chapter 37

                                    

                                          
Once we were back on level ground, Cedric asked me what I wanted to eat and I decided upon Chinese food. 
                          
We took the tube to Leicester Square and walked to Chinatown, relishing the relaxed atmosphere as tourists stopped to take pictures and street performers began setting up for the evening. 
                          
Once we reached the main street, we chose a quiet restaurant and the waiter came to take our order as we were seated. 
                          
I ordered a lot of food, it had been a long day and we hadn't eaten since breakfast. Cedric and I didn't talk much as we dived into our meal, too ravenous to care about holding back. 
                          
Once we finished, he paid for our meal and we left the restaurant, beginning to wander through the streets. 
                          
The sun was just beginning to set and it scattered orange and pink hues across the sky, a display that contrasted prettily against the London architecture. 
                          
There was a serene peace in the air that only seemed to hang around the city between Halloween and Christmas, the period where everyone relaxed for a moment before the festive craziness arrived again. 
                          
As we turned down another street, I admired the Chinese lanterns strung along the street above our heads, their red papery structures fluttering against the evening breeze.
                          
"I'm glad we did this together" Cedric spoke up, and I glanced over at him.
                          
"Me too," I agreed.
                          
"You know, apart from Max and the boys, you're one of my closest friends at Hogwarts."
                          
I was surprised at his words. We definitely spent a decent amount of time together, but I hadn't realised he considered us to be that close. 
                          
I contemplated his revelation for a moment, did I consider him one of my closest friends?
                          
I trusted him that was for sure, perhaps more than I was able to trust anyone else, even Evelyn and Carlisle who I'd been friends with the longest. 
                          
So I supposed that in that sense we were good friends, although the term didn't seem to fit our dynamic completely. I didn't exactly know what the right definition was for Cedric and I; there was some unspoken understanding between us, he could read me so easily, seeming to know what comfort I needed before even I did. 
                          
But this all felt too complicated to say out loud in the middle of the city on a Saturday night, so I went with a simple response instead. 
                          
"I'm happy you feel that way, although I don't think you'd ever have trouble making other friends." 
                          
"Why's that?" He glanced at me as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans. 
                          
I laughed slightly, the answer was so obvious to me but perhaps he didn't think of himself as highly as I did. 
                          
"I suppose because you're so likeable, kind too. I can't imagine someone not getting along with you really." 
                          
He seemed to ponder this for a moment. "You think I'm kind?"
                          
"At least to me you always have been. Don't other people think you are?" 
                          
"I guess so... but it means more coming from you. Does that make sense?" 
                          
I nodded in response. 
                          
I understood what he meant entirely. When he'd complimented me, it somehow felt more important than when others did. I wondered at the reason for this, although I secretly thought that it was sweet how we valued one another's praise so much.
                          
We continued strolling in peace until we reached the square. 
                          
The street was busy with people and street acts. Loud rap music boomed from a speaker as a kid breakdanced amongst a crowd. 
                          
Cedric walked in the direction of the small park area across the street and we made our way over to the bench. It was more peaceful in here, slightly secluded from London's hustle and bustle. 
                          
We sat down and I looked up at the trees, they were nearly at the end of the autumnal cycle. The last of the leaves were falling from the branches, disintegrating into the wet mush on the ground. 
                          
December was quickly approaching. 
Too quickly for my liking. 
                          
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while now." Cedric spoke and I turned my attention to him.
                          
"What is it?"
                          
"Remember when you asked me what my boggart meant?"
                          
I nodded, recalling one of our first conversations the night of the Hufflepuff victory party. 
                          
He continued, "well, I realised that I never got a chance to ask you what yours meant."
                          
I thought back to our Dark Arts lesson and my boggart transformation. I'd never told anyone the reason for it, but as usual, something about Cedric's delicate countenance made me feel safe to share it.
                          
"I guess it's the fear of abandonment. Like ending up with no one, all alone. I've always though that it comes from losing my mother." I admitted, it was a theory that I'd pondered on for a while, even since the first time Lupin had exposed us to a boggart. 
                          
Cedric nodded as he watched a muggle child a few yards away. The boy was wearing little yellow rain boots, enthusiastically jumping into puddles as his mother observed him. 
                          
It was a sweet image, one of those film-like moments that gave you a glimpse into the complicated lives of others. 
                          
"You won't ever be alone you know, as long as I'm around." Cedric spoke softly, making sure only I would hear as his eyes came to meet mine. 
                          
I saw the unabashed sincerity there, that pure Hufflepuff loyalty that made them the best kind of company. 
                          
But it was even more than that, it was characteristically Cedric Diggory, through and through. True and selfless goodness down to the bone. 
                          
I held his gaze as I spoke, referring to his own boggart fear, "and I won't let you lose yourself in other people's expectations."
                          
He smiled at me and lifted his pinky up between us, "promise?"
                          
I laughed at the childish gesture but hooked my own around his.
                          
"I promise."
                          
"Good, pinky promises are binding you know." He dropped his hand but the other one took mine and I interlaced my fingers with his, as if it was something that we did it all the time. 
                          
I'd missed the softness against my skin and his warmth helped my freezing fingers. It felt so peaceful to sit with him like this, and I tried not to read too much into the intertwined gesture. 
                          
"I love your family by the way. You guys seem really close and Dobby is great." I said, wanting to convey my affection for the Diggory clan. 
                          
He grinned at my compliment, "they love you too, especially that little bastard. I swear that he likes you more than he does me."
                          
I laughed at this, smirking slightly. "What can I say? The elf has taste."
                          
He nudged me playfully with his shoulder but couldn't help the smile from widening on his face.
                          
I squeezed his hand slightly as we sat there, watching the world go by.