Hermione could remember the first time she saw Cedric Diggory. She remembered the tall, handsome Hufflepuff quite well, as a matter of fact. You would be hard pressed to find a girl at Hogwarts who didn't. He was polite as well as handsome, intelligent as opposed to arrogant. Most of all, he was loyal. To his school, his house, his friends, and even to complete strangers he didn't know.

She first saw him on the Hogwarts express at the beginning of her third year. He was a fifth year, and a prefect. Malfoy had just stolen the chocolate frog that she had purchased from the trolley and was proceeding to tease her when Cedric appeared in the hallway.

"Draco, I believe you know the school policy about bullying." He said in a calm voice. He was almost smug looking, but he hid it very well. Draco glared at him before giving her back her frog and stomping down the opposite way.

When she had turned to thank him, she had noticed that Cedric had already gone into the compartment behind her and shut the door.

Hermione could remember the first time she spoke to Cedric Diggory. It was her fourth year, and she was going with the Weasley's and Harry to the quidditch world cup. They met Amos Diggory along the way and Cedric had joined them. She and Ginny exchanged a knowing glance while the twins were withdrawn, obviously still bitter about the loss to Hufflepuff last year.

It was quite a long journey to the portkey, and Hermione had grown very tired on the climb up the hill. She was second to last, in front of Ginny, her breath ragged and labored. Her mind wandering, hoping they would soon be at the top of this hill, she stepped into a hidden hole in the ground and tripped. She felt a small 'pop' in her ankle and let out a yelp of pain. However, before she hit the ground, a strong pair of arms grabbed her by the waist.

"You alright?" A voice called from about her.

"I… I think so. I think I twisted my ankle. I felt a pop." She replied, trying her hardest not to cry.

"Here, let's get you to the top of this hill. Most of the others are already there waiting. We'll talk a look at it when we get up there." Cedric said, picking her up quickly. She let out a gasp of surprise.

"You're Hermione, right?" He asked as he carried her up the hill.

"Yes." She said, almost embarrassed. Here she was being carried up a hill like some little girl while he tried to make polite.

"Well, I'm Cedric Diggory. It's a pleasure to meet you." He smiled widely, causing Hermione to blush a deeper shade of red.

"Do you normally appear out of nowhere to help people?"

"Not usually, but I've realized that it's a good talent to have."

"Do you normally carry them up hills too?"

"No, but if you want to walk, you're more then welcome to." He said, setting her down as quickly as he had picked her up. She made a move to step forward, but her ankle gave way under the pressure of her weight and she immediately started to fall again.

"That's what I thought." He said with a grin that made her think of the time he had helped her the year before.

When they reached the top of the hill, everyone but Ginny, who was a short distance behind them, were already there.

"Ced, what are you doing?" His father asked.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Mr. Weasley said at almost the same time, walking quickly to them.

"I uh… tripped in a hole. I felt a pop, I think I sprained something." She explained trying to act like it was no big deal. The fact that she was still being carried by Cedric made her brain a little fuzzy.

"Well then, it's lucky my Ced was here to help, now wasn't it?" Amos said, giving Cedric a pat on the back, almost making him drop her. Cedric turned a light shade of pink, much to Hermione's amusement.

"I guess I'd have to say it was." She said, causing his checks to redden even more.

"Well, we don't have time to dally here, since the portkey is scheduled to leave here any moment. Everyone touch the boot, and we'll be on our way." Mr. Weasley instructed. Cedric was still holding Hermione, so he picked up the boot so she could also touch it. In the next moment, she felt a sharp tug from behind her belly button, and the next thing she knew, she was standing in the middle of a large grassy field.

"Now, let's go find you a mediwitch." Mr. Weasley said, leading the group across the field.

Hermione could remember the first time she kissed Cedric Diggory. They had become good friends after the incident before the quidditch world cup, and by the time they were boarding the Hogwarts express, they were talking almost everyday. Harry and Ron, Ron more so then Harry, were warming up to the idea that Hermione was friends with a Hufflepuff, the house who had cheated them from winning the school quidditch cup, but only because she had threatened to stop helping them with their homework if they didn't start being nice. A change in behavior could be noticed almost immediately.

Cedric had asked her to share a compartment with him, and had invited Harry and Ron along too. They had decline the offer, because Lavender and Pavarti had walked by, giggling and nodding in their direction, inviting them to sit with them in their compartment, which apparently sounded a lot more appealing to them.

"So have you heard about what's supposed to be happening at Hogwarts this year?" Cedric asked, following her into the compartment.

"Vaguely, Percy kept talking about how he knew something that was going to happen at Hogwarts, but that it was top secret. He was really quite obnoxious about it this summer".

"Yeah, that's about all I heard too. My dad would tell me that something big was going to happen, but always stopped short of actually telling me what it was. But he promised me it would be the biggest thing to happen at Hogwarts this century, and that I should be thankful that I turned 17 over the summer. No idea what he was going on about though."

"Interesting, I really wonder what it is. I suppose we should find out soon enough."

"Yeah, you're right, as usual." He said, causing her to smile.

"Always the flatterer, Mr. Diggory."

"What can I say, it's a gift."

Looking at the semi-serious look on his face, she couldn't help but start laughing. He tried to feign a hurt look, but failed miserably, only causing her to laugh even harder. Soon they were almost in tears, sitting on opposite sides of the compartment. Before she had any idea what was happening, Cedric was leaning towards her, and before she could move, his lips fell upon hers. It was a tender kiss, the kind that made your heart flutter and your brain go blank. When he pulled back, a deep red started to form over his cheeks.

"Cedric?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Hermione. I didn't mean too, well, I did, but… Curses. I shouldn't have done that." He said quickly, standing up.

"I… I've got to go." Hermione said, standing up as well. Before he had time to say anything, she was out the door and down the corridor.

Hermione looked back on her fourth year with a smile. A lot happened to her that year. A lot happened to everyone that year. The big event that everyone had been talking about was the Triwizard Tournament. Wizards and Witches from two other schools came to Hogwarts to compete for the Triwizard cup. Cedric's father had mentioned him being 17 because the ministry had made a rule stating that, much to the Weasley Twin's dismay banned any student who was under the age of 17 from entering the tournament. Cedric had been chosen as Hogwarts champion, and so had Harry, much to everyone's surprise (including his).

Viktor Krum, the famous Quidditch player, was in the tournament as well, as champion of his school. He asked Hermione to go to the Yule Ball with him, but only because Cedric had asked Cho Chang. Since that day on the Hogwarts express, their relationship had changed. They were still good friends, but an underlying tension was present every time they were around each other. Hermione knew that he liked her, but she wasn't sure of her own feelings. She was afraid, to be honest, that she wasn't as experienced as he was, and that he would realize that and not fancy her anymore.

Hermione got over her fears eventually, and by the end of the second task, her and Cedric were sneaking around the castle, finding places to snog wherever they could (she could tell a very amusing story that involved a broom closet).

Hermione fell in love that year. And then the third task happened.

Hermione could remember the day Cedric Diggory died. She was sitting in the stands of the quidditch pitch like the rest of the student body, worried about her best friend, and about the boy she had fallen in love with. Like the rest of the students, she was surprised when Harry Appeared out of no where in the middle of the center ring. Unlike the rest of the students, however, Hermione didn't cheer. The school band, playing in the background, she could barely hear. All she could focus on was Harry, and Cedric. Cedric was lying down, and Harry was grasping onto Dumbledore. Something wasn't right, she knew that much. Harry was screaming. Harry was crying. And the Fleur screamed. Her voice echoed through the pitch as the student voices died. Amos Diggory made his way through the crowd, smiling at shaking hands with fellow parents, proud that his son had won the tournament. Fudge, the minister of magic, was frantic, running around the center like a chicken without a head. Focusing on him, Hermione saw him run to Dumbledore and mutter something to him. Dumbledore, who almost always had a happy twinkle in his eye, looked extremely somber. She knew something was wrong. Something was very wrong. And then she heard it. "A boy has died." Her hand flew up to her mouth. Harry was alive, Cedric was dead. Amos, now running to the center, was screaming. Before her world went black, she heard "my boy!" screamed through the stadium.

That was the day Hermione's heart broke. Four years late, she still remembered the events like they were yesterday. Her first love had died before she could really even know him. Her best friend had survived, but he was a shell of the person he had previously been. The entire wizarding world went into an uproar that day, the day Voldemort came back. The day that Cedric Diggory died. She heard the entire story from Harry later that night. Voldemort said three words, and Cedric was dead. "Kill the spare" was all he said and Cedric's life was over.

Four years later, Harry won the war. Voldemort was defeated, but Cedric was still dead. Four years later, it still hurt. She poured her heart and soul into helping Harry win. She spent hours researching curses, even Voldemort himself, to try to find a weakness. When Dumbledore died, the only person who had stood by Harry through everything, Harry too poured his soul into finding and killing the thing that had killed not only his parents, but the only father figure he had ever known. When Ginny Weasley became a casualty of the war, Ron too put everything he had into fighting. In the end, they had won, but no one was the same. No one would ever be the same. Hermione had a scar on her chest to remind her of the battle for the rest of her life. Harry, in addition to his scar on his forehead, had a rough scar on his cheek. Ron had lost an eye and part of his left hand. Everyone was scarred, physically and emotionally. But the war was over, and it was time to rebuild again.

It was time to move on. She would love Cedric Diggory for the rest of her life. But she also had to live her life. She had recently met up with Viktor again, after the war was over. He had helped them with their efforts in other parts of Europe, and had returned to Hogwarts for the final battle. He had played a vital role, adding to the force they had holding off death eaters while Harry fought Voldemort himself.

Her childhood was over, she had to accept that. She needed to say goodbye, and that was what lead her to his grave. Fresh flowers had been placed by his tombstone, no doubt by his mother or father. The graveyard smelt of fresh earth, several graves having just been added, for those whose bodies were just now being identified as victims of Voldemort or the death eaters. Cedric was considered the first in a war that had killed hundreds. The first to die needlessly in Voldemort's attempt to regain power. Fresh rain started to fall as she placed her own flowers next to the others.

"Goodbye Cedric" she said out loud, a single tear running down her cheek.

A hand touched her shoulder, reminding her that she was not alone. Harry and Viktor had come with her, for support. She smiled as she looked up at them. And for the first time since Cedric Diggory died, Hermione Granger cried. She cried so hard she sank to her knees, unable to hold herself up. She cried for Cedric, for Ginny, for all who had died in the war. Harry knelt next to her, crying himself, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. And the rain fell harder as they knelt there, crying in front of Cedric's grave. Crying for a boy who never got the chance to fully live, who never got the chance to really enjoy life. Crying for those whose lives were stolen from them, crying for the families who had suffered a loss. Crying because of the war that had altered their lives in such a way that they would never be the same again. And at that moment, Hermione felt like something had been lifted from her shoulders. She knew that she could go on with her life. She would never forget Cedric, the first boy she had ever loved, but she knew that she could once again be happy.