In The Water

Golden snidget

Potter and I stared at each other for a while, waiting to see if the man would emerge elsewhere.When it was clear he was gone we trudge back to the main house.The damage and debris wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Potter opened the kitchen and I went in before he did.

"Cedric." Hermione yelled as she left her mothers side . She knocked me back a little when she collided into my arms.

"What the hell just happened?" Harry yelled as he slammed the door shut.

"What is all this yelling about? Is Hermione okay?" Evie asked as she hobbled into the kitchen. Lily helped her to a chair and they stared us waiting for answers. Answers I didn't have.

"There was a man in the water." Harry said as he looked out the window to make sure the blond hadn't followed us.

"Oh, dear should we call the authorities?" Lily asked and Potter huffed out a laugh. I sat down in the other chair with a groan because I was just to damn tired. Hermione sighed and sat in my lap, putting her head on my shoulder.

"Not a body, mom. A man. Like Hermione." He said leaning against the wall still staring at the door. Hermione flinched and held onto me.Lily hand flew to her mouth as she looked at her daughter. I could see the fear in her eyes,because it was the same fear I had. The ocean was coming to take her from us.

"I'm gathering he wasn't very friendly." Evie said as she held her daughter in laws hand.

"He's from warmer waters. The hurricane dragged him here.He's lost and alone." She finally said in a quiet voice.

"How can you know that, he said only one word." Harry asked as he began pacing in front of the door like a guard dog.I leaned my head back while she held my hand.

"He told me. He was in my head." Tears were coming from her eyes and she buried her head into the crook of my neck.I rubbed her back gently. "He was in my head,Cedric."

I have heard of  legilimency, but it took a skilled wizard to perform that spell. Unless that is how they communicate. I though of Hermione story about how she would get mad because they didn't respond to her.Which meant she was in his head too. Is that why she is clinging so hard to me now?

"I don't care where he's from. He attacked you." Potter said getting more and more agitated. He started searching his pockets and found his pack of cigarettes. They were soaked and disengrating. He let out a growl and threw them into the trash.

"He was attacking Cedric. He thinks he was protecting me." She said in scared voice. I can tell she is holding something back. Her head finds it back to my shoulder and she take a deep breath.

"Okay, I don't want you going back into the ocean without someone with you. This man sounds dangerous." Lily crouched in front of us and took Hermione hands. " How are you feeling sweetheart? You gave us quite a scare."

"I'm okay mom,Cedric took care of me." She answered as she gave her mothers hand a squeeze.It has been a long day.I wrap my arms around her and rest my my head on top of hers. I haven't been this tired since I played for the Cannons.

"I know, but how about you take care of him now. Poor boy looks like he's about to drop." Lily said with a laugh,I gave her a small smile and closed my eyes again. I know they're still talking but it sounds all muffled and I'm not paying attention.

"Cedric?" I felt her shake me a little then kiss my neck. I hummed and readjusted my arms around her. "Let's go to bed honey."

She stands up and grabs my hands. I get up and she drags me to her bedroom. I watch her go though my bag and pull out some clothes for me. When she hands them to me I give her a lazy kiss on the forehead.

"Get dressed and get into bed." She says as she disappears into her bathroom. I peel the half dried clothes off me and just put my shorts on. Between her not breathing last night and the damn blond from the depths of the abyss, I've had maybe an hour of sleep. Somehow I manage to get under the cover and not pass out before she comes back.When she does she looks so much better.

"You're beautiful, you scared me so much baby. I thought I lost you." I pull her closer to me, she smiles and cups my face. Her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes. She still holding something back. " Baby what is it?"

"He was more animal then muggle wasn't he?" She finally said looking at me hesitantly.

"Maybe, perhaps we're all over reacting. How about we take a nap and we wake up we'll go back to the beach.I'll be with you every step of the way." I tell her and she grimmaces.

"We're not over reacting. If anything we're under reacting." She starts and I know what comes next isn't going to be good." Draco is dangerous."

"Draco? He told you his name?" I was trying my hardest to stay calm, but I knew I was failing. If she was hiding his name from me,what else did he tell her. She nods and realizes I'm upset. Her solution was to curl up against me and nuzzle her nose into my neck. Strangely it was soothing.

"He's called me Ione, said I was his mate.He tried to get me to come with him." She placed a kiss on the junction of my shoulder and neck. "For a moment I almost did. You brought me back again."

A part of me was screaming that she would even consider leaving. Then I remembered her pointed teeth and gold eyes. Sometimes I don't think she is in complete control of herself. That scares me, what happens when I can't bring her back?

"I don't want to go Cedric. I want to stay here. I want to stay with you, with my family." She clung to me so tightly, her voiced filled with fear.

"No one is going to take you from us. I won't let them. " I try to comfort her but how can I.  How can I fight her? Her natural instinct is to stay in the ocean, to go with the man with the white hair and blue fins.

"My publisher has been wanting me to come to New York. Let's go, go where he can't find us." She pleaded with. Who am I to tell someone running away isn't the answer. It was for me, if I hadn't run from England I would have never met her.

"Whatever you want me love. Are you feeling better?" I could feel myself falling asleep and I needed to make sure she was okay before I fell asleep.

"Yes, I feel so much better. Cedric are you okay?" She asked sitting up in the bed a little. I hummed an answer with closed eyes. She laughed and moved my hair off my face before kissing me softly. Her hands began to explore my chest and she started kissing me neck a little more aggressively.

"Sleep." I moan grabbing her adventurous hands and kissing her fingers keeping them under my chin. She giggled softly and snuggled against me. I could tell she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.

"You know that I love you, don't you." She asked, I could feel her chocolate eyes on me. I just nodded my head and made a humming agreement sound. She let out an exacerbated sigh and stayed still as I let myself get some rest.My nightmares of the tourament have been replaced with a blue finned demon from the ocean.