I Know And I Don't Care (Cedric Diggory x Reader)

Chapter 22

As loud as my heart was racing down towards the champions tent, it wasn't loud enough to cover the silence that lay over the tent.

It didn't help that Viktor Krum shot me a disgusted look as I entered. Ignoring the peering idea that he was expecting a different 4th year Gryffindor, one that had coaxed me down here and had already been here today, I stepped into the tent, almost tripping over someone's feet.

"Oh!" My hands flew out to catch myself but thankfully were rescued from having me as their person I tripped over, caught me. "Harry." I breathed, running a hand over my hair as he lifted me up and got me on my feet.

Harry barely looked at me, too busy peering over my shoulder at someone across the room. To get his attention, from whatever was so important he didn't even let me turn around, I chuckled awkwardly. "You know saving me isn't the task, right?"

"I know." His brow furrowed as he...was he cowering behind me? "I just don't want to give her any other romance story to write on about."

At the sound of romance, I turned my head in preparation to put the rumors to rest. I don't know who I was expecting, maybe one of Draco's followers snickering at us, but Rita Skeeter was not who I expected.

Her bright green robes came into sight for only a moment, resembling more of a flash after looking at the sun than proper attire, as Harry pulled me back around.

"Please don't look at her." He sighed, holding me by my shoulders and ducking as she walked off. "She already got a picture of me and Hermione."

I opened my mouth to as when Hermione had been here when it hit me. Hermione knew to sneak into the back of the tent because she had done the very same thing, no doubt to check on Harry. As much as she didn't like to show, Hermione was worried. That didnt' mean Hermione didn't have confidence in Harry, because she did. But no one was happy to let their friend battle a dragon with only a few days of mastering a charm.

"Are you giggling?" Harry questioned, bring me back from my thinking of Hermione suffering with the spell when she first learned it.

"No. No, I'm not." I wasn't. I was just happily remembering a time when acing Charms was our biggest challenge. Rather than a dragon.

Harry, still unclear on what my smile was about, looked down at the ground before asking, "How'd Cedric do?"

It was the first time Harry had mention Cedric to me. Regarding Cedric and the tournament, that is. I was about to ask why he'd want to know when I remember that Harry had beat me to telling Cedric about the dragons. I guessed he wanted to know if his help had bitten his backside.

"He did okay." Harry looked up at me. He didn't look happy, but he didn't look sad, either. I knew he was just glad to know that the first competitor hadn't risen the stakes too high. "He captured the egg but was burned, which I assume he'll get points off for.

"Burned?" Harry gulped.

"Yeah. I only saw the last part of it. I think the fire traced him. He's not getting by without a scratch, though." I chuckled, cuffing the sweater sleeves round my hands. When my eyes met Harry's, I thought of what I had just said. Cedric had been breathed on by a dragon. A dragon just like the one Harry was soon to go up against. "He's fine, though. He's okay."

Harry nodded, not completely believing me yet. His look of uncertainty had me disbelieving my own words. Which caused a quick moment of skepticism.

Was Cedric okay? Or was I making this up so I was okay? Could Cedric not be alright? Could he never be alright again?

"I don't actually know if he's okay." I blurted just as Harry had relaxed. "I mean, I came here to check on him actually," I threw a thumb over my shoulder as if I was pointing to where Cedric was. Truly, I didn't know where he was. Or how he was doing. What had happened. What could be done to help him. If he needed help. Or-

Harry saying my name told me I had gone silent, staring into space behind me. "I'm sure he's fine." He assured me.

"Yeah." Was all I could say.

"I think there's another tent. A tent for urm," Harry cleared his throat. "Injuries."

"Yeah?" The second I heard my giddy curiosity I cursed myself. "I mean, right. They can't be bringing in the limbless for those about to go compete to see, right?"

Harry caught the joke, slightly. He spared a small smile before looking at the ground again. I felt the sudden urge to hug him when a nearby scream came from outside the tent. It sounded vaguely familiar, a sound I had rarely heard. Rarely because Cedric was too proud to yelp in pain.

"Go." Harry nodded towards the yell, reading my mind like always. "I need a second to um," He cleared his throat again, sounding even more hoarse. "Prepare."

I bit my lip, worried for him while being extremely thankful at the same time. "You'll be great." Harry looked up at my as I have his hand a squeeze. "Promise."

He blinked a few times before returning a squeeze. My feet didn't move, no doubt because my heart didn't want to go. He looked scared. And small. And like a 14 year old boy about to face a flying, scaly, fire breathing creature.

"Go before Cedric ruins his reputation as the strong Hogwarts Champion." Harry said after I assumed hearing another scream. I opened my mouth to tell him I was looking at the Hogwarts Champion when he added, "Or before Skeeter has you stealing Hermione's story."

"Okay." I stepped back, allowing our hands to drop. "You'll be great." I said, opening the tent flap.

Harry didn't look too convinced, nodding quietly. "And if you're not, I hear Rita Skeeter's got a great story on you, anyway." I winked, waiting long enough to see Harry shake his head to get rid of his grin.

I did the same, the second I stepped out of the tent. Taking a second, I raised on my tiptoes, letting out a cross between a sigh and a laugh at how crazy this situation was. But I felt better. Better knowing I had helped Harry prepare. I had felt like a slightly bad friend recently, with all the time with Cedric and my unpurposeful ignoring of Harry. It was hard though, to be with him when I knew something was bound to happen to him. Hopefully that something wouldn't be getting burned by a dragon.

I only had enough energy to deal with one of my friends almost getting killed. At least in one day.

A yelp of pain from a tent I had completely overlooked, had me changing my mind. By the way Cedric was crying in pain, I didn't think I'd have any energy, physically or emotionally, left over.

Not caring about tripping over the unknown, I raced inside the tent. Gladly, there weren't any feet directly within. Actually, there wasn't much in the makeshift Hospital Wing. Cots were set up on the opposite wall and tables with piles and piles of supplies stood next to each one. It appeared not only the champion could be taken care of, but any student who had experienced with any of the Weasley's task trinkets I was sure they were marketing.

I glanced at the far end of the tent, immediately wishing there had been someone, Merlin, a pile of people, to trip over.

A swarm of five or six were huddled over the last bed of the row. Talking in hushed tones, but not hushed enough for me not to hear them arguing over the patient, I didn't have to see to who they were talking about. And who was no doubt laying in the bed literal feet from me.