I went running into Cedric's arms the second I spotted him.

"That was quite an entrance, Rory!" He chuckled, ruffling my hair affectionately.

"Have Durmstrang arrived yet?" I asked, shivering. I was stood in my light silk robes which although was pretty, was not ideal for Scottish weather sans cloak.

"No, not yet," Cedric said, slipping his own cloak off and wrapping it around my shoulders. "Did you forget how cold it is over here?"

"Oh, I remembered," I muttered dryly, "just that Madame Maxime wanted us to arrive in style."

As much as I loved our headmistress, she could be exceedingly vain.

We all watched as Durmstrang emerged from the lake. There was great excitement when Viktor Krum stepped out onto the grounds. He looked ever so grumpy though.

"Come on, Rory," Cedric said as we all started milling into the castle for our welcome feast.

I looked around in awe. Of course, Cedric had told me all about Hogwarts but seeing it in front of me for the first time was surreal.

I was so busy staring up at the enchanted ceiling upon entering the Great Hall that I clumsily walked smack bang up against someone's chest.

"Oh - sorry!" I gasped, tilting my head back down. My breath hitched in my throat as I stood face to face with a white-blond haired boy, his eyebrow cocked amusedly.

"Why is it," he drawled lazily, his silver grey eyes glinting, "that whenever someone walks into me, it is always you?"

I found myself blushing as his eyes seemed to penetrate mine. "I- I'm sorry, I was just admiring the ceiling." I stuttered pathetically.

A smirk twitched at his lips, almost as though he was enjoying the effect he was having on me.

"Yes, it is rather stunning, I have to admit."

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as his gaze never left mine. My pulse accelerated at an alarming rate and I was briefly worried I might not be able to breathe.

"You better not be giving my sister trouble, Malfoy!"

I jumped slightly as Cedric came up behind me, glaring daggers at Draco.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Draco murmured, not taking his eyes away from mine. And I felt those butterflies take flight again. "Enjoy your stay, Aurora."

He smirked up at Cedric before stepping around me and disappearing into the crowd.

"Git," Cedric muttered, ushering me towards one of the long tables. "I'd stay well away from him if I were you. The Malfoy's are nothing but trouble."

I didn't answer, instead taking a seat next to a ginger haired Hufflepuff who introduced herself as Susan. I couldn't stop thinking about the way Draco Malfoy had said my name. Aurora.

I would do anything to hear it upon his lips again.

...

It wasn't until my eyes drifted over to the Gryffindor table, and I spotted Harry Potter sat between Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, that I recalled how cruel Draco Malfoy had been in the woods at the Quidditch World Cup.

My heart plummeted in dismay. What was I thinking - getting giddy about a boy who was capable of maliciously taunting Muggle-borns?

And not to mention the dark connections his family have to the very people that killed my mother.

I tried to concentrate on Dumbledore's welcome speech but found my mind wondering helplessly back to the white-blond haired boy. I stole a cheeky glance up at the table I knew to be the Slytherin's. Draco Malfoy had managed to get Viktor Krum to sit with him, although Krum looked rather glum about it.

Grey eyes suddenly pierced mine and I hurriedly looked down in embarrassment at having been caught staring.

"You okay, Rory?" Cedric whispered, gently nudging my arm with his elbow.

I nodded, hoping the candlelit hall helped disguise my sure to be glowing cheeks.

...

Draco smirked as he watched her cheeks flame from across the hall, his heart fluttering at having caught her staring at him.

He had bumped into her on purpose, of course.

From the second she had stepped off the carriage, he hadn't taken his eyes away from her, looking for an opportunity to approach her. He had seized his chance when he noticed her gazing up in awe at the enchanted ceiling.

Her beauty literally took his breath away. He couldn't understand why everyone else wasn't staring at her like he was. A lot of his fellow Slytherins seemed to be falling over themselves to ogle the blonde girl with the silvery blonde hair, but Draco thought she was nothing compared to Aurora.

Aurora. He loved saying her name. It seemed to fall from his lips so naturally. He wanted to say it again to himself, but couldn't without looking like some kind of demented lunatic.

So he would just have to try and instigate another 'meeting'.

If only that stupid Hufflepuff brother of hers would just leave her side for more than five minutes.

...

The very next morning, I left the carriage with Fleur to join everyone at breakfast. There was great excitement as people put their names into the Goblet of Fire.

I watched proudly as Cedric got a huge cheer when he stepped forwards to place his name in.

"I've a good feeling!" I grinned, punching him playfully on the arm as he came to join me for breakfast. "Cedric the Hogwarts Champion!"

"It should be a laugh," he chuckled, spooning scrambled egg on his plate. "Imagine winning all that gold, though. Dad could do with the money, that's for sure."

"He'll want you to put it towards your future," I scolded him. "Dad's got high hopes for you, you know."

"If I win zee money," Fleur said in her throaty French accent as she nibbled at an orange segment, "I shall buy a stunning new dress."

"Blimey, that's going to be one hell of a dress, then."

I looked up to see Fred and George standing over us, both clutching a piece of paper in their hand.

"Surely you're not going to apply?" I asked, frowning. "You're not of age yet."

"Only by a couple of months!" George roared indignantly.

"Yeah, and besides, we've got a little trick up our sleeves, haven't we George?" Fred grinned mischievously.

"Age potion!" George said, waving a little bottle in our faces.

"It'll never work," I murmured to Cedric as we watched them approach the Goblet.

And sure enough, two minutes later they were making their way shame faced to the hospital wing - both sporting fantastic beards.

Cedric and I giggled helplessly, as Fleur watched on, screwing her face up disparagingly.

...

Draco couldn't take his eyes off of her during the Halloween feast that night.

He watched as her face lit up with pride when Diggory was announced as Hogwarts champion. He was desperate for her to look over at him. But her eyes were only on her brother.

"Dude, can you make it anymore obvious?!"

Draco blinked, turning his head to look at his friend.

"What do you mean?" he snapped at Blaise.

"That Diggory chick!" Blaise chuckled, nodding in the direction of Aurora. "Your tongue is practically smacking the floor."

Despite himself, Draco felt himself flush. Damn.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly, squaring his shoulders as he straightened his tie.

"Sure," Blaise chortled, "whatever you say man."