𝑆𝐴𝑉𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝐷𝑅𝐴𝐶𝑂 𝑀𝐴𝐿𝐹𝑂𝑌

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔 - 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭

╭────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──────╮

𝐃

And what a terrible night it was. Mother sent me a letter and instructed me to take Pansy with me to the Ball. Apparently, she had tea with Mrs Parkinson and she seemed eager that Pansy didn't wait in vain. I am convinced that half of the bad nights I've had to live through, have been indirectly caused by Mother and her tea.

"Really now?" Blaise scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Have they chosen a wedding venue yet?"

"Give them time. They have their hands full; finding cute baby names and all..."

It was the time when I wouldn't think twice over something my parents had told me to do. It helped that the alternative would be for me to return to the Manor and face my Father's rage. He was furious I didn't get in the Slytherin Quidditch team that year. Father sent me a strongly-worded letter, stating that he refused to keep making donations to a Quidditch team if I couldn't even bother to show up for the trials. Father ordered me to come back for the holidays and prepare myself for the worst.

The only chance of me staying in Hogwarts for Christmas break – in hope that it would all be forgotten by summer – was if my mother put a good word for it; if I didn't embarrass her by snubbing the Parkinsons, that is.

In any case, I felt like I didn't have much of a choice. I was between Christmas holidays that resembled hell and giving false leads to a girl I didn't really like. It was an easy choice.

"I mean, how bad could it be?" asked Blaise.

"Today Pansy asked me what my favourite type of bird is so that she can buy a matching pin and hair clip. That bad."

"Did you want to take someone else? Is that what's bumming you out?"

"Well, yes! I wanted to take someone who doesn't stalk me around school all the time!" I bellowed

Blaise threw a glance towards the other end of the Slytherin table, only to see Pansy giggling uncontrollably between her stares. Suddenly he was very concerned.

"If I were you, I wouldn't touch anything she has been near to. I hear she is trying to brew a Love Potion."

"By Merlin, if she doesn't hate me by the end of this Ball, I'm going to throw myself off the Astronomy Tower," I said desperately but made a conspiring look.

"How are you planning on making that happen? She is totally nuts for you."

"Oh, just watch. I'm not going to dance with her all night. I'm going to dance with everyone else but her. If she doesn't get the message now – I swear to Merlin, Blaise, I will lose it. Let's see if she goes crying to her mother next time about Dracy not asking her to the fucking Ball!" I said and made a conspiring, narrow look.

"Yeah, but you did just ask her to the Ball. Isn't that going to send her mixed messages again?"

"Hey! Whose side are you on?"

Pansy looked as if she put way too much effort into her looks and was searching for my eyes. She held my hand as tightly as she could and dragged me from place to place, discussing how hideous every other dress looked in her opinion and complimenting my hair, even though I had purposefully spent a minimum amount of time to them.

At least I could admit the night would flow easily. However much I couldn't stand Pansy's eagerness to dance in the middle of the dancefloor only to show off her mediocre skills, there would be free butterbeer and firewhiskey, that the fourthyears wouldn't have managed to get ahold of in other cases. And indeed in the spectacular sight of the Great Hall glistening white and blue, time flew quickly.