Fata Viam Invenient

Part One: Champion of Hogwarts

 

 

“And the Hogwart’s Champion is…”

Dumbledore reached into the blue flame of the goblet and pulled out a charred piece of paper. Draco sat on the edge of his seat. He had submitted his name in hopes of showing Harry he was just as good a wizard as him.

Dumbledore unfolded the paper. “…Draco Malfoy,” he read.

The Slytherin table burst into cheers as Draco’s eyes widened. He had been chosen! He couldn’t believe it. He put on his most arrogant face, stood up, and practically strutted up to the front of the hall. The Slytherins continued to cheer, while the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs clapped politely and the Gryffindors shot glares in his direction.

When he reached the front, Draco gave them all a smirk and an over exaggerated bow before heading toward the door the other champions had gone through.

* * * * *

The next day Draco had gotten over his happiness at being chosen and was now scared nearly out of his wits. No matter what he made people think, Draco Malfoy was not brave. Not in the least. He truly didn’t think he would survive the first task without the help of someone who knew what they were doing.

When Draco thought of this, only one person came to mind: Harry Potter.

As much as Draco hated the idea of asking Harry for help, he knew that if he was to have any chance at all of winning he would have to.

So, when he saw Harry alone in the library during break, he approached him. “Potter,” he said.

Harry looked up from the book he was reading. “What do you want, Malfoy?” he said, his voice full of annoyance.

Draco swallowed hard. “I need your help – with the Tournament.”

“Why should I help you?” Harry said, glaring at him. “Remember last year? ‘Support Cedric Diggory, the real Hogwarts Champion. Potter Sucks.’ ?” Harry swallowed and turned his attention back to the book. “I don’t think so, Malfoy.”

Draco could picture his gravestone vividly. He didn’t think Harry would outright refuse to help him. But it appeared that he had done just that.

“Fine,” Draco said. He headed toward the door, but then stopped and called over his shoulder, “If I die, let it be on your head, Potter.” Then he walked out of the library.

* * * * *

Draco awoke late in the evening to find the entire boys’ dorm empty. He had laid down intending to take a short nap. He sat up and silently wondered what the hell was going on. Then he remembered.

“The Yule Ball!” Draco said, “Bloody hell!”

Then he looked at the clock. 8:05.

“And I'm late!” He jumped out of bed and began digging through his trunk for a suitable pair of dress robes to wear.

After awhile he found them. A shimmering pair of black robes sewn with silver thread that sparkled in the evening sunlight. They had long wide sleeves and a large silver dragon emblazoned on the back that actually moved.

He slipped them on and then slipped his feet into a pair of high back lace up boots. He stopped by the mirror and used a simple Charm to fix his hair.

“Absolutely stunning!” The mirror complemented him in a deep feminine voice.

Draco ignored it and hurried out of the room.

* * * * *

When Draco reached the Great Hall, the sound of festive music already filled the air. Draco sighed and walked over the threshold and into the hall.

No one took notice of his presence, so he just walked over to where Crabbe and Goyle were seated and sank down into a seat beside them. They looked at him as if expecting something.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Draco demanded.

Crabbe and Goyle said nothing, just looked at him guiltily. Draco sighed, got up and sat at a table by himself. He was in no mood to deal with anyone tonight. He was late and worst of all he didn’t have a date. He knew he looked depressed, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything anymore. He had become so tired of trying to be someone he wasn’t, to live up to his name. He just wanted to escape, but that was not possible. He was stuck and he always would be.

Draco felt frustrated tears sting his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see him like that. Draco knew he had to leave then or risk letting the tears spill in front of everyone.

He was just about to get up, when he heard a soft voice say. “Malfoy?”

He turned and saw a girl with flowing red hair and big brown eyes. He recognized her as Ron Weasley’s little sister.

“What do you want, Weasley?” he asked sounding meaner than he meant to.

His tone didn’t seem to faze her. “I just wondered why you’re sitting by yourself.”

Draco snorted. “Like you care,” he said. He stood up and walked past her toward the door.

He heard Ginny’s footsteps behind him, but he didn’t pay any attention. He just left the hall and turned toward the Slytherin dormitory. The footsteps continued to follow him. Finally, several steps down the corridor, he whirled around to face her.

“Why are you following me?” he demanded, glaring at her.

“I asked a question and I expect an answer,” she said, blatantly.

“I don’t think it’s any of your business.” Draco turned and continued on his way, swallowing the lump in his throat. He had to get away from her. If she saw him cry, she would tell her stupid git of a brother and then everyone would find out.

“Well, I’ve made it my business,” she said, her footsteps quickening to catch up with him.

Draco stopped again, but didn’t turn around. The tears were threatening again, and Draco knew he couldn’t hold back much longer.

“Damn it, Weasley! Can’t you just leave me alone?!” he yelled, his voice wavering despite his efforts to keep it steady.

Ginny obviously noticed the waver in his voice, because she let out a surprised gasp. Draco ran as fast as he could the rest of the way down the corridor. Reaching the door, he muttered the password and slipped into the Slytherin Common Room.

He was relieved to see that there was still no one there. They had obviously all gone to the ball. He sank in a chair and buried his face in the flowing sleeves of his dress robes, finally breaking down.

* * * * *

A long while later, Draco heard the door open and someone walk in, but he didn’t care. He was through crying, but still sat with his face in his hands.

“Mr. Malfoy, there you are.” It was Snape. “I’ve been looking all over for – ” Snape stopped short when he noticed Draco’s position and the way he was trembling.

Draco heard Snape move closer to him, but he didn’t raise his head.

“Draco?” Snape ventured. Draco was surprised by how truly concerned he sounded.

Draco had only heard Snape’s voice sound this way once, and it was when Draco had turned up on the doorstep of Snape’s home, bruised and bleeding. His father had beaten him severely for doing something Draco couldn’t remember. He had left the house and went the one place he knew he would find help.

When Snape had opened the door and seen Draco leaning against the doorframe for support. Snape had helped Draco into the house and sat him in a chair. He had cleaned Draco’s wounds and let Draco stay with him for the remainder of the summer, in which time each had learned a lot about the other.

Draco raised his head and looked up at Snape, but found that he couldn’t speak.

“What’s the matter?” Snape asked.

Draco merely looked away.

Snape laid a hand on Draco’s shoulder. Draco flinched. Snape’s hand was freezing cold.

Snape paid no head to Draco’s reaction. “Are you alright?” he asked.

Draco nodded even though he wasn’t alright. He couldn’t speak! Draco supposed it was nerves. Stress can do some strange things.

“Good,” Snape said, “Everyone’s waiting. The Champions dance was supposed to start ten minutes ago. Dumbledore sent me to find you. Come on, we’d better get back.”

Draco shook his head vigorously. He didn’t want to be embarrassed because he didn’t have a partner or to be ridiculed because he looked like he had been crying.

“Why not?” Snape asked, beginning to sound annoyed.

Draco took his wand out of his pocket where he always kept it and wrote in the air:

I don’t have a partner and I can’t speak

“Well, the lack of a partner can be easily fixed,” Snape responded, “I'm not sure about your speech, though. We’ll figure that out later. Now, come.”

Snape headed toward the door. Reluctantly Draco followed.

* * * * *

When they entered the hall, Draco saw Snape glance around. Snape’s eyes fell on the nearest girl, Ginny Weasley.

“Weasley,” he said to her, “You’re now Mr. Malfoy’s dance partner.” He walked away.

Ginny turned to Draco. “I guess I have no choice,” she said, starting across the dance floor.

Draco really wished he could have said something as he followed her to the front of the hall. He didn’t want to dance with her. She was a Gryffindor and, to make things worse, a Weasley. He would be laughed at forever if he danced with her.

The champions line up at the front as Dumbledore announced the champion’s dance. Then the music started.

Draco planted his feet. He had made up his mind. He would not dance with her.

Ginny, however, had other ideas. “Come one, Malfoy. You have to!”

Draco didn’t move.

“I know you think I'm the most disgusting, repulsive creature on the face of the earth,” she said.

Draco took a long look at her and found that she was far from repulsive. She had beautiful brown eyes and flowing red hair that framed her face. Her dark green dress robes fit her feminine body in all the right places.

“I know you wouldn’t touch me if your life depended on it,” she continued.

Draco wanted to say something to stop her. No, he thought, I don’t feel that way!

 

But she continued. “If you don’t want to dance with me, then fine! I’ll be leaving.”

She turned to go, but Draco caught her arm. He would let his actions speak for him.

He smiled – a real smile – and pulled her close to him, placing his arms around her waist. He looked down at Ginny and saw the utterly surprised look on her face. But eventually it went away and she put her arms around his waist.

“Malfoy,” Ginny asked further into the song.

Draco, who had been staring off into space, thinking, looked down at her.

“Why didn’t you tell me off?” she asked.

Draco hated not being able to talk. He wanted to tell her how much he hated being mean and how he didn’t want to be alone anymore, but he couldn’t. Draco shook those thoughts away. It wouldn’t do for her to know those very private things. After all, he didn’t even know her.

“Aren’t you going to answer me?” she said, getting angry.

“I can’t speak,” Draco mouthed.

“So you would’ve told me off if you could,” she said.

Draco shook his head.

“Why not?” she asked.

Draco glared at her, reminding her that he couldn’t answer questions.

“Oh, sorry.”

The song ended and they pulled away from each other. A moment later Ron came up to them.

“What do you think you were doing, Malfoy?!” Ron yelled, his ears turning red.

“We were dancing, Ron,” Ginny said.

“Why would you dance with this creep?!”

Draco glared at Ron while Ginny put her hands on her hips.

“Maybe I wanted to!” she retorted, “So what?”

“So what?!” Ron asked throwing his arms up, “This is Malfoy we’re talking about! He’s nothing but trouble!”

Draco wished he could stand up for himself. But since he couldn’t, he simply turned and walked out of the Great Hall and didn’t stop until he was by the lake. There, he sat against a tree and looked up at the starry sky.

And he thought about her. Ginny Weasley. He was falling for her and he knew it.