Golden Girl (reader x Draco x Cedric)

♡ 02 | Abience

"Ghastly!" exclaims a voice with exasperation. "Ghasty, I tell you! He's been all wrong since the Welcoming Feast, that Draco."

The voice sounds familiar, nearly as recognizable as Draco's. You lean forward as discreetly as possible, adjusting the books in the nearby elmira, which shields you from view. There, you see a very grown-up Crabbe and Goyle, accompanied by a pug-faced Slytherin girl, engaged in hushed conversation near the library entrance.

"He's eaten close to nothing, his eyes are all baggy, and his face is gaunt," the girl shudders. "He's even paler than usual, if that's possible."

"He disappeared midway, didn't he?" Goyle muses aloud. "I wonder what happened."

"Do you think it's something to do with... his dad and he-who-must-not-be-named?" Crabbe speculates, looking around cautiously before lowering his voice.

You cover your mouth in realization, but it's too late.

'Who's there?!' the girl, Pansy Parkinson, shrieks, scanning the area around the tall elmira. "Who dares eavesdrop on Pansy Parkinson!?!"

'And Crabbe!!!' Crabbe adds nervously.

'And Goyle!!!'

"What are you three on about?" a new voice interjects, one you don't recognize. "This is a library, not a rock concert."

'Be off, Granger," Pansy snaps, her tone sharp. 'You filthy little mudblood.'

"Vat it!" another voice chimes in, this one male and bearing a strong Bulgarian accent.

'Krum!' Goyle exclaims. "Big fan!"

'Can we get an autograph?" Crabbe adds eagerly.

"Crabbe! Goyle!" Pansy scolds.

You breathe a sigh of relief as the three Slytherins disperse, sinking deeper into your thoughts with your knees drawn up to your chest. Draco was sick? Could it be because of... No, it definitely was because of your conversation.

"What are you thinking that way for?" You shake your head, your eyes dry from crying your heart out last night in Fleur's arms, providing no explanation. "He called you a filthy half-blood! To hell with him! He can starve to death for all I care!"

"Excuse me?" a soft voice breaks you from your reverie, accompanied by a warm hand on your shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"Ya-Ya," you say, flustered as you dab at your wet bloodshot eyes. "Just-Just a bad case of pink eye."

You look up and meet bright brown concerned eyes. The girl looking down at you is dressed in plain black work robes, holding a large stack of books and scrolls in her arms like grocery bags, with more stuffed in a bag on her back. Her hair is a long mane of bushy brown hair.

Just then, her backpack rips open, and a dozen books fall to the ground. You get to your knees and help her pick up the books at once.

"Thank you," she breathes as she heaves all her study material onto the nearest table, her face flushed. "Oh, excuse my manners, let me introduce myself..." She extends her hand, a broad grin plastered across her face, showing off her buck teeth. "Hermione Granger."

"Y/N Y/L/N." It takes all your strength to force a smile, shaking her hand. "What are you doing in the library? Shouldn't you be prepping for the announcement of the champions?"

You lean sideways, your eyes pointing at Victor Krum, the Bulgarian Quidditch star who is sitting on the other side of the library.

"I mean, I heard your boyfriend is entering his name in the Goblet of Fire-"