I watched in horror as Cedric collapsed into a heap on the ground; his body crumpling as though in slow motion.

My heart felt like it had stopped. Memories of the previous night had somehow been erased from my mind as I leapt over the benches, desperate to get to him, desperate to make sure he was okay.

"Cedric!" I cried as I ran towards him, panic tearing at my lungs, feeling as though I couldn't breathe.

Call me an idiot. Call me a pathetic bitch. Call me whatever you please.

But remember, I had thought only hours before that I was falling in love with this boy. I had given months of my life adoring him and wanting him; he had been my king and I thought I had been his queen.

I fell to the ground beside him, my hands desperately shaking his still body, trying to rouse him, begging him to open his eyes.

"Cedric," I cried, tears falling down my face. "Wake up; please, wake up!"

A groan issued from dry cracked lips and eyelids fluttered opened; grey, bloodshot eyes staring up into mine.

Trembling hands reached up to cup my face. At first I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he turned my head to the side and brought his lips up to my ear.

"It's your fault, bitch," he hissed, his voice like venom; dripping poison coldly down the length of my spine, "it's all your fucking fault."

*****

Nobody quite knew what had gone on during that night of the third task.

The first I heard mention about Harry Potter's extra 'adventure', I was curled up on the Slytherin common room sofa, Draco by my side; watching me with a careful expression upon his face.

It had been only hours since the tournament had ended. Draco, who had sprinted down after me when I had ran to Cedric, pulled me away from him the instant the cruel words were hissed in my ear.

It was lucky for Cedric that the medics and his father had reached him by then because Draco looked as though he was going to stomp on his already bloodied face.

Instead, Draco and I quietly slipped away, returning to the peace of the dungeons where I went straight to the sofa to sit out my mood. Draco remained with me, warding anyone off who tried to ask me about Cedric.

It was Theodore Nott, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle who alerted us about Harry Potter.

"What do you mean?" Draco spat as Theo approached us; declaring it was time to shut Harry up for good.

"I think you know exactly what I mean." Theo growled, his eyes glinting maliciously down at him as Crabbe and Goyle simultaneously cracked their knuckles behind him.

I looked up startled; wondering what the fuck was going on.

"Leave it," Draco snarled, his eyes narrowing warningly up at Theo's. "Not here."

Theo's piercing blue eyes glanced down at me. It was clear that Draco did not want whatever was going on to be discussed in front of me.

Sighing heavily, Theo beckoned to Crabbe and Goyle and the three turned around and left us alone.

I looked to Draco, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. But he refused to explain; feigning ignorance when I asked him what Theo had meant.

He seemed only intent on shielding me from further pain; which was evident the following morning at breakfast.

"Turn around, turn around now," he demanded suddenly, wheeling round to halt my progress  as we entered the Great Hall.

"What? Why?" I queried, trying to peer around Draco's chest as he attempted to push me back out into the Entrance Hall.

His attempts were futile though, because I managed to side step him and saw exactly what he was trying to protect me from.

I felt the world tilt on its axis; white lights hitting my vision, making me momentarily blind.

The Hufflepuff table were cheering loudly as Cho Chang straddled Cedric's lap, sticking her tongue energetically down his throat, his hands greedily roaming up and down her body, clearly enjoying every second.

And, as though he could sense me standing there, Cedric unstuck his lips from Cho's, turning his head to smirk right at me, a silver glint in his eyes.

My stomach gave a sickening gut wrenching twist. A tornado of emotions whirled violently within me; making me shake from head to toe.

I felt Draco tugging at my arm, trying to pull me away; but my eyes were stuck firmly on Cedric's, almost as if he had cast some sort of spell.

I found my legs moving; my feet stepping forward, one in front of the other. Cedric's eyes danced in wicked glee as I drew nearer and nearer.

The whole Hufflepuff table turned to look up at me as I approached; nervous apprehension flickering across their faces. Cho gave a nervous giggle before trying to slip off Cedric's lap, but his grip tightened around her; firmly keeping her in her place; his eyes never once leaving mine.

"Come to see what you're missing out on?" Cedric smirked as I came to a shaking, furious halt in front of him. "Well, if you've changed your mind then I'm afraid you're too late. I've got myself a woman now."

And as if to prove his point to me, he ran a hand down the length of Cho's body, making her gasp out loud as he actually squeezed her butt.

I did it without a second's thought. My head whipped back and I spat hard and fast in his face; experiencing an immense feeling of satisfaction as the saliva smacked him right in the eye.

He flinched in horror; jumping at once to his feet. Cho gave a startled cry as she fell from his lap onto the floor.

"You little fucking bitch!" He hollered; hands outstretched as he lunged right at me.

Draco, who had obviously followed, immediately grabbed me, pulling me out of the way before pointing his wand directly in Cedric's chest.

"You dare touch her Diggory and I'll fucking kill you right here, right now." Draco snarled, squaring up to the sixth year without even a flicker of fear.

"The dirty bitch spat in my face!" Cedric spluttered, his eyes darting apprehensively down to the wand sticking in his chest. "I could get diseases!"

Clattering his wand to the ground, Draco grabbed the front of Cedric's robes, pulled back his right arm, fist clenched, when-

"What is the meaning of this barbaric display?!"

Draco snapped his arm down, hastily retrieving his wand as Professor McGonagall approached; face pinched in fury as she looked from Cedric to Draco.

"It's nothing, Professor," Draco said stiffly, "Diggory here was just giving me a replay of how he got thwarted by a bush."

"IT WAS A HEDGE!" Cedric roared, spittle flying from his lips.

Professor McGonagall let out a long exasperated sigh as though trying to find patience. "It's been a long year for everybody. Just be grateful you weren't on your best form last night, Mr Diggory. Being attacked by a hedge may have been the best thing that has ever happened to you in your life."

Her eyes glazed over and she seemed to be staring somewhere far, far away as she shook her head, tutted and then moved on without another word; leaving Cedric, Draco and I looking bewilderedly after her.

"What the fuck-?" I muttered.

Cedric looked from me to Draco and seemed to suddenly regard us with a strange, amused interest.

"You mean to say you haven't been filled in about last night, yet?" He chortled mockingly down at me. "Your little guard dog trying to protect you from the scary villains again? Only this time the big bad wolf is much closer to home than you care to wish for, isn't he... Malfoy?"

"Shut it, Diggory," Draco said at once, a slight panic rising in his voice. "Whatever Potter's saying is a lie. He's no proof of anything."

Before I could ask once again what the fuck was going on, I was beaten to it by somebody else.

"Is that so, Malfoy?" An angry gruff voice barked out from behind us.

Draco and I spun round on the spot to see the intimidating figure of Ronald Weasley, arms folded across his chest, glaring fiercely into Draco's eyes.

"Calling my best friend a liar are you?" He growled. "Telling me he's currently crying his eyes out in the hospital wing over a simple delusion?"

"Yes, well it wouldn't be the first time, would it?" Draco muttered bitterly, as he hastily pulled at my arm, starting to drag me back towards the doors.

"How's Daddy this morning?" Ron called after us, his eyes glinting menacingly. "Bit tired after working late for his boss last night? Let's hope he gets a Christmas bonus this year. Not an easy job having to stand there and laugh as an old man mocks and tortures a defenceless little orphan."

"WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE JUST TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!" I yelled, not even caring about the teachers, all of whom seemed to be in their own dazed worlds that morning anyway.

I yanked my arm out of Draco's grip, glaring from him, back to Ron and finally landing on a smirking Cedric, who was clearly enjoying the show.

"Voldemort's back."

The whole hall gave a collective gasp as Harry Potter entered dramatically through the doors, his eyes sweeping over his audience as he held up a piece of paper for all to see.

"And right here in my hand, I hold a list of names of all those that work for this disgusting piece of scum; and I, Harry James Potter, will not rest until every single one of them is either locked up or dead in the ground."

His eyes landed smugly on Draco as he said this last part, his insinuation made perfectly clear in front of the entire school.

"Do give Daddy my love when you get home, won't you, Malfoy?"

My god. What a twat.

******