𝒫𝓇𝑜𝓅𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓎 ~𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙿𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖞-𝖋𝖎𝖛𝖊

𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍

"ʙᴜᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʜᴜʀᴛ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʟɪᴇ." ― ᴋʜᴀʟᴇᴅ ʜᴏꜱꜱᴇɪɴɪ

*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*

The entire house buzzed with conversation and laughter.

In my room, I could hear each and every person enter and chat their way to the dining hall. It was different. Hearing something other than Mippy or Draco was humanizing. I almost felt like I was living in an actual home. The noise flowed up the stairs and into my room, sending an unusual sense of hospitality my way.

I left my room soon after I finished getting ready completely.

I managed to hide the depression with a few pounds of makeup and just pinned my hair back. This is the best they are going to get.

I tried to blend in with the crowd, I tried to stay close to the wall as I walked down the stairs to avoid bringing attention to me, but every step I took brought another pair of eyes.

Everyone was dressed in suits and black tie dresses, each a variety of dark colors. Their heads turned and followed as I walked through the foyer into the ballroom. Keeping my eyes on the floor would only make me appear weak and vulnerable even, so I walked with my shoulders back and chin up.

I just need Draco to see that I'm here, maybe have a few drinks, then I can leave.

While I waited for Draco and his parents to enter, I headed for the arrangements of food and drinks. It was a thin table stretched along the outer rim of the room. I skipped past the array of foods and pivoted straight for the glasses.

There was some sort of incantation that kept the punch bowl spinning, never allowing the liquid to settle. I had no idea what was in it, but its vibrant red color made me think it was intended for the underage wizards and witches.

To the right of the bowl were dozens of prefilled glasses. Those, I reckon, are meant for the adults.

Just as I began reaching for a glass, a hand was placed on my lower back.

Alarms instantly sounded in my head.

The hand slid to the side as the person stepped in front of me. "I wouldn't. It'd be a shame to watch you make a fool of yourself tonight."

It was the same person who barged into my room last week. The same brown eyes and scarred face.

I cleared my throat as I took a large step back, creating enough distance for his hand to drop. "Excuse me."

I turned on my heel and walked away, drinkless and nervous.

I thought I'd see Sydney, or Theo, or honestly any familiar faces. But the more I searched the crowd the louder the alarms got. There were no children here. Not even Draco.

Don't panic.

God, I was so stupid to think I could do this. I shouldn't be here.

I pushed through the thickening crowd, trying to calmly leave before-

A tight grip on my arm prevented me from getting any further. The large hand squeezed down on my already tender skin and pulled me next to them.

I looked up at Lucius Malfoy, my top lip instantly curling at his presence. "Let go of me."

He didn't turn to glare at me or give me any verbal response, he simply stared at the small stage in front of us.

When I attempted to pull out of his grasp, it only made his grip harden.