Dana Diggory is led deeper into the depths of temptation as she forms an unlikely bond with her new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor during a whirlwind of her final year at Hogwarts.
Little does she know that Remus Lupin's growing fondness fo...
"OH MY GODRIC." DANA BLURTED out, accidentally swallowing a mouthful of minty toothpaste. "You two? Ced's the one you like?"
A panicked Cedric ruffled a hand through the mess of his locks and turned to the boy beside him. Crikey, maybe she was more drunk than she'd thought.
"I— well— yes!" Patrick answered, throwing up his hands in defeat. "But it's not what you think, I swear!" he added, seeing the testing look Dana was giving him.
After so many years of witnessing Paddy's extensive string of romances with girls he would grow bored of at the drop of a hat, she wasn't prepared to let him mess with her own brother's head.
"Dana, stop. He's right. We aren't messing around here." Cedric then spoke up, causing the both of them to whip around. "I'm crazy about him."
Paddy drew himself up, looking equally as shocked by this statement. A small but proud smile then grew as he processed the words and he watched the boy hopefully, "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Cedric repeated, as though it were a long time coming for him to finally admit. "Thought it was about time I grew some balls and said it back."
Before Dana could say anything else, Patrick nodded to himself and mumbled something about giving the two of them some space. She then watched as he took off up to the boys dormitories, leaving the siblings alone in the common room.
Stupid. How had she been so stupid? This had been going on in plain sight for all this time, and yet Dana had been too wrapped up in her own life to have noticed what was right in front of her.
"I thought I was the sneaky one of the family. You're giving me a run for my money here, brother." tried Dana. When Cedric continued to stare at the ground, she sighed. "Sorry, I'm an idiot. A blind one at that. It's just... I didn't exactly see this coming. Did you not feel you could talk to me about it?"
"I wanted to, Dane. I tried!" Cedric returned. "Do you seriously think this is how I wanted you to find out?"
"Well, no. But it's me. We tell each other everything."
Even as she said it, she realised it was no longer true.
"It wasn't that easy. Believe it or not, the whole thing's been a massive headfuck. I was too scared of what people would think— of what you might think."
"Jesus, Ced, you've been going out with Cruella de Vil for the past two years and you were scared that I'd be mad you liked Patrick? Someone who I actually like?" Dana waved a hand as though the idea were ridiculous, and she could've sworn his mouth twitched upwards just a tad.
"I don't know." Cedric told her, honestly. "Mum and dad have always thought so highly of me, imagine if they found out their strapping lad of a son was in love with another boy. I guess I'm just not like you and Pads. You've both always known exactly what you want and go after it no matter what— I wish I had that sort of boldness."
