What He Knew

Chapter 9

"You cannot be serious!" Hissed Ryan.

I laughed, we were in the Great Hall having dinner as I told her what had gone down while she was in DADA.

"I couldn't believe it either, trust me. I'm just glad my date is sorted."

"Did I hear that right?" sneered a voice from from behind me. 

Malfoy slid onto the bench beside me, "You're going to the ball with Potter?"

I rolled my eyes, "Not that it's any of your business Malfoy, but yes. He asked me today."

He scoffed, "God, you're dumber than I thought."

"Shut up, Draco," snapped Ryan, coming to my defense.

"What's dumb about going to the ball with a date? Just because you don't have one," I said cooly.

"You can't honestly believe that Potter is being serious?" he laughed, sipping from the goblet in front of him.

"I've no reason to believe he's not," I was getting defensive. Why did Draco always have to ruin things.

"Obviously he wants to spy on the Quidditch team and you're the perfect person to do that for him."

I glared at him.

"Of course he's not," said Ryan, butting back in, "He's a Gryffindor, they don't like to win by cheating. Soft if you ask me."

Draco was a little stumped by that one but continued anyway, "Well if he's not spying on the Quidditch team it's something else. Just you wait, Rose."

I was done with his stupid attempts to upset me so I got up from the table and marched down to the dungeons. 

Ryan found me catching up on the DADA work after she'd finished dinner.

"Hey, don't worry about Draco, he hates Harry and he's always suspicious of him. I'm sure Harry just likes you."

Suddenly I remembered what else had happened that day. I had been so distracted by Harry asking me to the Ball that I'd forgotten that I had found out where Draco had been going.

I quickly filled Ryan in and her eyes were as big as Gobstones by the time I'd finished.

"Merlin... What is he doing in there?" 

I shrugged, not really wanting to think too much about Malfoy right now.

"I don't know and honestly, Ryan, I couldn't care less. He's probably just sneaking off to meet some girl. I think you should drop it now, it isn't worth your time, he isn't worth it.

Ryan didn't reply, she was deep in thought and I needed to get the work done for tomorrow or Snape would kill me.

That night was the first time I allowed myself to feel giddy about the Halloween Ball. Harry was the captain of  his Quidditch team, popular and it didn't hurt that he was also very cute. I fell asleep thinking about dancing with him at the Ball.

Halloween was fast approaching and Ryan and I had gone down to Hogsmeade at the weekend to get our dresses for the ball. Hers was dark green velvet and accentuated her figure perfectly while mine was black satin and hung loose.

We had asked the dressmakers to have them sent up to the castle so we could grab a drink in the Three Broomsticks.

"So," I said as we sat down, clutching warm Butterbeers, "Who's the lucky fella who gets to see you in that dress?"