The Boy I Love -HEDRIC (2)

21.(CH) four letters

CEDRIC

XXVII

He couldn't even care or worry like he should.

Meetings in the first-floor classroom to practice had lost their purpose too quickly, and Cedric wasn't complaining. How would he do it if he himself couldn't refuse to greet Harry with a kiss that he later didn't want to stop?

So it seemed like a good idea that Harry had invited Hermione.

They had made further progress practicing on their own, but they both needed a larger space to make sure they were ready. Less than twenty-four hours before the first task, they had headed over to Hagrid's cabin for one last test of their skills. Ron had stayed inside having tea with the professor, while Hermione, Harry and Cedric went out into the backyard.

Rocks of different sizes were scattered around.

"I asked Hagrid if he could get some for you," Harry explained quietly. “Those may be more similar to what we might find in the field tomorrow.”

"Thank you," Cedric smiled heartly, approaching one that must have weighed at least the same as him. No way he couldn't have carried it. “I've been practicing with a medium-sized one that would look like a piece that broke off of any of these.”

The first time he tried to turn a rock into a domestic creature, all he got was a small dog with dirty white fur that barely moved. After a few tries, a dog half his height with long blond hair barked at him. 

One of those huge rocks transformed into a dog that was too big. 

Cedric returned it to its original form in a second.

"I've never seen a bigger dog than Fangs!" Harry blurted out in amazement, and the aforementioned had his ears up and his head tilted looking at them from the landing of the cabin's back door. "Imagine if it hits you with its tail."

"Harry!" Hermione chided him, though she was eyeing the now inanimate rock too. "Focus on yourself. The Summoning Charm requires a lot of concentration. You must clearly visualize your broom in your mind before doing it.”

"I can see it as clear as my hand, that's not the problem."

Even Cedric could remember the Firebolt. 

It was almost the same height as Harry, which made him chuckle. 

Listening to Accio over and over again, Cedric set out to continue until he had the perfect distraction for a dragon. 

XXVIII

When the sun went down, they were both ready.

Harry had successfully cast the spell a dozen times.  

His broom came every time from his room. 

Cedric had made all rocks, regardless of the size, become the dog he was looking for. Whatever the arena was like tomorrow, he would be able to carry out the enchantment. The part that involved facing a dragon, surrounding it and praying that the plan would work wasn't so clear.

Hermione entered the cabin first.

Pocketing his wand, Harry reached over and pressed himself against Cedric's side. The temperature had dropped in the last few weeks and the cold wind beat against his coat. Without saying a word, Cedric wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling Harry into a hug and placing a kiss on his disheveled hair before they both headed into the cabin. 

XXIX

He wouldn't have slept well even if he didn't have those dreams.