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He didn't watch her approach; he stared ahead and took a deep breath, knowing that every second brought her closer to him. He couldn't watch her walk towards him; she would be beautiful, more beautiful than he could ever comprehend, and he somehow knew that if he were to look at her she would break him and he would die another death; a death of overwhelming love. Love he wished would materialise so he could show her, for there were not enough words in any language to describe how he felt whenever he looked at her. And she would finally understand how he could die a thousand deaths for the sake of her.
The music had stopped and he turned to look at her then, stood below him, both her hands held tightly in her father's, and her smile was radiant. His heart broke in that moment, for the World, because it was losing her to him, and what a sorrow that would be for many, and who could help but love Hermione? His Hermione.
His legs moved of their own accord, down three steps until he was in front of her. He couldn't breathe; she consumed him. Her hands were suddenly in his, another pair holding theirs together and he looked to her father, silent tears rolled down his face and Cedric understood why and was eternally grateful. He watched as her father stepped away to take his place by his sobbing wife.
Together they moved up the steps and stood before the Justice of the Peace, facing each other. His eyes roved over her face, taking in every detail; he wanted to remember her exactly as she was in that moment, because he couldn't imagine her ever being as beautiful and she was then, giving herself to him.
"I, Hermione Granger, do take thee, Cedric Diggory, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, to honour and obey, you and no other to love, 'till death parts us." She had breathed it, words meant only for him.
He shook and trembled with emotion and felt as if he would explode if he couldn't tell her of his love for her, exactly how he felt. He had planned on reciting the same vows as Hermione, but suddenly he could not hold his tongue.
"Hermione," he began his eyes boring into hers, "I stand before you today, and our friends and family, a man granted a second chance at life, and it is more that I should ever have hoped or dreamed for, let alone that I should be allowed to love someone as wholly beautiful and amazing as you. For all the days I have lived of my second life I have continuously wondered why it was given to me, but today I realised; it was so I could love you. In this moment, I know why I'm alive"
He looked down into her face, shining with tears and glowing with happiness and knowing with no shadow of doubt that she was the reason he lived. And when her lips touched his, every part of every life he had ever lived fell into place and suddenly made sense and he was completed.
He lived in that moment.