Keep Your Promises (Cedric Diggory x Reader)

I Always Pictured A Future With You

              "Attention! I need your attention! Then you can go back to all the pointless things you're currently wasting your time with," Professor Snape drawled lazily. The Common Room fell silent as everyone turned to face the dull faced Professor. He sneered as many students rolled their eyes in annoyance. "Since the beginning of the term there have been a total of 6 attacks. The heir of Slytherin shows no sign of ending these threats. And we, as your Professors have found it necessary to inform you that, if the culprit is not caught soon, Hogwarts will be closed."
               Quills fell from hands, smiles fell from faces, and the entire room stopped breathing. It was dead silent. Someone let out a strangled cry and the room fell into chaos. Snape swept through the door, black robes flowing behind him. It had been 4 months since you'd returned from Holiday, exams were fast approaching, and this is the news they give you? You sucked in a shaky breath, glancing at your brother. His expression must've mirrored your own. It was a look of terror. Pure terror.
               You shook your head in utter disbelief. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. You felt as if you might cry. You stood up abruptly and rushed up the stairs to your dormitory. You flung open the door finding it empty. You ran to your desk, digging around in the drawers for a piece of parchment and a quill. You dipped the quill into the ink and scrawled a letter as fast as you could. You blew on the pitch black ink, willing it to dry faster. You pulled out your wand and cast a simple spell, praying it would get to him soon.
               Just as your note disappeared in a flurry of ash another one reappeared. You didn't even have to guess who it was from. You thought alike. It wasn't a surprise that he had sent a letter as soon as he got the news. You unfolded the crisp parchment, finding the same 3 words you had written moments ago. Only this time in his delicate scrawl. Astronomy Tower. Midnight.

-Time Skip-
                                                                                      The soft cries of your roommates echoed in your head as you stood staring at the empty courtyard. You hadn't shown any emotion since the announcement. You willed yourself not to cry in absolute misery. They wouldn't see you cry. They wouldn't see your weakness. You wouldn't let them. You sucked in a breath, holding back more tears.
               "Come 'ere, baby. Aw, come here. Let me hold you. I need you," he whispered as he reached the top of the staircase. You didn't need anymore convincing. You launched yourself into his open arms. He held you to his chest tightly. You gripped his back, scared to let go. You hadn't spoke to Cedric since the Masquerade, over 4 months ago. You hadn't realized how much you'd missed him.
               "They can't close Hogwarts, Ced! They can't! Hogwarts is my home! Where else is there to go? I don't...I can't...Oh God...I..." You sobbed. He hushed you, gently stroking your (H/C) hair as he so often did when you were upset. But this time he couldn't fix this problem. He couldn't do anything to stop it.
               "I don't know baby. I don't know. I've never thought about them closing the school. I didn't think we'd ever have to worry about it. But now...I don't know..." You sobbed harder, drenching his pajama top. He held you closer, trying to provide as much comfort as he could.
               "I've never thought about anything after Hogwarts! I know I want to work in the Ministry. And play Quidditch for as long as I possibly can, but I had no plan after that. I have no direction of where my life is going to go from here." Cedric pulled you down so that you were sitting side by side. You leaned into him heavily. This was a disaster. Hogwarts couldn't close. It just couldn't.
               "I don't think you're the only one. I don't know a single person who has their entire life, after Hogwarts, mapped out in front of them. But surely you must have the faintest idea of what you want to do with your life though. Move out? Get married? Start a family?" You sighed heavily. You wanted all of those things, you just hadn't provided them with much thought. Or any at all.
               "Of course that's what I want, but I've never thought about them much. I don't think about the future. I'm just trying to live through now. Have you thought much about yours?" Cedric blushed crimson. A faint smile hit your lips as you watched him carefully.
               "Well...I've thought about it...some...not too much though. I want to work in the Ministry. Probably as an Auror or maybe doing something with Potions...I'm not sure. As for a life outside of that...I...well...I...Um...I don't know...I suppose I haven't thought about it too much..." You gave him the biggest grin you could muster. What a liar.
               "You're such a terrible liar. Everyone knows honesty is a trait Hufflepuffs pride themselves in. Why won't you tell me?"
               "I...It's just...I want...I...Um...I..."He trailed off, his face the color of a blazing fire. You nudged him, encouraging him to continue. "I...just...I...I always pictured a future with you. I pictured myself having a future with you. Marrying you. Starting a family with you," he sputtered out, quickly. His face turned redder with embarrassment.
               You froze. Wasn't that everything you always wanted? A future with the boy you loved? Yes but at the same time you didn't know. You hadn't ever thought about it. You planned on getting married. You planned on starting a family. But you'd never dwelled on the details. You wanted a future with Cedric but you hadn't fully thought about any of it. He cleared his throat, nervously. You looked up at him, slightly dazed. He rubbed the back of his neck, slowly, chewing on his lip.
               "You don't want that do you? You don't want us to get married? I'm not the guy you pictured yourself having future with, am I? That isn't what you want." You shook your head quickly and all the color drained from his face. You shook your head again. You were making the situation worse.
               "No...I mean...yes...I mean...I don't know! I want to have a future with you! But I've never really thought about all the details. I've been so busy trying to get through my life now, that I suppose I've never had much of a chance to think about anything else. But if I'm going to be completely honest...I want that with you...I want us to have a future. I want us to have a family. I want us to love each other until the end of time. But right now? Right now we have to worry about what's right in front of us. I love you Cedric. I really do. And I want us to be happy. Together. But for now we need to live in the moment. I'm sorry." He smiled gently.
               "You're absolutely right. I want us to have a future. I want us to be happy. But you're right. We have a lot on our plates right now. None of us are safe with this Heir of Slytherin stuff going on. I'm the one who should be sorry. That was rather intense and unfair of me to push all that on you at once. I know you're worried about the school closing. So am I. But try and stay optimistic. Try and live normally. Things could change soon." You nodded solemnly. He was right. The Heir of Slytherin could be caught any day now. You couldn't do anything but sit and wait for the culprit to be caught. If that's all you could do, you might as well make the most of it.
               You stood up and he echoed you motions. You grabbed his hand and intertwined your fingers together. He smiled down at you and kissed your lips gently. You hugged him closely and whispered into his ear. "We're going to be okay, right? We'll get through this? It's going to be okay?"
               He nodded, once again slanting his lips over your own. "I don't want you to worry your pretty little head about it. I know you're strong. And I know you're independent. I know you're stubborn. But don't think about it too much. They'll catch the culprit. They always do. And when they do, we'll be here. And nothing changes."