Daddy issues

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: Eight minutes...

*Annabella's POV*

-•- 6 weeks later -•-

It was the 1st of December. A lot had happened. We had met the other two schools who joined us for the Triwizard Tournament -Durmstrang and Beauxbatons... I mostly ignored the stares from the Beauxbatons students who recognised me. There was one girl, Fleur Delacour, who came over to say hi to me. From what I remember, she was a few years above me and was always quite kind and caring. The champions had been picked and Barty warned me about the plan my father had; sure enough, Harry was picked as an extra champion. Everyone thought he had cheated. Everyone except Dumbledore. He knew something was wrong, that the cup had been confunded. I instructed Barty to try and get as close to Harry as possible -make him think they were friendly. Apparently, Dumbledore trusted Moody and had told him to do the same but to keep an eye on him and protect him. The irony in that! Other than that, I had tried to stay out of Barty's way. I mainly hung out with my Slytherin friends and occasionally the Patil twins. I had seen Harry a couple times and was nice to him, but we still didn't really talk, just the occasional chat here and there.

I was on my way to our common room -Snape had told us all this morning that the whole house would meet to discuss something important. Merlin knows what... I opened the door, realising how far I had slipped behind my friends. I had been all too consumed by my thoughts and not noticed how slow I must have walked. Everyone stared at me, giving me awkward and halfhearted smiles.

"Take a seat, Miss Riddle" The professor spoke, annoyed at the fact I had interrupted whatever speech he was giving.

"Sorry I'm late, Sir..."

"Yes, ten minutes but, no worries. I had just begun..." he motioned for me to take a seat on the settee.

I was entirely bewildered.

Ten minutes? I didn't think I was that far behind. No I wasn't... What the fuck? Ten minutes?

It was crowded, so glared at them all and they moved elsewhere, leaving only my friends and I. I leant back against the arm and stretched out my legs, putting them across my friends' laps.

"Where were you, Bella? When you said you needed to do something, I didn't realise it would take you that long..." Draco asked me in a hushed tone.

"What are you on about? I never said that... I- What? I'm so confused... Is this some joke? I couldn't have been ten minutes though. I was right behind you, two minutes maximum!" I responded, rather scared.

Where did a whole eight minutes go? What the fuck? And I know I never told Draco I had to 'do something'..... What is going on?

"Yes you did, Bella... Are you okay? You seem a bit off..." he replied sounding very concerned.

I leaned in closer to him, "No I don't think you understand, Draco... I don't remember doing or saying that..." He knitted his eyebrows together and his face turned into a deep frown.

"Oh... We'll talk later..." he nodded his head toward Snape. I nodded in agreement and turned to the muscular lump laying across my body with an arm around my waist. I caught Draco giving him a death stare. But Blaise didn't seem to notice, that or he just didn't care. And rightly so. Blaise came closer to me and snuggled into my chest. He was still my bestie after all, we tried the whole dating thing and it didn't work out -we decided we worked better as friends anyway. I kissed his forehead and rested my head atop of his, before turning my attention back to Snape.

"It regrets me to inform you, but I am forced to as a head of house, that there is a ball." There was an eruption of excited murmurs across the common room and questions flying left right and centre.

"SILENCE!" The whispering stopped immediately. He continued "It will take place, during the Christmas period. It is called the Yule Ball and it is first and foremost a dance. Therefore, today, I am required to teach you how to dance. Can I have a volunteer pair?" The room was deadly silent. No one dare raise their hand, but I caught students looking at eachother -most likely who they wanted to ask. I also saw quite a few pairs of eyes on me.

What's their problem? Twats...

"How about Mr Malfoy and Miss Riddle? I hear you two make a perfect couple... of dancers. Let's see if the Daily Prophet is correct, shall we?" Neither of us moved; everyone was looking at us. Some girls were eyeing me up and down in disgust, jealousy and hatred and some boys hung their heads low, glaring at Draco. "Well, get up!" Snape's monotone voice ordered.

I groaned but got up anyway, apologising to Blaise. Truth was that I was extremely comfortable there and frankly didn't want to dance with anyone. Begrudgingly, Draco arose from his position too, circling me with a smirk plastered across his face, wrapping a hand around my waist.

"Come on, Darling, time to waltz!" He beamed as he interlaced our fingers when we started to dance. He lead me around the space as we continuously shifted our weight from foot to foot, twirling and changing directions smoothly and with grace. I gazed deep into the grey oceans of his eyes, getting lost as we glided our way across the room. Normally, when I looked into his eyes, I would get the same view as everyone else: cold hearted, cruel, not a care in the world. Sometimes I would see a glint of happiness or maybe fear, but today it was different. The look in his eyes was completely unprecedented. All I saw was exuberance; he seemed calm, collected, peaceful but also excited and joyous. I wondered why but didn't pay it much thought.

*Draco's POV*

I thought it weird how Bella couldn't remember something that had happened less than twenty minutes ago, however, I chose to ignore it. I vowed to interrogate her on the matter later on, but for now, all my attention was focused on her beauty and the dance we had been swept up in. The music carried us away as I gazed into her green eyes, stepping and turning in time with the sweet melody. All I could think about was her. How I hope to protect her at all costs. How I hope to never cause her pain. How I hope to love her like nobody else can.

It wasn't until she pressed a kiss on my cheek,  that I noticed other students had joined the 'dancefloor' to try and practice, using us as an example. Bella and I had danced together since we were little. My father had wished for us to learn so that we never embarrassed him when at gatherings. The dancing had stopped and Severus had announced that we were free to go. I didn't want to though. All I wanted was to have Bella to myself and dance all night long, live in this very moment -this moment of pure bliss- forever... I knew it wouldn't last, but I needed it to. We both needed some happiness after the shitshow of a summer holiday we had.

She was my world and she didn't even know it. She was so oblivious, to practically everything and anything. She never noticed how guys constantly undress her with their eyes, making me fill up with rage. I usually got into fights because of that. Although, I had managed to keep that quiet from her. It made my blood boil how she still let Zabini be so close to her. I was unsure as to whether she had told him about the summer -she probably had- but he was all over her. They would hug constantly, I know they were friends but I was her best friend... I had loved her for longer and she wouldn't let me kiss her at the moment. Bella was still scarred from the summer (and I don't blame her one bit) and it angered me how she let Blaise put his filthy hands all over her, but wouldn't let me... I decided to talk to her about it, along with the mysterious missing eight minutes of today as well.

A/n: love a bit of foreshadowing in this chapter lmao x