Chapter Text
Harry stormed out of the castle, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. The cool autumn air hit his face as he descended the stone steps, but it did nothing to calm the anger boiling inside him.
He strode across the grounds, not paying attention to where he was going. His mind was still reeling from the events of the Wand Weighing Ceremony. That vile woman Rita Skeeter had twisted his words, making him out to be some sort of tragic hero. It made Harry's blood boil just thinking about it.
And then there was Ron. His supposed best friend, who refused to believe that Harry hadn't put his name in the Goblet of Fire. After everything they'd been through together, how could Ron not trust him? The betrayal cut deep, like a knife to the heart.
Harry kicked at a rock, sending it skittering across the grass. He couldn't even find solace with Hermione right now. Malfoy, that slimy git, had hexed her teeth to grow at an alarming rate. She was in the hospital wing, getting them shrunk back to normal size.
The image of Malfoy's smug face, as he passed out those 'Potter Stinks' badges, flashed through Harry's mind. He wished he could wipe that self-satisfied smirk right off Malfoy's pointed face.
Harry finally stopped walking, finding himself at the edge of the Black Lake. He stared out over the dark waters, watching the giant squid lazily wave a tentacle above the surface.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. But the anger still simmered, a hot coal in his chest. He felt so alone, so misunderstood. No one seemed to be on his side, not even his closest friends.
Harry picked up a flat stone from the shore, turning it over in his hand. With a grunt of frustration, he hurled it out over the lake, watching it skip once, twice, three times before sinking beneath the surface with a small splash.
* * *
Harry was about to start his walk back to the castle when as he saw Cedric at a distance dragging Malfoy behind the greenhouses at wandpoint, the Hufflepuff's usually kind features twisted into a scowl. What had that foul git Malfoy done to provoke such anger in Cedric? Harry wondered. Cedric was one of the most laidback people Harry knew, so for him to be this enraged, Malfoy must have really crossed a line. And his curiosity was piqued.
Without a second thought, Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak and threw it over himself. He quickly followed the two boys, his footsteps muffled by the soft grass.
As he rounded the corner of the greenhouse, Harry saw Cedric push Malfoy up against the glass wall. Malfoy's usually pale face was flushed, and he looked uncharacteristically nervous.
"What's the deal with these badges, Malfoy?" Cedric demanded, his wand still pointed at Malfoy's chest. "Trying to make a fool out of me and my house?"
Malfoy swallowed hard, his eyes darting around as if looking for an escape. "It's just a bit of fun, Diggory. No need to get your wand in a knot."
Cedric leaned in closer, his face mere inches from Malfoy's. "Fun? You think it's fun to mock a Hogwarts champion?"
Harry watched, transfixed, as Malfoy's demeanor suddenly changed. A slow smirk spread across his face, and he looked up at Cedric through his lashes.
"Maybe I just wanted to get your attention," Malfoy purred, his voice low and seductive.
Cedric's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, Harry thought he might hex Malfoy. But then, to Harry's utter shock, Cedric closed the distance between them and crashed his lips against Malfoy's in a fierce kiss.
Malfoy responded eagerly, his hands coming up to tangle in Cedric's dark hair. They kissed with a passion that made Harry's cheeks burn, their bodies pressing together urgently.
Harry stood frozen, his mind reeling. Cedric and Malfoy? Together? It was almost too much to comprehend. He'd always assumed that Malfoy hated all Hufflepuffs.
But as he watched them kiss, their hands roaming over each other's bodies, Harry realized that perhaps there was more to Malfoy than he was aware of.
Harry watched, stunned, as Cedric and Malfoy broke their kiss. Malfoy looked up at Cedric with an expression of pure adoration, a look Harry had never imagined he would see on the Slytherin's face.
"Why did you make these badges, Draco?" Cedric asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "What if your father finds out about us? Won't he punish you?"
Malfoy waved away Cedric's worries with a casual flick of his wrist. "He won't find out. And I wanted to show my support for you, even if I can't do it publicly as your boyfriend." He paused, his expression turning serious. "I know Potter didn't enter the tournament. He's probably in danger from whoever put his name in the Goblet of Fire. But it still hurts to see you not getting the recognition you deserve for being a champion."
Harry's mind reeled. Malfoy, his rival, believed him while Ron, his best friend, did not. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
Cedric's expression softened, but he still looked troubled. "I appreciate your support, Draco, but I don't want you putting yourself in danger over something so trivial. And why did you include the 'Potter Stinks' text on the badges?"
Malfoy sighed heavily. "Flint found me while I was working on them. He thought it would be funny to use them to insult Potter too. I didn't have a choice - if I refused, word would have gotten back to my father. I wanted to avoid a repeat of what happened this summer."
Cedric's eyes widened. "What happened this summer, Draco?"
Harry watched curiously as Malfoy's pale face drained of what little color it had on hearing Cedric's question. The Slytherin's grey eyes darted around nervously, as if searching for an escape route. When Cedric refused to drop the subject, pressing him further, Malfoy seemed to deflate. His shoulders slumped in resignation as he reluctantly began to explain what had transpired over the holiday break.
"My father was angry that I came second in my year again and that we lost the Quidditch and House Cups. As punishment, he used the Cruciatus Curse on me." Malfoy's voice was barely above a whisper. "When I talked back to him, he hit me for the first time. Broke my arm. I was in bed for a week."
Harry's stomach churned with horror. He had no doubt that Lucius Malfoy was capable of such cruelty, but to do it to his own son? It was unthinkable.
Cedric looked equally appalled. "Draco, we need to tell someone. We need to get you away from your father."
But Malfoy stepped back, panic flashing across his face. "No! You can't tell anyone, Cedric. Remember your promise. If my father finds out, he might hurt my mother. And... I still love him, despite everything. I don't want him to get in trouble."
Harry watched as Cedric pulled Malfoy into a tight embrace, his strong arms wrapping around the slender Slytherin's trembling frame. Malfoy clung to Cedric like a lifeline, his face buried in the crook of the Hufflepuff's neck.
"I love you, Draco," Cedric murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I just want you to be safe. I worry about you constantly."
Malfoy lifted his head, his grey eyes shining with unshed tears. "I love you too, Cedric. More than anything. Things will get better at home, I promise. I just need some time to fix everything."
Cedric nodded, his expression still troubled but also full of understanding. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Malfoy's forehead, his fingers carding through the blond's silky hair.
As the two lovers held each other, Harry slowly backed away, his heart heavy with the weight of what he had just witnessed. He slipped out from behind the greenhouse, careful not to make a sound, and began the trek back to the castle.
As he walked, his mind raced with thoughts of Malfoy and Cedric. He had always assumed that Malfoy was nothing more than a spoiled, arrogant bully, but now he realized that there was so much more to the Slytherin than met the eye, more than the sneering, taunting facade he presented to the world.
Harry's heart ached for Malfoy for the first time. Beneath the mask of cruelty and indifference, there was a boy who was hurting, a boy who had endured unspeakable abuse at the hands of his own father. And despite everything, Malfoy had found love and acceptance in the most unlikely of places - in the arms of a Hufflepuff.
As he reached the castle doors, Harry glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes drawn to the distant greenhouses. He was certain that Cedric and Malfoy were still there, wrapped in each other's arms, finding solace and comfort in their love.
And as he stepped inside, Harry made a silent vow to himself. He would keep Malfoy's secret, just as Cedric had promised. He would not betray the trust that had been inadvertently placed in him. And perhaps, in time, he would find a way to bridge the gap between himself and Malfoy, to see the boy beneath the mask and offer him the friendship and support he so desperately needed.
* * *
Harry walked into the Great Hall, the buzz of chatter barely registering in his mind. His eyes scanned the Gryffindor table, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen. He figured she was still in the hospital wing, getting her teeth fixed after Malfoy's hex. The sight of her in pain replayed in his mind, adding another layer to his already turbulent emotions.
He slumped down at the far end of the table, away from the clusters of laughing and talking students. The food in front of him looked unappetising, but he forced himself to eat. He needed energy for the extra work on Summoning Charms he had to tackle later.
Dinner passed in a blur, and Harry made his way back to Gryffindor Tower, thoughts racing. The common room was warm and bustling with activity, but Harry's focus remained on the pile of books waiting for him upstairs. He trudged up to the dormitory and pushed open the door.
Ron was there, fiddling with something on his bed. The tension between them hung heavy in the air. He wondered how Ron would react if he knew that even Malfoy believed Harry hadn’t entered the Triwizard Tournament himself. But he knew that, even if they patched things up, he'd never reveal what he witnessed behind the greenhouses.
"You’ve had an owl," Ron said brusquely, pointing at Harry’s pillow without meeting his eyes. A school barn owl waited patiently.
"Oh — right," Harry replied, trying to keep his voice neutral.
"And we’ve got to do our detentions tomorrow night, Snape’s dungeon."
Ron’s tone was clipped as he turned and walked out of the room without another word. For a moment, Harry considered going after him — torn between wanting to talk things out or giving in to the urge to hit him. Both options seemed appealing in their own way. But then his gaze shifted to the owl and Sirius's letter.
The allure of hearing from Sirius proved too strong. He strode over to his bed, took the letter from the owl's leg and unrolled it eagerly.
Harry —
I can’t say everything I would like to in a letter, it’s too risky in case the owl is intercepted — we need to talk face-to-face. Can you ensure that you are alone by the fire in Gryffindor Tower at one o’clock in the morning on the 22nd of November?
I know better than anyone that you can look after yourself, and while you’re around Dumbledore and Moody I don’t think anyone will be able to hurt you. However, someone seems to be having a good try. Entering you in that tournament would have been very risky, especially right under Dumbledore’s nose.
Be on the watch, Harry. I still want to hear about anything unusual. Let me know about the 22nd of November as quickly as you can.
— Sirius
Harry folded up the letter and stared at it for a moment longer. A meeting with Sirius... finally some direct answers or guidance. But until then, he had other battles to face — starting with making sense of everything he had just learned about Draco Malfoy.