Destined| Goblet of Fire: Book 4

Distant

Kiana

"You stink Black," people hissed as I walked by.

I kept my head down as I walked in the middle of Hermione and Josh. Harry took the initiative in ignoring me after yesterday. Apparently, being seen together drew too much negative attention and he'd like to avoid that as much as possible. It's stupid. He's stupid. This whole tournament is stupid. And now am I not dealing with all this stress and frustration. The other Houses we grew close with turned their backs on us. The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with us Gryffindors, had turned remarkably cold toward the whole lot of us.

One Herbology lesson was enough to demonstrate this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs felt that Harry and I had stolen my brother's glory; a feeling exacerbated, perhaps, by the fact that Hufflepuff House very rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the few who had ever given them any, having beaten Gryffindor once at Quidditch. Through default though.

Justin Finch-Fletchley, with whom Harry and I normally got on very well, did not talk to us even though we were repotting Bouncing Bulbs at the same tray - though they did laugh rather unpleasantly when one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggled free from Harry's grip and smacked him hard in the face. I rolled my eyes.

To top it all off, Ron nor Jake were talking to Harry and I either. Hermione and Josh sat between us, making very forced conversation, but though the four of us answered answered them normally, we avoided making eye contact with each other. I thought even Professor Sprout seemed distant with me - but then, she was Head of Hufflepuff House and adored Cedric.

I would have been looking forward to seeing Hagrid under normal circumstances, but Care of Magical Creatures meant seeing the Slytherins too - the first time I would come face-to-face with them since becoming champion.

Predictably, Malfoy arrived at Hagrid's cabin with his familiar sneer firmly in place.

"Ah, look, boys, it's the champion," he said to Crabbe and Goyle the moment he got within earshot of Harry. "Got your autograph books? Better get a signature now, because I doubt he's going to be around much longer. . . . Half the Triwizard champions have died . . . how long d'you reckon you're going to last, Potter? Black? Ten minutes into the first task's my bet."

"Leave my sister alone Malfoy," Kayla growled.

Malfoy chortled. Kayla punched him square in the nose and rolled her eyes.

"I meant it." She growled.

Malfoy angrily rolled his eyes and stalked off.

"Thanks Kayla," I said sincerely.

Kayla nodded and pulled me in for a hug.

"I'll talk to the babbling idiots we call our brothers and let them know you didn't do this," Kayla said and I nodded.

Kayla has stuck up for me every since this whole fiasco. I looked up from the ground and saw Hagrid calling Harry and I over. I grabbed Harry's hand instinctively but he drew it away. I rolled my eyes and folded my arms.

"Hagrid's calling us.." I whispered.

Harry nodded and walked ahead from me. Was he embarrassed to be seen with me?

"Boys are stupid, don't over think about Harry.. the stress is probably getting to him," Kayla sighed and I nodded.

I followed behind Harry, distantly, and stood on Hagrid's side away from Harry.