The Years of Blue [2]

Chapter 52: The Yule Ball- #3

"Don't act like you're not happy to hear that," Malfoy chided to my annoyance. "It's not like you to dislike people watching you. Especially on a night like this."

"And so I suppose you expect me to jump up to dance with you now?" I questioned hotly. Malfoy remained cool before speaking.

"No. But I think it would be a shame for you to waste this dance when I know you've been hoping to be out there all night. In fact, I'm pretty sure you'd do anything to dance around the floor again."

My cheeks burned, giving me away. I looked away from him again, my arms clenched across my chest as I thought his words over. How did he read me so well? It's not like I've ever given anything away about wanting to dance.

"What's in this for you?" I asked slowly, glancing back at him. "If I remember right, I've broken all those little rules you told me about when you asked me to the dance. And I don't plan on following them for the rest of the night either." He smirked again, but it seemed to be angled at himself rather than me.

"See that wizard sitting at the ref's table?" My eyes glanced behind him, where they focused on Ludo Bagman, the announcer from the Quidditch Cup. I frowned, before looking back.

"Bagman? What about him?"

"He's a bit of a loud mouth at the ministry. And unfortunately circles around my father as much as Weasley's. I'd bet money he'll bring up seeing us dance the next time he intercepts my father."

"And you think your father will care?" I questioned curiously. Malfoy shook his head a smidge. Another thought popped into my mind.

"Your mother. She wrote to you, didn't she?" Malfoy smiled slowly before nodding. A knowing look passed between us before I stood up.

"One dance. But I swear to merlin, if you step on my feet I'm walking away."

"Limping, actually." I glared his way but he had already taken my hand and brought me to the side of the dance floor. The smirk on his features only heighted as he placed a hand on the small of my back. The quartet was in the middle of a variation to the Blue Danube when we started. Immediately I knew Malfoy knew what he was doing. He led me automatically, something I was pleased to pass on. Seeing my look of relief, Malfoy questioned what that was about.

"You're leading."

"What did you expect me to do?" he argued. I chuckled softly before gently moving with the music.

"I had to lead for Jasper," I explained.

"That's a bit mortifying, don't you think?" He questioned, before turning me slowly, my lavender dress rising and falling against the floor like a breeze.

"Only to you would that be mortifying," I countered. Malfoy managed a shrug before leading on. Six other partners danced in similar circles, though not as coordinated as Malfoy and I quickly became.

"You never told me how you learned. Your mother I assume?"

"My grandmother actually," he explained, before leading me through another turn. "She had me dance with her until she couldn't leave her bed."

"You knew your grandmother?" I asked curiously. He nodded again.

"She died when I was eight. Bit of a pain, really. She smelled horribly of prune juice." I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of eight-year-old Draco waltzing with his old prune-smelling grandmother to the Blue Danube.

He twirled me around once more before the quartet strung their last chord. I made to let go of his hand but Malfoy kept it.

"I said one dance," I warned.