Alright onto the Champions! Thanks to all of the amazing reviews and everyone who is following this story special thanks to Kigen Dawn and SophieAngel69 for all of the fantastic reviews and the never ending support.
Harry was in the Astronomy tower long before the clocks thought of striking nine. He had claimed fatigue to his friends and they had reluctantly allowed him to retire early. A quick locking charm around his curtains and he had slipped under his cloak and out the portrait along with the many other students slipped in and out enjoying being back at Hogwarts. Now he was standing outside the tower watching the stars and waiting eagerly for his Slytherin friend. He was wondering exactly how long Draco was going to wait before he slipped away from the others to come and meet him. Meeting the first day back probably was not the best idea he had ever had but in the end he could not regret it, he wanted to talk to Draco, to share the stories they had missed over the summer.
As the clock struck nine he heard the door open and footsteps walk across the floor and towards the verandah. He glanced over his shoulder and watched as Draco stepped out of the tower and shut the door carefully behind him. Harry crossed the space between them and pulled Draco into a warm hug. Draco easily returned the gesture and the two stood like that for longer than was necessary neither wanting to end the peace and quiet that surrounded them. Finally the boys took a step back from each other.
"It's great to see you again," Harry told the other boy.
"Thanks! How long have you been waiting?"
"Not long." The Gryffindor lied.
"How was your summer?"
"In all honesty- pretty awful."
"Aunt and Uncle?"
"Not really. I mean they were terrible but really I just missed talking to you." Harry turned bright red at the admission, looking as though he really had not meant to say the words.
"Well you could have written to me again…" The blonde sounded hurt and Harry frowned.
"I did."
Draco looked at the boy, "Really? Cause I could have sworn that it was just me pacing my room for two months waiting for you to answer." He voice was sarcastic and bitter.
"I really did write to you, I sent you six bloody letters before I gave up and figured you just didn't care." Harry defended himself.
"I got one letter and sent the first letter I wrote back with it. I have at least ten freaking letters sitting in my trunk right now waiting to send to you." Now he just sounded angry.
There was a tense silence on the balcony as the two stared each other down. Eventually Draco broke away and Harry panicked for a moment thinking that he was going to walk away for good. But the Slytherin walked past him and leaned against the railing, looking out over the grounds. Harry let out a sigh of relief and went to go stand next to his friend. A confused look suddenly crossed his face.
"Wait. Did you really not get any of my letters?"
"No. Why would I lie about that?" The blonde scoffed.
"That's not what I meant. I know I sent you letters, but you say you never got them. Then you say you sent me a reply, but I never got that."
"What are you saying?" Draco looked over at Harry.
"Somewhere between Privet Drive and the Manor someone was confiscating our mail." He paused for a second, "Well my mail anyway."
"That's ridiculous. It's not like anyone had any clue that we were friends."
Harry winced at the past tense, "I know, but it's either that or one of us is lying. And I hope that you would not lie to me at all, much less about something like this."
"I will never lie to you." Harry gave him a playful look, "Not about the important things anyway."
Harry laughed and gave the Slytherin a playful shove that left the boy grinning.
The two stood there in silence. Watching the moon sitting and the stars as they painted shadows along the dark ground beneath the trees. Eventually Harry turned and looked at Malfoy.
"Someone knows about us."
"Yeah I know."
"You think they'll tell anybody?"
"You think anyone's going to believe them?"
"Probably not. You going to put your name in?" Draco startled at the topic change.
"In what?"
"The Goblet."
"I can't, I'm not old enough remember?"
"And since when have you decided to play with the rules?" Harry teased.
"Haven't. However I don't really like the idea of dying."
Harry laughed, "Me either. Besides who wants that kind of pressure, the hopes of the entire school resting on you in the hope that you will destroy the hopes of hundreds of other kids."
Draco looked at him one eyebrow raised, "How many times did you say hope in that sentence?" Harry laughed.
"Too many. I have to admit though that I am really excited all of the attention is going to be focused on another poor soul, instead of me."
Draco grinned and changed the subject, "Speaking of poor soul, what did you do with the Weasel this summer?"
"Ha. Ha." Harry went on to talk about all of the things he and Ron did over the summer, basically clean the house and play Quidditch. Over all it seemed to be a lot of fun at least to Draco. When Harry asked him what he did Draco picked some of the things that he was sure would make the other boy interested, such as going to France and staying on the beach. Draco shared stories of sitting in his garden watching as the annoyingly prissy peacocks strutted around the trees and flowers that decorated his home. Harry laughed at some of the stories he told but for the most part listened in awe.
"Sheesh. And to think I was excited to stay at the Burrow. It's wonderful but I can't even imagine being in a place like the Manor." Harry looked a Draco with a mischievous grin, "looks like you really are all that, aren't you?"
The boys talked about the school year ahead and what classes they hoped to take eventually Harry looked down at his watch.
"Draco," The blonde looked up from his spot sitting against the wall, "it's almost two."
"In the morning?!" His eyes were disbelieving.
"Well that's usually what they call the beginning of the day."
Draco glared at Harry and then started laughing. "Well I guess we better go then."
The two boys got up and Harry slipped them both under the cloak, Draco and he had grown over the summer meaning that they really had to crouch to fit under the cloak. The two of them were standing outrageously close and Harry reveled in the contact. As they made their way down the stairs they ran into Peeves who had decided to float in the middle of the stairway setting up a prank for the unfortunate students who came to breakfast early. Harry pointed his head down a hall and Draco silently walked next to him wondering where the boy was going. When Harry lifted a tapestry and revealed a passageway Draco stared in wonder. As soon as they entered the tunnel Harry pulled the cloak off of them and reluctantly stepped away from the Slytherin. He led the way through the tunnel down a couple flights of stairs and then almost ran into a solid wall.
"Did you get lost?" Draco could not help but tease the brunette.
Harry smirked, "Nope."
With that he pushed against the wall and it opened up. Harry peeked his head around the corner and confirming the coast was clear he gestured Draco out first. The Slytherin looked in shock as he took in the halls of the dungeon. He could not believe it, the passageway had let them out right in front of-
"The Slytherin common room."
Draco looked at Harry in shock, "How did you know this is where the common room is?"
Harry looked abashed, "That is a story for another time. In the meantime I have to get back to Gryffindor Tower. Good night, Draco."
Harry pulled the cloak over his head a disappeared from view. Draco shook his head in wonder and smiled when he heard a whisper. Turning towards the noise he watched a painting down the hall open and a flash of feet when Harry walked into the passage.
"Good night, Harry."
Draco spoke the password and entered the common room heading directly towards the dorms and his bed. Eagerly awaiting their next meeting.
Over the next few weeks Harry and Draco send owls back and forth meeting occasionally. Neither of them brings up the Quidditch Cup or the Tournament. Although Harry eventually tells Draco about his scar and the dreams he has been having. Draco encourages the boy to go see Madame Pomfrey and says that maybe he should write Sirius, basically repeating everything Hermione had told Harry hours before. Eventually Harry gives in and sends off a letter to Sirius. Of course the reply he gets that says Sirius is coming back towards Hogwarts is enough to make Harry question his decision and he only hopes that Sirius will listen to the letter and stay far away from Hogsmeade and the people who are still looking for him.
October comes and with it the announcement that the other schools are arriving the day before Halloween and that the entire school is expected to be in pristine condition when they do. After watching the teachers cleaning furiously with the help of Filch he is almost relieved to here that the other schools will be here soon. They arrive with a flourish and the three schools eat together eagerly all waiting for the games to begin. The rules are laid out and the age line drawn. Over the course of the next day many of the older students enter in their names each hoping to be drawn and each dreading the moment the names are called. Harry watches as Fred and George attempt to fool Dumbledore's age line and fail miserably and watches silently with the others as Viktor Krum places his own name into the flames.
Finally the day of the drawing arrives and Harry sits with the rest of the Gryffindor's and waits impatiently for the feast to end and the names to be drawn. He listens as first the name of the Beauxbaton's champion is called resulting in the excited squeal of a beautiful blonde name Fleur Delacour. Then the Durmstrang champion is called and a proud Viktor Krum marches to the door behind the teachers. When the name of Cedric Diggory is called for the Hogwart's champion, Harry cheers with the rest of the school for the Hufflepuff boy. Dumbledore gets ready to clear the hall when the flames change color once more. The entire room goes silent as a fourth name is spit from the fire.
Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And the Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out-
"Harry Potter."
Harry felt every single eye in the place turn and look at him, but he could not move. He was stunned, numb. He must be dreaming, that was all just dreaming.
"I did not put my name in." He looked at Ron and Hermione begging them to understand. "You know I didn't."
Neither of them answered just staring at him.
"Harry Potter! Harry! Up here, if you please!"
Hermione gave him a shove and he got to his feet. Walking between the tables his feet echoing through the silence of the hall. No one applauded. The silence grated on Harry's nerves and he followed the frowning Dumbledore's directions as he disappeared through the door. The eyes of those who were worried, betrayed, and angry following him.
Draco stared in shock as Harry disappeared behind the door. The entire room started muttering as they all argued over whether Harry was trying to show off, or just being stupid. Besides how did he get across the line anyway? Theory after theory came up and even Dumbledore could not quiet the students. Eventually he simply dismissed them and disappeared through the door. Followed by the teachers, heads, and Crouch with Barty.
Draco's mind was racing. At first he felt anger, why did Harry not tell him that he found a way to put his name in. But he quickly shook it off. Harry hated his fame already. There was no way he would want more of it. He wondered how Harry's name could have gotten in. Someone else obviously did it but why? Why would they do that to a boy when they knew that he could be killed? Oh God.
He could die. Malfoy's already pale skin turned pure white as the blood drained from his face. No one noticed as the blonde stood and raced out of the hall. He made it to the bathroom in enough time to lose all of the glorious feast. Sick at the thought of Harry Potter dying.
Harry left the room behind the Great Hall long after everyone else and slowly made his way up to the common room. It was a long journey and Harry did not remember any of it. All he could think was: Why me? What did I do? He was worried for the other contestants. What were they thinking about him? He sighed and whispered the password to the portrait and stepped into the common room. A loud cheering greets him as he looked at his entire house. All of Gryffindor had decided to celebrate a Gryffindor champion for Hogwarts. Everyone single one of them had conveniently forgotten that Cedric Diggory was the real champion and that Harry was merely an unwelcome technicality. Eventually Harry fought his way through the crowed of students wanting to either congratulate or question him. He disappeared up the stairs to the room he shared with the others in his year. Finding his own bed he noticed Ron laying on another bunk.
"If one more person asks me how I put my name in the Goblet…" Harry trailed off unsure exactly what he would do, but that was hardly the point.
"So?"
Harry looked blankly at Ron, "So, what?"
"How did you put your name in?"
Harry stared in shock, "I didn't. I told you that, I haven't had time with neither you or Hermione around to do it, and I obviously did not do it with you in the room."
"You could have at least told me Harry." Harry stared at his best friend, "At least given me a chance to be famous."
"I don't want this Ron! I can't believe that you think I would lie about something like this."
"Forget it Harry. Don't tell me! Why would you even think to tell your own best friend?"
Ron sneered and Harry grabs his invisibility cloak and the map and walks from the room and stormed out of the room and into the stone halls of Hogwarts.
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