𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐄𝐃 ; d.malfoy

25

'The Yule Ball...' began Snape on a fine, December evening, 'will be hosted on the 25th of December. It is a Triwizard Tournament tradition. And all fourth years and above are asked to attend. So, I kindly request you all to behave appropriately and not insult Slytherin's name.'

As Snape explained the ball, there loads of giggles and whispered conversations spread throughout the hall. I even noticed Draco and Blaise conversing with one another with slight tints of red on both of their faces.

'A ball...? So that's why we needed the dress robes!' I say to Daph, who was sitting beside me. She nods with a grin.

'Silence,' Snape said and immediately, everyone closed their mouths, turning their attention back to our house's head. 'Since the ball is traditional, it requires everyone to know how to properly know how to waltz and know the ballroom dance... this is what this session is for.'

'Greengrass! Zabini!' he calls, 'would you both be so kind to demonstrate how to properly dance to everyone here?'

Daph mumbled a few cuss words under her breath; 'I'm going to kill that slimy git,' she mumbled as she reluctantly made her way down from the steps and onto the dance floor below.

Zabini appeared to have been doing the same but with Draco and Quinn instead.

'This isn't optional. Mr Zabini, will you please hurry up?' Snape said.

Eventually, the pair were now on the dance floor below us. Hesitantly, Blaise grabbed Dapne's waist and mumbled some reassuring words to her. Snape then turned on the music.

The two began to dance gracefully across the floor, but, no matter how good they appeared to be, Snape somehow managed to nitpick everything they were doing:

'Put your hand a little lower.'
'Don't step on his foot, Ms Greengrass.'
'Fix your postures!'

Once he was satisfied with their dancing, Snape invited us all to dance so reluctantly, everyone made their way towards the dance floor, finding partners--Parkinson had made Quinn her partner and it made me laugh, slightly. However, I stayed put, unsure of who to ask for a dance.

'Ms Levesque, Mr Malfoy, may I remind you that is compulsory? Would you both be so kind to pair up and join the rest?' came Snape's cold voice. It surprised me how Draco didn't have a partner yet.

Draco and I didn't want to go against Snape wishes so he came to me with his hand reaching out to me, inviting me to dance with him. Just him reaching out made me blush slightly but I did manage to accept his invitation.

With a playful glint in my eye, I extended my hand towards him. 'Shall we?'

He smirked as he dragged me onto the floor, 'let's how good you really are, Levesque.'

Our fingers intertwined in an unexpected yet oddly comfortable way. When his hands found their way onto my waist, I felt my heart nearly explode from the touch with butterflies traversing across my stomach. I knew this was merely for practice but I couldn't help it--I wondered, would this be how I'd feel when we went to the ball together?
As the soft strains of music filled the air, we began to dance.

Our steps were cautious at first, both of us adjusting to the unfamiliar rhythm. But gradually, as we moved in tandem, the awkwardness gave way to a surprising harmony. Draco's hand on my waist was steadying, his touch guiding me with a surprising gentleness.

'You're not as terrible as I expected,' he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

I rolled my eyes, but the laughter in my voice was evident. 'I'll take that as a compliment, I suppose.'