verity || d.m.

09 - dance with her

"It's a shame these snowflakes don't actually keep us cool, isn't it?" Anastasiya says loudly as she reaches the table, both her and the girl she's with taking the empty seat next to Draco.

Draco turns to her, a muddled look in his eyes as he says, "I thought you told me you couldn't come with me because you already had a date." He holds tightly onto his cup.

She gives him a confused expression when she answers, "I do have a date; Eloise is my date," she gestures to the strawberry blonde next to her, who smiles back at both of them. She plays with the star earrings that match the top of Anastasiya's dress.

"I meant a boy date, Anya," Draco says, looking down at the floor where his feet tap rapidly. Next to him, Pansy stares intently, as if there were physical wheels turning in her brain.

Anastasiya glares at him as she replies, "just because we're both girls doesn't mean we didn't come as dates, Draco!" She reaches over to take a sip of his fruit punch before he can protest, and then she offers some to Eloise.

Draco's eyes are wide, but Anastasiya can tell it's not from the seizing of his drink. His brows furrow and she knows exactly what he's thinking. She tries to bite back a laugh as his face falls in revelation.

"Oh, don't worry," she scoffs at him. "I still like boys, too." Having refreshed herself, she stands up again before offering a hand to Eloise, and the two go back to the dancefloor to enjoy the evening.

Draco turns to the other girl next to him as Crabbe comes to fill the vacant seat. Pansy meets his eyes, the same puzzled look remaining on her face. They both go to speak, but no words come out.

Finally, in a room full of boisterous clamor, Draco breaks the silence between the two friends. "Did you know—"

"No, I didn't," Pansy replies, as she brushes more snowflakes off the silken skirt of her dress. "Would you have wanted to—"

"No!" Draco says quickly. "I wouldn't even know how to dance."

"That's a good point," Pansy says, looking back down at her lap after she finishes her cup of fruit punch. Her fingers tap on the cup before she continues watching couples dancing.

Some time during their epiphany, Professor Flitwick regained control of the music, and now conducts the orchestra through a sonata. Some of the previously energetic students have calmed down and now move at a much slower pace, but the majority have moved to the tables, disappointed at the change in energy. Draco's mind flashes through memories of watching his own parents dance at dinner parties, with Lucius regally leading and Narcissa graciously following.

"You should go dance with her," Pansy says as she continues watching the dancefloor. "You should go dance with Anastasiya."

Draco looks over at her. "Wouldn't that be weird since I came to the dance with you?"

"No, we used to switch partners all the time during our ballroom lessons," she replies. "Besides, it's not like we're dating, and I know you used to like to play this song on the piano."

He doesn't recall his brain commanding him or his feet moving, but soon enough, Draco stands behind Anastasiya, tapping her shoulder. She turns around, dazed at first before giving him a small smile. He holds his hand out to her, just as his father taught him, and asks her to dance with him.

—

31 OCTOBER, 2001

"We should really consider having masquerades more often," Draco says as he adjusts the black mask that sits barely allowing his eyes to be seen. "I really don't recognize anybody with these bloody masks on, which probably means nobody recognizes me either."