The Boy In My Dreams -HEDRIC (1)

23.(HC) you must be aware that you're handsome

HARRY

LXXVI

"You have done what?"

For someone who had grown up in the wizarding world, it did surprise Ron to hear that they had gone back in time to help both Black and Buckbeak escape. Hermione had explained everything to him as soon as they woke up, and Harry was listening from his bed.

Now that he was rested, he wondered when he would be discharged.

"And you did it to...," Ron said, stopping in the middle as if the words were hard to pronounce, "... to go to class ? Hermione! I can think of a lot more interesting things than that."

Besides the reasons that had led them to time travel, Harry couldn't think of any other. He doubted that it was possible to go back as far in time as he would have liked, to when his parents were alive. He figured that if he could do it and as long as he didn't alter events too much, his parents wouldn't recognize him and he would be able to meet them. Even when it was an impossible idea, it was one of the most feasible he'd ever had and he entertained himself with it as he had never been able to do before.

He had a whole new range of questions to ask Lupin.

When they were all recovered, of course.

LXXVII

"Have you told Cedric about what happened?" Hermione asked later, stepping closer as Ron fell asleep.

Ron needed rest to get better.

What Harry had to do was eat chocolate. Not that he complained.

"No," he answered immediately, unable to anticipate her opinion. "Do you think I should?"

Hermione plopped down in a chair. "I don't know. It's your decision. I think he would understand it."

"Don't you think we could get into trouble?"

"If we did, I don't think it would be because of Cedric," she laughed and listed the people who could.

Harry didn't really think he could give them away or anything like that, either.

So why was he so hesitant about it?

When Cedric had asked him what had happened, he couldn't answer. He went blank. Cedric's fingers on his wrist didn't help and the trace of them on his skin had nothing to do with Harry not being used to physical contact. Cedric was the type of person who clearly , Harry had concluded, expressed himself in that way, and it didn't bother him.

Of course it did not.

It was just that a heartbeat escaped from his chest every time Cedric, so casually, as if it were so easy, touched him.

The reason behind his hesitation suddenly became apparent.

LXXVIII

On Sunday's morning he was discharged, but Harry stayed there anyway to keep Ron company until visiting hours were over. He slept in his bed, thinking about whether he was going to tell Cedric or not.

It was Monday morning, and he hadn't made a decision.

He was on his way to his first class of the day after having breakfast with his best friend (he had stolen a couple of Ron's favorites from the Great Hall to sneak in during his early visit) when Draco stepped closer, forcing him to stop. Harry would have preferred to keep going and just ignore him. Malfoy had found out that someone had freed Buckbeak and was threatening to turn Harry in as the one responsible.

Nothing out of the ordinary, Harry thought.

Except that Draco said, "Or are you protecting your new best friend? That Huffepuff."