Flush

Flush

Cedric was pretty.

For a boy, at least. As Harry watched the two of them dancing together, glowering from his corner, it struck him that Cedric was almost prettier than Cho.

Almost, of course. But strangely, it was Cedric who Harry found himself looking at when the two of them paused.

Well, it'd been a strange day as it was, and it was probably only jealousy that made him study the way Cedric's hair fell across his forehead and the way he bit his lip when he smiled.

Jealousy.

***

Of course, jealousy didn't explain the strange knotted feeling he got in his gut whenever Cedric took him aside to give him a hint about the egg. Or the way Cedric's husky tenor stayed with him even after he left, playing over and over in his mind like a CD player on "repeat."

However, jealousy could explain the sudden rush of rage he felt when Cedric hurried off to tell Cho good night, and Harry latched onto the familiar emotion with something bordering on desperation. Because that feeling in his stomach was altogether too like the feeling he got when Cho was around. And he did not want to consider the implications of that.

***

You know, he's rather nice, Harry mused, his eyes glazed and very certainly not focused on Professor Snape. He doesn't even get angry with that godawful Skeeter woman. Or me, for being a Triwizard champion.

"-ter. Potter!" Crap. He sat up straight with a flash, but it was too late to rectify the damage. Snape sneered down his hooked nose, sadistically pleased to have caught Harry daydreaming again.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your lack of attention, Potter. Now, I suggest you return to taking notes so that even your complete incompetence can hope to pass my class." Harry flushed angrily, both at Snape and at himself, for letting his attention wander again. To Cedric, of all people! Though his thoughts seemed to have a tendency to turn in that direction when he wasn't paying attention . . .

"Ah. Professor? There's a meeting of the Triwizard champions that Harry has to attend. Could I borrow him for a moment?"

Speak of the devil. His stomach was doing strange flip-flops again, and he really hoped nobody could see the blush he could feel creeping up his neck. Cedric stood politely in the doorway, looking straight at him. Harry ducked his head in embarrassment as he stood up.

"You'll need your things, Harry."

A very flustered Harry snatched up his bag with trembling hands. Hermione's curious gaze raked over him, and he was sure she would have something to say later, but he managed to get out of the classroom without mishap.

They were walking down the hall together when Cedric suddenly stopped.

"Harry. I'm sorry, but there really isn't a meeting. I hate to have pulled you out of Potions, but this is my only off period is right now." Cedric did look sorry, but there was something else that Harry couldn't put his finger on. Was Cedric . . . nervous?

The thought made him flush and he felt the back of his neck growing hot. But no, Cedric wasn't gay. He had gone to the ball with Cho, after all.

"Do you need to talk to me or something?" Harry began, but Cedric shushed him.

"Let's go somewhere a little less open. We don't want to be caught by a teacher." Harry nodded in agreement, and Cedric led him to a hidden door behind a tapestry of a badger. This was one he didn't recognize, and Harry absently supposed he should study the map a bit more. However, most of his concentration was on keeping the red flush from creeping up his neck and onto his face as he realized that he was going to be alone in a secret room with Cedric.

The thought shouldn't have excited him so much, but for some reason, Harry felt happier.

Cedric gestured for him to sit, but Harry shook his head. The other boy seemed loath to sit as well, so they stood together in awkward silence. Harry was the first to break it.

"So . . . you wanted to talk to me or something?"

"Or something. Could you ... could you clarify something for me?"

"Like what?"

"Harry, don't play coy with me. I've seen you watching me. At first I thought you were watching Cho, but you've been staring at me even without her around. What's going on, Harry?" If Harry had been paying attention, he would've seen the faint blush creeping onto Cedric's cheeks and heard the harsh, ragged breathing. Unfortunately, Harry was panicking.

Oh my God, he's going to hate me now. He's noticed and he's going to hate me and I don't even know how I feel let alone how to handle this. Oh God . . .

"Harry?"

"I'm sorry! I don't . . . I feel . . . You're just . . . " he floundered, looking anywhere but at Cedric. Footsteps resounded as Cedric moved, and Harry looked up in startlement to see Cedric's face right in front of him.

"I'm just what, Harry?" Cedric breathed, his warm breath heating Harry's face even further. The younger boy choked, unable to breathe. He was only fourteen, he didn't know anything about this sort of thing or what he was supposed to do or say. Cedric hesitated, seeing the uncertainty written on his face, then took the last step towards Harry.

Harry thought he would faint, with Cedric's lips on his and Cedric's arms around him and Cedric's heat mingling with his because they were so much closer than he'd ever been to anyone before and he couldn't help it, he let a funny little noise escape from the back of his throat. He regretted it instantly as Cedric started to pull away, but he reached out to stop the movement before he was too much further away and Cedric took that as an invitation to continue. In the end, Harry was the one that pulled back, flushed and very happy. Cedric traced his jaw with a fingertip, waiting for him to say something.

"So . . ." His voice was shaky and uneven, and he cleared his throat to try again. "So . . . You . . . and me?"

"If you want. But we would have to keep it a secret, you know that. Both of us are Triwizard champions, and we're from the same school. The others would accuse us of conspiring against them."

"Yeah." Reluctant to say anything more, Harry leaned in for another kiss. After all, they had all the time in the world to figure it out. Potions didn't end for another forty minutes.