in the dark | d malfoy

chapter fourteen

alfie and jan persuaded me to come with them to hogsmede that weekend to go dress shopping for the ball. i didn't have a dress, so i agreed, since it would be nice to spend time with my friends.

i hadn't yet been to hogsmede, and i marveled at the beautiful town. alfie and jan showed me all their favorite shops and purchased me a butterbeer from the three broomsticks, which was packed with hogwarts students and locals.

"hey! look- it's harry!" jan whispered, and i rolled my eyes at her. "jesus, jan. hey, i thought you wanted him to be your date to the ball?"

jan scowled at me, and hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning and storming away. "hey- wait a sec! alfie!" i turned to alfie with excitement as jan marched straight to harry's table. we watched as jan said something, harry replied, and jan marched right back, her face red. "let's go."

"what'd he say?" alfie pried, and jan shook her head as her cheeks turned even brighter. "i said let's go!"

alfie and i dropped the subject, not wanting to hurt jan's feelings more, and she quickly got over it as we entered a dress shop at the end of the street. i brushed past many dresses, almost running smack into someone with bushy brown hair.

"oh! hey." i gave hermione a warm smile, and she grinned back. "dress shopping as well?" she asked gently, and i nodded. "yeah. i would've brought one to school with me if i had known about it."

hermione laughed. "me too." i glanced down, seeing that she had just tried on a beautiful flowy dress. "that looks fantastic on you, by the way." hermione blushed a little. "well, thank you. i hope you find a dress. i'll see you around!"

i stared after her as she headed back towards the dressing room. she was strange. she was incredibly smart, and even beautiful, though she seemed so quiet and reserved. maybe she was just stressed.

i sighed, turning towards where jan and alfie were heading back towards me. "look at this," alfie breathed, whipping out a dress that made my jaw drop. it was yellow, the hufflepuff color, and floor length. layers of fabric brushed over each other, making the dress princess like.

"it's perfect," i whispered, and the girls cheered.

-

i didn't have potions for another couple days, and i dreaded going to class when i finally needed to. draco jumped when i took my seat next to him, and i refused to look over. no matter how hard i tried, he didn't budge from his mean attitude, and i was done trying to be his friend.

"you know, pansy said yes."

i glanced up, letting curiosity get the best of me. draco's eyes were, as always, shining with something unknown. "thanks for your help. i'm sorry for snapping at you the other day. i just have... a reputation to uphold. and... being friends with a hufflepuff wouldn't help that."

i snorted. "am i supposed to take that as an apology? didn't seem like one." draco sighed. "i don't know what you want from me, katherine. i've got my own shit going on." i nodded. "alright. thanks for," i made air quotes with my fingers. "apologizing. that's saying a lot for you."

draco rolled his eyes, and i laughed. i noticed some of the tension in his shoulders release, and i smiled softly. "by the way," i added. "i'm glad it went well."

draco furrowed his eyebrows. "what went well?"

i stared at him in confusion, brushing some of my hair out of my face. "uh.... asking pansy to be your girlfriend? and to the ball?"

draco nodded. "oh. right, that. yeah. thank you." i stared at him in confusion. had he forgotten that quickly? oh well. he had said he had a lot on his mind. maybe i was overthinking this.

"so... are you going to the ball?" draco asked curiously. i stared at him. "uh, yeah. with cedric."

"oh, this thing with you and diggory is still going on?" draco's face was bent over his potion, hiding his expression from me. i shook my head in confusion.

"ced and i are still going on, yes. he's really busy though. we aren't officially dating. so don't spread any more rumors about me, please. who know what will happen." i sighed. draco nodded. "i won't."

"what is up with you today?" i questioned, and draco shrugged. "nothing. this is me. a taken man." he sniggered, and i held back my laugh, rolling my eyes.

so much for not being friends.

-

the ball was approaching quickly, and alfie and jan had found other dates, both handsome ravenclaws. i made fun of them a little for bringing ravenclaws after all their complaining, but they ignored me.

i had spent so much time helping cedric crack the egg, that i had fallen behind on my already behind studies. alfie stayed up late in the common room with me, helping me with my homework now that cedric was too exhausted to.

this particular morning, i was almost falling asleep on my desk in transfiguration. professor mcgonagall had just asked me a question, but out of exhaustion, i had not even heard what she had asked.

"i'm sorry, professor." i groaned. "i'm just- i didn't hear what you said." mcgonagall cleared her throat. "right then. granger?"

"mary riverous."

"correct. ten points to gryffindor."

i groaned. "so much for getting on her good side." i muttered to jan, who snorted. "it's fine. no one in hufflepuff cares that much about house points, anyway." i nodded, though i knew it wasn't true.

the bell signaled the end of class, and i noticed cedric perched outside of the classroom, searching for me desperately through the crowd. i waved to him, muttering a goodbye to alfie and jan as i walked towards him. he grinned when he saw me, pulling me into his arms. "guess whaaaaat," he sang into my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"what?"

"i cracked the code!"

"what?!" i glanced back up at him in delight. "how? when? what?!" cedric picked me up and spun me around right in the middle of the hallway, both of us laughing in relief. he kissed me then, ignoring the groans of the students around us.

"thanks for your help, kat. i'm not done researching just yet, though. but for now. i'll figure out my plan after the ball this weekend. i cannot wait to take you." he grinned down at me, and i grinned back.

"and i can't wait to take you, mr. champion."

-

a/n

i'm so sorry this chapter is absolute shit but i promise things get better