in the mirror

chareinami @ 2006-06-20T17:47:00

2006-06-20T07:55:08Z

TITLE : I Knew I Loved You
Chapter : 6: Fairytale
Rating : PG
Parings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros.,Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.
Author's Notes: I'm really, really sorry if this came several months late. It's my first year of UNI so I wanted to make things right and do the best I could. Hope you all enjoy.

"Look, Granger, like in the muggle world, there are certain individuals that try to make life absolutely impossible. The best thing to do with situations like this is to ignore them. What they called you is only a word. It may hurt, but remember that you are above that. You're better than they are. Much better."

"Thank you." His words comforted her. "That meant a lot, coming from you."

"Anytime Hermione. I'll always be here for you." His words, although she didn't realise it, was a part of his vow to himself.

Like every little girl, Hermione had been enchanted by the beauty and magic portrayed by the characters in the stories that her father had read to her. There had been stories about mermaids, kings, pirates, sunken treasure and fairies, of course. Every moment prior to bedtime seemed like a dream- heightened by the dimmed lighting and her father's soothing voice. She particularly loved tales of princesses- something that her friends would find fairly inane and quite impossible to believe. Despite her blatant dislike of damsels-in-distress, she always marvelled at how the knights or princes would gallantly save them.

Like most parents, Hermione's father would often instill attributes of his daughter into the stories that he told her. Wishes for the future were often incorporated, together with dreams of how he wanted his daughter to become. Subversive as it may seem, it comforted both the parent and the child. More often than not, a sense that the little princess was growing up to be more than what was desired strengthened the parent's resolve to be better and improved the bond with the child.

However, Hermione was more extraordinary than the "normal" daughter. Her father sensed this from the beginning. Although he knew that he was more than grateful to be the parent of such a perfect young woman, he was quite apprehensive of the future- despite his knowledge that his daughter would certainly grow up to be a strong woman.

But, as he looked at the peaceful image of his sleeping daughter, with her unruly curls resting on her cloud-like pillow, his fears seemed inconsequential and quite unnecessary.

Little did he know, that years later, his daughter would encounter a fairytale of her very own. A fairytale that was just as sinister as the one that he told her often. Sinister as the reality was, it seemed that one aspect of children's stories would also be a constant in Hermione's own.

Besides, was it not the handsome prince who would save the day?

Although he was just in his fourth year, Cedric was beginning to strike a chord in the hearts of many students of the opposite gender. He was not only gifted with devilishly good looks...

... Well, there's no point in stating the obvious, is there? The constant description of the charm of this gentleman would be quite redundant. Let's just say that he was someone who possessed attributes that put your conventional Prince Charming to shame. But his heart had already been captured by an astute young woman who was two years younger than him, with more wit and wayward curls than most people at Hogwarts.

As a fourth year student, he and his peers were already preparing for the OWLS exams that they were to take the following year. It would not do them any favors to slack on the job- especially since Snape, McGonagall and Sinistra were already putting pressure on them to excel. Like a dedicated student, he did his schoolwork with as much grace and ease as he could manage. He tried not to whine as much, since it wasn't attractive. He did not really enjoy doing the schoolwork as much, since it prevented him from speaking with her from time to time. From what he could recall, he had only spoken a couple of words to her since the eventful clash with Malfoy Jr. Which was a shame.

He sighed. There was that, and the pathetic attempts of his schoolmates in making Professor Dumbledore's dream of improved Interhouse relationships a reality. Really, Lockhart's Duelling Club did not help much- rather, it assisted in the destruction of the stability of the houses. Oh- and he did not forget the reputation of Harry Potter, which was beginning to be shrouded by rumours that he was the so-called Heir of Slytherin. Cedric wrinkled his nose at the thought. It was insane.

So what if he could speak in Parselmouth? Finch-Fletchley, one of the second-years in his House was making such a big deal out of it, which was quite inane. There was something lacking in that logic, as Potter was in Gryffindor. Did his own father not tell him that the Potters, one of the oldest families in the Wizarding World apparently descended from Godric Gryffindor at some point?

He shook his head. He was spending more time worrying about matters that were so trivial instead of going to the library and stalking Hermione. Well, not stalking per se, but maybe catching up with her and getting assistance, since she probably knew half the contents of the library by now- if her reputation as a bibliophile was correct. He had just been about to move to the library when he heard someone call out:

"DIGGORY, YOU HAVE A VISITOR!"

At first he cocked his head in surprise. Surely Hermione might not have caught onto his thought patterns. But, he realised that it may just be someone else.

Familiar almond eyes twinkled at him, as though they guessed what he was thinking. He gave her a smile and escorted her out of the Common Room, to the envy of many girls who had been sitting on the comfortable armchairs to be able to watch him.

"Cho, it's been a while since you paid me a visit."

She grinned. "Who knew that you could be such a diligent student? You should've been sorted in Ravenclaw."

"I should've," he told her with a dramatic sigh before she pulled him in the direction of the heavy Oak doors that led to the grounds.

"The fresh air outside would do you some good before I tell you something that I heard from a couple of girls from my House."

When they reached the Great Lake, and settled themselves beneath the shade of a tree, Cho's expression changed. From slightly playful to quite serious.

"Cho, what's going on?"

Sad eyes looked at him. "Did you not hear about this from the second-years in Hufflepuff?"

The shake of his head was her only response. Partnered with confusion, this made for a very difficult conversation. But he needed to know. It was only fair and right.

"Cedric, you have to listen to me and be rational about this. Don't be rash."

"Out with it Cho. We haven't got all day."

Cho sighed. How she hated being the bearer of bad news.

"You know how there have been news of victims being Petrified? Well, first there was Mrs. Norris."

Cedric nodded and continued for her. "Then there was Sir Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. As well as that girl in your year. Penelope Clearwater, right?"

"Yes. Anyway, Padma Patil, one of the second years has a twin sister in Gryffindor who said..."

His eyes narrowed. "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Look, I hated to be the one to tell you. But..."

His eyes widened. "Shit! It's Hermione, right?"

Cho nodded and made sure that he did not do anything rash. Someone still needed to be the voice of reason.

"I know that this is the second time she's been in the Hospital Wing this year and that this is more serious than her mysterious first visit. But, you won't do anyone any good if you just barge in there."

Cedric calmed down a little. "I'm worried about her, Cho."

"I know you are. As much as you love her, you just have to be strong for her."

"But..."

Cho gave him a playful glare. "If you're like this now, I can't imagine how you'll be when she gives birth to your first child." She laughed as she watched him turn pale, then blush a fiery red that rivalled the famous Weasley hair.

With a chuckle, and an "Am I going to be the little one's godmother?", Cho became the recipient of a glare from the Hufflepuff.

Contemplating a bit, Cedric tried to control his own chuckles as he said, "Maybe. If you're good."

Back in the comfort and safety of his room, Cedric was plagued by his thoughts.

'Cho is an idiot. First child? Heck... I'm the one in love with Hermione and yet, she's the one who thinks about these things. Would be lovely if it happened. I would give anything for it to happen.'Images of the future sprung to mind. Images of her. Some of the thoughts that he had frightened him. Some made him blush. And yet, in the midst of it all, he contemplated on when he should see her. He needed to be there and see it for himself... and maybe, find a way to remove her afflictions.

It took him a couple of days to psyche himself up. A small, cynical part of him was afraid of rejection... But, did Petrified people even have thoughts? Dreams? Or were they just a shell? He wasn't sure, but he still wanted to be able to make an impression. Madam Pomphrey, when he came, was asleep. She had been working twice as hard together with Professors Sprout and Snape in developing the cure for this affliction.

Cedric thanked his lucky stars that his boyish affection would not be seen by anyone, aside from his intended. He looked at her- cold, pale and literally quite stiff. He stroked her soft hair, a wistful smile on his face. She reminded him of the children's story that he had read for homework for Muggle Studies. Sleeping Beauty, it had been called. How ironic was it that his one true love had been deemed for slumber. Not eternal, like the Princess, but deep slumber nevertheless. He wondered. Could he be her prince and wake her up?

Carpe Diem... Sieze the day. Out of the blue, this thought sprung into Cedric's mind. He shrugged to himself. What had he to lose? He looked longingly at the girl in front of him. Tempted.

And lowered his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

No one had recorded experiences from being petrified, but it was pretty similar to being in a coma. Although Hermione had been in a thoughtless, emotionless shell, with no recollection of the Chamber of Secrets and the adventures of her two best friends, she remembered something. A fairytale, with the prince waking up his princess and living happily ever after. It had been the last story that her father had read to her.

It became reality in her own story once her soulmate had rested his lips on hers. A gentle caress and display of love and affection.

Although her awakening had not occurred at the moment of Cedric's kiss, the story played out like the fairytale it resembled, for two hearts became more intricately connected at the moment the fine line between fantasy and reality had collapsed.

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chareinami @ 2006-06-03T17:32:00

2006-06-03T07:34:12Z

Hi everyone. I'm sorry for disappearing from you like that. I'll be back with an update from my fic I Knew I Loved You soon. :)

Cheerio.

chareinami @ 2006-02-14T15:12:00

2006-02-14T04:14:23Z

Title : Be Mine
Rating : PG (for implications)
Pairings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.
Author's note: This is dedicated to all of my readers, in particular those who supported I Knew I Loved You. I haven't forgotten... I know that I'm deviating away from my other story. I hope you enjoy this one. Happy Hearts Day.

The beating of her heart seemed louder and faster than normal. It also seemed to echo in the silence of that starlit evening. As her eyes met his, it seemed that time had stopped and froze, a present for both of them. She tried her best to hold his gaze, but it was futile. He unnerved her, with his steadfast gaze that seemed to mimic the stars that shone brightly above them.

All the logic in her mind fluttered away with a single touch from him.

All the girlish notions from her past came floating back, with the sensual dance of his lips against her's.

All inhibitions glided away, with the heat of his gaze and the way her name sounded different when his baritone murmured it.

As she leaned closer to his embrace and rested her head on his chest, all the worries she possessed disappeared. It was as though he made the world safer for her. Like they were the only two people on the planet. There was nothing that would destroy their bond. They seemed made for each other.

Sometimes, she hated how she was reduced to putty in his hands. There was no fighting it. After all, if she didn't know better, she did the same thing to him. He was her other half, her kismet, her soulmate. Without him, she would be nothing.

After the long, drawn-out tango that they had performed over the years, this moment seemed made for them. Yet, she sensed that something wasn't right... that he seemed more nervous than normal. Although she tried her best to hide it, she knew that he could also perceive her discomfort. The moment seemed too good to be true. They seemed too good to be true. It frightened her to think that at a snap, she could lose him completely.

She had never felt so scared in her entire life. Losing him was her worst fear.

His fingers beneath her chin jolted her out of her thoughts. His gray eyes, usually sparkling with mirth were undoubtingly serious. It perplexed her.

Again, it surprised her to note that he made her lose control with a single touch. This time, it was on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him- if that was possible.

"Hermione."

There it was, yet another piece of evidence of his control over her. A slight flush found its way onto her face, the fault of his baritone, its sensuality calming her. But, it also made her more nervous... A million what-ifs flooding her brain.

His face lowered to her's. Kisses were trailed over the planes of her face, over her eyelids, her nose, her chin and her lips. When those same lips trailed over a sensitive area of her neck, she failed to suppress a moan- his satisfaction betrayed by the slight smirk that she felt, rather than saw.

When his lips caught her's after an agonising, yet pleasurable instance, she tangled her fingers through his hair.

Her eyes opened, and met his intent ones.

A couple of words were spoken, before she felt something cold being slipped on one of the fingers of her left hand.

"Be mine."

No words were conveyed. None were needed. Nothing could be more perfect than that night. Nothing at all.

chareinami @ 2006-01-31T11:28:00

2006-01-31T00:32:47Z

EEEEEEEEEEK!!!!! With all the stuff that's been going on with my life, I seem to have neglected Cedric and Hermione yet again. Nup, I don't have writer's block- I do however have the little niggling thing otherwise known as reality hogging me. Pretty sad, really, since I think Cedric's been haunting my mind, begging me to update. *headdesk* I don't even want to think about how things would turn out once UNI starts (on the 20th of Feb).

chareinami @ 2006-01-11T11:42:00

2006-01-11T00:46:32Z

TITLE : I Knew I Loved You
Chapter : 5: For Now
Rating : PG
Parings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros.,Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.
Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay, y'all. Real life has finally caught up with me.

Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin. It was people like the Malfoys that gave the Wizarding world a bad name. Sometimes, there was a need to be flexible and get in touch with the times, so to speak. But, those of the "old blood" were stuck in their ways. Like his father, Cedric suspected that the Malfoys were into the Dark Arts. And, like his father, he knew that one must be careful towards people like them.

Cedric, hidden amongst the small crowd within Flourish and Blotts watched the Malfoys and the Weasleys warily. With the prestige of the Malfoys came arrogance and slight hypocrisy. Their wily actions- as his father had described- were purely for their own gain. The Weasleys on the other hand were the complete opposite. Despite their slightly impoverished status, they were as trustworthy as families came. That, and their infamous tempers, which sometimes got the better of them. Particularly this generation of Weasleys, who also descended from the Prewetts, from Molly Weasley's side of the family.

As he waited for Lockhart's appearance, a feeling of cautious expectancy came over him. Unlike the deluded attraction of the women who flanked either side of him in the small crowd, who like his mother had become quite enthralled by the exploits of Gilderoy Lockhart, he felt no such inclination to admire the wizard whom he and his father suspected of being a fraud. On the contrary, he was expecting the vocal fireworks to erupt between these two prominent families. It was the stark contrast between these two families that made one expect such a thing. At any minute, it could strike, as firey and as bitter as any argument could come.

Blinking, he snapped himself out of his own little world conjured up by the unsettled feeling he had with regard to the inevitable Weasley-Malfoy showdown. As his gray eyes surveyed the bookshop, his gaze fell on Hermione, hoping that she and her friends would not fall under further Malfoy scrutiny and derision. Lockhart's appearance neither assisted Cedric's small, vaguely insignificant hopes. Nor did it dissipate the sombre atmosphere that suddenly found its way into the bookshop. Lockhart, true to Cedric's suspicions harboured an attraction to fame- what better way to gain recognition than to use the prestige and infamy that was possessed by a certain Mr. Potter who tried rather unsuccessfully to blend into the background. It had been the offer of free, autographed copies of Lockhart's books that caused the growing tension between the two clans to erupy. Pretty violently, in Cedric's opinion. Cedric had been too focused on this, that he, like everyone else in the room, had neglected to notice the old leather diary that Malfoy senior had slipped into the cauldron of the youngest Weasley. Cedric's suspicions over the flambuoyant author were strengthened by the fact that Lockhart had been conversing with a reporter whilst the heads of the Malfoy and the Weasley families argued, probably advocating the reporter to include the argument in the article that would definitely find its way into the Daily Prophet or in Witch Weekly.

Thankfully, the fight had not lasted long, had only been between the fathers and had only involved words and fists. Had the younger generation of Weasleys gotten involved, with the use of magic, despite the fact that they were not allowed to practice it outside school walls, it would surely have been more bloody.

Unlike the past year, wherein Cedric had caught sight of Hermione on the Hogwarts Express, the beginning of his fourth year was rather different. There were no missing toads from a boy named Neville Longbottom. Nor were there any cinammon-eyed girls knocking on his carriage door to ask him about it. Cho had teased him about being lovesick. He had given her a disgusted look in reply, despite the fact that this was slightly true, pathetic it may have seemed. Harry and Ron had surprised him by coming to school on the Weasleys' enchanted blue automobile. It provided something fairly dramatic to the beginning of the year.

The next time that he had caught sight of his favorite wayward-curled Gryffindor was when she walked down to the Great Hall to have lunch, wherein she was showing Harry and Ron the perfect coat buttons she had produced in Transfiguration. He did not mean to eavesdrop on their conversation, but it was slightly impossible, considering he had been walking behind them. Although she did not see it, Cedric gave Hermione a proud smile. His euphoria at the academic excellence displayed by the girl he considered "his" witch dropped slightly when Ron exclaimed, "Why? Have you outlined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?" Although he knew that Hermione was more intelligent than most witches and would probably suspect Lockhart's fraudulence like he did, there was a small nagging feeling in his gut that suspected that she, like his own mother and many other witches possessed an infatuation with Lockhart. Shaking off the nagging feeling, he had walked to the Hufflepuff table silently and slightly dejectedly, although he would never admit it.

His fourth year had been progressing smoothly enough, however, it was the growing workload that Cedric was starting to adjust to. His time was divided between the library, the Quidditch Pitch, his Common Room and the Great Hall for meals. It was this rather hectic schedule that did not permit him to see Hermione as often as he wanted to. Although he knew that she spent a vast majority of her time in the library, his need to focus on his studies meant that he could not converse with her as often as he wanted to. Regardless of this, one little incident in the Quidditch Pitch made him rethink his stance and strengthened his resolve to protect her.

He had woken up fairly early one morning. Although it had been slightly chilly, he was determined to make the most of the beautiful weather, as he wasn't sure how long it was going to last. Even though the Daily Prophet predicted beautiful weather all week, there were instances when these were wrong. He wanted to take a walk before having breakfast, to clear his thoughts without being accompanied by several admiring girls from his house. Without warning, as though they had minds of their own, his feet had taken him in the direction of the Pitch.

What he discovered astounded him. Although the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team was there in their brilliant scarlet robes, the unmistakable flash of brilliant forest green worn by the Slytherins made him raise an eyebrow in confusion. He knew from memory that the Gryffindors had been scheduled to practice that morning. Instead of moving forward to discover what the commotion had been all about, he walked to the stands, remaining a respectable distance away where he could still see and hear everything clearly.

The Slytherins, he noticed, were taunting the Gryffindors. He realised that Malfoy had been made Seeker, replacing Terrence Higgs that year. The sheen of their broomsticks caught his eye. Lucius Malfoy, he discovered had replaced the brooms of the entire team with brand new Nimbus 2001's. Cedric frowned. He suspected that the younger Malfoy, not to be outdone by his Gryffindor rival had asked his father to make a generous contribution to the team in order for him to be made Seeker. It also seemed as though he had not been the only one who suspected it.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent."

He looked at the direction of the soft voice that said it, albeit sharpness had accompanied her soft tone. Hermione was not pleased with the way her housemates were being taunted. He had to admit, he was rather impressed with her. Of course, his subconscious noted how alluring her eyes looked when she was angry. What followed her declaration shocked him.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood."

Anger and disgust immediately sparked within Cedric. He was tempted to approach Malfoy and punch his irritating smirk off his face. But, looking on, he noticed that the Weasleys were displaying their infamous tempers over Malfoy's racist comment. Looking at Hermione, he was surprised that she did not look appalled. Neither did Harry. In fact, both of them looked purely confused. It was like, they've never heard that word before. It was then that he remembered that both had grown up without any prior knowledge of the Wizarding world.

He left before anything could happen. Instead of going to breakfast, he ignored the hunger in his belly to find Professor McGonagall and report the misdeeds that occurred in the Pitch. In his mind, he was thankful that he left when he did. Had he not, he knew that he would not easily have controlled his temper. The strength of his loyalty to Hermione was a testament to the ideals of Helga Hufflepuff.

Slytherin had lost several points that day, but Cedric knew that it would not be the last time that Hermione would be targetted by people from that house. It seemed though, with the current situation involved with the so-called Heir of Slytherin, all the Houses, with the exception of Gryffindor, had another target in mind. It surprised him that they would think so, considering he had been sorted in the house that opposed Salazar Slytherin's ideals, but most people, particularly those from his own house believed that Harry Potter was the heir. Cedric thought that they had gone absolutely barmy!

Ignoring that train of thought, he had concentrated on doing his work in the library. It was during one of his study sessions in the hidden alcoves, where he heard a couple of sniffles. He stopped working and walked to the direction of the soft sound. To his surprise, he found Hermione in tears, the little droplets of water smudging the ink on the parchment she had been writing on. He walked up to her and sat on the adjacent seat, wiping her tears with the back of his hand.

"Why the tears?" he asked her softly.

She looked up at him. "I don't know," she replied, her voice shaky. "I just didn't realise how much it hurt."

He looked at her curiously, and empathically placed his hand over hers. "What hurt?" Cedric asked her. When she avoided his gaze, he understood. "Look, Granger, like in the muggle world, there are certain individuals that try to make life absolutely impossible. The best thing to do with situations like this is to ignore them. What they called you is only a word. It may hurt, but remember that you are above that. You're better than they are. Much better."

Hermione smiled a little. "Thank you." His words comforted her. "That meant a lot, coming from you."

"Anytime Hermione. I'll always be here for you." His words, although she didn't realise it, was a part of his vow to himself.

The rest of the time was spent in silence that was both welcomed and comfortable. She needed comfort and security. He provided it for her. He may not have noticed it, but it was also something that he needed. It was all he needed, for now.

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chareinami @ 2006-01-09T18:19:00

2006-01-09T07:23:21Z

Hi everyone!

Eeeeek- I've just realised that it's been a while since I've updated I Knew I Loved You. Being somewhat a perfectionist, I've been trying to write draft after draft until I get the "feel" that I like. That, and the fact that real life has been catching up to me.

Please don't worry, I'll do my best to have the next episode in the lives of Cedric and Hermione up and running soon. Hopefully.

chareinami @ 2006-01-04T20:06:00

2006-01-04T09:07:28Z

Got this off koalathebear.

chareinami @ 2006-01-03T19:53:00

2006-01-03T09:01:04Z

TITLE : I Knew I Loved You
Chapter : 4: Him
Rating : PG
Parings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros.,Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.
Author's Notes: This chapter is dedicated to hymenchan. Happy Birthday!

He was her strong, silent sentinel who was there to share her joys and sorrows, her hopes and dreams. Whatever happened, he knew that he would always be there for her. Always.

The blissfully golden glow of the sun and the warm breeze were two of the reasons why Hermione loved summer. Aside from the fact that she had a longer period to spend with her parents, there was something about that particular season that pleased her.

As she looked at the sky one evening, she marvelled at the combination of colours and the beautiful tableau it presented. The solitary star that appeared before all the others made her think of something. Or someone, she reflected. He confused her. Although there were instances wherein they bumped into each other in the library the past year, nothing much had been exchanged, save a couple of smiles and friendly greetings. Except for that one time, she could not explain it, but it seemed so familiar to her. Eerily familiar, in fact, that her mind seemed to have put it under its own category.

She sighed as she watched the constellations suddenly come into being. His eyes for some strange reason haunted her. There was something about them that she, with her intelligence could neither explain nor understand.

There was something about gazing at the night sky that brought out the romantic within people. There was an inexplicable force that caused them to dream, hope, wish and unknowingly, love. The air of midsummer could not be blamed for this, despite the insistence of many that midsummer caused the mind to think thoughts that were not part of the norm, and act irrationally.

That night, Hermione, in the place of reading her beloved texts had decided to rest her head on her soft pillow and dream pleasant dreams. Cliched would be the best term to describe her dreams, had she dreamt of Cedric... but, it would not be honest if this truth was not acknowledged. It would simply not make sense if visions of sugarplums immediately started dancing in her head, now would it? But, as her breathing slowed and her appearance became more peaceful, none of these perceptions mattered much. In other words, what she was imagining not only pleased her, but also calmed her.

On another area of the United Kingdom, unaware of the lovely visions hidden beneath several cinnamon-toned wayward curls, Cedric Diggory lay on a blanket underneath an oak tree with Cho Chang. Cho, who had decided to visit Cedric that afternoon had been invited by his Mum to remain there for dinner that evening. It was beneath the gaze of the constellations that Cho tried her luck at getting her friend to tell her more about Hermione. He had successfully managed to evade any conversations regarding the Gryffindor for a long time, albeit he did mention that he had introduced himself to Hermione during one afternoon in the library. A mischievous smile came on her face as she leaned against the trunk of the oak and gave Cedric a pointed look.

"Mr. Cedric Diggory, I absolutely couldn't take it anymore!" she exclaimed, almond eyes flashing with a combination of amusement and slight annoyance. "We need to talk about this." An eyebrow was lifted curiously in reply. Cho continued, seeing his need for her to elaborate on what it was that they needed to speak about. "Now, you told me that you managed to introduce yourself to the girl you believe was the one you met at that park when you were... I don't know, six or seven."

Cedric chuckled. "What exactly do you want me to tell you? That I suddenly proclaimed my undying love for her and asked her for her hand in marriage?"

She gave him a playful glare. "Where you get those ideas, I don't really know. Seriously, Cedric, how am I supposed to offer you good, sound advice when you don't tell me anything?"

"I don't know, considering I have nothing further to tell you," he told her with a small smile. "Nothing happened. Besides, she's too young for that."

"No one's too young for love," Cho told him softly. "Even then, there are different degrees of love. I just think that you're in a state of denial about this. Think about it for a moment. It does not have to progress as quickly. You could start by being her friend."

Cedric gave the girl he considered one of his closest friends a curious look. "Cho, when did you become that wise?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. There was a reason why I was sorted in Ravenclaw, after all. Now, getting back to the topic at hand, when was the last time you spoke to her?"

"A serious conversation that lasted beyond a smile and a hello? Well, I think it has to be before Halloween last year. Then, that was it."

That was when Cedric became a witness to one of Cho's shrieking fits, which did not happen very often. "Cedric!!! You're absolutely pathetic sometimes. How could you get to know her better, without having more than two serious conversations with her?!?"

"One does not need words to communicate," Cedric pointed out, trying to present a controlled exterior despite his amusement at his friend's quirks.

"Stalker," she said with a fond smile. "You watch her, don't you?"

"That," he replied, "and the fact that she's best friends with the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. It's impossible not to hear about her exploits because of that tiny, insignificant fact."

Her expression showed him her amusement. "Sometimes Cedric, you make it clear to me that the male species could progress beyond being dense."

It was at that moment that Cedric had never been so thankful that his mother had called them in for dinner. Speaking with Cho about this particular subject was both enlightening, yet dangerous at the same time.

There was only one time of year where Diagon Alley became busier than usual. The preparations for the upcoming schoolyear meant that students and their parents were rushing to get all the necessary supplies in time. Although Hermione knew that she could very easily get her supplies earlier than everyone else, she also knew that it was more fun to purchase them with the companionship of her friends.

She and her parents were standing at the top of the white flight steps that led to Gringotts bank. Spotting her friends Harry and Hagrid, she ran down, her curls flying behind her. "Harry! Harry!," she exclaimed, "Over here!"

When she had caught her breath and had calmed down slightly, she suddenly exploded in a barrage of questions. "What happened to your glasses? Hello Hagrid ... Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again ... Are you coming into Gringotts, Harry?"

"As long as I've found the Weasleys," he answered. The two of them looked around and spotted several people with familiar red-toned hair running towards them.

Hermione smiled as they slowed down and started to question Harry about what happened to him. Their curiosity amused her slightly, particular Mr. Weasley's fascination with anything muggle-related. Her smile only wavered when Harry told them about the Malfoys and what he had discovered when he had accidentally fallen into Knockturn Alley. She had been rather engrossed with her friends, that she did not notice a certain gray-eyed fourteen-year-old gazing at her.

Cedric, after his conversation with Cho had tried to work up his courage to speak with the girl he had dreamt of for eight years. He had been walking about Diagon calmly, when he spotted her familiar cinammon curls. He had been about to approach her and maybe introduce himself to her parents, when his path had been obstructed by an equally familiar band of redheads. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, mussing it even more. He looked longingly at the group, before he ventured silently into Flourish and Blotts, where a deeply enthralled audience was waiting for the renowned author, Gilderoy Lockhart to reveal himself. As he walked in, he spotted Draco and Lucius Malfoy. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, although the father-and-son duo did not take any notice of him. His father had told him something that had been ingrained into his mind, once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin. Everywhere one went, one had to be wary of Lucius Malfoy- the man, with his brilliance was dangerous. No one knew what to expect from him.

When the Weasleys entered the bookshop, Hermione, Harry and her parents in tow, he knew that he could expect some fireworks. The animosity between the Weasleys and the Malfoys were infamous. He watched cautiously, his eyebrows furrowing at Malfoy's condescention towards Hermione and her family. It was people like the Malfoys that gave the Wizarding world a bad name. Sometimes, there was a need to be flexible and get in touch with the times, so to speak. But, those of the "old blood" were stuck in their ways. Like his father, Cedric suspected that the Malfoys were into the Dark Arts. And, like his father, he knew that one must be careful towards people like them.

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chareinami @ 2006-01-03T16:19:00

2006-01-03T05:25:05Z

The next chapter of I Knew I Loved You is in the works. :) Sorry for the wait, y'all.

Although this has nothing to do with the Lonely ship, I thought that this is a rather clever fic. Scales and a Tail by Halfling could be accessed here. It would appeal to D/Hr shippers, but also those who are interested in Slytherin house politics.

chareinami @ 2006-01-01T12:56:00

2006-01-01T02:02:22Z

TITLE : I Knew I Loved You
Chapter : 3: Always
Rating : G
Parings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.
Author's Notes: This chapter is dedicated to ms_cd84, just because. ;P Happy New Year everybody!!!

Beneath the wayward curls and the image of the perfect student, she was still the charming girl he had played with in the park. The only difference had been the fact that she had grown up.

Ever since she was younger, Hermione had associated different colours with different emotions and feelings. Pinks, purples and yellows portrayed joy and happiness. Various shades of blues could be interpreted as varying degrees of sorrow. Green was serenity and balance. Gold reminded her of summer. Unlike many of her female peers who had developed attachments with the pastel tones of pinks, purples and yellows, she had somehow developed a strong appreciation for gray. Unlike silver, which she perceived had a harsh and dominating air to it, the warmest tones of gray made her feel safe and reminded her of the sensations of a warm summer afternoon. Somehow, in her heart, she knew that her sudden metamorphosis into the intriguing and beautiful world that came to "normal" people through fairytales came much earlier than her reception of the acceptance letter from Hogwarts. No, the moment warm, friendly gray eyes had captured the attention of her's, she had already morphed into something special and different from what her parents considered the norm.

Although she had matured since the fateful summer afternoon where she met Cedric, beneath the exterior of perfection that she displayed was the precocious naivete that had been manifested all those years ago. This was evident, if people observed hard enough. Children were harsher than adults in that respect, as Hermione's intelligence and her willingness to learn more about the magical world had included her into a stereotyped category. The beauty of the magical world came at a price. A loneliness that she had neither imagined nor wanted came with it. In her heart of hearts, she knew that she could never fully "fit in" and could never be fully understood.

Never had been a very strong word, despite the harsh reality that it brought with it. Even in the muggle world she had been misunderstood by her peers. She had been used to the hurtful words that came. "Know-It-All", "nerd", "geek" and "freak" had been the most common names that she had been called. Although it hurt her sometimes, she did her best to cover the pain and sorrow she felt by burying herself in her work, using learning as another barrier against getting hurt.

Nevertheless, she did feel lonely. Particularly as she had expected her entrance to Hogwarts to be a new start. Sometimes, she felt like she had been naive and wrong to expect something as simple as pure acceptance. But this did not deter her from her quest to learn. She may be labelled as a "little stuck-up know-it-all", but she surely would not be known as incompetent.

It was during one particularly gloomy day that Cedric had spotted Hermione studying diligently in the library. He had been planning to spend a good solid hour flying and practicing for the upcoming Quidditch match between his house and Ravenclaw, when the weather had suddenly turned ghastly. Slightly disappointed, he had decided to pursue the books and gain an advantage over his colleagues by studying the next few chapters of their Charms text.

She had been sitting undisturbed in one of the hidden alcoves of the library. Only a few ventured that far into the library, however, Cedric preferred studying there. Less disturbances from the older girls who seemed to think that he was cute. His afternoon of studying an otherwise boring text had suddenly been modified slightly. For the better, of course. He made his way to her table. He chuckled inwardly. Had Cho been there, she would have giggled and pushed him to her direction.

Hermione looked up once she heard a cough designed to catch her attention. Her eyes widened when they were met by friendly eyes. They had the warmest tones of gray that had both haunted and calmed her at the exact same time.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" He asked her, although he knew that there were a couple of empty tables in that area.

Hermione blinked and looked around. Although there were no shortages of seats, she knew that it would seem impolite if she declined him. "No, it isn't. You're welcome to sit with me, if you want," she said with a sweet smile.

Once he was settled, he turned to her and grinned. "Forgive me, I seem to have misplaced my manners there for a second. I'm Cedric Diggory," he said, watching her brush a curl that had fallen over her eyes.

"You seem very familiar to me," she murmured, turning pink when she realised that her thoughts had been voiced aloud. "I'm Hermione Granger. It's a pleasure to meet you Cedric."

"Her- what? Would it be too much for me to ask you if you could repeat that?" He requested, his eyes twinkling in amusement.

Her eyes widened again. Whether the memory of her childhood had come as fresh as it did for him, he wasn't sure. But Cedric knew that the statements from both of them this particular afternoon were eerily reminiscent of the past. He grinned inwardly. If he played his cards right, she would not forget him that easily.

"It's Her-my-oh-knee," she said slowly, emphasising the syllables in her name, just as she had done before.

"Hermione," he said, his voice a smooth baritone that easily reduced its listener to mush, although Hermione did not present any evidence of doing so. "That's a lovely name. One that I'm sure would not be easily forgotten. Do you have a nickname, by any chance?"

She shook her head no. "Please don't call me Hermy. My Great-aunt Addie called me that whenever we visited her and I completely hated it."

His tone did not present it, but the laughter in his eyes revealed his amusement. "I would not call you anything you don't want me to." The continuation of his words to her hung in the air, unsaid. But both of them knew that the other was aware of it. I'll stick with Granger if you aren't comfortable with me calling you Hermione in public. But I'd like it if you called me Cedric.

Unlike the afternoon of their childhood, this time, Cedric did not disappear as quickly as he came. Although they did not communicate that much in the public eye, he observed her. He was her strong, silent sentinel who was there to share her joys and sorrows, her hopes and dreams.

He knew how special he was. It was not until the Halloween Feast that Harry Potter or Ronald Weasley had discovered and appreciated her for who she was. He knew that she was capable of amazing things but he had to admit that her involvement with the Philosopher's stone was not something he would do willingly. Cedric thought that her exploits were amazing. Reckless, it had been, but amazing nevertheless. First, it had been the troll during the Halloween Feast that year and it grew from there- something that could be attributed to her companionship with the Boy-Who-Lived.

The very minute that Dumbledore had awarded points to her, Potter, Weasley and Longbottom to reward them for their courage, it had been clear to him that she did not need him as much- what, with her friendship with Potter and Weasley, whom she could turn to instead of him. With her brilliance, the knowledge that this witch- his witch, if he had anything to do about it- would mature into someone who could not be trifled with lightly. Whatever happened, he knew that he would always be there for her. Always.

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Not plot-related...

2005-12-30T23:45:44Z

Tweaked my lj layout. It looks alright now- without that blank pink space staring me in the face. Anyway, the next chapter to I Knew I Loved You is still in the works. I'll do my best to have it in by the new year.

If I don't see you before then, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR everybody!

chareinami @ 2005-12-30T19:34:00

2005-12-30T08:37:24Z

TITLE : I Knew I Loved You
Chapter : 2: Her
Rating : G
Parings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.

"Promise you, I'll never forget."

Soft laughter, the glow of a bright summer's afternoon, the innocent promise given through the linkage of two tiny fingers and through a feather-like kiss on the cheek... Each moment was happy and vibrant. Each one comforted him, yet haunted him at the same time. Pathetic as it seemed to a healthy thirteen year-old boy, he could never forget the afternoon he spent in a muggle park seven years ago. It seemed like an awfully long time, but to Cedric, the events that occurred at that afternoon were vivid.

He had played with a muggle girl for an entire afternoon. In the middle of innocent games of hide-and-seek, the scent of strawberries, vanilla and cinammon had been imprinted into the deep recesses of his mind. Although the name and image of his playmate had been blurred over time, he knew that he would be able to recognise her in an instant. He did promise her that he would never forget her and his promises were always kept.

Pathetic as it may have seemed, the more he thought about it, the answer became clearer by the second. Although people might convince him otherwise, his first experience of love, unrequited it may have been, came to him at six. As cliched as it sounded, to Cedric, it was the truth- one could never forget his first love.

Although he may have wanted to scope out the entire United Kingdom to find her, he knew that it was virtually impossible. She had been a muggle. Had she been a child from a Wizarding family, it would have been much easier to find her- well, almost.

One thing was certain, it would be impossible for him to see her again, even though he wished hard enough.

If there was one thing Cedric would be wise to learn, it was that nothing was impossible. It may have been a coincidence, but at the moment he tried wishing on a star, the little girl he had been wishing for received a very special letter through the most unconventional manner. Unconventional, for muggles who were used to receiving mail from the postman and not from owls. After several moments of contemplation, she had proclaimed to her extremely proud parents that she would be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that upcoming schoolyear.

Two days after she had received her letter, she and her parents had been escorted by one of the professors to a place called Diagon Alley. There, she had not only collected everything she needed for school, but had also bought several heavy volumes that allowed her to learn more about the world that she had just entered.

Although she had perfected the art of reading whilst walking, Hermione did not foresee one minor detail. Cedric.

"Ouch," he said, rubbing the top of his abdomen, which had been hit by the spine of her rather heavy book.

"Pardon me," she exclaimed in apology. "Are you alright? I'm sorry if I hurt you. Mum and Dad told me that I should never read while I walk, but I'm afraid it's been quite difficult for me to control that habit."

A lopsided smile came on his face. Her apology, which had consisted of one clear 'pardon me' and several babbled sentences had been enough to make him forget the pain. Cute was the only word he could think of.

"I'm alright, thank you. It must have been a very good book if you had been quite engrossed with it."

She beamed at him. "It is rather interesting. I can't believe that I've never known about the existence of such things before."

He was about to say something else, when her father called out for her. "Forgive me," she told him. "I'd love to stay and chat, but as you could see, I have to go."

He watched her run to her parents before smiling to himself. That had been one strange girl. Adorable, she may have been, but bizzare, all the same.

... She smelled of strawberries, vanilla and cinnamon. And he forgot to ask her name.

The train ride to Hogwarts had been rather uneventful for Cedric, although he did hear of a boy named Neville losing his toad. He chuckled. Things like that happened all the time. Although, something that did not occur often was the teasing he had received from his childhood friend Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw student a year younger than him.

"So, you found her?" The her in question was the same bizzare girl he encountered in Diagon Alley who smelled like strawberries, vanilla and cinnamon.

He looked perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

Cho's amusement was betrayed by the laughter within her Scottish lilt. "You know exactly who I mean, Cedric Diggory. But, if you need me to spell it out further, I shall elaborate. You've been infatuated for a certain girl who smells of three distinct things for, I don't know- seven years. Is this your lucky year?"

"Cho, how many girls in the United Kingdom smell of strawberries, vanilla and cinammon?" he asked.

"All those things at the exact moment? I'll have to say, I don't really know for sure."

"Well, a couple of days ago, I bumped into a girl- no, wait, she bumped into me," he told her.

She giggled. "Cedric, she didn't smell like those distinct three scents, all at the same time, did she?"

Cedric had been about to respond, when a knock came on the door of their carriage. It opened to reveal a flustered looking girl with her curls travelling in many directions. "Have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost his," she said. When she did not receive an answer, she just smiled apologetically and left, closing the door behind her.

Cho gave Cedric a look. When he didn't respond, she asked, "Did the girl who bumped into you match the walking, talking image that just asked us about a toad?"

When Cedric still didn't respond, she giggled again. "Well, there you go."

He sat down on his designated space on the Hufflepuff table and gave Cho a little wave before the heavy doors of the Great Hall were flung open. Two neat lines of new first year students walked to the front of the hall. They looked frightened and nervous, although Cedric knew that it was a perfectly normal emotion to feel. He had been the same before he had been sorted. There was a pause before the Sorting Hat began spouting off another song. Cedric felt slightly sorry for the hat. It seemed boring to sit in one corner and think up a new song for one whole year. But then, what else could a hat do?

He listened politely as the names of various students were read out and tried guessing which houses they would end up in. That is, until the name Hermione Granger had been read out. At first, he did not take much notice. That was until he watched the tiny girl, with wayward cinammon-toned ringlets walk cautiously to the front of the hall. He kept on wishing and hoping that she would be sorted into Hufflepuff, so he could ask her a few questions and maybe get to know her better. When she had been sorted into Gryffindor, he had been slightly disappointed, but he knew that it would not really deter him from forging a friendship with her. He clapped his hands politely and gave her a smile, which she returned as she walked to the Gryffindor table and was immediately welcomed by the Weasley twins. The only other name aside from her's which he remembered distinctly had been Harry Potter, who coincidentially had been sorted into Gryffindor.

His gray eyes watched her throughout the feast, taking note of some minute details that would link her to the memory of the lovely afternoon he spent in the muggle world when he was younger. It had been not only her distinct scent that reminded him of her. It was her smile and her laughter that sparked some form of recognition, he realised much later that evening. Beneath the wayward curls and the image of the perfect student, she was still the charming girl he had played with in the park. The only difference had been the fact that she had grown up.

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chareinami @ 2005-12-29T19:58:00

2005-12-29T09:00:40Z

Title : All That Glitters
Rating : G
Pairings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.

It sparkled like a diamond in the light for a moment before it travelled down the planes of her face. A pause ensued, before it crashed to the floor and cracked into a thousand little pieces. Just as fragile as glass, her tear disappeared from view.

All that glittered was not always gold. All that glittered was not always beautiful.

He had made her cry again. The last time he had seen her shed worried tears was after he and Harry had rushed out of the maze at the end of the TriWizard tournament. Both of them had been hurt both physically and psychologically. Her face, he remembered clearly, had been streaming with tears. Each tear had been delicate and heartbreakingly beautiful.

It had been at that moment that he had promised himself that he would never make her cry. Never.

Like her tear, his promise had broken into a thousand intangible pieces that evening.

He approached her cautiously and knelt in front of her. Slowly, his hand travelled to caress her face, destroying any trace of her tears. Her eyes closed for a moment, opening only when he removed his hand from her face. They seemed so dark, shiny and haunting.

It had been silent far too long.

"I promised myself that I would never be the cause of your tears," his voice was an octave deeper in apology. "I'm sorry if I made you worried or unhappy."

She shook her head, resting her forehead on his, appeasing him. "Cedric, there is nothing to forgive."

The confused look on his face endeared himself to her. She smiled sweetly at him.

"I was crying because I was happy... Because you were safe. And because I loved you too much."

The answer he gave her was one that did not need to be conveyed in words, because at that moment, a few of those precious gems had escaped his own eyes.

All that glittered was not always gold. Tears not always conveyed sorrow. All that glittered was not always beautiful. It didn't matter that much to him anymore. She loved him, and that was all that mattered.

chareinami @ 2005-12-29T10:29:00

2005-12-28T23:32:01Z

TITLE : I Knew I Loved You
Chapter : 1: Pinky Swear
Rating : G
Parings : Cedric/Hermione
Disclaimer : The Harry Potter series and everything related to it is copyrighted to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Bloomsbury and their associates. No profits are made through the creation of this story. Thanks.

The warm breeze tickled the soft skin of a delightfully precocious little girl of four. Her curly hair danced as she played in the park one bright summer afternoon. Days like that were not much of a rarity in England during the summer months, however, they did not always come whenever a certain Mr. Granger was freed from the responsibilities of treating people with dental needs within the confines of the successful practice he owned with his wife. It was during days like this particular one that he spent with his daughter, who was rather astute despite her age.

Speaking of his daughter, he trusted her enough to allow her to wander off to an appropriate distance where he could still keep an eye on her. At that moment, she was playing happily on her own, although he noticed a little boy approach her. He smiled. It would do his darling child some good to spend time with children her own age, as she kept mostly to herself instead of being with the children of their neighbours who were much older than her.

"Excuse me, may I join you?" was the soft query from a rather adorable boy with friendly gray eyes. Hermione looked at him curiously. Normally, no one asked her that, since there was no one her own age to play with in the area where she lived in. He seemed nice enough.

"Sure," she said, her voice equally as soft and rather shy.

"I'm Cedric," he said. "This is the first time I've played with a muggle before."

"What's that?" she asked curiously. "I haven't heard that word before."

He shrugged, after looking at her in slight amusement. "I've heard my Dad say that word. It's pretty common, where I'm from. I just don't know for sure what it is."

"Oh," was the only thing that she said in reply. She might just be four, but she certainly was not stupid.

"I think you're pretty. What's your name?" he asked her. His Dad always told him that if he wanted something, he had to be nice. Telling her that she was pretty was the best way of going about it.

"I'm Hermione."

"Her... what?"

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes boys could be so thick. Even she knew that. "It's Her-my-oh-knee," she said slowly.

"Hermione," he said. "That's a nice name. Even though it's hard to say."

"I guess so. Please don't call me Hermy, my Great-aunt Addie calls me that and I don't really like it."

"I won't call you anything that you don't want me to."

After several short games of tag and hide and seek, it was time for both of them to go home. Before they went their separate ways, there was something that needed to be done. After all, it was not all the time that one had the chance to meet a new friend.

"I'll never forget you."

"Cedric, we'll see each other again, right? What are you talking about?"

"As I said, I'll never forget you."

"Pinky swear?"

"What's that?"

She linked their pinky fingers together. "There," she told him, matter-of-factly. "It's like a promise. Pinky swears are never broken, you know."

He smiled at her. "Hey, do you know what butterfly kisses are?"

"Daddy said that butterfly kisses were soft kisses that you could hardly feel. But they're special."

"They're more than just that. Butterfly kisses are a sign of promise," he told her. Then, after a few minutes of contemplation, he whispered in her ear, "Promise you, I'll never forget."

She hardly noticed him kiss her cheek. She only realized it a few minutes later, as she watched him run to his father.

Then, as soon as he came, he was gone.

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