Title: Blurred lines

A/U: Starting in Chamber of Secrets Making its way through Ginny's years at Hogwarts; Ginny and Draco's POV.

TW: Mentions of abuse and addiction

Rating: M for Violence, Grief, Sexually suggestive content and coarse language.

Chapter 10: The Goblet of Fire.

After a light lunch of sandwiches, tea and biscuits, Ginny, Theo, Greg, Vince and Draco all spend their time quibbling about quidditch. What team won, who did the best, what team should have won and, if you were Theo, why Viktor Krum is a jug-eared tit. Everyone laughed at Theo's 5 minute rant after Greg told him to stuff himself.

"And that is why if it was Goalsey Vs. Krum, Goalsey would absolutely flatten him," Theo finished exaggeratedly, huffing and crossing his arms.

"So what you're telling me," Vince said, wagging a sandwich crust that he hadn't finished at Theo like a finger. "Is that the reason you like Goalsey is because he is a better player than Krum, and not because of the size and shape of his biceps?"

Theo smirked. "Oh Vince, you read my mind! How could I possibly forget the fact that I am shallower than your personality?"

Vince laughed but instead of retorting vocally he lobbed the uneaten crust at Theo's head. It hit him right in the forehead: a cascade of crumbs fell over him, as the remainder of Vince's ham, cheese and pickle sandwich landed in his lap.

"That was a good shot, and admit it Theo: we know that poster in your room has more to do with the fact that you like the Ballycastle Bats," Ginny said with a goofy grin on her face.

"I'd just like to point out that even though I have a Ballycastle Bats poster in here that I do not like them because of Goalsey. Just saying," Draco said to the general mirth of the group.

"Why do you like the Bats then?" said a very deep voice from behind Draco. From right behind Draco. Draco launched 3 meters into the air and landed on the floor with a thud.

Blaise Zabini doubled over with hysterical laughter. "I- got you- so good!" he said between howls. "Anyway, sorry I'm late, Mother was taking her time getting to know number 7." Blaise said when he finally calmed down.

Draco was still recovering from his stint on the floor but Ginny was curious."Did you say you had just arrived?"

"I did indeed, Ms. Weasley," Blaise said nonplussed. "Why did you say that like it was important?"

"Did you overhear the others talking about anything?" Ginny asked as everyone in the room leaned in conspiratorially.

"Well, of course, yes," Blaise said unhelpfully.

"What did they say?"

"I didn't overhear them saying anything because they were talking directly to me and I highly doubt that whatever evil deeds they were talking about before I got here would continue to be discussed while I was in earshot so I only heard what they told me," Blaise replied in what seemed like one long breath.

Ginny was practically bursting at the seams. "Well, yes, but what did they tell you?"

"Something about a tournament with competitors from a magic school in Iceland, France and our own Hogwarts. Not a clue what but they said that we need to pack dress robes," Blaise finally got out. As he spoke, he took his seat next to where Draco had finally hoisted himself up to. Ginny was on Blaise's other side, looking disappointed that all he had heard was about a tournament.

"Why the long face, eh? I'm surprised you're not incredibly pleased to see me," Blaise said as he placed his arm on the back of the chair behind Ginny.

"Well, you certainly are a break from Draco," Ginny said giving Blaise a faux malicious side eye, "But we were hoping for a little more information. You didn't overhear anything out of the ordinary."

Blaise theatrically closed the distance between his head and Ginny's conspiratorially; then finally spoke after looking around for eavesdroppers. "I didn't hear shit."

Everyone around the coffee table laughed apart from Ginny, who put a comically frustrated look on her face and raised her nose away from Blaise. "Hmph" was the only vocalization she made.

Instead of the usual September 1st scrum that occurred In Ginny's house, the departure from the Malfoy's house was calm, collected and efficient. She supposed it was mainly due to the fact that instead of having 6 people trying to get to one place at once like when she was at the burrow, it was only 2. Vince, Greg Blaise and Theo had left the previous day to have the yearly send off with their own families. Ginny had packed the night before, squeezing all of her new spell books into her trunk. Draco had half packed and was now hurriedly attempting to finish the job. .

"You know, I'll never understand why boys leave their packing till the absolute last minute," Ginny said, sat atop her already packed and ready to go trunk observing Draco's red face and tired arms trying to cram absolutely everything he needed in his trunk. Ginny felt as if she had been in this exact situation at least three times in her life. Technically more, since all of the Slytherin boys in her friendship circle left packing until the last minute. But it was always funniest when it was Draco. Usually organized and on top of things, it was highly amusing to see him weak limbed and red faced. The color rising in his cheeks could have given Ron a good run for his money. "I thought you told me you could use magic in this house and the ministry won't care?" Ginny inquired teasingly, laying upside down with her legs on the foot of the bed and her back on the trunk, long hair dangling down like a red-headed siren.

"It's not a case of can or cannot, it's a case of not knowing how," Draco said, giving one final push to close his trunk. Ginny laughed at Draco's discomfort until he yanked her from atop her trunk and dragging her to his own.

"What was that for?" Ginny asked, still giggling.

"I'm not heavy enough to keep this trunk closed by myself," Draco said, giving one of his most Slytherin smirks.

"Are you calling me—"

Before Ginny could finish her mirthful retort there was a sharp crack in the corridor and Gerald, one of the Malfoy's house elves gently opened the door. "Mr. Malfoy and the Mistress he is taking company with are required to enter the foyer now because Master and Mistress Malfoy are about to leave the house," Gerald said respectfully. It wasn't until he finished speaking that Ginny and Draco quite realized the predicament Gerald had walked into. Ginny was oh-so-close to Draco with a broad smile on her face and a finger pointing under his nose. Draco's stance was perhaps even worse, legs akimbo, hands in the air in a surrender gesture, still with that smirk on his face.

All Gerald did in reaction, however, was blink. He bowed and left the corridor with a snap of his fingers, leaving them to take the silence as tacit understanding.

The smiles were gone from their now-red faces.

They both tried their hardest to get rid of the evidence of the thorough flustering that Gerald had given them with his sudden appearance. Lucius and Narcissa were both waiting at the fireplace, Lucius looking glad at finally being able to get rid of the blood traitor in his house. Narcissa, however, looked slightly crestfallen. Very slightly, as she hid it well, but Ginny was able to pick up on it. The two women had been getting along quite well and, if she was honest with herself, she would miss Narcissa as well. Not only because of the extravagant pampering she provided for Ginny, but also because beneath the cold veneer, she was a kind woman at heart. Unfortunately, her kind soul faltered under Lucius' presence, just like Draco's.

"Good too see you're both finally packed," Lucius said, glaring at Ginny as if she, and not Draco, had been sweating like an animal trying to get her trunk closed at the last possible moment. Ginny remembered Blaise comparing Draco's disheveled, red-faced efforts at packing to someone who "Mildly looks like they have mange," and tried as hard as she possibly could to not laugh. If she laughed in Lucius' face after he made such a blatant jab at her he would never let her come back. So instead, she schooled her expression right before breaking point and apologized.

Or she was about to, before Draco spoke up. "Sorry father, it was my fault. I left packing until the last minute like I usually do."

Lucius turned his glare to Draco. "When Ginny needs your shallow protection Draco, you will know it for sure." All five people in the room knew this was a threat. Even the greedy, lifeless and bloodshot eyes peering at the four of them from the corner of the foyer, unseen by Draco or Ginny but known to Narcissa and Lucius. They entered the fireplace one by one, until only Lucius and their guest remained.

"Bellatrix," Lucius said simply.

"Lucius," Bellatrix cooed as if she were speaking to a child.

"How did you get out?" Lucius asked, still keeping his voice devoid of emotion.

She smiled wickedly. "Magic."

Entering the Hogwarts express was like breathing fresh air for the first time since Ginny had departed it 6 weeks prior. It felt like having a weight lifted off as she no longer watched how she acted for her own sake and for Draco's. As if on queue to break her out of her own thoughts, Blaise's annual jump-scare occurred.

"You look relieved. You know, my house is a lot less bleak."

Ginny jumped out of her skin, as always. But instead of punching Blaise, she decided to attempt to bowl him over, wrapping her arms around him in a vicious attack hug. The only way a flustered Blaise was able to save himself from falling under the weight of 15-year-old Ginny was to thrash about for a second or two before luckily gaining purchase on the door frame of a compartment full of first years.

"Jesus Ginny, that reprisal is certainly more effective than the punching," Blaise said after regaining his cool. "Let's go find Goldilocks and his three hoodlums."

"Go find who?" Ginny asked, puzzled.

"Goldilocks is a muggle children's story book character. Number 8 is a muggle and has it in his head that he's going to get a child from mother so he's bought a whole bunch of children's books and the like. And I have to say I was intrigued." He put on a conspiratorial tone and got close to Ginny's face. "Turns out, it's a load of shit." His face lightened a little bit. "Not nearly as good as old Babbity Rabbity, of course. Also, why did you attack me, it's only been two days! Can't have missed me too much, can you?"

Ginny smiled despite the terrible joke. "Believe it or not the last two days have been, um…weird," Ginny said morosely. Before Blaise had a chance to enquire further, they spotted Malfoy standing outside a compartment, appearing to eavesdrop. It was the Golden Trio's regular compartment, and she heard her brother's voice mingling with Hermione's sensible tone.

"But what could it be?" Ron said hotly. "Bloody Mum won't tell us and neither will Dad. Not even Charlie, so it's got to be really important."

Hermione was sitting too far away from the compartment door to be heard. Draco saw their advance on him and put a finger up to his lips in a shushing gesture.

"I bet Malfoy's glorious father told Ginny," Ron began, his voice still unpleasant.

"As a matter of fact he did," Malfoy said as he slid open the compartment door and stood just beyond the threshold. "I'd be surprised if your family heard what was going on. Not like your father is high enough in the ministry to find out."

Ron's whole head turned a tomato color as he looked about ready to pounce at Malfoy before someone Ron couldn't see dragged him away and down the train.

"I really wish you'd stop talking down to my parents. And what do you mean your father told us what's going on? All we know is that there's a competition." Ginny said, still dragging Draco away by the elbow.

"That's one more thing we know than them. And he told Blaise who told us, that's the next best thing. And we know who's coming," Draco said with a smirk as he turned into a compartment and sat down, inadvertently dragging Ginny down next to him.

"We know a school from Bulgaria and a school from France are coming." Ginny said,, trying to get Draco's point.

"Exactly. Three schools are attending one tournament, so it could only be a handful. The Triwizard tournament is a no-go because of how many deaths it has caused in the past. Could be a quidditch tournament…" he said hopefully.

"Hang on, back up — people have died in Hogwarts competitions?" Ginny said in disbelief.

"Oh yea, people dying in a school full of magic is probably pretty common. Especially mud—" Draco stopped himself. He had promised Ginny that he'd try to not say that word, but honestly, he didn't see why she cared. It's not like she was a muggleborn. Not even much of a blood traitor either. "— especially muggle borns,'' he finally finished. He didn't want to piss Ginny off as he had last time. That had been quite catastrophic. Ginny looked at Draco appreciatively for a second. At least she knew he was trying,, he thought.

"I guess so," Ginny said, and for a second Draco thought she could hear his thoughts. Then he realized that she was just agreeing with his 'death is common' conclusion.

That's when Theo stumbled in. He was out of breath, his hair a bit on the wild side.

"Well you look—" Draco started before Ginny interrupted.

"Like you were being chased," she finished

Theo smirked. "Bloody was being chased and all by the golden trio. Well only Weasley. I shut the door of this carriage before he could get close. Big bastard he is now." Theo finally caught his breath and continued. "So what's up with finishing each other's sentences? Being shacked up for 6 weeks really do you that badly?"

The whole compartment laughed, and Ginny, at long last, felt happy. She had been tested time and time again, and now, finally, she felt calm. She had friends, and she was on her way to the best place she'd ever known.

The trip from the compartment to the platform was a nightmare, hundreds of eager students all erupting from train compartments all at once. That was how it usually went; this time, it was all out war. Ginny, Draco and co had to wait five minutes before they finally managed to open their compartment door. "Looks like we aren't the only ones to realize that something interesting is going on at Hogwarts this year," Theo said, after the 5 hour train ride that felt more like 1, with all of the pleasant and flowing conversation. He had cleaned himself up, combing his hair back with his fingers so that it wasn't disheveled, fixing his clothing so it looked befitting of a Slytherin pure-blood, and he looked more or less presentable now. All that work was ruined by the pushing and shoving in the train corridor beyond the compartment door. His hair was ruffled and his uniform a mess when he finally stepped out onto the platform.

"Is it just me," Blaise began when they finally reconvened with each other and found a thestral drawn carriage towards the castle, "or are there more first years here this year?"

Ginny pondered this as the carriage made its rocky way down the log wooden lane. "I don't think there were more, I think they were just all really trying to get out. Usually some people wait in their compartments for everyone else to leave before they go themselves. That's what I did in my first year, at least."

Draco smirked. "That's because you were a- Pansy!" he suddenly exclaimed as an incredibly indignant looking Pansy Parkinson power walked alongside the carriage they were riding in. Come to think of it, Ginny hadn't seen her in her compartment with the others. Must have been with Bulstrode. "Why didn't you wait for me Draco?"

Draco blanched at Pansy's sweet but sour tone. When he looked towards his friends for help it had turned out that they were all theatrically looking in the opposite direction, pretending very loudly to have found something fascinating in the trees. They were all pointing and going "oooh," "and ahhh I see, I see"

"It was such a scrum I didn't see you, darling," Draco said with confidence.

"Well can I come on? I'm sure if you held your arm out I could grab on and climb in." It was clear everyone on the carriage was listening no matter how distracted and unhelpful they made themselves seem. This was proven further when Ginny kicked Draco in the shin from her spot right opposite him. The message was clear: Don't you bloody dare let that woman on the carriage.

"Sorry, '' Draco said sheepishly but not unaffectionately. "We have no space. And we're almost at the castle anyway, not long now." It was actually quite a ways until they reached the castle, more than 15 minutes, in fact. But he wouldn't tell her that lest he get another, more painful kicking from Ginny. Pansy stopped walking and waited for the next carriage to catch up to her, flinging the door open to sit down next to some very confused looking 7th years.

The mood in the great hall was electric. Amongst every house there was table-wide chatter about what was going to happen. There was talk of a new headmaster. Some Slytherins were speculating about the new defense against the dark arts teacher and some, the ones that knew what was going to happen, were all quietly placing bets on who they thought would be invited to the school for 'the tournament' as Ginny had overheard. Maybe it was the Triwizard Tournament that Draco was talking about.

As the final students were seated the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, rose to address the whole school.

"As you may all be already aware we are receiving guests to our school. International guests," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling. He gazed around the room to gauge the reactions of his students, attempting to determine just how many already knew about the international competition. Or perhaps he was merely pausing for effect. You could never tell if the actions of the great wizard Albus Dumbledore were carefully planned out, using every ounce of his considerable intelligence, or if they were just the bumblings and misdirections of someone who was far too old and far too foolish to be in charge of so many young and impressionable wizarding students. "These guests will be arriving late October time, which will give all of you time to settle in before getting bombarded with new faces and a big reveal."

There was a collective deflation over Dumbledore not yet revealing what the 'international competition' was.

"But anyway, enough jibber jabber. To those who are new here, welcome. And to those who are returning, welcome back." Dumbledore proceeded to go over all of the new changes for the year, including the introduction of a new defense against the dark arts teacher, Mad-Eye Moody, whom Ginny had heard of but never actually encountered the expected extension of the school caretaker Argus Filch's list of banned items and activities; and at last, something that actually had something to do with Ginny.

"And finally, due to the competition I have so regularly mentioned, this year's quidditch house cup and subsequent matches have been, this year, canceled."

Ginny's heart sank. One of the few reasons she was actually looking forward to coming back to Hogwarts was the prospect of quidditch. She knew she made the team. But she had been struck by another strong blow to the chest. Draco also looked disheartened. He had, it seemed, been looking forward to being on the quidditch team as well.

Dumbledore still had more to add. "I know, I know," he said, addressing the rise in chatter. "But I am hoping that you will all find the Competition to be as exciting as the quidditch season it will sadly be replacing."

This sentiment appeared to fall flat for most of the student body, as many considered quidditch the most exciting part of the year. Not only the competitors who were praised by their peers in the corridors, favored by their heads of year, and received the occasional chance to skip lessons, but also the people who liked to watch. It gave people an excuse to leave the claustrophobic corridors and snaking staircases of the castle and sit in the, occasionally sunny, stands of the pitch to cheer, boo, sing and generally be loud. Not this year though. No, this year, Ginny was just going to be a normal student. Go to lessons, get assigned piles of homework, and go back to her common room. Rinse and repeat, for the whole year. With no breaks other than the weekends, which would likely be filled with homework to be done indoors, at least for the colder months.

The sorting ceremony went by uneventfully, as it had every year after her own sorting. After all of the new, impossibly small-looking first years were sorted and sat, Ginny vaguely heard Dumbledore's instruction to "Tuck in." Plates of food appeared out of nowhere, and those who weren't dumbstruck by the quidditch cancellation quickly did as Dumbledore suggested, stacking their plates with food. Ginny followed suit, but only after a second of staring into her reflection in her golden plate and a nudge from Blaise.

It was exactly as Ginny had predicted. The time between the start of the year feast and the end of October passed incredibly slowly. Unlike her first year, where all of the days blurred together into one, she felt seemingly every single second of the 54 days between the first of September and the 24th of October. After a dinner full of complaints by Ginny, Draco and Blaise, Dumbledore gathered the attention of the students.

"As you should have all been informed in your first lessons of the day there is to be an announcement." As the headmaster began his speech, four men carried what looked to be a large wooden box up the center of the Great Hall, dropping it to Dumbledore's right. "That's right, the moment you've all been waiting for." Dumbledore made a raising motion with his right hand, gesturing toward the box. As his hand rose, the box began to melt away to reveal a pedestal carved out of black rock, atop which sat a large golden goblet faceted with gems of red, gold, green and blue. It came up to Dumbledore's shoulders, easily over a head taller than the average-sized 7th year. It was a magnificent sight, the golden surface gleaming under its own light. When the box had fully melted away, blue flames began to rise out of the cup, rising higher and higher until they had risen to a head taller than even Dumbledore himself.

"The Goblet of Fire will be our independent, magical selector. It will select the students it deems worthy to participate in the tournament." For once, Dumbledore had referred to the event occurring at Hogwarts as something other than just the 'International Competition'. It was a tournament between schools. Between three schools.

"The tournament that will take place, will be for this: the Triwizard Cup." There was a sudden flash of blinding blue light, and to Dumbledore's other side there now stood another pedestal. This one was cut from blue and white marbled stone, standing at the same height as the pedestal which rested the Golden Goblet of fire atop its surface; however, the cup itself was smaller. It was fashioned from blue translucent crystal. Each of its handles had opaque blue crystals which formed icicles like stalagmites. The pedestal it was on made it rise considerably from the ground but the cup itself didn't come up to Dumbledore's shoulders like the goblet of fire.

Everyone was so in awe of the two luminescent cups that none of them noticed who was sitting next to Dumbledore's seat.

"Is that Barty Crouch?" Ginny asked Draco in a hushed voice., "The one that couldn't do a proper patronus?"

"Why yes it is; why is he here?"

As if Dumbledore could hear them, he quickly introduced Barty Crouch as: "The Head of International Magical Cooperation, Bartemius Crouch."

Barty stood up looking shaky and nervous, his gaze quickly darting from student to student as he made his way around the staff table at the top of the Great hall. His eyes finally landed on Harry Potter and stayed there as he approached where Dumbledore was standing.

"In a day's time the Goblet of Fire will have adjusted to the high magical density inside of the castle and will activate. After that anyone over the age of 15 will be able to enter—" he students began to mutter, that muttering turned into outraged speech. Barty raised his voice over the din to continue. —as long as their birthday falls before the start of the tournament, which will commence February second,"

Dumbledore stepped in to address the growing noise."QUIET!" He roared, voice amplified over the now-shouting students demanding to know why such a strange age restriction had been put into place and why they wouldn't allow anyone who wanted to enter to do so. The whole room fell silent after Dumbledore's intervention, however.

Barty continued his speech. "Due to the high mortality rate of previous Triwizard tournaments this age limitation has been agreed on by all other schools partaking in the competition. An age line will be constructed in order to keep any students from entering illegally."

Ginny didn't really mind, she would be old enough, she already was old enough, but she didn't want the risk. It would be interesting to watch, though. She looked to her left and saw Draco's face. He was resolutely staring at the Goblet of Fire and the Triwizard Cup in turn. "Are you seriously thinking about entering?" Ginny asked, staring at him.

"Why not. I'm old enough," Draco replied simply.

Barty started speaking again. "The reward for winning the Triwizard tournament is one thousand galleons and, obviously, infinite glory in the eyes of the wizarding community."

Ginny was a little more interested now. Admittedly, she still didn't want to enter. It seemed foolishly risky no matter whatever age limit they put on the tournament; a 'high mortality rate' wasn't something she wanted to bring upon herself. Draco looked resolute. His family was rich enough for him to not have to work a day in his life as long as he kept up the family name. Winning the Triwizard Tournament would certainly cement that.

Draco's face burnt and his heart sank as he received a letter from his Father. It was short and to the point in his gothic slanted script.

You are not to enter the Triwizard Tournament. Measures have been put in place to improve the standing of the family without your intervention.

-Lucius Malfoy.

Draco thought he could feel the venom in the word your even though he was reading words on a page and not hearing his father's cold voice. No dear son, Lucius was definitely not sentimental or fatherly enough for words like that. It was the fact that it was so short. So cold and impersonal. No reason for his restriction, only the certification that there was one and it wasn't for his knowledge. Either Lucius thought Draco was still a child or simply didn't care enough about him in any respect to bother to divulge family plans with him. Well it didn't matter. Even if they had a plan in place it didn't matter, the only way he could hurt the family name is by making a fool out of himself and there was no way he could do that. He was Draco Malfoy, and occasionally forgot that. He fondly blamed his softness on Ginny, his unlikely friend. He couldn't remember at this point what it was that changed his mind about her. Whether it was her gall or her fiery disposition. Even though she spent the best part of a year possessed by a book her own father had given her, she still didn't resent him.

He was going to enter regardless of what his father wanted, or what plans his family had put in place. He would ignore the letter, no response, no acknowledgement. However he was forced to acknowledge it when he went downstairs and saw his usual group sitting in their favorite black leather armchairs.

"Would you by any chance have gotten a letter this morning, Draco?" Pansy said in her sickeningly honeyed voice.

"I would have, why? Did you get one too?" he questioned back.

"We all got one, telling us not to partake in the Tri-Wizard," Blaise interjected, probably just so he didn't have to hear Pansy's annoyingly pandering voice any more than he absolutely had to.

"Yea, I got one too. Mine was a bit short and didn't give me much in the way of answers. I'm guessing you didn't get anything Ginny?" Draco asked, looking at the redhead sitting comfortably between the two lads, Blaise and Theo.

"Draco, I haven't received a single letter since I was basically accused of running away." Ginny replied matter of factly, as if being temporarily disillusioned from her family was no big deal.

"Yea, you make a good point I suppose." Draco sat down. To his dismay, Pansy moved from her single sofa to the love-seat he had just sat on, sitting a little bit too close. Pansy was undeniably attractive. Sleek and shiny black hair that sat in a tousled bob just above her shoulders, a pale complexion defined by an excellent bone structure that radiated her pureblood aristocratic family and upbringing. The problem sat in her personality, more specifically how she had drained whatever her old personality was before meeting Draco like a long forgotten cup of cold tea and replaced it with a steaming hot cup of infuriating infatuation with everything about him. Knowing that their families were close made it all worse, as if her tone and demeanor were perfectly crafted by her parents to marry one rich pure-blood to another. It was a glorified arranged marriage set out for him at just eleven years old and he wanted no part of it. He would play along if his father pushed him to, but until that point he would be around her and only pay her enough attention to keep the future connection to her family open. Just in case.

"Cheers Pansy, good to know you remember that's my favorite seat." Draco stood up and occupied the seat Pansy just vacated. He saw Ginny smirk out of the corner of his eye. She knew he was lying; it was quite obvious, after all.

"So what are we gonna do?" Theo spoke up for the first time since Draco's appearance.

"Exactly what our parents want us to do I guess," Blaise said. He sounded suitably disappointed, Draco thought. "Ginny, you can still enter can't you?" Blaise continued, looking at Ginny with the slightest glint of hope in his eyes. "A win for Hogwarts would also be a win for Slytherin if you were the one who entered."

"I'm pretty sure by the look on his face that Draco is already considering entering, regardless of what his parents say," Ginny said, looking at Draco now as much as Blaise had looked at her.

"I may be considering it. Haven't decided though; going against my family would have consequences, even for me." He bit the tip of his thumb in deliberation. He had been doing this a lot lately. Whenever something would cross his mind that required weighing between risk and reward he would bite at this thumb. He was hyper-aware of the fact that he was developing a tell, and he hated it. Wearing his emotions outwardly was a weakness, one that he cringed at daily when remembering how he had acted when Ginny was mad at him.

"Bugger it, I might as well, probably won't get picked anyway. Goblet probably has a predisposition to Gryffindor's like everyone else in the castle." Draco had made up his mind. He was going to do it. Blast the consequences.

A/U: Wellllllllllll, we meet again readers. I am so incredibly sorry. College started up everything was a bit manic and the fact I even wrote fanfiction completely slipped my mind for months. But I'm back now. I absolutely cannot promise a stable upload schedule as I have no backlog of chapters to release. The days where I could write 3 to 6 thousand words in a week are long gone.

Big thanks to my beta candycanemockery who has very kindly beta'd this chapter.

Thank you to everyone who continues to read this little pet project and I hope you enjoy this one. I am also working on writing a completely original novel but that's a long way from being finished. I hope you all have a lovely time and I appreciate all of the reviews 3

-Asmund