𝙀𝙐𝙋𝙃𝙊𝙍𝙄𝘼 ➣ 𝐷. 𝑀𝑎𝑙𝑓𝑜𝑦✔

𝟑𝟎 | 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑰𝑵𝑨𝑳 𝑻𝑨𝑺𝑲

"𝗦𝗢 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧'𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗔 𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗦
between you and Malfoy?" Eleanor asks from behind me. I can already see the hand resting on her hip before I turn around. I shush her, hoping to God no one's heard the conversation thus far in the quietness of the library.

"I don't want everyone in on my business, El," I hiss. She doesn't acknowledge my comment as she sits beside me. I watch as she brushes her index finger along the spine of the books in front of us before grabbing one at random, probably to make it look like she's studying. "It was just a kiss."

"That's not what Blaise told me; he said you finally told him how you feel, and that he feels the same way?" I nod at her question, and the instant a smile appears on her lips, I feel my face burn. "I'm so happy for you, Lenora! Does this mean you guys are gonna start dating?"

I stare at her incredulously. "Whoa. You are moving way too quickly. All we did was kiss and admit how we feel, El. I mean, we haven't even gone on a date or anything yet; and beside, it happened two days ago."

"Well, Theo and I are dating."

"But you and Theo are preexisting friends; and you have been dating since the Yule Ball," I explain. Eleanor shrugs, contemplating my statement before nodding in agreement with me. Our conversation continues with me explaining to Eleanor my so called "lame attempt" to tell Draco how I feel. Other than her calling it a lame attempt, she seems relatively happy with how things are turning out between Draco and I. And saying that I'm not glad it happened would be a lie, because it feels almost like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Maybe sometime soon Draco and I will start going on dates, but for now, everything is much too chaotic with the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

The rest of my day flies by and before I know it, I'm in the stands waiting for the last task to begin with my friends. As usual, Draco is beside me, Crabbe and Goyle with him. Thankfully, Pansy Parkinson is no where to be seen; she probably ran off with Millicent and Daphne. Ever since she used the Cruciatus Curse on me, she hasn't done a single thing to apologize, she hasn't even looked my way. And even if she has, my friends have probably scared her away. I've also noticed that Draco hasn't been hanging out with her much either since then.

The cheering around me dies down as Dumbledore's voice drowns them out. "Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Tri-Wizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows it's exact position. Now, as Mr. Diggory and Mr. Potter--" cheers and claps erupt from my right, making me wince at the volume, "are tied for first position, they will be first to enter the maze. Followed by Mr. Krum, and Miss Delecour. First person to touch the cup will be the winner! Some of our staff will patrol the perimeter, and if at any point a contestant would like to withdrawl from the task, he or she need only send up red sparks with their wand. Contestants, gather round."

Dumbledore's voice fades as he turns away from his podium and talks to all four contestants. Their conversation is short and before I know it, they're lining up at the four entrances to the maze. Dumbledore isn't even able to count to three this time before the canon goes off, and the man rolls his eyes, sending Cedric and Potter into the maze, which magically seals them inside.

"It's a shame we can't see what's happening inside," Theo mutters.

"It is a shame. I mean, where's the fun in just sitting here and waiting?" Eleanor agrees with a small pout.

Time passes by, maybe close to thirty minutes and no sign of anyone. My hands are a bit cold, but I don't tell Draco because I don't want him worrying. Instead, I watch the open area before us, waiting for one of the contestants to appear.

I faintly hear Draco sigh beside me before he leans close and mumbles, "I'm bored. Let's get out of here."

I furrow my brows. When I look at him, he looks desperate, but nonetheless, I shake my head. "We can't leave now, Draco. It's almost the end of the tournament..." Draco sulks and it makes an idea pop into my head. "How about this. If we stay here, you can take me on a date."

Draco quirks a brow and with a smirk, he says, "A date, huh? Anywhere of my choosing?"

"Anywhere of your choosing. Do we have a deal?"

The both of us are silent for a moment until the blond boy shrugs. "I was planning to take you on a date anyway, but yes. You have yourself a deal."

The instant he says those words, my face burns and I turn away in a flustered state. However, our moment is once again short-lived when Potter suddenly appears in front of us with Cedric and the Tri-Wizard Cup. Cheers erupt around us and students begin flooding the steps as the band starts playing.

The only thing wrong with the scene in front of me is that Cedric isn't moving, at all. A scream erupts from one of the girls and that's when chaos starts to ensue. Dumbledore rushes to Potter, trying to pry him away from Cedric, but to no avail. That's when I notice that Potter is sobbing, meaning only one thing; Cedric is dead. I instinctively reach out to Draco, grabbing his wrist as my heart pounds in my chest. How in the world did Cedric get killed in the maze?

"He's back! He's back, Voldemort's back. Cedric, he asked me to bring his body back. I couldn't leave him. Not there." That short sentence that leaves Potter's lips makes my heart explode. Every sight, every smell, every word, all of it falls short as my knees feel weak. I feel cold now, frigid. Mr. Diggory's screams are faint in my ears and I don't know what to do. If Voldemort is back, my father will surely force me to become a death eater.

"I feel like I'm going to be sick," I murmur, almost inaudibly. Draco hears me, though and the two of us are the first to start heading back to the castle. The walk is long and silent, and unbareably quiet, but I don't want to say anything; I don't think either of us do.

We make it back to the dormitories and I know that Draco and I have to go our seperate ways, but I don't want to. I want to stay with him, I want-- I want him to hold me.

"You should get some sleep, Lenora," I hear him say, his hand on the small of my back. An action that would normally send a tingle through my body, but this time, it doesn't. I can't find the courage to answer him right now.

Cedric Diggory was killed by Voldemort. With the Dark Lord back in action and building up his army once again, things are just going to get much worse; more people are going to die. And I don't want any of my friends to die, including Draco.

The heat from Draco's hand suddenly disappears, making my eyes trail up from the floor to see that he's walking to his room.

"Draco, wait!" The words come tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop them. The blond boy stops and turns to me, his eyes full of concern. And when I speak again, my voice unintentionally breaks. "Can you stay with me? Please."

Not a second later, the boy nods. Relief floods my body as I'm lead into the boy's dormitory, which isn't much different from the girl's. Draco leads me to his bed and climbs under the covers first, holding them up for me to follow suit. I do so and instantly feel my tense shoulders relax. He seems to notice my hesitancy to get any closer because before I can protest, I'm being dragged across the bed, my head resting on Draco's chest. My cheek burns from his body heat, but it's comforting. And he smells nice.

"I won't let your father touch you, remember? I made that promise to you last year and I intend to keep it."

"Thank you, Draco."

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