tell me you love me (cedric and draco)

twenty five

a/n: i'd recommend listening to "yellow" by coldplay for this chapter :) (it's much longer than normal!)

I open the door to Cedric's dorm, swallowing a sob as I see his room left exactly the way I remembered it. His bed messy from that morning, clothes littering the marble floor, the notes and pictures of us tacked so carefully to the wall. A tear falls down my face while I pick up a piece of parchment on his desk that wasn't there that morning. It's folded over, my name in the center. I run my fingers over his hand writing, closing my eyes, trying to imagine him writing it. I weigh my necklace in my hand, finally closing my hand over it, pressing the spot to have it open.

I turn to her and smile. "I don't believe we've met. Cedric Diggory," I say, extending my hand.

She bites her lip, realization dawning in her eyes. "I've heard about you before."

"All good things, I hope." I really do hope.

She smiles at me, sliding her hand into mine. Her hand is small in my big one, smooth and cold. "Lauren Miller," she says, shaking my hand. "And," she adds, "very good things indeed, Mr. Diggory."

My face breaks out into a smile.

"You are not Harry," I say, still smiling. Cedric takes Harry's seat and says, "nice observation."

"Harry will be back soon, so you might want to move," I joke.

"Don't worry, I'll be gone before Potter comes back," he tells me with a wink.

"Shouldn't you be sitting at your own table?" I ask him.

The smile leaves his face and he says, "I mean, I can if you want me too. I just, thought you might want to talk."

"No, no, please stay," I say after he stands up to leave. The smile returns and he sits back down, facing me.

"I would like to get to know you better," he tells me. "You intrigued me during our short ride yesterday."

"Did I now," I respond, smiling shyly.

"There you are."

I open my eyes and whip my head around to see who's talking. I relax when I see it's just Cedric. I turn back around and relax against the tree again. Cedric takes this as an invitation, and sits next to me.

"I didn't know you and Potter were dating," he says. I open my eyes and groan.

"We are not bloody dating."

I look at him and he smiles shyly. "So, does that mean I have a chance?"

I return his smile. "We've only just met," I respond, heat creeping up my neck. "I'll take that as a yes," he says smiling more confidently. We sit and talk like this for a while.

I start to learn about him and while he talks I study his face. His skin is pale and smooth, his jawline defined and strong. His eyes are a pale brown, like his hair, which was fluffy and soft. When he smiled a dimple appeared on his left cheek.

He stops talking after a while and just stares at me. "Why'd you stop?"

"Why are you staring at me?" he counters.

"Because you are beautiful," I blurt out. I close my eyes while my cheeks turn pink and Cedric laughs. "I think that's my line," he says, looking at me with soft eyes.

"I'm sorry about earlier," I say as soon as we're alone.

"Don't sweat it," he tells me easily, smiling while resting one arm on the wall behind me.