"Cedric why are you acting so strange?" Sam narrowed his eyes at the ebony haired man who continuously cracked his knuckles as they walked through the school grounds. "Huh?" Cedric muttered, looking up and catching Sam's eye. "Oh what? Nothing?" He laughed, shaking his head dismissively. Sam stared for another moment before leaving the subject, deciding on another in an attempt to peak the boys interest and calm his nerves.

"So you and Melanie were gone a long while yesterday?" He teased lightly, resting the waters. To his surprise Cedric grinned, a joyous glint in his eye. "We just went for a walk. We talked." "Ooooh you talked?" He repeated, causing Cedric to let out a low laugh. "Yes Sam" He shouldered the boy. "We talked." "So do you like her?"

Cedric wasn't one to really talk about his feelings, he didn't really like be all serious around the boys. The trio usually kept the topics light hearted, more was left unspoken than spoken. Now that didn't mean the three weren't close, no they were thick as thieves. And Cedric always knew that if he ever did decide he wanted to talk about something serious, Charlie and Sam would always be there for him; no questions asked.

"Yeah." He said softly, his gaze falling to the ground. "I think I do." Sam smiled and halted to a stop, Cedric following suit once he spied his friend. "Cedric that's great." He smiled, placing his hand on his friends shoulder. "But if you're serious about this, if you really like Melanie you need to be careful." Cedric tilted his head, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "I know the wizarding world don't know too much about the Hallows. But that doesn't mean they're not dangerous." "Melanie -"

"I'm not talking about Melanie." Sam sighed, dropping his hand from Cedric's shoulder. "She seems like a lovely girl, she really does. And I trust your judgement, but never forget who her family are Cedric. They are powerful people. Dangerous  people. And honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if they hurt Melanie if she didn't fall in line. And that's their own daughter, you would be nothing to them."

Cedric watched his friend carefully, seeing the worry in his face. Momentarily he recalled the pain in Melanie's eyes when she held the letter from her parents, and the anger it shifted to when he persisted. Granted, he truly didn't know much about Melanie's family, but he wished he did - even if only to ease some of her troubles. "Just promise me you'll stay away from her family as long as you can." "I don't even know if she likes me back." Cedric laughed in an attempt to steer away from this serious topic, but when he saw Sam's jaw clench, he knew he had to let him have this, give him this slither of comfort that he seemed to need.

"I promise." He swore, smiling at his friend. "Now stop worrying, please." Sam sighed and nodded. "So why exactly are we going for a walk here?" Sam questioned, spying a grin slide on to Cedric's face. "Ah well you know what they say about speaking of the devil and all that."

And that was when Sam spotted Melanie Hallows in the distance, Angelia Zabini at her side and a picnic basket by her feet.

-

"Oh Merlin here he comes." Angelia wheezed, frantically fixing her already perfect hair. "And you're sure he doesn't know this is a set up?" Melanie laughed and shook her head. "For the millionth time Ang no. I have everything sorted, we're just gonna tell him because Cedric and I are friends we all want to just get to know each other. And it just so happens that Charlie is busy." Melanie shrugged, throwing her friend a wink.

"Friends." Angelia snorted, well aware of the extra bounce Melanie had in her step now that she was slowly becoming closer to Cedric. Melanie rolled her eyes and shoved her friend mumbling a quick 'shut it' before the two boys arrived. "Cedric." Melanie gleamed, running forward. The boy pulled her into his arms, and both Angelia and Sam separately noted that this seemed to be more than just two friends embracing. Pulling back, Cedric shot the girl a grin before she turned to Sam.

"Glad to finally meet you." She greeted and Sam smiled nervously. "You too Melanie." He replied, suddenly unsure of himself. Melanie did think of hugging the boy, but his tense body language told her he indeed did not want her to touch him. Melanie felt her stomach drop as she realised the reason was realistically because of her family. The damned Hallows. Cedric seemed to notice the change in Melanie, and so he skimmed his hand against hers in hopes of comforting her. In return, Melanie caught Cedric's eye and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Cedric, Sam this is Angelia." She introduced, turning to see Angelia waving. "Right yeah, we sit beside each other in potions." Sam added, slowly adjusting to the scenario. "I didn't realise all four of us were meeting today."

"Well since Mel and I are friends now, we thought it would nice for us all to get to know each other." Cedric spoke awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Mel huh?" Sam drawled, and Melanie felt her cheeks then scarlet. "So where's Charlie then?"

"Homework." Cedric explained and Sam nodded. Not a lie, no Charlie did have a lot of homework piling up, but Cedric did however convince him to get a head start on it today. "So- " Melanie clapped her hands together. "Let's eat." Gradually the four situated themselves on the blanket that Angelia had brought as Melanie unloaded the food the elves had kindly made her. Multiple variations of sandwiches and pies, as well as scones and jams and the most delicious lemonade to wash it all down.  "Merlins beard." Sam whistled. "The elves must really love you if they did all this."

"Melanie has her ways." Cedric laughed as he slathered a layer of jam onto half a scone. "Oh yes she does." Angelia gleamed, and Sam smiled softly at her enthusiasm. "So the triwizard tournament." She drawled. "That'll be a hoot huh?" Sam hummed in agreement, his mouth full while Cedric toyed with his glass of lemonade. "I - I was actually thinking of entering." Cedric mumbled, and Melanie's eyes shot to him sharply, but she said nothing.

"No surprise there." Sam teased. "Any excuse for some glory little Ceddie Weddie." Cooing, he poked Cedric in the ribs while the boy just rolled his eyes, trying to not make it obvious that he wanted to know how Melanie felt about it. "My father thinks it's a good idea." Cedric spoke nonchalantly, watching as Melanie slowly picked up a handful of berries and began popping them in her mouth one by one. "Besides it seems like fun."

Melanie snorted. Cedric looked at her, his head tilting as he waited for her to make eye contact with him. Sam's eyes widened, and he flashed Angelia a smile of excitement, one that she instantly cherished. "Something to say Mel?" Melanie took her time in replying, basking in the slight discomfort he was exhibiting. "People have died in that tournament Cedric." She spoke softly, a warning in her tone. "Not for many years." Angelia piped in, but Melanie slowly shot her a side eye glance that caused the girl to immediately be silent once more. It was not a nasty glare, there was never any malice in Melanie and Angelia's friendship. But they did have boundaries, and they always respected one another and those boundaries.

"Angelia is right." Cedric confirmed, snagging a sandwich from one of the many plates that lay before them. "It's perfectly safe these days. Besides, Dumbledore has decided only those 17 and above can enter."

"Dumbledore doesn't know shit." Melanie snarled, and Sam couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Melanie may have let that laugh ease her anxieties of the boy disliking her, but she was so preoccupied by the revelation of Cedric entering this tournament that she couldn't even process it. "And if you think he cares about you, about any of us; you are sorely mistaken."

"How can you say that?" Cedric retorted, his temper starting to rise. Sam quickly slurped the last of his lemonade before discarding the glass on the blanket, his eyes turning to Angelia. "You know what, I think Angelia and I might get out of your hair. Let you two talk things over." He paused. "If that's alright with you." He added, and Angelia nodded frantically, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment. It was just a bonus she was granted one on one time with her crush. With a sigh of relief, Sam stood and walked to Angelia offering her his hand which she graciously took.

Melanie gave her friend an apologetic smile but the excitement in Angelia's face let Melanie know that her friend was not at all upset about the current situation. "I'll see you later Mel." She smiled and Melanie nodded. "Cedric, it was lovely meeting you." Cedric smiled and replied "you too." And with that they were gone.

"Do I need to repeat my prior question, or have you had enough time to make up an answer." Cedric snarled, more vicious than he had intended. Silently, Melanie began packing up the picnic, all while Cedric kept his eyes glued to her. "Melanie." "Don't take that tone with me Cedric." Melanie sighed, suddenly looking more weary than angry. "Then just answer my question." He said, his voice softer this time. Melanie paused her packing and slowly raised her gaze to meet Cedric's. She shifted her position, raising herself onto her knees.

She took her time in forming words, wanting to say it the right way without making it seem like a pity party for how sad her and her siblings life were. "When Meliorn went here he was bullied. Brutally." Cedric's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But your brother has such a reputation for being -" "The brooding dark Slytherin who no one would cross. Yes I know." Melanie interrupted, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear - a nervous habit she seemed to have, Cedric had noted. "But that was after."

"After what?" Cedric pried, his curiosity overwhelming. "Meliorn went to Dumbledore for help. Confided in him that a group of Gryffindor's had been bullying him." Cedric eyes widened. "Meliorn was different back then, he was only third year and had appalling vision. He used to wear these glasses with these huge rims." She laughed fondly at recalling the memory of her brother, and Cedric felt his heart swell at the warmth of love that was on her face. Her face however paled once more as she continued to tell the story. "They used to snap his glasses, rip his books apart. The stereotypical stuff. At least at first. But then it got worse. They would use magic on him, planted nightmares in his brain. His screams would fill our house when he was home Cedric. It was vile. And - and that type of emotion, that vulnerability; it didn't sit well with my parents." Cedric felt his stomach drop as he saw the horror that glazed across the raven haired girls eyes. "So as a last resort he went to Dumbledore. Told him everything."

"And what did he do?" Cedric asked, not sure he wanted the answer. "Nothing." Melanie shook her head. "He did nothing. Said that Meliorn had made the whole thing up. That Gryffindor boys would never been so cruel." She spat the words with such ferocity that Cedric could practically feel the hate radiating off her. "Something broke in my brother that day. And at such a young age." Her anger turned to pain. "That summer he completely changed. He built a wall around his heart, changed how he walked, how he talked. He wore contacts from that day forward, always armed himself with protective charms and learned so many defence spells I lost count. My parents didn't question the change, they were just content to have what they deemed a son worth of the Hallows name. But from that day forward the Meliorn Hallows the world saw was not the one I knew."

Cedric was lost for words as Melanie finished speaking. He had so many questions and yet not a single one reached his lips. He saw a flurry of emotions cross Melanie's features - fear, pain, regret and worry. Worry as to how Cedric would react to this vulnerability Melanie had displayed to him. "You said he wasn't the one you knew." Cedric commented, the relief on Melanie's face visible at the lack of pity Cedric poured upon her.

"I know my brother - who he really is. The rest of the world may have lost him, but I never will." She spoke softly and slowly and Cedric knew he shouldn't push the topic any more. She has already shared so much with him, and he got the feeling that she wasn't usually that open, that she had been taught to close herself off. Silently, Cedric stood and walked around the blanket to Melanie, situating himself down beside her. Silently, he laid his hand on top of hers. "That's why I don't trust Dumbledore."

Cedric nodded, peering down at the beauty. "I understand Mel, I do. But I want to do this." Melanie sighed and turned to look Cedric, analysing his features. The curve of his Cupid's bow, his long lashes and the small smile lines by his eyes. He was endlessly beautiful, and Melanie felt a tug in her heart. "Do you want to do it for you, or for your Father?" "It's for me." Cedric swore, caressing Melanie's hand. "I promise."

"Can you promise me one more thing?" Melanie questioned, inhaling Cedric's cologne. He smelled like honey and cinnamon and Melanie felt like she could get drunk of the aroma. "Anything." "Promise me you'll be safe." Cedric laughed, truly believing that Melanie was being over protective. It was merely a competition, nothing that she should worry about. But with those pleading eyes and downturned lips he would give her anything in the world to make her smile once more. "I promise." He agreed, and he meant it.

But he didn't know he was promising the impossible.