the archer

mar. capricorn. hufflepuff. blossominmist on ao3.

[blossominmist]

THE ALCHEMY

Where’s the trophy? He just comes running over to me

⋆ pairing : cedric diggory x fem!reader

⋆ summary : you were hogwarts’ golden couple — both quidditch captains, both prefects, both hopelessly in love. until your family forced you to break his heart. a year later, the feelings are still there, stronger than ever, but so are the rumours about cho chang. when cedric is chosen as hogwarts’ champion, you finally speak to him again. not to win him back… just to help him survive.

⋆ wc : 4.9k

⋆ second chance romance, golden couple, aching to touch him / her

The first time she saw Cedric Diggory, they were only third years, barely fourteen, and it was raining. Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Well, it wasn’t. She was in the middle of Quidditch practice, the rain was so heavy she could barely see, and that led her to crash into one of her teammates. He managed to cling to his broom; but she didn’t. She plummeted straight into the mud, crashing hard into the pitch. Every inch of her hurt, and when she opened her eyes after the fall, a boy with storm-grey eyes was crouched beside her, worry etched across his face.

“Are you alright?”

The only thing she managed in response was a groan.

“That was quite a fall, we should get you to Madam Pomfrey.”

She soon noticed that the entire Hufflepuff team had gathered around her, curious and concerned. Anyone could have stepped forward. But Cedric moved first. And because of that, one of the most fated love stories Hogwarts had ever seen truly began.

By the time they were sixteen, they were two of the school’s most outstanding students. Prefects, Quidditch captains, always at the top of their class. They were bright, determined, and the kind of couple people rolled their eyes and say “of course they’re together”. The golden students, everyone called them. But no one truly knew them.

No one saw the way she braided his hair when she was anxious about an exam, or how he kissed both her cheeks every morning at breakfast. They didn’t know about the silly good-luck handshake they had before every match, or the way they spoke for hours about their fears of failure, their doubts, their dreams — and how, with each other, none of it felt too heavy to carry. They weren’t just a couple, they were best friends, and they weren’t perfect. But they were safe, and in a world that demanded so much of them both, that was more than enough. For a time, it felt like it would last forever. They were always together. Truly in love.

Until they couldn’t be anymore.

Her family didn’t see love — they saw distraction. She still remembers that letter, and the threats written in it. They made it clear: people with her surname were expected to aim higher, to protect the family name, to never let some teenage boy soften her ambition. They called it a phase and a brief, foolish distraction. They gave her a choice, but it never felt like a choice. Not with the promises they made… not with the consequences they vowed would follow if she disobeyed, and she, ever the people-pleaser, did as they asked. She broke up with him.

It wasn’t quiet, and it wasn’t clean. Her, sobbing in the owlery at midnight, unable to form a sentence. Cedric, heartbroken, begging her to explain. She was too shattered to hold her composure, especially not when she saw the agony in the boy she loved. And when that single tear slipped down his cheek, the only thing that left her lips was, “I’m sorry.” Then she ran, because she knew she wouldn’t survive it if she saw him cry because of her.

It didn’t go unnoticed either. The next day, she didn’t sit beside him at the Hufflepuff table, her eyes were puffy, and Cedric didn’t speak with anyone for nearly two weeks. The rumours flew, ridiculous as always: cheating, competition, and even falling out of love. All of them wrong.

That was nearly a year ago.

She spent the months since pretending it didn’t matter. Her marks stayed exceptional, her Quidditch team soared, and her family couldn’t have been prouder. But nothing filled the void.

She avoided Cedric at all costs. Dodged him in corridors, woke early to skip him at breakfast, sat at the opposite end of every shared class. She was trying so hard to convince herself that it was for the best.

But the feelings didn’t fade. They simply buried themselves deep, and recently, they’ve been clawing their way back up, thanks to the castle’s favourite subject of gossip.

“Did you see him? With Cho Chang. Heard someone say she watched him practise yesterday… and they went to Hogsmeade after. You don’t think—?”

She tries to brush it off, because they’re not together and they haven’t been for nearly a year. He’s allowed to move on, but it still hurts every time she hears his name, because no one has ever made her feel something that real. She swore she’d never speak to him again — for both their sakes, and she kept her word.

Until the Goblet of Fire changed everything.

His name is called, he’s been chosen as Hogwarts Champion for the Triwizard Tournament, and her world becomes blurry. It echoed in her ears, followed by the cheers, the applause, and she blinks, trying to understand what’s about to happen. Everyone stood up around her, jubilant. She stayed seated, feeling her heart beat as fast as if it’s going to pop out of her chest. He walked forward, proud, smiling, and then, for the briefest of moments, his eyes met hers. She doesn’t know what he saw in her expression, because she doesn’t even know what she was feeling — but her hands trembled and her chest ached, so she just looked away.

The next morning, she went to the owlery, ready to send yet another glowing academic update to her family, but just as she stepped inside, something knocked into her, and she slipped. She landed hard on the stone floor. Looked up — and there he was, just like the very first time.

“Are you alright?”

His face was flooded with concern, like that day in the rain, on the Quidditch pitch. She nodded, but her throat closed up, then he offered his hand, so she took it, and when she stood, she made sure to avoid his gaze.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Didn’t see you coming.”

“No worries,” she murmured.

The silence that followed was far from comfortable. She felt his eyes on her, pleading silently for her to meet them. The tension increases, and she doesn’t know how to act, suddenly she even forgets how to use her hands, and the letter she was holding slipped to the floor. She hurries to grab it, but he does the same, so their heads collided with a painful thunk.

“Sorry!”

“Sorry!”

They both laughed. For the first time in months, she saw his smile, and it was for her. She felt like her heart could explode right there.

“Congratulations,” she said. “For being chosen.”

“Thanks. Didn’t think it’d be me.”

Another silence threatened to form, but she broke it with a question she was eager to ask.

“Are you scared?” His eyes told her everything, but still, he answered.

“Yes.” Then, after a moment… “Are you?”

The question caught her off-guard. She couldn’t answer, it felt like her voice was stuck in her throat. So she lets her eyes speak for her.

“I’ll be alright,” he said gently, trying to reassure her.

“I don’t know. No one really knows what these tasks will be, I’ve been reading about the Tournament and there’ve been deaths, Cedric. Once, the task involved a basilisk. Do you even know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”

“Not really,” he admitted. “Didn’t think I’d actually be chosen. But you’ve done your research — why?”

Because the moment she heard he’d put his name in the Goblet, her heart dropped, and even if she prayed he wouldn’t be chosen, her mind prepared itself for the worst. She had to.

“Curiosity.”

“You do know you were always a terrible liar, do you?”

Ever since that encounter in the owlery, she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. His eyes, his smile, the way he admitted with complete honesty that he was afraid. It had felt like maybe, just maybe, not everything between them had been completely shattered.

A couple days later, she decided she would just carry on, with no distractions. It was for the best, but when she entered entered into the library and saw him sitting alone at a table, reading a massive tome on magical creatures, she couldn’t help but approach.

“That book’s outdated… look at the year,” she whispered. “They reclassified some of the creatures a few years ago. I’ve seen a more complete version somewhere in here. Green cover, gold edges, and a wampus on the front”.

“Thanks,” he said glancing up at her, a flicker of surprise on his face. “Would you help me find it?”

She knew she shouldn’t, because if anyone saw them together, the rumours would surely start to fly around. But it was late, the library was nearly empty, and they could always find a table hidden in some forgotten corner. So she nodded, and together they walked in search of the book.

They spent the evening writing down potential beasts Cedric might have to face as part of the Tournament. The library was already empty, and the silence between them would only break whenever they came across a promising creature, however, the tension between them was ever present. And that’s how it all began.

It became a quiet habit; studying together for hours, long after everyone else had gone back to their dormitories, surrounded by books and floating lanterns, Cedric’s scent lingering in her senses despite the respectable distance between them. She was only helping him prepare, or at least she wanted to convince herself that it was only that, because every time she caught him watching her, a knot formed in her throat, or when their knees brushed under the table, it felt like a jolt of electricity ran through her entire body.

Being near him made her feel calm, but also on edge. She longed to touch him again — to hold his hand, run her fingers through that soft chestnut hair, or feel the warmth of one of his hugs. Now, more than ever, it was impossible to keep those feelings buried, and the curiosity of not knowing if he was feeling the same way was just killing her slowly.

“Why are you really helping me?” He asked one evening, out of nowhere. She avoided his gaze, and closed the book in front of her. “You don’t owe me anything, and it’s not like your family would approve.”

She looked at him, and for a moment, she lost herself in the candlelight reflecting in his eyes and the perfect curve of his jaw.

“They won’t find out, and if they do, I’ll say I was just studying.”

“Well, technically you are. But that’s not answering my question.”

She sighed, and then let the truth slip from her lips.

“I never stopped caring, Ced. I want you to survive this.”

Their eyes didn’t part for a single second after that, and the smile he gave her in response made her heart feel warm. He dropped the quill in his hand, then slowly reached out, lacing his fingers with hers, gently and carefully, as though the touch itself might burn them both. She held his hand tightly, and wished she’d never have to let him go again.

The first task was only a week away, and their study sessions had become more intense than ever, but between books and scrolls, they began to give in to the pull between them more and more. They sat closer each time, held hands beneath the table, and Cedric made sure to kiss her cheek every time they said goodbye. Sometimes, when she managed to make him laugh loud enough for the librarian to hush them, the sound of his laughter stayed with her for the rest of the week. And sometimes, when she rested her head on Cedric’s shoulder, he made sure not to move an inch so she could stay there for as long as possible—just long enough for him to memorise the feel of her hair brushing against his cheek.

Despite that, they didn’t speak during the day. She had to be cautious, had to keep it secret, otherwise, her family would find out, and once again everything would come crumbling down. Cedric understood, so when she saw him in the corridors, he merely offered her a soft smile, though deep down she longed to run to him, to hold him, maybe even kiss him.

That evening, Cedric had asked her to meet him later than usual in the Restricted Section of the library. Apparently, Professor Sprout had secured them special permission to access books with more detailed information. When she arrived, Cedric was leaning against a wall, reading a thick volume on dragons.

“Hi.”

“Hey.” When he looked up, she noticed something had shifted in him. “Come on, let’s go in.”

He opened the door to the Restricted Section, let her in first, and closed it behind them. He muttered a simple “Follow me,” and strode quickly towards a specific set of shelves.

“Ced…” she called out, slightly uneasy. He seemed rushed.

“Dragons,” he whispered. “The first task is dragons.”

Her heart dropped. Her lips parted, and her expression turned visibly shaken.

“What…?”

“Harry told me. Apparently he saw them. But I’m not sure if we’re supposed to run from them, trick them, or…”

“They can’t expect you to fight a bloody dragon. That’d be mad if that’s what they’re asking.”

“If that’s what they want, I need to be ready. Ready for anything, to distract, confuse, defeat… I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve never even seen a dragon in real life, and I’ve spent the whole day reading stupid dragon books, trying to stay calm, but I can’t—I can’t deal with a bloody dragon. This was a foolish decision, I don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t…”

He was rifling through all the books in the section when she noticed his breathing start to sound ragged. The words stopped leaving his lips, and his body began to tremble, so she quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and turned him to face her, just so their eyes could meet.

“Ced, breathe. Just breathe. I’m here. You’re okay, and you will be okay,” she said, cupping his face gently. “Look at me—everything’s going to be fine, alright?”

Cedric blinked rapidly, trying to regain control. He sank to the floor, and she followed without hesitation. Sitting face to face, she took his hands in hers and didn’t let go. His skin was ice cold.

“I’ll help you survive this, we’ll find the perfect way for you to face the task,” she whispered, watching him carefully as he worked to calm his breath again. “I’m not going to lose you. Not again.”

At that moment, Cedric looked up, and the moment their eyes met, she felt her heart pound violently in her chest. His gaze drifted from her eyes to her lips, and slowly, he let go of one of her hands and placed it delicately on her cheek, drawing closer to her face. She, too, leaned in, struggling to contain the fire that had ignited inside her. Now her breathing was as uneven as his had been only seconds before.

Their foreheads brushed, and Cedric tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, as if trying to see her better, to memorise every part of this moment. Their noses touched, and their lips were so close they could feel the warmth of the other’s breath, but neither dared close the distance. She didn’t, because she knew if she kissed him, she wouldn’t be able to stop. He didn’t, because he wasn’t sure if it was truly what she wanted.

Cedric closed his eyes, and just as he was about to erase the space between them, she pulled away. Only slightly. Just enough to stop the kiss.

“I can’t, Ced…”

“I know,” he answered, quietly, resigned, exhausted, his desire contained and unspoken.

He let go of her face, but wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into him, in an embrace that said all the words they wouldn’t speak.

“Thank you for helping me. Even with everything… thank you for not letting me go through this alone.”

She smiled and hugged him tightly in return.

“It would’ve broken my heart to know you were going through this on your own.”

Cedric said nothing. He simply held her in his arms, wishing this moment could last forever. And when he finally let go, she felt the cold return instantly—like being caught under winter snow with no cloak to protect her.

“We should keep searching,” she said softly.

“Yes. Right…”

They continued searching for information about dragons, but after that closeness… neither of them could truly concentrate.

There was less than a day left before the First Task, and she knew Cedric couldn’t be more ready for it. When night fell, she felt strange realising that Cedric no longer waited for her in the library, and that they probably wouldn’t speak again until they found out what the Second Task was about. She planned to go to bed early, but during dinner she overheard murmurs from people saying no one could find Cedric to wish him luck. Not even Cho Chang had been able to see him. So she immediately knew where he was.

The night was clear, which was rare for late November, and though it was cold, the wind blew very softly. She gripped her broom tightly, and when she stepped into the Quidditch pitch, she saw him in the distance, flying higher than usual. She mounted her broom and flew until she found him face to face.

“You’re not trying to get yourself killed before the task, are you?” she said, hoping to make him laugh. He looked at her and gave her a soft smile, then continued to look up at the sky, as if he might find answers there. “You shouldn’t be out here alone, everyone’s looking for you to wish you luck.”

“I wanted to clear my head, get away from everything.”

“Well, I suppose I’ll go then,” she said still playfully, and he responded with a soft laugh.

“Away from everything, except you… because I knew you’d find me,” he said, looking straight into her eyes. “I still remember the first time we met, right here.”

“I remember the pain… and the mud,” they both laughed, nostalgic.

“We should go down,” he said.

She followed him to one of the stands. Once there, they left their brooms aside and sat facing each other, their knees brushing.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more like myself than when I was with you.”

“You’re with me now,” she replied, trying to keep the playful tone.

“You know what I mean.” When Cedric looked at her with a serious expression, she knew it was time to stop joking. “I felt like I could do anything if you were by my side. I’ve missed this, all this time. Not just your help — you.”

She wasn’t prepared to hear that. Her heart stopped for a second, and she could feel all those repressed feelings taking over.

“I thought you’d moved on. Everyone says you and Cho…”

“No one really knows what’s going on. She’s kind and sweet to me, and I like her, just not in that specific way, simply because she’s not…”

His eyes met hers. That left her with an expression of confusion, though she knew exactly what he meant to say. Cho wasn’t her.

“Are you scared?” she asked. It was the only thing she managed to say.

“Yes, but not because of the task. I’m scared I won’t see you again.”

She felt something crack in her chest.

“Shut up, Cedric, don’t say that,” she whispered in pain. “Don’t be stupid, don’t say that, please… I already told you I’m not losing you again.”

Without even realising, she leaned towards him and held him by the shoulders. It was an impulse; the tears clouded not only her sight but her mind too. Feeling her so close, Cedric held her by the waist, pulling her gently towards him unconsciously.

“If I don’t make it through the task…”

“Shut up. You will make it. You’re Cedric freaking Diggory, the Goblet chose you for a reason. I know you’ll get through this alive, and you better, because I believe in you.”

“And that’s all I need,” he whispered, and his voice sounded like it was hanging by a thread.

She didn’t answer, just looked at him, a few silent tears rolling down her cheeks — tears Cedric made sure to wipe away. And with that, everything inside her changed completely. After months of wanting to hold him, wanting to touch him, wanting to feel like she was his again even just for a moment… she had the chance for all of it and more. They were getting closer and closer, and the freezing night began to feel warmer. When they were only inches apart, she could swear Cedric could hear her heart beating. He didn’t let go of her waist for a second, and after sharing a look heavy with emotion, she held Cedric by the neck, beginning to close the gap between them.

When their noses brushed, she made sure to be fully present in that moment she’d dreamed about so often. He leaned in, and their lips touched with hesitation, as if still asking for permission — but she made sure he knew he didn’t need it.

It was a soft kiss at first, sweet, as if they were trying to remember how to kiss each other. And once they found the rhythm, something exploded between them; months of silence, pent-up desire, pain, and repressed love. It all surfaced like a crashing wave. The kiss grew deeper, more intense, even desperate, as if they were both afraid that separating would make it all disappear. But it wouldn’t. They were there, nearly burning with longing.

Cedric slid a hand under her jumper, pulling her closer to him with urgent need, and she just kept her hands to his neck, her fingers tangling in his hair. When Cedric finally moved both hands down her back, she had no choice but to sit on his lap, her legs astride him. She clung to his shirt, pulling him as close as possible, and she increased the kiss’s intensity when he rested his hands on her bum.

Their lips locked fiercely, their bodies drawn like magnets, and Cedric’s warmth clashed violently with the cold night air — yet she didn’t shiver, but only because he was there, because she was finally feeling him again. So hot, so desperate, just for her.

Cedric moaned softly against her lips when she rocked her hips hard against him, prompting her to bite his lip gently, telling him to stay quiet. She was losing control — the sweet, devoted girl vanished from her body, and in her place was someone full of desire and love for a boy. She began to leave kisses along his neck, and just when she was about to unbutton his trousers, a noise on the pitch stopped them.

Immediately, they ducked down, hiding behind the railing and trying to avoid being seen by whoever might be out there. But they saw nothing, so it remained a mystery — and a supremely annoying interruption. After catching their breath, they exchanged a look of disbelief, then smiled at the same time. She didn’t hesitate to throw herself at him in a hug. He held her by the waist, and they shared a laugh of pure happiness.

“I’ve been waiting for months…” she tried to say, but he interrupted her with a tender kiss.

“I know,” he replied, caressing her face gently and giving her a small smile. “I don’t want to lose this.”

They fell silent for a moment, wrapped in the soft breeze and the starlight. No one else in this school, or the entire world, knew what had just happened, and no one else ever would. This had been a moment for the two of them, and no one else.

“If you promise me you’ll survive the tournament, I promise you’ll never lose me again.”

“I promise I’ll make it out of this tournament alive,” he said, certain and sincere, looking at her in the eyes.

“Then I’ll make sure I never leave your side again.”

Even though it hadn’t been her name drawn from the Goblet, her stomach had been twisting with nerves since the moment she’d woken up. She had never felt fear like this before; her mind wouldn’t stop conjuring up the worst scenarios, and not even Cedric’s words could soothe her now.

Since the morning, she hadn’t been able to clear her thoughts. She knew Cedric was prepared, because they’d read every single book that might be useful, practised spell after spell, again and again. But that didn’t change the reality: in just a few minutes, Cedric would be standing in front of a real dragon, trying to steal a bloody golden egg, and there was absolutely nothing she could do but watch and try not to faint.

The stadium roared with cheers; everyone else seemed so excited they might burst. But not her, she was so worried she thought she might die.

She didn’t take her eyes off the entrance to the field. Any moment now, Cedric would appear, and when he finally did, the world slowed down. Her golden boy stepped into the arena with his head held high, gripping his wand tightly, ready to complete the task. Almost at the same time, the dragon was released — a Swedish Short-Snout. She recognised it by the silver-blue scales and the frantic, azure flames it spat into the air.

She gripped the railing tightly, praying Cedric would find a way to beat the creature quickly. As soon as the dragon spotted him, it rushed to attack him, without hesitation, and a scream tore from her throat before she even realised.

“Run, Ced! Come on, you can do this!”

Ten agonising minutes passed as Cedric tried to figure out a way to outsmart the beast. Ten minutes of ducking, dodging, hiding. Her heart was pounding, palms slick with sweat, her voice barely audible. Fear had taken hold of her body, and she was sure that if Cedric didn’t grab the stupid egg soon, she was going to break down and cry from sheer panic.

Then, he started to run — leaping over rocks, rolling away from jets of fire that nearly caught him. And when he reached a far corner of the field, he finally acted.

From there, he transfigured a massive rock into a dog on the opposite side of the arena. The dragon took the bait immediately, bolting after the illusion. Cedric seized the chance and dashed for the egg. When he finally had it in his hands, he held it up high and sprinted towards the exit, desperate to escape the nightmare.

But just as he was about to reach it, the dragon released a stream of blue fire in his direction. When the flames died down, the entire stadium saw it — the side of his face, glowing red-hot with a vicious burn.

In that moment, she wished she knew exactly how to heal that kind of injury, to erase every ounce of pain he might be feeling. And when she finally saw him make it out of the arena, the crowd exploded into cheers.

He’d done it. And she could finally breathe again.

The instant she saw him pass through the gates, she ran straight for the medical tent, desperate to see with her own eyes — to feel with her own hands — that he was still alive. But just as she was about to enter, she saw Cho Chang slip inside first. Of course. She’d forgotten.

Something inside her twisted, but there was nothing she could do about it. So she simply turned around and made her way back to the stands to watch the other champions.

She barely registered the rest of the task. All she could think about was hugging Cedric, congratulating him… maybe even kissing him out of sheer joy.

Once Harry Potter had secured his golden egg, the stands began to empty. Down below, a crowd had gathered outside the tent to wait for the champions. She joined them, just to be there when Cedric came out.

And when he did, she started clapping, cheering his name.

“Cedric, show us the trophy!” Some shouted, but he didn’t seem to hear them. He stood there, completely still, scanning the crowd.

And when his eyes found hers, he didn’t hesitate. He moved toward her with a huge smile on his face. Her heart started to race, and she thought she might burst when Cedric ignored everyone else, just to get to her.

Where’s the trophy? She hadn’t the faintest idea, because what mattered in that moment was that he just came running to her.

When he reached her, Cedric bent down, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her off the ground. She didn’t even have time to react, because all he wanted to do was kiss her, right there, in front of everyone.

And he did.

He kissed her, sweetly and tenderly, a grin tugging at his lips between each brush of their mouths. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him even closer. Cedric rested his forehead against hers, still smiling. His lips were hot, his skin marked by the dragon’s fire, and his eyes… his is eyes shone like she was the only thing he’d won that day.

And there they stood, in the middle of roaring cheers and celebration, with half of Hogwarts watching — but everything else melted away.

It was just them, holding each other in the middle of the chaos, like the world had stopped… just, and only for them.