A few days had passed since the first task and classes returned to normal. Today was our Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Moody. Moody had us practicing the Imperious curse on each other. We separated into partners. Remedy and I were partners and since Rose had been ditching classes, unfortunately, Dana got paired with Draco. Moody put all of us next to each other.
"So", Malfoy sneered "Who wants me to make this mudblood dance?" Malfoy's friends snickered to themselves. I felt the anger boil inside me.
"Shut up, Malfoy." I wasn't really planning on saying that but it slipped out anyway. He only glanced at me then turned to stare at Remedy.
"Maybe I should make her do something worse." He raised his eyebrows. I felt my jaw tighten and looked away.
"Malfoy leave her alone before I get Moody and have him turn you into a ferret again." Remedy says casually. The people around us began to laugh and Malfoy turned extremely pink. He pulls the curse off of Dana and she falls to her knees I go over to help her back up. Malfoy turns his wand on Remedy.
"Mimble Wimble." Malfoy mutters. Remedy's tongue stretched until it was tied in a knot. My jaw slightly dropped. All the Slytherins started laughing. I stood up and pointed my wand at the back of Draco.
"Filpendo!" The spell came from my mouth. Wait, what? I did that? Draco squeals and hits the ground with a thud.
"What the hell is going on here?" I hear Moody's voice and my eyes grew large. Remedy stands up with her hand over her mouth. "Whats wrong with you?" Moody asked Remedy. We look at each other and shake our heads.
"Tongue tieing curse." Hermione chimes in. Good god cant she mind her buissness?
"Who did it?" Moody is pretty angry now.
"Malfoy..." Hermione says quietly.
"Ferret boy! Get up! Come here!" he shouts to Draco who is spread out on the floor on the opposite side of the room. He gets up and stumbles over to Professor Moody. Malfoy has a look of disgust as he passes all of us. I swallow a lump in my throat. Moody looks at Hermione. "What happened to him?"
Hermione looks at me and I shake my head. Please no...
"Knockback jinx.. " she says quietly.
"And casted by?" Moody gives her an evil look. Although it's rather hard for Moody to not look evil.
"Um... Joy..." she says quietly. I close my eyes and put my head down. There it was. I'm in so much trouble.
"Miss Felton, is this true?" Moody shouts at me and I jump a little.
"Well, Professor... um." I had no idea what to say.
"Did you or did you not cast the knockback jinx on Mr. Malfoy?!"
"Yes Professor, I did, but thats only because-"
"Miss Felton! I do not care how it happened or why, ten points from Hufflepuff, ten points from Slytherin, and ten points from Ravenclaw!" He screamed. "And I hope that you two can settle your differences in detention tonight! I would give it to Miss Mannings here, but she'll be spending the night in the Hospital Wing!" I have to spend the entire night with Malfoy. Thankfully there will be a teacher there. Or I'm pretty sure he would kill me.
After dinner in The Great Hall I went to go see Remedy in the Hospital Wing. Her mouth was somewhat numb and her tongue was back to normal length. We talked for a long time and it was really very entertaining to hear her talk until, it was time for me to go.
"I better hurry or I'm going to be late for detention with Mad Eye." I smiled at my best friend and stood.
"Joy wait! Be careful." I looked at her with a confused smile.
"What do you mean?"
"You're going to be there with Malfoy. He could try to hurt you."
"Rem, I'll be fine. Mad Eye is going to be there the whole time. He' s not that stupid." I gave her one last smile before I turned and walked away. The Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was all the way across the castle and up a long spiral flight of stairs. Once I finally reached the classroom, it was a mess. There were papers and broken furniture everywhere. Well I can take a guess as what we're going to be doing. I looked for Malfoy but he wasnt here yet. Just me and Moody. Well this is uncomfortable.
After waiting for about 10 minutes, Malfoy showed up. Moody turned around to face the pair of us.
"Miss Felton, Mr Malfoy, now that you're both here, finally..." His eye swiveled around to look at Draco.
"Excuse me for eating dinner..." Malfoy hissed.
"Shut it! Or would you prefer that I turn you back into a ferret?!?" I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from laughing. I looked at Draco who had turned a light shade of pink. The colour in his cheeks grew deeper. It was so cute... what? No! Stop that. What is going on with me. I ripped my eyes away from him.
Moody continued, "It seems that my last class has left quite a mess. You both are to clean it up." Well thats so easy, I did house chores all the time for my Aunt.
Moody reached out his hand towards us. "Your wands."
"What?! But how are we supposed to clean up this mess without magic?" Draco exploded.
"That's easy, the Muggle way." I say. I stepped forward and gave Moody my wand.
"This is ridiculous..." Malfoy said under his breath as he handed over his wand
"The brooms are in that corner. Good luck and have fun." Moody begins to leave the classroom.
"Wait, you arent staying?"I ask.
"No."
"What if we just sit here and do nothing?" Malfoy asks.
"Then I'll be keeping these." Moody holds out our wands. "You'll both get these back when the entire room is clean." Moody turns, leaves, and locks the door behind him. I blow my bangs out of my face and walk over to the brooms. I pick one up and hold another one out to Draco.
"Here." He scoffs and eventually takes a few steps closer to me taking the broom. I start sweeping gathering everything towards the center of the room.
I here Malfoy talking in a low voice, "Wait til my father hears about this... This is such servants work!"
"I CAN hear you, you know." I say in monotone.
"I don't care, you should be minding your own buissness anyway!"
"Maybe if you minded your manners earlier we wouldnt be in this mess in the first place!"
"I mind my manners! Maybe if you and that blood traitor had just kept your mouths shut-"
I cut him off. "Leave her out of this! She's still in the Hospital Wing becasue of you!"
"Good!" By now we were standing facing each other. Our faces, inches away from eachother. I had to tilt my head upwards slightly to see his cold grey eyes. I could feel his breath lighly move my bangs around. I didnt dare break our stare. I hear his broom hit the floor as he let it go. I was getting scared, was he going to hit me?
Suddenly his hands were on my cheeks and his lips crashed onto mine. It happened so fast. I didnt know what to think. It was amazing, his touch was so soft and gentle, it gave me chills. His thumb running along my cheek bone. I closed my eyes to take in everything. It felt like this was lasting forever, but I didnt care. His hands dropped and he pulled away.
My mouth hung slightly open, my eyes wide. What was I supposed to say? I closed my mouth and shifted uncomfortably. As did he. Finally I just turned around and started sweeping again. For the rest of detention I kept my mouth shut and to one side of the room. Malfoy did the same. An hour went by before Moody came back. We had finished everything only moments before and we were both sitting on top of the desks. Me, biting my nail, and him, just sitting there like a god... Stop! Stop that right now! NO! He kissed you. Focus Joy.
Moody gave us our wands back and left again. I took a quick glance at Draco, who was starring at me. Now's my chance. I have to take it. And I did, as I ran right out of the classroom, and I kept running all the way to my room. Everyone was asleep so I just layed down on my bed. The whole night I starred at the top of my bed.
*** The next day was horrible. I avoided both Malfoy and Remedy. It was not easy. Considering every one of my classes, I had at least one of them. I wasnt focused that day at all. But eventually, classes ended. I skipped dinner knowing questions would come, and headed straight for my common room. As more and more people came back from dinner. They all stayed in the common room. Once everyone was back, Professor Sprout came in. She said for everyone to follow here to the Great Hall. As we were all walking over there, Rose came up behind me.
"JOY!"
"Bloody hell Rose! You scared me."
"Sorry, where do you think we're going?"
"No idea." We came to the Great Hall. It was completely empty except for the Ravenclaws... weird. And a huge gramophone looking... thing. Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout gathered us around them.
"Now boys and girls. We have a very special opportunity this year. Hogwarts will be hosting the Yule Ball." Professor Sprout began.
"The Yule Ball has been a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since it's beginning. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great Hall for a night of well mannered frivolity." Professor Flitwick continued.
"As representatives of the host school we expect each and everyone of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean that literally, beacuse the Yule Ball is first and formost, a dance." Professor Sprout chuckled at her own joke.
All the girls in the room grew giddy and excited. While the boys moaned and complained.
"Now, everyone pair up!" I looked at Rose who stood with me. That is until a tall Ravenclaw boy came up to her and held out his hand. She looked at me with pleading eyes.
"Oh go on!" I smiled at her. I saw Remedy across the room and waved as Joel asked her to dance. I spotted Demetri walking towards me. But, Professor Sprout came and rushed me away and paired me with the worst. Diggory. I kept my head down as they started the music looking at my feet. I felt Cederic's hand start gliding down my back. and onto my-
"Cederic!" I reached back and pulled his hand off. I pushed him away and went to find Demetri. I found him leaning against a wall with the other boys who didnt have a partner.
"Would you mind?" I reached my hand out towards him with a smile. He smiled real big and took my hand. We laughed a lot as I tried to teach him the steps. He was an awful dancer. After we were done he walked with me back to my dorm, well the stairs.
"Joy?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you want to maybe go to the Ball with me?" Oh god... I want to say yes but what if someone else asks me? what if HE asks me?
"Uh... well... I... Can I think about it?" Oh god... that must have been the worst thing to say.
"Oh. Yeah of course..." He smiled, barely, "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I went up and fell back on my bed. I'm a horrible person...