in the end ~ d. malfoy

Chapter Fourteen

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟒

❝YOU LOOK AMAZING❞

Diana smiles, proudly as her brother compliments her, dryly. Her gown of yellow satin falls to the floor in ochre rivulets, the butterflies trailing up the hem shimmering in the light, from tapers fixated onto the walls next to them. As he waits for the doors to open, Pansy next to him in a pink, frilly dress that doesn't flatter her figure at all, Draco sees some of the eyes linger on his younger sister, and protectively places a hand on her shoulder.

"Have you seen Maya?" she pipes up, oblivious to the way people are looking at her. Draco rolls his eyes.

"How would I know where the bloody witch is? It's not like I have a map"

Diana snorts, raising her eyebrows in questions. For some reason, she's always been able to see right through him, behind the facade of cruelty and bullshit that is his exterior.

If she weren't his sister, it would unnerve him beyond words.

"Why do you hate her so much?" she questions, hands on her hips, "She's been nothing but nice to me. You seem to be trying to find reasons to ridicule her."

"She's insufferable!" he retorts, as Diana rolls her eyes, "No, really! What a hot-headed do-gooder. She acts like she's so much better than everyone else, like she knows everything. And bloody hell, she's freaking scary with those eyes of hers, always watching you. I feel like she's trying to rip me apart sometimes. And that mouth of hers, Merlin, she never shuts up!-"

"Sounds to me, big brother" interrupts his sister, looking unnervingly like him as she smirks, "Like you fancy her"

Draco sputters, outraged.

"Merlin's beard, what is wrong with you, Diana?" he practically screams, as his sister bites back a peal of laughter, "Do you consider my standards as being that low? I hate her. She's so scrawny, not even the least bit attractive. And with the way she dresses-"

"Draco, mate?" comes the voice of his best friend.

"What, Blaise?!" he snaps, turning to face the other slytherin, in green robes. Blaise rolls his eyes, gesturing to something - or someone - at the top of the stairs.

And for the first time in his life, Draco Malfoy forgets how to breathe.

Maya Rajesh sucks in a deep breath, as she feels the eyes start to linger on her. Her exposed skin tingles, and for the first time, she admits, she really hasn't done a bad job with her look for tonight. Confidence runs through her veins - an emotion that she often struggles with - and for the first time in a while, Maya feels like she could accomplish anything.

Isabelle was right. Beauty is on the inside, but looking good certainly doesn't hurt.

Her looks have never been - and Maya's being genuinely honest when she says this - of major importance to her. Sure, it feels nice to dress up and get ready for a night out, but her focus has always been on more mundane things, on her academic future. She's not condemning the people who take pride in their appearance - in fact, she admires them for their ability to make themselves look good - it's just that Maya has never looked at clothes or makeup as a form of self- expression. She prefers to use her words to express herself, even though her actual voice is somewhat subdued and quieter compared to that of Isabelle's or Diana's.

But getting ready for tonight feels like it's opened her eyes to a completely different world.

Her breath suddenly catches in her chest, as she catches sight of a familiar, tall Slytherin leaning against the wall.