Second chances *ੈ✩‧₊˚ (harry potter x reader)

⇢ ˗ˏˋ End࿐ྂ

after Cedric's tribute the Leaving Feast followed. i was starving and went in for seconds. my friends didn't know what to say to me.

would changing the topic be inconsiderate? would bringing up the topic be too much? would talking to someone else be rude? i assumed these were Hermione's thoughts as she kept her head down.

Harry, Ginny and Ron conversed amongst themselves though. i caught a glimpse of Cho walking out the hall with her face in her hands, i thought about following her but her own friends were one step ahead of me.

we all finish in the Hall and make our way down to the station. our luggage had already been loaded. Crookshanks and Honey run up to us and Hermione and i quickly tuck them away in our sweatshirts. we always snuck the two of them on the train as opposed to the luggage compartment in a cage.

Harry was not letting me a mere few inches away from him. and tailed behind closely as we boarded.

we found a compartment near the middle and me, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry all got into one. we slid the door shut and let our cats out. Harry and i sat on one side and the rest on the other.

i brought my legs up to my chest as we sat. i leaned against the window and stared out.

once the train started moving, the 4 of them figured out that they didn't need to stay silent around me, i was doing that for them.

i kept to myself in thought as they chatted about the year. i listened to the Rita Skeeter-Beetle Animagus-In a jar story though.

my mind wandered as i watched out the window. the dread of returning home was eating me up. what the hell was a summer without my brother gonna be like?

without my brother. my brother. Cedric. gone. i still hadn't wrapped my head around it, even though i'd cried over it, it still felt unreal. like a prank that went too far, or perhaps a miscommunication. i was still half expecting him to be on our doorstep upon my arrival home.

"y/n?" i hear Ron call me. i turn my head and face him. the compartment went silent as we all listen to what he wanted to ask

"so uh... when's the funeral."

Hermione smacked Ron very hard against the back of his head. he winced and rubbed his head.

having to attend a funeral had not once crossed my mind. the thought of it made me want to burst into tears, but i tried my hardest against it to save Ron a very stern talking to from Hermione later.

"i just wanted a date so i can attend!" Ron argued.

"obviously we're attending, Ronald." Hermione snapped.

i succeeded in holding myself together and gave Ron the honest answer, "um i don't know... but i'll send you an owl when i do..."

everyone nods and it takes a minute before they return to their conversation. Harry leans over and whispers in a gentle voice, "you okay?"

i nod, "yeah."

the trip back ended in a blink. it's funny how fast time flies when you're dreading something.

we start to climb off the train onto Platform 9 and 3/4 but Harry trails behind to talk to the twins. i see him hand them a the bag of Galleons he won and i smile to myself.

i see my mom immediately. once everyone got their own luggage off, Harry and Ron help carry Cedric's to my mother as well.

we bid our farewells, each hug lasting much longer than usual. first Ginny, then Ron, then Hermione, and lastly Harry. his lasted the longest and the breakage of it was reluctant.

i take a deep breath and smile weakly at all of them as i turn to walk off with my mother.

to start the worst summer i'd probably ever have.

you could only imagine my disappointment when Cedric, in fact, was not waiting for me with open arms on our doorstep.

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and that was fourth year! thank you to everyone who has been coming back to the story for each update🫶 the start of ootp will be up tmr probably and will definitely be better than this! i now realise that there are a few minor plot holes in this story but like pls i'm just a girl🙁

rip Ced tho fr