Harry x Cedric

Chapter| One

"Oh look who we have here," a particular ginger headed male sneered. "It's the great and amazing Harry Potter."

The raven haired male took a deep breath and turned around, coming face to face with a red haired freckled boy who he once thought of as a brother, now he is just another person he didn't want to deal with anymore. Harry actually didn't want to deal with anyone, the second task was just a few days ago and he was still very tired and worn out, he barely survived from by the merpeople.

Harry turned around again, ignoring what the redhead was saying to him, only to come face to face with another person he didn't want to deal with, he would have chosen to deal with the merpeople again than a ferret.

"I never expected a Weasley and Malfoy to share a common interest," Draco laughed as he pointed to a badge attached to his robe showing a picture of Harry and that had the animated text 'Airy-Fairy Potter' flashing on it. "We even worked together to make these badges especially for you."

Taking a deep breath, the raven haired boy turned to a different direction again, ignoring the insults thrown at him and the murmurs and looks other students were giving him, but, as he was walking through the halls he was met with yet another person he didn't want to deal with. Harry felt like he was hit by a spell of bad luck, or maybe someone slipped an infelicitas potion in his pumpkin juice.

"Harry just confess you're using dark spells and using the books in the forbidden section of the library." The frizzy haired witch said as she held her nose up in the air, looking away. "We both know that there is no way you could be smarter than me."

"Look here Hermionie," Harry began with a sigh as he looked at the person he thought he could lean on. "I have nothing to confess because I did not do anything you accused me off, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape have checked my wand and the library, if that's all, I'll be on my way."

The frizzy haired girl let out an annoyed huff before stomping away.

Harry wanted to hide somewhere and cry, he was overwhelmed, the tournament and the backlash from the students, mainly from the Slytherins and Gryffindors, the school work was stacking up, Dumbledore was implementing a mock OWLs exam, he needed to train for whatever the final task is and to top it all off he needed to find a date for the Yule ball, which was the most difficult.

The raven haired male kept his head down as he ascended the final sets of stairs that lead to the seventh floor where the Room of Requirement was, he grew curious about it from overhearing from Headmaster Dumbledore and Igor Karkaroff talking about it the night after the second task, they were talking about a mysterious and unknown room in Hogwarts so Harry decided to research about the room in the North Wing, and he discovered it by accident when he stopped to look at a weird tapestry of a troll, he was thinking of the room and a large set of doors suddenly appeared directly across from the tapestry.

Lost in his thoughts, Harry didn't notice where he was going, his body suddenly collided with someone much taller and muscular, causing him to get knocked back and fall on the floor.

"Harry are you alright!" The person said in worry seeing the younger boy sprawled on the floor.

Harry looked up and was about to snap at whoever it was, but once his emerald eyes met with silver, his anger almost instantly dissipated.

"I'm fine Cedric," Harry replied shyly as he took the hand to the older male offered.

"Why were you walking around like an angry dementor," Cedric joked as Harry dusted off his robe.

"I had a run in with a lot people I didn't want to deal with today, and dementors don't walk, they float." Harry sighed making the older chuckle.

"Well why don't you tell me who they are?" Cedric said as walked beside Harry.

"You don't have to be nice to me Cedric, I know you have a lot on your plate too," Harry replied as he stopped in front of the troll tapestry.

"Harry we've already talked about this."

"I know, Cedric, but you have your mock NEWTs, the preparation for the final task, and to find a date for the Yule ball, I don't want to trouble you anymore than I already have, you've helped me too much already." Harry replied as a heavy elliptical doors appeared on the wall.

"I want to help you Harry. Cedric began. "You're more aware of what I need to accomplish than me, but don't worry and stress yourself too much, the mock OWLs and NEWTs are a week after Christmas break, and I already told you I'll stay here this year so we can train and study together, and for the Yule ball, you still have time to find a date, it's still a few weeks away, and I'm sure a lot of girls will accept your offer, and don't worry about the third task too much, I heard that it will be towards the end of the school year anyway."

"Cedric you don't have to stay here for Christmas break just to train and study with me," Harry insisted as he shook his head, sitting on a large couch as they are now in the room of requirement. "You should go spend the time with your parents."

Harry was grateful towards the Hufflepuff, he was one of few the people that didn't hate on Harry, and he was one of the fewer people who actually supported him. Cedric was the one who informed Harry of what to do with the egg, what the second task probably was, and he was the one who asked Dobby to give him the gillyweed, on top of that, Cedric also helped Harry with studying and his school work, that's why he was getting such high grades, they even trained together, that's why Harry showed the older the Room of Requirement, so he could use it too. It was the least he could do.

"Harry I've already decided and told my parents," Cedric said with a straight face. "Now tell me why you were marching around like a dementor, we won't leave until you tell me."

"But there are classes," Harry tried to reason ignoring the 'marching dementor' comment.

"We're the champions, we aren't required to attend classes," Cedric replied as he crossed his arms. "You can't escape from me Harry." Cedric said with a chuckle.

"Fine." Harry sighed. "I'm still very tired from the second task, and unfortunately, I had a run into Ron and Malfoy who, apparently, are now 'best friends' because of their shared hatred for me, they even made badges with my picture with 'Airy-Fairy Potter' on them, then I bumped into Hermionie who keeps telling me to confess of using dark magic and using the forbidden section of the library because I have higher marks than her, and to top it off, almost everyone are giving me weird looks and whispering not so kind things not so discreetly about me."

"Wow," Cedric exclaimed. "That was a very unfortunate consecution of events, and those three are being complete wankers. How are you holding up to everything?"

Harry was stunned at the question, no one ever asked him how he was feeling. He stared at the taller male and thought of what of what to reply, but he couldn't think of anything, he just wanted to cry, but he knew he would never let Cedric see him cry, to let anyone see him cry, he was scared to appear vulnerable to anyone anymore, and he already was being too vulnerable to the Hufflepuff.

"I'm fine," Harry said with a fake smile.

"Are you sure?" Cedric asked with a raised brow.

"Positive." Harry replied.

"If you're sure, I'll be on my way now, I'm meeting up with someone." Cedric announced and Harry just nodded, watching as Cedric stood up walked towards the large doors, giving him a glance and a small smile before leaving.

The raven haired boy waited a whole minute, making sure that Cedric actually left before letting everything out, unaware someone was still standing at the door, listening to him cry.