"I don't get it," Draco groaned. "What even is this bloody shit? Arithmancy?"

"Calm down, Draco, it's just some silly questions about converting potions," Pansy replied, "see, all you have to do is..." Her face turned white and she put the paper down. "Can't you ask someone else?"

"Yeah, yeah," Draco rolled his eyes. "None of us are going to get this. We might as well just give up," he groaned and threw the scroll onto the floor. "Who wants to go raid the Hufflepuffs' snack box?"

"Me!" Goyle yelled loudly.

"Wait, Draco, I have a better idea," Crabbe grinned. "Just wait until we visit Hogsmeade again, and we can go somewhere much better!"

"Oh, really?" Draco raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms. "And what do you mean by that?"


"Why are we in Madam Puddifoot's, you insolent fool?" Draco snarled at Crabbe. "And you...why are you smiling like an idiot?"

"But...the tea is good," Goyle stammered, gently putting down a gold-inlaid teacup with dainty pink roses.

"Perhaps we've been spending too much time with Umbridge," Draco frowned slightly. "Anyway! Let's leave this besotted hellhole of a place-"

"Wait, I think I can see Potter with his girlfriend, and they're headed right heeere," Crabbe mused, pointing out the window.

"What?" Draco demanded, whipping around.

"Oh look, he appears nervous and easier to pick on," Crabbe added. "You could steal his girl away from him by exposing his pathetic idiocy right now, you know."

"You don't say!" Draco replied, smirking to himself. "Goyle, you may continue to drink that over-sweetened swill, Crabbe and I will begin to tackle our most important mission...being Inquisitive."

"But Umbridge told us not to tell others-"

"Shut up, Goyle, drink your tea like you're supposed to," Draco snarled.

"Okay," Goyle replied, looking down and staring at the teacup, which by now was covered in pink confetti petals, making its contents undrinkable.

"Alright then, Crabbe," Draco hissed. "Let's go get a table and try to blend in so Potter won't notice."

"Get a table?" Crabbe blinked. "What do you mean blend in?"

"You know, do what other people are doing so we don't stick out, why?"

"Uhh..."

There was a moment of awkward silence. Draco slowly edged away from whatever was happening between Ginny Weasley and Michael Corner.

"You know what, Crabbe, just go sit next to Goyle. I'll take care of this myself."

Crabbe made a face. "But the tea is so-"

"Oh, for Slytherin's snake, are you a wizard or what? Just don't drink it if it offends you so much," Draco snapped irritably. With that, he sat down and watched Potter and Chang do the same, facing the other way. Potter did look around and almost noticed him, except for a moment where he noticed Crabbe and Goyle and seemed somewhat puzzled.

As he watched the argument between Potter and Chang unfold, however, he began to feel somewhat off. Perhaps it was because of the cherubs or the pink petals that were ruining his hair, but it became even more uncomfortable to watch as Chang ran out crying. He had been thinking of ways to get her away and the look on Potter's face, and watching her dump him without any effort required on his part was satisfying, but it also unsettled him.

Remember, he hissed to himself, these people are the enemy. They will band together and form an alliance of Mudbloods, of all pathetic things, and fight for Dumbledore's cause.

After Potter chased after Chang, then, Draco began to wonder if someone had left something in his tea because he seriously was not feeling quite up to speed. Or something.

"Maybe you're growing a conscience...?"

"Shut up," Draco growled at nothing in particular, but he did manage to startle Blaise Zabini's date. "So sorry."

However, just then the door opened and Potter returned, looking depressed. Why? He had already paid. Oh...he had forgotten to tip. Or something. Regardless, all he left were a few Knuts. Draco decided that returning to his routine would make him feel better. Yes, now would be an excellent time to go in for the kill and finish him. Draco stood up and made his way over.

"Hello, Potter," he hissed in his ear, grabbing him by the shoulder. The scrawny boy stiffened and turned around to face him. Draco began to regret being so close and decided to take a step back. He could still be intimidating from a few feet away, after all. "So, it appears you just got dumped by your lady friend. Awww, it just seems you keep on losing all of the closest people, doesn't it?" he smirked.

Potter, now having seen his face, went from startled to somehow calm and almost strangely subdued. "Draco," he replied in a tired voice.

"What? Are you gonna cry?"

Potter just looked down and readjusted his glasses with both hands, his expression unreadable. "So you've aware of it. Have you heard?"

"Heard what? That she was the one to dump you because you'll never measure up to her boyfriend, whose death you caused?"

Potter glared at him. "Shut the fuck up and stop talking about Cedric that way."

"What?"

"You can say what you want about me, but I will not have you disrespect the death of someone who deserved all the dignity and respect in the world. Unlike you, Cedric would never work for the bad guy, not even if he got humiliated for it."

Draco growled. "What do you mean the bad guy, Potter? Are you just mad because your poor parents got what was coming to them? Anyways, you know that my parents-"

"I don't have time for your bullshit, Malfoy!" Potter yelled, startling the other couples in the room. "You know what? I know you didn't really hear what she said, but I don't have time to hear you speculate about our conversation just so you can continue to trigger me."

"Oh, so is she jealous because you have someone more important in your life?"

Potter froze. Then he gritted his teeth.

"Is it the Granger, perhaps? Hmm...I'd say her rage would be quite understandable in that case, you know, I wouldn't go near her. Not even if we were the last two people on earth and she looked-"

"No, Draco, but I guess you're still right either way!"

"Mr. Potter-" Madam Puddifoot stood up. How did she know his name? Never mind, he was THE Boy-Who-Lived after all...what besotted woman wouldn't notice him paying her?

"I guess I was just too concerned about my boyfriend to really move on and start dating properly! Because he, like many of those other people close to me, was killed by a man that your family quite obviously worships!" With that, Draco barely had a moment to open his mouth before a handful of pink confetti, much to Madam Puddifoot's protests, was shoved into it and forcibly made to be swallowed. The next thing he knew, someone kicked him swiftly in the groin and pushed him over so he landed face flat on the floor. Someone, from an adjacent table perhaps, sent him a brief glance and decided to discreetly Bat-Bogey Hex him.

As he stood there, gasping and vomiting pink confetti, Draco wondered if maybe he should rethink his life decisions. And decided on no for the moment.

"You're going to fucking regret that, you know."

But yeah, if it meant he wouldn't have to hear the weird guilt-inducing voice for a while, he might just leave Potter alone until his conscience was sufficiently overpowered again.


Review if Cedric was probably hitting on Harry when he invited him to bathe in the Prefects' Bathroom.

When writing this short story, I did not intend to state that Cedric and Harry were actually dating in this continuity, but to refer to Dudley's "Who's Cedric? Your boyfriend?" in Order of the Phoenix. However, you are welcome to imagine that was totally what he meant. I...I ship it. (Tears off Draco/Harry tag) This is a Hadric fanfiction now. No more Drarry.