Meli ignored Louis and smiled at Draco but ultimately made her way to Potter who was looking at her with little interest. She slung an arm through his and shuddered.
"Let's try to act like we don't hate each other, alright?" he said to her.
His eyes of borderline disgust shifted to tenderness when Blaise walked through the door alone. Meli almost vomited. She was happy for them and all but god.
Blaise didn't need a date to look good at a ball. As soon as he entered the hall many girls gravitated around him, all trying to grab his attention. After letting them down with grace, he made his way to Draco.
The third boy Meli had to keep in her mind tonight came up from behind and surprised her by throwing his hands on her shoulders. With a jump, she turned around and hit him, only afterward realizing who it was.
"Louis, hi!" she said, not regretting her action a bit.
With a too-wide smile the Gryffindor tried to hug her hello but before he could, Potter slide his arm around Meli's waisted, tugging her to him.
"Trying to get cosy with my date, McCartney?"
Both Louis and Meli stared at him with confusion. "Aren't you..." started Louis.
"Yeah?" asked Potter back, daring him to say it out loud.
"Ah... Um. Never mind. Don't forget you owe me a dance, Meli."
Meli smiled weakly at his following wink and observed him in silence until he got uncomfortable and left.
"What was that?" she asked Potter.
"You seemed uneasy with him touching you. And Malfoy's eyes digging daggers into back were saying 'if he touches her i'm going to beat his arse'. Just wanted to avoid a murder."
Meli looked over to were Draco and Blaise were standing and noticed that both were effectively staring at them.
She raised an eyebrow, he raised an eyebrow, she rolled her eyes, he jerked his chin to her, she grabbed Potter's arm and dragged him to them.
Eyes were on them, tension rising in the crowd as Potter got closer to Malfoy. The former was pulling back for appearances but really, he was eager to get to the tall, dark boy looking over with a smile.
But before they reached the duo, McGonnagall stepped in their way, slightly panicked.
"What are you two doing? We've been looking for you for ten minutes!"
"What? Why?" stupidly asked Meli's date.
"You're one of the champions, Potter! You're supposed to open the ball with Miss Hiddleston here and the others," the teacher answered, pushing them to the entry.
"Did you know about this?" Potter whispered to her.
"Of course I did," She did not. "I just assumed they made an exception because of your lack of coordination."
He didn't have time to come up with a pathetic insult because then, the music started and the champions entered.
After a very awkward walk down the isle students had formed followed by an equally awkward dance with Saint Potter, Meli finally had the occasion to save them from further embarrassment.
How did one manage to step on every single one of their partner's toes???
Meli ignored Draco's mocking face when they reached the two Slytherins.
Both of the blonds carried the conversation, the two others too busy making heart eyes at each other. Meli thought they ought to be more discrete. Draco was stupid but not that much and by the confused looks he threw them, it wouldn't take long before he figured it out.
Soon joined them Weasley and Karla and a bit after, Granger and Krum. Meli realized the strangeness of the situation as did everyone around them. It was surreal, really, that no one had been hexed yet.
Jane and Diggory joined them just after, looking like they belonged on those christmas postcard some families thought necessary to send to all of their relatives.
Jane's smile had never been this wide and Diggory was matching her. Good for them?
Karla was keeping a hand on Weasley's arm, never letting it go, and the boy looked like he didn't know what to do with that. She was impressive in the official Durmstrang outfit and the redhead seemed out of place at her side with the ugliest robe Meli had seen in her entire life.
It smelled weird too.
Granger, however, had cleaned up quit nicely and was beautiful at Krum's arm.
Finally, Meli acknowledged of Draco more than his face. And Merlin.
The blond had always had taste in clothes but seeing him all dressed up in a black tailored suit with a dark green tie was something else. Third year's gel had made a come back, though in measured quantity, and it artfully slicked back his hair.
She was staring, she realized, when Draco smirked at her, undoubtedly aware of his effect, the bastard.
She turned and saw that Blaise and Potter wouldn't be able to hold back any longer. Attracting everyone's attention, she proposed they danced. When Potter protested he was a horrible dancer and Blaise said he preferred keeping his energy for later, Draco got visibly suspicious.
"Since my partner is abandoning me, would you give me the honour, Draco?"
"Sure," he said, forgetting about the two very obvious boys making their way out of the hall.
After some protests over his equally bad dance moves, Weasley too got dragged to the dance floor and soon, the couples were swirling around with other students. The ball had only just began and the music was still classical, a valse.
Meli took Draco's hand and he placed his other one in the low curve of her back, bringing them closer together.
Being Purebloods, they both had learned to dance before they could walk. Lessons on elegance and grace and how to curve her arm had punctured Meli's childhood while Draco was probably learning how to lead and direct his partner.
They danced in perfect harmony, steps together, movements coordinated and they seemed to know what the other was going to do before doing it.
Draco hadn't looked away from Meli's face since they had started dancing and while at first, she tried to ignore him by looking around at the decorations, her eyes trailed back to his by themselves. She found herself staring into his grey eyes through her eyelashes. Damned height difference.
His assured look turned slightly nervous and he looked away, making Meli smile. She was sure his cheeks had reddened.
They stayed close, though. Draco's hand on her back pushed her gently forward so they were even closer and naturally, Meli's head fell on his chest.
"What's that perfume you're wearing?" he asked over the music.
"Lavender and vanilla."
"It's new," he said, a statement, not a question.
"Um, yeah," Meli chuckled. "How'd you know?"
"The old one was pine," is all he answered, making Meli smile with confusion.
"Yeah. Yeah, it was."
When the song ended and they made their way to a table, Draco kept her glued to his side.
"I'll go get us something to drink," he told Meli after she sat down.
"Don't get the one at the second table, the twins spiked it with a potion that makes your hair fall out."
Draco nodded and went, leaving Meli to sit alone awkwardly and watch people until he came back.
Jane and Diggory were still dancing. Her friend threw back her head and laughed at something the boy said.
Further on the dance floor were Karla and Weasley and not far from them, Granger and Victor. Meli found interesting how neither Weasley nor Granger seemed that interested in their respective Krum siblings. She put that information away, already dying to use it against them later.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Louis make his way to her and chugged down a glass abandoned on the table. Merlin, she wished she had alcohol.
"Good evening, lady," he said, bowing with a smile.
My feet could hit his stomach perfectly from that position.
That was kinda mean.
Mah, don't care.
"Good evening to you too," she smiled politely.
"Think it's time for our dance."
"Oh, you know what, I really want to keep my energy for later, when the music'll move a bit more."
"Aah, come one. Just one!"
He goes to grab her wrist but she hides it under a slip of her dress.
"No, really, I'm alright."
"But you promised!"
Meli didn't even try to look polite now. This wasn't funny anymore and if that boy didn't let go of her, she'll be the one murdering him. So she got up to get away from him.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Draco."
This time, when he went for her hand, she's not fast enough and gets caught.
"You don't need him, I'm here! Dance with me," Louis said, tugging her into his arms and to the dance floor. She tries to fight him off but doesn't achieve until they're on the sideline of the dance floor.
"Don't bloody touch me," she hissed when his arm extended to her one more time.
"God it's just a dance. Calm down," the boy rolled his eyes.
"I'm gonna 'calm you down' into coma if you don't leave right this instant."
The voice came from the side and both Meli and Louis are startled. Draco was standing there, two drinks in hands and looking murderously at the other boy.
Meli wasn't surprised when he recoiled at the view of Draco even thought she had been asking the same thing for a few minutes now. Disgusted but not surprised.
Louis cowarded away. With little attention, Meli reached for the vial of vodka in Draco's inside pocket and poured some in her drink. She swallowed half of the glass in one shot, the liquide burning on it's way down her throat. With only a small pinch of her expression, she placed the alcohol back where it came front and tapped on Draco's chest.
"I'm alright," she answered before he asked. "He didn't down anything more than what you saw and he wouldn't have had with people around."
"You shouldn't talk to him anymore."
"You can't tell me who to talk to or not just because you're right this time around," she said, out of defiance more than anything.
"So you're going to keep talking to him?" Draco said, raising a knowing eyebrow.
Meli mumbled no and when he smirked, asking her to repeat herself, she just dragged him to the dance floor.
The music had picked up and quickly, as they found Jane and Diggory, students began dancing with more energy.
Meli recognized the song and turned to Jane, finding her already singing along. Laughing, they danced around each other, pointing and smiling and belting out lyrics. Their singing probably should've been embarrassing but everyone else was doing it and in that moment, it didn't matter.
It was liberating, after all that had been going on and the more and more present shadow of a war coming soon. Most didn't feel it but Meli was a pureblood. Even if her parents weren't big fans of the Dark Lord's ideologies, they ran in a circle of wizards who were. It wouldn't be long until all was impossible to ignore.
But right now, Meli felt good. She was dancing, moving her body to the beats of the music that had since changed to some popular song.
She didn't stop dancing when two hands slide on her waiste from behind her. She had known he was just next to her and recognized his smell as he moved closer. Draco coordinated their movements, swaying both pairs of hips to the same tempo.
Meli just had time to see Jane throw her a knowing look from Diggory's arms before she turned her head slightly.
Closer than she expected, Draco breathed out when their eyes meet, hot breath blowing on her lips. He didn't smell bad, he never did. How he managed that while she was sweating buckets, her brain wasn't able to comprehend. Particularly with their lips so close and his cologne enveloping her.
"Meli..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
holy shit that was long to write
the ball is gonna take two chapters lol there's gonna be a lot of ~tension~
pls if there's any typo tell me
hope you enjoyed,
Laetitia