I lit a cigarette and put it to my lips.

“Those smell horrid.” Hermione said, as she waved the smoke away from her nose.

“Sorry, let me let one last one in. I don't know how the professors will take it. I'll keep it on the down low.” I chuckled.

“I cant believe you picked up that stupid habbit over the summer.” she chuckled, the train doors opened and people began filing in.

I quickly put my cigarette out and we grabbed our belongings.

“Once you figure out a spell where I can smoke out of my wand, it won't be too bad.” I smiled as we got on the train.

"Give me a few hours." Hermione said. We found a section on the train to sit. We quickly shut the doors behind us.

"Not so fast." Ron said coming in, with Harry following.

We all put our luggage above and below our seats, before sitting down.

We talked amongst ourselves telling each other about our summers.

I didn't have much to say.

I was grounded the whole time, Harry didn't have much to say either.

Hermione told them about the cigarettes.

They gave me the 'that's bad for you' talk.

She did however figure out a spell for me. I got so good at it over the train ride, all I had to do was tap my cheek with the wand and breath in the small puff of smoke that came out.

That small puff of smoke was equal to one cigarette.

It worked pretty well, but nothing was as good as a cigarette.

"I'm going to the bathroom, anyone want anything from the trolley?" I asked them as I stood up.

"A chocolate frog." Ron smiled.

Of course that's what he wanted. That's what he always wanted.

I made my way through the narrow hallway of the train cart to the bathroom.

I did my business and as I walked out the door, I bumped shoulders with someone.

"I'm sorr-" I started to say as I looked up.

There stood Draco Malfoy.

He was dressed in all black, which made his blond hair look iridescent. His silver eyes blinked slowly as he looked me up and down.

"You're what?" Malfoy's voice was much deeper than last year.

The corners of his lips turned up so slightly into a soft smile, as I stood there speechless.

"You forget how to speak?" He asked me in a low voice. My cheeks turned hot for a minute.

"You intentionally running into my now? Last time you messed with us, Hermione clocked you in the face. Trust me, I hit way harder than she does." I hissed at him.

"Don't try to intimidate me, Stewart. Besides, you can't hide the fact that you're blushing." Malfoy smirked as he looked down and into my eyes.

He continued to blink slowly as his eyes shifted between mine.

I swallowed hard and looked away from him, breaking the eye contact.

I quickly walked away.

My heart was beating hard and fast.

I grabbed Ron's chocolate frog and sat back down in my seat.

"You ok, Courtney?" Hermione asked me as I tossed Ron his candy.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I let out a nervous chuckle.

"You're face is pink, and you look flustered." Hermione said giving me a soft smile.

"The hallway is just warm." I replied to her.

I leaned up against the window and watched the trees go by.

Malfoy looked different.

He was about a head taller than me now. His shoulders were much wider, and he had a more muscular build to him. Draco's facial features were more prominent, and his jaw line was much stronger than I remembered.

Draco looked so good in black, and he knew it.

When the train finally stopped at Hogwarts, we quickly filed off and went to our rooms.

Hermione and I unpacked our things and decorated before we had to be down in the Great Hall for the assigning of the first years to their houses.

As we made our way down to the Great Hall and took our seats, I had the feeling I was being watched.

I looked up, to see Draco looking at me.

We locked eyes for a moment before I looked back down at the table. I quickly turned my juice into vodka and slammed it down.

I looked back up and Draco was still looking at me.

Draco didn't bother looking away. He wanted everyone to know that he was dominant, that he was the alpha.

The whole Slytherin house knew.

Draco gave me a wink and a half smile.

The chills ran down my body. My face turned beat red.

It was almost as if Draco wanted me to see him looking.

I turned away again.

I didn't look back at him the rest of the time.

I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

Dumbledore went on about safety, there still were Deatheaters lingering. And he announced that we were chosen to host the triwizard games. He announced the two other groups from the two other schools that would be joining us.

...

"I saw that Victor guy from that other school looking at you!" I said to Hermione as we laid on our beds, ready to go to sleep for the night.

"I saw Malfoy looking at you." She smiled.

"Please," I huffed, "he's just trying to intimidate me."

"Well we have potions in the morning, so we best get some rest." Hermione giggled.

"You better wake me up in the morning."