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The dorm in which Ethaline and Pansy take residence in was going crazy with girls scrambling to do their makeup and such. Ethaline and Pansy stuck together, surviving the storm of girls with class as they spoke and had tea by their beds and got ready.
Ethaline dabbed a bit of highlighter on her cheeks, to make them glow even more. "I'm happy for you." Ethaline said as she focused, "Draco is complicated, but he likes you."
Pansy blushed slightly, "It's about time he fucking realized it." She whispered, playing with their matching silk robes except Pansy's was green and Ethaline was silver.
"You know how daft boys can be." Ethaline replied, blowing on her face lightly.
Pansy looked at her, "What about you? Any daft boys?" She asked, her eyebrows going up in a suggestive and teasing manner.
Almost immediately Ethaline thought back at her interaction with Harry Potter and scolded herself for it. She had been touch deprived, she thought, so it made sense that she thought of that moment.
"No daft boys." Ethaline confirmed, "Besides, you know Draco."
Pansy sighed as Ethaline stepped back and admired her work. "Beautiful! You'll look beautiful—even more then you are now." Ethaline said before Pansy pushed her down so she can sit.
"Now It's your turn."
Pansy worked on her, putting minimal makeup on as she insisted that Ethaline was naturally beautiful—which she didn't believe. Ethaline always thought that out of the two Pansy was the most stunning. Her beautiful green eyes, short hair, foul mouth, petite body, prominent cheek bones and knack for trouble made her the more desirable towards boys and girls.
Ethaline thought she was rather dull. Her blonde hair was always in a braid or tucked away, her skin was hardly flawless, her cheeks were sunken in but not like Pansy's, her height frightened boys, and she was...boring. She did what she was told, never did anything exciting or different.
Boring.
As soon as Pansy was done, she moved on to do her hair and told Ethaline to close her eyes, which she immediately did and let her do what she wanted to her. Pansy knew well that she never let her hair down unless she was going to bed and with that being said she placed gold structures in, pinning it softly before letting her wavy hair flow freely.
Pansy removed her hands from her face and made her look into a mirror with a slight a bow on it. Ethaline frowned, "I don't.... understand." She whispered.
Pansy smiled and hugged her for. Behind, "The mirror is enchanted, to compliment you and love you the way you should love yourself." She spoke.
Ethaline's eyes widened, her smile wavering as she turned to Pansy and wrapped her arms around her. "I love you." Ethaline whispered, holding her tighter. "Thank you."
Pansy smiled, "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you," she whispered, holding her tightly, "You're my sister."
After that, they slipped on their dresses, complimenting each other until the other two girls in their dorm thought they were going to kiss.
Pansy and Ethaline were the last ones to leave, the excited looks on their faces as they walked up the stairs towards the main stairs. Sure, Ethaline didn't have a date, but she was determined to have fun at both parties.
Before them stood Hermione, accompanied by Victor Krum before Pansy walked and Draco's eyes widened. A slight blush crept into the girl's cheeks as she reached for his hand.
Ethaline smiled and lifted her dress, thanking her brother for his compliment before she walked toward them. Suddenly, two hands appeared on her left and right side. Startled she looked up and saw Theo as well as Ivan starring each other down.
"H-hello." She said awkwardly, glancing around and meeting Harry Potter's eye. He seemed to have been starring at her for a while as he completely ignored his dates. Next to him was Ron in what Ethaline thought were traditional robes, they weren't that bad.
"Ethy tell this Bulgarian quack that I'll be escorting you." He snarled, as Ethaline blushed a deep red, she was not imaging this.
They were...fighting over escorting her.
"Actually," Ethaline finally said, "Neither of you asked me therefore none of you will have the honor of escorting me." She said as she lifted her dress, bowed slightly and walked down by herself.
A small smirk on her lips as her hair framed her face perfectly and she walked in. It seemed as if all conversation had stopped and all eyes were on her, the overlooked and underestimated Malfoy. The forgotten Malfoy.
To everyone around, she radiated good energy, the one that sometimes sported around Harry Potter himself. The kind of energy women envied and men wanted at their side, like she was an unobtainable goddess and they were thirsty for her attention.
Ethaline walked in, the memory of her speaking to dragons fresh in her mine, if she could get through that she could get through a ball.
And with that mentality, she turned and stood next to Pansy and Draco who had a small smirk on his lips. Like he was proud of her. Dumbledore announced the champions, Harry had forgotten all about it as the only thing he could think of was she stunning she looked. He truly and physically lost his breath when he saw her which was wrong considering he had a date.
He couldn't help but laugh at the look on the two boys faces who didn't ask her and expected to escort her.
"Harry Potter!"
As soon as Harry was at the dance floor, he danced decently with Parvarti who wasn't expecting that. Ethaline's voice was loud in his mind as he recalled their practice. Soon after, everyone else joined in.
Theo managed to wiggle himself in with Ethaline an adoring look on his face as he said, "You look beautiful." He said in all seriousness.
Ethaline blushed, "Thank you." She whispered, her eyes meeting his before they switched partners.
"Hello Neville! How was your proposal with Ginny?" Ethaline asked as she danced with him.
"It went very well! Just wanted to say thank you and you look v-very pretty." He blushed before they switched again. This time it was Theo once more.
"I should have asked you Ethaline, I was planning to!" He said as she looked at him, not sure what to answer.
"Why didn't you?"
Theo sighed, twirling her once, "I was nervous." He sheepishly admitted.
Ethaline chuckled, "Why would you be nervous? It's just me." She said as she playfully pushed him, making them mess up slightly.
He chuckled, "Yeah." He said, not meeting her eyes before they switched partners again.
"Ethaline Malfoy."
"Harry Potter." She replied, a little uncertain.
"I know why...you hid your hobbies..." he said slowly as Ethaline's eyes widened.
"You remembered?"
"I did, yes." He said as she was twirled once more.
Ethaline smiled lightly before she cleared her throat, somehow knowing her brother was watching. "I hope to see you at the party later." She blurted out as they switched again.
Ethaline closed her eyes, why would I say that?
As soon as the dance was over, she walked over to the punch table while Theo scrambled over to her. "Ethy." He said as he grabbed the cup from her hand and poured it for her.
Ethaline couldn't help, but feel a little annoyed at him, "What Theo?"
His face fell, "I... I'm sorry." He whispered as the band introduced themselves as the Weird Sisters. "I was going to ask you—"
"It's okay." Ethaline interrupted, "Really. It's just a stupid dance." She said, attempting to make herself feel better as she drank from the cup and gagged. "Someone spiked it." She glanced around and accidently caught Fred Weasley's eye, he winked before whisking away his date.
Theo reached for her hand, making her look at him, "Would you let me have the honor, of being your date for the rest of the night?" He asked, a smile on his face as he pulled her in closer.
Ethaline sighed playfully, "I suppose." She said, a smile on her face as she forgot she was upset with him for waiting last minute to ask her.
"Great because I have a plan for you." He said, a smirk on his face as he danced with her and the others.
Meanwhile Harry and Ron sat at the end of a table with their dance, a miserable look on their face as they watched the people, they wanted dance with others. Harry had that probably with Cho Chang, but now that he realized it...no that's absurd. He would never ask Ethaline Malfoy. Never.
He shook his head, acting as if that will get rid of her.
"Are we going to dance?" Asked one of the girls.
Ron scoffed lightly, watching Hermione have the time of her life with Krum. "Not bloody likely."
They scoffed and stood up, nearly cursing at them before heading out to the dance floor to find another partner. Harry then watched as reporters took pictures of the Malfoy twins along with their dates and some of them separate. It wouldn't come as a surprise that their parents requested photos, many did in fact.
"Are you going to the Slytherin party?" Ron asked, breaking the silence.
Harry sighed, "Dunno. Might just leave now and put myself out of my misery." He muttered, leaning his head back on the table.
"Let's go and get...drunk." Ron said, as if the words were foreign to him. "Yeah, let's do it." He said more determined, thinking his idea was good.
Harry then remembered what Ethaline said about him attending. He bit his lip, eyeing her from afar. "Alright fine." He said before turning to face Ron, "Let's do it."
As soon as the party began to dwindle down, they all went up to their rooms to change, some never made it out, and back downstairs to where the Slytherin's were having their party. As soon as you walked in, the blaring lights matching the music's tempo blinded you slightly.
Ron and Harry navigated through the crowd who smoked muggle herbs and did lines on a table, Harry definitely wasn't expecting that from his fellow housemates. Let alone seeing Dean Thomas and Seamus snogging in the corner of the room. The more they walked in the more they were greeted by other houses, Slytherin members just bet how long the duo would last.
"He can fight dragons all he wants...." Theo started as he clashed glasses with Blaise and Draco.
"But he can't beat the snakes." Draco muttered, Pansy next to him as she glanced over at Ethaline who seemed to be staring at them too.
Ethaline rolled her eyes as Theo brought her in closer to his side when Harry and Ron approached them. She held a glass with one ice in it and some drink Theo had made her.
"Didn't expect to see you here Potter." Draco spat, his eyes glinting with amusement.
Harry only glared at him, "So this is what a famous Slytherin party looks like..." he glanced around the group, "Not much."
Theo tried to sit up only for Ethaline to hold him back, "That's enough." She muttered, "They're guests Draco, start acting like it." She said as she stood up and when her back was towards her friends, she gave Harry a small smile.
Ron eyed them weirdly and excused himself, looking for the drinks.
"Whatever." Draco rolled his eyes as Pansy whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened slightly and he cleared his throat. "We'll be right back." He said with a smirk as Theo and Blaise cheered for his friend.
"Atta boy!"
"Stay away Potter, I'm warning you." Draco said before heading off with Pansy.
"Come on, let's get you drinks." Ethaline said defiantly, leading him over to the table. As they walked drunk and high students bumped into them but Harry pushed them back gently, making sure she wasn't hit. Though even in the sea of people they knew not to hit her and parted like the sea in a biblical story, scared to end on the Malfoy's bad side.
They reached the table where Ron was talking to Lavender and didn't see the two. Ethaline handed him a drink, grabbing one for herself. "I didn't know you drink." He said, not picturing her to be that type of person, then again he saw her with another one just earlier.
She chuckled, "I don't, but I won't let you drink by yourself." She said as Harry looked around, everyone was too drunk to care that it was a Malfoy and Potter in front of them. She grabbed a lighter and flicked it around the rim of her drink before it erupted into flames and just before it died down she downed it and winced at the hot liquid going down her throat.
"Can we go somewhere quite?" Harry asked over the music.
Ethaline led them up a couple of stairs, her heart racing as they did so. The thought of Draco finding out was far from her head while adrenaline coursed through her veins. She wasn't doing what she was told.
She was doing what she wanted, having a conversation with someone she chose to have one with.
The gesture may have been small, or she was probably overthinking, but the moment she did she sparked something within her that had otherwise been dormant and numbed down by the idle rich.
When they finally reached the top of the tower, Ethaline and Harry sat down on some cushions, "How did these..." Harry started.
Ethaline pushed her hair back, "I come here often." She sheepishly admitted.
Harry nodded; he could imagine why. Just like Ron had said, if he had Draco Malfoy as a brother, he would have called the sky above since when. Not to mention her father. And the woman who raised them didn't seem as bad but you had to have some sort of darkness to stay that long.
Harry honestly didn't know why he asked her up here. Perhaps it was guilt because he had misjudged her or perhaps it was because he liked her company.
Or just because she was the only one who wasn't gawking over him and being a part of the tournament. As much as Ron wanted to let his jealousy go things weren't the same with Harry.
"So how did you get your name in there?" Ethaline asked, her face serious.
Harry turned red, "I didn't—um I—"
"I'm messing with you." She laughed, "I just wanted to see if you'd get mad at me like you did with everyone else." She shrugged, bringing her legs closer to her chest.
Harry shook his head, "You're evil Malfoy."
"Just misunderstood." She whispered, looking over at him. "As I'm sure you are."
He sat back a little, "Why's that?"
"Well, for starters everyone thinks you're a great hero that's purpose is more glorious then knowing what having a family is like." She said, "But anyone without a family would kill to have one—a functioning and loving family."
Harry thought about it for a second, finding some reason in it. "And you?" He then asked.
"What about me?" She asked, not use to someone asking her what she was thinking. When Harry didn't answer and instead gave her a knowing look she looked away.
"I would do anything to have my family back to the way it was when we were kids. When my father showed affection, when my mother didn't flinch at his loud tone, when Draco wasn't drowning his sorrows and force-fed ideals, and when I...."
Ethaline's voice cracked, "When I was happy."
Harry suddenly felt the urge to reach over and embrace the her but didn't. "Well since it's Christmas Day and we shouldn't be out here sad," Harry said as he looked in at her, "How about I give you a gift." He said, not exactly thinking.
Then again it would have been the alcohol they consumed because Ethaline knew that she would never utter a word to a stranger about her family, let alone what she was feeling.
Ethaline looked at him weirdly, "Why would you want to do that?" She asked, genuinely confused like this was a potions equation, "I'm awful to you—"
"Hagrid told me to separate a person from their reputation to see who they really are." Harry cut off, "I've seen the real you."
Ethaline laughed, "You've seen a whole five minutes of me in all of our interactions combined!" She said, amused.
He furrowed his eyebrows, "And what about the four years before that? Nothing?!"
"Harry Potter have you been watching me?" She asked with a finger pointed at him in an accusing way.
Harry blushed at this, "Well—no but your brother tends to get me when I least expect it so I have to always...y'know have my g-guard up."
Ethaline turned to fully face him, her cheeks a rosy pink from the snow blowing around. "So, tell me, what's my gift Potter?" She asked, resting her face on her hands while they were propped on her knees.
Harry set up a little straight, "A new friend."
Ethaline's widened, "F-friends?" She choked out bewildered. "Potter a friend wouldn't want their friend to be disowned!"
"Didn't know being dramatic was a Malfoy generic trait, besides...if you were really scared of being disowned..." he dragged out, "You wouldn't have said yes to us being here."
Ethaline for once in her life was at a last for words as she stumbled over her tongue to try and figure out what to say. "I..."
"Exactly." Harry said as he leaned back more, "Now we're friends."
"I hate you." She whispered, a small smile on her face, "Harry Potter your friendship will end me."
A smile formed on his face, "Then enjoy it while you can," he said, the two stared ahead at the snow view while the party raged down stairs and Theo frantically searched for Ethaline.
Until he walked up the stairs and saw her sitting down and laughing with Harry Potter.