Gone, Together (Cedric x Reader)

Chapter 45 ~ Reconciliation

As I awoke the next morning, a hollow feeling settled in my chest. I glanced at the small calendar on my bedside table and realized with a sinking feeling that I had just a little over a week until the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. The thought alone sent a pool of dread churning in my stomach, a sensation that would linger throughout the day.

Despite my heavy emotions, I forced myself to get up, take a shower, and change. I knew that wallowing in bed wouldn't change the situation, and regardless of what had transpired with Cedric, I needed to stay focused on the tournament. It was essential to process and understand my feelings in a way that didn't compromise the hard work I had put into my training.

Megan and I made our way to the Great Hall for breakfast, sitting at the Gryffindor table amidst my sister, her friends, and the ever-entertaining Weasley twins. Surprisingly, it turned out to be a fantastic morning, providing a welcome distraction from the turmoil that had dominated the previous night.

I couldn't help but notice Harry's perpetual state of disarray and his increasingly short fuse. I understood the pressure he was under, given the Triwizard Tournament's ominous nature. I couldn't help but wonder how Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour were faring, as Hermione had mentioned Krum's preparation.

I couldn't help but let my eyes flicker over to Cedric, who was sitting with his friends and nursing a black eye. He poked at his food absently, and I couldn't help but wonder what explanation he had given for the shiner. As the third task of the Triwizard Tournament drew closer, the rumours and speculations around the school were bound to intensify.

"Cheer up. He got what he deserved," George whispered, putting a comforting arm around me and pulling me closer.

I sighed, my voice filled with frustration, "I just—how can someone be that..." I struggled to find the right word. Cruel. How could someone be that cruel to manipulate another person's feelings? How could I have been so blind to it all?

George didn't say anything for a while, letting the silence linger before he attempted to involve me in the current conversation, trying to provide a distraction from the torment I was feeling.

Across the hall, I noticed my brother Edmund sitting with Louis. They seemed to be engrossed in a pleasant conversation. From afar, Edmund bore a striking resemblance to our father when he was younger, but there was a flicker of worry in his eyes that gave him away. He kept glancing at Cedric, as though he believed one wrong move might set him off.

After walking aimlessly around the castle with Megan, a sense of exhaustion and weariness weighed on me. I needed some time alone to gather my thoughts and do something I had been putting off for far too long.

Making my way up the stairs, I settled down at my desk. It was time to write letters, to convey all the things that had been left unsaid, words that I might never get the chance to speak before the third task. If the worst were to happen, I wanted everyone to have something from me, a piece of my thoughts and feelings.

I gathered around a dozen parchments and a large pot of ink, preparing for a task that could easily consume the entire day. As I dipped my quill into the inkwell and began to write. If I made it out of the third task, these letters would forever remain locked away, a testament to a time of uncertainty and fear.

I began writing the letters, starting with the Twins and Megan since they were the easiest to express my feelings to. As I wrote, my initial uncertainty gave way to a flood of words, emotions, and memories.

But as I continued, my exhaustion took its toll. I rested my head on my hand, my mind struggling to find the right words to convey the depth of my feelings. The desk beneath me seemed to grow heavier, and an overwhelming sense of emptiness and sorrow settled in my chest. How could I possibly write more letters when my emotions were in such turmoil?