Word count: 2112
Y/n's POV:
I sit on my bed the night of Slughorn's Christmas party. My emerald green dress rests in front of me. It used to be to the floor, have no sleeves, up to my neck, and terribly plain. Now, it is knee length with a black ribbon over the waist, and a v-neck. I think it's a bit much, but Hermione says it's perfect. I have short, black heels to go with it, my white gold necklace, and a silver ring. My usually unruly hair is woven in two elegant but simple plaits over my shoulders, and I wore light, natural makeup done by Hermione as well.
I was unbelievably giddy as I walked up the stairs to the seventh-floor corridor. My racing heartbeat could probably be heard echoing through the whole hallway, but thankfully, it was abandoned.
I walked and walked without thinking about where I was going. I had only ever been to this part of the castle once or twice, but my legs knew where to take me while my mind was elsewhere. I wondered how Harry would react. I wondered whether or not he would get even more angry and make a scene, or if he'd simply be disappointed and talk to me later. I tried to convince myself that I didn't care, but in all honesty, I know that I do. His disappointment was always something I could never deal with easily, but it was seemingly something I seemed to always have.
I held my head high as I entered the room that had been turned into a lavish dance floor with tables upon tables of food along the walls, and a few benches to rest on. I scan the room for familiar platinum blonde hair, but Draco doesn't show himself. Instead I look for my bushy haired friend in the crowd of witches and wizards when I suddenly feel hands on my shoulders and I spin to see my best friend standing there. She smiles brightly at me, but her eyes read extreme discomfort.
"Hey, 'Mione. Everything alright?" I ask. She nods quickly, but glances around the room in worry as though she was being followed. "I never asked, who did you come with?" She winces slightly in response.
"No one. I don't know if you'd know him." she answers. I can tell she's avoiding the truth. I look at her impassively with a raised eyebrow.
"I know a lot of people, Hermione. Who is it?" She mumbles an answer.
"Pardon?"
"Cormac McLaggen," she states, barely above a whisper. I can't help but make a face. McLaggen had tried his very hardest to court me since our third year at Hogwarts, and every time he'd ask me out on a date, he was unable to take no for an answer. Long story short, he tended to leave our conversations with pink hair or singed robes.
"Why in the world would you want to come with him?" I ask, utterly disgusted.
"I figured it'd annoy Ronald the most," she replies truthfully. I shrug, seeing as she made a good point, then looked around at the door once again.
"Where's Malfoy?" Hermione asks, looking concerned. I sigh, not taking my eyes off the entrance.
"I don't know. I suppose he's late." I say quietly, trying to believe myself. All of a sudden, there's a commotion in the centre of the ballroom, and we shove our way to the front of the crowd to see my grey eyed date standing there with Filch clutching his collar.
"I found this one lurking in the corridors. He claims to have been invited to you party," Filtch says to a tipsy Professor Slughorn.
"I'm here with a date!" Draco growls, looking at Filtch with a mix of disgust and annoyance.
"He's my date." I state in the silence, pushing my way into the open. I hear a few people gasp, others scoff, but I don't pay them any mind. Draco gives me a genuine smile once his eyes meet mine, though his cheeks seem slightly more sunken than usual.
"I told you." he snaps, ripping himself from Filtch's grasp, and making his way over to me. I take his hand in front of everyone as an act of defiance, and I can feel my face burn crimson, but my grip on his hand doesn't slacken. I pull him off to the side, near one of the many tables where I turn to look at him, his signature smirk plastered over his pointed features.
"Why were you late?" I ask, ignoring the stares I can feel burning into the back of my head. The grin slides off his face as he looks down at his perfectly shined shoes. He is wearing an all black suit and his hair is combed back, but not gelled.
"I'm sorry," he whispers rather than an answer. I wasn't all too upset, but his tired eyes and lack of explanation add to my concern.
"That doesn't answer my question, Draco."
"I was studying and I lost track of time. I'm sorry, but it won't happen again." he promises me, smiling and grabbing my small hand gently in his own. I purse my lips attempting to look angry, but seeing the joy on his face, I can't help but grin back.
"Fine, but you're coming with me to find Hermione again." I state. He rolls his eyes, but weaves through the crowd along with me.
I finally sight my best friend far away, by the curtained window with my messy haired brother in his black dress robes. I stop walking to observe and see that he looks livid, while she looks merely annoyed by him. He shouts something I can't understand and she snaps something back. As I continue to walk to them with Draco by my side, the pair finally look up from their shouting match. Hermione smiles at the sight of us while Harry silently seethes beside her. Seeing his face, I lace my fingers through Draco's, and look ahead determinedly. The second we reach them, I strike up a conversation with Hermione that, surprisingly, Draco joined into. He's been much kinder to Hermione recently. Not quite the best of friends, but more acquaintances than enemies. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Harry getting even more peeved by the second. I simply ignore it, and continue my conversation as normal. Finally, at a break in our sentences, Harry pipes up.
"Y/n. May I speak with you outside for a moment?" he asks through grit teeth. I nod stiffly, and follow him not far out of the nearest door.
"What is it?" I quiz with narrowed eyes.
"Why... in the world... are you here... with Malfoy?" he interrogated me as though he is in charge, and I won't have it. His anger and distrust is sorely misplaced, and I was determined to show him so.
"Because I want to be here with him. Is there a problem?" I respond, in a deadly calm tone. My face is blank, but my eyes alone would tell any sane human to leave. Not Harry however. Then again, I don't think he is quite sane, based on many things he's both said and done in recent times.
"Yes, there is a problem. He's evil!" Harry yells. I'm suddenly very thankful the door is shut.
"You're wrong." I whisper, getting even more irate every time he opens his mouth. He rears for another blow.
"He's a Death Eater!" At that, something snaps in me. Whether it be because of my brother's evidently misguided prejudice, his volume, or his lack of evidence, I was beyond pissed.
"You don't know that! You don't know anything!" I shout back. "You're so blinded by your irrational and prejudiced hatred for him that you don't bother to see things from a different point of view!" With that, I rush back into the ballroom, red in the face and particularly moody. I grab both Draco and Hermione's hands, and drag them away from where Harry stood in utter shock of my outburst. Once we reach the far corner of the room, I stop to take a breath.
"What happened, Y/n?" Draco asks, sounding genuinely concerned. I huff.
"Harry insulted you once again, so I yelled and I told him what I really think." I explain shortly with my head held high. I am actually quite proud of myself despite the frustration I tried very hard to hide from the prying eyes of strangers. Draco raises an eyebrow and gives me a sly grin.
"Oh, really?" he says.
"Yes, really, Ferret." I reply, giving an almost identical smirk while thinking of last years experiences. He purses his thin lips in annoyance while I simply giggle in response when suddenly, I feel his hands on my waist, his fingers tickling my sides. I nearly shriek, and laugh hysterically until I can't breathe. "Stop! Stop!" I beg while trying to pry his hands off of my sides.
"Say sorry." he answers, laughing along with me.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" I cry, a tear rolling down my face from laughing so hard. He stops tickling me, but doesn't remove his hands from my waist.
"Hem-hem," Hermione clears her throat while raising an eyebrow in our direction. "I'm still here you know."
"Yeah, I know. Why don't you go snog McLaggen or something? I wanna dance." I say with a grin, barely glancing at her disgusted face before I pull Draco to the middle of the slightly crowded dance floor. "This was probably a dreadful idea. I'm realising I can't dance to save my life." I explain, a little sheepish. He simply smiles and places one of his hands on my hip, one in my hand then lifts my other hand to rest on his shoulder.
"I'll teach you. You've already got the proper position," he starts with a small smile. I look up at him with my brows furrowed.
"Once again, I can't dance. I'm simply unable to be taught. Believe me, many have tried." I explain with a gentle laugh. He chuckles a little, but doesn't answer. He begins to sway to the slow music and I follow. He turns, I turn. Before I know it, I'm spinning and swinging across the floor. The song stops, but he doesn't let go of me. Both my hands are now around his neck and his are resting comfortably on my waist.
"See, you did it," he states. I grin slightly and just look at him.
"I tripped more than I danced." I reply, giggling. He just rolled his eyes.
"Alright, maybe you tripped a couple times," he says. I tilt my head with a deadpan expression.
"A couple?" He chuckles in response.
"Alright, maybe more than a couple."
"Precisely." Reluctantly, I drop my hands from around his neck, and he removes one arm from my waist, leaving the other to guide me toward one of the benches off to the side of the ballroom. Sitting silence for a moment somehow isn't awkward or annoying, it's calming and I feel content.
I look into his sparkling grey eyes and notice they perfectly reflect my own emotions. No matter how hard I might try, I'll never be truly unhappy around him now that we've decided we can just be us together. He may annoy the living daylights out of me more than half of the time, but he has a special effect. To others, he seems rude, stuck up, or even evil, but I've seen a better side of him, and I pray that one day everyone else might also.
"I'm glad you agreed to go with me," I say suddenly. He seems to snap out of a daze at the sound of my voice.
"Of course. I enjoyed it." he replies. I grin brightly which he mirrors immediately.
"Would you like to walk back to the common room?" he asks after a moment. I nod, taking his arm as we walk. This time, I'm not reluctant, but eager to be in close proximity with him. On the way back we talk about nonsense and what we'll be doing over the holiday. I couldn't be happier.
After he bids me goodnight, I change and lay on my bed, thinking over the nights many events. Despite my quarrel with Harry, I find myself filled to the brim with joy at the thought of everything that had happened. Everything was right with my life for the time being, and I am determined not to let anything change that. At least, not for a while.
A/N- Sorry the format is all wonky. I did this very quickly on my phone instead of my iPad or computer because I was on a plane, so it's working much different. I hope you enjoyed!