𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 || 𝐃.𝐌

XXXIV

“Such a beautiful place this is,
to be with friends.”

[Dobby.]

☄. *. ⋆

“Draco, the Yule Ball is nearly upon us. Have you decided who you'll be taking?” Crabbe asked Draco as they waited for Professor Snape to arrive in their Potions class. It was a well-known fact that Snape was always late to his own class.

Draco immediately answered, “Y/n, of course,” with an excited smile written all over his face. He had been waiting for this moment ever since the Yule Ball was announced and had already planned everything out perfectly in his head. He had imagined the two of them dancing under the moonlight, with Y/n looking like a true princess and him as her prince charming.

Draco has always been aware that the young girl has harbored a deep desire to embody the role of the princess found within the pages of every child's fairytale book. In a gesture of his affection and concern for her, he would be more than willing to grant her this cherished wish.

“I'm sure she'd be delighted to dance like the real princess she is, in my arms,” Draco added, thinking about how he will ask the little girl later for an invitation. He had even bought her a beautiful dress and had been thinking how he will make the Ball memorable for Y/n.

“Woah, dude, if you keep on doing that, I will start to believe that you're actually going to sign up as Y/n's father,” Goyle said, making the four of them laugh: Crabbe, Blaise, Goyle, and even Draco himself.

They all knew how much Draco cared for the little girl and how much he wanted to make this event special for her so they're all very much willing to help.

The four of them are busy talking about how they will sort out the plans when suddenly, “Mr. Malfoy. I want you to come with me in my office now.” Professor Snape appeared out of nowhere, surprising the four of them and the whole class as well.

Even the Golden Trio, who were in the same room, watched skeptically as Draco rose from his chair and followed the emotionless professor.
 
Draco doesn't even know what was happening or why he was called this time; he just followed Professor Snape as he led the way.

☄. *. ⋆

“What's with the long face, Y/n?” asked Evrin as he looked at Y/n, who was staring outside the window as the snow fell continuously.

The little girl immediately looked at Evrin as she faked a smile and shook her head. “It's nothing, Evrin,” she answered. “I'm just a little distracted, yeah. That's all.”

Evrin's eyes narrowed as he looked at Y/n. He knew that she was lying. He could see the sadness in her eyes. He knew that it was about his senior again, Draco Malfoy.

Capella, who was sitting next to Y/n, interjected, “You’re lying. It’s about Malfoy again, isn’t it?” Y/n looked away, letting out a soft sigh.

She was in Charms class at the moment with Capella and her three new friends, Alycone, Evrin, and Henrick. It was unexpected how they had all become so close, especially given Henrick’s quiet demeanor— too quiet that he doesn't really speak. He was part of the group now, even though he often fell asleep during class.

“It's just that he should be here right now. He told me he's going to fetch me today because he has something to say.” Y/n said with a hint of disappointment. She anxiously fidgeted with her wand between her fingers, staring off into the distance. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the Hogwarts grounds.

“Maybe he's doing something?” Alcyone suggested optimistically. “Or, maybe he's planning on asking you to the ball!” she added with a sly grin.

Capella rolled her eyes and interjected, “Honestly, Alcyone, can you ever think about anything other than romance and parties?”

Alcyone scowled, crossing her arms defensively. “I'm just trying to cheer her up,” she retorted, sticking out her bottom lip in a pout.

“Someone's outside the door.” Henrick said, his voice breaking the noise.

The four of them immediately stopped talking and turned to look at him. He was still leaning on his desk, his eyes closed in concentration. The room was quiet for what felt like hours, but was only a few seconds. Suddenly, they heard a noise outside the door. It was a faint sound, but it was enough to make them all look. Crabbe and Goyle entered the room, panting heavily and sweating profusely. They had run all the way from the other side of the castle, carrying a luxurious white box, which made the group even more curious and surprised.

Capella inquired, “What's that box for?” Crabbe and Goyle exchanged exhausted glances.

Finally, Crabbe spoke up, “It's a gift for Y/n, Draco asked us to give it to her.” The group looked at each other, their curiosity piqued.

However in Y/n's case, she didn't care about the box at all, she was more worried because Draco was nowhere to be seen, and so she asked, “Where's Draco?” which made both Crabbe and Goyle exchange glances before answering again.

“Draco's busy right now,” Crabbe said apologetically. “But hey, look here, Y/n. This box is for you, inside this box is a beautiful dress Draco bought for you.”

Goyle nodded his head enthusiastically. “That's right, Y/n! He bought it from Madam Malkin's shop, and he bought this dress himself!” The news of the gift made Evrin, Capella, and Alycone gasp in surprise.

They were well aware that the dresses created by Madam Malkin were known for their exquisite designs and high prices, often costing a hundred galleons or more. The three friends couldn't help but wonder what occasion called for such an extravagant gift.

Henrick, on the other hand, remained sound asleep, completely unaware of the excitement around him. As for Y/n, she was taken aback by the unexpected present. She couldn't fathom why Draco had gone to such lengths to purchase a dress for her.

“Busy? But he didn't tell me what he was up to,” the little girl said, still looking anxious and confused. She wondered what Draco was doing, and why he was so busy. She then noticed the gift and asked, “And he bought this for me? But why? Did I do something good?” She searched her memory, trying to recall anything that could have warranted such a gift.

“I'm pretty sure I never ironed Draco's clothes or washed them either. Ever since I got here, all he did was treat me kindly. Why am I being rewarded?” and that's how Y/n made the whole room silent.