It's been a hard life (A Draco Malfoy love story)

Chapter 9: The Yule Ball

It's the night of the ball, it's also Christmas which I had forgotten due to my excitement for the ball. It's all I've been thinking about. That's all I've been talking about, too. I really want to have a special dance, like I've told Ginny, Hermione, and Daphne. I just want one special dance, I want it to be perfect. It is my first ball after all. A few hours before the ball started, I snuck Ginny and Hermione into my room so we could get ready together. Hermione and I were helping Ginny get into her dress when there was a knock on the door.

"Opal. Opal can you let me in?" Daphne sobbed.

Ginny and Hermione froze.

"It's okay. I'll talk to her. Get in the closet." I whispered to them. They nodded and shoved themselves in my closet. I unlocked my door, slowly, and Daphne threw herself on me. Embracing me in a tight hug. I hugged her back before closing and locking the door.

"What's wrong, Daph?" I asked as she set her dress down on my bed.

"I-I just hate Pansy. She's a horrible cow!" She said, taking a deep breath.
She wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve and gave me a small smile.
"Let's get ready."

"Oh. Uhh... Daphne. I trust you. You're one of my best friends, right?" I started.

She nodded and gave me a larger smile. "Of coarse! You are my best friend, Opal. Especially now that I realized how much of a bad friend Pansy is."

I smiled at her. "Okay. I'm gonna tell you a secret. Please don't tell anyone and please don't get mad."

She nodded. I got up and slowly went to my closet. "Please. Don't. Get. Mad." I whispered to her.

She laughed. "I promise, Opal."

I took a deep breathe, and opened the closet door, revealing a scared looking Ginny and Hermione. Daphne gasped and quickly got up off the bed.

"You said you wouldn't get mad." I stumbled all my words together.

She was speechless at first. She then took a deep breath and looked at me. I gave her the puppy dog face and she quickly closed her eyes. "Don't look at me like that." She opened her eyes and looked at me then looked at Hermione and Ginny. She looked at me again and let out a frustrated sigh.

"You...are my best friend, Heart." She then gave me a warm smile before continuing. "And I love how you trust me enough with...ALL OF THIS." She motioned her hands towards my closet.

"Soo..." I said, hopefully.

She rolled her eyes before continuing. "Soo...I won't tell anyone." She then turned to look at Hermione and Ginny. "Any friends of Opal...are friends of mine." She whispered and sent them a small smile.

They stood their, in my closet, shocked. They didn't say anything.

"Well let's get ready." I said, smiling.

They all nodded and we all got ready together. We were all laughing with each other and helping each other with our make up.

When we were done, we each took a look at one another to make sure everything is perfect.

Hermione was wearing a pink ombré dress, her shoes not visible. Her hair was put into a knot in the back and fell in loose curls. Ginny wore an adorable pastel colored dress, her shows also not visible. It was a mint green and pastel pink. Her hair was moved from her face and left straight and loose at her back. Daphne wore a short silver dress that went a little higher up her knees. She wore gold heels and her brown hair was put up in a fancy braid bun. I wore my dress with some flats. My shoes weren't visible and if I would have worn heels, my dress wouldn't have gone to the floor, like I wanted it to.

We all finished a little late, so we were able to sneak Hermione and Ginny out of the common room without getting caught. We were walking up the steps from the dungeons and everyone's gaze turned to us.

"Opaaallll." Ginny sang. "You've got the blushies again." Hermione and Daphne laughed at Ginny's 'hilarious' comment.

Goyle soon came and escorted Daphne, his date, into the great hall, but not before telling her how beautiful she looked. He turned to me and said the same and gave Hermione and Ginny a small nod, not knowing what to say. Soon after Daphne left, Neville came for Ginny and Victor came for Hermione.

I was standing alone outside of the great hall waiting for Greg to show up, when all of a sudden someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and see no one there and as I turned back around and saw Fred with the goofiest smile ever. He made me jump slightly.

"Fred, you scared me." I said as I softly pushed his shoulder.

He laughed. "What's a lovely lady, like yourself, doing out here all alone?"

I giggled at his comment. "I'm waiting for Greg."

His face instantly dropped from a smile to a disgusted frown. "Oh. Right you're with him. He clearly doesn't know how to treat a beautiful girl. I mean, he's made you wait for him. If anyone should have been waiting, it should have been him. You look absolutely gorgeous."

I felt the heat come up to my face, again.

"Is that so." An angry voice came from behind Fred.

We both turn to see who it is, but before we can Fred is pushed to the floor. I gasp at his sudden fall and notice it was Greg who pushed him down.

"Greg! Why did you do that!" I said, quickly rushing to Fred's side, but before I could get to him my arm was roughly pulled away from Fred.

"Opal, let's go." Greg spat, pulling me towards the great hall.

"I'm fine, Opal. I'll see you inside." Fred yelled, trying to get to his feet.

As I walked towards the door to the great hall, I saw Angelina. She was a Gryffindor and Fred's date.

"Angelina. Go get Fred. See if he's okay and tell him I'm sorry. He's by the steps near the dungeons." I whispered to her. Her eyes widened with fear, but she nodded and rushed towards the dungeons.

I turned to Greg. He kept his gaze focused on the the great hall doors. I was about to say something when he walked pass the great hall and pulled me into an empty class room.

"What is your problem! Why did you do that to Fred?! You had no right-" I was cut off by a sharp pain on my cheek. I stumbled backwards and a memory took over my brain.

I saw my adoptive father. I saw his hand clench into a fist. I saw when he pulled it up. I saw when he hit me. Everything was in slow motion. It was so similar. My mind when back to reality when I felt another punch on my face.

I yelped in pain as I fell down. I was suddenly pulled up by a pair of strong arms. Greg shook me violently and yelled. "You are my property! You can't talk to anyone without my saying so! Do you understand?!"

"Y-you don't own me. I-I'm going to-" I was cut off when he slapped me and I fell to the ground once again.

"You'll what? Huh? You're weak, Opal. You're parents, they weren't weak. They were two of the best wizards in the world. Very talented, but you?" He scoffed. "You're worthless, but you'll be of good use to the dark lord. He wants you by his side. He wants us by his side, together."

"L-leave me alone. Please. I- I won't tell anyone if you just leave." I chocked out.

He laughed loudly before kicking me in my stomach. I let out another cry of pain.

"You won't tell anyone anything. Not because I'll leave you alone, but because if you do... I will kill your grandmother. Glenda is it?" He smirked. "She seems like a lovely lady. Charlotte does as well, and her precious little daughter, Sophie." He bent down and whispered in my ear. "You also don't want to hurt Fred, do you? Or any of the Weasley's. All the people you care about, Daphne, Goyle, Crabb, Draco, Hermione, all of them would die because of you. You don't want that, do you?"

"N-no." I whispered.

"Great. Now just play along." He smirked and gave me another punch in the face. Then everything went dark.