Darling - Cedric Diggory

32

"Do we not need to knock?" Cedric questions, mildly confused by the way I fling the back door open and enter the Potter's kitchen.

The table set for three people and an array of snacks foods from sausage rolls to salads in the middle.

"No, we just kinda live between the two houses," I shrug, "Aunty Lil we are here!"

I can hear her descending the stairs pretty quickly and she walks with ease down the stairs entering the kitchen with a large smile.

"Hey," she smiles happily, sitting down at the table as we follow suit, Cedric clearly nervous in the seat next to me. "Sleep well?" She questions, a smirk on her face and eyebrows raised, "I was speaking to Draco earlier and he said Sirius let you guys share a room, I've gotta say, I'm surprised," she adds

"Oh my god, no, nothing like that," Cedric splutters out looking at me in a mild state of shock and clearly waiting for me to back him up.

"Dad's too light it a sleeper," I shrug, Lily's laugh loud and Cedric's eyes wide.

"Tell me about it, god when the boys had that damn flat straight out of school-"

"Ew! If this story is about you and uncle James I don't want it!"

"If you don't feel comfortable talking about sex you shouldn't be having it," Aunty Lily teases, she was more and more like her husband every day

"I feel plenty comfortable talking about it, just not you and uncle James doing it," I grumble, Lily looking me up and down before sending a playful wink and turning to Cedric.

"So Cedric, I feel like I know so little about you, what are your interests?"

"Well I love quidditch I'm the Hufflepuff captain and seeker. I want to be an Auror so I spend a lot of time studying and I tutor younger years in Herbology and charms," he smiles, Lily's glare intense.

I had explained to him how this would go down before we came. Aunty Lily is massively  supportive but she's also very protective. She would interrogate him until she was satisfied.

"And what about your friends, who do you spend time with?"

"So there's a group of 11 of us, mainly Hufflepuff's and a few Ravenclaws. But within the group there's little sub groups. So it's just Ben, Justin and I," he smiles

"Emily you like his friends?" Lily questions, eyes not leaving Cedric for a second.

"Yeah they're nice," I smile. Lily looks between the two of us for a while longer.

"Well Harry and the twins seem to like you," She comments, I am not in the slightest bit surprised she had been getting everyone else's opinions before making her own, she was logical. "And Remus approves," she adds

"So my opinion is worth nothing?" I question

"Of course you like him," Lily shushes.

The rest of the lunch passes with ease, Cedric relaxing when he earns her approval and the whole experience ending up being pleasant. Lily's opinion meant a lot to me and I was glad to have her blessing.

"So, your saw my mum right?" I question, Cedric has been pulled outside by Harry and Draco to play practice their keeper skills despite all three of them being seekers.

"I did," Lily nods, we have moved to the outside sofa, both watching the boys as we talk. I don't really know what to say or ask. After I decided to agree to meeting her a part of me had been dreading the date the dinner was booked in for. Just me, my dad, my best friends and my estranged mother. Sounds like a blast.

"You don't have to do it you know? Nobody would be mad if you changed your mind," Lily smiles gently

"I know. Just feels like I should give it a shot," I shrug. I haven't told any of the adults that the real reason I had agreed to meet her was to try and make my dad happy. He had been so excited to have seen her after all. I knew they would tell me I was being ridiculous and not to do it unless it was what I wanted.

"She will love you, but just remember you don't have to want her too,"

**

The week passes quickly and with it the date of meeting my mother draws ever closer.

The whole family loved Cedric by the time he was leaving and he received an excessive amount of hugs when he left. Everyone being excited to see him again at my birthday bbq later in the summer.

I was sad to see him go and from the second he left I was excited to see him again and missing him desperately.

It had been a slightly awkward goodbye in my living room, before he had used floo powder to get home. Both aware of my family listening in from the corridor.

The twins arrive a few days later, both unsurprised by how quiet and slightly out of it I appear and not pushing me to join in with their jokes. They try desperately to cheer me up but neither of them know what to say, instead just allowing me to be nervous as the day of meeting my mother looms a little in the distance.