LUNACY ll Mattheo Riddle x Reader

17. ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛᴍᴀꜱ ᴘᴀʀᴛʏ

"Having a good time, you two?" I walk up to Theo and Hermione by the eggnog, having parted ways with Riddle the second we entered the room. Hermione has a faint blush on her cheeks, and I don't think at all it's from the makeup. Theo looks quite happy as well, and I leave the two to continue enjoying each other's company.

As Slughorn promised, dozens of famous figureheads of the Wizarding World have made an appearance here tonight, including various entertainment celebrities, famous authors, high ranking Ministry workers, and members of powerful Wizarding families.

I spot Harry soon after that, talking to that frizzy haired professor who's always wailing about death omens wherever she goes. Harry has a pretty blonde girl on his arm, a Ravenclaw, I think. She's dressed in extremely odd clothing, and I'm pretty sure that's an onion on her necklace- But to each their own, I suppose.

"Blaise Zabini," I gasp at the boy who's off sulking in a corner all by himself. "Are my eyes deceiving me? Or are you really here alone?"

"Oh sod off, Malfoy," he rolls his eyes, but shifts to make room for me anyway.

"What happened? I know it's not that you couldn't find a date- Your status as Star Quidditch player should have automatically granted you a list of willing prospects. And not just the Slytherin girls, either- You know the Ravenclaws are convinced you're some sort of hot rich bad boy who'd be unbelievably good in bed?"

Blaise smirks. "But I am a hot rich-"

"Shut up, Zabini," I tell him before he can go any further. "Really though, how come you're here all alone?"

"Couldn't come up with a good spell to hex Dean Thomas in time," Blaise shrugs.

"Dean Thomas?" I repeat quizzically. "Ohh. Dean Thomas as in-"

"Yes," he mutters, glaring across the room at the Gryffindor couple who sit chatting over desserts.

"And you really think Ginny would appreciate you hexing her boyfriend?"

"We'll call it a romantic gesture. Albeit an anonymous one."

"Whatever you say, Blaise," I shake my head. Then snap my head ninety degrees around when a crashing sound comes from the entrance. "What in Merlin's name..."

"Professor Slughorn," wheezes Filch, looking giddy with excitement. "I discovered this boy," he drags my brother forward by his ear, "Lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"

Draco pulls himself free of Filch's grip, looking furious. "All right, I wasn't invited!" he says angrily. "I was trying to gatecrash, happy?"

"No, I'm not!" answers Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say that nighttime prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"

"That's all right, Argus, that's all right," Slughorn says. "It's Christmas, and it's not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment- You may stay, Draco."

Blaise and I exchange a glance with each other. It's not like Draco to stoop so low as to try and sneak into a party, all the more so when he's been nothing but distant from the rest of society these past months.

Draco, having composed his face into a smile, starts thanking Slughorn for his generosity.

"It's nothing, nothing," says Slughorn, waving away Malfoy's thanks. "I did know your grandfather, after all..."