Too Shy To Tell You (Cedric Diggory x Reader)

Empty Promises

You watched in silence as people waltzed around the ballroom, laughing, smiling, enjoying their Holiday.You sat on the sidelines, wishing that you were anywhere but here. You were returning to Hogwarts in three short days but it felt as if you had been waiting an eternity. You fidgeted with the sleeves of your white dress, making sure that they covered the fresh bruises that were blooming on your arms. The lace fell around your wrists, hiding the dark spots and the bloody wounds that peppered your body. Unfortunately, the black and blue mark that had made itself present on your jawline, was much more difficult to conceal. Even with all of the makeup you had applied, it was still as evident as ever. Realizing this, your father had made it very clear that you were to come up with a believable excuse for the wound, or else there would be extremely serious consequences.

The annual Holiday Ball was a success. Your father had once again managed to put up a charming façade, fooling all of your guests. He had made several important business deals and formed a substantial amount of alliances within the Ministry, things you were just dying to ruin. It was New Year's Eve. Your family was supposed to be spending quality time together, but that's not how it worked. Not now. Not ever. Instead, your father floated around the ballroom, your mother on his arm, looking as happy and content as could be. While Matt was sitting in the corner with Draco, in complete silence. You sat back, your seat positioned in the corner opposite Matt's. No one had bothered to acknowledge your existence all night, and you doubted that they ever would, so you let yourself fall into your own world, drowning in your own thoughts.

The first day you had met Cedric Diggory was a day that you wouldn't soon forget, no matter how hard you tried. You were sitting alone on the Hogwarts Express, trying your best to go unnoticed. It had been going quite well, until a boy, no older than yourself, had appeared inside of your compartment. You glanced up at him in irritation. He smiled, perhaps the most dazzling smile you had ever seen.

"I'm Cedric. Cedric Diggory. May I sit?" He asked politely, gesturing to the bench across from your own. You nodded, emotionlessly as he smiled again and plopped down. There was an awkward and rather uncomfortable silence that passed between the two of you before he finally spoke. "Are you going to tell me your name?" You shook yourself out of the trance you had somehow fallen into and cast him an unsure glance.

"(Y/N). (Y/N) Middlebrook." He gave you another smile. It was contagious. He had such a captivating and charming personality. You felt a small grin make its way to your lips, his smile widening, as a few of his taffy coloured curls fell over his eyes. He blew them away, rolling his eyes as you did so. You left out a soft smirk of amusement, before averting your gaze.

"So...(Y/N)... what house do you think you'll be in? Or at least what house would you like to be in," he asked. That was the million dollar question, wasn't it?

"Slytherin," you stated simply. He gave you a confused look but all you did was shrug. Your whole family had been in Slytherin and no one doubted that you would walk down the same path as your ancestors, sporting the emerald green of Salazar Slytherin's House.

"Oh, I think that I am going to be put into Hufflepuff. At least that's what everyone has told me," he sighed, disappointed. You shrugged again, just as his frown faded and was replaced by a wide grin. You gave him an uneasy glance. "You don't talk very much. You seem awful shy. Are you sure that you're going to be in Slytherin?"

"I am not shy! Perhaps I am choosing not to speak to you because I find you overly enthusiastic and it is exhausting! Ever considered that? But, I would sure like to know when you suddenly transformed into the Sorting Hat... Oh wait... You didn't... So I am going to politely warn you against underestimating my capabilities..." you snapped. Cedric held up his hands in mock surrender, another grin tugging on his lips. You rolled your (E/C) eyes.

"Ah! Now I see it! There's the Slytherin!" You scowled, annoyed by his antics, his grin only growing wider. It was beginning to irritate you.

"Are you sure you're not going to be in Gryffindor? Because you would have to be awful brave, not to mention stupid, if you are going to try and irritate me!"

"I never said I was trying to irritate you. I'm just trying to be friendly. That's all. Don't be so uptight, (Y/N/N)!" You frowned, not at the insult, but at the nickname. No one had ever given you a nickname, probably out of fear of how you'd react.

"Don't call me that! I don't like it," you demanded. He cocked his head to the side, a pretend look of hurt crossing his features. You, once again, rolled your eyes.

"I think it suits you. I'm going to call you that, whether you'd like me to or not. It'll catch on, just wait. I think it'll grow on you, trust me," he reasoned, as you shook your head.

"I highly doubt that but tell yourself what you must. I honestly couldn't care less," you replied, a tone of disinterest rather evident in your voice. He smirked, rolling his own eyes.

"Whatever you say, (Y/N/N)!" He teased in a sing-song voice that made your head ache. His face turned unexpectedly serious as he started straight into your eyes, making you tense. "Promise me something. Promise me, that no matter what happens, we'll always be friends." You cast him another unsure look, staring at him as if he were insane.

"You can't be serious... We just met! Besides... who said we were ever friends to begin with," He looked at you again, staying silent for a while. You shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze, as he continued to stare.

"Just do it. I have a gut feeling. We're going to need each other one day. One day, we're going to be best friends. One day, we're going to be all the other has left. Just wait," he replied, his voice deadly serious. You frowned, thinking he'd lost his mind, but nodded.

"I promise..." He smiled brightly, taking your hand in his and squeezing tightly. That was the day everything had started. That was the day you met your best friend. That was the day that you met the love of your life. You just hadn't realized it then...

If you had known all those years ago that his gut feeling, was going to be your entire future, you would have taken him much more seriously. But even despite your skepticism, you promised him that you would always remain friends, and you had meant every word. But now? Now that pact was nothing but memories, echoing in your past, as you spent your New Year's Eve, alone, thinking of him. Now all that was left were empty promises.