Jade (jadeites_lady) wrote,

To New Heights

Title: To New Heights
Fandom: Harry Potter
Theme: 30_hugs #30 - Hug! and iateaburgerrrrr's #27 - Original Character
Pairing: Cedric Diggory x Cho Chang
Rating: G
A/N: The story takes place in Cho's 3rd year / Cedric's 4th year, and introduces OC: Sarah Diggory, Cedric's kid sister. Also, I am having Cedric as a seeker in his fourth year because I figured he wouldn't be made Captain in his fifth year if he were brand new to the team (right?).


"Cedric, have I told you that you're the handsomest, most charming, smartest, most wonderful brother in the whole world?"

Cedric sighs, puts down his quill, and tries not to roll his eyes. He looks at his kid sister with a skeptical look. "Okay, Sarah. What do you want me to do?"

"What makes you think I need something from you?" Sarah all but bats her eyelashes innocently. When he raises an eyebrow, she concedes. "Well, okay... there is something..."

She rushes on before he can interject. "I promised a friend I'd go flying with her this afternoon. You know, give her a few pointers on flying since Madam Hooch only teaches basic techniques. But now, I have this Potions essay that I need to work on, and so I was wondering..."

"If I could help you with your essay?"

"Actually, I wanted to know if you could go flying with her instead." Sarah smiles a bit sheepishly. "Seeing as I should work on the essay myself, and you are the better flier - I mean, you are a Seeker now - so you should be at least decent."

"Are you trying to flatter me?"

"Please, oh, please, Cedric!" Sarah gives him her best puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine. This afternoon?"

"Yes. She'll meet you in the courtyard." Sarah excitedly gives her brother a big bear hug. "Thank you so much!"

As she is about to skip away, Cedric calls out. "Excuse me! Which friend? A name would be good."

"Oh!" Sarah's eyes brighten. A sneaky smile slides in. "It's Cho! Cho Chang!"

And she rushes off, muffling her giggle at Cedric's surprise.


Cedric lets out a sigh as he walks towards the courtyard. Why does it feel like his sister just set him up? She can't know that he likes Cho. After all, he has been doing a good job keeping his feelings pretty well-hidden, right? So, is this just another form of sibling torture? He makes a mental note to jinx her socks when this is over.

There she stands, her back to him as she faces the castle's gates. He pauses and massages the sudden crink out of his neck. He swallows, trying to gain feeling in his dry mouth, and clears his throat. She doesn't notice, but he hears her muttering to herself. "Come on, Cho. You can do this. Sarah's got faith. You should too."

"Hey, Cho!" He calls, placing a hand on her shoulder to draw her attention. A surprised look crosses her face, and a smile forms.

"Hey, Cedric." She looks at him, then behind him, and creases form at her brow. "Did Sarah chicken out?"

"You could say that." He grins and she sighs. "You're stuck with me... that is, if you don't mind."

"Oh, no!" Cho tries to erase any disappointment off her face. "Of course, I don't mind. I just thought... well, I wouldn't want to be any imposition..."

"Not at all." Cedric quickly soothes her anxieties. "Sarah said you wanted to fly, and I need the practice myself. So why not?"

"Okay!" Cho brightens. He motions towards the gates, and off they go.

"Have you flown much before?" He asks.

"Not really. A few times with friends, but not much since Madam Hooch's class."

"Do you like to fly?"

Cho looks a bit hesitant. "I don't think I've flown enough to decide whether I like it or not."

Although that seems like a reasonable answer, Cedric gives her a strange look. Usually, people either like it or they don't. Unless of course, she doesn't like to fly and is trying to learn to like it. And if Sarah knows this...

She notices his reaction and pauses in her steps. "Cedric, if you don't want to fly with me, that's fine. I totally understand. I wouldn't even hold it against you. I know I'm not very good at it..."

"Cho." He stops her from continuing to ramble. "I want to fly with you." Wait, that didn't come out right. "What I mean is that... Sarah said you needed a few pointers... and if you don't mind me being the one..."

"I don't mind at all, Cedric." The smile grows on Cho's face and Cedric lets out a breath. Rather than continue the I-don't-mind-if-you-don't-mind circle, he mounts his broom and motions for her to do the same.

"You can relax your grip a little." He says, noticing her bare-white knuckles squeezing the life out of the broom. "The broom responds to your touch, your mood, your thoughts. Once you become more confident in your flying abilities, the broom will become an extension of you."

"Now why didn't Madam Hooch just say that?"

"Instead of giving her entire speech about why a broom is a magical transportation device to us versus it being a cleaning object to muggles?" Cedric asks, causing her to laugh. "If she said that, the skies would be crowded with brooms."

"Ah." Cho smiles knowingly. Cedric kicks off, hovers in the sky, and watches Cho do the same - although a bit less graceful than what he expected.

"Let's go to the lake." He says, receiving a wide-eyed look from her. "The pitch will be full of quidditch players, and besides, the lake is prettier."

"But... what if I fall?"

He chuckles slightly. "You won't. Just have confidence."

"That's the moral of the day." Cho mutters more to herself, watching him speed away. With a determined look, she maneuvers her broom to follow his lead. As he loops, she loops. He zigzags; she zigzags. Soon, she isn't even paying attention to how far she is off the ground or where she is. All she sees is him, his yellow and black robes beckoning her to come closer. But every time she thinks she almost has him, he laughs and turns a different direction.

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching me?" She calls out, exasperated. "I'm just chasing you!"

Cho doesn't realize how her words create a buzz inside Cedric's chest, but he turns to her with a mesmerizing smile. "You are learning! Just look where we are, your control over the broom, how far you've gotten."

And it dawns on her. He's right. He laughs at her expression, and she laughs with him. And it feels wonderful.

When they land, the cloud of euphoria doesn't disappear. Cho bounces happily, and catches him off-guard with an unexpected bear hug. "Thank you so much!"

Sarah runs to them, jumping up and down in her own excitement, which just fuels Cho's elation.

"Did you see me?" Cho's grin fills her face.

"You did it!" Sarah exclaims, and both girls laugh and bounce in each other's arms.

Cedric shakes his head at their display, and he rubs the back of his neck in confusion. "It was just a flying lesson."

Cho looks at him and then back at Sarah. "You didn't tell him?"

Sarah shakes her head and she grins back at her brother. "Didn't you know, Cedric? Cho's afraid of heights."

The End
Tags: 30hugs, fic, harry potter: cho/cedric
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