PART 2

DRACO ,  leaned his chin on his fist , barely listening to Blaise as he animatedly described his trip to Italy , moving his hands to give more effect while Theo had his nose buried in a book. Across from their table , his eyes fell upon a certain brunette. She sat alone and isolated from everyone , but he noticed the stares of admiration she would receive from many , while others leaned and pointed towards her , talking about her in hushed whispers. Evanna appeared to be fiddling with a ring on her finger , when she suddenly looked up and caught his silver stare.

Evanna's eyes brightened slightly and she smiled back at him , giving a small – almost invisible – wave. Draco found himself smiling back. Blaise raised an eyebrow , turning around to look at what Draco was smiling at , his gaze finding Evanna as she twisted the stone on her ring and her focus appeared to be elsewhere.

"Oh so that's what you are looking at", He said with a chuckle , turning back to meet Draco's mercury eyes. "Weren't you friends with Frey ?", He asked.

Draco nodded slightly.

"She's quite nice", Pansy chimed from across the table , lifting her head from her arms. "I was her Potions partner last year."

"Why isn't anyone sitting with her , though ?", Theo asked , closing his book to look at Pansy.

"I don't know", She said , and before she could continue , Daphne Greengrass joined their conversation.

"Well , there's a rumour that she was associated with two muggle-born girls who disappeared in our second year. Since then no one really talks to her , but she is extremely popular among both genders", Daphne said. "She is quite brilliant in academics , and I once decided to take help from her for our Charms work. She agreed , but there's something that has always unnerved her about me. And that meeting for helping me out freaked me out more. Her too polite smiles , her silence , her eyes – Merlin , I never spoke to her since."

Draco raised a brow , but before he could interject by saying that she seemed quite alright when they talked in the train earlier – a clapping sound boomed across the Hall. Draco looked ahead to find an old man , dressed in powder blue robes , his long silver beard reaching his knees – as he stood in front of the podium at the Head Table. Professor Dumbledore began speaking , saying that he welcomed back the students , as well as the new students , and mentioned how the castle would be home to not only them , but some foreign guests. At this , murmurs of confusion echoed around the hall , and the doors opened. Argus Filch , the caretaker , came sprinting towards the Headmaster , who paused to listen to him. Nodding at whatever the caretaker said , Dumbledore said enthusiastically ,"Please welcome , the lovely students of Beauxbatons and their Headmistress , Madame Maxime  !"

The tall  , arched doors to the hall opened again , to reveal a horde of ladies elegantly dressed in powder blue robes , walking with their heads held high and flaunting their airs and graces , along with their lush figures as they sighed softly - half the boys ogling as they rushed ahead to create a swarm of blue butterflies overhead. A skilled gymnast , a little girl dressed in silver , as she exhibited her moves , before joining another girl up ahead. A few boys were scattered here , and there , amongst the greater number of girls , looking out of place - but walking with grace as they directed their wands to cast the words Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in silver overhead.

Following the parade appeared a giant of a woman , her robes brushing against her ankle as she towered over all - perhaps , even Hagrid. The Headmaster reached forward and kissed her knuckles as a way of greeting , before directing her to sit at the Head Table , while the girls and boys sat at the Ravenclaw table.

"And now , please welcome , the our friends from the north - the proud children of Durmstrang and their High Master , Igor Karkarrof. "

With that , the doors to the Great Hall opened up again , boys and girls dressed in a deep red uniform walking in , creating a mystical effect with their wooden staffs , sending sparks of fire across the hall. One boy and one girl paraded their skills as a gymnast , throwing their staff onto the air before catching it again and breathing out a dragon made of fire. Amidst their presentation , a man with a goatee and clad in white furs , walked in along with a familiar looking boy. Igor Karkaroff and Viktor Krum.

Applause echoed around the hall as the Headmaster of Hogwarts and Karkaroff held each other in an embrace.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of events. Professor Dumbledore revealed that Quidditch would be cancelled for the year , which quite frustrated Draco - for Hogwarts would be acting as a host for the Triwizard Tournament , a legendary event which had been reinstated with certain rules , for it had a high death rate. A champion would be selected from each school , and compete in a series of deathly matches , but only those above the age of seventeen could volunteer by submitting their names into the burning blue flames of the huge goblet. None of the Slytherins would volunteer. They did want glory , but not at the risk of their lives. Asides from the tournament , they were introduced to Mad-Eye Moody , their new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.

"He doesn't look quite right in the head", Daphne had whispered.

"Of course he doesn't , Daph. Dumbledore is getting too old to distinguish between people capable of teaching a fine subject , and mad hatters", Blaise had replied , keeping his gaze at the liquid in his goblet.

Draco had been rather weirded out by the artificial , electric blue eyeball Moody wore , and how it always fell upon either Potter or Evanna.

Throughout the night , as the people from the Ministry  explained the rules and regulations of the Triwizard Tournament , Draco looked at Evanna. She seemed to be making eye contact with Moody from time to time , her lower lip curled in a sneer whenever he looked in her direction - as though they were silently communicating from across the Hall.

No , of course not. That's not possible.

After dinner , Draco looked around for Evanna , having promised her his book. He had finished reading it while on the train , and had decided to give it to her to read. Upon not finding her , he took the dark , narrow staircase towards the Ravenclaw Tower - the tallest tower. Well , technically , the Gryffindor Tower had been the tallest - but the intellectual Ravenclaws had decided that Gryffindors were overrated , and had fixed a long , wooden ruler to the silver point of the tower , making their dormitory taller by nine inches.

He chuckled at the memory , silently appreciating the humour of the Ravenclaws.

At the top of the stairs , his eyes fell upon a golden eagle , perched on a marble pedestal. As soon as it saw Draco approach , it's mouth opened , spouting a riddle.

"He has married many women , but is himself unmarried. Who is he ?", the eagle asked in a booming voice. Draco furrowed her eyebrows. Didn't they have a password ? Answer a riddle every time you had to enter ? And what if you couldn't answer it ? Would you be stuck outside the whole night ?

He tapped his foot , pacing as he thought of the answer. He tried as many unlocking spells as he knew , even tried picking the lock with a safety pin ( Daphne and Pansy had taught him to do so ).

Suddenly , he heard a chuckle , and turning to see who it was , his eyes fell upon two shining sapphire irises in the looming darkness.

Evanna wiped a tear from under her eye , her smile full of mirth , as she stepped forward to answer the riddle.

"A priest", She spoke , as the eagle glided away , to reveal an open door towards the Common Room.

"Wait , so you were there the whole time , but you decided to help now ? When you could have helped earlier ?", Draco scowled.

Evanna nodded , giving a sideways smile.

"I wanted some comic relief", She said , before bursting into laughter once again. It was a short , sharp sound , which filled his stomach with some kind of feeling he had never experienced before. By the way she laughed , he could tell she didn't do so often , but before he could ask why , Evanna said ,"What brings you here ?"

"I finished reading the book , so I wanted to give it to you", He said , producing the gold engraved book from under his robes.

Extending it towards her , who took it with a raised eyebrow , Draco cleared his throat and said ,"I said I'd give it to you on the train so..."

"Thank you , Malfoy", Evanna said , her nimble fingers brushing against his - and he felt a slight tingle where they had been. Her tiny hand curled around the spine of the book as she accepted it from him , a grateful smile on her cherry lips.

Unknowingly , he smiled too , both wishing each other night. He started walking away from the scene , and he was a few feet away when-

"He is distracting you , my dear", He heard a gruff voice speak as he pressed himself up against the dark wall , trying to blend into the surroundings while simultaneously trying to hear their conversation.

"No he isn't. And if you come any closer I will not hesitate to annihilate you." Shivers ran down his spine upon hearing Evanna's voice.

"But I am here to ensure that the job is done."

"Yes , and even without you - I am quite sure the job will be done. I am sure no one will quite miss you , hmm ?", He heard Evanna say - and before he could move , he heard the sound of footsteps scurrying away. 

Breathing a sigh of relief , he took a step forward to quickly climb down the stairs. The dungeons suddenly seemed far way and the cold air struck harshly against his skin. The sudden feeling of a soft touch on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks , as he turned around to face Evanna , who was smiling pleasantly.

"Why are you still here ?", She asked , quirking a brow in confusion.

"I was just leaving", Draco lied smoothly , hoping to get away. Evanna nodded , and let go , as he silently thanked Merlin.

But just as he was about to go down the stairs , he heard her voice call out.

"I hope you won't eavesdrop in the future again , Draco."

[ A/N : I added people of both genders in Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. Nicholas Flamel was a Beauxbatons alumnus , he would roll in his grave at the lack of representation.]