Interstellar || Draco Malfoy

25 || Yule Ball Dates

Weeks after the first task, the feeling finally returned to my right arm. There were scars from the Vipertooth bite from my shoulder down to my wrist, serving as a grizzly reminder of my near-death experience. The thought alone was sobering for me, instilling in me even further that the wizarding world was far more dangerous than the muggle world. I found that I'd much prefer a death to a muggle mugger than a deadly dragon, but I wouldn't want to go back to my own muggle life.

However, lessons went on as usual. I still didn't need to do any work, but I paid attention and participated like every other student during classes. I took care to pay extra close attention during my extra lessons with Snape, who had gone further than teaching me to apparate. He decided that the tasks were dangerous, and that what I was learning in class wouldn't be enough for me to make it out alive. So, he took it upon himself to teach me spells that weren't found in many school books.

Of all the classes I'd looked forward to taking during my time at Hogwarts, I never expected one of them to be a dance class. Not only was the idea of a dance lesson a surprise, but the teacher himself came as a surprise. Professor Snape, claiming that he was our head of house and no one else was fit to teach his Slytherins the 'art of dance', had elected to teach those fourth years and above the traditional Yule Ball dance. He'd taken to dancing with volunteers, but after picking the first few students apart, no one volunteered to dance anymore.

Being that I was his unspoken favorite, and that I would have to participate at the dance at the start of the ball, he'd asked if I would be comfortable dancing with him. Of course, I agreed; Snape was my favorite professor, and no one else was jumping at the idea of dancing with him. Snape commended me for learning the dance so quickly, and pointedly called out his other students for not picking up on a dance they should've learned from their families before they set foot in Hogwarts.

Now, the only thing left for the boys and I to do in order to prepare for the ball was to find suitable clothes and dates. I didn't really want to go with a date, but I was to be showcased in the start of the ball waltz, so I needed to go with someone. Unfortunately, none of us were having any luck in the date department.

"How are we supposed to ask one of them to go with us if they're all too scared of you to approach us?" Crabbe groaned, shooting me a half-hearted glare.

"It's not my fault they think I'm evil." I defended myself with a huff. "I've never even spoken to any of these girls, aside from Pansy. And, despite my laborious efforts, she still won't stop coming."

"Hi, Draco!" Pansy practically purred, sidling up to Draco. I looked over at Goyle and stuck my tongue out, mimicking a gag as she latched onto Draco's arm. Goyle tried to keep it together, but failed miserably and cackled, forcing an irritated scowl to pass Pansy's face.

"Hello, Parkinson." Draco greeted coldly, shaking her off.

"Have you got a date for the ball yet?" She asked, hope glittering in her eyes. I felt my stomach churn at the thought of the two of them together, and rolled my eyes in hopes the feeling would go away.

"No, Parkinson." Draco answered, sounding astoundingly annoyed at the girl.

"We should go toge-" Pansy started, getting cut off by one of the Durmstrang students quite literally picking her up and moving her to the side.

"Hello, Desdemona." His heavy accent make me flush, and I instinctively took half a step back. I recognized this boy as the one who breathed fire during the Durmstrang introductions, and the same boy who smirked at me after dropping his own name into the goblet.

"Hello..." I trailed off, looking to him to fill in the blank.

"Alexander." He supplied, smirking down at me. He held out his hand, and I placed my much smaller one in his. He bent forward, placing a soft kiss to my knuckles before standing up straight and gently releasing my hand.