For The Tabloids

Chapter Eight

Third Person POV:

Draco looked at himself in the mirror, fixing the collar of his shirt with caution. Neville and Luna had informed him that morning that there would be some other guests joining dinner that same night, they just didn't tell him who those guests were. Over the past two weeks Draco, Pansy, Neville, and Luna had become considerably good friends. Neville and Luna had made Draco feel like he belonged, despite recognizing his previous behavior as something that shouldn't be forgotten all too quickly. And he appreciated their attitudes towards him.

They welcomed the change and addressed the past. And nothing could make Draco feel more at peace, that they could recognize he had been a horrible person in his youth but welcoming the current day version of him with open arms.

Draco even felt like he was finally a good person, finally free from the shackles of cowardice that held him down from interacting with anyone outside of his tight knit circle. And despite hoping that the guests that would be there tonight would see him in the same light that Neville and Luna had, he doubted they would treat him any better than the gum on the bottom of their shoes. Especially if it was anyone from their Hogwarts days, especially Gryffindor's.

But Draco couldn't focus on the what ifs, the things which he could not control despite how hard he tried. He had to focus on what he could control, such as his outfit.

He had chosen something that was noticeably different from his daily attire. A pair of navy dress pants, a color which he would rarely wear and had just sitting in the back of his closet, and a white button down shirt. While he could see how the outfit was simple and bland he noted that it made him more approachable, perhaps something that would lend itself to him tonight. Draco glanced towards the other outfit he had laid out on his bed, emerald pants with a black shirt and a snake belt, the quintessential Slytherin outfit. While he had believed that outfit felt more right to be on his body, felt more like the proper pureblood he had been raised to be, he didn't feel compelled to even glance twice at it.

Perhaps he was okay with not presenting as a terrifying and cold man who could hex someone for simply glancing at him the wrong way. Perhaps he was letting the fear of having to be the perfect Malfoy go.

The sound of Pansy's voice echoed down the hall, pulling Draco out of his train of thought. "Draco if you don't hurry up I'll come in and give you a proper beating!" Pansy liked to be on time, something one would never guess by looking at her. Draco knew that it had been a trait that had been drilled into Pansy since she was a girl, knew that her parents had yelled at her constantly for being late to events at Malfoy Manor. But Pansy would never admit that. She never enjoyed talking about her family or childhood, unless it was brief jokes about her up brining that is. "Draco I swear I'll do it!" Pansy practically stumbled into his bedroom, a smug look found on her face. "Stop fiddling with your outfit you look fine" she stated, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the door of their flat. "Pansy let go" Draco pleaded with her, feeling a strange rush of anxiety over power him. "You're just worried one of the guests could be Hermione" Pansy swung the door of the flat wide open, dragging Draco out of it and onto the warm streets of Hogsmeade. "Am not!" Draco felt his face grow hot, whether it was from the weather or his emotions he didn't know. Pansy just giggled and continued practically dragging him down the streets of Hogsmeade towards the door of Neville and Lunas house.

They arrived at the door in no time, Pansy pushing Draco towards it as soon as they were close enough.

Draco inhaled a deep breath, his hand reaching for the door knocker with a noticeable quiver.

Three loud knocks sounded out around him, seemingly louder in his mind than they were in reality. Luna's voice could be heard loudly stating that the last of the guests had arrived before she even opened the door. Her tone was bright and merry, something that Draco hoped would ease the strangers into a welcoming head space.