Soul of Ice

11. The Yule Ball

Abbie was in the library, in her and Draco's favourite spot, a table tucked so far away they could talk quietly without disturbing Madam Pince or other students. She was deeply immersed in the latest reading Snape had set for her when a newspaper suddenly landed on top of her book, making her flinch. She looked up and, as she expected, saw Draco take a seat opposite her.

"Read the Prophet today?" he asked, almost buzzing with excitement. "Read it! Go on!"

With a reluctant sigh, Abbie unfolded the paper in front of her and looked at the front page, which was emblazoned with the words HARRY POTTER: TRIWIZARD CHAMPION and a large photo of Harry, who was looking very uncomfortable.

"This is a Rita Skeeter article," she said, looking at the byline. "This is drivel."

"Just read it," Draco insisted. "It's hilarious."

Abbie skimmed over the article. Most of it made her scoff or frown at the absurdity, but she couldn't help laughing when Harry had supposedly said he still cried about his parents, a fact Abbie sure was not true and a statement she was sure he never said.

"Close friend Colin Creevey?" she read out loud incredulously. "... Hermione?!"

"Look at the next paragraph," Draco sniggered. Abbie glanced her eyes down again, and read:

Hermione is not the only girl with her eyes on Harry. Sources say he has also caught the attention of a fellow Gryffindor girl, Abbie Snape, whose interest in Harry has caused quite a rift between the two girls.

"WHAT?!" Abbie exclaimed, a bit too loudly. "I - he - she called me - what?!"

Draco threw his head back, laughing, clearly unbothered by the fact they were in the library, or perhaps just unable to contain his mirth.

"That is possibly the worst sentence I could have possibly read. What the fuck? Me and Hermione, fighting over Harry?! Eurgh. I'd rather date you than Harry. Not to mention, if I did fancy Harry, I think Snape would actually disown me."

"Do you really think so, Abbie Snape?" Draco said with a grin.

Abbie groaned and placed her head on the table, throwing the newspaper aside. "This is hell," she said. "I have died and gone to hell. This is what hell is like. People calling me by my dad's name and thinking I fancy Harry Potter. People must realise," she said, sitting up again, "this is complete bullshit. I mean, me? Fall out with a friend over a boy? Even if I did fancy him, and he was going out with Hermione, to think I would be stupid enough to value a boy over a friend..."

"Personally, I think it's quite enlightening," Draco said, picking up the newspaper from where Abbie had tossed it aside. "I feel I've really learnt a lot about..." He squinted at the very last paragraph. "Flure Delacore and Victor Crumb."

"Why is she so fascinated with Harry, anyway? Krum's famous too. And probably infinitely more interesting than Harry. If this complete bollocks of an article proves anything, it's that Harry's so boring she had to make crap up about him. Surely an international quidditch player is actually interesting?"

"The truth is boring," Draco shrugged, reading the article again and sniggering. "This is much more fun."

"Well, I'm glad you're having fun. I, meanwhile, am going to have to put up with Harry's sulking even more now. Ugh, and the whole school's gonna be thinking I fancy him."

"No, they won't," said Draco confidently. "I'll make sure they don't."

"Oh yeah? And how are you gonna achieve that?"