The Girl Who Lied || Draco Malfoy

The Ball

December, 1994

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO GO TO THE STUPID BALL?"

"Five points from Slytherin for your disrespectful tone, Miss Potter. I trust you will avoid such an inappropriate reaction in front of our guests. Now, I will repeat myself on the chance that your dramatic display just now made you incapable of hearing. As Champion, you are expected to be at the Yule Ball. You are expected to have a date. You are expected to know how to dance. You and the other champions will be opening the ball. I presume you know how to dance, or did you fail to learn in your... upbringing?"

Hyacinth blinked up at Professor Snape, who had pulled her aside after potions. If there was no such thing as consequences and she thought she had even the slightest chance at winning, she'd duel this cruel man right here and now. Being told she was forced to go to the ball after she'd told all her friends she didn't plan on attending was embarrassing, but being told to get a date by a professor in a crowded hallway was a new level of mortification she didn't know existed. And even worse - she couldn't dance. "Yes, sir."

"Do not embarrass Slytherin House, Miss Potter. Also... I have not yet had a chance to tell you, excellent use of wards in the first task. Five points to Slytherin."

And just when she thought they mutually hated the other, he says something like that.

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"Hey, uh, Theo... I was wondering..."

"Oh, um, if you're asking about the ball-"

"Yeah, how'd you know? So about the ball, I-"

"I asked Daphne yesterday."

"Oh."

"Sorry, Hyacinth."

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"Blaise!"

"Oh, Merlin, what do you want?"

"I wanted to see, well, if you, uh, asked anyone to the ball yet?"

"Trace hasn't told you yet? I asked her weeks ago!"

"Of course. Yeah. I definitely knew that."

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"George!"

"It's Fred, actually. Can't even tell us apart? And you call yourself our friend."

"That's a lie, you're George. Have you asked anyone to the dance yet?"

"Not yet, but I have my eye on this pretty blonde if she'll have me."

"Right. Well then, good luck with that."

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"Anthony, how are you?"

"Hyacinth? I thought our study group didn't meet again until after the holiday?"

"Oh, no, this isn't about arithmancy. I was going to ask about the ball."

"Okay. What about that ball?"

"I, um, do you want to go? With me?"

"Listen, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you're kind of scary, Hyacinth."

"...Is that a no?"

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"Hi, Graham, I w-"