𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐃 ; d.malfoy

24

It had been nearly a month of bullying Potter with the badges and now, with the quotes from the interview he had with Rita Skeeter. It was fun to joke about his being rather emotional over his family, but, over time, it got really boring since he didn't really bother doing anything to any of us.

So most of us--by that, I meant me, Blaise and Quinn--gave up on bothering Potter and began to focus on our studies. The only ones who didn't leave him alone were Draco, Daph (who, was still upset over Diggory) and Parkinson.

Even though most of the teachers were occupied with the tournament, they still didn't hesitate in giving us an ample lot of homework so that's why I'd spend half of my time hunched over a book in the library.

During one particular afternoon, I found myself engrossed in a book about magical creatures when a familiar figure caught my attention. It was Victor Krum, the Durmstrang champion--he appeared to have been reading multiple books about dragons and he was sitting rather close to where Quinn and I sat. I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. I never thought a man like him would be interested in dragons of all creatures.

'Is it just me or is Krum here a lot?' I asked Quinn in whisper.
'I noticed too,' he agreed, 'but, he's only here whenever you are... it's odd.'

'You noticed that too-? I thought I was imagining it,' I replied. I noticed that Krum would always be in the library whenever I was and would always sit near to where I sat. His behaviour was odd since he only ever winked at me a couple of times yet he never attempted to make conversation.

'If you ask me, I think he's here because of you,' he says.
I flip my page rather loudly and it dulls out the sound of my scoff, 'oh please, you're delusional.'
'No, you're delusional for not agreeing with me,' he sternly says, 'go talk to him, I think you both would be happy.'
'You really think he wants to talk to me?'
'Yeah, I know so, now go!'

I hesitated for a moment before gathering my courage and approaching him. 'Krum, hi! I'm [Name] Levesque,' I greet, offering a friendly smile.

He looks at me with interested eyes and returns the smile. 'I know who you are,' he simply replies in his thick accent.

'You know who I am?' I ask.
'Of course, you Levesques are famous in all of Europe,' he replies.

My eyes glance to his book that he was reading and, in a desperate attempt to avoid awkward small talk, I offer him help: 'I couldn't help but notice you're studying the dragons. Is it for the first task? Do you need any help?'

He looks rather surprised at my offer to give him assistance but slowly, he nods, confirming that he was indeed researching for the task. 'You would help me?' he asks.

I nod. 'Of course. We're all in this together, right? Also, I've been studying magical creatures for a while, and I might have some insights that could be useful.'

Victor studied me for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. 'Alright, I accept your offer. The dragons are formidable creatures, and any advantage is welcome.'

Over the next few days, Victor and I spent time in the library, poring over books and discussing various strategies for facing the dragons. We exchanged knowledge and insights, and I was impressed by his dedication and determination to succeed. As we worked together, I felt a new feeling grow inside of me that was far from the initial attraction I felt towards him due to his handsome looks.

As the day of the first task approached, I could see the newfound confidence in Victor's eyes. Before the beginning of the first task, I approached him in the tent to give him a final good luck. 'You've got this, Victor,' I say, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 'Remember what we've talked about, and stay focused,' I say, giving him a reassuring smile.