.

Green eyes slowly lifted to meet gray from behind a pair of lenses. Cedric swallowed and leaned up closer, his head tilting as Harry's lips parted, dark lashes fluttering closed.

c /c

Cedric woke from a start, his body broken out in a sweat, as his eyes looked around the dimly lit room. He was back home and everything was as normal as could be expected. He roughly pushed back his soft brown hair, taking a deep breath and throwing off his covers and standing to pace about his room. That was the tenth time he'd dreamt about that night in two weeks. Nothing had happened. Harry had fallen on him, yes, but nothing else. Harry was whisked away before...

No! He wasn't gay. He even had a girlfriend! Cedric grunted before noticing by the slight sting in his voice that proved he had done so vocally.

He began pacing again. Surely this year would be near impossible with these dreams. Especially seeing Harry, the boy who almost got killed. If only he would have touched the goblet in time... He might have been able to protect Harry.

He was so enthralled by his thoughts that he nearly tripped over his broom that had been resting against his trunk. He cursed silently and straightened himself, dusting off his clothes before heaving a heavy sigh. How was he supposed to concentrate on N.E.W.T.s with Harry Potter haunting his dreams and popping up everywhere once he got to school?

He moved over to look at a clock, staring up at it with a stern look as if daring it to lie to him before frowning. His Father would be up and getting ready any minute now so in all reality, he might as well just stay up and get ready for breakfast and his trip to the station. He searched his remaining clothes for something suitable, after all he would be changing on the train, but he did want to look nice for Cho.

Deciding on a button up gray and black striped shirt with a white one to go underneath and a pair of blue jeans that fit almost perfect had been one of the hardest things he though he'd ever had to do. He sighed and grabbed some underwear before slowly making his way from his room to the bathroom, reaching in to cut on the water so it would heat up while he undressed. He went about his daily ritual of shaving, brushing his teeth, checking his eyes for color change while the heat of the room grew around him, the mirror slowly fogging up while he leaned over the sink to look into it.

He headed for the water, stepping beneath the spray and wincing faintly at how hot the water was. He turned it down slightly before releasing a soft sigh, dipping his head backwards to let the water fall over his face and hair, a few rivlets making their way down his chest. He went about ritual there, washing his body and hair before letting himself drench beneath the cascade a little while longer, just letting the water wash away the remaining traces of his dreams.

He heard a knock on the door and jumped, blinking at the steam filled room when he heard his mother's voice call out, "Cedric, honey. Breakfast is ready."

A smile slowly spread over his lips as he cut off the water and stepped out of the shower to dry himself off and put on the outfit he'd picked for today. He looked himself in the mirror but could only see a blurry half of himself, but he felt satisfied anyway.

When he went downstairs, he slid into his chair and smiled at his father who smiled back at him. "My son... the real champion. Horrible Potter boy for taking that Cup from you. You'll beat him good this year, I'm sure."

Cedric's smile faulted slightly until his mother sat down, wiping her hands. "I actually cooked today. I feel very accomplished. Now I want both of my men to eat fully."

The family ate quietly and none bothered to speak until they had finished and Cedric's mother was cleaning up the dishes. "Let me help, Ma." He gave his best charming smile as he stood but his mother ushered him back into his seat.

"No, no. Not so close to your birthday. You won't be home for it. You'll at least relax for the rest of the day." She smiled warmly at her son before finishing up.

Amos raised a brow before picking his paper back up and flipping to where he had been reading before hand. "Well... I believe I should be going." He closed the paper within minutes and Cedric idly wondered if his father had even been reading at all.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small golden, velvet pouch and setting it on the table. "By yourself a new broom in Diagon Alley before you go to Cross Station." His father gave a proud grin, which Cedric returned, before moving out of the room, his wife following.

Cedric picked up the pouch, tossing it once and grinning. He wouldn't have much time but after his mother finished the dishes and finished readying herself, they would have plenty of time since they normally waited about the house for at least an hour before leaving.

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If I get enough reviews... I'll say...three ( I'm not hard to please )... then I'll continue this. If not... then hey... it could kind of stand on it's own.