sunlit meadows, waning brooks

chapter thirteen // the coffin

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June 24, 1995

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Evangeline pulled back from the kiss, Cedric's hands still on her hips. They were concealed by the crowded stands and the dark of the night. The moonlight glimmered above Cedric's head, casting a soft glow on his flushed face. It reminded Evangeline of a halo.

    He looked like an angel.

"Cedric," Evangeline exhaled heavily, the adrenaline from the quick make-out session and the risk of getting caught still running through her, "They've been looking for you for fifteen minutes already, we are going to get caught."

Cedric whined and leaned back into the kiss.

"Ced, I'm serious! You have to go!" Evangeline giggled, trying to escape his hold. Cedric groaned and kissed her one final time on the jaw before pulling away. He admired her for a moment, a smile creeping onto his face.

"I wish I could hold you like this forever," he whispered, his eyes lost in hers.

"You can after you win," Evangeline smiled warmly. Cedric's smile shifted into something more mischievous, almost a sly smirk. His hands moved slowly towards the back of her thighs.

"Cedric–" Evangeline started, but before she could finish her sentence, Cedric had lifted her off the grass and wrapped her legs around his waist. Then, he started spinning.

"Let go of me!" Evangeline yelled while laughing hysterically. She was holding onto Cedric's shoulders for dear life. She did not want to be dropped on the ground, especially because the dress she had on was brand new.

"I love you, Evangeline Faye Meadowbrook!" Cedric shouted as he gradually slowed the turning of his feet. As they came to a full stop, he steadied Evangeline by holding her waist as she unwound her legs from around him. He lowered her to the ground, her yellow sundress riding up as he did.

"I can't wait for all of this to be over, so I can shout your name from the astronomy tower and tell the world just how much I love you," Cedric admitted, walking backward toward the Quidditch field, no longer staying hidden underneath the stands. The crowd erupted as he stepped into view, waving to them proudly while he marched towards his aggravated father.

Evangeline shook her head while scoffing. "You're an idiot," she mouthed, her gaze fixed on Cedric as his father scolded him, but he didn't seem to hear a word. His vision was blinded by rose-colored glasses. He was captivated by her.

Cedric admired Evangeline as she slipped out from beneath the stands, making a careful effort not to bring attention to herself. He could never understand why Evangeline tried to hide herself from the world. He knew it would never work—her beauty was too striking, too captivating for any man to ignore. Even for him, it was challenging not to stare at her like some lovesick puppy.

The way she smoothed down the fabric of her sundress, or the way she tucked her blonde curls behind her ear, or the way her delicate fingers gripped the railing as she climbed the stairs—all of it drove him wild.

Evangeline looked back as she climbed the stairs, her hair flowing in the wind as three crows cawed behind her. Cedric was on the field, smiling up at her.

"An idiot you go crazy for," he mouthed, rolling his tongue on the inside of his cheek while grinning.

    She so badly wanted to march down there and kiss him in front of everyone, but she knew she couldn't.