The Diggory Sister || Draco Malfoy

21 - The Fall (part two)

I'm ready for the fall
I'm ready for everything I believed in to drift away
Ready for the leaves
Ready for the colours to burn to gold
And crumble away

...

"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch pitch for the third and last task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr Bagman down to the stadium now."

Cedric stood up at Dumbledore's words and the whole Hufflepuff table applauded.

"Go get 'em son!" Dad roared with great gusto, punching a fist in the air, his face glowing from the copious amounts of wine he knocked back throughout the feast.

I suddenly felt panicked and reached up to grab Cedric's hand before he could leave. A fear I couldn't explain rippled through me, settling uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach.

"Be careful, please!" I implored, looking up at him anxiously.

"It'll be okay, I promise," he said gently, as his grey eyes twinkled warmly. "I'll be back before you know it, Rory."

I gave him a small, skittish smile as I reluctantly allowed his fingers to slip away from mine.

I watched him walk away with Harry, Fleur and Krum, heading for the doors. There was no denying it, they all looked terrified.

As soon as they disappeared, a noisy scraping of chairs and shuffling of feet filled the hall as everyone started getting up, ready to make their way down to the maze.

Reluctantly getting to my feet, and joining the moving crowds, I was startled to feel a hand grab mine, pulling me to a halt. I could have wept with relief when I looked up into a pair of piercing grey eyes.

"Draco," I breathed, squeezing my fingers tightly around his as I risked a furtive glance around us, and breathing a sigh of relief to see that Dad was too busily involved in an animated discussion with Fleur's father to notice.

"Are you okay, Aurora?" He asked, his voice full of concern. "You look really pale."

"No," I admitted, my voice wobbling as I shook my head. "I have a bad feeling about this. I just can't shake it, Draco."

People started pushing thickly past us, making our bodies jostle up against one another. Draco used this opportunity to wrap his arms around my waist and rest his forehead against mine.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" He murmured, his breath on my face feeling like heaven. "We can watch it together, Aurora, and I can hold your hand through it all."

I closed my eyes, thinking how much I did want that - to draw strength and comfort from him. To not have someone tell me not to worry, and that of course everything will be all right.

But the sound of my father's booming laughter made my shoulders sag mournfully.

"I can't, Draco," I said genuinely, desperately sorry. "I've got to sit with my dad. The champion's families have special seating."

His arms tightened around me as he placed a quick, chaste kiss on my lips. "I won't be far away, Aurora. I'll sit as close to you as I can."

I nodded, feeling ridiculously grateful that I had him in my life. A feeling that quickly vanished, to be replaced by a vicious gut punch the second I remembered that wouldn't be the case for much longer.

We parted ways as I went to join my dad. We made our way down to the stadium and was shown to our seats down at the front of the arena, behind the judges table.