The scream. So full of fear and pain it ices your blood. And so familiar. Butterbeer bottles fall from your arms and shatter at your feet, creating a golden puddle with glass shards. You forget where you are or what lies ahead, only knowing you must reach her, protect her, though you know that is impossible. You run wildly in the direction of the voice, heedless of danger, ripping through vines and branches, through anything that keeps you from reaching her.
From reaching your sister. Fleur Delacour.
Where is she? What are they doing to her?
"Fleur!" you cry out as you push your way through the stands, which are fighting to see the commotion on the Quidditch pitch.
"Fleur!"
Sweat pours down your face as you pant, trying to draw some use out of the warm, moist air that seems empty of oxygen. The sound Fleur has made—such a lost, irretrievable sound—that you can't even imagine what they have done to evoke it.
"Careful!" Mrs. Diggory catches you just as you are about to fall off the stands and face-first into the maze, as you see Madam Maxime pace at the mouth of the maze.
"Fleur?" you say pleadingly as you see two silhouettes emerge from the maze. Professor McGonagall walks out, her wand pointed as Fleur's limp and rigid body levitates at her wand's direction. For a dreadful moment, you wonder if she is... if she is...
"She's stunned!" Dumbledore calls out to calm down the agitated audience. "Miss Delacour is alive!"
You watch as Madam Pomfrey approaches Fleur's motionless form, her expression grave yet determined. With practiced efficiency, she begins to examine Fleur, murmuring incantations and waving her wand over her body. The sight of Mr. and Mrs. Delacour and Gabrielle rushing to Fleur's side snaps you out of your reverie.
"Let me get down there!" you roar, jumping over the fencing of the stands and pushing [rofessor McGoniggal and Flitwick out of the way to get to Fleur. You stop cold in your. tracks however, when Snape points his wand threateningly at you.
"Severues," Dumbledore's voice is calm but stern "Let her pass,"
Snape's lips thin as he puts his wand down, taking the smallest step to the side as humanly possible. You give him a snarl before running up to the Delacours, kneeling down next to Fleur. You feel a knot of anxiety tighten in your stomach as you wait for any sign of Fleur stirring, for any indication that she will be alright. The minutes feel like hours as you watch Madam Pomfrey work, her movements precise and deliberate.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Fleur's eyelids flutter open, revealing her bleary, unfocused gaze. A collective sigh of relief ripples through the crowd as Fleur slowly begins to regain consciousness.
The Delacours breathe a sigh of relief as you and Gabrielle embrace Fleur so tightly that the Beauxbatons champion goes slightly purple.
"What happened?" Fleur asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You were stunned, Fleur," you explain gently, trying to keep your voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside you. "But you're safe now. I-"
You feel a rush of relief as Fleur wraps you in a tight embrace, her tears soaking into your shoulder. "I am so sorry I got so mad at you, Y/N!" she sobs, her voice choked with emotion.
You return her hug just as fiercely, feeling the weight of her words lifting off your shoulders. "It's okay, Fleur," you murmur, squeezing her reassuringly. "I'm just glad you're safe."
Fleur pulls away slightly, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she looks at you with gratitude in her eyes. "Zhank you for being zere for me," she says softly, her voice filled with sincerity. "I zon't know what I would have zone without zyou."
You offer her a small smile, feeling a sense of warmth spread through you at her words. "You don't have to thank me, Fleur," you reply gently. "That's what friends are for."
As the tension begins to dissipate, there is a collective gasp from the audience, and all eyes turn to the sky. You and Fleur look up, and your eyes widen as a glowing red streak shoots up in the sky from the maze, like a laser beam, dread filling you both.
"The distress signal..." you mutter, your heart pounding in your chest, as Professor McGonagall makes her way into the maze once more. "But who could have sent it?"
"Not Krum," Fleur says acidly under her breath, her eyes burning with rage. "Ze is ze one who stunned me."
As you help Fleur to her feet, you hope against hope that it's not Cedric or Harry in danger. The thought feels unbearably selfish, but you can't help but wish it with all your might.
"C'mon," you say, offering Fleur a supportive arm. "Let's get you somewhere to sit."
You and Mrs. Diggory exchange warm smiles, her expression reassuring and sympathetic, as you and the Delacours escort Fleur to where Madam Maxime and the other Beauxbatons students are waiting. They immediately surround Fleur in a group hug, offering words of comfort and support.
You stand back, watching the scene unfold with a heavy heart, wishing you could do more to ease Fleur's pain and worry. But for now, all you can do is be there for her, offering your presence and support in whatever way she needs.
In a few minutes, Professor McGonagall emerges from the maze...with a stunned Krum.
"Zhat doesn't make sense!" Fleur's voice is frantic as she watches Madam Pomphrey try to cure Krum. "Ze iz ze one who stunned me!" She looks at you, her family, Madam Maxine, and your fellow Beauxbatons students frantically. "Zyou 'ave to believe me!"
"We do, Fleur," you say, wrapping a comforting arm around her and pulling her into an embrace as she rests her head in the crook of your neck. "Don't you worry. I will always believe you, no matter what."
The next hour is pure torture. Every fiber of your being screams for Cedric's embrace. Your eyes strain to see him come through the maze in one piece. Your ears long to hear his musical laugh or his stern, caring voice. You yearn for the comforting scent of vanilla, cinnamon, coffee, and sandalwood that always accompanies him. His memory alone brings tears to your eyes.
"Zyou 're worried about zhim," Fleur whispers into your ear. "Zaren't zyou?"
You nod, and instead of offering consolation, Fleur embraces you. You both lean your heads against each other, holding and supporting each other lovingly, hands clasped together, warming each other's hands. Finally, you drift into sleep, finding solace in each other's presence amidst the turmoil.
You jolt awake, startled by the cacophony of sound surrounding you—voices, footsteps, screams. Disoriented and confused, you open your eyes, nearly bumping your head against Fleur's as you scramble to your feet. Suddenly, out of thin air, two bodies materialize between the entrance of the maze and the stands where you are. Cold dread fills you. Could it be—
"HARRY! Cedric!" Dumbledore's voice booms, cutting through the chaos like a sharp blade.
The crowd erupts into a frenzy, clamoring to catch a glimpse of the unfolding scene. Seven teachers, including Karkaroff, and representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, along with Madam Maxime, converge around the two boys as they struggle to support each other, the Triwizard Cup emitting a subtle glow in Cedric's hand.
you feel a surge of relief flood through you. Pushing through the crowd, you rush toward Cedric, your heart pounding in your chest. His eyes meet yours, and in that moment, everything else fades away.
"Cedric!" you cry out, barely able to contain your emotions as you reach him. Without hesitation, he wraps his arms around you, pulling you close as if afraid to let you go. You cling to him, your tears mingling with the dirt and blood on his skin.
"I'm so sorry, Y/N, for what I said before I left." Cedric whispers, his voice choked with emotion. "I-I thought I was going to die, and I couldn't bear the thought of never seeing you again-"
You cut him off, urgency flooding through you as you press your lips firmly against his. Cedric is momentarily surprised, but he quickly responds, his arms encircling you tightly as he kisses you back with equal fervor. As you pull away, Cedric's expression shifts, his brows furrowing with a mix of confusion and sadness. His lips part to speak, but before he can form the words, you cut in, your voice soft yet determined.
"Ced, I..." you start, but he interrupts with a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Got caught up in the moment?" he finishes, his voice tinged with bitterness.
But you're not deterred. You reach out, lacing your arms around his neck and drawing him close. His warmth envelops you, and you press your lips to his once more, pouring all your emotions into the kiss. This time, Cedric responds eagerly, his arms wrapping around your waist as if to pull you even closer.
As you break apart, your foreheads touching, you can feel the weight of the moment hanging in the air between you. "That wasn't a confused or pity kiss," you whisper, your voice barely above a breath. "That was a 'I am such a stupid idiot for not seeing it before, but I love you with all my heart' kiss."
Cedric looks down at you, eyes wide and bloodshot. Then, he closes his eyes halfway, looking at your lips as he kisses you again, slipping his hands up your back to support your head, his hands in your hair. His lips are warm and soft like melting butter as you practically melt in his arms. As Cedric's lips meet yours once more, the world around you fades into oblivion. His touch is gentle yet electrifying, sending shivers down your spine and igniting a fire within you. With each kiss, you feel as though you're transported to another realm, where time stands still and nothing else matters but the two of you.
In that moment, all the noise and chaos of the world melt away, leaving only the warmth of Cedric's embrace and the softness of his lips against yours. It's as if you're soaring through the stars, weightless and free, surrounded by a cascade of fireworks illuminating the night sky.
Then, like a sudden plunge into icy waters, you're filled with a rush of exhilaration and vitality, every nerve in your body tingling with excitement. And just as quickly, you're enveloped in a cocoon of warmth and comfort, like being wrapped in a cozy blanket beside a crackling fireplace on a snowy winter's night.
As you pull away, breathless and dizzy with emotion, you look into Cedric's eyes and know without a doubt that you've made your choice.
You love this boy, Cedric Eldritch Diggory, with all your heart, and nothing in this world could ever change that.