An Interference of Portraits

Bloody Quadrilles

That was, until we came to swap partners. And I found myself facing Draco, not Lavender.

'Idiot,' he said. 'No, keep dancing, you'll cause more disruption to try and correct it.'

'I'm sure I was doing it right.'

'Well, you're dancing with me now,' he smiled, amused by my blunder.

So, we danced until we swapped back to dancing with Luna and Lavender.

The second time it happened, I narrowed my eyes at him and said, 'are you doing this?'

'Not at all,' he said. 'It can't be helped that you're incompetent on the dance floor.' He sighed heavily and said, 'I suppose you can't be perfect at everything.'

'Fuck me, was that a backhanded compliment given by one Draco Malfoy to Harry Potter. It needs to be officially recorded in time...'

'Shut up,' he said, looking at me a bit too fondly.

The third time, he laughed wildly. And said, 'idiot!' again.

And he looked too damned fucking gorgeous.

'Don't look at me like that,' he hissed.

'I can't help it,' I muttered, my lips twitching.

'Gods, you're irresistible,' he said.

'I try my best.'

'Tone it down... I can't exactly be seen flirting outrageously with you in public until I talk to my father. I'm engaged to be married, remember,' he said as we held hands and stepped towards each other and away in time with the music.

'I can hardly forget...' I muttered.

'And stop scowling, people will notice that too.'

'Do you think I fucking care?'

'Do you really want people to be second guessing what we're talking about? You have to make it seem like this was a carefree accident.'

'It was an accident. And they'll still be questioning it and we'll be pictured be all over the front pages...'

Actually, the Press were under very strict instructions about how they approached the other guests and under what situations they could and could not take photographs and report on. In addition, they were not allowed to approach or photograph the other guests at their table or on the dance floor. Only the red carpet and the stage were a free for all. All other photographs must be taken with permission first. Kingsley had set up an interview room and despite the requests, I had refused to speak to anyone. I think that it was only Minerva who had given the Press a very brief statement in support of my Order of Merlin. No mention of my job was made. Anyone found to be breaking these simple guidelines would not only be thrown out, they'd be heavily fined as individuals, have their licences revoked, and the newspapers themselves would be severely penalised. They were the rules for attending, and if they didn't like it, they weren't welcome. In fact, I thought, as I glanced at the hacks at their table, they all now seemed at a point where they'd rather be enjoying themselves than working. Most cameras and notepads had been put away and a few were even dancing. I appreciated the respect but supposed they recognised the honour of being able to attend the evening at all.

Draco and I broke apart and I danced the lively finale with Luna.

When we finally finished, Luna announced, 'Lucy owes me a dance,' and she rushed off to find him. Draco, Lavender, and I returned to our seats, laughing.

'Sweet Merlin, thank you, Nev,' I said, raising my glass to him across the table.

'It's as much about having the right dance partners,' said Draco. 'No disrespect to Parvati but you two clearly weren't suited and she wasn't forgiving enough that it was your first formal dance.'

'We were only fourteen.'

'Exactly,' said Draco. 'you can let that go now. It doesn't define you on the dance floor forever.'

'How did you swap places so seamlessly?' said Lavender, who was now on Draco's other side, her arm still linked through his as she leant against him.

'I didn't swap places, Harry messed it up,' he said.

Lavender looked like she was going to protest but then said, 'I mean, you switched to dancing the second while Harry led.'

'Oh, I see. Mother put me through a lot of dance lessons. Tendency of the older families,' he shrugged. 'I hated it at the time but I'm glad now.'

'You're very naughty,' she said fondly.

That made me smile.

'I'm a Slytherin, what do you expect?' he dismissed.

'So, how long have you been in love with Harry?' she dropped in like a bombshell.

I laughed as Draco lost all composure and I raised an eyebrow questioningly. 'Yes, I'm quite interested to know the answer to that too.'

'You're not supposed to know anything about that,' he said haughtily to Lavender. 'No one knows.'

'I wouldn't say no one knows,' she said. 'I would say that those who know you two can see it quite clearly. I mean, it became very obvious at Harry's, when we were doing the garden. And if one thinks back to school, you, in particular, Draco, always lavished a lot of attention on Harry and wanted him to notice you... all the time...'

'And there I was, thinking I liked you, Lavender Brown,' Draco drawled, disentangling himself from her grip. 'Bloody lions... wouldn't know subtly if it smacked them on the nose.'

'You haven't answered the question though,' she said, grinning wildly as she went in for the kill.

'Oh, probably forever,' he said breezily but the tips of his ears were bright pink. 'If you'll excuse me, etiquette calls for me to dance with my mother. Harry, you should dance with Molly.'

'Righto,' I said happily.

'Stop grinning like that,' he said and he disappeared off to dance with Narcissa.

It was after my dance with Molly that I thought that perhaps it was required of me to do the whole circulating-thing and say hello to lots of people. I returned to the table with Molly to say hello to Arthur, Xenophilius, Dromeda, Narcissa, and Lucius, and it was as then that Lucius asked if he might have a quiet word with me.

'Here?' I asked.

'Do you intend to carry on the party anywhere after the Gala Dinner?'

'Do people do that?' I asked, looked up at the taller man.

'Some do.'

'I'm not sure. I suppose I could invite a few people back to mine. Some are staying anyway...'

'Then if I might be so bold, can I invite Narcissa and myself to impose on your time once more?'

For a man who was used to bullying his way through life, I was surprised to notice he looked nervous.

'Of course,' I said.

'Thank you, Mr Potter—'

'Harry,' I corrected.

***