The Other Malfoy [ON HOLD]

11

When Davina came to she felt herself emerge from the water, a set of arms holding her as they approached the rest of the champions. She felt the arms lift her up and lay her on the wooden platform.

Yet, she realize that this was somehow worse than when she was in the water. She couldn't breathe. The water was inside her, filling up her body and she couldn't breathe even though she was out of it. A cough came from deep in her ribcage, pushing on her lungs. And then she coughed uncontrollably as she turned over onto her stomach, water spilled out of her mouth as her lungs thanked her. Oxygen flooded into her body and she collapsed onto the platform as she rolled back over onto her back and breathed heavily.

A million voices were asking her different questions and Davina almost slipped back into darkness until she felt someone run over and bend down by her, supporting her as they lifted her up so she was sitting upwards. Only then did Davina start to actually gain her senses back as she looked over and saw Draco holding her up, he had at least three towels wrapped around her and was rubbing her back.

When Davina looked to her other side she saw Harry sitting with a long towel around himself as well, worry written all over his face as he looked at her. Draco leaned over and whispered, "He was the one that jumped back in and found you." Which left Davina stunned.

"I want all the judges over here now!" Dumbledore yelled out, marching off. Davina shivered and Draco pulled her closer to him as he wrapped yet another towel around her, handed to him by a Slytherin prefect.

The crowd went wild, cheering on the champions they supported.

"Attention!" Dumbledore yelled overtop of the cheers, "The winner is Mr.Diggory, who showed innate command of the Bubble-Head Charm. However, seeing as Mr.Potter had finished first had it not been for his determination to rescue not only Mr.Weasley, but the others as well. And that Miss Malfoy could have possibly also took first place had it not been for her loyalty to save Mr.Potter before herself, we've agreed to award them both with a tie in second place for outstanding moral fiber!" Dumbledore finished off and the crowd cheered on.

Draco looked over at Davina with a smile which she returned as he pulled her up and she let the three extra towels fall off of her, leaving the robe for the champions around her body.

***

Later that night Davina ran through the hall towards Dumbledore's office. When she finally reached her destination she could hear her father from outside the door. She pushed it open and saw Dumbledore and her father both standing, deep into an argument.

"I will not let my daughter continue this foolishness! She almost drowned today in this pathetic tournament of yours and you expect me to just overlook it?" Davina watched her father keep a neutral expression although his voice was quivering with anger.

"Lucius, I have told you this multiple times, Davina cannot simply quit. There's a contract. This tournament is dangerous, yes, but she's a strong and talented witch. I'm sure it'd help her more if you'd just put a little more faith into her instead of trying to pull her out." Dumbledore stated calmly, the light of his office making his long white beard stand out. Davina knew they could sense her standing there, but neither of them payed her attention.

The argument seemed to drag along for hours when finally Davina's father gave up and looked in her direction, "Fine. Come, Davina, we need to speak before I leave." He walked away from Dumbledore, who glanced at Davina one time before her father grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the office.

They walked down the corridor and he pulled her to the side where they couldn't be heard as he stared down at her with nothing but disappointment.

"You almost drowned because you thought it wise to save Harry Potter? If you're going to be stuck in this tournament then you better finish first, understood? I will not let you embarrass the Malfoy name with your foolishness. This is a tournament, a competition, not a time to be making friends. Now, get to wherever you're supposed to be." Her father scolded her and then shoved past her, leaving Davina standing alone and stunned. She remembered Draco was waiting in the common room and then took off down a staircase that had just moved into position as she headed towards the dungeons.

She said the password and walked in, seeing Draco sitting in front of a window, looking out into the Black Lake. Davina walked over and sat down across from him as she gazed through the water, finding it unbelievable that not even close to 24 hours ago she was under there, drowning.

"How'd it go?" Draco asked, causing Davina to look at him.

"Exactly how we suspected it would go," She sighed and he simply nodded in response.

"Was it bad?"

"I don't guess it was as bad as it could have been," Davina shrugged, and Draco decided to not ask anymore questions. They just simply looked back out of the window, sharing comfortable silence and letting the real world slip away for a little while.

***

Each section of the circular stadium was filled by different colors, representing the supporters of each champion. Band music was playing and people cheered as the champions made their way out. Davina walked out and looked up into the crowds, seeing Draco in his all-black outfit and both arms raised in the air with a smile spread across his face as he yelled out, "Yeah!" Davina smiled and waved at him and the two goons beside him who were practically gushing at her.

She was back in her uniform, wearing a long sleeved silky textured shirt that was split half black and half green with the Hogwarts logo on the lefthand corner along with a pair of black pants.

The music stopped and Dumbledore stepped up to the podium, "Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze. Only he knows its exact position. Now, as Mr.Diggory—" The yellow dressed section erupted in cheers, "Mr.Potter—" The yellow and red dressed section with Harry flags cheered, "And Miss Malfoy —" The green and silver section of the stadium rose into cheers and Davina smiled as she saw Draco clapping, ".. are all tied for first position they will he first to enter the maze, followed by Mr.Krum and Miss Delacour. The first person to touch the cup will be the winner!" The whole stadium cheered loudly.

Davina moved to her entrance of the maze along with the other champions. She held onto her wand which had been found when Harry had saved her in the lake.

"I've instructed the staff to patrol the perimeter," Dumbledore went on, "should, at any point, a contestant wish to withdraw from the task he or she need only send up red sparks with their wands." He turned away from the stadium and looked at Davina and the other five nervous champions, "Contestants! Gather around. Quickly!"

Davina and the others all rushed over, she slipped herself beside Harry and Cedric as she looked at Dumbledore who now lowered his voice so only this circle could hear what needed to be said, "In the maze, you'll find no dragons or creatures of the deep. Instead, you'll face something even more challenging. You see, people change in the maze. Oh, find the cup if you can but be very wary, you could just lose yourselves along the way." Everyone departed and backed up, still soaking in his words.

"Champions, prepare yourselves!" Davina and the rest all split as they went to their entrances, she turned around and looked up at the crowd at Draco one last time and gave him a small smile to which he mouthed back You got this. She nodded and then watched as her father arrived and sat down a couple benches above Draco, his stone grey eyes piercing into Davina's. She looked away.

"On the count of three," Dumbledore spoke up once more, "One—" and the cannon went off.

Davina turned around and walked down the entrance as music started playing behind her, she looked back and watched at the walls mended together, closing the entrance and taking away the light. She looked around, feeling a chill wash over her body before continuing down the path.