Smile - Cedric Diggory

Twenty-Nine

(Cedric's P.O.V.)

Despite the chaos in both the wizarding and Muggle world, Cedric and Iris were happy for many months together. They lived in simplicity, wanting for very little, because they had each other and that was all that mattered.

However, even those happy moments had to come to an end. It began when Iris came home from her internship at St. Mungo's with alarming news. 

"I saw several known Death Eaters at the hospital today, Ced." She had murmured into his chest after he had taken her into a tight embrace.

"What did they do? You aren't hurt are you, darling?" He pulled back for a moment to look her over carefully. 

"I'm okay, they didn't even see me. But they. . ." a distressed look spread over her face and he wrapped his arms around her, wanting to protect her. "They took a man from his hospital bed right in front of us all." She sobbed out, tears beginning to leave a trail down her pale cheeks.

"Oh my god." He muttered, clutching her tighter.

"No one did anything, we all just watched them drag this poor wounded man away. And-and I wanted to step forward and st-stop them but I was too much of a coward, Ced. I let them take that poor man to his death without murmuring a word against them. I've taken part in a murder by not standing up!"

"Iris, they would have killed you, or worse. . ."

"I just feel so weak, and I don't like it at all. Why can't I seem to do anything to stop all the death and grieving that's going on around us?"

"I feel helpless too, but we have to stay safe, 'Ris."

"At what cost? Wh-what if they had been dragging your father out to kill him or-or torture him until he gives them inform-" she broke down sobbing in his arms and he gently picked her up, cradling her close in his arms as he carried her to their bed.

He held her in his arms, whispering comforting words in her ear and promising he would always be there. The sun sank down in the sky, leaving them in inky blackness.

~~~

After that they grew more and more careful, making secret signals that only the two of them knew. They no longer sent letters to anyone, usually letting their loved ones know they were alright by way of Patronus charms.

Still, they knew it was only a matter of time until something happened. 

First, Death Eaters had attacked the street where Cedric was working, and after witnessing the death they had brought with them, he had quit his job. Now he searched for a new job, hoping that their savings would last long enough.

The night that Iris was late coming home, he knew immediately something was wrong. All day a sinking feeling, like that of missing a step on the stairs, had been in his breast. So when she was just ten minutes late, he hadn't given a second thought to Apparating to an alley across from the hospital.

Smoke was billowing from the windows and dark shapes moved inside. Shock that they would make such a move to attack the hospital, he hurried toward the door. Inside, a fire had been started somewhere and it was spreading quickly.

"Iris!" He yelled, coughing slightly when he inhaled smoke.

Someone was wailing down a hallway, and he pulled his wand out as he approached. At moments like these he remembered his blind eye. He wished that he could see more clearly, and felt like someone must be sneaking up on him.

A pregnant woman and a wounded doctor struggled toward the door, and he felt horrible for not helping them, but his only selfish thought was on the love of his life.

He turned a corner and saw several Death Eaters torturing some poor soul that he knew he couldn't help. Instead he hurried the other way, hoping they would notice him.

Why was the damn hospital so big? Panic was beginning to run through his veins as the smoke got denser and the flames roared hotter. He held his shirt over his mouth, trying to see through his one watering eye.

Suddenly someone was attacking him, and he tried to pull his wand up, but then he realized that they were hugging him tightly.

"Iris?"

"It's me, it's okay." She chanted, coughing harshly. "We have to help them out, Ced."

He looked behind her and saw a raggedy group of children, all wearing soot stained hospital gowns. Cedric felt his throat clench up and hacked painfully.

Still coughing, he gestured frantically the way he had come, pushing them all before him. Iris bravely led the way, wand at the ready, while he brought up the rear, making sure that no one came up behind the little group of survivors.

Their journey through the burning and collapsing hospital was treacherous, and at one point Cedric had to pull one of the younger children out of the way of falling debris, a moment that left everyone feeling shaken. Luckily though, they didn't encounter any Death Eaters, although the corpse of the tortured man made bile rise harshly in his throat.

They stumbled out into the street just as the sun was setting, all coughing and covered in ashes. Cedric quickly pulled all of them into the alleyway across the street, afraid that there might be more of Voldemort's followers waiting to ambush those who made it out of the flaming hospital. Not knowing what else to do, they Apparated the children back to their apartment and administered healing spells to help them with the coughing smoke inhalation.

Neither Cedric nor Iris felt safe staying in the apartment any longer after that so they Apparated away as soon as they could, setting up a tent in a secluded forest. They sent out a Patronus to the 'River' who hosted a radio show called Potterwatch, in an attempt to let the children's parents know that they were safe for the moment.

It wasn't long before a coded rendezvous was broadcast over the airwaves, and they hurried to the location after decoding it. With the children safe for the moment with their parents, Iris and Cedric decided not to return to their little apartment, and began tenting in different areas.

So the world grew darker for the two lovebirds.