Snake in the Sunflowers {Draco Malfoy}{Cedric Diggory}

☠ Four; a Tournament.

A sense of calm washes over you as you enter the Great Hall. The familiar scent of pumpkin juice and candle wax does much to calm your nerves. You've been in a constant state of anxiety ever since the World Cup, but you feel safe inside the walls of the castle. For the first time in weeks, the sound of the muggles' tortured screams fades from your mind.

You and your friends find a prime spot at the Hufflepuff table, right near the back end of the hall where the professor's table is.

"Alright, alright, everyone settle down." The students quickly come to attention at the sound of Headmaster Dumbledore's stern yet warm tone. He peers down at everyone through his half moon glasses, his periwinkle eyes twinkling with parental affection. "I have a several things to announce before we tuck in."

He gestures behind him to a strange looking man shrouded in a tattered and hooded cloak. "I'm delighted to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Professor Alastor Moody!"

The hall is awash with intrigued whispers, and your brow furrows as you try to remember where you've heard that name before.

"Moody?" You hear Cedric blurt from beside you, and turn to see him gawking at the strange man. One of his eyes seems to be bulging out of its socket. You squint, gulping as you realize it's a false eye, moving independently from its partner. "As in Mad-Eye Moody?"

That's it! Now you remember.

"The famous auror?" You whisper, studying Moody with newfound curiosity. Your parents aren't necessarily the biggest supporters of law enforcement, but Alastor Moody isn't known for going by the book. You recall them discussing him many times at supper.

Moody scans the crowd with barely concealed disdain. He nods curtly with a reluctant grin that ends up looking more like a rather threatening grimace before returning to his seat.

Dumbledore clears his throat, the sound cutting through the awkward silence that has fallen over the hall. You reach for your goblet of pumpkin juice.

"On a more serious note, we are regrettably forced to cancel the Inter-House Quidditch cup this year."

The crowd of students erupts in indignation, some standing up to amplify their anger. Cedric tenses beside you, but doesn't say anything. You look up at him as you take a sip from your goblet, but his eyes are fixed on the headmaster's podium. A vein in his neck twitches slightly, bringing attention to his sharp jawline.

Observing him, you feel a sudden bubbly sensation expanding from your center all the way down to the tips of your toes and up into your chest, almost as if your very blood has gone all fizzy.

His eyes finally flicker down to yours, his lips pressed in a firm line before ultimately opening in a warm laugh as he looks down at your mouth.

"W-What?" You sputter, and then look down, realizing you have let your entire sip of pumpkin juice dribble down your chin and all over your robes.

"Good Helga, honey, keep it PG for the first years please." Justin teases, and Ernie elbows him hard.

"Sorry?" You manage to blurt the question, feeling as though your head may just explode from the heat in your cheeks. Cedric is occupied gently dabbing napkins over your skin and chest, and its all you can manage not to fixate on the feeling of his fingers roaming over your stained robes. You wonder why he didn't just use his wand to clean the mess.

"Keep it PG." He repeats, glancing around at the group who looks as confused as you do. "You're telling me the wizarding world has actual moving photographs but not a single telly?"

"Telly?" Hannah interjects. "You mean a tellyphone?"

Justin rolls his eyes with a dejected groan. "Nevermind."