DRAGONS AND EGGS

Around Hogwarts, a magical badge became fashionable. It depicted Cedric on a bright yellow background. Then, the badger spun and showed Harry on a green background with the words "Potter Stinks" on it. It wasn't clear who'd had the idea., but bets where on some Slytherin, even on Ron. Alex knew Draco hadn't done it, but some thought it was his idea, and he didn't mind taking the credit for it.

Alex was sitting under a tree. Draco was on top of it. He was wearing one of the badges, of course. Suddenly, she saw Harry arguing with Ron and Seamus.

- You're a right foul git you know that?

- You think so? – Ron said, looking at him with a poker face.

- I know so.

- Anything else?

- Yeah. Stay away from me.

- Fine. – Ron passed Harry, as Seamus lightly pushed him.

- Why so tense Potter? – Draco. She knew this would be trouble. But she decided not to interfere. Both Draco and Harry were old enough to settle down their problems. - My father and I have a bet you see. I don't think you're going to last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees. He thinks you won't last five! – he got down from the tree, and Goyle and Crabbe joined him, laughing, along other Slytherin students.

- I don't give a damn what you or your father thinks Malfoy. He's vile and cruel, and you're just pathetic. – Harry turned his back to Draco. He got out his wand.

- Pathetic?

- Draco! – Alex stood up, ready to intervene, when suddenly, Draco was turned into a ferret.

- I'll teach you to cast when someone's back is turned. – Professor Moody started swinging Draco up and down. Alex was completely shocked.

- Professor Moody what are you doing? – McGonagall showed up just on time.

- Teaching…

- Is that a student?

- Technically it's a ferret. – he sent the ferret into Crabbe's trousers. People around started laughing. When the ferret came out, McGonagall turned it back to normal. Draco was dishevelled.

- My father will hear about this! – he shouted at Moody.

- Is that a threat? – Moody started walking towards Draco, and he hid behind Alex. - I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair boy! – Draco started running away, followed by Crabbe and Goyle. - It doesn't end here!

- We never use transfiguration as a punishment, surely Dumbledore told you that. – McGonagall looked mad.

- He might've mentioned it.

- Well, you will do well to remember it. – she turned around and left. Alex saw Moody making fun of McGonagall. What kind of teacher behaved like that? Alex grabbed her things, and headed the same way Draco had left. He was in some boy's bathrooms, trying to compose himself from the transformation.

- Let me help you. – Alex walked in and left her things next to a sink.

- That must be punished somehow, right? He turned me into a ferret! – Draco's face was decomposed. It made Alex laugh. – Are you laughing?

- Sorry, it's just…you were a really cute ferret. – she laughed and he…reddened? Alex started brushing his hair with her hands. He liked how it felt. Then he noticed his smelt.

- Gosh…I smell like Crabbe's undies… - they looked at each other, and started laughing outload.

- Okay, that's a problem! You probably need a shower. Or two, just to make sure. – he grabbed her and pulled her closer to him.

- Don't you want to smelt it? – Alex tried pushing him away, as both of them couldn't stop laughing. The forcing ended up with both of them looking each other in the eye. Closer and closer every time. Suddenly, some other students walked in.

- This is the boy's bathroom! – some of them said at Alex. She was embarrassed.

- Right, sorry. I'm not supposed to be here. – she grabbed her things. – I'll see you later.

Alex got out of the bathroom, her heart racing like hell. She was so close to Draco…was he going to kiss her? Was she going to kiss him? Her face went completely red by the thought of it.

DRACO'S POINT OF VIEW

She was so close…She had never been closer. He was determined to kiss her. He couldn't stop himself. And if she wasn't backing away…She must have felt the same, right? They were about to touch each other's lip when suddenly, other students walked into the bathroom, saying it was the boy's restroom. She pulled away instantly, grabbed her things and left. He facepalmed himself. It was his best chance. Now, things would probably be weird.

ALEX'S POINT OF VIEW

For the rest of the day, Alex tried to avoid Draco. She was super embarrassed. The day of the first trial arrived. Everyone went to the arena where it would take place. The trial consisted on grabbing a golden egg from a dragon's nest. The problem was, the dragon was around. Each one of the contestants would face a dragon and try to steal the golden egg. There was a protecting spell to avoid the dragons from attacking the crowd. They would also have chains around their necks, just in case. There was also some sort of "magical TVs", to follow everything the contestants did. What would be the point of having a crowd if they couldn't see every tiny detail? Alex was between Neville and Dean Thomas. The Weasley Twins were making bets with the people.

- Step up, mates! Who fancies a flutter on tonight's bloodbath? – Fred was saying.

- Smart money is on Krum to survive! – George followed behind.

- One'll get you ten if Potter dies.

- Really, guys? – Alex looked at them.

- Don't blame the messenger! – they said at unison.

Everyone was spectating. Hermione showed up next to them, and soon, the trial began. The first one to enter the arena was Cedric Diggory. Everyone cheered when they saw him. He headed towards the dragon nest, where there was the golden egg. Suddenly, the dragon appeared.

- That's a Swedish short-snout! – Seamus screamed.

Cedric was quick to hide behind a rock. He took his wand out and used a Transfiguration spell to change a rock into a dog. He managed to distract the dragon. He was about to grab the egg when the dragon looked back at him and throw a ball of fire on his direction. The crowd screamed, believing Diggory had been completely burned. However, from the fire, emerged a silhouette, golden egg on his hands. Everyone cheered and breathed relieved.

After Cedric got out of there safely with his egg and the dragon was taken away, it was the turn of Fleur Delacour. Once again, people cheered when she entered the arena. This time, the dragon was a Common Welsh Green. She quickly enchanted the dragon to sleep. Quickly, she grabbed the golden egg, and left the place.

- She was good! – Alex said.

- She's the best! – Ron said enthusiastically.

Next one was Viktor Krum. Everyone went crazy. He had a lot of fans considering he was the seeker of the Bulgarian Quidditch team, and he was also quite popular amongst girls. The dragon stood between him and the egg.

- It's a Chinese Fireball, right? – Dean told Seamus, who nodded.

He used the Conjunctivitis Curse, making the dragon to shut its eyes. It was disoriented, and that gave Krum the advantage. He was able to retrieve the golden egg without a scratch. Now, it was Harry's turn.

- Three of our champions have now faced their dragons and so each one of them will proceed to the next task. And now our fourth and final contestant. – Dumbledore pointed at the entry of the arena, where Harry showed up. The crowd cheered his name. He tried to make a ran for the egg, but the dragon suddenly appeared.

- Oh, no. – Seamus said.

- Oh, no? – Alex asked.

- That's a Hungarian horntail, one of the most dangerous dragons on earth!

- Oh, no. – Everyone around him said. Harry hid behind a rock and took his wand out.

- Accio Firebolt! – he pointed his wand towards the castle. A couple seconds went by, and he was still hiding behind the rock, with the dragon spelling fire. Suddenly, Harry's broom appeared flying through the arena, and he jumped on it, flying away. The dragon managed to break its chains, and followed Harry. People started screaming. They looked at the TVs.

Harry was flying at high speed around the Hogwarts buildings. The dragon cut him off and whipped him off his broom. He landed on the roof of Hogwarts, hanging on for dear life. The dragon was clambering across the roof, strewing tiles as it walked. Harry reached his broom but it was stuck. He managed to jerk it loose and let go of the roof just in time before the dragon swiped at him. He fell a long way but regained control. He flew on to one of the bridges. He flew through a gap in the bridge but the dragon crashed into it and fell into the water. When he popped up back into the arena, people started screaming and cheering with joy. He had managed to escape the dragon and retrieved the golden egg. Everyone clapped as he raised the egg in the air.

- I can't believe he made it! – said Hermione.

- Me neither… - Alex responded.

Now, it was up to Harry to find out about the next trial. According to the rules, inside the egg there was the secret about the second trial. The four contestants would have to decipher it if they wanted to success in the next trial. Alex found Draco on their way back to the castle.

- Did you enjoy it?

- It would have been funnier if Potter had ended up burning, even if it was a little bit… - Alex nudged him. – I'm kidding!

- No, you're not! – they both laughed. It was a little bit weird, after what had happened the other day.

- Hey, Alex, about what happened… - "oh, no". He wanted to talk about it. She needed to get out of there. Lucky her, the twins popped up right behind them.

- Just so you know, Black, those who bet on Harry just made a lot of money! – Fred said.

- Yeah, they're full of money! – George laughed. She took advantage of the situation to get away from Draco. She wasn't ready to talk with him, not about what had happened. It would have to wait.