A/N: So this is an idea I've had in my mind for a while now... enjoy! By the way, for any readers of my other HP fics The Escapades of Three Slytherin Girls, or Maybe, this is a one-shot that does not connect to either of those fics, though for any interested Astoria is in both of those. Now, on with the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the characters in this story.
Reasons not to Insult…
Draco Malfoy walked over to one of the tables in the Great Hall and sat down. The hall had been magically and elaborately decorated in the extreme for the Yule Ball. Draco had to admit, he found the decor to be rather excessive, but that wasn't what was bothering him at the moment. No, what was concerning Draco Malfoy was him hiding from his date.
Draco could not fathom now what had incited him to invite Pansy Parkinson to the Yule Ball, but for whatever reason he had. He had been enjoying himself for a while, but Pansy had now become unbelievably clingy and annoying, and he was currently avoiding her. It wasn't that he didn't like Pansy; it was simply that she could become very tiresome after a couple of hours. The fact that she was pure-blood and in Slytherin didn't hurt either, as well as his mother insisting on him spending so much time together when they were younger, and constantly asking him how she was doing and badgering him about spending more time with her.
Anyway, Draco told himself, it wasn't like he was hiding for her; Merlin no, he, Draco Malfoy, was too above anyone to actually hide from them. He was just strategically evading her presence for a portion of the evening. Yes, that was it. Which brought him to where he was now, as he seated himself in a chair at a table with only one other person in it, not even bothering to ask if he could sit there. Turning to look at the table's other occupant he found a girl wearing Slytherin colors that he did not recognize.
She was wearing very light sequined green dress robes along with a set of silver colored dancing shoes and a diamond necklace, along with silver pearl earrings, and a bracelet consisting of diamonds and pearls, along with a silver jewel shaped like a snake in the middle. The girl had hazel eyes and her caramel-colored hair fell in waves that rested on her shoulders.
Meanwhile, Hannah Abbott and Ernie MacMillan were attempting to dance together (the key word being attempting) when Ernie accidentally knocked the now flustered Hannah over to the ground. Draco laughed mockingly at this as Ernie lifted Hannah up off the floor muttering embarrassed apologies, and drawled to the girl next to him," Hufflepuffs." All the while smirking as Hannah and Ernie continued to dance again.
"What do you mean?" The girl sitting next to him asked calmly. Draco was momentarily caught off guard by the fact that she had actually responded to him without sniggering or saying nothing.
However, he showed no signs of surprise when he answered," I mean Hufflepuffs are such push overs, don't you agree? They're so pathetic, honestly. If I were in Hufflepuff, I'd leave wouldn't you?"
"I don't know that I'd leave," the girl stated matter of factly. "There are some nice things about that House, actually."
Draco frowned. "What's your name again? And what House are you in?"
This girl had better be in Slytherin or else he'd have to find somewhere else to hide- er, strategically evade Pansy Parkinson's presence for the moment.
"My name's Astoria Greengrass," Said the girl. "Slytherin. And you?"
"Draco Malfoy," Draco informed her. "Not that I need to say so, but I'm also in Slytherin. Are you related to Daphne Greengrass? "
"Yes, she's my sister," Astoria added, "I'm two years below you."
"How come you're here then?" Draco demanded. "Only fourth years and above are allowed to go-"
"I'm allowed to be here because I was asked by an older student." Astoria interrupted. "Daphne convinced one of the boys in her year to invite me even though I'm younger than he is under the condition that she could choose my attire for the evening."
That would explain the shoes and the jewelry Draco mused, recalling Daphne's fondness for shiny things. Then his mind remembered Astoria's comment from a moment ago. "You were saying that there actually are some nice things about the House full of rejects?" Draco smirked, but could not help but be intrigued by that statement. "Are you saying you regret being a Slytherin?"
"Not at all," Astoria answered immediately. "Slytherin is a marvelous House to be in, but I don't see what's wrong with any of the other houses, especially Hufflepuff. First of all, Hufflepuff is the only House at Hogwarts that has enchantments to repel non-Hufflepuffs. None of the other Houses have anything like that. Oh, Gryffindor and Slytherin have passwords, and Ravenclaw has a riddle, but anyone can find a way of obtaining a password or solving a riddle if they put their mind to it. Hufflepuff is much more difficult for an intruder to enter.
"Hufflepuffs also have a very nice common room; it is very sunny, with plants and flowers in the room, some of which even sing and dance. Due to its location in the basement, students can also sleep easier in their dormitories than in some of the other Houses. There are even bed warmers in the dormitories should one have cold feet.
"Their House colors are fabulous, I must add. Silver and green is nice, but that black and yellow is very attractive as well. Oh, and the fact that their House symbol is a badger certainly doesn't hurt either."
"What's so great about their House symbol?" Asked Draco, who had actually been thinking that those earlier facts about Hufflepuff actually were fairly impressive- not that he would admit that out loud, of course- but that last comment threw him off.
"Badgers are cool." Astoria stated, as though this were obvious.
"Snakes are better," Draco sneered.
"Fine. Be that way then," Astoria said with a shrug, and then muttered under her breath," Badgers are more amazing than snakes any day. "
"We are not going to have an argument over something as trivial as House symbols," Draco declared impatiently, despite the fact that he was the one who had started arguing in the first place.
"More reasons Hufflepuff is a nice House to be in," Astoria continued as though uninterrupted. "Is that it is not, contrary to popular belief, the "reject house." Hufflepuff is the only House at Hogwarts that accepts students who cannot go to the other houses, but in no way shape or form is it at all only for "rejects." Rather it is the house of acceptance. I also think that its qualities are very admirable. Hufflepuffs are known for being hardworking, loyal and fair. Being ambitious and cunning is all well and good, though personally I think it would be nice if we Slytherins exhibited more Hufflepuff like qualities." As Astoria spoke a boy walked over to where they were sitting.
"Oh, it looks like my date's back with drinks," Astoria exclaimed smiling. "I could give more reasons Draco, as to why Hufflepuff is a wonderful House to be in, but I'll give you one final reason for the night: One more reason I wouldn't leave Hufflepuff if I was sorted into it is because, well, actually I am one." And with that being said, Astoria stood up and met with her date, fellow Hufflepuff albeit two years older than she, Justin Finch -Fletchley.
"It was a pleasure to speak with you tonight Draco," Astoria called out as she and Justin walked away, and waved to him as they left, laughing well naturedly. "I apologize for lying, but I really wanted to prove a point, and Lord knows how far I go when I wish to do that."
Draco Malfoy was too stunned to say anything even after Astoria and Justin had deserted him. As Pansy came running up to him a minute later, having finally found him, Draco realized that those two Hufflepuffs would have a wonderful evening together, and here he was, stuck with Pansy Parkinson clinging to him to the point where he thought he might suffocate.
It was the first time in his life he was ever jealous of a Hufflepuff: Justin Finch- Fletchley. Honestly, he was really going to need to talk to Daphne later about who she chose as dates for her sister.
Note: Some of the information in this story was not obtained from the books. There is a rather excellent article containing some information from Pottermore on the Harry Potter wiki which has all of the information mentioned in the story. Just type in Hufflepuff in the Harry Potter wiki search engine and all of the information I mentioned will be displayed there.
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