Dance practice – Slytherin house
Daphne rolled her eyes as she listened to Snape go on about how Hogwarts needs to make a good impression at the Yule Ball and therefore would require everyone to learn ballroom dancing. This was something her mother forced her to learn a long time ago. She knew she could probably teach this class herself if she had to. Plus, so soon after losing Robert, she had no intention of going to the Ball anyway.
"I already know how to ballroom dance. Do I really have to sit through this," Draco Malfoy said out loud exactly what Daphne was thinking, but didn't quite have the courage to say.
"Really? You think you know it all, do you?" Snape stared down Malfoy. Something about his gaze gave almost everyone the creeps as he got closer to the point of nearly being in his face.
"Yes," Draco's voice cracked as he spoke and he seemed to sink down in his seat. Daphne's beautiful icy blue eyes caught Draco's attention. He puffed out his shoulders trying to look manlier and more intimidating himself, but his hands shook.
"Care to show us all how it is done?" Snape focused on Malfoy. After watching Malfoy squirm for a few moments, Snape made him an offer. "I will tell you what. You prove you know what you are doing and you will be excused from this activity." His voice raised. "In front of the entire class!"
The possibility of getting excused from this class was music to Daphne's ears. "He will need a dance partner, won't he?" Daphne raised her hand as she spoke softly.
"Are you volunteering Miss Greengrass?" Snape stared down Daphne.
"Would I be excused from the class too if..." Daphne nervously fidgeted with her hair as Snape edged closer to her.
"If you can prove you already know what you are doing," Snape answered sternly with a nod.
"Don't even think about it," Pansy muttered under her breath. She shook her head as her eyes narrowed. She glared at Daphne.
"I am not passing up this opportunity," Daphne told her quietly.
"You bitch," Pansy snapped back at her.
Daphne ignored Pansy and gracefully made her way over to Draco. "Are you ready?" she stretched her hand out toward him. He stepped up, bowed his head and kissed her hand. Pansy cringed as she watched.
After Snape waved his wand, music magically filled the room as if an entire symphony was playing.
Both clearly knew exactly what to do. There motions were fluid, perfect form in synchronization to the music. As they danced together, Draco had the urge to let his hands wander around Daphne everywhere he knew he shouldn't go, but right now, all of Slytherin was watching and more importantly so was Snape. He forced himself to behave.
Daphne wished it was Robert that she was dancing with. She didn't let the fact that he wasn't stop her from performing her part as flawlessly as possible. To the casual observer, she looked like she was having fun, but actually she was just going through the motions which she knew them well. If looks could kill, Daphne knew she would be dead on the spot from the icy stares she got from Pansy. She wished she had been clearer about what opportunity she wouldn't pass up. She meant the opportunity to escape a boring dance class, not the opportunity to make time with Draco. She knew Pansy had the hots for Draco and pretty much resented any girl getting close to what she considered to be her guy.
As the music stopped, Snape crossed his arms. "Can you tell me what you did wrong?" His expression was unreadable.
Daphne thought about it for a few moments and turned her head down. She was disappointed. As far as she could tell, neither of them made any mistakes, but apparently it still wasn't good enough. "No," she slumped down her shoulders and headed back to her seat.
"Neither can I! That was perfect. You are both excused," Snape admitted. Then he turned to address the rest of Slytherin house. "Now that is what the rest of you are going to learn to do."
Daphne and Draco hi-fived each other as they left the room.
The Great Hall
Draco and Daphne went to the great halls. This place just seemed even bigger due to the fact that they were now the only ones in the room.
"I must admit I was thrilled to have you as a dance partner. I would like you to," Draco was about to ask her to the Yule Ball.
"What is that?" Daphne interrupted and pointed to something behind him.
Draco turned around and looked. He saw a very elaborate and intricate giant floating goblet. Dumbledore walked in shortly after directing the goblet by pointing his wand. With a loud thud, it planted itself down in the great hall. Dumbledore didn't even notice Draco and Daphne watching until Daphne finally asked what both of them were thinking. "What is that?"
"Aren't you two supposed to be…?" Dumbledore was going to say in Slytherin house.
"Taking dance lessons. We proved we are the best," Draco said.
"I wouldn't go that far, but he excused us because we both already know how to dance," Daphne smiled. "Now what is that?" She pointed to the giant cup. "It is beautiful."
"That is the Goblet of Fire. Any student wishing to enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament, need only write their name down on a piece of paper and throw it into the Goblet of Fire," Dumbledore explained.
"Ah, no thanks," Daphne said.
"Both of you are too young anyway. Any student under the age of seventeen will not be allowed to enter and with good reason. It is a very dangerous competition," Dumbledore emphasized.
"How would you know?" Draco asked.
"There will be an age line enchantment," Dumbledore stated.
"That is very interesting," Draco grinned. He noted the word 'will be' as in he could enter now, if only he could find a way to distract Dumbledore.
"Don't listen to Dumplesnore. You can enter if you want to," Rita seemed to appear out of nowhere.
"Dumplesnore?" Draco laughed at Rita's mistake in Dumbledore's name.
"It's Dumbledore," Dumbledore said.
"Whatever, nobody cares. I am just here for a follow-up story on how the ministry of magic blotched security again!" Rita explained.
"Yeah, they certainly did if they allowed you in the building," Daphne glared at Rita.
Rita's grin widened and she clasped her hands together. "Did you enjoy your fifteen minutes of fame courtesy of yours truly?"
"Not as much as I would enjoy punching you in the face," Daphne said so quietly only Draco was close enough to actually hear her. "She is the one who wrote that delightful little article about Robert's funeral," Daphne explained.
"What article?" Draco asked.
"That is right. No need to thank me. I am just doing my job," Rita grinned. Daphne's sarcasm went right over Rita's head. Either that or Rita paid so little attention, she just didn't care.
"Get out of here," Dumbledore grabbed Rita's arm and escorted her out.
"Now is our chance." Draco pulled out a piece of parchment and quickly scribbled his own name down.
"What are you doing?" Daphne put her hand on her hip and watched him.
"Exactly what you think I am doing." Draco threw the parchment with his name on it at the Goblet of Fire.
Both kids looked on with amazement as the goblet set out a flare and incinerated the paper. As far as they could tell, it worked. There was a real chance Draco could be picked for this event. Draco wrote down a few more names and threw them at the goblet.
"Who are you entering?" Daphne asked with a shake of her head.
"Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Daphne Greengrass," Draco teased as he actually wrote down Pansy Parkinson.
"No!" Daphne struggled against him. She tried to knock the paper out of his hand.
Draco held the paper up and waved it, pretending he was going to throw it. Daphne grabbed the paper out of his hand and read it. "Pansy," she breathed a sigh of relief.
"I was just messing with you." Draco grinned. "Don't worry, none of these are you!" Draco entered a few more names.
A few hours later - The Great Hall
Dumbledore assembled everyone in the great hall. Everyone learned how to enter the Tri-wizard tournament. This time the age line was in place. No other student would be able to get away with what Draco did. All the booing started when Dumbledore announced that only students 17 and older would be allowed to enter.
"Oh man, I wanted to go for that eternal glory." Ron frowned and snapped his fingers.
"Better you than me," Harry smiled. He had no interest in entering the tri-wizard tournament. There was just something about Daphne that managed to catch Harry's eye again. He couldn't help noticing that most of Draco's friends seemed disappointed at the news that they would not be allowed to enter the Tri-wizard tournament. Draco on the other hand, shifted between a sly smirk and outright laughter. Draco seemed to be on top of the world right now.
Hogwarts Hallway
Daphne and Astoria stopped Harry in the hall way. "About the article. I hope your girlfriend didn't take it seriously," Daphne said.
"My girlfriend? I – I don't have a girlfriend," Harry admitted.
"Oh? I thought Hermione…" Daphne began.
"No, she is my best friend," Harry smiled. "Totally single."
Accompanied by his two friends Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle, Draco joined them. "I want to ask before anybody else does. I would like you to be my date for the Yule Ball," Draco asked Daphne.
"Oh, haven't you heard? She is dating Potter now," Gregory laughed, then he gave Harry a hard shove.
"Don't believe everything you read," Astoria put her hand on her hip.
"See for yourself!" Vincent handed the newspaper over to Draco. Now Draco knew what article Daphne referred to earlier.
"What?" Draco questioned.
"That stupid article," Daphne interrupted with a huff of annoyance in her voice. "That reporter doesn't know what she is talking about."
"No, I am not dating her," Harry admitted. Harry looked for a way out. If Hermione was right about Daphne, she would probably start in with a speech about all the reasons he wasn't good enough for her, which he was in no mood to listen to. But that didn't come, at least not from Daphne.
"We barely even know each other." Daphne was relieved for the change in subject. She contemplated how to let Draco down easy.
"This is absurd. There is no way you would ever date a loser like Potter!" Draco slammed the newspaper down right at Harry's feet. Then he refocused his attention on Daphne. "Now about the dance..."
Now that all eyes were on Daphne, Harry took this opportunity to put some distance between him and this group of all Slytherin students. Curiosity got the better of him, so instead of completely leaving the area, he hid himself behind a pillar and stayed within earshot.
"Didn't they say that was Christmas Eve," Daphne paused. "Ah, my parents always throw a party that night. I couldn't get out of it, if I wanted to. I have to go."
"I will talk to your parents for you. They like me, so I am pretty sure they will make an exception," Draco assured her. Draco, Greggory and Vincent left together.
"Crap!" Daphne mumbled to herself as she watched Draco leave with his friends.
"Really? You are going to use that Christmas Eve party as an excuse not to go?" Astoria asked Daphne once the boys were out of earshot. "You could always do what you did last year. Sneak out and go meet your hottie. Seriously, a herd of elephants could sneak out of that party once mom and dad start getting drunk and they wouldn't notice."
"You think I waited till they got drunk. Last year, I didn't even go!" Daphne admitted.
"Neither did I," Astoria laughed.
"They never remember that party anyway," Daphne laughed too.
Harry began to realize Ron and Hermione just might be wrong about Daphne. Based on that little exchange, it would appear Daphne was pretty rebellious against her parents. From what he heard about her parents, that was not necessarily a bad thing.
A/N
I would like to thank CSGT for beta reading this. I would also like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorites, followed and/or private messaged me about this story. All greatly appreciated.