The Tale of Guinevere

Alchemy

"Hi." I smiled as I leaned my head against Cedric's shoulder, stifling a yawn.

"Hey." He chuckled. "Are you holding up okay?"

"Yeah, but I think I'll need to turn in early tonight."

"Winnie." Cedric's voice so serious I took my head from his shoulder and glanced up at him. "I know you have trouble sleeping since the Cup. I felt you twisting and turning all night. Want to tell me about it?"

"I don't want to talk about it here." I said as I cast my eyes down. Cedric cupped my cheek lightly.

"Come on." He pulled me up by my hands.

"What? Where are we going?" I asked as he pulled me back out of the great hall. Cedric ignored the question and took me down the steps. He stopped before the entrance of the Hufflepuff common room.

"Go up to my room, I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright." I said slowly, taking him in. He gave me a wink before he headed towards the painting of the kitchens.

I walked in the empty common room and went straight to Cedric's room. I kicked off my shoes and said cross legged on his bed. I took Orion from my shoulder and put him on my knee. I tapped my wand against my lips thinking about what to make for him. In the corner of my eye, I saw a lost shoelace. I summoned it to me and transformed it into a large branch, placing the Moke on it before I put the branch on the floor next to me, giving it an invisible barrier around it. Just as I placed the little Moke on the floor, Cedric walked in, carrying food and drinks for the both of us. He hopped on the bed next to me and laid out the spread he brought on the bed.

"So, do you want to tell me?" He asked as he unwrapped a sandwich.

"Have I ever told you what happened to my grandparents?" I asked not taking my eyes away from my own sandwich.

"They died, didn't they?"

"Hmm, they were murdered. In their house by death eaters, by men or women in the same black hoods as at the Cup."

"I'm so sorry." He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close.

"The thing is... me and my brother were there when it happened. My grandparents had put security charms around the house and when the alarm went off, they hid us bellow the staircase. But there was a crack in the wooden panels, I could see everything. I saw how they blasted out the front door, how my grandfather tried to protect my grandmother. The flash of green blinded my eyes and my brother tried to hold me back, but it was too late, I saw them die in front of me. I saw the hooded figures laughing as they stood over their bodies." The tears started to flow freely, and Cedric pulled me down, so I could rest my head on his chest as he slowly traced circles on my back, whispering reassuring things in my hair.

When the tears stopped, I hugged him tight. "Thank you for listening."

"Anytime, love." He kissed the top of my head. I looked up at him and our eyes locked, one hand cupped my cheek.

"Wasn't there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Not important now, love. Later." He said as he caressed my cheek. I pushed myself up and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

Cedric's eyes widened, he could barely restrain himself from kissing her properly, but he knew it wasn't the time for it.

I lowered my head again and rested it back on his chest, my grip on him tight. "You can always come to me if you can't sleep."

"I know." My voice soft as I started drifting off to sleep.