Magical Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 3

Author's Note :- Just thought to update chapter . Thanks for your wonderful votes and beautiful comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------
The ball had already started when we reached there, that is, Ginny, Harry, Luna and I.Considering our late arrival it would be safe to say that we had reached the ball fashionably late.Harry, always the awkward gentleman asked Ginny to dance and I watched as they swayed to the slow song.The music stopped suddenly, and the tables buzzed with whispers as Malfoy and Zabini walked in like they owned the place, but they pretty much did. The girls were swooning, pretty much the same way they did at Harry before Ginny had screamed, "Back off!" In pretty much the same words, supplemented by strong hexes.Lavender and Parvati whispered beside me, "Whoa, Draco and Blaise have arrived!"
"Really?" I asked back sarcastically, "I didn't even realize, I mean I have studied with them for only seven years, and I pretty much thought it was Harry. And isn't it a surprise? They came to their own party!
"They avoided me, I had a sudden deja vu moment of my school years."I am gonna go and greet them," She stated, "Anyone interested?"Parvati went with her and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes.
The music started again, and the analysis of the two wizards who had hosted the party.Everyone at the first moment decided that Malfoy was more handsome and richer than Zabini with his pale skin, blonde hair no longer stick back like in Hogwarts and aristocratic features. But something still hadn't changed from his school days, his arrogance.Luna and I were sitting on table talking when Zabin,i former Slytherin gracefully walked towards us."Hey guys, thanks for coming to party and forgetting the past."
Luna replied in her sagely voice, "Don't look at the past with despair, but look at the future with hope."

Zabini blinked at her for a moment and then slowly, a smile formed on his features, "Thank you, Luna," He said gratefully, "It really does mean a lot. Would you like to dance?"They headed to the dance floor and I was left alone for a while, until Lavender joined me again. I spotted Parvati dancing with Dean and understood her sudden appearance by my side.

Lavender gossiped like there was no tomorrow. She gossiped about everything. In school, I would hold my head in despair, but I smiled as I found myself getting nostalgic of the school days. It was fun, while it lasted. And I was happy for Lavender who had grown out of her insecurity about her scars given to her by Greyback.I was truly happy for her, happy enough to hear her jabber about how Malfoy was more handsome than Zabini, reframed in several different sentences.After Zabini had finished his dance with Luna he came to me and then asked me to dance with him.During dance Zabini talked about daily affairs before nervously coming to the point he said, "I was thinking Gran-, sorry Hermione is Luna single?"A smirk settled on my face, and I held back a laugh, "Yes," She replied playfully, "Someone you know interested in her?"Zabini smiled at me and flashed a fleeting glance at Luna who was seated at the table I had vacated, "Someone is interested."I faked innocence, and asked with the most curious voice I could muster, "And that someone is?"Zabini smirked catching my act, "You'll have to wait and see, Hermione."After the dance with Zabini, Harry asked me to dance and then after a couple of songs, I decided to rest my feet and sat on the sofa that had replaced the tables after the dinner.
After a while I was joined by Lavender, who was breathless with excitement.Her scar had fainted to a pink line and barely noticeable and she hadn't bothered to use glamour to hide it.I heard Zabini's voice behind me, "Come on, Draco," He said, "You should enjoy yourself, dance a bit.""I am not interested in dancing, Zabini," He replied curtly and Zabini sighed."Why?" He asked, "This is a ball, Malfoy. You dance here, cause that's what people do at the ball!""I have already danced a set with people I know," He replied, "And I don't wish to dance with others who will judge me."
"Rubbish, Draco, there are many more beautiful and pleasing ladies here." Zabini protested."Mate," He replied, "I've seen you dancing with Lovegood and I think she is the only non-judgmental Order member I know."

"Draco you could dance with Hermione," He replied, "She wasn't judgmental or prejudiced at all when I talked to her.

Malfoy replied, "Hermione Granger must've been the brightest witch of our age, but she is also the most prejudiced witch of our age."Anger pulsated in my veins, I fisted my hands and took deep breaths trying to calm myself down.'This is just Malfoy,' I told myself, 'He is going to be like that. That's his innate nature. I cannot expect him to be nice and sweet to me! Merlin forbid if he acted like that.''Then why are you pissed if he isn't acting like that?' The other part of my brain asked, and I gave that part a mental stink eye and chose to ignore it.It's Malfoy, he cannot let go of his arrogance.

"Why do you look like you're plotting murder, Hermione?" Luna's voice asked, bringing me out of my memory, "Are Wrackspurts messing your brain?"I related the incident with her and she shook it off, "He mustn't have meant it like that,"

She reasoned."Are there other meanings to 'she is the most prejudiced witch'," I huffed, "Sorry, I think I missed the memo!""Maybe it was Cumrid Fly," She reasoned sagely and I huffed again as Blaise again asked Luna for the dance.I rolled my eyes, all of my non-existent partying mood was gone. I just apparated back to my apartment, changed to the baggiest of trousers and shirt, and then slept, repressing the arrogant ferret from my brain, but failing miserably