Chapter 13

It's The Best Way We Survive...

Draco wasn't entirely certain he had a coherent plan. Get in, keep Potter from touching the Portkey, destroy the Portkey. Nothing to it.

Only, Potter was already half way through the maze and Draco had no idea what he was going to do.

Draco pulled out his wand, ready to improvise. A sudden flash of red caught his eye and he bit his lip. Tightening his grip on his wand he moved through the crowd. He took her hand, pulling her close.

"Malfoy? What--"

"Shh. Just listen for a second, Firefly. I love you. You told me to prove it. Watch me, Ginny."

He kissed her full on the lips. Before she could say a word, he let go of her and apparated.

Draco knew it was illegal for him to Apparate. His father had been teaching him it for years. He didn't have much time to practice, since Hogwarts had wards against it. The wards had been taken down temporarily for the final task. Draco knew it but he had not told his father about it. It helped to have an ace in the pocket.

Draco shook his head, trying to dispel the feeling left over by the over by the apparation. He took his bearings.

He saw the cup before him. He glanced around to see who was around. He saw the glimmer of Potter's glasses. He was prepared to go grab the cup, but just then he saw Cedric following behind Potter. The two stopped to talk for a minute then pressed on together.

Draco swore under his breath. This complicated things. He was planning on darting out and destroying the Portkey then transfiguing something else so no one knew.

He was going to have to improvise. He swore bitterly then darted around to behind Cedric. Before the older boy could say a word, Draco slipped his hand around Cedric's mouth and pressed his wand to his temple. "Petrifis Totalis," he murmured.

He eased the still body to the floor, meeting Cedric's accusing eyes. "Trust me, mate. You'll thank me later. This'll wear off in about ten minutes. If something goes wrong, get your ass out of here. Oh, and fucking shag Granger already. She's been trying to jump your bones for a year."

Draco left Cedric, moving with the intention of stopping Potter. Potter was too close to the Portkey.

"Oh, fuck it all!" Draco snarled. He leapt at Potter, intent on tackling him.

Potter turned and Draco caught him on the shoulder. He slipped slightly, due to Potter's motion, and the pair careened into the Portkey, cutting off Potter's yell of, "What the fu-"

888

Ginny bit her thumbnail and Hermione laughed. "I thought you didn't like Harry like that any more."

Ginny managed a smile. "I don't."

"Then why are you so nervous? I have reason to be nervous. I mean it is my boyfriend out there."

"Oh? He asked you out then?"

Hermione smiled, "Yeah, he did."

"That's great."

"Don't think you're getting off so easy. Why are you upset?"

Ginny debated. She had a pretty good idea what Draco was doing. She had no idea what he was trying to prove by going into the maze.

She had just decided to tell Hermione when the hedge broke open, admiting Cedric. Fleur and Viktor had already come out. Now Cedric stumbled out.

Hermione made a slight sound of disappointment and Ginny resisted the urge to grin at her friend.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Cedric cried out suddenly. Ginny snapped her gaze back to Cedric, acutely aware of him as Dumbledore rushed down to him.

"My dear boy, what is it?"

"Harry and I! We decided to win together and we were going to take the cup together."

Ginny was on her feet now and pushing towards the arena, Hermione right behind her. Somehow she knew how this was going to be.

"Go on, Mister Diggory."

"But then Malfoy was there, Draco Malfoy. He pushed me out of the way and tried to get the cup but something went wrong!"

"What?" Ginny gasped from where she stood.

Cedric looked at her. "He tried to keep Harry from touching it but they slipped or something. He tried to help," Cedric repeated, sounding in awe.

"What happened?" Ginny hissed, her fingers digging into Cedric's arm.

"They disappeared. It was a Portkey!"

(A/N: le gasp! Now Harry and Draco are on the other side. We remember what happened over there in book four! What will happen to our handsome young hero and the other kid (you know, the one with glasses)? All will be revealed in the next few chapters. I think three more chapters then I'll start the sequel!