Why did you do that! Why would you do that! I chastised myself as I jogged back to the common room, students quickly moving out of my way as I went past them. If everyone didn't think I'd lost it before now, the rumors that would come out of my running through the castle between classes would surely seal that notion into everyone's heads.
Stupid! Stupid stupid stupid…I wish I hadn't gone to see him at all, he was so cold when I touched him, and felt so distant to me. I'd apologized to him at least, he deserved that much from me, but I felt no absolution in seeing him. It had just brought back the memory of the graveyard, the flash of green that had hit him as he stood in front of me, trying to shield me with his body.
I could feel my chest tightening and, struggling to gain a breath, I stumbled into an empty classroom in an attempt to stop myself from going into a full panic mode. It didn't work, and the feeling of a vice grip around my throat continued to worsen. The last time I had felt something like this, Cedric had been there to help me…
I'd been wandering back to Gryffindor Tower after yet another long night in the library attempting to figure out what the egg meant, my exhausted mind drawing a blank time and time again. I hadn't been paying attention to what was happening around me, lost in thoughts of what the clue could be, or how to decipher it…
Perhaps I should ask Hermione, the markings on the shell could be Ancient Runes for all I know…But no, eggs are meant to be cracked open after all, I need to figure out how to get the damn thing open to get to the clue…that must be it…
I felt the impact as someone walking in the opposite direction slammed into me, and though I stumbled I was able to regain my balance. I made to turn and make sure that whoever had run into me was alright when I saw that it was none other than Malfoy.
"You'd think that with those hideous glasses you'd be able to see where you're going, Potter" he sneered.
My hands clenched together at my sides, and I walked closer to him, sliding my wand from my pocket as I did so.
"I must've been blinded by your foul, ferret-face Malfoy. Tell me, do you even bother buying mirrors anymore? Seems like such a waste since they all crack when you look into them."
Malfoy's face scrunched in anger, and I smirked in amusement. Satisfied that I had won when he hadn't yet reacted with his own retort, I turned to continue walking on, my fluffy bed seeming to call my name. I shouldn't have turned my back, if I had learned anything from the Mad-Eye imposter Barty, I wouldn't have. For as soon as I did, my wand was tugged out of my hand and flew into Draco's, who then rushed at me with both of them held in his tight, sweaty grip.
"Fuck you, Potter! You should learn to keep your filthy trap shut before I do it for you!" His hand was steady as he pointed both his and my own wand at me, and for the first time, I thought he might be just brave enough to actually try something with me.
"Get away from me, Malfoy" I tried to shove past him, but he threw the wands aside to roughly push me back against the corridor wall, holding me there by the neck.
"Maybe I should finish what the dragon couldn't, eh Potter?" He grinned madly at me as I clawed at his hands, trying to get him to release his tight grip on my windpipe. "After all, there really should only be three champions anyway…it'd give Diggory a fighting chance against Krum."
His grip began to tighten even more, and the self-defense training Fred had been going over with me for the tournament began to kick in. I took my hands away from my neck to give a sharp, upward thrust in what I thought was the direction of Malfoy's face, though I couldn't quite see past my streaming eyes. I felt the crunch of his nose before he let go of my neck, kicking him where I knew it would hurt most before he went to the ground completely. I soon followed suit, collapsing to my knees as I wrapped my hands around my neck, delicately feeling for damage and trying to get my breath back.
I'd heard footsteps coming up behind me, and turned to see that it was Cedric, his Head Boy badge shining as he ran towards us.
"What's going on here?" He yelled, understanding dawning as he drew nearer to see my swelling neck and Malfoy curled up in pain on the floor. I'd never seen him angry before then, and it honestly frightened me a little to see someone who was usually so care-free and go-lucky to wear such a dark expression, his whole face clouding over as he turned towards Malfoy after making sure I could breathe.
"You filthy bastard, don't you ever come near her! I swear I'll kill you if you ever hurt her again!" He was fuming, his body angled in such a way as to form a barrier between Malfoy and I as he continued to yell. "Now go, get out of here and crawl back to your dungeon before I do something I'll regret!"
Draco needed no second warning and hobbled away as fast as he could towards the Slytherin dormitory.
Cedric had turned back to me then, trying to gently pull me to my feet as I meekly pushed him away, not needing his assistance.
"What the hell happened Rose? Why was he choking you?"
I laughed darkly at his question, my throat tensing in pain, before replying, "Because he's Malfoy and he can't walk away from an insult, that's why."
"Well, he's going to pay dearly for what he did to you, Rose. I'll put in a full incident report to Snape…"
I'd cut him off there, "Oh yes, I'm sure that'll whip him into shape! Snape would sooner praise than punish Malfoy for hurting me."
His eyes darkened once more, and he seemed about to say something else, so I cut him off, absolutely desperate at this point to get some sleep "Anyway, I think I'll be going to sleep now. Sorry you had to see that fight, I had it all in hand before you arrived you know."
"So I saw, I don't think he'll ever be trying anything with you again, not unless he ever wants to have children."
There it was, his characteristic crooked smile that made most girls swoon made an appearance.
"But really, you should go to the hospital wing, that's not gonna heal easily on its own." He looked concerned, but not as deadly mad as he had been before now that his smile was in place, though I could still see the anger brewing from behind his eyes.
"I'll have Hermione do it, she's good with healing spells…" I trailed off, and he finished with "And all other spells, really."
"Luckily that's true." I'd smiled back up at him shyly, before turning and heading back towards the dormitory.
"Consider yourself repaid for the warning you gave me about the dragons then, Rose!" he yelled after me.
"I didn't even need your help dealing with Draco!" I said, annoyed, my voice breaking from the strain that had just been put on my vocal chords "I took care of him myself!"
His usual confidence seemed to waver before he seemed to have an idea and came close to me once again, smiling as he drew near.
"What if I told you how to open the egg? Would my debt be repaid then?"
I'd stuttered out that it would be paid, in full, if he told me, so excited was I at finally cracking the egg and preparing myself for the second task.
"You know the Prefect's bathroom on the third floor?" I'd nodded that I did, "It's not a bad place for a bath." Seeing the confusion on my face, and sensing that I thought he was having a go at me, he quickly finished "Just take your egg, and...mull things over in the hot water."
He'd nodded once, as if to say his duty was now done, before wandering back down and away from me after I'd insisted that I did not need him to accompany me back to Gryffindor Tower. I'd gone to the bathroom the next night, squealing with joy (much to Myrtle's vexation) when I'd finally realized we'd be competing in the Black Lake. I remember feeling flooded with relief that I finally had something to work with, and could start preparing now thanks to none other than Cedric Diggory...When I'd gone into potions the next day, a white turtleneck covering the bruising that hadn't quite healed yet despite Hermione's best efforts, it was clear that Cedric must've told Snape about the incident. Never in living memory had he been so volatile to one of his precious Slytherins before, especially Draco.
That relief was gone in this moment, I knew nobody, especially not Cedric, was coming to help me breathe this time. I was on my own…