The Boy I Love -HEDRIC (2)

82.(HC) eyes or murder?

HARRY

XCII

In one of many attempts to encourage him to leave the Gryffindor dormitory, Ron asked in the middle of lunch, "Are you coming with us, Hermione?" 

Harry moved his fork around on his plate.

Yes, he had heard him, unlike his friend, who wrote on a piece of parchment.

"To walk around the gardens and visit Hagrid after classes today?"

She looked up. “I have to…”

"You'll be busy, I see," Ron interrupted her, cutting a piece of bread with his hands. “I don't know why I bother. You're always very busy lately. With your boyfriend, I imagine…” 

Crumbs fell on the tablecloth.

“I don't have any boyfriend. I'm too young for that and I have other priorities.”

Ron's smile did not go unnoticed. “Oh, me too.”

“And what I was going to say is that I can leave my essay for tomorrow.” 

XCIII

His best friend had been trying to distract him all week.

It wasn't thay he didn't appreciated the intention, but every time Harry saw Cedric he wanted to lay in his bed and be sad without having to try hard to hide it. 

In Hagrid's cabin he did his best not to let it show.

He didn't want to talk about it with anyone. 

The only clarification he had to make was that the two of them taking some time was his fault and not Cedric's, as Ron seemed to believe. 

XCIV

Harry struggled to pinpoint when the last kiss had been.

And wondered who had started it so as not to think about whether there would be another.

He remembered the feeling of Cedric's lips against his and his arms around him too well in a torture in which he found bittersweet comfort.

A week had passed and the voice of optimism walked by his side.

"I'm sure you'll get back together," Ron commented as they left class. “He looks at you all the time.”

The problem was that Harry had to be the one to make a decision.

And Harry did it too, unable to bear to hold his gaze when they met. 

CEDRIC

XCV

The day arrived when they would have been dating for six months.

Unable to celebrate it together, he remembered that kiss that marked everything. 

How for him from that moment on they were together. 

That certainty that it meant something, that Harry wanted him too.

Two weeks later they made it official. He wondered what would be of them by then.

If they would celebrate again or if he would count the infinite days until the pain ended. 

XCVI

Malcolm invited him to join some sort of excursion with Fred and George.

Even though he spent a lot of time with his group of friends lately, he didn't intend to interfere in their couple's plans.

He accepted because of George's presence. 

They ducked into a secret passageway, and he recognized the way once they poked their heads into an empty Hogsmeade business on a weekday. The same one they had used with Harry on Valentine's Day and that his godfather showed them at Easter. It turned out that they were heading into the woods, and Cedric wasn't sure if he would have said yes if he had known where they were going.