Chapter Three Double Trouble

Later that evening, everyone gathered in the Great Hall for the Champion Selection. Lauren and her friends took their seats along the wall as Professor Dumbledore announced the winners. The students clapped and cheered as the three champions were called up one at a time.

"I really wish that was one of us." said Ron.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Eternal glory. Wouldn't it be great to have everyone know your name, and celebrate you everytime you walk into a room, rather than having them laugh at you?"

"No." replied Harry. "Trust me it is not worth it. When people know your name, they watch you like a hawk."

Lauren was too busy watching the fire turn blue in the goblet to hear her friends conversing with each other.

Everyone watched as a slip of paper appeared from flames and float down to where professor Dumbledore stood. He caught the paper in his hand and read the name to himself before saying it out loud. "Harry Potter." All heads turned towards the corner of the room. "Harry Potter!"

Lauren gestured to Harry to stand up. "Go on Harry."

When he didn't move but tried to duck his head down out of sight Hermione grabbed ahold of his sweater, "For goodness sake, go."

He got up from his seat walking towards Professor Dumbledore as his classmates looked at him in disgust. His cousin Lauren stood up watching him pass the other students as they started to shout things like "He a cheat!." Her eyes went from Professor Snape to Mcgonagall as they both looked at Harry as he made his way to where the other champions had disappeared too. When the students were dismissed, Lauren looked over to Ron who had a look of betrayal. She sighed as she listened to what the other students were saying about Harry. "He didn't do it." She said to Ron who rolled her eyes and left with Dean heading back to the Gryffindor common room. Lauren's crossed over her chest as everyone left the Great Hall. Her eyes glanced over at Mad-Eye Moody who watched her intently before he followed the other professors away. Once everyone was gone from the Great Hall she quickly made her way to the library. She was surprised to see that Professor Pince had left it unlocked tonight. Quietly she made her way inside crutching low making sure no one was inside before cantering down the aisles of the library looking for the book she had recently checked out the year before. She remembered the book had mentioned the Triwizard Tournament. Skimming through the shelves she found the book, taking it off the shelf and laying it down on the table beside her.

"Lumos." The end of her wand lit up and she opened the book turning page after page until she found what she was looking for. She read over the part of the Triwizard Tournament looking for anything that would help her figure out what the Goblet of Fire picked out Harry's name. Her eyes wandered from page sentence to sentence looking for any names of those who may not have survived the three tasks, stopping only when she found a clue that may prove Harry did not put his name into the Goblet of Fire. She read on about the Goblet of Fire learning about the powers it has looking for a way to see if Harry could get out of the tournament, but she was unsuccessful.

While she read on the door to the library opened and she quickly placed the book back on the shelf. "Nox." The light on her wand went out just as an unfriendly face came around the corner. His short blonde hair glistened in the moonlight. His Slytherin robes were open. He stood before her, his arm resting against the shelf, an evil grin appearing on his face. "Last I checked the library was closed at this hour."

Lauren glanced up at him. "Is there is problem doing a little bit of late night studying in the library. After All that is what this place is for."

Draco approached her slowly still keeping the grin on his face. "I'm surprised you're not with your hero of a cousin, or did you have too much of him already?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "He and I may be cousins but we do not spend 24 hours together. I highly doubt you spend that much time with your father, but seeing as how your a daddy's boy I would say you do." She went to move around him when he held his hand out in front of her.

His grin thinned out as he watched her moving his face closer to her taking in the smell of her hair, breathing it in deeply. "You always smell so good to me." His arm slithered around her waist forcing her closer to him. She tried to move away from him using her hands. She gasped when he played with her hair.

She moved her foot picking it up and smashing it down on his own causing him to break his hold on her. Backing away from him quickly as he bent over. "Keep your hands off of me or I will go to Professor Snape and have him deal with you." Lauren ran out of the library heading up the stairs to Gryffindor tower when she bumped into someone coming around the corner. She closed her eyes for a moment hoping it was not Professor Snape.

When she opened her eyes a dark figure lumed over her. His long blonde hair hung around the collar of his long cape. The snake head shown bright from the light of the moon. His grey eyes looked down at her. She quickly got up from the floor, his eyes never leaving hers.

"And what would lovely young Gryffindor be doing out of bed at a time like this?" His voice was low as he spoke. She looked at the floor as he watched her. "It's very rude to not knowledge someone when they ask you a question."

Lauren swallowed deeply glancing at him for a quick second. "I was sleepwalking."

Lucius Malfoy chuckled at her taking a step closer to her. "I would get to bed if I were you. You never know when someone might be watching you..." He looked her up and down. When she refused to look at him he took his cane placing the snake head under her chin causing her to look up at him. "...especially a beauty like you."

Lauren looked him in the eyes as he watched her. The silver snake head under her chin was cold causing her to shiver against the wall. As the bell in the tower began to chime she ran from him, running up the stairs to Gryffindor tower. Once there she made her way to her dorm room. Her hands were shaking as she climbed into bed that night. Having a run in with one Malfoy at school was hardly desirable, but both of them on the same night was enough to make her skin crawl.