This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Title: Love In Flight

Word count: 1807

Note: AU- during Goblet of Fire.

The Golden Snitch:

Nautical Ship Challenge: Implausible Canon: 15 Points - Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter - H.M.S. Tale of Two Seekers

Olivanders: 15 inch: Write about a Hufflepuff

"Hey, Harry," Hermione said smiling at him. Harry looked up at her from his breakfast of oats.

"Hi, Herm," Harry muttered unenthusiastically.

"Talk less. Smile More," Hermione said to him before she turned around and left him to his thoughts. It was clear this situation with the goblet of fire had left Harry the villain to most of the school. Many, including Ron, fiercely believed he found some way to trick the goblet to get some fame.

"Hey Potter," he heard a voice, it wasn't Malfoy… He looked up to see Cedric Diggory at the table looking at him. He looked up and Cedric chuckled. "You have oats on your face," he said. "I come in peace," he added, hands up in surrender.

Harry wiped his mouth then asked: "So what do you want, Diggory?"

"Just to chat, I have always admired you, you know," Cedric replied earnestly.

"I wish I was you," Harry muttered softly.

"Why?" he asked as he sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"I hate this," Harry said honestly, pointing at the students glaring, or cheering him as they walk past.

"You don't seem like you want this," Cedric replied thoughtfully. Harry shook his head in annoyance.

"I don't, I didn't choose any of this," he said tonelessly.

"So you keep saying," Cedric chuckled.

"Have you come to gloat?" Harry said, he knew it wasn't like him to act out like this, but he was fed up of all the accusations and everything that everyone kept saying.

"Not at all," Cedric said. "I wanted to ask you something."

Harry looked up at the Hufflepuff, waiting for him to ask what it was.

"Let's go flying together," Cedric suggested.

"Really?" was all he could respond.

Cedric nodded. "After breakfast? I'm very nonthreatening, don't worry," Cedric said jokingly.

"People hate me you know," Harry commented.

"I don't hate you," Cedric replied.

Harry was suddenly tired of his breakfast.

"Sure, let's go flying," he said, standing up, and holding his hand out to pull Cedric up.

"The tale of two seekers," said one of the Weasley twins as they walked out of the great hall.

They reached the cupboard where their broomsticks were kept, and walked towards it. Harry opened it to pull his firebolt out.

"Hold the door," Cedric asked, and then he gently leaned over him and pulled his own broomstick from the cupboard.

"I love those boots," Harry said suddenly, spotting the toffee coloured dragonhide leather boots Cedric was wearing.

"Thanks," Cedric responded. "I've had them for ages."

Everyone was looking at the two of them as they raced across the pitch just relaxing and having some fun.

"This is the worst idea you've ever had!" Harry yelled to the Hufflepuff as they zoomed through the air.

"Oh come on, where is the sense of adventure I know and love?" Cedric joked back.

After they spent hours on the pitch Harry went back up to the Gryffindor dormitory.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked himself in the mirror that night. It seemed like suddenly things were turning around after all. He and Ron weren't speaking, and of course Hermione was staying out of it. But it seemed like Cedric might actually be someone he could be friends with, even though the need to be rivals for the cup. None of it meant anything to him, he just hoped to survive it and be there when it was all over and done with.

He was so tired of trying to be strong for everyone; couldn't Cedric have his chance in front of the whole school? He was strong, kind, and he deserved to have the victory. He knew being part of the competition was a mistake but there was nothing he could do about that.

Cedric went to bed pleased with himself; he showed Harry that he believed in him. He felt so bad for him that all his friends were turning on him. If Harry said he didn't have anything to do with it, whoever did didn't do it to play nice.

He was going to help the naive Gryffindor get through this alive, and he was willing to put aside winning if the cup went to Hogwarts in the end. He always found Harry cute, but he needed to not lose focus. His father would want him to win, and he didn't want his only chance to be lost.

Cedric saw Harry again at breakfast the next morning he was keeping his head down, and finishing his food before trying to escape the eyes of judgement on him. Cedric decided to get up and walk over to say hi because he was sure the strength of his own stare was burning a whole into the brunets head.

"Harry," he called, whistling to get his attention.

"Oh, morning Cedric," he replied with a slightly more reassuring smile than the day before.

"Want to go flying again?" Cedric asked.

"What about a walk by the lake instead?" Harry asked.

"Sounds good, you done?" Cedric asked politely although he saw that Harry had been shovelling the food down in an attempt to get away.

Harry nodded, dropping a half-eaten piece of toast on his plate. The two of them walked together and there was a call from the Slytherin table. "Got yourself a boyfriend now Potter?" Malfoy asked.

"What? Jealous are you; Malfoy?" Cedric responded instantly, taking Harry's hand gently to make an impact. Malfoy blushed crimson at the comeback. His response to that was incoherent.

Cedric held onto Harry's hand until they got outside the great hall, and then he laughed.

"Sorry, I just had to," he said. The guy would make a House Elf want to give themselves a sock for freedom." Cedric said.

"I'm surprised you stood up to him," Harry admitted.

"Somebody has to stand up to his mouth," Cedric replied easily. "Hope you not homophobic, didn't even think of that."

"Oh, that, not at all," Harry said, with a slight blush on his cheeks. "I'm actually gay," Harry added as an afterthought.

"Oh wow, I didn't know, I didn't mean to like…" Cedric replied trailing off.

"No worries, I keep it to myself," Harry said.

"I'm actually gay too," he replied quietly.

"You are? I thought you and Cho?" Harry asked curiously.

Cedric laughed. "Me and Cho? I thought you and Cho were and item," he responded with a laugh.

"She said you asked her to the Yule Ball," Harry added.

"She actually asked me, but I said I'd think about it, didn't think many guys would be willing to be my date," Cedric explained.

"I would be your date," Harry said and then put a hand over his mouth at the reflex reaction. "I just made it weird didn't I?"

"Just to be clear, you don't mean just as friends?" Cedric asked to satisfy his curiosity.

"I, um, well no…" Harry stuttered. The two were walking on the castle grounds before either said another word.

"I do like you Harry," Cedric said.

"But?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, that too. Would you be my date to the Yule Ball Harry?" Cedric asked him. He stopped taking Harry's hand into his own again.

"I, yes, I would like that," Harry replied with a genuine smile.

"Awesome. Wow," Cedric replied.

Cedric was surprised Harry would be willing to go out with him, and he was planning on making the most of it. He wanted to spoil Harry, and be a friend as well as a lover, perhaps someday.

"May I ask you something?" Harry asked.

"Sure," Cedric said smiling.

"Why did you join the Triwizard Cup?" Harry asked.

"Mostly my father honestly, he has very high expectations of me, and I feel like having you in the school makes it even harder to shine," he answered.

"You want to be seen for once. I get that," Harry said in response.

"No… no, you don't," Cedric said, a strange expression coming over his face.

"I used to be invisible you know, my aunt and uncle hated me, I was kept under the stairs," Harry replied.

"Oh Harry, I'm so sorry I never knew," Cedric replied, moving to hold his hand again.

Harry let out a Hollow chuckle. "It's not like I advertise it," he replied. "Sometimes I think I miss everything that's right in front of me."

"Why did u say that?" Cedric asked.

"I'm so busy worrying about staying alive that I hadn't considered that I'm overshadowing others," Harry replied thoughtfully.

"Oh Harry, don't think like that," Cedric said kindly.

"Let's go sit by the lake?" Harry suggested.

Cedric nodded, and the two of them leaned against a big oak tree in the shade watching the shapes on the water. The sun was shining and the weather was warm and it left a glow on their skin.

"Seems like I am developing an addiction," Cedri said suddenly.

"What?" Harry asked surprised.

"I can't stop holding your hands," Cedric said with a flirtatious wink.

"You don't need to," Harry responded moving his hand to cover Cedric's. The two didn't realise the time passing by until the moon rose and they were stargazing and watching the light on the dark lake.

"What tomfoolery is this?" Severus Snape said when he caught them together. They both blushed, then realised they were out of bed probably way after curfew.

"10 Points from Hufflepuff and 50 from Gryffindor, and detention on Friday for both of you now get back to your dormitory," Snape said with a wicked sneer.

Cedric was pale from getting caught; it wasn't like him to be out after curfew. Harry just shrugged it off.

"Don't worry, he hates me personally so I will probably get more of the blame," Harry said trying to calm the Hufflepuff.

Their detention session ended up being more of the two messing around in the classroom, since Snape was called out of the classroom urgently for some strange reason. They had been alphabetising potions ingredients for Professor Snape.

As time passed it became clear to the school the two Triwizard Cup Champions for Hogwarts were the new it couple. The night of the Yule Ball the two of them had to open the dance floor and thanks to Cedric Harry managed to prevent making a complete idiot of himself.

"Harry, did you know they that love is a friendship set to music?" Cedric whispered as they danced across the floor. When the dance finished they sat down at the table and Cedric pulled out yellow flowers wrapped with a gold ribbon.

"Aww, you shouldn't have," Harry said blushing at his gesture. All eyes were on the couple during the dance, but they didn't seem to notice, they were both focused on each other. The night went by fast, the two of them just happy to be in each other's company.