After dinner I was in the library playing wizards chess with Mr.Potter.
"Well Cedric you're very good, almost as good as Harry." He congratulated me as I won the game. He offered me a cigar from his jacket pocket. I declined and pulled out a cigarette instead.
"Thank you sir, my grandda and I always played after dinner. He believed chess prepared men for life." I helped him reset the board.
"He sounds like a smart man." He puffed on his cigar as Lily came in with three fire whiskeys .I sipped the expensive liquor enjoying the strong flavor. Harry came in with Hermione on his heels.
"Dad I need to talk to you about something ." He said ignoring her trying to pull him back to the hall. I stood up and took my glass with me.
"I'll let you two alone to talk. " I walked out gently grabbing Hermione arm so they could be alone to talk.
"Hey I want to talk to him too." She whined as I closed the door behind us.I kept walking til we were at the door to the back porch, it was slightly drizzling still. I open the door and as I walked out she ripped her arm from and scurried away from the door. "No Cedric." Her voice seemed so scared. I closed the door and pulled her into my arms.
"It's just a little rain doll." I whispered.
"Cedric I think you should take Ginny home." She said as pushed herself out of my arms and ran up the stairs.
"Like I said she's a skiddish thing." Ginny said as she came into the room."She's right though, can you take me home Harry is talking to James about something.He knows I'm leaving." I grabbed an umbrella and helped her to the Jeep. She gave me instructions on where to go.
" I'm making a fool of myself aren't I?" I asked her as we made our way down the winding back roads.
"Maybe.Do you like Hermione?" She asked me like a concerned big sister.
"I just met her."My answer was short and she just raised her eyebrow at me."However I will begrudgingly admit I am attracted to her."
"She is pretty in a unconventional way I guess. Harry won't be happy, but from what he's told me about you, you seem like a good guy."she smiled and pointed to a turn. "Questionable morals when it comes to the female company you keep, but good guy none the less.
" Well Ginny that means a lot coming from you. He's talked about you so much the last three years. He really does love you." I told her and she blushed.
"I know he does, there's just something he's holding back. I don't resent Hermione, she his sister. I just wished he was less protective of her. " We were in front of her house again but she didn't get out. " What do you think Cedric, I'm an only child is his level of protectiveness normal?"
"I don't know, but one of the beaters was that protective of his sister. We later found out she was touched in the head. Hermione seems odd but healthy. So I don't know. Have you talked to Potter about this?" She was looking at the floorboards as I talked to her.
"He says I'm imagining things.When I press the issue he tells me his family is not my concern. Cedric, I think I'm going to end the relationship." I had just met her a few hours ago, but I'm guessing Potter doesn't have a lot of close friends.I rubbed my face with my hand and sighed.
"I know he loves you. If you left him he'd be devastated." She sniffled a small cry back."Look sweetheart,if you want to end it then that's your choice, just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."
"I know you're right, but you feel it too? There's something they're not telling us. " I shrugged at her question.
"Every family has skeletons in their closets, if you rattle them hard enough they'll fall out. However wouldn't you prefer them to trust you enough to open the closet themselves." She sighed and held her head in her hands.
"We've been together three years, what else can I do to earn his trust? I'm getting older all my other friends are married or at least engaged. " she was close to tears.
"Ginny you need to talk to P0tter about how you're feeling. If you're are wanting to get married and have a future with him you need to tell him. I love the guy but he can be a bit dense sometimes.The two of you need to talk about where you see this relationship going." She leaned forward and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you Cedric. You've given me a lot to think about." She got out and I made sure she got into her house before I left. This has been an exhausting twenty four hours. I manage to find my way back to the house and avoided going into the main house and headed to the guest house. It was still raining so when I got to the smaller house I was drenched. All the lights were off when I went in. He must decided to stay in the main house.
Finally some peace, these Potters are damn exhausting. I went to my room to get into dry clothes. Since no one was around I just slept in just my shorts. I fell asleep quickly and my nightmare began like it always does. On the deck talking when the shot went off. Plunging into the water while creatures attacked us. Cho underwater and I tried to find her. As I kicked back to the surface something caught my foot and dragged me down. The water became clear and the chaos of screaming disappeared. My lungs were burning I closed my eyes and something touched my lips. The burning in my lungs stopped. A body pressed against me before releasing me. I began to kick back to the surface . Her voice cut though the water and silence.
"I won't let you drown." Hermione voice caused me to wake up confused and hard. I'm in trouble, I am long gone over this chick. I look at the window and the rain had stopped.
Not wanting to go back to my dreams I walked out to the small porch that faced the ocean. Sitting in the chair I stared at the calm water. Ovid says that once a man has seen a shipwreck he shudders at calm seas. The water still held a place in my heart. It wasn't the waters fault. The water was here before the us and will be here after us.Always changing yet always the same. I was still afraid of it, I don't think I'll go back in it again.
Small footstep came down the trail behind the house. She ran by heading towards the ocean. I wanted to call out but I was curious to what she was doing so I stayed quiet.I should have cleared my throat or said her name. Something anything to let her know I was watching. However I was in my shorts and I was curious to what she was doing. The song she hums faintly came from her. Her winged demon protector squawked a warning at her. He knew I was just fifteen meters away.
"Sowerby shush, we don't want to wake anyone up." Her voice chided the bird and he gurgled then flew off. The full moon made shadows dance all over her body. She stood there staring at the ocean when her dress slide off her shoulders and to the ground. There was no silk and lace to hide her body now. Just her skin glowing in the moonlight.
"Merlin is testing me." I muttered as she walked into the ocean. My mind relived her body disappeared from my view, my lower half was sadden by that fact. "This girl is going to kill me or get me killed." I quietly walked back into the house and put on a pair of flannel pajamas bottoms and grabbed the big fluffy robe in the bathroom and a large towel. I took a few minutes to calm myself down so she didn't notice my sizable tent still straining in my pants. After I was soft enough not to make a fool of myself I walked to the oceans edge. Her singing was loud and more beautiful then before. She looked so graceful in the water parts of skin illuminated by the moonlight.
"You shouldn't swim without letting someone know." I say to get her attention. She stops her swimming and lowers herself even more in the water. All I could see were her eyes. The moonlight seem to make them glow. I hold up the robe and towel then put them by her dress. "I'm going to start a fire and make some tea. Come in and warm up." She continues to stare at me with her near glowing eyes, it doesn't look like her nose or mouth is over the water but she hasn't moved yet. Like Fleur baby sister under the black lake.
"Why shouldn't I swim when I want to?" She finally ask calmly still not moving out of the water.
" The ocean is an unpredictable mistress and one shouldn't let their guard down." I respond simply the memories of that day surfacing quickly.
"I won't drown." She replied swimming further out now.I was having trouble breathing worrying about her getting pulled under by something.
"You don't know that. Please come in darling. It's dark and the water is cold. Please." I was almost begging but I didn't like her being out there by herself. I haven't been in the open water since that day.
"I do know that." She was far out and almost out of sight. She was humming her song again. "You can leave now." She dismissed me like I was a pool boy .
"Mione, please. Come in Please. I don't doubt your swimming skills. Please baby." I was at the edge the ocean soaking the bottom of my flannel pants.
"You really are worried." Her voice was full of curiosity." Why didn't you leave when I asked?" She began to swim towards the shore. I took a deep breath in relief.
"You didn't ask, you commanded. I'm not going to leave until I know you're coming in. The ocean isn't safe darling. I took another step into the ocean. The water coming up to my ankles. The water making it harder to separate the past from the present.
"Like a woman?" She had stopped swimming forward hesitant to come closer. I laughed and took another step forward.
"Like a woman, now please come in." I extended my hand trying to get her in. Her nakedness not even tempting me, I needed her on the sand, safe from the water.I know my memories aren't real but it doesn't make feel less real.
"I will I promise, but I'm kind of well, not decent." She said without any shame in her voice.
"I'm going to go start that fire and make some tea. If you're not inside in ten minutes I will be back and drag you out by your hair. " I threatened but she didn't even blink.
"Can you use the chamomile it's my favorite." She smiled at me waiting for me to leave. I nodded and headed back to the house shaking my head.
"She's insane, literally insane. " I stomped into the house and started the kettle while I lite the fire. I did a drying spell on my pants and pulled out a shirt for her so she would have some dry clothes to change into. The tea was nearly done and she still wasn't in. I poured myself a firewhiskey and went to the porch. I took a big drink and scanned the beach, she was on the shore with the big robe wrapped around her. At least she was out of the water. I started to relax and the whiskey held the screams and booming sound down. She stood on the beach staring at me but not coming in.
"You coming in or am I coming out there to get you?" I yelled at her, she jumped a little and began to slowly shuffle to the house. "Thank you luv."I said she came to the porch.
"Sorry I worried you." She kissed my cheek as she passed me.Her cold lips burned me. My hand touched the spot she kissed and I smiled. With just a few words and an innocent kiss she brought me back to the present.
"I'm in trouble." I whispered to myself as I went into the empty house to the girl that's driving me crazy.