𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒫𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒾𝓈ℯ𝒹 𝒪𝓃ℯ | 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 |

#11 Hide & Seek

"Miss Fox!", Slughorn called out as soon as Blaise walked through the entrance to the small hall, my arm intertwined with his. „Mr. Zabini, brilliant! It's so good to see you."

The man quickly shook our hands, before he stationed himself next to us and pointed at a camera right before a blinding flash went off.

"I'm glad you could make it.", the professor flickered his smile between us. "Go ahead! I think Miss Granger already was looking for you, my dear."

The man let his gaze wander across the crowd of students - definitely bigger then the small group from the dinner - but held on my arm, as Blaise tried to lead me towards the table to get us some drinks.

"Wait a second, Miss Fox.", he said, thoughtful until I remained with my eyes on him. "I wanted to apologize for the dinner. I shouldn't have just addressed what had happened so ruthlessly."

"It's all good, professor.", I assured him with the unease feeling inside of me bubbling to the surface again. To my delight the man was quick to turn back towards the entrance, as another few new guests arrived.

I took the opportunity to gentle squirm myself out of his grip, shot him a smile as convincing as I could and walked over to Blaise, who waited for me a few steps ahead.

"Wine?", he asked with a smirk, slightly scooping me closer by my waist, before he removed and handed me a glass of it.

"Yes, thanks.", I breathed out relieved, greeting the liquid with a pleasure for an easy mind. "Did you see Hermione already?"

"Well, I just saw her with Cormac a few seconds ago, but she vanished quicker than a pixie.", Blaise snickered and did a sip from his own glass, looking over the crowd.

"Wait, Cormac? She's here with Cormac?" I quickly looked for the dark-brown curls or for some probably embarrassed doe eyes. "Damn it, Hermione."

"Yeah, I was surprised too.", my friend grinned. But his smirk grew once he saw my scared and alarmed features watching like a hawk. "Calm down, she's going to be okay. She's smart, Hermione will think about something."

"No, she's dumb, she's really dumb, Blaise.", I laughed out, but remained as I saw him smiling down on me.

He looked good in his suit, handsome even. But I had that bad feeling, that something in his smile had changed.

He was careful to say the right things, to do the right things, be compassionate and caring. Maybe a bit too much. I couldn't blame him though, he was there when I broke. He was there to hold me until I was able to at least stand on my own. He helped me through it and clearly he didn't want it happen again.

But my attention traveled away as soon as I spotted Hermione in the crowd, Cormac a little bit too near, too towering besides her. Her eyes found mine a second later, as if the girl was aware of the help coming her way.

"Get her.", Blaise whispered in my ear with the devil's smirk, as he followed my gaze to the Gryffindor girl, pleadingly looking over Cormac's shoulder as he pulled her closer for a slow dance.

"Be right back.", I chuckled in return without looking at him and quickly made my way through the remaining guest.

"Hermione!", I called out as soon as I was close enough, a bright smile on my face. It almost grew to a real one as I saw her horrified expression turning into hope. "Good to see you, I was looking for you! There is a problem."

"What problem?", Cormac questioned with furrowed eyebrows.

"Girl's problems, Cormac, should I continue with details?", I hissed at him, but quickly drew my lips back to a sweet smile as he almost choked on his drink. The boy's eyes flickered up to the mistletoe they stood under, as I laid my hands around Hermione's waist and diverted her away through the crowded hall.