Blessed With A Curse

Chapter 12

Back to Hogwarts, I wasn't feeling as glum as the year before. More reluctant to leave the house, things had gotten more quiet than usual. More vacant. Hogwarts was flooded, the spark of everyone being reunited and I felt that too. It was nice not to be so alone all the time. I was only half interested into what Dumbledore was growling on about, it was near enough the same every year. Me Crabbe and Goyle we're still fully invested in what happened at the Quidditch World Cup. They shared the same thrill that I did, it helped subdue the guilt that I began to feel. Topics changed further as Dumbledore ordered us all to be silent. My father had told me already about the Triwizard tournament. It was a wizard contest held between the three schools, Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. If you were to win you'd be remembered forever, eternal glory. I was more than excited, eager to be a part of it but my father warned me that the rules had been changed. You could only enter at the age of seventeen due to the mass amount of deaths. I had already had my sulk about it but when Dumbledore made the rest of the school aware it was an entire uproar. The weaslbys screeching that's rubbish, yeah we get it. They should have known already, their father working for the ministry. It just really showed how irrelevant him and his entire family were.

The introductions to the schools on the other hand was fascinating. Finally stepping into manhood, I was already eyeing the females that danced in. The Beauxbatons, all looking extremely similar, composed and elegant, powerful ladies, I'd let my mouth drop open on their arrival, my eyes trailing their movement as if I was in a trance. The Drumstrang school fierce and incredibly obnoxious, demanding for our attention. The girls in complete  awe over Victor Crumb, even us males felt his over powering masculinity and outrageous good looks, we were all drowning in jealousy. My eyes scanned the Griffindors table, for a certain girl in particular. I wanted to see if she had taken any notice, of course she would. But she sat there completely oblivious, her eyes locked on those of Cedric Diggory. Her smile gleaming, eyes sparkling and I couldn't help but feel the anger rise at the site of how close they were. His cloak laced around hers, his face mere inches away, I could imagine how she smelt her sweet vanilla sent. She looked oddly small against him, he gloomed over her like a predator but those dazzling green eyes looked up into his like he was some sort of god. Goyle bashed my arm grabbing my attention. Only now I realised my hands were tightened into fist, my body rigid and stone still, my lungs clenched. The anger and hatred seethed through me, not aimed towards him but towards her. She had played me a complete fool last year, tore my guard down and I was foolish enough to let her. Cursed just like Cedric.

"You coming Draco?" Pansy frowned, trying to catch my eye-line. I broke away from the foul image, not realising that they too had began to disappear like everyone else. I shook my head trying to rid myself of the state, forcing myself to follow the others.
"What's got your knickers in a twist." Pansy snarled. Her feet mimicking mine in a stomp. I gave her a daring glare which was rewarded by a malicious grin. "Least Potter won't be getting any extra attention this year." She pointed out as we made our way to our common room.
"Yeah bet he hates that." I smirked. The sorrow of not being allowed to play had now vanished as I knew Harry wouldn't get ago either.
"I'd have probably enjoyed watching him struggle." She chuckled, her mind as dark as always. She was right it would have been fun to witness, I'd have certainly got a few thrills out of it.

However, I couldn't help but notice Pansy lingering. The entire night she kept herself closer than usual. We'd always been friends, we shared similar interest, her family as famous as mine, maybe even more. She was attractive too, a lot better now she's gotten rid of that awful bob. Her dark hair didn't shine the way Blairs did, it was ratty in comparison. Her plumb lips too large for her face, the mouth full of cruelty. Her eye colour I couldn't even remember, truth was I didn't take my notice. Only now sat so close as the group of us huddled together, did the sharp smell of her perfume burn my nose. An earthy musky scent, quite intriguing. I had never thought of her as anything other than a friend, although I knew my father would probably me rather like someone more like Pansy, who shared the same morals as us. None of us saw her that way though, we'd grown up with her and we all knew how vile and repulsive she could be. In fact maybe it was fear that stirred us clear, breaking her heart and you're asking to be absolutely slaughtered. She had made feel bad for Granger once and that was un heard of. Usually I thought that the mudblood got everything she deserved, but Pansy really did have a great vendetta against the girl, she was her main target and they were almost as equal. Granger didn't usually fall for her tricks but Pansy is the hammer that kept chipping away, one day Granger had to crumble.

"Who do you think Crumb is gonna get his hooks into?" She gleamed batting her lashes.
"You're too young for him." Goyle laughed, his head rolling back.
"Am not! He's here for the full school year, that's plenty of time to convince him otherwise." She'd always been so confident.
"Not if Granger gets there first." I jabbed, earning a deathly glare in return. Everyone laughed along in accordance.
"And what would he want with a dirty little mudblood. She's ghastly to look at anyways. The boy has eyes." She tried boosting her ego.
"Want to make a bet then?" I challenged. Her eyes like snake slits, I had her full attention. "I bet he chooses her over you. The Yule ball, you have to make him take you and not her." I would make sure I played my part, shoved it in crumbs head that Hermione was the best thing since sliced bread.
"And what's on the table." The devil creeped out of her. If there was anything Pansy did love it was a challenge and even better that she was in a competition with Granger. A competition Hermione wouldn't have a clue about.
"What do you desire?" I questioned.
"From you?" Her brain ticked. "If I win, you have to ask Blair to the Ball." She grinned and my face instantly went blank. "And if she says no you have to go alone, and she will say no since she's fallen in love with Mr Cedric Diggory." She fluttered her eyes mocking Blair.
"That's ridiculous-"
"Scared I'll win?" She interrupted. She had me there. I too enjoyed a challenge and I was a lot better at succeeding than Parkinson. I offered out my hand and she snatched, quick to take the opportunity. "It's a deal." She cooed in my ear.

The night was drawing in and we all quickly made our ways to bed. I personally had a whole scheme I needed to plan out. I was completely drained from the long day that had robbed me of all my energy. The anger still at the back of my mind towards Blair, was she really so desperate that she would go running to the first person who showed her the slightest bit of attention? She was completely foolish, blinded by immature thoughts, she fell in love as easily as Harry was capable of putting himself in danger. I certainly wouldn't be giving the satisfaction of asking her to the Ball either, how I'm sure she'd loved two boys fighting over her. No, I'd just have to win. I had a hard task at hand. Trying to manage getting Crumb to fall for someone as painfully dull as Granger. Not only did she come from a Muggle background, she was a painful know it all, not to mention not exactly a site to look at. Maybe I hadn't thought this one through. Pansy had the confidence, she'd lay it on thick with Crumb, did I really stand a chance? The first thing I needed to do was befriend Crumb, I believed I was capable of that at least, it would play at my own advantage as well, I'm sure Father would be glad if I knew the greatest seeker to live. Maybe I could even get some tips on my quest, beat Harry at a match. If I played it well I'd be benefiting in many aspects. I just had to figure how exactly I would sell Hermione Granger.