Memory Of A Dear Place

02 | Slytherins Party

September, 1995

That same evening Bella was at the Slytherin table enjoying her dinner in peace. She she was sitting at the other side of the table, away from Draco and is friends. It had been rather quiet on their part since the train cabin event and Bella felt skeptical about it, not knowing what was to come.

As she was eating she was listening to some of the conversations the other students were having. She was quite the observant girl and loved to listen to things she wasn't supposed to be involved in. She picked up some stuff about students being excited about something and about what they were going to wear. And then it clicked as soon as someone mentioned how the Slytherins usually throw the best parties. She knew she forgot something. 

Every year the students from a specific house in the fifth year and above throw a big party to start off the year in their common room. There's music, alcohol and drugs. A lot of it. This year it's Slytherins time to shine again. All the younger students are allowed to have a sleepover in the other houses.

Bella never why or how the school could allow these parties to happen. She knew the organization team always made strict ruled with their head of the house, but somehow every party always seemed to escalate into something no school or teacher would love. 

Bella, unaware as she was, had no clue it was supposed to be in the Slytherin common this year. She wasn't planning on going, but the party being in the Slytherin common room kind of made it more difficult for her not to accidentally be included. She established she probably could stay in her dorm, as no one would notice she wouldn't be present anyways. 

Bella slowly looked to the other side of the table, quickly finding out that Draco had been staring at her as she caught his eyes. She quickly looked back at her plate, almost choking on a piece of chicken because of a pathetic swallow attempt. Him staring at her like that usually only could mean one thing. She was fucked. 

Even though she lost her appetite right away, she tried to finish her dinner as quickly as possible. Bella was raised to never spill food and never skipped a meal. As soon as she was finished she got up and started to make her way towards the Slytherin common room as the other students were still joyfully working on their dinner. 

Bella hadn't even realized Draco and his friends already had left dinner before her. As soon as she entered through the wall, she heard their voices. Within seconds her heart wanted to beat out of her chest, but she then reminded herself of what she told herself for this year. She had to seem confident. She had to choose the scary thing to be able to overcome her fear. And so she walked inside, facing her demons. 

''I was hoping to still see you today.'' Draco's calm voice said as Bella unsurely walked up to them, ''Too bad you didn't come to say hi to me.''

''Well —'' Bella swallowed as she stopped in front of them, ''Hi, Malfoy.''

Draco smirked and shook his head, reaching for a cigarette and placing it in his mouth. ''Are you going to the party tonight?'' he said, lighting the cigarette, inhaling it right after before blowing the smoke up into the air. 

''No. I wan't planning on it.'' Bella said dryly, trying to hide a tremble in her voice. She started walking again, but as she tried to walk past past him he grabbed her wrist with a strong grip. His hands were always so bloody cold. Bella clenched her jaw and looked at him, not being bothered about pulling her arm free. 

''Parkinson, hold my cigarette.'' he said shortly, placing his cigarette in between Pansy's fingers. He stood up right in front of Bella, still holding her wrist with a tight grip.

He looked down at her in silence for a couple of seconds as Bella held her breath and looked at her chest. She tried to ignore the pain on her wrist, still clenching her jaws together, but she couldn't. ''Malfoy. This hurts, stop it.'' she said softly.