The Boy In My Dreams -HEDRIC (1)

17.(CH) not the right way to say goodbye

Harry had to look elsewhere, anywhere.

XLVIII

To say that he had been distracted was an understatement.

A guilty feeling emerged when Cho caught the snitch. Although he had seen it first, she was closer. Fred was shaking his head in disappointment at losing and George was instantly showing off, flying back and forth with the girls in celebration.

"It's not every day that you beat the other version of yourself."

"If you and I are the same, that means I've also won."

"Or that I've lost," George continued his brother's reasoning, and placed his arm around his shoulders with no sign of unsteadying in midair. "We were born as a team. Even if I have proven to be superior, I propose to never part again."

At least Fred no longer seemed frustrated, but rather motivated to have his brother retract his former claim. Harry hoped he wouldn't receive the same taunts as he had in the old match with Ravenclaw. That time in the hospital wing when Oliver told him he shouldn't lose the game over a girl, and the jokes about how he had almost let her win. There was Harry, embarrassed that he had been too busy paying attention to Cedric. He didn't know if they would have won if he had been more focused, but any comment on it would have him on the verge of panic thinking that they had realised the reason behind his distraction.

XLIX

He flew towards Ron, figuring it was safe.

"You were amazing," Harry told him, going through the hoop. "I think next year you will enter the team. It will be great to have you at training."

"Do you think I'll get in?"

"Of course I do. I don't think there is anyone better."

Ron didn't seem to believe his words, and although Harry could understand it, he wanted his best friend to know how much he would bring into the team with his skills and knowledge. No one knew as much about Quidditch as he did: history, strategies and scores of matches around the world. The World Cup was a couple of months away and Harry had been the first person Ron had invited, something for which he felt privileged. This was the next event he was looking forward to, and the one that would keep him sane during the holidays at his uncle's house.

"That's my little brother," Fred yelled proudly as he hurried over. "The next Gryffindor keeper."

"Welcome to the team," George told him when he caught up with them, ruffling his red hair and leaving it matted. "Oliver won't listen to this coming from us, but we'll be glad to have you. Even if it means losing him."

"It's the Quidditch cycle. Some players leave, others come in."

Ron's small, sheepish smile faded before he stated the obvious, "But we lost."

"A minor detail," Fred clarified. "You have stopped several tough goals."

"There were some that I was sure would pass, and you caught them." George ruffled his hair again and began to descend to the ground. Fred followed, but not before glancing at Harry. Just when he thought he was going to say something, he smiled and left.

CEDRIC

XLI

Once on the field, he watched Fred talking to Tam, George to Angelina and Cho, and Hunter to Katie. Some were laughing with each other, and that was all Cedric wanted: everyone to have a good time.

Harry went through the hoop before landing right next to him.

With Ron, whose contained expression suddenly relaxed.