Entranced (Draco Malfoy)

•forty•

Dove Taylor and Draco Malfoy trudge into the Great Hall, exhaustion, fear, and grief clinging to them. The bloody brunette, bruised and cut, doesn't want to look around. Death is everywhere. She can't believe she lived.

But it's not over. She keeps thinking like it's over. Memories flit in her mind, memories she doesn't want to remember. Memories she thought she'd never have to face.

Amos Diggory sits beside Dove Taylor, who is eagerly watching the maze, almost as if she can see what's inside. He chuckles a bit, filled with elation. His niece was always quite the inquisitive one. Beside her sits her boyfriend, Seamus Finnegan, who has his arm around her, grinning at her.

"Uncle Amos, when Cedric wins, what do you think he'll use the money for?" She asks, smiling when her parents begin to boast to the Weasley's behind them.

Seamus joins in on that conversation, giving her cheek a quick peck before turning around to argue for the Taylor's. She hears a slight snippet of the conversation, giggling instantly.

"Nah, mate, he's my best friend, not hers," Seamus lies through his teeth, "Come on, I'm only dating Dove to get closer to Cedric! He's the one I really want."

"Seamus," her mother laughs, hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

"I knew it!" Her father exclaims, causing the three of them to fall into heaps of laughter, the Weasley's unable to stop themselves from joining in.

"A vacation for the five of us," he says instantly. "We talked about it. He said he wanted to take you to Australia since that's all you've talked about since your first year."

Warmth seeps into her heart, "Really?" She doesn't fight the smile that turns up her lips. "I suppose he's my best friend for a reason."

Amos guffaws, "Oh, Dovie, what a jokester you are!" He slaps his knee, "I'll be sure to tell Ced that one."

She giggles, "Oh, no, please don't!" She squeals in mock terror. "What if he takes me to America instead?" Amos laughs even harder, his face turning red. "That place is horrible!"

"Are you bashing America again?" Lorraine Taylor interjects, shaking her head at her daughter. "What did the country ever do to you?"

Dove offers her uncle a coy glance before whispering, "Exist."

Lorraine rolls her eyes as Amos breaks out into hysterics, his face getting even redder, prompting Dove to get slightly worried for him. He takes a breath, his face going a bit paler than it was before, which relieves her. Seamus gives him an odd look, patting his back a little. The couple exchanges a look, smiling fondly at one another.

"I'm so proud of him," Lorraine murmurs, a somewhat wistful smile appearing on her pretty features. "He's done so well."

"And all with a smile," the fourth-year Hufflepuff says with clear pride. "I don't even mind the lack of sleep I got for helping him. He made it here, and he's going to win."

"You're so confident," David Taylor says amusedly. "I don't know, Dovie, that Delacour girl might make a comeback."

"Oh, come on, she's so nice, don't be mean," the Hufflepuff rolls her eyes.

"And pretty," Seamus jokes, causing the couple to fall into a mock argument.

"First my cousin and now his rival? Who's next? Harry?"

"You've guessed my master plan!"

"It's so weird seeing her so open here," she suddenly overhears Ron Weasley say. "This is the most I've heard her speak since first year."