Drarry- Bad Romance

Chapter 18- Cedric's Conspiracy

Soon enough, the last day of the year came around. Harry was in the boys dormitory, laughing with Ron as they packed up their trunks. 

"Ick," Ron scoffed as he stuffed his dress robes from the Yule Ball in his trunk, "I will never  wear those horrid robes ever  again." 

Harry chuckled and continued to stuff things into his own. It was slightly difficult, for everyone always left Hogwarts with more than they had brought in the first place. Harry finally managed to close his trunk, double checking he had everything he needed.

"All set?" he asked Ron, who's trunk was also now closed. He nodded, getting his small birdcage that held his miniature owl, Pigwidgeon off of the wood box that sat on the floor in front of his bed. Harry retrieved Hedwig, then exited the dormitory with Ron, both of them waving to the other boys in the room, although they would see them on the train.

Once they entered the Hogwarts Express, they searched the compartments for bushy brown hair. They passed by Draco's compartment, and the two made short eye-contact, but only for a second. 

"Oi, there's Mione," Ron pointed out, sliding open the door. Hermione just so happened to choose the compartment one away from Draco and the Slytherin's, across from it, diagonally. Harry followed Ron in,  Hermione greeting them with a smile.

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"Dracoooo," Pansy pounded her fist on Draco's door, "Hurry up!"

"Be patient." Draco bit back, getting frustrated as he stuffed his things into his trunk. His eyes swept the room for any missing objects, like a quill, a shirt, etc. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted his winter jacket that he had loaned to Harry. He went over and picked it up. It smelt like rain water and the Gryffindor. Draco sighed, bringing it over to his trunk and carefully folding it in. 

Draco and Pansy met Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle in a small compartment on the Hogwarts Express shortly after. Everyone was laughing and talking, Draco included. But, what nobody could see in that moment was that Draco was actually hurting on the inside, for he knew he wouldn't be able to see Harry for a very long time. What if Harry didn't like him anymore after summer ended? What if he found someone else? Just then, he noticed a familiar head of raven hair, accompanied by flaming hair. Draco and Harry locked eyes for a split second, but Harry quickly looked away. The two boys entered a compartment that was placed diagonally from Draco's. Did they seriously have to choose that one out of all of the compartments on the train? Draco decided to ignore it, to avoid suspicion of his friends. Pansy knew, of course, but the others didn't, and they probably never would.

The train ride was long and uneventful. Harry and Draco would look to one another when the other wasn't looking, but Draco always knew when Harry was staring. Draco was pretty pre-occupied the whole ride by playing his little game with Harry, so he wasn't participating in the conversations. However, that is until he heard the Gryffindor's name brought up.

"People are saying Potter killed Diggory..." Blaise almost whispered.

"What? Why would they think that?" replied Draco suddenly, his eyebrows furrowing. Everyone looked to him, surprised he had suddenly started to speak.

"Oh so you're talking now, eh?" Pansy poked, Draco scowling at her.

"I said, why would they think that?" Draco repeated his question firmly.

"Cause' no one else saw it happen. Honestly... Potter's a little bat shit for thinking the Dark Lord is back, isn't he? I mean, my parents haven't said a word about him being back." Blaise shrugged.

"Potter wouldn't kill someone." Draco snapped, his fist hitting the table in front of him, jaw clenching tightly.

"Draco," hissed Pansy, kicking his shin underneath the table.

"You sure about that, champ?" Blaise protested, still staying calm. Draco took a deep breath, his fist relaxing, his jaw unclenching.

"I don't think he's capable of it." Draco said, his temper going down.

"That's true," Crabbe agreed, "He seems way too soft. Plus, what did Diggory ever do to him anyway?"

"Wasn't he dating that Chang girl? I heard Potter likes her." Goyle pointed out, Draco's anger bubbling again. 

"Potter didn't kill Diggory, end of story." Draco concluded, lifting his hands from the table and crossing his arms over his chest. Blaise mumbled something under his breath, Draco trying his best to ignore it. The group then went on to talk on a different subject in which Draco took no part in. He looked over to Harry's compartment, Harry sitting there through the glass door chatting with his friends not noticing Draco. Draco looked away, thinking. There was no way Harry killed Diggory. None. He wouldn't kill someone, ever. At least not on purpose. Not on purpose... what if he had killed him, and it was an accident? No, no, it couldn't be. Harry seemed too upset. Plus why would he lie about the Dark Lord returning? What would this mean for Draco and his family? Draco had no idea what to think. As much as he wanted to believe Harry, Blaise had a fair point. Draco took a deep breath then got up suddenly.

"I need to use the restroom." he blurted, leaving, not even waiting for a response. He passed Harry's compartment on the way, Harry glancing at him as he passed, Weasley glaring, Granger not even noticing. 

Once he got in there, he splashed cold water on his face. He backed up to the wall, his body leaning against it. He needed to believe Harry. He did. Harry didn't kill Diggory. He couldn't have, or Draco would know. He would have told him. Right? He decided he had been there much too long (he had only been there for a few minutes) and got up, pulled himself together, inhaled, exhaled, then went back to his compartment. As he passed Harry, the boy looked to him, a gleam in his emerald eyes. Draco glanced at him for less than a second, gulping, not wanting to have to look at him right now. When Draco entered the compartment he sat on the opposite side of where he did last time, so he could truly avoid Harry.

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For the rest of the train ride, Harry felt hurt and confused. Why would Draco look at him like that. Almost as if he was... scared? That couldn't be. Harry went over possible solutions in his head, but what he found was that he had done nothing wrong. Once everyone exited the express, Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and the Weasley's, then joined the Dursley's by going through platform 9 3/4 and onto the muggle platforms.

"Get in the car, boy!" Uncle Vernon ordered from the drivers side window of their silver Vauxhall Vectra estate wagon. He loaded his things into the backseat which held Dudley, whom took up most of the small space anyway. The Dursley's said nothing, Dudley side eyeing Harry as he looked out the window at the passing scenery of a warm London.