Just Some... Help

Chapter 6

As the date of the first task drew closer, Malfoy noticed a change in Potter. Of course he would be nervous for the task, but he seemed oddly agitated, growing quieter in classes, snapping at Hermione whenever she spoke to him, and not speaking to Ron at all. In potions he was subdued, never reacting to Snape's or the Slytherins jabs.
Potter would barely eat at mealtimes, only coming into the great hall for a few minutes to grab some toast or scarfing down some chicken before leaving.

When Malfoy cornered him in the corridor a week later, Harry's eyes flickered to the badge fixed to the front of Malfoy's robes before returning to his face. Staring at Malfoy, he waited for the blond boy to start with an insult.
"So Potter, how long are you going to last in the first task? I'd say about five minutes wouldn't you?" he drawled as he turned to Crabbe and Goyle on either side of him. They replied with grunts that Harry could only assume were meant to be laughter. He didn't reply, and instead turned away and continued to charms class.
Draco watched him go, at a loss for what to do. Potter had never ignored one of his insults before. Dazed, he turned away from Potter's retreating back. His voice was gruff when he spoke to Crabbe and Goyle.
"Come on then" he said, leading them away.

Draco was becoming increasingly agitated as the date drew closer, snapping at the other Slytherins. His friends grew worried about him, but he insisted that he was fine, because he was always fine. A Malfoy was always fine.
The tone in the letters from his father were changing, growing excited, and hints about the tournament were mentioned every now and then. Harry's involvement seemed to be a particular cause for celebration, and Draco knew it wasn't just because of the dangerous tasks. There was something more to it.
His mother's letters were also changing, becoming worried, and warned him not to get involved with the tournament, and to always stay alert and watchful.

Eyes followed Harry everywhere but the only ones he really noticed were Malfoy's.
Harry found himself thinking about Malfoy more than he should have been, seeing as the first task was in less than a month. Their meeting in the corridor the day after his name was pulled out of the Goblet of Fire kept running through his head. The way he hadn't hesitated before accepting Harry's word, just trusting Harry to be telling the truth. Even Ron didn't believe him, his best friend. But Malfoy did, just because he had said so. Out of almost everyone in the school, it was Malfoy who took his side. Not publicly, of course but Harry knew about a different Malfoy than the mask he put on every day. One that believed Harry without a moments hesitation. This was definitely different to the Malfoy he had known before, and the Malfoy he continued to see in the corridor. He would often try to pick fights with Harry and then get flustered and confused when he didn't retaliate, which, although he couldn't admit it to himself, Harry found rather adorable.