𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 {𝐡.𝐣.𝐩}

XXXII- Veritaserum

Evergreen wasn't aware she was running. She was bumping into people, ignoring their protest. And then, Harry was in her arms, shaking.

Evergreen found herself shaking too, but with tears. Cedric's lifeless body laid beside the pair; his eyes stared without seeing- he seemed to be shocked, considering the expression left on his vacant face.

"Eve! He's back!" Harry said in barley a whisper, beginning to sob into Evergreen's chest. His hands were wrapped around her tightly- his nails scratching and grabbing at her back. He seemed to want to suffocate himself against her. "He's back! Voldemort's back! Cedric asked me to bring his body back- I couldn't leave him- not there-"

He broke off as a wail of pure agony left his throat.

Evergreen began to cry harder, feeling as though her eyes would pop out of her head. Harry soaked her shirt in tears, but she didn't care... Cedric... gone... it couldn't be...

"Cedric," Evergreen croaked, reaching out and grabbing his shoulder. "Please- please Ced- stop it... stop joking."

Cedric did not move, he did not look up, he did not jump up as she had hoped and start laughing in her face about how hard he had pranked her.

Evergreen couldn't see much through her tears, but it was enough to know there were people surrounding her, Harry, and Cedric. Harry continued to sob, gasping for air. 

"Harry," Dumbledore's soft voice said. He was standing above them. He had heard what Harry had said. Evergreen was vaguely aware of the screaming and crying of the crowd behind her. The entirety of the stands were jostling, trying to get closer. She was gripping onto Harry just as tightly as he was her, as though trying to shield him from the onlookers.

"Whats happened?"

"I can't see!"

"Diggory's dead!"

Evergreen looked up blindly through the tears; Harry had left her side and was being dragged away by Moody.

"I want Harry to stay here," Dumbledore had muttered, before Harry had left. Evergreen was sure she'd heard that.

"Diggory'll need to go to the hospital wing!" Fudge was saying loudly. "He's ill, he's injured- Dumbledore, Diggory's parents, they're here. they're in the stands..."

Girls were screaming- sobbing hysterically... the scene flickered oddly before Evergreen's eyes...

She grabbed at Cedric again, shaking him.
"Cedric- get up!" She demanded firmly, "stop it."

Cedric did not get up. He did not move.

He was gone.

And soon Evergreen was up, numbly walking through the castle towards Moody's office. That's where Harry was. That was the only thing that kept her walking.

She wanted to get to Harry.

Harry would make it better... He would tell her everything she needed to hear... He would explain how it was a joke and Cedric had dealt him in on it... He would tell her how he hadn't meant any of the stuff he said in the Astronomy Tower, and he needed Evergreen to be his girlfriend again... He needed her... And she needed him...

Evergreen ran headfirst into someone while she was struggling through the hallway. It was Jonathan. He was silent, tears streaming down his face.

"Jonathan," Evergreen said weakly. All other words failed her.

"I know," Jonathan snapped. He began marching briskly down the hallway again.

"Jonathan!" Evergreen wrapped her arms around her stomach, tears streaming down her face once more. She tried to call out to the boy as he stormed out of sight- but her voice was too weak. She didn't have time to think about where he had gone- why he'd been so sharp with her- She didn't have the time to think of anything but the inevitable; Cedric Diggory was dead.