Even Royalty Falters || Draco Malfoy

Chapter 29 - The Portkey

I spent the rest of the holidays followed around by questioning and curious eyes of students and professors. We continued our claim of being "just friends," I would hate to satisfy Rita Skeeter if we came out and said the truth. Besides, one more secret can't hurt on top of all the other ones we already had. No one needed to know, because no one would allow it once they did. My parents would certainly be dismayed if they knew. Friendship, they'd tried to tolerate. Love, was forbidden. 

Luckily as it turned out, Rita Skeeta had other news to report over me and Draco. As the days turned into weeks, people began to let the topic drop as they got used to seeing the two of us in the corridors.

Before long, the deadline of figuring out the second task was approaching. When I walked into the Great Hall the day of, I found Harry alone with Ron and Hermione nowhere to be found. Weird, since Hermione was all over Harry the past few days about his next daunting task.

When we gathered around the Black Lake for the second task, it was revealed that each champion had to save the person who they miss the most at the bottom of the lake. Hermione was Krum's person! I stood with Neville and Ginny as we waited in anticipation. One by one we watched Krum appear with Hermione, Cedric with Cho and Fleur with no one since she had gotten injured. When Harry broke the surface, gasping for air and holding onto two people, I realized that he had not only saved Ron, but also Fleur's sister! Now, Harry and Cedric were tied for first with one final task left at the end of the year.

One day in Potions, Pansy strode into class with a smug smile on her face as shoved a copy of The Daily Prophet into Hermione's face.

"Read it, Granger!" She sneered, motioning all the Slytherins in our class to father around.

I skimmed the article over Hermione's shoulder, seeing that Rita Skeeter had published an article on her, claiming that she was toying with both Harry and Krum's feelings.

"You told Rita Skeeter that Hermione was making illegal Love Potions?" I growled, outraged.

Pansy shrugged, "who knows?" She snickered.

I took a step towards Pansy and whipped out my wand, holding it steadily pointed at her face, a list of jinxes running through my head to use. Just then, Draco walked in through the door, followed shortly by Snape, and I was forced to put away my wand. "Oh well, can't make your face uglier when it's the ugliest," I remarked, earning a chorus of giggles from my fellow Gryffindors.

"Ms. Whitewing, return to your seat please," Snape warned as he came up to me.

He caught sight of the newspaper lying on Hermione's desk and picked it up and read the article out loud. Hermione turned a deep shade of red as Slytherins burst into fits of laughter. Snape raised an eyebrow and flipped to the next page, clearing his throat ready to read it before he stopped himself with a glance at Draco.

I knew what the next article was about. It was about Draco and I, even though it had been ages since the Yule Ball. Rita Skeeter still fueled our family rivalry with our forbidden love. And while Draco and I had kept up the facade that we were merely friends, Skeeter's articles kept insisting otherwise.

"A very interesting 'friendship' no doubt," Snape's eyes flickered from Draco to me. Indeed, his favorite student and one if his least favorites. What was a Professor like him to do about that?

"Its only interesting since everyone makes it out to be," I responded, finally taking a seat. Across the room, Draco subtly nodded in silent agreement. It was enough for Snape to return to the front of the classroom and start his lesson.

When Easter came around, the four of us received our annual Easter eggs from Aunt Molly. I frowned upon comparing mine to Harry and Ron's. "Mine are smaller than yours!"