Slytherin Princess | ✓

eighteen

For the last week, Mr and Mrs Malfoy had been keeping a sharp eye on Draco and me, I instantly knew it was because of what had happened at the Quidditch World Cup. Finishing the last of our summer work and packing the last few supplies for ourselves, Draco and I spoke excitedly about what we learned at the Ministry Box.

"Reckon you'd go for it?" Draco asked me for the thousandth time.

"Asking me every five minutes won't change my mind," I laughed. "I told you, whoever places their name in for the tournament must be mad!"

"Well, I'm excited for the Yule Ball— it is traditional," Draco admitted.

"As if your family hasn't hosted enough of them," I rolled my eyes. "Since the summer after our first year, I've attended— one, two, three— seven balls here— eight had I not gotten sick that one time."

"I like them," said Draco.

"Maybe the Yule Ball will be better than the ones your family throws— no offense, but I can only deal with so many elderly men gripping my waist ever so tightly," I shivered at the memory.

"Whatever, just don't forget to pack your dress as dress robes are on the list of school supplies needed for our fourth year," he reminded me.

"I think I'll pack the dress your mother got me for the past Christmas," I said more to myself than to Draco.

He hummed in response as I ran out of his room and into my own to look for the beautiful gown.

It was actually quite infuriating that Draco and I almost missed the train due to the fact that Aurors decided to check my and Draco's trunks regardless of Lucius's name being cleared for being a Death Eater. My quick temper rose as I marched through the carriage towards the compartment with Crabbe and Goyle, who had been waiting for us.

"Are you blokes excited for the upcoming tournament?" I asked them, trying to cool my temper.

"I don't think they know, Lady," Draco dismissed. "Besides, I'm ready to meet the students from the other wizarding school."

"Which ones?" I asked.

"Beauxbaton, an all-girls school, and Durmstrang, an all-boys school," Draco said as we walked through the carriage. "Did you know that Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see.

"Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore — the man's such a Mudblood-lover — and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do. I reckon I could have been top of my year had I gone there."

"Yeah, but then you wouldn't have met me, dingus," I rolled my eyes, hitting him upside the head.

Draco looked lost for words causing me to smirk mischievously as I opened the compartment door and greeted Pansy and Blaise, who were already in our usual compartment. The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Blaise bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for us to share.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

His presence made me shy, surprisingly enough. I had grown up in an all-girls church until I came to Hogwarts and then my only male interaction consisted of Draco and the two bafoons he calls friends, not including Harry, who I barely ever saw, and his friend, Weasley.