RIDDLE ME THIS

39

the Yule Ball was set to begin at 7pm.

Pansy and i had finished our lunch and then decided to bunk off our afternoon lessons in order to get ready.

we were in her room—the one Tom had temporarily resided in—and the doors adjoining our bedrooms was open.

"so, tell me about you and Matteo." i wiggled my eyebrows as i curled her hair.

"what's there to say?!"

"are you dating?"

"well... we've been on dates, but i wouldn't say dating."

"Pans, that's the literal definition of dating." i levelled her with a bland look.

she just shrugged.

"have you had a boyfriend before?" i asked.

she nodded. "Adrian Pucey in the year above."

i gagged.

"what?!"

"the one with the teeth?!" i couldn't believe what i was hearing.

"i was an oblivious fifth-year and he was the head of the Quidditch team!" she protested. "was i meant to reject him?!"

"at least tell him to get braces first!" a thought hit me. "how on earth did you kiss him?"

she blushed. "with great difficulty."

"i can imagine," i wrapped a few hairs around her curler.

"what about you and Draco?"

i was silent for a moment, debating whether i should tell her—"he said he loves me."

"really?!" Pansy's eyes shot to mine in the reflection.

i nodded. "he gave me a family heirloom."

i showed her the ring on my little finger.

"wow," she studied my hand. "i'm... pleasantly surprised."

"why?" i was instantly wary.

she shrugged. "i don't think he's ever so much as liked a girl before."

"really?" it was my turn to ask.

"yeah," her eyebrows lifted. "he's gotten with girls before, but he never liked them."

"how do you know?"

"oh, we go way back, Draco and i."

"how did you meet?"

she huffed a laugh. "under a table at some fancy ball."

"why doesn't that surprise me?"

"we were the only children there, and both quite fed up with being forced to dance with elderly widows, so we hid."

i laughed. "that's quite sweet, really."

she nodded. "we went to the same primary school, and then came here together."

"and you've stayed friends all this time?"

"we've had our ups and downs... he's like a brother to me, and sibling fights aren't something you should get in between."

"oh i know. Tom pushed me out of an attic window during one of our fights."

"what the fuck?" Pansy's eyes were wide.

i mimicked her expression and she giggled, picking up her glass of Riddle Remedy.

we'd watered it down but it was still pretty strong.