Author's note: This was meant to be a one-shot, but it's writing itself and quickly surpassed my self-imposed 1,000 word minimum so I guess it will be at least 2 chapters. The idea came to me yesterday and has been throwing a tantrum in my brain, demanding to be written ever since. My focus is still on my main story, this is just a fun little side thing with some silly modern day references, potion hijinks, and some (hopefully steamy) Cedfia.

As always, I own none of the characters. Blah, blah, blah.

Sofia knocked on the door to Cedric's tower, half expecting her long time friend to still be fast asleep despite it being after breakfast time. She was pleasantly surprised to hear stirring within. Soon, the door opened before her, the sorcerer peering down at her face. She was petite for an adult, and Cedric still towered over her by a full head.

"What do you need, Princess Sofia?" He asked, his voice still holding a tinge of grogginess. He must not have been up long. She returned his gaze, dutifully ignoring the whispers in the back of her mind about how handsome her best friend was. Those deep brown eyes made her knees feel weak every time he turned them in her direction.

"Mr Ceedric, I come up here just to visit often, yet you always assume I'm asking a favor." She chided him playfully, grinning at him. A corner of his mouth turned up, as close to a smile as he would give in most instances.

"That's because the question never fails to get a rise of protest out of you, Princess." He confided to the young woman. She shook her head and skirted past him into the workshop. It was her first visit in a few days, and the place was badly in need of tidying.

"May I borrow your equipment and a few supplies?" She asked him, making a mental list of things she could do to be helpful while she was there. When she turned back to Cedric for a response, he raised an eyebrow at her, the small one-sided grin still gracing his features. The way he smiles suits him well. It's actually quite charming. Sofia managed to herself before she could shoo that train of thought away.

"So you do need something, after all?" He sounded amused, and it occurred to her that he was in a rather good mood today.

"I didn't say I never needed something, just that I often don't." She pointed out. Without waiting for an answer, she walked over to his work table and began setting up some things she would need, Cedric watching thoughtfully as she moved about the room effortlessly. He would never admit it to the princess, but he rather enjoying the way she flitted effortlessly about his tower as if she were completely at home. He found it strangely comforting to watch her gathering supplies or cleaning up a mess, never even needing to pause and think about where things belonged.

"My tower is your tower." He shrugged, raising his hands in mock surrender. She walked to the cabinet he kept his herbs in and began pulling bottles out.

"What exactly are you working on, today?" It finally occurred to him to inquire. She paused and glanced back at him, hand still raised to grab the next item.

"James asked me for a potion." She tried to keep her answer simple, after a beat she returned to collecting what she needed, hoping the sorcerer wouldn't press for details, but knowing him well enough to be sure that he would. Much to her surprise, he simply shrugged, crossing the room behind her to grab his robe from the chair.

"You didn't ask why I was awake at this hour." He pointed out, pulling the robe on over his tunic and trousers.

"I assumed you would tell me it was none of my business." She teased, walking her collection over to the table.

"You guessed correctly. But I'm going out. I'll be gone all day. You won't be needing help with this concoction, will you?" Something in his voice gave her the impression that he wanted her to say that yes, she needed him here. The notion struck her that he wanted to use her as an excuse to avoid his destination, and that told her exactly where he was headed.

"No, but you will give your father my regards, won't you?" Cedric stopped short in the middle of lacing his left boot.

"Princess, someday you must teach me how to read minds. I imagine it comes in handy." He stated, shaking his head at the girl in disbelief. She grinned at him, crossing the room to fetch his mortar and pestle off the shelf he kept it on.

"I can only read your mind, and there's nothing magical about it. I just know you too well." She informed her companion. Cedric suppressed a shudder at the thought of the princess knowing his innermost thoughts. No, she didn't know everything. She didn't know what he intended to do with her amulet as a child, or the things he longed to do to her now that she was an adult. Thank the gods for that. He added.

Cedric began to look about for his other boot, when she walked over and picked it up from the pile of items it was laying in. She brought it over and held it out to him before he even realized she had it. He took the boot from her with an appreciative sound and slid his foot into it.

"I'd take you with me, you know. But this visit is of a private nature." He felt he owed her this explanation, as he almost always brought her along when he visited his family. He hated to think of her locked away in the tower all day feeling slighted at being left behind this time.

"I thought it might be." She nodded absently at him, standing back at the work table fully engrossed in grinding herbs, a task she found rather meditative. Cedric took the opportunity to appreciate her silhouette.

He often liked to just take her in, admiring every part of the princess, enjoying these rare moments where she stood perfectly still, concentration plastered on her alabaster face. She hadn't grown very tall as she reached adulthood, but he thought it fit her. Small but formidable, much the way he always knew her to be. She was absolutely stunning. Cedric spent too much of his alone time trying to figure out which of her features he liked best, her blazing blue eyes, her long chestnut ringlets, or her flawless pale skin. She looked to him suddenly and he turned away, trying his best to pretend he wasn't staring.

"You're not using a book?" He asked, finally realizing she was mixing the ingredients without anything to guide her. She shook her head slightly.

Sofia was adept at potion making in a way that Cedric both admired and envied. He always needed to use a recipe, and even then the results weren't guaranteed. She took to making her own recipes on the spot a few years ago, and now rarely followed anything but her own intuition. It shouldn't really surpise him to see her improvising anymore, but it always did.

"You're sure you won't need my help?" He was stalling, and Sofia knew it. He was standing behind her, now, looking over her shoulder at the assortment of ingredients, trying to puzzle out how she could turn them into a working potion using only her wits.

"Go. Whatever this private matter is, I'm sure Goodwyn is impatient to discuss it." She told him. When she realized how close their faces were, she braved a quick peck on his cheek. Cedric was taken aback.

"Princess, we discussed that." He scolded, doing his best to look stern instead of intensely pleased by her show of affection. She waved her hand dismissively.

"I know, 'It isn't proper', so on and so forth. I was merely saying goodbye, Mr Ceedric. No one's going to see us in here, so what's the harm in being friendly?" She knew the entire lecture about the impropriety of being physically affectionate with her dear friend by heart. In fact, she heard it nearly a thousand times since her thirteenth birthday. Cedric opened his mouth to make a retort, but none came to mind.

"Goodbye, Sofia. I'll be back as soon as I can." He said before leaving her alone to work.