when i met you

52

"NO!" Alexis screamed as she broke away from Clarisse, sprinting to where her boyfriend lay chest-up on the ground.

The band music stopped as screams rippled through the crowd. Lexi reached Cedric and collapsed, holding herself over his body to examine his face. It was ghostly white and freezing cold, his eyes were closed and his mouth agape slightly.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" she repeated under her breath as someone pulled Harry away from the body, but she didn't register it, she wasn't hearing or seeing anything but Cedric.

Someone tried to pull her back, but she didn't move. Lexi's hands were on either side of his face like earlier, her hair falling over both of them.

"You promised..." she whispered, then louder, "YOU PROMISED!"

Lexi's head fell onto his chest as she cried, hands moving down to grip his shirt. A soft, trembling hand was placed on her back, and another person was next to her. Everyone watched on in horror.

She'd never hear his laugh again... never have him hold her again... never see his eyes light up when he saw her... never see him again.

With watery eyes and tear-stained cheeks, Lexi sniffled and looked up, cupping his face again. She moved the hair from his eyelids and rested her forehead on his.

"Come back to me..." she said softly against his lips before pressing them together in their last kiss. A tear slipped off her cheek and onto his face. Lexi felt something painful pull at her heart, then —

His lips moved against hers—his body suck in a deep breath.

Lexi hurried to pull away, Cedric's eyes snapped open, his breaths becoming heavy. The girl's eyes widened dramatically, Mr and Mrs Diggory shouted out in surprise and relief.

His eyes found hers, "Always," he said before pulling her back down into him.

Their lips connected passionately as the crowd screamed, but this time in a way close to victory.

Lexi pulled away and they gazed into the other's eyes, "Y-You were— you were dead!"

She helped Cedric to sit up, "You brought me back."

As confused as she was, Lexi moved away slightly to allow his parents to smother him. It didn't occur to her that Harry wasn't there still, neither were Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall or Moody.

Madam Pomfrey immediately rushed the Hufflepuff over to the medical tent so she could treat him of his wounds. Lexi never once let go of his hand.

Soon enough, Dumbledore was back, he was more than surprised to see Cedric alive and standing in the—now empty—arena with his parents and girlfriend. Most of the crowd had dissipated, leaving only the few waiting to eavesdrop on the 'dead' champion.

"Mr Diggory!" said Dumbledore, "Mind my asking what happened?"

Cedric blinked several times, "I— um, sir, Harry and I took the cup at the same time—we were taken to a graveyard, I thought it was part of the task..." everyone was listening with rapt attention, "Th-there was a man, he was holding something in a blanket and it said 'kill the spare'—next thing I knew, everything was black."

"You were hit with the killing curse?!" Amos nearly shouted.

Dumbledore raised his hand for the man to calm down, "What happened after?"

"I-I don't really know," he stuttered, "There was just nothing for a long time, then—then I heard you —" he looked at Lexi who cocked her head in confusion, "— your voice. Then you kissed me and it felt like you were giving me life, if that's not too weird?"

"I-" Lexi shook her head, "I-It's not—not at all. I felt it. There was this pain in my heart, like you were taking some of my life... if that makes sense."

The couple looked to the headmaster questioningly.

Dumbledore had a pleasant look on his face, "Miss Potter, I believe—if I'm correct—you did give some of your life to Mr Diggory." No one understood, so he continued, "When your mother sacrificed herself to save you and Harry, her love gave you both a protective charm. That love is what saved Harry that night—but since Voldemort hadn't cast the spell on you, that love still lives inside you.

"Well, lived is more appropriate," he finished.

"Sir, I still don't understand." Lexi looked at Cedric and he nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore sighed softly, "Lily's loved saved Harry thirteen years ago, that love has lived inside of you ever since. Tonight, you used that love and your own to bring Cedric back from a place where he was neither alive, nor dead. That's why it felt like he was taking a piece of you, that was the love bringing him back."

Lexi gasped lightly and turned to look at Cedric, he did the same. Silently, Dumbledore guided the two parents away from their son as to give the couple a moment and answer some questions.

The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff duo gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, then Cedric smirked, "So, you love me?"

Lexi rolled her eyes, "Took you long enough."

They brought their lips together again in another emotional kiss.

Decided against my better judgement to make you wait on the cliffhanger, you're welcome. Everyone knew he wasn't gonna die let's be honest :)

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