The Boy In My Dreams -HEDRIC (1)

24.(CH) what matters

"You haven't," Cedric replied, more out of courtesy than reassurance. "It was nice that someone was being one hundred percent honest up front."

Merlin knew this didn't happen very often.

"I'm glad you see it that way because I was thinking that you might want to meet up tonight? Let's say on the second floor, turning left. At nine o'clock."

LXXI

What had just happened?

He hadn't been able to tell Oliver anything.

Neither a yes or a no.

As soon as he got to his dorm, Cedric was grateful that Malcolm was the only one present. He closed the door and noticed the flash of a white cover as the boy in bed, in one quick movement, tucked a book under his pillow.

"Oh, it's you," Malcolm said, relieved.

He didn't reverse the obvious spell he had cast on the book.

"Were you in the middle of a forbidden reading?" Cedric couldn't help but tease him, even though he knew Malcolm did that sometimes.

"You know me," Malcolm laughed, stretching his legs out on the dark yellow blanket. "Zach would scoff me for years if he saw this. Before you ask, it was nothing... er..."

"Spicy?" Cedric offered, raising an eyebrow. "Not suitable for all public? Romantic? Dark? "

"None of the above."

He stood in the center of the room, so suspicious he was caught in the act.

"You have that face that says something incredible has happened and of course you will be the first to know . So drop it."

"Oliver asked me out on a date tonight."

It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"A brave Gryffindor," Malcolm commented with his mouth hanging open. "And what have you said to him?"

"I... kind of..."

"Cedric Diggory..." he started, kneeling on the mattress and pointing a finger at him, "Sometimes I wish you had a middle name to make it sound more threatening, but have you said yes? Or have you gone blank?"

If anyone knew how hard it would be for him to say no, it was Malcom.

"The second one is the right answer."

Nodding without judgment, he expressed his only doubt, "So are you going?"

What a coincidence that they had the same one.

LXXII

Malcolm never had to tell him that he was interested not only in girls, but also in boys. Cedric simply knew it from his way of expressing himself and, of course, thanks to his habit of pointing out without shame who was the most attractive in any class. And for the sense of freedom impossible to miss in Malcolm, as if he didn't care what others thought. Some people found him too fidgety, talkative or occasionally eccentric, but to Cedric those were the best parts of him.

He even believed that Malcolm could be popular -if he wanted to.

He was the best friend he could have ever asked for.

He wouldn't tell him how much he appreciated that he had chosen him too.

"I can accompany you," Malcolm proposed after debating whether or not he should go.

Cedric thought it would be rude not to show up and thought he could introduce himself just to clear it up. Malcolm didn't agree that it was such a good plan, he could see it in his face. He claimed that it could be perceived as a mixed message and expressed how much he wouldn't want Cedric to have any awkward moments if they weren't on the same page.