AUTHOR: Ali Cho (Hufflepuff)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know it's probably crappy, but this is my first one-shot, and I am just 12+, please so go easy on me. This isn't considered AU as we don't know if it really happened in GoF or not. For all we know, it might have. 

Please read and review!

PARKINSON'S OBSERVATIONS

THE YULE BALL

Wait. That can't be – that can't be Granger, can it?

Pansy Parkinson was so stunned that she couldn't do more than gape stupidly at her enemy. She looked – there was no denying it - pretty. She was causing quite a stir in the Great Hall. Boys were looking over, every one of them staring in awe. Girls were all green with envy. Pansy couldn't believe it, there was nothing wrong with the Mudblood that night, nothing at all. Her looks, her dress robes, her make-up, her hair (she even managed to tame her wild bush of frizz into a proper hairdo), her date, everything about her was perfect. Only Merlin knows how she managed to snag the Viktor Krum as her date for the Yule ball. That fact, other than her sudden good looks, was the most shocking thing of all. Pansy glanced sideways at her date, and saw that he was staring at her too, his expression shocked and - admiring.

The ball was half over. He hasn't asked her to dance once. No, he hasn't done much other than to stare at Hermione Granger. Pansy was upset, and annoyed. Draco hadn't said a word to her all night, hadn't even looked at her. No, all his attention was directed at her. Mudblood Granger. Her night was already ruined – by her. Now Pansy hated her more than ever.

She secretly wondered why Draco agreed to go the ball with her in the first place. She asked him of course. Draco Malfoy would never do the inviting. He just waits for an invitation. He was brought up to think that way, that girls would fall at his feet and he should never extend his hand first. Well, so to speak. As soon as the ball was announced, Pansy pounced on him. He, of course, said yes. But now she wondered why.

Maybe, she had hoped, it was because he always liked her in a romantic way. Or maybe, just as a friend. Either way was fine with her. If he thought of her as a friend, she still had chances of winning his heart eventually. But she knew even that was very far-fetched. She knew he couldn't stand her. He only allowed her to hang around him because of the strong allegiance between their families. That was probably the reason he accepted her invitation to the Yule ball too.

Oh look. Something interesting is happening at the dear Mudblood's table. She and the Weasel were having another one of their loud arguments. This time though, they were screaming loud enough for the entire Great Hall to hear. Judging from their argument, the Weasel was jealous and upset that he wasn't Granger's date while the Mudblood said it was his own fault for not asking her earlier in the first place. Huh. The Weasel crushing on Granger? Pathetic. Granger finally leaves the Hall in tears. Good. So now her night was ruined too.

Suddenly, Draco got up from his seat and follows her. He silently weaved through the crowd and disappeared after her. No one but Pansy noticed him.

He's gone to comfort her, she was sure of it. There was really no other reason for him following her out, alone. He could be trying to taunt her, but Draco only liked to do that in public. If possible, her night was ruined even further. All because of the Mudblood. Damn her.

She couldn't think clearly, it was happening so fast. All she knew was that Draco was probably holding the filthy Mudblood in his arms, whispering comfortingly to her.

Choking back sobs, Pansy fled from the ball to her dormitory. There was nothing much she could do, really. All she can do is wait for tomorrow and see if anything unusual happens. She could only hope that the Malfoy pride and Slytherin loyalty would stop him from letting this unacceptable behavior continue.

THE NEXT DAY

Pansy decided to relieve her troubled and angry feelings by lashing out at Hermione once more. She mercilessly taunted her about Rita Skeeter's article and the 'stunningly pretty' comment, never mind that last night the remark proved to be true. Granger was holding her head high and ignoring her as usual, while both Pothead and Weasel were biting out retorts on their friend's behalf.

Annoyed that she was unable to provoke Mudblood Granger, she kept up her little tirade, trying to get a reaction from Granger.

She stopped short when she saw Draco fiercely glaring at her out of the corner of his eye, silently commanding her to back off. She gave a gasp of surprise and looked away, hurt. All her worse fears were coming true. She had her suspicions, ever since the Quidditch World Cup when she had overheard his Father berating him for warning the Mudblood Granger away from the Death Eaters. She couldn't believe her ears. She also couldn't help but notice that even before the ball, he never joined her in teasing Granger. He made fun of Potty and the Weasel, yes, but never Granger. Sure, he'd throw around a few Mudblood jokes once in a while, but Pansy had a nagging feeling that it was just for appearance's sake. In secret, when he thought no one was looking, he stole looks at her. He just watches her with an adoring glint in his eyes, though his face remains carefully masked under a stony expression.

Yes, all her suspicions were coming true: Draco fancies Granger. Something happened when they were alone last night, something that fueled him to even start protecting her from others in public!

Pansy's throat hitched up, tears begin to form at the back of her eyes.

Pothead and Weasel both seemed slightly confused, but satisfied that she stopped teasing their best friend. Hermione, however, seemed to know that Draco was the one who silently stopped Parkinson. She shot him a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile.

But Pansy saw it. And when she looked over at Draco, she saw that he was discreetly smiling right back her. Smiling – an actual, sincere smile that spoke volumes. Not the usual smirk he always had plastered on his face when he spoke to everyone else.

OBSERVATION RESULT

This is it, then. The proof was right there. The Draco Malfoy fancies Hermione Granger, and there was nothing anyone can do about it.

- THE END -