Emma Potter

105: Beautiful Bastard

"Hello." 

That's how conversations starts; with a greeting. It shouldn't mean anything to me but curse merlin, it does. But I'm good.

"Hi." I said turning to meet the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy; the same eyes I got lost in--No. No, no, no. I have not sunk as low as that. 

"So. . ." I said "um. . .how have you been?"

Don't raise your eyebrows, I haven't talked to the guy in weeks. 

Well, he raised his eyebrows too. "Emma, your the one who--"

"Yes, yes I know" I snapped "I wanted to ask you something." I bit my lips "something I forgot to take into consideration last time we--talked." His eyes are fixed  on me "Why did you make those badges?"

"Because." Draco said "because at the time--I didn't believe him. I thought he'd wormed his way into another chance at fame." 

When I look at it from his perspective. . . it sounds about right. 

"So, at the time" he continued joining me at the ledge of the astronomy tower "it seemed fair."

"What about now?" I asked "do you believe he still did it?"

He was silent. "I do." he said "but. . .he looks like he's regretting it. I'll take it." I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing; he was so petty. 

"I'm sorry" says Draco eventually, when I stopped laughing "for going off on you about--um--"

"Isaac" I said. 

"Yeah." Draco says as he avoids my eyes "um. . .how was your date?Is he taking you to the Yule Ball?"

This was him trying to get things back to normal, believe it or not. 

"The date went good" I said "um. . no. He isn't, we think we're better off as friends."

Draco's face lit up, he was struggling to look serious "Oh. sorry"

"You don't have to look so happy about it" I snorted

A smirk broke through his face "can I ask you a question then?" 

I nodded. 

"Would you like to go to the ball with me?"

"Wha--?" Did he just--

"Do. You. Want to. Go. to the. Ball. With me?" he asks slowly, enjoying my flustered expression. 

"Like--" I stuttered "like a date?"

He rolls his eyes fondly "Yes, Emma. Like a date."

I blushed scarlet "I'd love to." 

---

Ron was looking horrified, at Dinner the next day. Entering the Entrance hall [After Zoe,me and Hermione had told each other our dates]  Harry and I looked around, and to my surprise I saw Ron sitting ashen-faced in a distant corner. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low,soothing voice.

 "What's up, Ron?" said Harry, as we joined them.

 Ron looked up at Harry and me, a sort of blind horror in his face."Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I don't know what made me do it!"

 "What?" said Harry. 

"He — er — just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically. 

"You what?"I said. 

"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people — all around — I've gone mad — everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the entrance hall — she was standing there talking to Diggory — and it sort of came over me — and I asked her!"

Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking,though the words were barely distinguishable. 

"She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then — I dunno — I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."

 "She's part veela," said Harry. "You were right — her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it — but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang." 

Ron looked up.

 "I asked her to go with me just now," Harry said dully, "and she told me."

 Ginny had suddenly stopped smiling. I gave her a sympathetic look, I knew she fancied my brother

"This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone — well, except Neville. Hey — guess who he asked? Hermione!"

 "What?" said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news. I said nothing; I knew. 

"Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to laugh. "He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff —but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if!She just didn't want to go with Neville . . . I mean, who would?"

 "Don't!" said Ginny, annoyed. "Don't laugh —"

 Just then Hermione walked  out of the Great Hall "Why weren't you lot at dinner?" she said, coming over to join us.

 "Because — oh shut up laughing, you two — because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" I said.

That shut Harry and Ron up. 

"Thanks a bunch, Emma," said Ron sourly. 

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily."Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you." 

But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing herin a whole new light. 

"Hermione, Neville's right — you are a girl. . . ." 

"Oh well spotted," she said acidly. 

"Well — you can come with one of us!" 

"No, I can't," snapped Hermione. 

"Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has . . ." 

"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone." Too right she was. 

"No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!" 

"Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously."Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!" 

Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again."Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?" 

"I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!" 

Ron, turned his attention to me, Hermione didn't miss it. "Oh, don't go looking at Emma" she said "she already has a date. And it's not Isaac." with that she turned around her heel.

The smile the amusing conversation had given me vanished and I scowled at Hermione's back. Rearranging my features in a sheepish smirk, I turned to my brother. Whose features were--as a matter of fact--like someone who was told their family member died. 

"You can't have a date!" he choked. 

I sighed. My brother's been the only boy I've ever been close to for 10 years. He's bound to be overprotective.Be it Draco, or Isaac, or god forbid--Nicholas and Ron. In his eyes; no one can touch, look or talk to me like that. If they do, Harry won't care about Azkaban. 

"Yes, I can." I sighed "you guys said it yourself; I'll look stupid without one. Also; I've um--" I bit my lip "I've liked him for a while now."

"No!" said Harry.

"Who is it?" asked Ron.

"That I;m not telling you" I said "there's still a week left and Harry can do a lot in a week