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A wave of silence washed over the room of requirement, the cheers and yells that greeted Harry, Ron and Hermione’s arrival long gone as the student’s eyes widened in shock.
“What? Is it something I said?” Harry asked as their eyes turned downward, mouths turned in embarrassed grimaces.
“Actually, I believe it may have been the lack of speech,” a familiar voice said from behind Harry. “Maybe because you’ve left everyone in the dark for the better part of a year.” Harry whirled around, green eyes meeting amber.
There Cedric stood, beautiful golden hair windswept, chest heaving as if he had run a great distance – no doubt he had run the length of the tunnel from the Hogs Head to the Room of Requirement, long traveling cloak billowing out behind him.
Harry’s breath caught in his throat. “Cedric.”
“Surprised?” Cedric asked, voice hard as he flipped his D.A coin up in the air. “Not as surprised as I was when I felt this burning a hole in my pocket. Or when I heard you broke into the Ministry of Magic. Or Gringotts! Or when I learned that you stole a bloody dragon!” Cedric’s voice raised gradually as he stomped up to Harry, eyes blazing. “Or maybe not as surprised as I was when I realized Harry Potter strolled right into Hogwarts, the most unsafe place in the world at the moment!”
Cedric was glaring down at him, chest heaving. “One sign, Harry. That’s all I needed. A patronous, perhaps. Or a scrap of parchment maybe. Anything to let me know that you were still alive!”
“Ced, I – I’m sorry.” Harry began, gazing unsteadily back at the older man. Harry knew his disappearance took a heavy toll on everyone, but Cedric most of all.
Cedric had been Harry’s constant companion since his near brush with death three years ago in the graveyard. They had fought their way out together and it had been like that ever since. Their friendship blossomed over the summer of Harry’s fifth year. Cedric was patient with him, his support a soothing balm over Harry’s frustrated nerves as Dumbledore turned his back on him, the Ministry making a mockery of him.
Then, one day, in the dim drawing room of number twelve, Grimmauld place, Cedric kissed him against the dreadful, moldy Black Family tapestry.
“What about Cho?” Harry asked, trembling slightly and still lightheaded.
“What about her?” Cedric asked, brows raised. “Is there something I need to know about?” Cedric had known of Harry’s crush on the fifth year and his heart sank as he realized that Harry had most likely been planning on asking her out – or maybe he was dating her already! Before Cedric could fully panic, Harry’s voice broke through his thoughts.
“Well…. You’re dating her.” Harry said slowly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and the truth hit Cedric like a ton of bricks. Harry had thought that he and Cho were dating.
Cedric barked out a laugh, tossing his head back as his laughter grew. Harry watched him as if he had gone mad, mouth open, eyes wide until Cedric finally quieted, wiping his eyes.
“No, Harry. Cho and I are just friends.” Cedric took a deep breath, looking Harry in the eyes. “I’m gay. Really, totally, completely gay.”
“Oh. Well….Hang on, why did you ask her to the Yule ball then?”
“We were only friends,” Cedric huffed. He had had to answer this question for years after coming out. “I didn’t have anyone to ask because… I wanted to ask you, but every time I went to ask you, I got nervous and chickened out.”
“How many times did you try to ask me?”
“Six.”
They both giggled together at that, their next kiss then interrupted by Sirius, who was not only carrying a dozen dead ferrets (Most likely for Buckbeak) but who also had a few choice words (threats) for Cedric, setting the ultimate expectations on how he ought to treat his Godson.
As time passed, they knew that their relationship was dangerous. Cedric was forced into hiding, leaving his job at St. Mungos and being forced to stay, confined with his father in his house, which was given a wide array of magical protection by various Order members. He had stayed with Harry through Bill and Fleur’s wedding and disapparated soon after Harry, Ron and Hermione disappeared, which marked the beginning of one long, worry filled year for Cedric as report after report of Harry sightings poured in, some from members of The Order and some from various news outlets; The world was buzzing about Undesirable Number One.
The last Cedric had heard of Harry was with Remus’ unexpected call with the announcement of the birth of his son. The first time Remus had come to call was after “The Grand Fiasco” which left Remus guilty and ashamed and Harry, presumably, knocked halfway across the room with a loud bang. This call had led to a series of others.
Cedric was thankful for the company, as he had not much else to do except tend to his garden and listen for Potterwatch. Remus brought news when he came, mostly the newest ‘Potter spotting’. It also gave him an outlet to vent to, Remus being a calm and dutiful listener over tea, eyes sad and understanding. He had once said that Harry was very much James in the fact that he was stubborn and unwilling to accept help when he most needed it from those he loved.
“He thinks he’s alone,” Remus had said softly. “That he is the only one that can stop it. Can you imagine having that kind of weight on your shoulders?”
Cedric couldn’t imagine it, but peering into Harry’s eyes now, he began to understand it.
“You’re not alone here,” Cedric said softly, gesturing the entire room. “We may not be the Boy Who Lived, but we’re here to fight until the very end.”
Harry launched himself into Cedric’s arms, burying his face in the crook of the older man’s neck, breathing in the scent of old quills and lavender.
“I’m sorry Ced,” He said, voice muffled. “I had to keep you safe. It was better this way.”
“For me or for you?"
“Both of us.” Harry pulled away, green eyes swimming with emotion. “If something happened to you Ced, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“And me?” Cedric asked, gripping the front of Harry’s shirt fiercely, knuckles white. “If something happened to you? You could have died hundreds of miles away from me and no one in the world would have known about it until it made the headlines!” Harry didn’t meet his eyes. He knew Cedric was right. There were too many close calls in the past year. Too many times he thought they were actually done for – The ministry of magic, Godric’s Hollow, the Lovegood home and Malfoy Manor.
“I’m sorry, Cedric.”
Cedric’s face softened and he cupped Harry’s chin in his palm, tilting his face upwards. “I love you, more than you can ever imagine.” Before Harry could respond, Cedric pressed his lips to Harry’s in a fierce kiss, hands framing Harry’s face as the other man’s hands clutched at his shoulders. They broke apart after a couple seconds, the room exploding in whoops and cheers, everyone coming to clap the two on the back.
“Alright everyone, I need your help. I don’t have much time.” Harry said as the crowd died down, immediately hushing at his commanding tone. As Cedric stood beside Harry, he entwined their fingers together feeling, for the first time in almost a year, complete.