Chapter Text
They were back!
Cheers erupted all around, fanfare welcoming the Hogwarts champion, and Hermione’s heart nearly leapt out of her body when she recognised her best friend. Harry’s unmistakable messy jet black hair was lying on the dark grass, the Triwizard Cup glowing at his side. Wait – glowing? Why was it glowing?
Laughter and hoots surrounded her as people shot out of their seats, dancing in celebration. But her stomach turned unpleasantly, failing to feel the relief she’d been seeking ever since the maze had swallowed up Harry. She turned to look at Ron, who had a grin on his face that was dissolving into a frown. When he turned to look at her, she didn’t see his freckled face, nor the way his lips were turned down, or even the way his brows were furrowed. No, the first thing Hermione saw was the same concern in his eyes that surely must be in hers.
The moment was wrong; the timing was wrong. It seemed as if they weren’t in the right crowd – the one that was celebrating Harry’s victory as Triwizard Champion. Because although she had spotted her best friend with the Cup, her eyes had also seen the still body of a handsome boy whose shirt was being clutched by her best friend, wailing a cry she knew only she and Ron could hear, but was surely drowned out by the crowd.
It seemed that others around them were coming to that same realisation because Cedric Diggory lay with his lips parted ever so slightly, as if caught in surprise, and yet, his eyes were fixed somewhere far into another life.
Cedric Diggory was dead.
Hermione didn’t say anything; she couldn’t say anything though she tried to. Something was firmly pressing her hand, but she couldn’t process why until she looked down and saw Ron had intertwined his fingers through hers. He was gripping her tightly, but she couldn’t return it. Glancing back at him, she felt her cheeks getting wet and a stinging in her nose. She must’ve blinked; she must’ve closed her eyes without realising, because she had just been looking at Ron, and suddenly, she was staring into nothing, but his warmth encompassed her, as he let her cry into him. He squeezed her tighter, maybe to reassure her he was there, or maybe to reassure himself that she was there, she didn’t know. All she knew was that Cedric Diggory was dead and her best friend had seen it happen.