a rose by any other name

chapter thirty-one ❃ no more goodbyes

When I arrived at the top of the tower it was empty, I waited fifteen minutes, then twenty but Cedric was nowhere to be seen, I was about to stand up and leave thinking he wasn't coming when a very sweaty and out of breath Cedric appeared at the top of the stairs. "Angel, I'm so sorry, they wouldn't let me go, I had to practically sneak out." Cedric panted, trying to catch his breathe. "Oh, it's okay Cedric, Well done! I'm so proud of you, you were brilliant!" I smiled at him and he stretched his back, "Come here baby." Cedric said and I ran up to him, he caught me and picked me up as I wrapped my legs around his waist. "How's Draco taking it?" He asked, "Worse than you can imagine," I laughed and leant forward to peck Cedric on the lips. "He was really trying to throw me of Ris."

"I saw, but you acted like he wasn't even there it was amazing, you are a true champion." Cedric laughed and pecked my lips, "Your champion." I moved my hands from his neck to cup his face and kissed him properly, Cedric walked us over to one of the walls of the tower and pushed my back up against it, never letting me fall. I broke the kiss breathing heavily as I dropped my forehead against his, "I just got you back and now you're leaving, I'm going to miss you so much Ced." I said and Cedric smiled, "Me too Angel, but I'll be back before you know it and I'll write to you when I'm gone, I have a feeling next year is going to be amazing." I nodded my head. I hoped next year would be as good as I wanted it to be, I needed a good year after this one, but The Dark Mark wasn't gone, and I couldn't forget that. I still belonged to Voldemort and if he gave Draco and I another task I would have to follow it through, no matter how horrific it was. I was starting to get upset now, I just wanted to be able to enjoy my time with Cedric, but I already knew I wasn't going to be able to do that. "Are you okay Angel?" Cedric asked, noticing my change in mood. "Yeah, I just, I don't know what's going to happen next year but I'm sure I'll have to do something bad." Cedric put me down and sat down leaning against the wall, he opened his legs and I sat in-between them, he wrapped him arms around me and I leaned into his chest, "Why's that Angel, haven't you already done what he wanted you to do?" Cedric said starting to play with my hair. "Yeah, I fixed the cabinet but that doesn't mean he's done with me, this is kind of a life sentence sort of thing, he'll just keep giving me things to do. Snape says he has a big plan and it can't be good, and I'm the only person he 'has' inside the castle except for Snape." I sighed, "Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't give you anything too bad, I mean you are only young, compared to Snape anyway." I nodded my head, there was no way to explain it to Cedric to make him really understand, it didn't matter how old I was, Voldemort would tell me and Draco to do anything.

"Listen Angel, no matter what he makes you do you can tell me, if I can help you I will and if I can't I will still support you, you're never alone in this okay.' I shook my head, "I will never, ask you to help me Cedric, I will never, do that to you okay. I promise you." Cedric didn't say anything he just kissed the top of my head. Cedric and I sat talking about everything that had happened in the past year for hours. I wanted to ask him for a while, but I was too scared, I wasn't sure how he would react, but I couldn't hold it in anymore, "What was happening with you and Cho this year?" I asked turning to face Cedric and he raised his eyebrows. "Well, she has had a crush on me since our first day, and I did like her too, back then, until I spoke to you for the first time after that say in Diagon Alley, here in the tower. I just couldn't like her like that anymore when all I could think about was you, then when you uh showed me your mark, Cho found me in the prefect's bathroom." I gulped, the prefects bath room was known as the go-to place for students when they wanted some... privacy, the amount of times me and Cedric had been there, when someone was in our special place supported that. "Oh Merlin no Parisa, I know what you're thinking I could never, no matter what happened between us. No, she just comforted me and then she got the wrong idea, she kept asking me out and telling me that she 'really liked' me but I just tried to let her down easy. In the end, I just pretended like I had a new girlfriend that I had to go meet whenever she said something like that to me, then I just avoided her." It all made sense now, that night in the library. "She knew I loved you Parisa." I knew this already of course but I didn't want him to know I had been listening to his conversation. "I wish everybody could know about us Cedric. Honestly, I do, I hate having to sneak around but you know no one can know. I'm not quite sure what he would do, but it would defiantly be bad, very bad." Cedric looked sympathetically at me, "I know Angel, I wish we could tell people too, I want everyone to know that you're mine. But I want you to be safe more than anything, so I know we can't. One day we will though, when we're all old and have like 5 kids, we'll just suddenly be like guess what! We're together!" I laughed and my heart warmed, "You think about stuff like that with me Ced?" Cedric smiled, "Of course I do Angel I love you; I want a life with you, I want to be with you forever." I nodded, "Awe Ced, I want to be with you forever too, what do you think our life will be like?"

"Well, one day someone, literally anyone but I mean probably Dumbledore, will finally get rid of Voldemort for good. And then you'll be free, and we can find something to cover your mark, maybe you can get like my name tattooed over it or something." I laughed and nodded my head. "And then we can get a house in a cute little forest somewhere far away from everyone else, like they do in twilight – I know you love that book. And we can have loads of little babies and they'll all be as beautiful as you and we can take them on trips all over the world, and to all the Quidditch world cups, and then when they've all moved out and we're both old. We can just spend all day in bed together, every day." It sounded nice, it sounded perfect, it was exactly what I wanted with Cedric, what I longed for with him. But I knew it was impossible, Voldemort was too strong now and he had too many followers, I'd seen most of them myself, but I knew they were everywhere, he could never be defeated, and I think Cedric knew that. I sighed, "That sound's perfect Cedric, I want exactly that and nothing less." Cedric smiled, "Then I promise you, that is what we will have, I'll make sure of it." Cedric gently grabbed my face and kissed me softly, I moved closer to him, so I was straddling his lap as he moved his hands to my waist. "I am so lucky to have you." I whispered onto his lips and I noticed that the sun was starting to rise. Cedric yawned, "I'm sorry I've kept you here all night you must be knackered." Cedric shook his head, "It's worth it Angel; I'm going to miss you so much, and I can sleep on the train anyway." I nodded and looked at my watch, "You should probably go and get ready the train will be leaving in an hour."

"Nooooo, I think I can stay for five more minutes." Cedric said huskily pushing his lips back into mine, I giggled into his lips and pulled away, "You can't miss the train baby." Cedric put his finger to my lips before smiling and kissing me again. I gave in for a little bit before pulling away and standing up, Cedric looked up at me pouting and I laughed grabbing his arms and trying to pick him up, I pulled my hardest, but he didn't even budge and I let go almost falling backwards. "Okay fine, I'm up, I'm up, before you hurt yourself." Cedric said laughing and walking over to me. "Okay so, please stay safe, please write me and please don't forget me or anything." He said and I laughed, "Yeah all I'll do is think about whilst your gone trust me."

"Good me too, oh I don't want to say goodbye Parisa." I smiled at him and wrapped my hands around his neck, "Then don't, goodbye is too sad, you're going to see me again soon so just say that. No goodbye's, ever again." Cedric nodded, "Sounds perfect." He leant down and kissed me again before pulling away and walking towards the stairs, "I'll see you soon my Angel." I smiled, "I love you Ced."

"I love you too." Cedric said as he walked down the steps, I was going to miss him, but I knew this wasn't it, this time he was coming back. I just had to get through the summer without him. I walked down the stairs a few minutes after Cedric and went to say goodbye to Pansy and Draco. I saw them coming out of the common room and ran up to them, "I've been looking for you Ris; I wanted to say goodbye, where have you been?" Pansy said bringing me into a hug as she dropped her trunk. "I'm sorry I was in the Astronomy Tower! I fell asleep by accident." Pansy laughed, "I should have guessed, you love it up there." I nodded my head and moved to hug Draco. I walked with them both to the gates before saying goodbye and watching them leave with everybody else.

Well, this was the start of my summer I suppose, I started to head back to my dorm, I had no idea what I was going to do over the summer as there was only one other student staying here this year, I think she was a first year in Ravenclaw so I doubted we would ever cross paths except for at meal times. It was going to be boring, but I'd probably spend the whole time reading. I arrived at my dorm and got changed, I was very tired after being up all night and decided to catch up on some sleep.

authors note: Hello! Yay the 5th year is over!!! I'm very excited for 6th year I think its going to be quite the emotional rollercoaster. I hope you're enjoying this book and thank you so much for reading! Please VOTE!!!