joelle | d.m

18 | silence emitted

November, 1994.

Draco had his first date with Joey.

It was his first date ever, actually. And he had a bloody great time.

She hadn't been shrugging him off or been deliberately quiet the whole time. She was actually talking to him and openly smiling with him.

She laughed with him—or at him. He didn't know which one it was, but she laughed. He was able to make her laugh openly and he hadn't even been trying to do so. He quite liked the sound of her infectious laugh.

The thing about her laughs and smiles during their date was that they were never, ever filled with judgement or ridicule. Even when she was teasing him or joking around, there was absolutely no judgement anywhere. It felt unfamiliarly safe to him.

It was like she created a safe space for him to feel comfortable in, and he only hoped that he managed to do the same for her. To create a safe space for her with him, because he'd never judge or or make fun of anybody.

Even as he lay in his bed the morning after, he couldn't stop smiling. Last night was probably the most fun he'd had in a long time and it didn't include anything sexual. That was a first for him.

Something made his chest tight though. The way she had pulled her hand from his when their skins brushed. Did she not like it? Did she not want to hold his hand? Did he come off too strong?

Despite this, he got to see a sneak peak of who Joelle Honrada was. The way her soft cheeks felt resting in his palms. It had felt indescribable. He wanted to keep her pretty face in his hands forever.

The one thing he could never get over was the way her dark eyes captivated him. There was something inside her eyes that kept him drawn to her. It was like they held their own story.

When he felt like he was ready, he got out of bed and went to get himself ready for classes. Smiling as he did so.

_____

"You took her on a date?" Theodore was baffled.

"What about it?" Draco didn't know what the issue was.

"Mate," Blaise slowly said, sitting across from his blond friend at their table in the Great Hall. "You took her on a date, but you still didn't hit."

His stomach turned uneasily at the mention of this stupid challenge again. He didn't like it.

"She's not that kind of girl." Draco decided to play it off coolly. "I need to get with her on a more emotional level before I sleep with her."

"Are you sure you don't want to call it off?" Theodore asked gingerly, peeling a tangerine over the table.

"Oi." Blaise backhanded the burnet boy a few times. "If Malfoy sleeps with her before January next year, you owe me a hundred galleons."

"Bloody hell, are you serious?" Theodore stared irritably at his mate.

"You're scared you'll lose, hm?" Blaise razzed with an ignorant smile.

Theodore's jaws set. "No," he said firmly. "Fine. Bet's on. If I win and Malfoy doesn't sleep with her before then, you give me a hundred galleons."

"Deal." Blaise held out a hand.

Theodore took it and aggressively shook it.

Draco grabbed a green apple and rose from his seat. "Alright," he said slowly. "See you guys later."

He left the Great Hall and walked around the castle for a bit since classes didn't start for another fifteen minutes. He ate his apple as he strolled, contemplating. It really wasn't that deep, right? The little game? He was having some fun with Joey and that was all that mattered at the moment. The challenge to get her in bed didn't matter right now.