THE BALL WAS TONIGHT.
Elara and Harry had decided not to colour coordinate - since Harry didn't have many options to choose from.
"You'll look handsome whatever you wear," Elara had told him, timing her words just as they passed behind Draco and Nott at the Slytherin table at breakfast.
She had caught the subtle movement of Draco's hand tightening around his fork.
But now, she had to deal with the nerve-wracking, impossible task that one must go through when one attends a Ball.
Picking what to wear.
She'd been thinking about it all morning - red dress, black dress, pink dress?
And it didn't help that her friends were just as confused.
"I think I'll wear purple," Tracy was saying as they left Herbology "Do you think that'll make my hair look funny?" She fluffed her auburn locks.
"I say wear black," Cho told her as they trudged away from the greenhouse. "I think I'll wear midnight blue. My Nan got me it -"
"Then I guess I'm wearing midnight blue too," Stuart said as he caught up with them. He avoided Elara, carefully, instead squeezing in between Cho and Tracy. "Gotta match with my favourite girl."
Elara's eyes almost bulged out of her sockets. Cho and Stuart?
She glanced at Tracy to gauge her reaction but her friend seemed unbothered and not surprised at all.
She'd probably known. It seemed only Elara had been left out of the loop.
Technically, she had done this to herself.
"What are you going to wear, El?" Tracy asked, peering at her.
"I don't know," Elara answered, kicking a pebble and watching it skid. "I really have no idea."
"Elara!"
The group stopped and turned to find Pansy Parkinson, clambering up after them, her long sleek hair swinging behind her in a ponytail.
"Go on," Elara said to her friends - and Stuart. "She probably has a question about Herbology."
Her friends nodded and went on their way, still murmuring about what they'd be wearing.
"Hey, Pansy," Elara greeted as the Slytherin girl stopped beside her, panting slightly from sprinting after her. "What's up? Did I leave something in the greenhouse?"
"No - no, nothing," Pansy answered, hefting her bag more securely over her shoulder. She was so pretty Elara almost sighed.
If Draco didn't date her, maybe Elara would.
But then again, Draco was probably dating her - as far as Elara could tell from his frequent actions of pushing Pansy's hair out of her face, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, placing one large hand on the small of her back to guide her out of the classroom.
It had all made Elara's insides itch.
"I just - I have an idea - and I really want to share it with you," Pansy breathed, brushing past her to continue walking up the slope. Elara followed.
"I didn't know you were that interested in Herb -"
"Not Herbology!" Pansy interjected, her eyes shining playfully. "For the Ball. Tonight. You're going, right? With Potter?"
Elara nodded, demurely, puzzled. "Yes but - but how did you know?"
Pansy rolled her eyes, a knowing smile on her face. "It's what's got Draco in such a bad mood the entire week. All he rambles on about is how you and Potter are both saints made for each other."
Elara's cheeks heated. "Oh - I don't -"
"Don't play dumb, Elara," Pansy said, digging her elbow into her ribs. "I don't know what it's like from your side but I know Draco definitely has a crush."
"Yeah, on you." The words slipped past her lips before she could stop them, even as her chest warmed at Pansy's words.
Pansy snorted, the breeze picking up strands of her hair that had come loose and blowing them into her face. "I wish. He's purely platonic with me. Yeah, he's down for a good fuck every once in a while but - apart from that, he treats me like I'm his best friend and nothing more."
Elara found it increasingly difficult to swallow. "And you... you don't -"
"Oh, I'm in love with him," Pansy said, cheerfully. "Have been crazy about him since first year. But I'm not upset about it. He's a troubled kid - I'm grateful to even have him as my friend. Plus, there are so many other boys and girls and Indigo is looking quite attractive these days -"
Elara almost gaped at her. While she'd been burning with jealousy at every move Draco made on Pansy, Pansy had cheerfully accepted that he was crushing on Elara and moved on with her life.
It all put things into perspective.
"Indigo?" Elara said, dazed. "Oh - she's - she's straight."
"Oh, blimey, I thought I had one for once."
They finally entered the castle and Pansy grasped Elara's arm, turning her to face her. "But I'm diverging. I came to tell you that I have a dress you might want to wear."
Elara raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"
"Yes," Pansy said with a wicked smile. "And I can guarantee that it will bring Malfoy to his knees."
|
Pansy had been right.
As Elara stared at herself in the mirror in the dorm bathroom, she felt like she was looking at a different person.
Her normally wild hair was tamed, the front strands pinned back, tumbling down her back in waves. Luna had spent close to twenty minutes trying to wrestle each stray hair into place.
Her cheeks had a pinkish hue - one that made her long, dark eyelashes stand out against her creamy skin, the light freckles across her face standing out in the lighting of the bathroom.
But the dress - the dress was everything.
It was long and silky, hugging her waist and hips, the V-shaped neckline low. It was backless, knotted at the back in a simple bow, that would be awfully easy to untie and leave her naked if it hadn't been for the thin straps on her shoulders. A slit ran down the side of her right leg.
And the best part? It was emerald green.
Pansy had even lent her accessories - a necklace with a silver snake charm that settled nicely low on her chest, only visible because of how low the neckline of the dress was.
Elara had managed to dig out silver heels to go with it and a small diamond bracelet encircled her wrist while a matching choker wrapped around her neck.
She looked like a Slytherin Princess, through and through.
"Holy shit!" Indigo gaped at her from across the bathroom where she'd entered. "Where the hell did you get that dress from?"
"A friend," smiled Elara, fastening two dangly diamond earrings into her ears and checking her lipstick before turning to face Indigo. "You look beautiful."
Indigo turned to inspect herself in the mirror, smoothing down her blood red dress and tilting her head. "Do you think the black jewels are too much?"
Elara shook her head, taking in the necklace of black diamonds and the similar earrings. "It's such a badass touch. Jason will be floored."
Indigo grinned, red lips splitting into a smile. "I'd say something about Harry but I don't think Ginny would be too happy about that."
Elara giggled.
|
When Elara walked into the ballroom on Harry's arm, it was like the whole hall hushed.
As they walked in, Harry oblivious to the whispers around them, Elara acutely aware of them, some of the students turned to stare.
"With Harry Potter?"
"I bet Ginny and him had a tiff. She was always too fiery for him -"
"She's wearing Slytherin colours too! With Harry Potter!"
But there was only one person Elara was looking for.
To her dismay, she couldn't spot a tall, blond Slytherin anywhere in the crowd and decided that she would just have to enjoy the evening without him.
"Elara - you look - wow." Hermione was in front of them, looking elegant in a long maroon dress, her hair pulled back out of her face.
Elara began to return the compliment when the Weasley twins appeared next to Hermione, grinning. "Bloody hell, do you know who this girl is, Fred?"
"Not a clue, George. Do you?"
"No one I know. We should probably report to Dumbledore that there's been a breach of security and a rather promiscuous -"
"Oh, shut up, you two," Freya was at George's side, sliding a hand through his. "Elara, that's definitely not one of your dresses."
"A friend lent it to me," Elara replied, gazing down at her shimmering dress. "She thought the colour would look good."
"Blimey, does it look good," Harry agreed with a friendly smile.
Elara sent him one back. "So? Shall we get punch?"
Elara was talking to Luna and Neville about half an hour later when she spotted the doors to the ballroom opening again.
And somehow, she knew, her eyes automatically drawn to them like a magnet.
In stepped Draco Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson on his arm.
And god, were they a power couple.
Elara watched, in awe, as they strode in, Pansy in a black dress that brushed the floor, the sleeves wrapping around her shoulders. The dress seemed to glitter in the ballroom lights and her dark hair was pulled up into a sleek bun, her pretty features complimented with maroon lipstick and a dark blush.
She looked like a Greek Goddess - and Draco, a Greek God, despite his usual black attire, complimented with a black tie, his hair shining.
"Close your mouth, Elara. You're drooling." George was at her ear, whispering. "Although I don't know over who: Parkinson or Malfoy."
Elara's mouth snapped shut and she dug her elbow, sharply, into George's ribs, glad that Luna and Neville were too absorbed in getting punch to notice.
"Ow!" George exclaimed, moving back.
And then, from across the ballroom, Draco's eyes met Elara's.
It was like the whole world dissolved.
She was suddenly self-conscious as she watched his silver eyes lock on hers before drifting down. And down. And down. Before making their trip back up, suddenly a lot darker then they'd been a moment before. His gaze was red hot, burning into her and making every fibre of her tingle.
Elara summoned her courage and did the same, looking him up and down slowly before sinking her teeth into her lower lip.
His hand flexed by his side.
"Oh, Merlin's beard, this is straight up sex -"
Elara jerked out of her daze, elbowed George again.
Luna and Neville finally returned with their punch and Neville held one out to Elara. "I wasn't sure if you wanted some."
"Thanks, Neville," Elara smiled, gratefully, and lifted the glass to her lips, her eyes sliding back to Draco who was now looking at her from over Pansy's head as they stood and talked with Nott, Zabini and their dates.
She raised an eyebrow at him. He let his eyes drop, resting on the long slit down her dress that exposed her leg, before turning away, a smirk playing at his lips.
He was gorgeous.
"Ready to dance, Elara?" Harry was in front of her, holding out his hand, and she finished off her punch, placing it on the nearby table before smiling.
"I'd be honoured," she replied, smoothly, slipping her hand into his and dropping into a quick curtsey.
He led her onto the floor at the same time Draco brought Pansy who flashed Elara a wink.
"Looking good, Jacobs," Pansy said, cheekily, as Draco slid one large hand to her waist. "What do you say we get out of here after we're done dancing with these stupid blokes?"
Harry smiled, despite being in Malfoy's presence, and Elara startled when she felt his hand rest on her waist.
"My dorm or yours?" Elara bantered and she heard Draco scoff.
"Mind if I join?" he purred and even though he wasn't even that close to Elara, she felt goosebumps erupt on her skin.
"Gross," Pansy quipped before winking at Elara once more.
The dance begun.
Harry was a good dancer - although he had nothing on Draco who moved so gracefully Elara could hardly take her eyes off him.
And it seemed Draco couldn't stop looking at her either.
They'd meet eyes, Draco over Pansy's head, Elara over Harry's shoulder, and time seemed to slow for a second as silver met brown. Frosted glass against earth.
Elara's breath would catch in her throat every time and when the corner of Draco's lips turned up in a smirk, she nearly collapsed.
Keep it together.
She dragged her eyes away from Draco's, focused on Harry's green ones.
But when Harry leaned in to whisper something into Elara's ear, Draco's eyes went dark, his gaze flicking to where Harry's hand had moved to curve around her back, resting on her bare skin.
And when the dance was over and the couples left the floor to get some more punch, Elara settled in next to Harry, sliding her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder, smiling at a joke he made.
When she glanced at Draco, his jaw was clenched as he sipped from a glass.
Elara wanted to make him pay - to make him suffer for the things he'd said to her.
So she did - even when Harry excused himself early to go back to the common room to be with Ginny.
Elara's entire attire seemed to draw the gazes of all the boys who didn't have a date at the ball - especially the Slytherins.
She thought she saw even Zabini look her up and down.
So when Paul Flint - Marcus Flint's player of a brother and also, Elara's partner in Care of Magical Creatures - approached her where she was standing on her own, drinking punch, she didn't stop him.
And when he started to flirt with her and insinuate leaving together, she didn't protest.
And when he leaned forward and placed a hand on her back, pulling her closer and moving his fingers to wipe some punch off her lip, she only gave him a sly smile, well aware of Draco's searing gaze on them.
Paul was certainly handsome - in a rugged, dark-haired kind of way - and he had a brilliant smile, white teeth, dimples and all.
So Elara wasn't particularly bothered by his presence - especially when she saw Draco lean down to murmur something in Pansy's ear, his lips grazing her ear, his hand dangerously low on her back.
"... let's get out of here?" Paul was saying, looking down at her with an award-winning smile.
Elara looked up at him then back to Draco who had turned to look at her. She gazed up at Paul with big doe eyes. "Okay."
Paul grabbed her hand - he wasn't wearing any rings, how disappointing - and began to lead her from the ballroom.
She saw Draco crush a paper cup in his fist.
Elara wasn't sure what happened next - maybe it was the alcohol in her system or just the fact that she felt better than she had in a while by playing with Draco - but suddenly, she found herself pressed up against a wall somewhere and Paul was kissing her neck.
He was okay, she guessed, but Draco was so much better with his talented mouth. She missed his mouth.
The duality of it. How rough he could be, teeth clashing, biting on her lip and then how gentle, all warm tongue and soft lips.
Elara gasped when Paul sucked on her skin.
"I'll make you feel so good," Paul murmured as she dug her fingers into his hair. "So, so good, Elena."
"Elara," she corrected but he had already killed the mood. She'd been partners with him the whole year in Care of Magical Creatures and he couldn't even remember her name.
She sighed and moved her hands to push him away, about to make an excuse as to why she suddenly didn't want to do this.
But then she caught sight of white blond hair on the opposite side of the hallway.
Silver eyes, filled with mirth, looked at her, pressed up against the wall, Paul's head buried in her neck.
Draco was here.
And he did not look happy.
[wasn't going to update rn but thirstymalfoy convinced me ;)
go check out her book CORE - it's fkn amazing.
also um next chapter is one of my faves ;) coming tomorrow
also thirty freakin chapters!! im so proud.
ALSO what are your guys' houses? i never asked]