Interstellar || Draco Malfoy

21 || Triwizard Champions

Three days after the tournament was announced, it was time for Dumbledore to announce the champions. We all filed into the Great Hall, murmuring amongst ourselves as we found our usual seats. Crabbe and Goyle were boasting about Snape agreeing to teach me how to apparate and disapparate, proudly explaining that even Dumbledore and the Ministry agreed to let me learn the skills early. My blushing face did nothing to slow their incessant bragging- in fact, it only encouraged them further.

"Sit down, please." Dumbledore spoke, quieting the students in the Great Hall. I sighed in relief as Crabbe and Goyle finally shut up and sit down, paying attention to Dumbledore instead of my academics. "And now, the moment you've all been waiting for, the champions selection!"

Dumbledore approached the goblet slowly, watching the flame within it turn from blue to red. A piece of parchment was spit from the flame, fluttering down into the awaiting hands of Dumbledore.

"The Durmstrang champion is... Viktor Krum!" The Durmstrang students erupted into thunderous applause as Krum headed for Dumbledore. The pair shook hands before Krum was directed into a room behind Dumbeldore's podium.

The goblet's flame turned red once again, and a beautifully folded piece of parchment attached to a small parachute was shot out of the cup. Dumbledore reached into the air, plucking it from right in front of his face.

"The champion from Beauxbatons... Fleur Delacour!" The girls from Beauxbatons clapped daintily, watching with polite smiles as Fleur gracefully shook Dumbeldore's hand. She, too, was directed to the room behind the podium as another piece of parchment was spit into the air.

"The Hogwarts champion... Cedric Diggory!" Every house cheered as Cedric shook Dumbledore's hand. He ducked into the room as Dumbledore addressed the Great Hall.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore grinned. "We now have our three champions! But, in the end, only one will go down in history. Only one will house this chalice of champions- this vessel of victory- the Triwizard cup!"

The hall cheered loudly once more, expecting that to be the end of the selection ceremony. However, the goblet seemed to be acting erratically, shaking violently before shooting two more pieces of parchment into the air. My blood ran cold at the sight, and I sucked in a breath as the hall fell silent once again.

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore read off of one of the parchment pieces. "Harry Potter?"

Hagrid shook his head, muttering under his breath as Hermione pushed Harry out of his seat. The boy slowly made his way to Dumbledore, taking the parchment with a confused expression.

"He's a cheat!" The crowd muttered. "He's not even seventeen, yet!"

The students in the hall were loud, rightfully upset that Harry Potter had managed to weasel his way around the preset age restriction. Dumbledore sent Harry down into the room behind the podium before he unfolded the second piece of parchment.

"Desdemona Littlesea." Everyone aside from the students in Slytherin turned their heated glares on me, making me freeze in my seat beside Draco.

"What?" Snape exclaimed loudly, sweeping over to Dumbledore and plucking the parchment from the headmaster's hand.

"We were with you all week," Draco muttered, looking down at me with a confused expression. "How did your name end up in the goblet?"

"Who cares!" Blaise shouted excitedly, tugging me out of my seat. "Go with the cup for Slytherin, Littlesea!"

"Desdemona Littlesea!" Dumbledore shouted, causing me to flinch harshly before racing to his side. He handed me the parchment with a harsh glare, and I shook my head slightly.

"It's not my handwriting." I told him. Dumbledore shook his head and guided me into the room with the other champions, keeping a grip on my shoulder as he grabbed Harry's shoulder and pinned us both against a trophy case.

"Did either one of you put your name in the goblet of fire?" He spoke hastily. I shook my head as Harry told Dumbledore no.

"Did you ask one of the older students to do it for you?" Again, I shook my head.

"You're absolutely sure?" Dumbledore pressed.

"Yes, sir." Harry and I said simultaneously.

"Well, of course, they are lying." Madam Maxime spoke, glaring down at Harry and I.

"The hell they are." Moody snapped, coming to our defense. "The goblet of fire is an exceptionally powerful magical object, only an exceptionally powerful conjurer could have hoodwinked it. Magic way beyond the talents of a fourth year, even one as skilled as Miss Littlesea."

"You seem to have given this a fair bit of thought, Mad-Eye." Igor Karkaroff sneered.

"It was once my job to think as dark wizards do, Karkaroff." Moody snapped. "Perhaps you remember."

"That doesn't help, Alastor." Dumbledore released Harry and I, turning to look at Barty Crouch. "I leave this to you, Barty."

"The rules are absolute." Crouch sighed, looking between Harry and I with a sad expression. "The goblet of fire constitutes a binding magical contract. Mr. Potter and Miss Littlesea have no choice, they are, as of tonight... Triwizard champions."

========

"How did you manage to sneak your name into the goblet, Littlesea?" Pansy demanded to know as I settled into bed for the night.

"I didn't." I told her honestly. "I was with Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle all week. They don't let me go anywhere without them, and even if I could get away from them, I wouldn't have put my name in the goblet."

"Well, you must have done something." Pansy pressed. "There's no way your name just ended up in there. Maybe you asked one of those Durmstrangs to do it for you. One of them seems to have his eyes on you, Merlin knows why, he could have easily put your name in with his when he enter- Hey! Where are you going? I'm not done talking with you!"

I ignored her calls as I wrapped my blanket around my shoulders and headed down to the common room. I didn't want to argue with Pansy, and I most certainly didn't want to deal with her interrogation tonight. When I stepped off the stairs in the common room, I took notice of Draco on one of the couches reading a book. He glanced up from his book, quirking an eyebrow up at me.

"Mona." He greeted stiffly. I walked over to the couch and laid down beside him, resting my head on his leg as I re-wrapped my blanket around my body.

"You know I didn't put my name in the goblet, right?" I asked quietly, turning my head to peer up at Draco. He closed his book and looked down at me, letting one of his hands rest on my waist.

"Of course you didn't." He said softly. "I was with you all week. And, besides that, you're too smart to willingly throw your name into the goblet while you feel underprepared."

"Thank you." I sighed in relief. "I doubt anybody believes I didn't put my name in that goblet."

"Well, us Slytherins believe in you." Draco smiled proudly. "You're way smarter than Diggory and Potter. You're going to win this tournament easily."

"Do you mind if I fall asleep here?" I asked, grabbing Draco's hand that was on my waist. I played with his ringed fingers lazily as I spoke. "Parkinson's being an even bigger pain than usual."

"Go to sleep, Mona." Draco said softly, placing his other hand in my hair. After a few minutes, I nodded off, still playing with the rings on his fingers.