𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑒 | 𓆙

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑒𝑛

Just under a week had passed since the pleasant, early morning stroll Cedric had accompanied you on through the courtyard. Draco was still acting abnormally towards you after finding out about the time you and Diggory had shared. He had been acting as if you were not even remotely acquainted. When the two of you seldomly shared interactions, he would keep the conversation short and straightforward, speaking in a cold manner. As much as you wanted to resolve the tension, it seemed as if he didn't.

Adding to his cold-hearted behavior, Draco was actively involved in the manufacturing of offensive pin badges. The propaganda was not aimed at Cedric, but instead, Harry. As you walked through Hogwarts' corridors, you were disgusted at the number of students displaying the badges on their robes. The green circles seemed to flash 'Potter Stinks' at you every time a student walked past.

It was a break in between classes, and you had been searching for Harry. You had been wanting to speak to him about the night of the champion selection but hadn't been able to catch him. In amongst the crowded hallway, you managed to spot the mop of brown hair charging its way outside. You picked up your speed to catch up with him. However, you realized he was making a b-line straight for Cedric. As you got closer to the pair, you slowed down your pace just enough to hear the conversation at hand.

"Dragons. They've got one for each of us." Harry explained to Cedric, while in the background, offensive and insulting comments bellowed from Diggory's friend group.

"You're serious? And Fleur and Krum, do they...?" Cedric began to ask, with a slight disturbance on his face. Both of them ignoring the mocking calls of the spectating group

"Yes." Harry answered bluntly.

"Right..." Diggory trailed off, Harry began to walk away, but Cedric caught him by the arm, stopping him in his tracks, "Hey Listen, The badges, I've asked them not to wear them."

"Don't worry about it." Was all Harry finished with, before moving his arm out of Cedrics grip and starting to walk back inside.

You began to follow Harry again, starting to pick up your pace once more. However, Harry was once again stopped by a taunting voice coming from the tree next to the school's entrance. Draco was perched proudly in between the branches, smirking down at him.

"My father and I have a bet, you see. He doesn't think you'll last ten minutes." Draco then jumped down, his eyes slowly creeping to the side and locking with yours for a second before turning back to Harry. His friends, including Crabbe and Goyle, now surrounded you and Harry. "I disagree, I don't think you'll last five."

Harry began to charge at Draco, an angry look in his eye. You noticed this straight away and rushed to be in the middle of the two boys before anything drastic could happen.

"I don't don't give a damn what your father thinks Malfoy." Harry yelled as you put both hands on Harry's chest, stopping him from getting closer to Draco, "he is vile and cruel. And you're just pathetic."

You began to gently push Harry backward to create a little space between the two tense and angry teenage boys. You quickly shot a disappointed look over your right shoulder towards Draco, shaking your head slightly.

You noticed the anger rising after your gesture and caught a glimpse of Draco gritting his teeth. He then reached inside of his robes to retrieve his wand. You began to panic, knowing that Draco wouldn't hesitate to harm Harry if given a chance.

     Suddenly, Mad-Eye Moody appeared from the corridors and charged towards the three of you. "Oh no, you don't, sonny!" Mad-Eye exclaimed as he shot a curse from his wand towards Draco. In a blink of an eye, Draco had spun in circles turning into a small white ferret. From beside you, Harry broke out into laughter as the ferret that once was Draco squealed and scurried about.

"That'll teach you not to cross someone when their back is turned..." Mad-Eye yelled as he wobbled towards Draco. As he flicked his wand up and down, ferret Draco was raised up into the air and back to the ground repeatedly. "You stinking... horrid little," Professor Moody continued before being abruptly interrupted. Professor McGonagall strutted out from the corridors hurriedly as her robes flailed behind her.

"Professor Moody, what are you doing?!" McGonagall asked as Draco was being thrown around. The scene had now grown quite a bit of attention, as Cedric and his friend group had also come over to observe the circumstances.

"Teaching," Mad-Eye said coarsely.

"Is that a... is that a student?!" McGonagall said as she gestured towards Draco anxiously.

"Technically it's a ferret," Mad-Eye said plainly as he used his wand to move the ferret down Crabbe's trousers. Crabbe now screamed and squirmed, wanting to be free of the animal. Cedric looked over to you and Harry as he flashed a gleaming smile, eating up the fact that Draco was getting what he deserved. You yourself couldn't help but laugh a little bit at the point that Draco was squirming around in one of your housemates' trousers.

"Stand still! Stand still," Goyle ordered as he reached his hand into Crabbe's trousers, fishing for Draco. Goyle then quickly pulled his hand away when Draco bit his finger. Mad-Eye turned his head and winked at Harry, who was standing beside you.

With that, the ferret climbed out from Crabbe's pant leg, finally freed. McGonagall then swiftly swished her wand towards Draco and returned him to his human form. Draco quickly stood up, with his hair looking untidy and frizzy. He glanced at you and then at Harry.

"My father will hear about this," Draco warned Mad-Eye.

"Is that a threat?" Professor Moody nastily questioned as he began to chase Draco around the tree.

"Professor Moody!" McGonagall attempted to order.

"Is that a threat?!" Mad-Eye asked again as Draco screamed, trying to get away from him.

"Professor!" McGonagall yelled as she held up her wand. With that, Mad-Eye let Draco go as he ran as fast as he could for the corridors, his friends following. Harry could not control his laughter as Mad-Eye gave one last shot at Draco.

"I can tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair, boy," Mad-Eye shouted as Draco disappeared from view.

"Alastor," Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"It doesn't end here," Mad-Eye yelled.

"Alastor, we never use Transfigurations as a punishment. Surely Dumbledore told you that," McGonagall said stiffly.

"He might've mentioned it..." Professor Moody said quietly. McGonagall now had her wand pointed to Mad Eye's head.

"Well you will do well to remember it," Professor McGonagall said harshly. "Away," she ordered the large crowd, shooing them out of the courtyard. She then followed them out, probably looking for the distraught Draco that just ran in that direction. Mad-Eye stuck his tongue out at her before focusing back onto Harry.

"You, come with me," Moody said, starting to walk away. Harry then looked over at you as you stood alone under the tree. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but then turned away to follow Professor Moody.

Well, that was great, you thought. You had finally found Harry, and you couldn't even catch a second of his time. Now you not only had to talk to Harry, but you had to deal with Draco, who was most likely throwing a hissy fit back in the common room. If you couldn't talk to Harry, you might as well console Draco. You turned around and started to make your way back to the dungeons.

While you were walking, you had the strange urge to cry. To cry right then and there and just let out what you had been building up inside you. Let out the worries you had about your father not accepting you. Let out the stress of Draco being possessive over you. Let out the tiny bit of you that was convinced that maybe Harry did put his name into the Goblet of Fire that night. So that's what you did. You began to bawl your eyes out as you hurried down the corridors, trying to avoid meeting the eyes of the many students staring at you. Looking at your feet, you began to pick up your speed.

      As you turned the corner, you collided harshly into a very tall figure. Falling back onto the cold ground was the last thing you remembered before blacking out.