Staring at the angry French woman standing before him, a scowl marring her otherworldly beauty, with tears flowing from her usually enchanting eyes, Draco can't help but to feel annoyed. Letting her derision and vitriol wash over him as she curses him out in her native tongue, along with her unreasonable demands that he should've saved her sister in the last event, he tries his best to calm down his possibly-soon-to-be-ex-lover.
"Gabrielle was never in danger, Fleur. It was all a test. That much was obvious." He explains, refuting her passionate cries with his logic, but it still isn't enough to quell her fury. "It was a competition, Fleur." He adds on, exasperated. "One I intend to win. Otherwise, I would've stepped in." Her scowl deepens as she responds.
"Harry Potter had no trouble!" She points out, her accent heavy as her emotions. "He even lost points for it! Lost time for it! And yet you, my lover, mon amor—!" She's cut off by a scoff.
"Potter is a bleeding heart and a fool." He responds with a dismissive sneer. "I'm nothing like him." She looks away, bothered by his lack of concern and by his callousness.
"Perhaps that is the problem Draco." She says quietly. He raises an eyebrow at her words. What is that supposed to mean?
"What—?" He's cut off before he can even begin.
"I…I can't do this anymore." Her hands shaking, and her tears falling freely now, she dismisses the younger boy from her room. "I…goodbye, Draco." She all but whispers, her hand covering her mouth, clearly distressed, disturbed by the behavior of the boy she thought to be her lover. The King of Slytherin stares at her for a moment, hurt, shocked, lost in thought at what just happened. A part of him moves to comfort her, a very small part, but a part nevertheless. That part is quickly squashed by the other part of him, the part that is…not angry per se, but taken aback and almost vengeful at the disrespect she's shown him. Breaking up is fine, but dismissing him, interrupting him, yelling at him like that…a sneer crosses his face as he turns around swiftly, mimicking his father and his uncle Sev, as he strides out of the room and down the hallway with a Slytherin's purpose.
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Looking at the paper once more, Draco finds himself very pleased. 'The Dragon King Emerges From The Depths' the headline reads, and once again miss Rita Skeeter has proven herself. Reading through it quickly, Draco can see that she's done excellent work, getting the masses to treat him with his proper respect, and more importantly, the proper amount of fear. Once again, she's put pressure on the Weasleys, decrying how they wish to separate the two star struck lovers, despite the latest test in the grueling and harrowing Triwizard Tournament being proof of just how much the young champion cares for their daughter. And given her lack of refusal, how much she cares for him as well. There are some other points sprinkled in as well, such as their dance at the Yule Ball, and their kiss, and Draco cannot help but approve.
Soon Ginny would return to her rightful place by his side, and forget all this nonsense about mind charms and whatnot. His brow furrows as he remembers that the very reason he likes her: her fire, her stubbornness, is exactly why this may be more difficult than it should be. Anger flares up in his very being, aimed at whoever it is dared to get in between him and what's his. When he figured out exactly who it was that gave her that necklace and put those thoughts in her head…his thoughts trail off, as he contemplates not just what he might do to them, but what he might need to do if she, if Ginny doesn't come around. He needs a plan…
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Ginny Weasley sits with her parents and her siblings in their home, the Burrow, head down in shame as they lambast her for her choice to be Draco Malfoy's 'prize'.
"What were you thinking, Gin?"
"Why him?"
"How could you?" The youngest Weasley shrinks into her seat as she endures the bombardment of questions and complaints from her family.
"I…" she raises her head slightly, so she can see who she's speaking to. Her brothers are furious, at least the three who attend Hogwarts, while her older brothers are more worried. Her father is…concerned, if not confused, and her mother is…not happy, a clear frown on her face. "I was just asked if I didn't mind being the most prized person of one of the champions." She explains in a meek tone, as her face becomes flushed from the memory. "I…I thought for a moment it might be Harry but…" She looks down in shame, and instantly the energy in the room shifts from one of accusation and anger, to one that is apologetic and comforting.
"Oh Ginny, you couldn't have known!"
"It's not your fault, Gin!"
"It's just unfortunate, Ginevra, that boy isn't right…" The sole female child of the Weasley family flinches at the use of her full name, almost on instinct, even as relief floods her body from the influx of support from her family. She feels warm, happy, that her blunder seems to have been forgiven, even if she's sure that her mentioning Harry has something to do with it.
A small part of Ginny feels guilty, however. Not about her agreeing to be chosen, as she really did think it might be Harry finally answering her unrequited love, but…she did and still does feel something that Draco really regards her as his most prized person. She can't help but to feel a small ember of attraction towards the terror-inducing boy, the Dragon Slayer, the Dragon King, the Demon King of Slytherin. She knows she shouldn't, as there's almost nothing redeeming about said boy, and yet she does, despite everything she knows, despite everything she was raised to believe, despite every bit of logic in her being, she feels something. And she wishes she didn't.