What If? -Drarry

Part Two: Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

On the day of the second task, Draco rose early, dressed, and spent two hours in the common room trying to stop thinking about what could happen to Harry in the task, drawing and reading and trying to do homework to distract himself - without much success. It had been two months since the Yule ball, and the feelings that had at first threatened to engulf Draco had begun to drain away, leaving a gaping ache of absence in their wake. Eventually, he realised that nothing was working and he was still just as worried as he had been when he first got up. The sick feeling he'd had on the first task was back in his stomach. Manimi was gone, out on a hunt probably.

Eventually, the other Slytherins began drifting into the common room, starting with some older kids he didn't know well from the year above him, and followed grudgingly by Theodore Nott, Blaise, Pansy, and a few other Slytherins from Draco's year. Ever since he'd taken Blaise's advice and brought Pansy on an extravagant shopping trip to Hogsmeade by way of an apology, they'd been on speaking terms. Unfortunately, Draco still got the feeling that pansy didn't like him, but some things couldn't be helped.

The Slytherins brought little distraction as they crowded the common room, lounging on the regal armchairs and sofas. Pansy was especially unhelpful, as she seemed intent on planning out all the possible ways that Harry might die in whatever unknown event was planned for the second task. Eventually, even the other Slytherins seemed tired of her cackling laughter. Finally, it was Theo who decided to put them out of their misery.

"Pansy, no offence, but could you please shut up?" he asked sweetly. Pansy opened her mouth in mock horror and pouted, pathetically.

Draco was thankful when the group finally decided to move out of the cramped common room to the Great Hall, now joined by Crabbe and Goyle. However, the knot in his stomach tightened when he searched the Great Hall and found that the Golden Trio were absent from their usual spot. Surely at least Granger and Weasley would have been at breakfast. With mounting dread, he forced himself to eat some toast and talk to the others, putting on his Malfoy Face and laughing along at their jokes, until the schools began as one to move out into the grounds, and towards the boats floating on the lakes. Clouds sagged in the sky. Draco wondered if it was going to rain.

The stands on the lake were loud and swayed sickeningly whenever strong wind came about, and still Harry was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that his absence had finally been noticed by the other students, as whispering sounded around the stands. Below them, the judges put their heads together secretively. Karkaroff smirked.

"He's chickened," Stated Blaise. "he's not coming."

"Shame," Laughed Pansy. "I was looking forward to watching him drown,"

"Oh, change the record, Pansy," Spat Draco, and turned back to the castle, ignoring the look she was giving him. Maybe Harry had chickened out... Then he would be safe, he wouldn't have to do the task! Just as Draco thought this, however, a figure came streaking out towards the boats, and the noise in the stands rose as Draco's heart fell once again, coming to rest somewhere near his feet.

Waiting for the champions to resurface was exhausting. He barely stirred when Fleur appeared at the surface, and after that, he couldn't take his eyes off the lake, searching for any tiny hint of movement. For almost an hour he barely moved, staring and waiting, and then jumping almost a foot in the air when out of nowhere a champion appeared. The stands exploded into applause as Draco sank back into his seat. It was only Cedric. Again he jumped as Krum burst from the water with Granger in his arms. But Harry was nowhere to be seen. Minutes passed like agonising hours, and beside him, Draco heard Blaise say quietly,