polaroids (cedric diggory)

twelve

"good luck charm"

The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws all ate mostly in silence, nervous of the punishment Aria was about to receive. In their eyes, she was completely justified, especially when it came the worst of the Slytherins, Draco Malfoy.

But, when the doors of the Great Hall swung open and Aria and Cedric were stood there, silence fell over the rest of the eaters.

"So," Tayla asked, her voice breaking the silence, "what happened?"

"She got fifty points!" Cedric laughed, lifting her arm up triumphantly as the hall filled with clap and cheers that drowned out the protests from the Slytherins. Draco stormed off, muttering something about his father as he went.

Aria slid into an empty spot between Tayla and Katie, both of them congratulating her, before the normal chatter fell over the hall and they all tucked in.

-

Breakfast the next morning was electric, similar to the match days. The first task would take place that afternoon and several betting rings had temporarily opened up. Aria would normally have shut them down, but she was too excited.

Harry, on the other hand, looked like he was about to vomit.

Aria accosted him right before he had to head to the make-shift arena that Charlie and his friends had built, she led him to the Gryffindor Common Room, which was nearly empty.

She came down from her dormitory after a few minutes, holding out a crinkled white bag to him, "These are for your nerves."

Harry opened the bag, smiling at her when he realized it was a batch of Mrs Weasley's finest fudge. He pulled her into a hug, "Thanks, Ari!"

The girl chuckled, "You're more than welcome, Harry. Hermione told me once that eating when you're nervous makes you feel more confident. Something to do with survival instincts."

Harry nodded, pocketing the small bag.

"And don't forget, Harry," she looked at him, "you are not the weakest link here. Show them that a fourth year is just as capable as them. Show them Harry Potter can win!"

-

She turned when she felt a light tap on her shoulder, coming face to face with Cedric.

"I thought you already left?" She smiled, helping to draw some blue stripes onto the face of the smallest Beauxbatons girl, Gabrielle who was Fleur's younger sister.

"I was meant to be down there five minutes ago, but I have to give you something." He explained, pulling a medium wrapped package from behind his back.

"Aren't I the one meant to be giving you the good luck gift?" She smiled, finishing the girl's stripes.

She took the package from him, their fingers bumping together as they did. As she unwrapped the package, the first thing she saw was a canary yellow. It took her a few seconds to realize it was his Seeker's shirt and had his name plastered on the back.

"Ced, I can't take this!"

He chuckled at the nickname, "Would you be my good luck charm and wear it for the task?"

Aria smiled for a moment, placing the shirt on the table behind her, turning back to him, "Of course I will, thank you!" She said while squeezing her head into his chest, him hugging back.

He thanked her as he walked away. Aria suddenly got a wave of confidence, "Ced?"

He turned to look at her as she walked over to him, "I did get you a good luck present!"

Cedric's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she stepped closer to him. Aria suddenly stood up to her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

Whistles, mainly from the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, came from around them, but neither of them cared.

"Good luck out there, Ced!" She smiled, now at her normal hight, both staring at each other.

Cedric walked away with an expression of disbelief and excitement, touching his cheek where she had pressed her lips all the way to the arena.

Aria returned back to the Beauxbatons girl and pointed the brush up again to paint some more blue stripes on her cheek.

The girl smiled, "Is he your boyfriend?" She asked with a French accent. Aria just looked down, blushing.

-

Having let younger students down to the arena, Aria took her own seat, one side of her face red and gold, the other yellow and black, and slightly swamped in Cedric's shirt.

Fred and George were furiously trying to get the last few bets in a few benches below her. Tayla and Katie smirked at each other when she scooted between them, wearing his yellow shirt and sporting both of their house colors.

"Do you have your camera with you? You look adorable!" Tayla asked, "Yeah, it suits you!" Katie added, smirking.

Aria rolled her eyes and started searching for it through her bag, "Yes, I actually do! Do you mind?" She asked Tayla, she nodded, taking the camera into her hands and pointing it at her.

"Smile, Ari!" She said, pressing the button. Few moments later they looked at the polaroid.

"Oh look at you, cutie!" Katie said, "Babe, we heard what happened in the Hall. So?" Tayla asked, smirking.

"He gave me this," Aria said pointing at his shirt, "and now I'm his good luck charm." She said emotionless, looking straight ahead. "I didn't get him anything, so..." she said, looking down and hiding her blush.

Tayla and Katie were cheering her on until Hermione slipped into the bench beneath her, turning upwards to talk, smirking, "The tent is open to friends of the champions after the task, and Cedric especially asked for you!"

Katie nudged her, wiggling her eyebrows Tayla snorted in excitedly.

"Oh stop it, you two," Aria looked at her friends, then down at Hermione, "he probably also asked for Ethan and Bella, they're his best friends."

"No," Hermione smirked, "just you!"

The Minister of Magic came into the arena, holding the golden egg each of the champions had to collect, and placing it among the dragon ones. Cedric was going first, Charlie already leading the Swedish Short-Snout into the arena. Fleur was second, with the Welsh Green, then Krum wit the Chinese Fireball and Harry would go last with the Hungarian Horntail.

A cannon erupted, several cheery tunes swinging into existence as Cedric stepped out of the tent and into the arena.