Cedric had always been steady, something to lean on when everything else felt uncertain. But lately, he had begun to drift, slipping through your fingers no matter how tightly you tried to hold on. Conversations that once went on late into the night were now cut short with tired sighs. His smile, once effortless, now felt like something he had to remember to wear. And worst of all, the space between them physically, emotionally, had grown so vast that it felt impossible to bridge.

It wasn’t just stress. You knew Cedric knew how he carried the weight of expectations with quiet resilience. But this was different. This was distance, deliberate, and cold, creeping in like frost. It lingered in the way he no longer reached for your hand, in the way his letters had become shorter, filled with hollow words that didn’t match the ache you felt in your chest. It was only a matter of time before the question slipped past your lips.

"Are we still okay?" You asked, your voice barely above a whisper. They sat together in a quiet corner of the common room, but the warmth of the fire did little to ease the chill settling between them.

Cedric’s gaze remained fixed on his hands, fingers knotting together as if trying to piece together an answer that wouldn’t shatter them both. The silence went on, and with every second that passed, the answer became clearer.

Finally, he exhaled shakily, and when he spoke, his voice was so quiet they almost wished they hadn’t heard it at all.

"I don’t know anymore..."