Drarry - It Was All Just a Game (REWRITE - MATURE VERSION)

CHAPTER 1 - THE IDEA

It was the day after—morning, to be precise—Harry Potter's name spat from the Goblet of Fire.

"Can you believe it?" A fourteen-year-old Draco Malfoy glared at the Gryffindor table. Potter sat alone. Merlin, he looked so stupid. "You know what — why am I even surprised? It's so Potter-like to do something like this."

"You think he actually put his name in the cup?" Blaise looked up from his bowl of cereal.

"I bet you he planned this before he even got to Hogwarts. He probably organized the tournament himself with the Minister and rigged it in his favor so he can get more press. Oh, he'll eat this up. The articles, the editorials about him. Speccy dumb git gets all the publicity." Draco stabbed his eggs with his fork. "There are more worthy people who deserve the attention."

"Like you," Blaise blinked slowly.

"Yes, like me. You know I wanted to put my name in that cup. Everyone did. Who wouldn't want the honor? And now I'll get a letter from Father talking about how Potter got in and I didn't. Stupid bloody show-off..." Draco continued until his face was red and his eggs were cold. Most of the Slytherins had already gone to class, either bored with him or gasping for oxygen, since he seemed to take so much of it out of the room.

Though everyone had been talking about the same thing since the previous night: Potter's name impossibly spewing from the Goblet of Fire.

"How long has he been like this?" Pansy took a seat next to Blaise as Draco ranted.

Blaise sighed. "Since last night."

"Wow, he broke his own record." She grabbed pancakes and stacked them on her plate. "Wasn't the longest he'd ever gone on about Potter three hours?"

"I thought it was five after Granger punched him because Potter had the audacity to hang out with her. Thanks for leaving me to deal with it," Blaise stuck out his tongue. "By the way, your lips are swollen. Having too much fun with Nott?"

Pansy rolled her eyes.

"Oi, pay attention," Draco snapped.

"We are," Blaise lied.

"I want him to lose so badly," Draco sneered. "He deserves to lose. He thinks he'll get all the glory. All the attention. Hell, I want him to get hurt." Then Draco's mouth twisted. "What if he died? It's happened before, a student dying in the Triwizard Tournament. Maybe this is a good thing. Then we wouldn't have to see him in the halls. Durmstrang could win. It'd be great! We need to make sure that happens."

"And how are we going to do that?" Blaise raised an eyebrow, actually becoming interested.

Draco stared forward, his lips pursed as he thought. "We need a campaign. Get everyone to jump on the 'hate Potter' train like they should be. He's made people gawk over him long enough. How can he succeed if everyone is cheering for someone else?"

"Now's the time if you want to do anything," Pansy pushed the pancake in her mouth to one side as she talked. "I heard four different groups of Hufflepuffs bag on Potter on my way into breakfast alone. And this is Day One of the tournament. Can you imagine how bad it will be by First Task?"

"I don't even care if Diggory wins, as long as it's not Potter." Draco pushed back his plate, his eyes lighting up at his novel idea. "I've got it. Badges. Everyone will wear them. I'll even curse them, so if anyone tries to change what they say, it'll make the insults worse. I need a list. What should I put on them?"

"Potter's an attention hog," Blaise suggested.

"No. Potter stinks. Because he does. This is brilliant," he stood. "I'll see you later."