People were all shocked by what had happened to Cedric. Almost a week after it had happened, they were all asked to gather in the Great Hall. Harry, Megan, Ron and Hermione were heading inside when someone called Megan's name. She looked round and saw Cho.

"... I'll meet you inside," Megan told them.

So they went in. Cho stepped forwards and put her arms around her.

"I was hoping to talk to you... how are you?"

"I'm..." she wasn't sure. "I'm okay... what about you? Cedric's your friend..."

"Oh, I'm worried about him, and sad he's in this mess... but I want you to know it's not your fault. He would never have let you face that alone..."

Megan couldn't find the strength to answer.

"All we can do now... is wait, I suppose..."

Megan nodded.

"Shall we?" Cho offered.

"Yeah..."

They stepped forwards. As they made to go to separate parts of the room, Megan paused.

"Hey, Cho..."

"Yeah?"

"You... you could sit with us... if you like."

There was a pause.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Dumbledore, standing before them, waited for them all to be seated and silent. Then, spoke to them, his face somber.

"The year is coming to an end..." he said gravely. "Some of you will go on to do other things, others will return. But I would like us all to raise our glasses in honour of Cedric Diggory, who risked his life to protect that of the girl he loves. And there is, in my mind, no more noble token of love"

Everyone raised their glasses.

"He is hard working, kind hearted, and a loyal, fair-minded young man, as well as a fierce friend. But as you know, the night of the end of the Tournament, he returned in critical condition. He may not be dead, however his life is not yet safe. He is in a coma. Now, most of you must wonder what happened to him. And the Ministry would not approve of me telling you, and no doubt some of your parents will be unhappy that I have done so as well. But I think that it would be an insult to Cedric than to not tell you the truth."

He paused, looking at all of them. Harry squeezed Megan's hand. It felt comforting, even if not quite the same as if it had been Cedric.

"You see, the reason Megan Potter was pulled into the tournament was to draw her into a trap. A trap Cedric unwillingly got pulled into as well. Megan realised it and told him to save himself, wishing to protect him as much as he, her. But he did not run away. He stood up, ready to fight. And was struck by a curse, cast by a servant of Lord Voldemort."

Megan heard gasps. People looked at him, horror on their faces. Glancing over to the Slytherins, she saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle muttering together. She felt a boil of anger in her stomach, but turned back to Dumbledore. They weren't worth it.

"Another person must be mentioned regarding Cedric's attack," he went on. "I mean, of course, Megan Potter."

Several heads turned to look at Megan, who forced herself not to look down.

"She faced Lord Voldemort, and escaped. She risked her own life to bring back Cedric, even though she believed him dead. And in doing that, she showed, in every way, the kind of bravery few have shown when staring into the eye of a being such as Lord Voldemort. For this, I honour her."

He raised his goblet and nearly everyone followed suit. Megan noticed, with no surprise, that Malfoy and his gang had overtly kept their hands away from their goblets. She didn't care.

"The Triwizard Tournament was made to promote magical understanding, and such ties are, in these times, more essential than ever. Every guest in this room is welcome to return at any time. For we are strong as long as we are united. Megan and Cedric's love for each other is what saved Cedric. Their hearts beat in unison at that fateful moment. They are the proof that though we come from different places, and we speak different languages, or even come from different upbringings, our hearts beat as one."

He looked at them all.

"I firmly believe, as much as I wish I were wrong, that we are facing dark times. Some of you have already suffered at Voldemort's hand. Families were torn asunder and a week ago, two of our number were very nearly ripped from our midst."

Megan wasn't sure how she felt about Dumbledore using the present tense for Cedric, because it made her feel hopeful, and she wanted to believe he could get better, but part of her highly doubted it.

"I would like you all to remember, when you find yourself in a time to make the choice between what is right and what is easy. Remember that what is right is rarely easy. Yet Cedric didn't hesitate. Remember that, and it will not have been vain."

On the morning of the last day before going back to London, Megan was up early. She wandered over to the courtyard and sat on the wall, leaning against a pillar lost in thought. Cedric hadn't woken yet, and his absence pained her more than ever. She fought through her days because she knew he wouldn't want her sitting in a corner crying all the time. But it had never felt harder to do. She rested her head against the cool wall, hugging her knees on the wall, not listening or paying any attention to the people ogling at her.

"Megan! Megan! Is it true you saw You-Know-Who?!" called Colin.

She didn't answer and only knew it was Colin because she looked round at him.

"Leave her alone, please, Colin." Said a voice.

Colin stopped, taken aback.

"But..." he began.

"Please." They insisted. "It's really not something she wants to talk about."

He seemed disappointed but walked off. Megan glanced up at the one who had spoken. Harry stood there, smiling sympathetically at her.

"Hey," Harry said.

"Hi..." she replied.

Anyone who knew her as well as Harry did knew her voice was empty compared to its usual sound. He stepped forwards and sat on the wall beside Megan.

"What happened isn't your fault."

"Yes it is. Cedric would have won if he hadn't tripped and if he hadn't insisted on letting me have the Cup..." Megan said.

"Maybe. But you saved his life, you know. It's a bad thing for a good."

"Cedric is in a coma, Harry, I hardly see how there's anything good about that..."

"Megan, if he had won, he would have died and we wouldn't even know it."

He climbed onto the wall beside her.

"Think about it, Megan. There are three possibilities. First, what happened the other day. You both take the Cup and he gets struck by Voldemort but your love for each other somehow saves him, even if he's in a coma for now."

Megan looked ahead. She supposed that was one way to look at it. If he'd not loved her, he wouldn't have looked at her. The spell wouldn't just have grazed him.

"Second, you take the Cup alone, and run into Voldemort, come back in the same state of shock you did, and Cedric's unharmed." Harry went on. "But he knows what went down and feels guilty for not being there for you. You insist he isn't at fault and he still believes he is. And you finally break up because he doesn't feel worthy of you any longer."

Megan thought for a moment. It did sound like something Cedric would do.

"And third, Cedric takes the Cup alone, despite Crouch's meddling to make sure you got it first. And he runs into Wormtail and You-Know-Who. What d'you think would have happened then?"

"... he'd have been killed." Megan whispered, the very thought too painful to think about.

"Exactly," Harry said. "See? More good than bad."

Megan said nothing. Harry put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know it's hard. But Cedric's strong." He said. "I'm sure he'll be okay."

But Megan knew he was just trying to cheer her up.

"I miss him..." she whispered.

"Megan! I found you! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Hermione came rushing up to them and skidded to a halt, panting heavily.

"Hermione, what is it?" Megan said, jumping to her feet and catching her arms to stop her toppling over.

"... C... Cedric..." Hermione gasped.

"Is something wrong, what happened?" Megan asked, panic in her heart.

Hermione, still panting, shook her head.

"Cedric's awake... he's gathering... his stuff... Hopsital Wing."

https://youtu.be/YsxO5ZhP5hk

Megan stood frozen, hardly daring to believe what she was hearing.

"He's okay," Hermione said, her breath coming back a little.

"Well, go on, what are you waiting for, go find him!" Harry said, smiling.

Megan glanced at one then the other, and tore off towards the Hospital Wing. Up a flight of stairs, almost slipped as she turned a corner, narrowly avoided running into a group of Ravenclaws, and finally, she reached the door and pulled it open.

"Cedric?!" she called.

She stopped on the threshold, gasping for breath. And there he was. Standing by his bed, gathering his things. It was as if he'd never been in a coma. He looked round at the sound of his name.

"Hey, stranger," he smiled.

Megan, panting, still dared not believe it. Her hand pressed against her mouth, she blinked to keep her sight clear.

"... I thought..." she began, but couldn't finish.

In one movement, they both darted across the ward and threw their arms around each other and hugged tightly. Her eyes tight shut, she felt his strong arms lift her off the ground. Then, they pulled back, and kissed for a long time, Cedric still holding her. When they pulled back again, he gently let her down, their eyes never breaking contact.

"I thought I'd lost you..." she whispered, and pressed her forehead on his chest. "I didn't know if you were ever going to wake up..."

"Takes more than that to get rid of me."

She looked up again, drinking the lines his face, the shape of his nose, the colour of his eyes, the slight ruffle of his hair... everything. She had missed it so much, she couldn't help herself. She paused when she saw his temple. There was a thin line traced there that looked a lot like...

"... Is that a scar?" she asked, unsure how that made her feel.

"Yeah," he said, smiling slightly, his hand reaching up to touch it reflexively. "Guess we both have one now, huh?"

Megan nodded, though she couldn't help wondering if she'd ever get used to this permanent reminder of what had happened. She decided to change the subject.

"Where are your parents? I'd have thought they'd be first to know..."

"Oh, they've been told I'm okay, of course. They were thrilled, but they agreed it was simpler to see me tomorrow in the station rather than come all the way up here again, even if it took a lot of convincing." He smiled. "So you and I get to be all by ourselves for a bit. I hope you don't mind."

"I think I can live with that," Megan smiled and kissed him again.

Then, she hesitated.

"Did you tell your parents about us...?" she asked.

"... I did. And, er... well, my Dad will probably need to get used to it, but my Mum's fine with it."

"Well, it could be worse," Megan smiled.

"Yeah. I could still be in a coma."

"Don't even joke about that!" Megan said, giggling, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "It was horrible."

They laughed. Then, he asked:

"So, what d'I miss?"