Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.

Chapter 35

"May there be comfort in knowing that someone so special will never be forgotten."

Lola's POV

I'm laying on my side, away from the opening of the screens, when I hear rustling and the screen opens and closes. Mrs Weasley comes and sits next to me. She wipes my stray tears and strokes my hair.

"It's not your fault, Lola." She already knows I was thinking about Cedric.

"It is, though. He pushed me out of the way. It's all my fault." I say. I itch my neck, and my brow furrows. There some sort of mark on it. I run my fingers over it. It's a shape.

I sit up and move my hair out of the way. "Mrs Weasley, what's this on my neck?"

She inspects it for a minute. "It's a scar, dear. You hit your head quite a few times. There was a lot of blood. You probably cut yourself, don't worry about it, dear."

She hands me the rest of the dreamless sleep potion and I push it away. "I'm not tired yet. I'll take it in a bit. You should go back to Harry."

"Okay, dear." Ske kisses my forehead and leaves. I play with the ring on my finger. It's around 11pm. Will he be awake?

I decide against it and take the rest of my potion, falling into an easy sleep.

                                                                           

A month after the Tournament, I was still broken. All the days seem to have formed into one as I go through them in my memories.

The meeting with the Diggorys was hard for me. Amos sobbed through the whole thing, and Mrs Diggory seemed broken. I felt terrible for them, but they insisted it wasn't our fault.

After Harry and I got out of the Hospital Wing, everything was broken. I was still ignoring Harry, and it seemed the whole school was, too.

For me? It was like my name was never in the Goblet in the first place. People payed as much attention to me as they had when I was a First-year, but I preferred it this way.

The Dark Mark occasionally burned, and I lived in long sleeveed shirts. Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Astoria didn't question anything. They were a huge help. They acted like I was sane, unlike everyone else. They knew I was pissed at Harry, which gave them an excuse to hate him even more.

Honestly, I don't even care anymore. I feel so, incredibly, betrayed. I'm furious. Maybe the Dark side is better than the light. There? There, you won't get hurt.

A few hours before we were due to get on the train, there was a feast dedicated to the memory of Cedric Diggory.

I walk into the Hall, my friends by my side. The Hufflepuff table has never been sadder. It was like a chunk was taken out of their lives. And I knew exactly how it felt.

Professor Dumbledore stands up at the staff table. The Great Hall had never been less noisy than it usually was at the Leaving Feast. The whole Hall goes silent almost immediately.

"The end" Dumbledore said, looking around at everyone "of another year."

"There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight, but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here" he gestured towards the Hufflepuffs - "enjoying our Feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory."

And they did it. All of them. The benches scraped as everyone in the Hall stood, and raised their goblets, and echoed, in one loud, low, rumbling voice, 'Cedric Diggory.' And the tears started again, falling slowly down my face. Draco took my hand and squeezed it lightly.

Dumbledore continues "Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities which distinguish Hufflepuff house. He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker. He valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about."

Dumbledore pauses, and everyone looks at him "Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort."

A panicked whisper swept the Great Hall. People were staring at Dumbledore in disbelief, in horror. He looked perfectly calm as he watched everyone mutter themselves into silence.

"The Ministry of Magic does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so, either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you, so young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as the result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory"

Stunned and frightened, every face in the Hall was turned towards Dumbledore now.

"There is somebody else who must be mentioned in connection with Cedric's death" Dumbledore went on. "I am talking, of course, about Harry Potter."

A kind of ripple crossed the Great Hall, and I see a few heads turning in Harry's direction before flicking back to face Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter managed to escape Lord Voldemort. He risked his own life to return Cedric's body to Hogwarts. He showed, in every respect, the sort of bravery that few wizards have ever shown in facing Lord Voldemort, and for this, I honour him."

Of course he forgot about me. But I didn't mind. I don't need the attention. Dumbledore turns gravely to Harry, and raised his goblet once more. Nearly everyone in the Great Hall followed suit,
murmuring his name like they had murmured Cedric's, and drank to him.

Draco, Pansy, Blaise, Astoria, Crabbe, Goyle and many of the other Slytherins remain defiantly in their seats, their goblets untouched, my friends out of care for me, others out of hate for Harry.

When everyone had resumed their seats, Dumbledore continued to speak "The Triwizard Tournament's aim was to promote magical understanding. In the light of what has happened, of Lord Voldemort's return, such ties are more important than ever before."

Dumbledore looked from Madame Maxime and Hagrid, to Fleur Delacour and her fellow Beauxbatons students, to Viktor Krum and the Durmstrang students at the Slytherin table.

"Every guest in this Hall" Dumbledore says, his eyes lingering upon the Durmstrang students "will be welcomed back here, at any time, should they wish to come. I say to you all once again, in the light of Lord Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.

"Lord Voldemort's gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.

"It is my belief - and never have I so hoped that I am mistaken that we are all facing dark and difficult times. Some of you, in this Hall, have already suffered directly at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Many of your families have been torn asunder. A week ago, a student was taken from our midst. Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right, and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory."