warmth - cedric diggory

chapter twenty-five

tw: extreme fluff lol

cedric diggory couldn't help but melt within the moment he was living. his closest, happiest friends, all leaving with smiles on their faces, ready to reminisce on the night already.

not only that, but the girl who he believed to be the love of his life was walking beside him, her cheek pressed against his shoulder. the way she grasped tightly onto his arm told him that he was exactly where he needed to be.

"meet you guys in an hour?" cedric suddenly had a burst of energy, switching his hand to be within athena's. belle and luna nodded their heads, heading towards the great staircase.

"where are we going?" athena followed behind him once again, closer than before. cedric legs grew weak when he turned around to see her smiling.

"just trust me, love." he smiled to her, pressing a kiss to her cheek, and walking outside the castle doors. the night air was freezing, but they were extremely lucky it wasn't snowing. cedric immediately wrapped his jacket around her, then taking her shoes next, then scooping her up.

cedric told her about how breathtaking she was and how divine she is as he held her bridal style, trying his best not to trip over any sticks.

athena continuously giggled while resting her head against his shoulder, her nose redder than a ripe tomato. cedric may have been tired from a night full of dancing, but how her laughter felt against his chest made him feel awake again.

after many moments of laughter and walking, cedric made her close her eyes, whispering that where they were headed was a secret. with a small huff of air and a small eye roll, she closed her eyes.

the air was utterly freezing and the ground had already ruined cedric's shoes but he didn't mind for a moment. a few other students seemed to be walking around, still in their dresses and tuxes.

cedric wasn't sure how he managed to open a door while holding her small body but he did it, and he was proud. of himself. within a few more steps from where the entrance was, another couple stood.

cedric recognized the two gryffindors and greeted them kindly with his face. with a warming smile, he pointed to athena then held a finger up to his lips, mouthing that it was a secret.

they both smiled at him, almost immediately forgetting that they ever came in. their eyes didn't meet cedric's once as he walked up the stairs that lead to his most secret destination. he couldn't stop questioning himself, wondering if somehow she knew already.

"are we almost there yet?" athena had her eyes shut as tightly as they could be, losing her grip a little bit too much around his neck.

"ten more seconds," he replied, chuckling within his words. he could feel her growing impatient with every stair, smiling to himself as they got closer, realizing she probably had no idea.

as her bare feet touched the ground, her brown eyes darted open. he watched closely as an immediate smile formed over her blushed face, her eyes wandering over the place like it was the first time she had ever seen it.

"the astronomy tower," she snickered, looking up to cedric. "i should've guessed you would take me here." her covered arms wrapped themselves around cedric's middle, then her head fell softly onto his chest. not even his button-up could cover how fast his heart was beating. "thank you for taking me here."

cedric smiled to himself, enveloping her into his arms, loving to get as close to her as he possibly could. "you're not tired of it here?" the number of times they had gone here together, and the number of times she probably been here separately, cedric was beginning to doubt his choice.

"how could anyone ever get tired of such an enchanting place?" her voice was in a low whisper, her eyes lit up as they searched around, craving to walk closer to the chilly night sky.

he couldn't help but mentally agree, being able to see the midnight sky so closely and deeply, but his mind immediately thought about how he could anyone ever get tired of such an enchanting girl.

after a few more seconds of silent embracing, cedric finally walked her over to be closer to the open sky. not only was he surprised that the sky wasn't covered in clouds or fog, he was also shocked that no one else was up here.

the two stood in silence, comfortably resting against one another, staring into what could be oblivion. there were numerous times when cedric's eyes would leave the bright stars and look to the bright-eyed girl below him.

he seemed to be thinking of what she was thinking of. he was comfortable with the silence, of course, but he was dying to know where her mind wandered in times like these. did she think of him? or her life? or things he didn't even know about?

"are you still in love with me?" athena's eyes didn't move from where she was already looking as she spoke, her voice clear. cedric always wondered how her words regularly answered his thoughts.

the boy was shocked, nonetheless, wondering how would anyone ever not be in love with her. "of course i am, sweetheart. how could i not be? why would i ever not be?" with his chin pressed to her head, he somehow pulled her in even closer.

"i'm just making sure you weren't planning on breaking my heart anytime soon." she giggled to herself, giving his cold hand a soft squeeze. athena thought cedric still loved her, but you just never know.

"i'm not sure how but i fall in love with you a bit more each day. the way i feel for you, i can't find in any quidditch game," cedric chuckled. "i can't find the feeling in any spell i've ever said, or any of the exciting stores in diagon alley, or in any sips of butterbeer."

"we are surrounded by magic constantly, but you give me the most magical feelings of them all. it's only you, and it will eternally be only you." his words came out of his mouth as if he said it daily, no hesitation, no stutters.

"i am endlessly grateful to be only yours, cedric diggory." for the first time in what felt like forever, her eyes met his once again. a goofy smile grew between both of them as they looked to one another, knowing that they could do this forever.

athena couldn't help but place a yearning kiss on his warm lips, curious about how they were still warm, happy because his lips tasted like vanilla. the two teenagers almost didn't hear the other people walking up the stairs.

they both pulled away before they came into light, athena and cedric both began to walk closer to the exit. the new couple greeted them, asking if they were interrupting. they shook their heads before cedric said the place was all theirs.

cedric forgot about the previous gryffindors until they were watching athena and him running down the stairs, giggling for no apparent reason. cedric followed her closely behind, still having her shoes in his hands.

with a short goodbye to the two, cedric scooped athena up again, causing her to laugh. "let's go party, darling." after those words, athena yelled into the night sky.