a rose by any other name

chapter thirty-five ❃ the poisoned mead

Realising I didn't really have a choice I looked around before apparating back to Cedric's dorm, "Hey Angel, I didn't think you'd be done so soon, is everything okay?" Cedric asked when I landed and I walked over to his bed where he was laying. "Yeah, look I'm really sorry to even be asking this of you, and honestly you don't have to do it at all but... I need your help with something." Cedric sat up, "Anything Angel, it's yours." I sighed, "Well, me and Draco need alcohol for our new... plan, but were both too young to buy it so I was wondering if I could give you the money and then you buy it for us?" I asked, "But please, think about what I'm asking you to do here, think about what the alcohol is for, don't just say yes because it's me." I said seriously and Cedric gave me a just as serious look. "I understand what you're asking me to do and how important it is, that's why I want to do it. Parisa I don't want you to get hurt, and we both know – you've told me so many times. That if you don't go through with this, he might kill you. Parisa I can't lose you like that, not ever, and if this is all I can do to keep you safe – I'll do it." My heart would have melted if he wasn't helping me kill Dumbledore, but of course, I was beyond grateful for him. I just couldn't help but feel guilty for asking so much of him, Draco would probably kill me if he found out, but we didn't have many options. "I have to meet Draco back at The Three Broomsticks when I've got it and that's where I was thinking you could buy it from. The only problem is he can't know I've asked you – he can't see us together." Cedric sighed as I said this, I knew why because I was feeling the same. We were so happy together, I was living the life to be completely honest, but at the end of the day we still had to sneak around – no one could actually know we were together. Not just for my sake but for Cedric's too. Yes, my family, my dad, would lose his head at me, and I dread to think how far he would go. But, making Voldemort aware that I had a connection with Cedric of all people, would put him in even more danger than me.

"I'll go in before you and buy it, then I'll leave it on an empty seat so that you can go in and grab it after I leave." He said moving closer to me and I nodded my head and looked at him, "Thank you Cedric honestly, you're being so good with all of this and I really can't thank you enough." Cedric shook his head as if to say, 'don't worry about it' and grabbed the back of my head gently, kissing me. I couldn't help but climb onto his lap and straddle him, deepening the kiss and running my hands through his hair, I was so stressed because of all of this I just wanted to get into bed with Cedric and stay there until the year was over – maybe even longer. I wanted to have a free life with him now, I was so done with waiting. "Parisa baby, as much as I don't want you to move right now, if we get carried away, you know I won't be able to stop." Cedric said huskily and I sighed, "I'm sorry, you're just so-" Cedric cut me off by kissing me again and lifting me of his lap, "I love you Angel, let's get this done and then we'll have all the time in the world together." I nodded my head and made a final plan with Cedric before we headed to Hogsmeade separately.

I was now stood outside of The Three Broomsticks hiding around a corner for Cedric to leave, I'd given him the money to buy it and he told me he'd leave it on the closest open seat to the door. I saw the golden-haired Hufflepuff leave the pub and after counting thirty seconds I left my hiding place and entered The Three Broomsticks.

I was instantly hit with the smell of fire whiskey and butterbeer, I looked around and spotted the bottle of mead settled on a chair in the corner and casually made my way over to it, picking it up and walking back out. As I got to the door I saw Draco walk past the window and I shouted his name, he turned to me startled but relaxed when he saw the mead in my hands, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to where we were last time. "You got it here? How?" He asked astonished and I panicked slightly, "Nothing a little flirting with the creepy bar tender can't get." I said and Draco screwed his face up, "Lovely... isn't he like sixty Ris? Anyway, great I managed to get some poison off Snape."