Alestia stood awkwardly outside the gate of Malfoy Manor, unsure what to do. She'd come here before, but with her parents, who the gates simply flung upon for the moment they appeared. She'd used to the Floo network to get to a nearby pub, before taking a taxi here, but now, she was completely lost.
It must have been at least 10 minutes now, she thought, waiting for someone to miraculously appear and save her. Finally, just as she was about to start pounding on the gate, a sleek black car drove up behind her and out stepped none other than Blaise Zabini.
"Thank Merlin you're here, I've been trapped out here and have no idea what to do." She groaned, gesturing to the gate.
Glancing at her with a rather judging face, he shook his head and laughed before walking to one of the stone pillars that sat on either end of the gate. Taking a few moments to scan over the stones, he then reached out and pressed a series of stones, as if they were buttons, before stepping back.
Alestia was about to remark on how strange he looked, playing with the pillars, until the gates swung open and he grabbed her hand and pulled her through, the gates slamming shut right after.
"Honestly, it's not that difficult." He sighed.
"Well I'm so sorry for not knowing to give the stones a massage. Maybe you're just a genius, Blaise." She replied, almost bumping into him.
She was attempting to spin slowly and walk at the same time, taking in the entirety of the manor. She'd passed by the property of course, being they were basically neighbors (as well as you could get, as each property could pass for its own neighborhood), but had never genuinely looked at it. Each time she'd been here with her parents they'd been in a rush to get inside before anyone saw them.
"It seems happier than usual." Blaise remarked.
"Happier? How can a house seem happier?" She laughed.
"Well I mean," he began, "Usually it's all grim and dark, though now they've probably got house elves running around lighting each room."
"I thought they lost one, Dobby, right?"
"True, but don't bring that up," he said, just as they reached the front door, "Sore subject."
The large doors swung open, revealing Draco, who looked bored upon opening the door before seeing who was behind it.
Welcoming and rushing them in, he immediately began talking.
"Mother's already got me talking with so many girls here, it's aggravating. She's trying to play match maker, I'm too young for this. I got stuck talking with some girl from Durmstrang, she hasn't got a single though up there." He groaned, dragging them through a maze of paneled walls and gleaming floors before reaching a corner.
"What are you waiting for? Let's go." Alestia said, staring at him. He was glancing around the corner, then back, then again.
"I think I just saw some cousin I hate, ok, come on, it's clear." He said, using his hand to brush back his hair, a ring glinting on his finger.
Shrugging, Blaise followed after him, Alestia checking her hair in a mirror before rushing to catch up. In what could pass as a ballroom of sorts, wizards and witches mingled around, some on the dance floor, though each couple looked as if they'd be anywhere else than there, and some on the sidelines. As they passed through the crowd, Alestia heard small catches of conversations, most of which was either petty gossip or some sort of business deal.
Finally stopping at a sofa in the back corner of the room, Draco gestured for them to sit.
"Are we seriously spending the entire night here? It's a bit rude, isn't it?" Alestia asked, taking a seat in between the two.
"Well would you rather dance with my dear cousin William? Oh there he is now, downing his, what, third glass of champagne?" Draco smirked, pointing to a similarly platinum blonde boy, who checked around him before setting the glass down. "Oh no, aunt Margaret's seen him, there she goes." He narrated, clearly enjoying himself as his aunt began shouting in hushed whispers.
As Draco and Blaise continued narrating the scene, Alestia watched the boy, who raised his hands in defense at his mother. As he did so however, she noticed a ring glinting in the light of the chandeliers.
"You know what this reminds me of?" Blaise said, "The time our good friend Weasley got a Howler, crashed his father's car, right?"
"Something like that. He deserved it though, he, Potter, and Granger, never shut up." Draco laughed.
"And you two sound like Lee Jordan," Alestia said, rolling her eyes. Did she really have to spend the next couple hours listening to them describe any sort of drama?
"That's not that offensive really." Blaise commented, taking a drinks for each one of them from a waiter passing by.
"Anyway, let's talk about something else, shall we?", Alestia said, taking her glass and handing the last to Draco.
"Fine, let's talk about, well let's see." Draco said. "Oh, let's talk about your dear friend, Xavier is it?".
Blaise groaned. "Do we really have to? You still won't shut up about it, it's been days."
"Quiet Blaise, let Elestein talk."
"Malfoy, really, he's just a friend. Leave it be." She said, rolling her eyes and taking a sip from her drink.
"Sure", he muttered, leaning back.
The trio sat in silence for a bit, before Blaise sighed and stood up. "Well I'm going to find someone else to talk with, since you lot are in such a bad mood. Care to join me, Elestein?".
Glancing at Draco, who sat sulking and looking anywhere but at them, she nodded and stood, taking his hand.
As they walked farther away, Alestia lowered her voice. "Why is he so upset over the whole Yule Ball thing, I mean, he went with Parkinson of all people."
Laughing, he looked at her expectantly, before looking away.
"You really are oblivious, aren't you?".
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A/N: ik people usually dont read these but i finally updated. also, im going to be going back and editing some chapters, but the storyline is going to remain the same, mostly just areas that i feel are pieces of bad writing and whatnot.
also ty all sm for the reads, as im writing rn, we're so close to 10k reads <33
ANOTHER ALSO: i see your comments and i love reading them i just never know how to respond but know that i do appreciate them<3
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armortentia - draco malfoy
Teen Fiction"We're not all evil you know?" "No, but you are, Malfoy" (slow updates)
