IMPERIO // Draco Malfoy X Reader

Chapter 9: The Great Hall, Halloween

Theo ended up skipping his detention to go to practice in the end. Which resulted in Snape giving him double detentions, and banning him from the Halloween feast.

Theo was now sulking on the couch in the common room as everyone filed out, heading to the Great Hall.

"Old git." He grumbled. "Why does he care anyway? He should have been happy that I went to practice, I'm on his team for gods sake..."

"Don't be upset Theo." Draco said. "You're not missing much anyway-"

"Oh bug off." Theo griped.

"I would." Draco said. "But we're waiting for Pansy, who's doing who knows what to her face." He gestured at the entrance to the girls side of the dormitory impatiently.

You rolled your eyes, turning to talk to Leo. He looked a little put out, a slight downward tilt in the corner of his lips.

"What's wrong with you?" You asked.

Leo shrugged, nodding at Theo. "It's not really fair that he doesn't get to go, is it?"

"He was the one who skipped." You said. Leo's frown twitched and you sighed. "But if it makes you feel any better, I'll help you sneak him back some pie."

Leo grinned at you, obviously having gotten what he wanted.

"Can we go yet?" Blaise sighed. "By the time we get there, the feast will have already started."

"It's your fault for making fun of how she looks so much." Lyre said.

Blaise rolled his eyes. "Like you don't do the same."

"Not nearly as much as you." Lyre replied.

"How kind of you all to wait." Pansy said as she came down from the steps. She made her way over to the group quickly, smiling.

Draco rolled his eyes. "We would have never heard the end of it if we didn't."

"Let's go." Blaise said, heading towards the common room door. Everyone followed after him, eager to get to the meal. Theo harrumphed once more from his place on the sofa, and then you were out the door.

"Do I look alright?" Pansy asked you, turning so you could see her full face.

You gave her a quick once over. "Looks fine to me."

Evidently relieved, she smiled.

The trek to the Great Hall was short, and you arrived with the last round of students. The tables were already full of people and chatter but you were sure your usual seats at the Slytherin table were still empty.

After all, with your friends... no one would
dare.

Draco led the way to the table and took his seat with no issue, everyone else fanning out in their usual seats around him. The dishes in front of you were still empty, but no doubt in a few minutes they would be bursting with food.

Your stomach rumbled. You couldn't wait.

You took in the decorations around the hall while you waited. Giant pumpkins carved into jack-o-lanterns were placed around the room, each big enough to climb into. Instead of the usual steady light from above, the candles flickered in an invisible wind, adding to the spooky atmosphere.

"The decorations get tackier every year." Blaise deadpanned.

You stopped looking around the room, instead focusing on the table in front of you.

The candles flickered dinner for a moment, and then Dumbledore was standing at his podium, looking over the crowd.

"Before we dig in to the delicious feast the House Elves have prepared..."

Leo leaned over to you. "Do you think if I vanished a piece of pie for Theo I could summon it back?"

"That's not how vanishing works." You replied.

Leo frowned. "Do you have any other ideas?"

You thought for a moment. Apparating didn't work inside Hogwarts, and you didn't know how... you didn't want to sneak it out in your robes...

"Shrink it down." You said. "You can put it in your pocket and then just enlarge it back in the common room."

Leo grinned. "Alright, yeah." He said. "Thanks Y/N."

You grinned back at him.

"...so without further ado, Happy Halloween!"

Dumbledore wrapped up his speech and clapped his hands together. The plates in front of you filled with food then, roast meats and bowls of fresh green vegetables popping into existence. You reached for a chicken drumstick first, before piling scalloped potatoes onto your dish.

Pansy eyed your plate apprehensively. "Don't you think-"

You paid her no mind though and dug in to your food. You were decently hungry, and everything just looked so good.

"It really is a shame Theo can't be here." Leo said, picking at his food.

"You'll just have to eat his share too." Lyre said. "Lord knows you need it."

"Yeah." Draco chimed in. "You could use some real meat on you. Probably help the team out too."

Leo glanced sideways at Draco before taking a bite of his dinner.

You swallowed, taking a sip of water from your goblet. In the dim candlelight, Draco looked even more attractive than usual. The shadows accented the sculpt of his face nicely, and the way he was laughing and talking gave his eyes a twinkle-

"Oi. Y/N."

You snapped back to reality. "Mm?"

"Is there something on me or what?" Draco asked, looking at you expectantly.

"Erm, no." You said, deflecting his state by looking down at your food. "Sorry, I just drifted off."

Draco smirked. "Enraptured by my enticing looks I see. It's okay. I have that effect on people-"

"Oh come on." Lyre said. "You look like a ferret, Draco, hell, you even turned into one-"

"I do not." Draco snapped back. "I know for a fact I'm very handsome-"

"Says who?" Blaise chuckled. "Your mum?"

"Actually yes," Draco said. "But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? Your mother hasn't even looked at you since, what, first year?"

You took another sip of water.

Blaise said nothing, just going back to his plate, even though he had already finished eating.

The table was quiet for a moment. Pansy picked at her salad. Lyre made eye contact with you for a second, but then dropped it immediately.

The plates changed to dessert, and Leo cleared his throat.

"So." He breached. "Anyone want to help me shrink some pie?"