Dear Draco,
Funny badges you have there. So funny. I have stitches from laughing so hard at the incredible wit and hilarity from those stupid badges. Seriously?! I get it, you need to keep up your reputation in Slytherin, I've heard that excuse plenty times before, but badges. BADGES! Honestly. Harry's already struggling enough with all this Tournament drama, there's no need to just rub it in further. But, yeah, continue with your petty insults and badges, since you've already got them. Just show everyone how jealous you are of him.
-Amisty
His reply was short, coming minutes after she sent her letter, the penmanship slow and careful with the loops. She stared down at it, her jaw still ticking.
I'm sorry.
-Draco
And she knew she shouldn't be, she shouldn't be swayed so easily by two words, a dash, and a name, but she was already starting to forgive him.
Her walls were shattering, maybe already shattered.
"Oh, Draco," She fell back onto her bed, careful not to crumple the letter in her hand as a small smile spread across her face, "what are you doing to me?"
-=+=-
There was an article in the newspaper, circulating through the school like a virus. It was complete and utter rubbish, but, of course, everything written by Rita Skeeter was.
First, there was Harry's dramatic little excerpt.
I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now... Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it... I know nothing will hurt me during the tournament, because they're watching over me...
And then the interview from other people, talking all about Harry's supposed 'love life,' that left Amisty wanting to bury herself in a hole and never come out.
Harry's close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of Hermione Granger and Amisty River, two stunningly pretty girls, who, like Harry, are a few of the top students in the school.
That came with a whole lot of rude comments and teasing to all three of them, from the Slytherins especially, as they walked through the hallways.
"Are you kidding me? Her hair looks like a birds nest!"
"She's like a stick, what's so stunning about that?"
Hermione spent a lot of time dragging her away and chanting, "Ignore them, ignore them, ignore them," As Amisty glared ferociously over her shoulder.
It took the combined efforts of not only Hermione and Harry, but Seamus, Dean, and Neville had to practically carry her away at Pansy's comment, screeching foul words at her until Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.
"Stunningly pretty? Her?" She had shrieked, pug-face twisted up in disgust as she saw Amisty. "She looks like she just crawled out of a rubbish bin!"
It didn't help that Harry and Ron still refused to even look at each other, and it was driving Hermione and her insane.
They were constantly attempting to catch them by surprise so that they would have at least one conversation, but Ron seemed convinced that Harry loved the attention after the article was published, and Harry wouldn't talk to Ron until he admitted that he hadn't put his name in the Goblet and apologized.
"I didn't start this. It's his problem," Harry argued when they confronted him in the library after another failed endeavour to get them to talk.
"You miss him! And I know he misses you -- " Hermione started, losing her patience.
"Miss him?" Harry looked appalled. "I don't miss him..."
But Amisty knew he was lying.
He stared longingly at the door of the library during every single one of their study sessions.
Viktor Krum was there often, to the annoyance of Hermione. Well, not because of him, but because of the group of girls that snuck around, giggling, to spy on him as he worked.
Hermione reacted worse to the noise than to the insults thrown her way.
"He's not even good-looking! They only like him because he's famous!" She growled, glaring at Krum over her book.
"They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing -- "
"Wronski Feint," Harry corrected, sounding strained.
-=+=-
"Amisty!" Draco's voice hissed quietly as she walked down the deserted hallway.
She had been avoiding the more crowded corridors to keep away from the insults and jabs per Hermione's request.
"Amisty, c'mon, I know you can hear me!"
She spun around, glowering, and scanned down the rows upon rows of doors, spotting the sweep of platinum blonde sticking out of an empty classroom.
"Hello, Draco," She replied coolly, walking toward him with painfully slow steps, not making eye contact as she adjusted her bag. "Are you here to come gloat to me about Harry's misery?"
He rolled his eyes discreetly, grabbing her wrists and dragging her inside, "What died in your breakfast."
"My reputation," She deadpanned, looking up and not at all amused.
The article and arguing between Ron and Harry had worn her temper thin.
Not to mention Draco's brilliant idea of the POTTER STINKS badges and curse sent Hermione's way hadn't left her in the best of moods with him.
"I highly doubt it, love," He laughed lightly, grinning at her. "That article was correct in its comments if I do say so myself."
She felt a scowl spread across her face, "That Harry cries every night because of his dead parents? Hm, I don't really think so -- "
"That's not what I was talking about," He cut her off.
"Oh, well then was it the little tidbit about how he's sure he'll do fine in the Tournament because his parents are watching over him?" She continued, unfazed by the interruption.
"Amisty," He sounded exasperated now, "do I really have to spell it all out for you? I thought you were more perceptive than that."
She blinked, staring at him, and then it dawned on her and her face flushed scarlet.
"Well -- I -- That's very nice but -- Erm -- I don't -- " She rambled, reeling backward as she covered her face with her hands.
He laughed again, pulling her hands down and looked her in the eyes, a smile tugging on the edge of his lips, "It's nice to see you can still get flustered."
"Oh, shut up," She shoved him away, fighting down her own smile as she pulled up a chair. "So what have you actually dragged me into here for?"
"Well, since everyone from here to London knows about your chocolate obsession," He grinned sheepishly, digging through his robes and pulling out a box of her absolute favorite sweets.
"Draco, you didn't," She protested, torn between shoving the box back at him and snatching it away.
"But I did," He winked.
She felt her shoulders fall slightly as she stared at the chocolates, "But I didn't get you anything... I feel bad."
"Think of it this way," He gently leaned forward and guided her fingers around the edges of the box. "It's my apology for everything I've done this year so far."
She beamed, tucking the box away and looking up at him with a smile so big she was practically glowing, "Thank you."
He grinned back, pulling her close and pressing a light kiss on the top of her head. She only beamed more, her forehead pressed against his chest and the scent of winter enveloping her.
-=+=-
Hermione and Amisty were walking down to Hogsmeade, Harry in tow under the Invisibility Cloak. He had insisted on wearing it, making excuses for not wanting to hear all the insults.
"Come on," Amisty groaned as they left Honeydukes, arms heavy with bags of sweets, "five minutes, Harry, take off your Cloak for five minutes! No one's going to bother you!"
"Oh yeah? Look behind you," He countered. She looked over her shoulder, feeling her lip curl at the sight of Rita Skeeter leave the Three Broomsticks, talking to another man quietly.
They passed Amisty and Hermione without another glance.
"She's staying in the village. I bet she's coming to watch the first task," Harry remarked as soon as she was far out of earshot.
"She's gone. Why don't we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it's a bit cold, isn't it?" Hermione suggested, her voice growing snappish when Harry didn't reply. "You don't have to talk to Ron!"
Amisty very visibly rolled her eyes, and Harry stepped on her toe in revenge.
She glared at what she hoped was him, knowing she couldn't retaliate if he wanted to stay hidden.
They walked into the pub. It was crowded as always, mainly Hogwarts students, but also many other magical residents like hags and goblins.
Hermione went to go get drinks, and Amisty -- out of spite -- left Harry to fend for himself to get through the crowd as she went to find an empty table.
"Hey, Ron," She waved as she passed said redhead's table, grinning at the looks of indignation on his company. "And Fred, and George, and Lee."
She dropped down into her seat, hearing a creak about three minutes later that signaled Harry's arrival.
"Thanks for that, really appreciate it," He muttered darkly.
She swallowed her laughter, lip twitching. Hermione joined them soon after, carrying three butterbeers and slipping Harry one underneath his Cloak.
"Honestly, this is ridiculous," Hermione muttered, irritated as she pulled out her notebook of S.P.E.W. members.
Amisty could see her, Harry, and Ron's names all the way at the very top.
"You know, maybe I should try and get some of the villagers involved in S.P.E.W."
"Yeah, right," Harry paused. "Hermione, when are you going to give up on this spew stuff?"
"When house-elves have decent wages and working conditions! You know, I'm starting to think it's time for more direct action. I wonder how you get into the school kitchens," She wondered aloud.
"No idea, ask Fred and George," Harry replied.
They fell into a comfortable silence, and Amisty sorted through the bag of candies she had purchased, placing them into separate piles.
"Look, it's Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed suddenly.
She was right. Hagrid had arrived... well he had been there for a while, but somehow they hadn't seen him before.
He had been leaning over, talking to Professor Moody at the bar with his usual massive tankard. Moody, on the other hand, was drinking from his hip flask, as always. He had told them during their last Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson that he prepared his own food and drink to not get poisoned.
The two of them got up to leave, but then Moody paused and tapped Hagrid on the back. He murmured something to him, and they approached their table.
"All right, you two?" Hagrid grinned down at them, his voice much louder than usual.
"Hello," Hermione smiled.
"Hi, Hagrid," Amisty beamed.
Moody walked around the table and bent down, seeming to be reading the S.P.E.W. notebook until --
"Nice Cloak, Potter."
"Can your eye -- I mean, can you -- " Harry stammered, his voice absolutely shocked.
Moody grinned, "Yeah, it can see through Invisibility Cloaks. And it's come in useful at times, I can tell you."
So that's what Moody had said to Hagrid.
That Harry was there underneath the Invisibility Cloak. Hagrid leaned down, whispering so quietly not even Amisty could pick it up, not that she was trying to.
"Nice ter see yeh," He grinned and winked at them before leaving the pub for real, Moody following behind.
"Why does Hagrid want me to meet him at midnight?" Harry asked, sounding bewildered.
"Do he? I wonder what he's up to? I don't know whether you should go, Harry..." Hermione's voice quieted. "It might make you late for Sirius."
Harry had told them of Sirius's reply, and the strange request of meeting him by the fire in the Gryffindor common room.
He kept silent when Hermione finished talking, and soon enough the topic of conversation changed.