Time Is Life

woods

It's been a few hours since the Weasleys and Harry arrived at the campsite. It took Harry a while to get rid of Ron and Hermione in the crowd of wizards and witches. He honestly can't go through with the entire ordeal from last time.

He has to resist the urge to sneer at both of them and now he just wants some peace and quiet until later when the final would begin. And he certainly won't be buying Ron those Omnioculars. The redhead had been too obnoxious and loud with them the first time and if he gradually starts distancing himself from his ex-friends they won't ask that many questions, which will be for the better in the long run of events. He smiles softly as he walks closer to the woods around the camping site.

In his reverie, he doesn't realize the other person running his way, at least not until they knock into each other harshly. Harry falls hard on the ground and rubs his aching head. A snappy reply ready on his tongue. But it quickly dies out at the sight in front of him, Cedric Diggory. The older Hufflepuff frowns as he rubs his chest, then he looks down at Harry with that warm smile, causing Harry's heart to do summersaults and flips. He wills the rushing heat to his face away.

"Sorry about that but I was trying to get away from some inconveniences if you know what I mean." He sheepishly rubs the back of his hair. He offers his hand to Harry, who accepts it gratefully. "Don't worry about it it's fine. Where are you headed now, Diggory?"

There is a short pause before Cedric shrugs not knowing how to answer the younger teen. Harry chuckles softly.

He missed this. This lightness, this simplicity. Everything changed after Cedric's death, it felt as though Harry had been ripped apart. Nothing made sense to him afterwards, he increasingly became more reserved and an increasing, agonising numbness overcame him. At the time Harry didn't know that he felt that way because his true mate died. He knows differently now and he will hold onto it this time around.

Harry shakes his head and attempts to smile, but fails. Cedric picks up on it and his look of amusement morphs into something more concerned. "Did I say something wrong? Is this still about the Quidditch match last year?"

Harry quickly shakes his head. "No, I'm sorry, I was just thinking and remembered something I'd rather forget. Anyhow, if you've got nothing else to do, how about you join me for a stroll through the forest?"

"Sure why not, where are Granger and Weasley? I never see you without them."

Harry sighs softly and shakes his head motioning them to move further away. "I've been thinking a lot over the summer and I have come to question my friendship with them."

"How so? They don't seem so bad."

Harry hides the urge to laugh hysterically behind his mask. No need to show just how deranged he is this early on. "You don't know them the way I do. I may not have realized in time but Gr- err... Hermione doesn't like if I or anybody for that matter scores higher on an assignment than her. As an example, last year my potions essay- which was perfect might I add- mysteriously went missing. I found the remains of my parchment in tatters on the common room floor. I had to redo it in less than an hour, I got lucky I still scrabbed by with an acceptable. Another thing about Ron. He's too loud and too much of a temper throwing child, the same goes for Sirius." Harry rolls his eyes as he leads a shocked Cedric deeper into the woods, towards the magic of his brother calling out to him.

"I never would have thought, are you sure it was Granger? It might've been someone else, I'm not trying to say that I don't believe you because I do. I mean you are the-boy-who-lived and all, you probably know more about this situation than I do. But maybe it was someone who holds a grudge against you, which I couldn't possibly understand, you are just you. You are humble, kind, brave and so much more that I could never hope to be... I'm rambling, aren't I? I'm so sorry!"