Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 18

It was a chilly winter evening, and I was getting ready to attend a holiday party with Draco. Professor Slughorn's Christmas party was one of the most highly anticipated events of the year, and I was excited to see my friends there. After putting on my dress and doing my hair and makeup, I met up with Draco outside.

I stepped out of my common room and was immediately taken aback. There he was, standing before me, looking as handsome as ever in his crisp suit. As we made our way toward Professor Slughorn's Christmas party, I felt a combination of excitement and nervousness coursing through my veins.

The thought of spending the evening with him, among our friends and classmates, filled me with joy and anticipation. I could hardly contain my delight as we walked arm in arm, stepping into the unknown and sharing in the excitement of the evening.

As we were walking together I suddenly noticed Draco looking at me intently. Before I could ask what was wrong, he leaned in and kissed me softly. He pulled away with a gentle smile on his face and said, "You look absolutely stunning tonight, Sofia."

I felt my cheeks turn bright red as I thanked him, feeling grateful and lucky to have such a wonderful and charming partner. With Draco by my side, I knew the night was going to be magical, and I couldn't wait to dance the night away with him.

Upon arrival, the first thing I noticed was the festivity in the air. The room was decorated with bright lights, shiny ornaments, and the air was filled with the scent of delicious foods. The entire place was bustling with students and professors, all dressed in their best attire.

We were greeted with a warm welcome from Professor Slughorn and I made sure to say hello to all my friends, including Blaise. We sat down for dinner and enjoyed a delicious meal while chatting with our friends.

After dinner, the music started playing, and everyone hit the dance floor. Draco and I danced together for a while, but then we heard a loud commotion coming from the entrance. I turned around to see Filch barging into the room, holding Crabbe and Goyle by the collar.

The two looked startled and confused, and I could see the fear in their eyes. Filch was shouting about how he found the two acting suspiciously, and he was going to take them to the headmaster's office.

As Crabbe struggled to break free, he spat in anger, pointing towards Draco. "You better not fail your task," he hissed, as Goyle added "You've turned into such a prat, Draco. How will you have the guts to fulfill your duty? When you're too busy being too loved up with your precious mudblood to forget more important things?" causing me to look at Draco in confusion. What were they talking about? And why was Draco involved in it?

"That's quite enough, Mr. Goyle!" Slughorn declared sternly. "Filch, if you don't mind, kindly escort these two out. I'm deducting fifty points from Slytherin for your inappropriate speech."

Draco quickly pulled away from me, telling me he'll be right back, before disappearing into the crowd. I watched as he made his way toward Crabbe and Goyle, whispering something to them before they all disappeared out of sight.

I was left standing there, trying to make sense of what had just happened. It was clear that something was going on, something that involved Draco and his old friends. I couldn't help but wonder what it was, and how it would affect us all.

As I stood there lost in thought, the party continued around me, oblivious to the events that had just transpired. But I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was brewing, something that would change everything.

I quickly made my way to Hermione's side and stayed there. "What was that all about?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"I have no idea," I muttered with concern. "Is Malfoy okay? He seemed unusually pale. And that's saying something."

"I'm not sure. He hasn't been associating with Crabbe, Goyle, or Pansy lately. He has even picked me over them on multiple occasions. Could he be feeling guilty? After all, he did spend so much of his life being their friend. It's challenging to completely alter one's persona in a short period."

"That's precisely what concerns me. I am confident in your judgment, but can you guarantee that Draco has changed? Are you sure he is sincerely trying?"

"Yes," I replied without a second thought. Which was strange, because hesitation was plucking at my heartstrings.

"I trust you. But still, just be careful?"

"Of course."

I had been waiting for Draco for a while, and when he still hadn't returned, I began to feel a growing sense of concern. I decided to take matters into my own hands and go out and search for him. I was worried about what I might find, but I knew I had to try. I had a feeling that he was in trouble and I had to do something to help him.

The corridors were eerily quiet, the only sound that could be heard was the distant thud of two sets of feet. Curiosity led me to cautiously sneak towards the source of the noise, which seemed to be coming from a hall off to the left. When I peered around the corner, I was taken aback to see Draco and Professor Snape, both with a look of intense agitation on their faces, indicating that something was amiss.

I had intended to step away and grant them their privacy, yet my ears pricked up when I heard Professor Snape spit out my name disgustingly.

"You cannot possibly be serious, Draco. She is nothing but trouble; a distraction that should be avoided."

"She is the only one who truly cares about me here."

"My apologies, I was under the impression you never cared about feelings, Mr. Malfoy. Not with half the school hating you and the other half fearing you."

"I never-I wish I had known better. I don't want to repeat the same mistakes. I don't want to be that person."

"Wake up, Draco!" Snape hissed. "You don't have the time to bemoan some insignificant mudblood."

"That's ironic coming from you."

"Shut. Your. Mouth. Before I stitch them together."

Snape's voice dropped to a whisper so low that it made me creep back further. "Do I need to remind you what will happen if you don't succeed?", he asked menacingly.

"No. I got that pretty clear. Now, are we done? I have a party to get to."

Deciding to take a leap of faith and act nonchalant, I stepped around the corner. Just before I could make the turn, I felt a hand firmly on my shoulder.

I turned around to see Harry, who looked just as concerned as I did. He put his finger to his lips, signaling me to be quiet.

We listened in on the conversation between Draco and Professor Snape, overhearing details about a task that Draco had been assigned. We realized that if Draco failed, the consequences could be dire.

"Heed my words, Mr. Malfoy," Snape said sternly, "I won't tolerate any more messes. I don't want to have to spend my time cleaning up after you." With that, he spun on his heel and strode off.

We quickly left the room and tried to comprehend what we had just heard. I couldn't believe that Draco was involved in something so dangerous. Harry and I made a pact to keep this information to ourselves for now. The rest of the evening flew by, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in my stomach.

As the night drew to a close, Draco's absence was felt. I was so taken aback by this newfound knowledge of him that I could barely focus on anything else as Harry and Hermione and I made our way back to the common room.