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Cedric's cheek still felt warm days after where Milo had kissed it, leaving him somewhat permanently flushed in the face. No matter how many times he showered, rubbed his cheek, or tried not to think about how Milo had thanked him, it was clearly stuck in his mind. Mainly because he hadn't been expecting Milo to show his gratitude in such ways, especially after talking to Elspeth in the kitchen while Milo and Remus had been outside. The woman either had a very keen eye or it was growing more and more obvious that Cedric was feeling a certain way towards Milo. Either way, she was quick to call him out on it asking if he and Milo were dating already.
The forwardness of the question had caused Cedric to spill his drink at the table in a flustered panic, but it appeared as confirmation to the woman as she only smiled. No, he and Milo weren't dating, it was something that was not meant to happen, at least that what he kept telling himself to keep those emotions at bay. He was terrified of feeling that way towards Milo, not only was the boy his closest friend, he was just that, a boy. He couldn't imagine what his parents would say if he tried to tell them that he was harbouring feelings for the same sex. To them, Cedric was the picture-perfect son and if he didn't follow the path of "greatness" that they had already established in their minds, what did the future hold for him and his parents?
Elspeth seemed to pick up on his fears of experiencing rejection from his parents and from Milo. Suppose he actually informed Milo how he was feeling and Milo didn't feel the same way. There was certainly a chance of that happening and if it did, things would be ruined between them because it wouldn't just be something they could laugh off. Things would be awkward, the friendship would fall apart, and other people would probably figure it out in the castle. Heidi and Max already had their suspicions, it wouldn't be long before everyone figured it out.
"Listen," Elspeth had told him, while resting a hand on his shoulder, " as long as you both can see the same sky, breathe the same air, walk the same Earth, then you and Milo are not impossible. Needless to say, it may not be the easiest and it very well may not be the end result of it all, but it's a start. If you go in with the attitude that it's wrong or impossible, only you are holding yourself back. Not to mention, when it comes to the Potters, my dear, they are some of the most oblivious people on the face of the Earth, so once you get past that barrier, you'll be fine."
Did that mean that it was going to be obvious to everyone else before it became obvious to Milo with how Cedric felt towards him?
Cedric wished he had been given the opportunity to talk to Elspeth once more in private after Christmas, but unfortunately, it was completely abrupt that the two had to leave right after the Christmas celebrations. Milo and Minerva didn't seem all that bothered by it as the two adults said their good byes to everyone and departed shortly after. He would have thought that they would have spent a little extra time after opening presents, Cedric wondered if it had anything to do with emus looking ill. Even though the man smiled, he didn't look the greatest as he sat in front of the Christmas tree.
He didn't know the relationship between Elspeth and Remus either, but from what Milo had said and what he observed on his own, it seemed the woman did an awful lot to take care of the man, so maybe Remus was sick. Although it wasn't in his place to ask about such a personal matter, especially if Remus wasn't talking about it.
With only a day after Christmas, the boys had a little bit of time before they were to head back to the castle after bringing in the New Year. While Minerva and Professor Sprout had met up in the Three Broomsticks exchanging gifts with Professor Flitwick and a couple of the other professors, the boys were left back at the cottage. They were sitting outside enjoying another round of hot chocolate. It seemed between the hot chocolate, butterbeer, and eggnog, Cedric could remember the last time he just drank a regular cup of water. But it didn't matter at that point as the two boys sat outside in the light of the full moon. The air around them was cold but they mugs were definitely warm.
A gift from Minerva to the both of them, of mugs that always keep a beverage warm no matter how long it sat out. Milo was sitting there, his gaze focused on the full moon for quite some time before Cedric decided to clear his throat so that they were no longer sitting in silence. If Milo had loved his gift earlier, there was nothing that could top the gift that Milo had given to Cedric for Christmas. The present itself appeared small, resting under the tree, Cedric wasn't expecting much, perhaps an assortment of sweets or a couple of chocolate frogs. But it turned out to be so much more.
There had been a time where Minerva played quidditch and she played the game very well with every match that she was involved in. However, her quidditch career in school had been cut short due to her accident and she didn't play for any team ever again. But some of her teammates and friends from other houses did go out and make a name for themselves in the world of quidditch, leaving her with plenty of autographs that she had over the years. She had been cleaning out part of the cottage when she came across some of them. Handing them over to Milo believing the boy and his friends would like them, but Milo knew exactly who would like them.
Cedric felt like the luckiest person ever as he had autographs from famed players from the Chudley Cannons to the Holyhead Harpies. He even had some from members of the Puddlemere United team and the Wimbourne Wasps.
He couldn't express how thankful he was at Christmas time and even afterwards, he couldn't find the best words to express him. But the more he thought about it, Milo had thanked him with a kiss, so it wouldn't be considered inappropriate to do the same, right? By the standards set by the other boy, Cedric was merely following protocol.
"I, uh, wanted to say thank you again for the quidditch autographs," Cedric said as Milo peered over at him briefly before glancing down at his hot chocolate.
"It was no problem, Cedric. I figured you might like that."
"Yes, they're great, I can't wait to see the look on my father's face when I show them to him. He'll probably be pretty jealous but...um, really I want to thank you."
Milo smiled and went to turn his head to tell Cedric that he didn't have to keep thanking him for the gift, but he hadn't been aware of how Cedric was about to thank him. On the cheek, it was only supposed to be a kiss, so how did end up like this? Well, Milo had turned his head at the wrong moment and Cedric ended up giving him a gentle kiss on the lips instead. Immediately though, it caused Cedric to nearly jump back while Milo was left wide-eyed and speechless.
It was Milo's first kiss to add onto the shock factor and it had been so unexpected that he didn't know how to react. The silence between them probably didn't help Cedric at all and even in the dim lighting of the moon, Milo could see how red Cedric was and cursed himself for making things so incredibly awkward between them without even trying. But it was actually Milo's lack of response that made Cedric hate himself further for even daring to kiss the boy on the cheek in the first place.
Without a word spoken between them, Cedric picked himself up and headed inside the cottage, leaving Milo outside. Milo's lips seemed to be on fire and his entire body was shaking until a voice interrupted the million of thoughts that entered his mind.
"Grab your broom, Milo!"
The boy's head jerked up to see Professor Sprout walking towards the cottage with his mother and Professor Flitwick in tow.
"Uh, what?!"
"I said grab your broom!" Professor Sprout said, only to fall into a bank of snow seconds later. Apparently, Professor Sprout had found her Christmas spirit in Wine and Spirits again. Milo watched as Professor Flitwick laughed heartily while Minerva shook her head and went to help the other woman up. Milo picked himself up from the steps and walked over in only his slippers and pyjamas to where the professors were standing.
"What's going on?"
"Pomona here wants to have a match of midnight quidditch, but the numbers were unfair," Minerva said, " and she wanted to recruit you for her team."
"Why me?" Milo asked.
"Because Hagrid is too big for a broom or else I would have gone with him!" Professor Sprout blurted out as she stood up once more, mostly leaning against Milo's mother. "Besides, us badgers have to stick together, don't we, Milo? Let us let out the call of the Badgers into the night."
She opened her mouth through her head back but then it went silent. Seconds later, she looked to the people surrounding her. "I don't know what bloody sound badgers make!"
"Well professor, it's a bit of a mixture between growling and screaming," Milo told the intoxicated woman.
"Then unleash the Hufflepuff battle cry, Milo!" Sprout encouraged him. Milo shrugged his shoulders before screaming into the night air. Flitwick jumped causing him to slip on an ice patch bringing him to the ground.
"Oh Merlin," Minerva pinched the bridge of her nose, probably wondering when the night had taken such a drastic turn from a couple of drinks and exchanging presents among adults. Sprout laughed loudly next to her before the woman decided to give her best attempt at the badger cry.
Apparently, Cedric assumed that there was a massacre going on outside as he suddenly reappeared in the doorway seconds later. He looked wildly confused as Minerva started moving Sprout towards the cottage while Milo helped Flitwick up to his feet. Cedric moved out of the way as Minerva brought Sprout inside the home, before he made his way towards where Milo was. Flitwick passed him, greeting the boy with a giggle. The boy had never seen the professors in such a state.
Forgetting the events surrounding their awkward kiss earlier, Cedric reached Milo's side looking confused and bewildered. "Milo, what's going on?"
"Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick are known for not holding their liquor very well," Milo replied casually."Although usually Flitwick is the worst and the effects hit him quickly. I suppose Professor Sprout got an early start this celebration. "
"But I heard screaming..."
"It's the Badger War Cry, Cedric!" Milo said brightly before throwing his head back and screaming. Cedric looked horrified for a minute before he couldn't help but laugh at the odd scream that escaped from Milo. "Come on, Cedric, make Helga Hufflepuff proud, release the inner badger."
Cedric looked as though he was going to refuse but thinking about all the built up frustrations that had been haunting his mind. He decided to just let them all out in a scream. When he stopped he looked to Milo, to see the boy just staring at him silently.
"Did I do it wro-"
"THAT WAS BRILLIANT!" Milo clapped his hands together. "It was so accurate!"
Despite the two of them sharing a kiss early whether it was an accident or not, Milo didn't seem bothered by it at all as he grabbed Cedric by the hand and pulled him towards the cottage so they could witness more of the drunken antics of the professors.