The Hufflepuff (Draco Malfoy)

25

Two weeks went by since the Halloween party and Draco had yet to even look Sophie in the eyes. Even in Potions, where they sat at the same table, Draco made a point to turn slightly away from her and keep his talking to a bare minimum. Luckily the Triwizard Tournament provided ample distraction from her best friend ignoring her. She cheered when Cedric's name was chosen because as she predicted, it brought almost immediate respect to Hufflepuff House and to the boy she thought deserved it most. She was ecstatic Viktor was chosen as well, but she figured not many other Durmstrang students were allowed to put their names in against him. When the fourth name was called, Sophie's stomach dropped. There had to have been some mistake. Her gaze instinctually snapped to the Slytherin table when Harry's name was called. Draco sat with his chin resting on his hand with furrowed brows and a tight jaw. A typical onlooker would see the typical look of a boy who thought he was above the event and everyone involved, but as his best friend, Sophie knew he was beyond angry. She wasn't sure when, but she knew he'd get back at Harry eventually, and she didn't want to be around when it happened.

To her dismay, Draco's revenge happened right after a mind-numbing tutoring session with Harry himself. Ever since his name was pulled, she had to work twice as hard to keep his attention on Potions. She couldn't blame the kid. He had revealed to her that the stress of the First Task and Ron ignoring him just as hard as Draco was ignoring her. It seemed as though the whole school was against him as well, so his only support system was Sophie and Hermione. With that in mind, Sophie invited him to hang out after tutoring one day.

After leaving the library, Sophie was immediately aware of the cold stares and whispers that surrounded them.

"Harry?" She started.

"You get used to it. Just walk quickly and pretend you can't hear them." Sophie's heart ached at the idea of the sweet boy being so used to this feeling. The two scampered through the halls and as they approached the courtyard, Sophie began to realize all of the snide comments were strangely similar. Surely the students of Hogwarts would be more creative than all telling Harry that he "stinks". It wasn't until Ernie Macmillan himself shoulder-checked Harry that Sophie decided to look up at the students harassing her friend. Her eyes were instantly drawn to the yellow buttons sat opposite of the house emblems on practically every students' robe. As two Ravenclaws walked by, Sophie narrowed her eyes to try and read the buttons pinned to their robes. She gasped as she read the words "Potter stinks" in bold letters. Her heart clenched for the boy walking next to her.

They continued through the courtyard when Sophie heard a voice she had been longing to hear for weeks now.

"Why so tense, Potter?" As much as she longed to stay just to listen to her best friend's voice, she focused on Harry. She couldn't see the blonde-haired boy but knew that Harry needed to get away from him quickly. She nudged him in the back with her elbow.

"Keep walking, just ignore him. He's just looking for a fight." Harry nodded before Draco spoke again.

"My father and I have a bet, you see," Harry stopped walking and gazed up a tree where Draco's voice sounded from. Sophie was torn between the dread of the argument that was moments away from happening and the way her heart fluttered at hearing her best friend speak for the first time in weeks. "I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament." He jumped out of the tree and approached Harry with his typical Malfoy smirk. "He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five." Sophie tried to tug Harry away, but he was already responded to Draco's petty comments.

"I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy," Harry fired back. He met Draco under the tree where he gave him a shove that seemed to be a warning sign to the Slytherin boy. "He's vile and cruel. And you're pathetic," Harry finished before turning back toward Sophie.