MEMENTO MORI | DRACO MALFOY

EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Ophelia woke with a splitting migraine the morning of June twenty-fourth. This time, she couldn't shake the images from her dream. The headstone, the ravens, the snakes, the darkness. She was surprised she even had time to dream after all the times she woke up in excruciating pain. She refused to go to Madam Pomfrey for a headache, so she stuck it out, knowing they had an exam that day and especially not wanting to miss the Third Task that evening.

Ophelia hoped to run into Cedric in the Great Hall for breakfast that morning to wish him good luck, but he was nowhere to be seen. He was probably doing some last minute studying before the final task, unlike Harry Potter, who was sat at the Gryffindor table barely touching his porridge.

It had been almost a week since they had started the building of the hedge maze, and it was quite clear what the champions would need to do. Get through the maze, win the tournament. Simple. Though it would be such a pity if Potter didn't make it out.

The post came just on time that morning and the large barn owl swooped overhead and dropped the Daily Prophet loudly on Ophelia's plate, sending a reverberating sound through her brain. She hadn't had a headache so severe before, she could barely make out the words on the front page of the Prophet before they completely blurred.

"Check this out!" Draco appeared next to her, slamming his own copy of the Daily Prophet next to hers. Splayed across the front page of both their papers was a large, obnoxious photograph of Harry Potter with the words HARRY POTTER 'DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS' bolded on top. It appeared that Potter hadn't seen the Prophet yet, and by the looks on his friends' faces, they didn't want him to see it either.

"Hey, Potter!" Malfoy called out tauntingly, causing Ophelia to recoil in pain. "How's your head? You feeling alright? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?"

He was now waving the paper over his head obnoxiously. The entirety of the Slytherin table was snickering and turning to look at Potter's reaction. His cheeks had turned scarlet, and his eyes were set on Ophelia with a glare as he took the Prophet from Ron's wavering hand and Ophelia glanced down at the article as well, reading it in full.

"You sure love to give your opinion, Draco, don't you?" Ophelia smirked as she finished, shutting the paper softly. "Normally I would think you're being stupid, but after how annoying Potter has been to me lately, I quite enjoyed it."

"Glad to be of assistance, Eff." Draco replied smugly. "Are we going to watch Potter fail miserably together tonight or what?"

Ophelia forced a smile. "If I can get this headache under control, sure."

"I think you should go to Madame Pomfrey." Daphne suggested quietly. "Perhaps she can give you something to feel better. I know you're stubborn, O, but you wouldn't want to miss out on Potter losing something for once! Plus, we've got our History of Magic exam today!"

"Fine, I'll go." Ophelia sighed in defeat. She knew she couldn't go all day feeling this way. "If she brushes me off I'm blaming you, Daph." She made to stand and immediately the entire hall began to spin around her, causing her to stumble slightly, losing her balance.

"Fair enough." The blonde shrugged, quickly helping her friend to steady her feet.

Draco was quick to stand and rush to Ophelia who brushed both of her friends off and insisted she was fine.

"No, someone's going with you, Eff." Draco ordered. "Greengrass? You free to take her? I'm sure she'd rather you than me."

Daphne nodded, and much to her reluctance, Ophelia took her arm, leading her out of the Great Hall. She was silently grateful for her friend leading her to the Hospital Wing, or else she might've collapsed on the way there.