𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 | Draco Malfoy

11: The Fat Lady

"Bloody hell, who taught you to dance? Hagrid?" Draco sneered in Madeline's ear. Madeline simply rolled her eyes.

"If you knew anything about French aristocracy, you'd know that we learn to waltz before we can even hold a pen," Madeline snapped back, digging her fingers in Draco's shoulder, "And you would know that your shoulders need to stay down if you had half a functioning brain cell about this. Or a shred coordination, actually."

"Shut it, Bisset. At least I'm not going to the ball with a filthy blood traitor," Malfoy sneered quickly, the conversation still so quiet it could only be heard by them.

Madeline snorted, "Yes, because Parkinson is a much better choice. If you wanted to swap dates, you could've just asked."

"Not a terrible disappointment," Snape drawled, interrupting the two. He raised his arms to the rest of the Slytherins, "The rest of you, copy them."

"Bloody hell," Madeline cursed as the two continued their dance. Theo and Daphne were the first to join, with Daphne eagerly forcing him up, much to Terences' disappointment. He took Pansy as his partner instead, while Tracy and her boyfriend followed.

"Don't you want to dance with Higgs?" Theo asked Daphne, who shook her head pointedly.

"I'm trying to keep my feet intact for the actual dance," Daphne lied.

Madeline kept a sour expression on her face as the two extended their arms, Draco spinning her before the two rejoined with opposite arms. Although their chemistry was dry, Madeline hated to admit that he wasn't the worst dance partner she'd ever had. Not even close.

"Careful, it's obvious," Draco teased, Madeline furrowing her eyebrows as the two kept their slow, steady, boring pace. Madeline shook the sour expression from her face.

"What is?"

"That you're totally falling in love with me."

Madeline huffed at Dracos arrogant grin, eyes meeting with Pansy's, who was just nearby. "Oi, Parkinson. Take your lap dog back. I've only got ten toes and I'd like to keep them all."

With a forced spin, Madeline moved out of Draco's arms and into Terence, who caught her with little to no grace. Madeline grabbed his arms and positioned him correctly, moving them as far away from Draco as possible.

"Stupid, insolent prick," Madeline huffed, leading the dance much more than Terence possibly could.

"Uh, thank you?"

"Not you. Malfoy,"

"You two looked good together," Terence shrugged.

"Say that one more time, and Daphne won't have a date to the Yule Ball."

"Alright, alright," Terence relented sheepishly, "But, uh - Could you show me how to actually do all this? I don't want to make a right fool out of myself."

Madeline caught sight of Daphne and Theo, who were expertly waltzing around the room with a slight tinge of dorkiness, one that could only be achieved with best friends. Madeline sighed, but nodded.

"Fine. First rule; don't watch your feet. And keep your shoulders down, or I'll hex you a corset!"

"Do you think Daphne would be into that?"

"Shut it, Higgs."

◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

It was the first day of the winter holidays. No one had been able to keep their concentration in classes the previous day, far too excited for the prospect of the Yule Ball.