Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

18. The Second Task

Chapter Eighteen – The Second Task

The grounds were still quiet as I walked around the lake, keeping my distance but also watching the water wearily. I was trying to picture myself inside of it, trying to visualize swimming through the water like Snape had told me to last night before he'd sent me off early to try and sleep.

Of course, I hadn't been able to sleep. I'd gotten an hour of sleep that night that was haunted by a blurry dream of some creature grabbing at my ankle to yank me down deeper into the black water as I tried to scream for help. I woke up just as I felt I would give in and try to breathe anyway.

In my hand – for I could not give myself reason to put it in my pocket – was the modified calming draught that I had made two nights before. I was half tempted to pop the cap off and take some now, but I knew I had to save it for when I needed it most and the fear I had when I was walking thirty feet around the edge of the lake would be nothing compared to when I would finally have to dip my toes in it.

That was Snape's idea, of course. I would never offer up sitting that close to the water, but he had said it may help me visualize leaving my body and falling into the water – it could also keep my magic slightly more in tune with my Astral state or something like that. To be honest, half the things Snape had said to me last night had flown over my head; the nerves had set in very early.

While I was imagining myself in the water – though I tried to avoid imagining myself thrashing around and screaming for help – I realized that people were slowly starting to wake and go about the castle. I had been up since before four in the morning and had surrendered to walking and visualizing just after six. I'd tried to eat something I'd snagged from the kitchens, but my body had just expelled it after a very graphic image of the giant squid realizing that I had invaded its personal space.

Right as I was about to turn and head the far way from the castle to be at peace with my fear, I heard someone shout my name. Looking around my shoulder I could see Cedric coming out of the castle. As much as his presence normally made me swoon, today was not a day I wanted him to see me before he had to – I could only imagine the horror I looked thanks to lack of sleep and lack of guts. As always, he was handsome; dressed in regular clothes, a thick coat trying to hide what I could see of the tournament swimming gear we'd received on our beds yesterday morning. His yellow shorts were sticking out in the space between his shirt and trousers. My emerald green one piece was hidden under multiple layers of clothes – the Dementors last year had left me nearly defenseless against the chill of winter.

"Hey," Cedric smiled tightly, not even out of breath from running the whole way to greet me.

I gave a tight smile in return, not quite able to trust myself not to give away how terrified I was.

"You look horrible," he examined. Ah, exactly as I'd feared – how sweet of him to notice. "I knew you wouldn't be taking this well."

"Then apparently I can be a tad predictable," I mumbled, hearing a different voice come out than I was used to. This task was really humbling me and the waver in the higher tone of my words was not only obvious, but slightly pathetic. "You look upset yourself."

It was true. Now that he was closer I could see that Cedric had shadows under his light eyes and his hair was slightly disheveled. His eyes didn't look haunted like I was sure my own did, but they did look somewhat upset about something I couldn't think to name.

"Well, I haven't had the best support for the day," he frowned, kicking a rock near his foot so that it flew into the water. I raised my eyebrows from the distance he'd made it skid across the stones and the ripples it had created when it touched the water.