Forbidden Love-Draco Malfoy (smut scenes included)

The Yule Ball

Cassie POV

I drifted around numbly for the next few weeks. It was completely surreal. The Slytherins were loving it, quoting Rita's article at every opportunity but it was humiliating that the entire school appeared to know about our friendship and the rather public way it ended. I did wonder who had leaked it to her. I lingered on Cedric for a few days seeing as he'd found us but he wasn't in the library when the Yule Ball conversation had taken place plus he was far too nice. So I ruled him out.

Perhaps more humiliating was that the teachers knew, parents knew and anyone who read Witch Weekly knew. Most teachers reserved judgement with the exception being Snape who also enjoyed quoting the article during Potions, particularly when Amortenia came up again. For once I bit my tongue and took it-I was surprisingly too deflated to retort.

However that didn't stop the flurry of letters I received every morning, most along the lines of I was bringing shame to my family name and my parents would be ashamed of me for being such a gold digger. I soon stopped bothering to open them, which meant I missed a few letters from Lupin until the owl pecked my arm so furiously it split my hand open until I finally took the letter. 

My friends noticed the change in my mood and even Hermione reserved judgement in favour of sympathy which I greatly appreciated. She even helped with the hate mail by igniting every letter before I could open them. 
Ancient Runes was a bit of a nightmare as Malfoy and I were still forced to work together but we worked in silence, heads bowed.
I'd tried once more to ask why exactly it was all over and he'd simply replied, "My father."
I assumed his dad had read the Witch Weekly article and had fully put his foot down and I didn't attempt to argue. As Lupin said it was his choice at the end of the day.

Thankfully I still had the Yule Ball to look forward to and as it neared people stopped chattering about me and turned their attention to what they were going to be wearing. Hermione had been surprisingly cagey about her date but it didn't take me long to work it out. Still, I kept my mouth shut.

The day of the ball dawned and I had decided to make as much of entrance as possible in order to reaffirm the fact I didn't care about the rumours anymore. So that evening I spent ages in front of the mirror getting my hair into just the right curls, not too tight or too flimsy and managed to apply just the right level of make up, not too heavy or too light.

"Wow!" I heard from behind me and I turned to see Hermione emerge from the bathroom, "You're gonna knock everyone dead Cassie!"

"Me?" I said astonished looking Hermione up and down, "You look amazing..."

"Thanks," she smiled, "You go on, I'll catch you up."

I nodded, Krum and her had to enter separately as he was a Champion so I made my way down to the common room and found George chatting to Fred and Angelina by the fire. His tie matched mine perfectly and our hair was almost the same shade.

"Unlucky Fred," I smirked pointing to our matching outfits, "Think we win."

"Hell yeah we do," smiled George proudly, holding out his arm, "Shall we?"

"We shall," I smiled back, taking it and heading towards the hall. This was going to be good after all, I could tell.

Malfoy POV

I stood on the side of the Great Hall straightening my tie and glowering at everyone coming in. I had Pansy twittering next to me but I tried to ignore her; it was just one night. I looked around the Hall, wondering if Potter was here anywhere. Not that I wanted to see her, I just wondered if she'd got herself a date. Shouldn't be a problem for her in theory but since the article dropped so had her popularity. 

I suddenly spotted her drifting in on the arm of one of the Weasley twins; I had to fight to stop my jaw dropping so I followed her with my eyes instead as she swanned towards the other Gryffindors-I'd never seen her look like that before. Still, I was allowed to think she was fit. Didn't mean anything.

"What do you think Draco?" I suddenly heard Pansy simpering next to me.

"Hmm?" I snapped out of my thoughts but kept my eyes on Potter, "What did you say?"

She sighed and followed my gaze, "You're not still simping over her are you?"

"No," I finally clapped my eyes away and looked at Pansy frowning at me, "Didn't really speak to her that much anyway."

"Good," she smiled smugly, "She only brings trouble."

The phrase stirred in my mind. Snape and my father always said that to me. But it was true, since I'd kept my distance, it had been calmer. 

Buttt...the last few weeks had been annoyingly boring. Since word had spread to my father (presumably from Snape) that I was keeping my distance, my life had been surprisingly mundane. I'd begun to miss the excitement of meeting her secretly not knowing if we'd be caught, I'd quite enjoyed winding Snape up and even begun to miss her cheeky smile when she came up with another way to annoy me. Maybe she was a friend after all. She certainly didn't judge me in the way my other friends did.

I kept a close eye on her that evening, wondering if I should go over and talk to her but she was nearly always surrounded by fellow Gryffindors wanting a dance. Evidently her popularity was recovering.

Finally she broke away and headed towards the Butterbeer fountain-alone. This was my only chance. Pansy had gone to the toilet so now was my opportunity. I headed over, just as she began filling a goblet.

"Hey," I murmured, surprisingly nervous and she turned in surprise, "Can you fill me one?"

"Aren't you worried people will see us?" she asked scathingly turning her back on me, but I saw her filling another goblet,  "Seeing as I'm such a gold-digger."

"Oh well," I said to her turned back, "Let them stare."

She looked back round, a look of bemusement on her face, "What? You...you don't mind."

I shrugged, "I kinda miss winding everyone up," I admitted, "Plus the Slytherins are surprisingly boring."

"I could've told you as such," she smiled, finally handing me my Butterbeer. She really did look quite nice tonight, especially up close.

"So what I basically came to say is..." I paused thinking my next words through carefully, "Um...can we be friends again?"

She raised her eyebrows, "I never thought I'd see the day, you begging for my friendship."

"Oh no," I retorted, "Not that. I just...I just want to wind Snape up."

She nodded approvingly, "My favourite pastime." She held her hand out and I shook it. She laughed and we clinked goblets and drank.

She spotted me looking around the Hall, "You having second thoughts?" she asked gesturing the people who had started to stare.

"Never," I declared slamming my goblet down, "In fact, we should have a quick dance-just to really rub it in their faces."

She looked shocked, "Really?" she sounded a little nervous, "I don't like people staring."

"You must be used to it though," I commented then instantly regretted it when she looked at me questioningly, "I mean...from the last few weeks."

"Oh...right," she nodded but still looked at me suspiciously. I gotta be more careful. I was allowed to think she was fit, but I was not allowed to do anything about it.

I held my hand out but before she took it, she looked to the side and her mouth dropped open, "Oh no!" I followed her gaze and spotted Granger on the steps of the Entrance Hall, sobbing.

"Sorry Draco," she said, "I gotta sort this out."

"OK," I replied, secretly relieved I didn't have to humiliate myself at my (lack of) dancing skills. Still, it'd been nice to spend some more time with her. 

"I'll see you around yeah?" she smiled putting her goblet down and turning on her heel and hurrying towards the steps.

"Typical Granger," I muttered shaking my head as I watched her retreat, "Always has to interfere in my plans."