by my side¹ - d. malfoy

Nineteen

"YOU NEED to what?" Pansy asked.

"I need to figure out how to breathe underwater," Laura said quickly.

Pansy and Blaise had just met up with Draco and Laura in the library while Laura did some very last-minute research for the task the next day.

After about an hour, Blaise and Pansy had to go, but Laura and Draco were in too deep to stop for anything.

Draco was reading potion and spell books, and Laura was doing the same while trying to respond to a letter from Nick.

Dear my slowly more and more British cousin,

I can't wait to stare at a lake for an hour. That's going to be really entertaining... As long as you win, I'm okay with it. I want you to know that I almost had to miss a Quidditch match because of you.

Also, as a side note, I'm happy to hear you and Mandrake are getting along again. You know, I'll probably bug him the entire hour.

But good luck, break a leg, conquer the world.

Nick

Laura scanned the letter again and again, trying to see if Nick had left any hidden hints; however, there were none to be found.

"Ugh, this is so dumb," Laura frowned, slumping onto the desk.

"I know," Draco said. He took her hand into his, squeezing it softly. "However, we need to make sure you can complete your task. I don't want you getting hurt."

Laura nodded, sitting up again. She looked around the library, seeing Fred and George. They went over to talk to Hermione and then to Laura and Draco.

"Hi George, hi Fred," Laura smiled, looking up from her book when they looked up. "Did you two need something?"

"Yeah," Fred said.

"We need Malfoy," George said with a shrug. "McGonagall wants him."

"Why?" Draco asked, looking unsettled about it.

"Dunno," Fred shrugged. "Just hurry up, Malfoy, McGonagall wants you now."

"Yeah, and we're supposed to take you to her office," George added.

Draco hesitantly got up.

"I'll see you in the common room, okay?" he said. He looked a bit nervous. He placed a kiss on Laura's forehead and then left with Fred and George with a scowl on his face.

Laura researched for about another hour before changing her study spot to one of the corners of the common room. She sat next to a window, staring into the Black Lake.

No matter how much Laura looked though, she just couldn't seem to find anything. So, she gave up. She stared into the lake, thinking about how she would have to tell the judges she couldn't do it.

Thoughts of Bagman looking wide eyes, Karkoff smiling with his nasty teeth at her. She could almost hear Fleur saying, "I knew it... she is too young. She is only a little girl." She could even see Brown and her dumb badges.

That motivated Laura to return to the library to read more books. Her anger surrounding being looked down upon got her to study until she fell asleep.

However, as she was asleep, she was poked.

"Ouch- that hurt-" Laura said drowsily.

"Laura Potter must wake up, miss!"

"I'm awake, you can stop poking me-"

"Dobby must poke Laura Potter. She must wake up!"

Laura sat up, seeing it was Dobby waking her up. She blinked tiredly at the elf.