You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 25

"You're moody," Pansy commented, as Graces continued to glare up at the ceiling from her bed. When the blonde made no attempt to answer her, Pansy heaved a long sigh before continuing. "You were moody last night too..."

"Graces, will you just tell me what has you and your brother in such foul moods!" Pansy exclaimed, no longer wanting to tip-toe around the issue.

Graces turned and faced her friend, raising a single eyebrow at her outbursts.

"Now, now, Pansy," Graces tisked. "Is that any way for a lady to be behaving?"

Pansy muttered something about infuriating Malfoys and stomped over to the door of the room about to leave.

"I want to go to the Three Broomsticks today," Graces mused, staring up at the ceiling again, knowing that the comment would have Pansy halting at the door.

"Okay?" Pansy said slowly, wondering what exactly the blonde was aiming at. "You and Draco always go, why are you—"

"I want to go with you," Graces interjected. "Before Draco arrives. And... and... and I want to look... well, sexy."

Pansy shut the door and stared skeptically at her friend.

"You want to go alone with me and look sexy?"

Graces blushed and nodded her head. Never moving her eyes from the ceiling.

"What's going on?" Pansy demanded. "You never want to go anywhere like that without a male chaperone. You say it's not proper, and you never dress sexy. You're like a poster girl for modesty."

"I am not!" Graces shrieked, rolling over and facing her friend. "Remember my dress for the Yule Ball?"

"That doesn't count; it was a ball," Pansy said rolling her eyes, before adding. And it was only a leg."

"It was sleeveless!" Graces argued, not liking at all what Pansy was insinuating.

"You wore a shawl," Pansy deadpanned.

"It went missing before we had to go down!"

Pansy sat on the bed and gave Graces a wicked smile. "That's right, it did. Hmm, I forgot about that."

"You?!" Graces gasped, reading her friend's smile like an open book.

"I couldn't let you ruin that dress with a shawl, Graces," Pansy giggled, "It would have been a mortal sin, I am sure."

Graces proceeded to call Pansy an assortment of unflattering names, but both girls knew there was really no actual menace to the words. After a good round of insults they sat on the bed for a few moments.

"So you want to go out for some drinks and look sexy," Pansy repeated, laying down next to her friend.

"Yeah," Graces said quietly.

"Is it a boy?"

Graces was silent for a few minutes, not wanting to tell Pansy what boy, but in a way wanting to have someone to talk to.

"Yeah," she murmured, "but I'd rather not say who... I just want him to—I don't know—notice me? He's going to be there with another girl and—"

"Another girl?" Pansy gasped. "Graces! I never took you for someone to take another witch's wizard!"

Graces blushed crimson. "They're not together, or anything. He's just going to be there with a girl, and I'm not going to approach him and—"

"Say no more," Pansy shushed. "I have just the outfit for you."