Morning sunlight shone through the window onto my face as I drearily opened my tired eyes. The green curtains of the four poster bed being familiar but not known to me - taking in my surroundings and struggling to remember the previous night. The task being revealed, walking up to the castle, Harry running past, heading back to find Krum... the rest was largely a blur of images and words heard and said.
I looked across the room to see Draco's blonde hair on the pillow, eyes seemingly shut peacefully.
"Morning," Draco said, his voice scratching softly, "How are you feeling?"
"What happened?" I breathed, staring at the ceiling.
Draco chuckled as he sighed, "You don't remember?"
"Not much."
"You were stunned, Harry and Hagrid brought you back and Pansy was being a prat so I brought you here." He responded . "You were pretty out of it."
"By who?" I questioned anxiously. Whoever it was found to be a threat to not only be but Krum and Harry and Fluer and the rest of the school.
"Don't know, you didn't say so I'm presuming you didn't know."
"What did I say?" I sighed as I pushed the bed covers off me and sat up in bed to see Draco.
He locked eyes with me quickly before scanning the rest of the room in avoidance, "Nothing we didn't already know."
I stared at him, he seemed so awkward. Draco Malfoy was never awkward. "What is it?"
"What?" He looked over at me, regaining his usual smirk. I eyed him suspiciously as he got out of the bed and pulled on a shirt and began buttoning it up over his chest. "Enjoying the view, Wood?"
"No." I stumbled looking away and climbing out of the bed and grabbing my shoes from the floor to put on.
I felt him move behind me, "Going so soon?"
"Draco..." I said turning around to face him. His chest was very close to mine and I could feel his breath on my face.
"Arya." He brought his hand to the side of my face looking into my eyes and then down at my lips.
I looked at his and back into his eyes feeling him pull my face towards his-
"Oh my god, Arya, are you okay? We heard what happened!" Theo exclaimed as he and Blaise came rushing in and Draco dropped his hand stepping away from me as I was bombarded by the two boys.
"I uh yes," I said struggling to catch my breath as my eyes flickered over to Draco who was watching me with a playful grin as I felt my cheeks heat up. "I- I was uhm, just stunned but I'm okay now."
"Who was it?" Blaise pestered.
I managed to draw my eyes from Draco and met Blaise and Theo's worried expressions, "I didn't see."
"The cruel bast-"
"She's fine now, Theo." Draco interrupted with a smirk.
Blaise's eyes flicked between the two of us questioningly as Theo mumbled something under his breath.
I stepped towards the door, "Maybe I should uhm go and uhm..."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Blaise asked, raising a brow with a small laugh.
"Yep." I glanced at Draco who was leant the bed post and smirking at me before drawing myself together and stumbling out of the door and closing it quickly behind me before resting my head against the wall.
What just happened.
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A week passed of busy studying in the library in preparation of the final task; every free period, break and evening spent scouring through numerous books with Blaise, Theo and Draco.
Harry and his Gryffindors were always there too, flashing looks over at us wondering how we were preparing and well, so did we. How could you even prepare for a mysterious maze that could have absolutely anything in it?
Draco was sitting next to me, Theo and Blaise having just left to grab some dinner and go to bed. It was the first time we'd been together - alone - since we almost...
"About the other week," Draco started. I felt my breath hitch feeling his eyes boring into my face as I nervously drew my eyes from the book on advanced hexes and jinxes to meet his cool gray eyes. "Well I, sorry." He shook his head, chuckling to himself.
"What?" I asked, nudging his shoulder with mine.
He turned his body to mine "That night. You said that you; 'really like' me."
My eyes widened, "I what-"
"I mean your confession could have been a bit better." He winked at me.
"Shut up, shut up" I shushed him, sinking down into my chair, "Did I actually?"
"Yes," He whispered, leaning down to my ear letting his lips graze my cheek. "Did you mean it?"
I shuddered under his close proximity and nodded once turning to his face, letting our eyes lock.
He stood swiftly, lips curled to a smirk, "Fancy a walk?"
"Not really." I rolled my eyes pushing myself from the table and flicking my wand to return all the books to their rightful shelves.
"Tough." He shrugged, beginning to move to the exit.
I hurriedly followed him out, staying close beside him as we walked through the halls which were now only sparse with students heading to bed before they'd be told off by Filch or another professor.
We twisted through corridor after corridor, up stairs and down stairs and up again until reaching a balcony overlooking grounds near Hagrid's hut and the Beauxbatons carriage. The sun had set a while ago, leaving twinkling stars and a slim crescent moon to light the sky. We both leant forwards onto a stone banister soaking in the warm night air.
"Arya." Draco said softly.
"Yes?" I responded with my eyes closed feeling the breeze against my cheeks.
"I like you too."
I turned to look at him; his arms crossed propping him up against the stone looking out across the night sky, the breeze only slightly moving his hair leaving one bit hanging in front of his eyes. I reach over to him gently pushing the strand away from his face.
"I liked that bit." He sniggered.
I shook my head and ruffled his hair instead, messing it up completely now, "Better?"
He ran a hand through his hair smiling faintly before sighing and looking down. "Look I need to ask you to do something and you're not gonna be happy with me."
My eyebrows pulled together in confusion, "What is it?"
"You need to pull out of the final task."
I laughed, throwing my head back before realizing he was still oddly still and serious, "You have to be kidding me. After everything I can't pull out now."
He turned to me, face full of worry but certainty, "I'm not asking, I'm telling. You can't do it."
"What?!" I raised my voice, feeling my cheeks flush with anger and clenching my fists. "You can't tell me what I can and cannot do."
"Don't be mad please, it's too dangerous. I'm trying to keep you safe."
"How would it be any more dangerous than what I've already faced?" I raised my voice. "I thought we were in this together."
Draco grabbed my arms, stepped closer and shook me shouting, "Fucking listen to me! I can't.. I can't tell you why but you can't go into that maze for fucks sake!"
"Get off of me!" I pulled away shouting back, "I'm competing and you're not stopping me."
I turned away walking back inside furiously, hearing a faint, "Arya please." Behind me as I wiped an angry tear away before it could fall saying "And don't talk to me like that."
I stormed through the castle halls and down stairs trying to make my way to the common room, rushing through the castle before I slammed straight into someone and looked up, "I'm sorry Harry." I blinked away a tear and tried to move past him to continue.
"Wait up, what's wrong? What happened?" He asked, holding my shoulder lightly.
I sniffed, releasing a shaky breath and snapping, "Draco just told me I have to pull out of the final task because it's too dangerous or something."
Harry's eyes narrowed in confusion, "You know you do not have to listen to a word he says, so why are you so upset by it?"
"Because I li..." I stuttered, coming to a pause unsure of what to say. "I'm just annoyed."
His eyes flickered between me and the hundred moving staircases, "Do you want me to take you back?"
I shook my head exhaling, "No no I'm okay."
He nodded, "Let me know if you remember anything." He walked away hesitantly glancing back at me as he turned the corner.
I leant against the wall for a moment breathing heavily and trying to collect myself before hearing various voices approaching from the other direction. I quickly wiped my eyes and pushed off the wall ready to walk past them.
"Look who it is," an older hufflepuff boy taunted, "little Miss Wood." They were a large group, I caught Pansy's glaring eyes and Cedric's soft smile but knew none others.
Pansy skipped forwards pouting her lips, "There's no point you doing this final task, can't even take a stunning spell - you're going to disgrace Slytherin and Hogwarts, let Potter do the work-"
"Shut up Pansy." I snarled.
A Durmstrang boy laughed, "Oh so she does have teeth."
I stepped forwards attempting to match his size and reached for my wand to draw to his neck looking between the group, "I am as worthy a champion as Harry, Fleur and Krum. I will not disgrace my house or my school and I will win the tournament just so I can watch all of your ridiculed faces burn with-"
I
"Miss Wood." Snape's voice curled from a few paces away, "Return your wand to its pocket and step away from the boy."
I glanced towards the stern Professor in his swooping cape and noticed a bloodshot eyed Draco beside him staring at me. "Yes sir." I said as I pushed the boy against the wall in release. He scrambled forwards to grab me but with a flick of my wand and whisper of "Locomotor Mortis" he fell forwards, legs locking together as he hit the floor.
More of the group began to surge forwards but Snape's cold voice rang out to stop us, "You will all return to your dormitories immediately. Arya, wait here."
The group scurried off separately to their rooms, heads down and wands clutched. I turned to Snape reluctantly and avoided Draco's eyes. "I'm sorry Sir but they were insulting and doubting-"
"I do not care for your reasons, Miss Wood." Snape sighed, flashing a look to Draco. "Whether you wished to step down from the competition or not, it would not be allowed. Take Malfoy's warnings if you wish to, that is all he can do."
Draco shook his head turning to Snape, "But Professor you surely know that.."
"Yes."
"It's not safe." He snarled.
Snape shook his head, "It never was." He turned away and disappeared round the corner.
I stared at Draco, tears pricking at my eyes and cheeks red with heat. "You heard him. Even if I would pull out - which I never would - I couldn't."
Draco stepped towards me head shaking and breathing heavily, "Arya you have to listen to me. You can't win this one."
"What are you even saying? I can win it, I know I can" I rambled.
"You may have the ability and the will but if you win... I- I can't say but it will be worse than losing."
I stared at him for a moment, scanning his red eyes that seemed so dry now. "Nothing could be worse than losing."
"Arya." He stepped forwards reaching for my arm.
I stepped backwards avoiding his touch, "Malfoy."
His expression seemed dazed and his hands found his side sharply before nodding and turning away.