The Goblet Of Fire Through Another's Eyes

Chapter 28: The Madness Of Mr. Crouch

"Well...it's kind of important."

I looked up at Draco, my eyes slightly wider than normal. "Oh shit. Alright. Give me two seconds. I'm almost done."

"Alright," Draco said quietly as he leaned back in his seat.

I finished writing the letter. Instead of getting a nearby owl to send the message, I moved the parchment, quill, and the book that I used as a table aside. I looked at Draco.

"What is it?"

"I...I've kind of been keeping a secret from you. That I've never told anyone. And I don't want you to tell anyone either."

I raised an eyebrow. "A secret?"

"Yes. And I feel like I should...tell you."

"Alright. I appreciate that." Draco smiled. I smiled back. "I promise I won't tell anyone. Now, the secret?"

"Yes..." Draco took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't hate Hermione Granger because of her parentage or blood status or anything."

I frowned. "Okayyy...? So...then why do you hate her?"

"Because she's the top student in our class!"

"Instead of...whom, exactly?"

Draco looked disappointed with his down cast eyes as he looked away from me. "Instead of me."

"Um...mind explaining that a little, babe?"

"I was furious when Granger always got a point higher than me. Always. No matter how hard I tried. All the professors praised her because she was the greatest... And I only got second best."

"But second isn't that bad."

"It's almost worst than being last."

"How so?"

"Because you try your hardest, and you are so close to getting first...but somebody else beats you there."

I lightly touched Draco's hand that he had on his knee. "Draco..."

"I usually tried not to look disappointed when I would stay up all night studying for our final exams. And because I'm so tired I don't do as well as I want myself to. And of course Granger gets a perfect score on everything because she's great with time management. And a lot of times I would want to raise my hand high to answer the professor's question, but Granger beats me yet again. And..."

"Draco -"

"And my father...my father... He always pressures me to be the best student in the class... And when I don't...he compares me to a filthy little Mudblood. And...I'll understand if you hate me for this..."

"I could never hate you," I said.

Draco looked at me for the first time since he started practically pouring his heart out. "Don't be so sure..." Draco looked in front of him again. He moved his hand that was under mine slightly, as if to move my hand off of his. I moved my hand in reply.

"I didn't actually care that Granger was a Mudblood," Draco continued. "But then my father made me believe that they were all horrible. But...honestly? I thought that they were...pretty cool. Like what Aura thinks. I mean...they lived eleven years thinking that magic wasn't real. And then they learn the truth..." Draco looked at me, hope in his eyes. He shrugged as he said, "What could be better?" He looked at his hands, which he had intertwined them with his elbows on his knees. "My father's done to me what he wish he could do to Aura: he made me like him. He made me dislike, even hate, people based off of who their family was. Not based off of who they were... Which is why when I met you...I made sure not to do that. I didn't know a lot about your family and I didn't want to. You told me you were a pureblood, but honestly I didn't care. You were a nice girl. I liked you. I would've liked you anyway..."