BANALITY : Draco Malfoy

15

I'm lucky that Blaise makes no further attempt to accost me. I'm unlucky that Ali and Amanda remembered that I exist and so they are forcing me to come to Vanish. They even dragged me out to buy another dress. It's fine though because we also grab some stockings for our Halloween costumes. There is a Halloween party Sunday night, so we will only have one day to recuperate before another evening of music and noise.

The dress is black, again. While it's different enough that I won't look ridiculous wearing a similar dress two nights out in a row, I don't know that boys pay enough attention to clothes to notice. The other one had thicker straps and a plunging neckline. It was longer too. This one I cannot bend over in without exposing myself, and the straps are so thin that I worry they will dig into my shoulders. I worry that the straight neckline of the dress is plain.

My flatmates gush over it. Ali tries to talk me into buying it in a colour, any colour really. She pulls out a green one, a silver one, and even a red one. Colour just makes me more washed out. It wouldn't be well suited to me.

They already own the clothes that they plan to wear. Ali's dress is gold and sparkly, with a slit. Amanda once more wears those thigh-high boots, but her dress is a soft pink this time around.

Shortly after we eat dinner, the door buzzes.

"They aren't meant to be coming over," Ali looks at the door. She is just finishing drying her dishes.

"Shit," I know who it is. Draco and I had made plans. Fuck. I'm not used to making schedules, since the only people I usually hang out with are Ali and Amanda, and we always hang out as a group.

"What?" Amanda asks.

"Is it Draco?" Ali asks. She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

I swallow, "yes."

"You're not ditching, are you?" Amanda asks.

"What?" Ali raises an eyebrow. "I thought you invited him along."

I shake my head. Once again, he didn't tell me what our plans were, but it certainly is him. I lean my head back.

"I'm sorry," is all I manage. I'm not dressed to go with him. I'm wearing pajama bottoms and a t-shirt with stains that I usually wear to clean the bathroom. Even wearing that dress would be better than this.

"No, you aren't ditching," Ali shakes her head. "I won't have it."

"I made plans with him last week," I look down.

I move to go into the bedroom to find something presentable to throw on, but Ali blocks me, "invite him along. He's been before."

"That'll upset Graham," Amanda's voice is tinged with a sadness that I don't like.

"Well, he's bound to be upset when he finds out she ditched us for a different man anyway," Ali crosses her arms. "Go bring him up."

I sigh but make my way back to the door. Perhaps if I can get him into the flat, I can change in my bedroom and then go with him. The buzzer goes once more before I manage to pull on my shoes.

When I'm downstairs, he doesn't notice me. Not even in the way he usually doesn't. Even once the lobby door opens, his eyes are fixated on the buzzer. He presses it again.

"You're going to annoy them," I tell him.

His head turns to me, and I swear he almost flinches, "what are you wearing?"

"I forgot," I admit. "Honestly, promised my friends we would go to Vanish tonight."

He closes his eyes. I wonder, if they were open would I see a flash of fury? Instead, he shoves his hands into the jacket of his peacoat.