~The next day~
"Please tell me you're not actually considering it." Groaned Ron at the breakfast table, looking at his girlfriend with what seemed like pleading eyes.
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, "Stop being dramatic, Ronald. It'll be rude to reject."
"Rude?! Are you bluffing? Hermione they're bloody Slytherins! Inviting us to a party? Let alone some fucking Hufflepuffs are joining too!" He protested, but as soon as he received no reaction whatsoever, he decided to elaborate. "Seriously, am I the only one here who's capable of putting two and two together? They obviously have something planned, and it's not going to be pleasing. Why do you think they befriended us in the first place, Hermione? It's clear that they're probably leading us to some sort of trap, because I know for sure, that Pansy Parkinson out of all people at Hogwarts would not just invite people from other houses to a bloody party from the kindness of her heart."
"Ron, I think you're overreacting a bit too much." Interrupted Harry, who was sitting on the opposite side beside Ginny, who also seemed to join the conversation.
"I'm with Harry and Hermione on this one. Who knows? Maybe they just want a nice house unity party for once, since it's the last year?" She uttered.
"Not you too!" Whined the red-haired boy.
"Ronald, you're coming. End of story." Hermione finally spoke, shooting glares at her boyfriend.
Ron hesitated at first, he glanced at his other two friends, and when he saw them also nodding in agreement, he sighed irritatingly.
"Alright fine, but I'm telling you now, if something happens, it's on you."
They ignored his so-called threat and only snickered.
But that was until a familiar trio barged into the great hall...
No, scratch that.
They were four.
"Speaking of." Muttered Ginny under her breath as they all turned their heads to see none other than Pansy, Blaise, and... Lucien.
Draco was a few inches behind, and it was obvious to Harry as to why that was.
"Look, 'Mione! It's the new guy. He's with them, and it's probably his idea." Whispered Ron but in a high tone. "Please tell me you don't find him non-mysterious at all!"
"Actually," Harry interrupted, placing the cup of pumpkin juice gently on the table. "He talked to me the other day."
He did not get the chance to finish as Hermione, Ginny, and Ron all gave him a weird look.
"What? He seemed nice."
"Are you mental?" Protested Ron, but the other two girls remained quiet.
"You know what? Let's just stop discussing this. We'll go to that party and you'll see that nothing unusual is going to happen." Opined Hermione, as they all proceeded to continue eating, and waiting until the evening arrives.
***
"What's gotten your panties in a twist?" Asked Blaise, as him, Pansy, and Draco sat in the Slytherin common room. "You've been shooting eye daggers at Lucien all the time throughout breakfast, everything alright?"
The blonde sighed and threw his head back along the top of his chair. "Maybe because I'm the only one here who can see right through people the second they meet my eye?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" His friend spoke as he snatched Draco's book from his hands and began rummaging through it, grinning at the sight of Malfoy irritated.
"He's been telling me about this suspicious feeling in his guts about him." Added Pansy, "Or maybe," She shifted a tad closer to Draco , then continued with a wider smirk upon her lips. "He's just worried that Mister New Guy might steal his little boyf-"
"He's not my bloody boyfriend!" Snapped the blonde, clearly frustrated at his friend who raised both her eyebrows, given the fact that she literally caught them hugging yesterday. "Besides, no. That's not the case, Pansy." He continued. "I just have a bad feeling about him, that's all."
"Sure." Joined Zabini as he eyed Draco.
"Buzz off you too."
Blaise only raised his hands in defence.
"Anyways, you guys are joining right? 6 p.m? In here?" Asked Parkinson. Zabini nodded meanwhile Malfoy did not utter a word. "Whatever, it's not like you have choice." She sighed.
The three of them sat in silence, quiet enough to hear Draco mumble curses under his breath.
They also decided to skip their classes today in order to get ready.
***
~Later that day, 6:11 p.m.~
The Slytherin Common Room had never looked so good as it did from a year ago.
Armfuls of emerald ivy vines had been strung around the space and hundreds of twinkling candles nested in each loop, casting sparkling light across the scene. Rose petals laid pristine paths through the room to the drinks tables, the dance floor and the sitting areas, and more petals drifted like feathers down from the ceiling to replace the old ones as they were sullied by expensive brogues and heels.
Someone had conjured a delicate haze over the area, giving it a soft, film-like quality, and colored lanterns filled with fireflies cut through the mist to illuminate faces and bodies with shards of jewel colors.
And in the center of it all was Draco Malfoy, every inch the Slytherin king in extravagant long holographic robes, a silver shake-head sceptre firmly grasped in his hand, and an iridescent shimmer on his cheekbones that glistened in the light whenever he moved.
He glanced around the area, rolling his eyes as he saw his two friends, Pansy and Blaise, pouring shots after shots into one another's mouths like some wasted middle-aged couple at a bar.
Meanwhile he, rolled a mouthful of opal-colored liquid around his mouth from his glass as he swayed, enjoying the slightly acrid aftertaste that gave away its high potency, but then sighed. The music was pumping through his veins, the wine was going to his head just as it should, but he didn't feel completed yet.
He should have know Potter would stand them up, even though he agreed.
***
Harry, meanwhile, was having the same dilemma. He was sticking firmly to the walls of the Slytherin Common Room. He mentally cursed himself as to why he would tell Ron and Hermione to go on without him, since now he was searching desperately for a red-haired boy, or a fluffy brown-haired girl,
Or even a platinum-blonde haired prick in the sea of serpents.
He had helped himself to a scarlet lollipop from one of the tables, more for something to do with his hands than a real desire for sugar, and ground his teeth against it awkwardly.
The music was so loud it could almost cause his head to explode. Still walking, there were no signs of the certain people he was rummaging for.
Maybe I should just leave. He thought to himself, but in a whirl he was spun back around by a could hand, such urgency it made him dizzy.
"Leaving so soon, Potter?"