The Golden Quartet {Cedric Diggory x Reader x Harry Potter}

Third Year: Chapter Three

"Maybe you aren't happy enough?" Harry offered.

You tried to think about one of your happiest moments in life. Being in Diagon Alley with Professor McGonagall. Earning your Hogwarts letter and shopping for school supplies, getting that rush from going back to school for the first time in your life. Smiling to yourself, you gripped your wand a little firmer and tried again.

"Excultus!"

Nothing.

"Excultus!"

Harry smiled widely. You looked at your wand and back up at him before squinting your eyes.

"You smiled on purpose," you accused.

Harry simply shrugged and even you couldn't be that mad.

"Well thank you for trying to make me feel better, Harry."

"Try once more."

You sighed and rolled your eyes but did as he suggested. With a final shout of excultus, you watch the left corner of his mouth curl up ever so slightly. Harry could feel it too and cheered you on saying that it was a start. You were positive that it wasn't a start but the end. However, at least he smiled a tiny bit. You set your wand down and brushed your braids off of your shoulder. Harry grabbed his wand and pointed it at you, reciting the incantation flawlessly. Without any prompting, your lips curled into a large smile. Suddenly, you began to chuckle.

"I... I think i-it worked," you struggled to get the words out between fits of laughter.

"Well done, Mr. Potter," Professor Flitwick praised.

You grabbed at your sides until the laughter subsided, giving Harry a thumbs up. He set his wand down and began to pack up his stuff. Harry began to pack up yours as well when you started laughing again, claiming that he may have done the spell too well.

He handed you your bag and the two of you made your way to the Great Hall for dinner along with Ron and Hermione who stayed behind. As you entered the Hall, Cedric and his friends waved at you. You gave them a wave back before breaking out into laughs once again.

"You're too good at magic," you said as you shoved Harry.

He chuckled and gave you a wave goodbye, along with Hermione and Ron, as you made your way to the Hufflepuff table. You couldn't even stop the chuckles long enough to answer Cedric's question about what was so funny but he seemed to understand that you just came from Charms class and was able to put two and two together. The laughter finally subsided for real and you took a sip of pumpkin juice. As you set your cup down, you noticed Draco right in front of you.

"Cousin," he said in a soft tone that seemed to surprise everyone around the two of you.

"Cousin," you mimicked.

"Did you ever get the gift that Mother sent for your birthday? We had to sneak it out, not sure we sent it to the correct place because we rushed."

"I did. Thank you for the shoes and the candy floss."

"Well, I'm glad you liked it."

"Is your arm okay?" you asked, noting the wrappings around it.

"Brute of a bird. Father will handle it."

You took another sip of your drink. Anything handled by Lucius was not something you thought to be a good thing. Your cousin, as lovable as he could be, was a daddy's boy. And Lucius Malfoy was an absolutely terrible father— not that you would ever tell Draco that. You wished Buckbeak well and hoped that Lucius wouldn't be usual cruel self.