Magic? || Years 1-5

Insults and Chocolates: Year 4

Dear Draco,

Funny badges you have there. So funny. I have stitches from laughing so hard at the incredible wit and hilarity from those stupid badges. Seriously?! I get it, you need to keep up your reputation in Slytherin, I've heard that excuse plenty times before, but badges. BADGES! Honestly. Harry's already struggling enough with all this Tournament drama, there's no need to just rub it in further. But, yeah, continue with your petty insults and badges, since you've already got them. Just show everyone how jealous you are of him.

-Amisty

His reply was short, coming minutes after she sent her letter, the penmanship slow and careful with the loops. She stared down at it, her jaw still ticking.

I'm sorry.

-Draco

And she knew she shouldn't be, she shouldn't be swayed so easily by two words, a dash, and a name, but she was already starting to forgive him.

Her walls were shattering, maybe already shattered.

"Oh, Draco," She fell back onto her bed, careful not to crumple the letter in her hand as a small smile spread across her face, "what are you doing to me?"

-=+=-

There was an article in the newspaper, circulating through the school like a virus. It was complete and utter rubbish, but, of course, everything written by Rita Skeeter was.

First, there was Harry's dramatic little excerpt.

I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now... Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it... I know nothing will hurt me during the tournament, because they're watching over me...

And then the interview from other people, talking all about Harry's supposed 'love life,' that left Amisty wanting to bury herself in a hole and never come out.

Harry's close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of Hermione Granger and Amisty River, two stunningly pretty girls, who, like Harry, are a few of the top students in the school.

That came with a whole lot of rude comments and teasing to all three of them, from the Slytherins especially, as they walked through the hallways.

"Are you kidding me? Her hair looks like a birds nest!"

"She's like a stick, what's so stunning about that?"

Hermione spent a lot of time dragging her away and chanting, "Ignore them, ignore them, ignore them," As Amisty glared ferociously over her shoulder.

It took the combined efforts of not only Hermione and Harry, but Seamus, Dean, and Neville had to practically carry her away at Pansy's comment, screeching foul words at her until Hermione covered her mouth with her hand.

"Stunningly pretty? Her?" She had shrieked, pug-face twisted up in disgust as she saw Amisty. "She looks like she just crawled out of a rubbish bin!"

It didn't help that Harry and Ron still refused to even look at each other, and it was driving Hermione and her insane.

They were constantly attempting to catch them by surprise so that they would have at least one conversation, but Ron seemed convinced that Harry loved the attention after the article was published, and Harry wouldn't talk to Ron until he admitted that he hadn't put his name in the Goblet and apologized.

"I didn't start this. It's his problem," Harry argued when they confronted him in the library after another failed endeavour to get them to talk.

"You miss him! And I know he misses you -- " Hermione started, losing her patience.