10 | T H E D A Y A F T E R

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ripped at every edge, but you're
a masterpiece.

ripped at every edge, but you're a masterpiece

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IT'S NOT THAT bad. It's not that bad. It's not that bad. It's not that bad.

But it was, and her brain wasn't in the mood to accept anything else. Ember, at six o'clock in the morning, had chosen to go for solitude, seeking out for her favourite spot at the shore of the Black Lake, where the soft waves the giant squid caused were rolling into the long shadows the Forbidden Forest threw onto the ground. Here she sat well hidden to the rest of the world in the shadows of an old yew tree; not that it was somehow necessary to hide from anyone in this early hours. The whole school was still sound asleep after last night's parties. But Ember hadn't joined a party. Ember had chosen to lay down in her bad, stare blankly at the ceiling and got lost out of her racing mind.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but she now felt like she never really did. Her eyes heavy, her bones tired, she blankly stared at the riffled surface of the lake without really seeing it.

"You're not about to drown yourself in there?"

His snarling voice accompanied by a sarcastic snort made her eyes focus and her neck turn around.

"I don't want to be impolite, but I ain't got the nerve for you right now", she muttered, quickly turning her gaze back at the lake.

"For not wanting to be impolite, you do that quite a lot", he replied and she heard his feet crunching onto the pebbles covering the ground.

"Gosh, would you please just leave me alone? It's not like I came here to be found and lectured by a bloody git like you", Ember hissed, rolling her eyes, what he of course could not see.

"Why aren't you celebrating your brother or at least the shining star of your loser house, Diggory?"

"What shall I celebrate? That they have to risk their lives for the public fun?" She snapped her eyes on him once more, just to see him smirk. This small gesture send hot waves through her whole body, causing her blood to boil. "Say, how did he get his name in? Potter, I mean. Hadn't thought he got the brains for that."

"Draco Malfoy, I swear if you have me to get up, you better run fast", she hissed through gritted teeth.

"That's not really kind, little Miss Hufflepuff", he scoffed, and his grin grew wider. And to her great surprise he sunk down on a rock next to her. "You don't really worry about your brother, don't you? He's a lucky bastard, he'll be fine."

"What are you even doing out here?", Ember groaned, cupping her head in her hands.

"I had a brilliant idea this morning, would be ashamed if I would have lost it by falling back asleep", he chuckled. "But just let it surprise you, little Potter."

"Do I really wanna know?", she sighed, her shoulders sacking down in a defeated motion.

"Probably not", he snorted. "C'mon now, get your lazy ass up here, we'll return to school."

Ember blinked at him surprised as he had rised from the rock, stretching out his hand for her to take. "What the hell is wrong with you?", she asked, both her eyebrows shot up. "How can you be an itching pain in the ass for almost twenty four hours a day, but actually act like a human being every now and then?"

"I'm just smarter than you, Potter", Malfoy plainly replied in a matter of fact kinda voice. "If you keep sitting here you're probably breaking your stupid head over the million possible ways your brother might die in this tournament -"

"That isn't helpful at all, smartass", she muttered, and the corners of his mouth twitched.

"Therefore you'll return to the castle with me and go to breakfast, letting your poor friends distract you", he added.

"Lovely." Nevertheless, Ember took his hand and let him pull her up, mixed feelings roaming her head.

Wordless they made their way back to the building, but Ember's mind wouldn't shut up. Indeed Malfoys was right; sorrow licked sharply licked on her insides. Cedric for sure was capable of facing all the dangers coming for him, but a fourteen year old Harry for sure wasn't. And she couldn't even imagine how he must feel right now. If it was just anything close to her anxiety, he was plainly suffering.

"You're doing it again", Malfoy chuckled.

"What?"

"Looking like you're already planning his funeral."

"You're awful, I guess you know that?"

"I'm awful because I'm right, and you know that."

"Have a nice time, do you?" A new voice had Ember's eyes snap up, hazel brown locking with emerald green, and her features froze as her body stiffened. The look Harry threw her was beyond every horror she ever could have imagined. Hermione next to him, carrying a bunch of toasted bread slices, threw him a concerned look.

"Having the time of my life", Ember sarcastically replied to her brother's harsh tone. But in the split of a second her voice softened. "How are you feeling, Harry?"

"Splendid!", Harry exclaimed. "You don't obviously feel that bad yourself? Had a nice time with your new friend?"

"Don't be pathetic, Potter", Draco scoffed at Harry, throwing Ember a quick nod. "I'm leaving, I guess that's the sort of distracting that might help you getting over it."

"What is he even talking about?", Harry growled, watching Malfoy heading away with long steps further up the hill.

"As long as you're using that tone on me, you don't really predict me to answer you properly, do you, Harry?", Ember fiercely whispered in a rapid voice, her heart pounding in her throat. "I might better leave as well, you're obviously carried away by what happened yesterday."

"Oh, of course, better follow your lover", Harry called after her, as she had passed him.

With a jolt she twirled around. "Harry James Potter, you don't talk to me like that! I am scared out of my head, and I'm deadly worried about you, don't you dare acting like I'm your enemy!"

"But you're fraternising with the enemy!", Harry snapped, while his face fought for the right expression to what was going on inside him. "Ever since the World Cup this prat is glued to your heels! It is Malfoy, Emmie! Draco Malfoy!"

"I won't discuss this with you right now, Harry", she now calmly replied. "You're churned up. If you come back to your senses, you know where you find me." She threw the startled Hermione a gaze. "Take care of him." And with that she turned around and left with tears stinging in her eyes.

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