intoxicated,

three

(the following chapter is a flashback)

Up until Christmas break all i really did was hang around Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron. If the golden trio were even around that is, they disappeared a lot more frequently lately but she shrugged it off and spent more and more time with Ginny. They hadn't been the closest before but now she could confidently say Ginny was her best friend, one of them at least.

As the yule ball was getting increasingly near she couldn't have been more excited, she was going with Seamus but really more in a way as friends it had hurt my heart more than i thought it would when i had to turn harry down knowing the same thing had already happened with Cho Chang. She was a Ravenclaw, quite quiet honestly. She usually kept to herself but since Cedric Diggory had been killed in the final battle, she had been quieter than ever. I shuddered at the memory of Harry screaming and crying over Cedric's body. It had been the sight she often saw when she was trying to sleep. It haunted me and I hadn't even been there, I couldn't imagine how Harry felt.

Snapping out of it I dwelled on the memory of having to turn Harry down.

We had been running around Hagrid's hut until we fell over in a heap of arms and legs, we were laughing til my stomach hurt and I had to hold my stomach with my arms rolling over and taking Harry with me down the hill.

I shrieked as he started after me as I streaked through the woods weaving in and out of the woods. He was gaining on me as he stumbled over sticks and tree stumps. A loud scream burst out of my mouth as he slid tackled me making me laugh even harder if possible. We stayed laying on the ground for several more moments just trying to catch our breath before he abruptly stood up dragging me up with him. My eyes widened as he straightened his jacket and took my hand in his. "Aurora, will you make me the luckiest man in the whole world and accompany me to this year's yule ball?" my heart sank a little bit staring up at his flushed cheeks and his nervous expression. "Harry, I would've loved to go to the yule ball with you, really I would but I'm already going with Seamus." I frowned when I saw the smile he had on his face falter before he stood up and smiled at me. "It's okay, really, I thought we could go more as friends. But seeing as you already have a date," he spoke with a hint of sarcasm to hide the look of hurt that flashed on his eyes.

Forcing myself to focus on something else I remembered I needed to go yule ball dress shopping. And I know I'm meant to go with Hermione and Ginny, I smiled to myself as I ran into the room I shared with Hermione to remind her that we were supposed to go today or tomorrow.

Scrambling up to our room which I quickly opened, I found Hermione and Ginny standing next to each bent over two dresses.

They heard me open the door and quickly turned around and their faces went from excited to sorrowful, they glanced at each other before turning to look at me running over.

"Aurora we didn't mean to go without you we just were in hogsmeade and saw all the pretty dresses and we couldn't wait...." Hermione trailed off. "Honestly Aurora we didn't mean any harm." piped Ginny looking down and fumbling with her hands.

I'm not quite sure why but there was something more personal in my mind than just dresses. I forced a laugh before saying "Guys its okay i promise," i lied while i gave them a small smile "I can always go alone another time, maybe tomorrow because i know you guys are trying to figure out how to convince Dumbledore to.." I trailed off.

Sighs of relief emitted from Hermione and Ginny before they both came over and hugged me tightly and left me in the room, alone.

I sighed deeply before sitting down on my bed and staring up at the ceiling.

Knowing I would need to go to hogsmeade myself wasn't the most pleasant thought, I never really liked being alone, not to even mention in a large crowd of people I didn't know. I grimaced just thinking about it.

December 18th. I decided I would go then, it would be less crowded and I might catch some familiar faces which would be a sense of comfort.

I didn't know where the golden trio had been lately and spent more and more time with ginny.

When the day for me to go find a dress finally came I found it almost funny that I had been nervous.

Looking through the little shops had been very peaceful and I decided to make my way to the dress shop.

That's when I saw him.

He was walking with I think Blaise? I had avoided him since the beginning of the year and hardly ever saw him anymore, and when i did it was always the back of his head. If it wasn't that then it was just his voice. Always taunting her best friends whenever he could.

But he looked different in the moment. Almost happy and joyful. His eyes were twinkling and I could tell he was enjoying whatever conversation he was having with Zambini. As I continued walking forward I couldn't keep my eyes off him. Nearing him was when I got a closer look at him. He was tall, very very tall, easily 6'0. As if instinctively I shied away at his towering state. The two boys were only 20 maybe 30 feet away from me.

Having been studying him so carefully i barely noticed i had been staring, possibly even gaping, at the sight that was Draco Malfoy.

I hadn't even noticed, truthfully I was very focused on my own thoughts.

When without notice he met my gaze.

I stumbled a little bit as his icy gaze cut daggers through my brown eyes.

I had let him catch me staring. I let him catch me gaping.

Silently cursing myself I closed my eyes as if it would make the horrible dream that was my reality go away.

He parted ways with Zambini before making his way to me.

No. No, no, no. i thought to myself.

With his long legs he quickly closed the gap between us, in a matter of a few moments he was standing in front of me. He looked amused to have caught me.

"Prince did no one ever tell you it's odd to stare at someone from 100 yards away?" he said with a smirk before resting his arm on my shoulder.

I immediately stiffened and shrugged him off. At a loss of words all I could do was stare at him with a deadly glare.

"Oh feisty now?" he said, raising an eyebrow at her and smirking at me.

Again I betrayed my own self by staring at him again. The fact he was at a much closer proximity to me now I could make out his features more clearly.

He looked tired, exhausted even. His eyes had deep dark circles under them and his shirt wasn't even fully buttoned. He looked at her as an emotion I couldn't quite decipher crossed his whole face. He placed a hand on my arm which made me jump. Bolts of electricity surged through my arm where he had his fingers the moment before. Inwardly groaning as i did so i forced myself to look up at him, when our eyes locked my knees nearly gave out. He had a look on his face that I had decided I would call a mixture of confusion and worry, it took about 3 milliseconds for me to realize that whatever that look was, it was satire. "Hello? Prince," he drawled "it seems like you are starting again."

Snapping out of my intoxicated state I scoffed and replied "It seems like you took the time of day to terrorize me. I thought that was between you and 'them' . I simply did think I'd see the day Malfoy comes wandering over to me like a lovesick puppy." i said referring to the golden trio.

He scoffed and spun on his heel walking in a different direction.

I didn't see him again that year.