Jars...and Just You
Challenge Nineteen: Bring Out Your Dead!
Title: Jars…and Just You
Author: myownmuggle
Wizard/Witch: Cedric Diggory/Hermione Granger
Rating/Warnings: G/PG
Genre: Romance/Whimsy
Word count: Exactly 750
Prompt: #54, An Unusual Occurrence
Summary: Cedric returns Hermione’s gift and gets something even better in return.
To say that what happened before the Quidditch match was an unusual occurrence would have been the biggest understatement in recorded wizarding history. Or at least since the founding of Hogwarts. Both Hermione and Cedric would have given that answer if anyone had asked them how they were feeling or what they were thinking after being caught by Snape, sitting on a bench in the entrance hall. KISSING!
Cedric chuckled to himself as he put on his Quidditch robes and led his team out onto the pitch. He was focused, as always, but his teammates noticed that he wasn’t snapping at them or barking out orders. In fact, he seemed almost upbeat or happy-or so the whispers ran around the locker room. The speculation on just what the Hufflepuff Seeker and Captain had been up to ran from the mundane (the latest issue of Quidditch Quarterly had an article about the flight patterns of the Golden Snitch guaranteed to give readers an edge over their opponents) to the extraordinary (Cedric was being recruited by the Grodzisk Goblins to leave Hogwarts and become their new Seeker) to the truly bizarre (Cedric had inherited an untold amount of money from a distant relative and was planning to buy Hogwarts).
The real answer was much more simple. Cedric Diggory was happy. And he had a sneaking suspicion that he might just be in love with one indescribable Gryffindor.
As he mounted his broomstick, Cedric tugged on his gloves and silently thanked Hermione for her gift. He played the match against Slytherin like never before and managed to catch the Snitch in record time, much to Snape’s chagrin when he saw the final score. Cedric stowed his gear in mere moments and raced back to the Hufflepuff dorm, anxious to meet up with Hermione.
Hermione was tapping her foot nervously, perched on the edge of a chair in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. She’d cheered for Hufflepuff at the match (for more reasons than were obvious to her housemates) and was now somewhat pleased, but petrified, at the thought of going to Hogsmeade with Cedric. A date. An excursion outside of Hogwarts with someone who wasn’t Harry or Ron. An actual, honest-to-goodness real date. She blushed at the thought, took a deep breath and pushed the portrait of the Fat Lady open.
Cedric was waiting in the entrance hall when Hermione finally descended the stairs. He extended a hand, taking hers into his own and bent to kiss her softly.
“Congratulations, Cedric, it was a spectacular match,” Hermione murmured when he released her.
“Thanks. Those gloves were bloody brilliant. The entire team wants a pair now.”
“Quaryles Quality Quidditch Supplies normally carries them, but they can always do a special owl order.” Hermione squeezed Cedric’s hand as he led her out the door.
Despite being bundled up, Hermione’s nose and fingertips were bright red and near to freezing when they reached the Three Broomsticks. Cedric ordered hot mead for both of them, offering Hermione a mug as she rubbed her hands together in front of the fire.
Merlin, she’s something fierce and wonderful, Cedric thought.
Hermione took the mug and inhaled the fragrance before sipping carefully. Cedric coughed, and she looked up inquiringly.
“Maybe this will help.” Cedric held out a small, brightly wrapped package that rattled when Hermione took it. Inside she found two small, palm-sized jars that appeared to be empty except for a small slip of parchment.
“We can’t have your hands getting cold while you’re watching Quidditch. They’re called Jigger Jars after Arsenius Jigger, the inventor. If your hands are cold, you shake them up and cast the incantation for heat. If you’re hot, do the same and use the other incantation. It’s all on the parchment there.”
Hermione set the jars carefully on the table and reached up to touch Cedric’s face gently. “Thank you, Cedric. I can’t remember the last time I received such a thoughtful gift.”
Knowing that classmates and friends were streaming into the pub didn’t deter Hermione. She leaned forward and kissed him soundly, sighing contentedly against Cedric’s lips.
Cedric drew back reluctantly, smiling at the flush that crept up Hermione’s cheeks. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She nestled next to him, soaking up the warmth of his body and the heat of the fireplace.
“Hermione?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For being you, Hermione. I couldn’t imagine you any other way.”
“You’re welcome.”
Author's Notes: This is for my other half. I couldn’t imagine being me without you.
Proof-reader: ladywhitehart