One Year Later
Samantha's gaze swept over the Great Hall, the decorations very similar to the previous year's celebration. She was standing next to the bar sipping her drink and watching the couples on the dance floor. Greg was leading Parvati in a surprisingly smooth dance, gliding over the floor effortlessly. Hannah and Neville were swaying slowly together, her head on his shoulder, their hands clasped together on his chest. Seamus and Padma were laughing and giggling together as they attempted dance moves that would have fit in better at a disco, both twisting and turning while throwing their arms about.
Samantha smiled, content. Until she spotted Theo chatting with a group of friends across the hall. She sighed and took another sip.
"Why don't you ask him to dance?"
Smiling crookedly, Samantha turned towards her friend. "I'm not sure I know what you are talking about, Draco."
"Mmhmm." He leaned again the bar and smirked at her.
"Where's Hermione?"
Draco gestured towards the far wall, where Hermione was laughing with Harry and Ron. Samantha noticed the look of adoration on his face as he gazed at her.
"I hear congratulations are in order. When is the wedding?"
Smiling broadly, if a bit smugly, Draco turned his attention back to Samantha. "We are still working out the details, but I think we will have a winter wedding. You are expected to be there, of course."
"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world." She laid a hand on Draco's arm. "I am truly happy for you both."
He squeezed her hand for a moment, his face serious. "Thank you, Samantha." He pulled back and smirked at her. "I am extremely grateful you annoyed me at last year's reunion."
Samantha chuckled. "Ah, you're most welcome. Happy to be of service."
"Now, don't think you have distracted me. Turnabout is fair play and all that. Now that I've gotten to know you over the past year, I feel I can say that you, my dear Hufflepuff, are harbouring a crush. On one of my best friends, no less."
Feeling her face heat from the blush spreading up from her neck, Samantha cleared her throat and tucked some hair behind her ear. She fought the urge to look in the direction of said wizard, focusing instead on the drink in her hand. "I'm not sure I like being on this side of the conversation."
Draco grinned at her. "Yeah, not so fun is it?"
She looked at him from the corner of her eye and sheepishly shook her head. "Nope. I'd much rather take on an angry hippogriff." She sighed. "So what? Are you going to stay here and try to annoy me all evening? I warn you: I am much more patient than you are. I'll happily chat with you all evening."
Huffing a laugh, Draco looked over towards his friend Theo. "No, I'm not going to annoy you. I know that won't work on you." He straightened and turned towards her. "I am, however, going to drag you over to talk with him."
Samantha snapped her head towards him, eyes stretching wide and face paling. "No, please Draco. I— I can't."
He gently took her arm and tugged. "Oh, yes you can."
She tried to dig in her heels, but Draco was stronger and started to just slide her across the floor. Not wanting to cause a scene, she growled at him and started walking alongside him, her arm still held captive. She muttered under her breath, "You are going to pay for this, Draco Malfoy. You just wait."
Draco looked back at her with a smirk. "I'd like to see you try, little Hufflepuff."
Still searching for a way out, Samantha frantically scanned the crowd, hoping to find someone to save her. Her eyes caught Hermione's and then Hannah's as she silently pled with them to help. She almost froze in the middle of the hall when she realized that both were smiling smugly at her. Oh no. She narrowed her eyes at them. How dare they turn on her like this? Those — those sneaky buggers!
Her mind raced. Surely there was a way out of this humiliation. Maybe I could pretend to twist my ankle or feign memory loss, or— or— Yeah, okay. Those are stupid ideas.
Before she could formulate a plan, Draco was pulling her into the group of former Slytherins. Thankfully, Theo's back was still to her. She swallowed and tried to hide behind Draco, but he was having none of it and pushed her in front of him.
Blaise noticed their arrival and grinned broadly. He glanced at Theo and then stepped forward, loudly greeting them. "Well, well, Draco. I see you've brought a friend. You look lovely tonight, Samantha." He reached out and gently brought her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. She noticed Theo spin around quickly, his eyes wide.
She focused back on Blaise and smiled shyly at him. "Thank you, Blaise. You look dashing as ever."
"But of course I do, my dear. It's just my natural state of being." He winked as he straightened.
She chuckled before humming in agreement. She looked over his shoulder and smiled at the witches behind him. "Hello, girls. Having a nice evening?"
Daphne and Pansy both smiled and nodded. Daphne stepped forward and took hold of Blaise's arm. "It's good to see you, Samantha. I love your dress."
Samantha ran her hand over her skirt. "Thanks. Hermione helped me pick it out."
"And it took her forever. She's worse at shopping for clothes than I am." Hermione smiled at her as she stepped next to Draco, linking her fingers through his.
Samantha shrugged. "You were the one who insisted on going with me. I warned you."
Hermione huffed a laugh. "Yes, you did." She turned her head and looked up at Draco. "You promised me a dance, mister. I've come to collect."
Beaming down at her, Draco pulled her hand to his lips and gave it a sweet kiss. "I did, didn't I? Excuse us, I've got to sweep my lady off her feet." He wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist and guided her onto the dance floor.
Samantha watched as the two stared into each other's eyes, seeming to forget the world around them. She was about to excuse herself before she did anything completely mortifying in front of Theo – like confess her undying love for him or just stare at him like a creeper – but was stopped by Blaise's voice.
"They have the right idea." He winked at Daphne. "Come on, love. Let's show them how's it done." The witch on his arm giggled and tugged him forward to join the other dancers.
Pansy squeezed Samantha's arm as she walked past her. "I need to check on Weasley, make sure he's not trying to eat the entire buffet." She leaned in and whispered, "Have fun, Powell," before sashaying away.
Samantha swallowed and slowly turned to look at Theo, the only one of the group remaining. His blue eyes were focused on her as he stood completely still. She cleared her throat. "I— it's nice to see you, Theo."
He remained silent and merely nodded his head slowly. When a minute had passed in awkward silence, Samantha took a step backwards. "I— I should probably..." She weakly gestured behind her with her thumb.
She started to turn when Theo loudly blurted out, "No!" His eyes went wide, and he stammered, "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I… would you…" He sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes met hers, and she could not look away. "Merlin, I'm terrible at this," he muttered.
He took a step towards her and offered his hand. "Dance with me?"
Samantha stared into his eyes, clear blue like a summer's day. She lost herself in them for a moment before she noticed him pulling away. She snatched his hand in hers quickly and squeaked out, "Yes!" Oh, that was a flattering sound. Well done, Sam.
She could feel her face flushing as she took a breath and nodded. "Yes, I would love to."
Theo's responding grin was dazzling.
Draco checked on Theo's progress out of the corner of his eye. He was pleased to see his old friend leading the Hufflepuff onto the dance floor and pulling her into his arms. He smiled and returned his attention to the perfect witch whose body was melded to his as they danced.
"Looks like Theo finally got up the nerve to ask her dance," Hermione whispered, a delighted grin on her face.
"Yes, about time too. I knew he'd had his eye on someone since seventh year; I just didn't know who. Now I understand why he was in the library and kitchens so often that last year." Draco chuckled.
"Really? I thought his interest was more recent." She tsked. "Honestly. I'm glad we stepped in then. Sam's been pining for him since fifth year. They probably would've kept on denying it for years." She shook her head in frustration.
"Probably. Though, we might have done the same if Hufflepuff hadn't annoyed me into asking you to dance last year."
Hermione's cheeks glowed pink as she bit her bottom lip and lifted her eyes to him sheepishly. "Yes, well. That's entirely different."
Draco arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And how is that?"
Grinning mischievously, she lifted on her toes and whispered into his ear, "Because I was very close to risking it all and dragging you off into some secluded corner to have my wicked way with you." Draco growled quietly and pulled her tighter to him. "You know how impatient I can be. It was starting to override my fear of your rejection." She pulled back and smirked at him. "Which I now know to be unfounded."
Draco's eyes darkened as he leaned down and muttered into her ear, "Be careful, sweetheart, or I might find that secluded corner with you right now."
He heard her breath hitch before she whispered, "What's stopping you?"
Draco stepped back from her, grabbed her hand, and pivoted around quickly, pulling her behind him as he practically sprinted to the doors leading out of the Great Hall. He looked back and grinned when he heard Hermione's adorable giggles.
He held the door open for her, taking one last look into the hall. His eyes fell on a couple standing still amongst the swaying dancers around them. He smirked as he watched Theo cup Samantha's face and slowly lower his lips to hers.
Mission accomplished.
