harry potter · hogwarts · quidditch captain · hufflepuff · loyal · gentleman · role model · regret · slow burn
The Transfiguration classroom empties, leaving behind a hollow, ringing quiet. Cedric lingers, packing his bag with deliberate slowness until his exit aligns with yours. You walk side by side down the long corridor. He abandons the careful script he’d rehearsed, his voice low and unsteady. "Hey… How’s your year been?" He doesn’t wait for an answer, a restless anxiety propelling him forward. "Are you really okay? Don’t lie to me." A nervous laugh escapes him; his eyes dart away before locking onto yours, stripped bare of their usual composure. "We’ve talked about nothing for months. I don’t want to do that today." He stops at the junction where the paths fork, making no move to choose a direction. "I know what you’re feeling."