The Boy In My Dreams -HEDRIC (1)

4.(HC) moments out of time

HARRY

VII

He didn't notice he was letting himself be led wherever Cedric was going. It turned out to be a corridor with wide windows that let the sunlight through and an incredible view of the green meadows and the Quidditch pitch he knew so well. Harry was lost in his mind and started talking without stopping to think too hard. It wasn't a good idea to mention to someone that you had heard things about them, and yet, that's what he had said.

Of course Cedric would want to know. And of course Harry couldn't answer him. He managed not to reveal anything compromising. But the question he asked him... There was no escaping it. What did boys think about Cedric?

What did Harry think of him?

It was possible that those were very different answers.

His face boiled at that realisation.

"My best friend doesn't like you," Harry blurted out the first thing he thought might make sense. "It's probably because Hermione keeps saying..."

And that was how he had said more things he shouldn't. Again. Was he losing his common sense? He felt quite nervous, as if he was on the verge of telling him that he was beautiful. Cedric's staring didn't help. The glare from outside made his eyes a light grey. It was hard for Harry to keep looking at him when he was staring back with such intensity.

Cedric smiled at him, but that didn't calm Harry down. He thought about what he would say if he insisted that he finish the sentence.

Would he tell Cedric how beautiful he believed that he was?

That he felt intimidated to be in front of him?

Would he confess that something was different for him now, and he knew it was Cedric who had opened that door?

VIII

"I guess your best friend won't be rooting for me, then," Cedric tried to tease, lightening the atmosphere. "What about your other friend? Will they both go tomorrow to support you?"

It was nice that he was respecting Harry's silence and giving him an easy way out. The possibility of choosing another course.

The thing was, he wasn't used to taking the fast lanes.

"They don't... They don't have a problem with Hufflepuff. Or with you."

Cedric's expression turned serious all of a sudden.

"I think I understand what you mean. I know there are people who don't like me, even if they don't even know me. And people talk. Most of the time not upfront."

"You must hate that. And it's exactly what I'm doing. I am sorry."

Harry wanted to break their eye contact -he needed to.

It had become too much, but he couldn't do it.

Better than anyone, he understood how it felt to have people talk behind your back. Rumours. Critics. Having them believing in things that may not even be true. Apologising was the least Harry could do for putting Cedric in this position. And look him in the eye.

"It's okay. I get that you don't want to repeat what other people say." Cedric looked towards the window before saying, "I hope you don't think the same way."

Harry's heart pounded in his chest.

"I don't," was all that the air in his lungs reached to answer in a low voice, almost a whisper.

IX

Cedric didn't ask Harry what he thought of him, which relieved him because he wasn't sure of his answer. He also did not demand him to explain what he had heard from his person, what his friends or his sources said. Cedric seemed to accept that Harry wouldn't tell him, not alarmed to learn that Harry had heard something. Harry suddenly realised that Cedric also knew things about him -probably a lot more. And he was sure they couldn't be half as nice. Harry couldn't imagine many people speaking highly of him, especially since he felt that sometimes he didn't even know if the other students liked him.