If I'm Lucky {Fred Weasley}

The First Task

This made Cedric smile fondly as he touched my cheeks and pulled me for a peck on the lips. He then moved his smile to my temple and kissed it before pulling me back into his embrace, "I better hear you cheering out there."

"For Fleur? Totally. She's looking good in that suit," I teased him.

Cedric laughed slightly, but the worry remained evident.

I tried to encourage him, "Hey, you're going to do great out there."

"I hope so," He replied through a tight jaw to hide his nerves.

"I know so. Just remembered the stuff you practised. Get through one obstacle at a time. Think, assess, and move accordingly. Most importantly," I gazed up at him with heartening eyes, "remember how wickedly brilliant you are."

Cedric grinned at me again and moved the ends of my hair from the front to the back of my shoulder, "Thank you for being here for me, Love. What would I do without you?"

"You don't have to thank me. I'll always be here for you. Also, you didn't need me. You figured most of this out on your own. I'm just here for moral and emotional support," I reminded him. Which is true. I helped Cedric as much as I could, but he's the one that came up with a plan and has been practising nonstop over the last few months.

"Maybe...But having you by my side has made this so much easier to get through," He told me genuinely.

This time, it was my turn to smile at him. I was about to tell him how much I love him when a flash in the tent caught everyone's attention.

He took my hand in his as we turned to see where the source of the light came from.

"Ahhh, Young love! How...stirring," A dodgy-looking woman chimed. Next to her was a guy with a camera and a floating quill jotting down things on a notepad. The lady had an impish expression as if she was coming up with all kinds of naughty ideas.

"Who's that?" I asked Cedric.

"Rita Skeeter," Cedric whispered to me.

"Oh, that barmy lady you've all been telling me about?"

Cedric nudged my side with his elbow but rolled his lips into his teeth to hide a laugh.

Rita spoke with a manky, squeaky voice as she walked towards Harry and Hermione, "If everything goes, unfortunately, today, you two may even make the front page."

They both looked utterly disgusted by her presence while simultaneously looking like they would have hit her if they were allowed to.

"You have no business here!" Viktor's stern Bulgarian accent bellowed, "This tent is for champions...and friends."

Rita turned towards Krum and eyed him up and down in what looked to be a flirtatious manner, "No matter...We got what we want."

"So, in other words, one picture to misconstrued information and perpetuate more lies in The Prophet," I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms. She turned and surveyed me as if sizing me up, adding to my already high level of repulsion. I could see Cedric try to suppress his proud smirk in my peripheral vision.

"My Dear," You could see the wheels turning in her mind as her eyes shifted between Cedric and me. When they finally leered into my own, she threatened behind a saccharine, shrill voice, "You ought to be careful. I could make life exceedingly difficult for you."

I rolled it off my back with a shrug and allowed a snide remark to pass through my lips, "Eh, my life's been difficult before. I'm sure I can survive one of your pathetic articles."

Both our stares bore into each other, and just as Rita was about to respond, Dumbledore came into the tent, followed by Igor Karkaroff, Madam Maxime, Filch, and Barty Crouch.