When I woke up and I looked out the window, it was mid morning. Mid morning? Had I slept through Saturday afternoon and night? I slowly got up and made my way to the bathroom, where I found Lavender at the sink.
"Hey, what day is it?"
"It's Sunday, sleepyhead. You slept through all of yesterday afternoon. Must have been quite a tiring time with Fred yesterday, huh?"
I stared at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh please. Do you really think we all believe that you suddenly just got a headache? We've all used some excuse like that at some point."
"What? No, nothing happened. I-"
"Hey, don't worry about it." She winked as she walked past me towards the door. "Good job by the way. Fred's pretty hot."
She left, leaving me standing there, mouth opening and closing like a fish. What was she talking about?
I climbed into the shower and let the hot water run down my back. Did people actually think that-that Fred and I had snuck off to… I wanted to die. I knew that the rumor would spread. Soon Fred would hear it. What if he thought I had started it? That I had gone around telling people that he and I had fooled around or something? It would ruin our friendship, and I couldn't stand it if that happened. He was my best friend.
I mean, sure. Yesterday, dancing with him had made me dizzy, and not in the motion sickness kind of way. And when he'd brought me back upstairs I'd thought he was going to kiss me, but that was way out of line for me to ever think. Fred was my friend. Nothing more. And I needed that to be clear to everyone. Especially to him.
I didn't want to ruin Fred's reputation. People were already giving him and George weird looks because they were always hanging out with me. If people started thinking that he and I were...a couple...regardless of whether it was true or not, everyone would think so poorly of him. I knew that Fred usually didn't care what people thought, but that could only go so far. Eventually he'd get tired of being the odd one out. He'd be damaged by association with me and I couldn't do that to him.
I decided. I'd make my best effort to be clear that he and I were just friends. I wasn't sure how I'd do it, but I had to.
I got dressed slowly and made my way to the common room with only severe amounts of anxiety. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed Fred sitting in his chair by the fire, same as always. George was beside him, both frantically writing. Probably an essay that was due the next day.
Fred glanced up and saw me, and then suddenly he was right in front of me, looking down with a smile.
"How're you feeling?"
"Better, thanks." He grinned.
"Good! Listen, George and I were going to go flying after we finished our essays for Flitwick. Want to come with?" He nodded towards his brother, who waved, then turned his attention back to his Charms essay. I looked between them nervously.
"I um, actually, I'm on my way to meet Draco to study, so…"
Fred coughed. "Right, right. Your Sunday Study Date."
"It's not a date." I rolled my eyes.
"No, I know. I know." There was a silence. "Just be careful with that guy."
"I know. I am." I looked up at Fred. "You know, he's not as bad as you guys think."
"He's a prick, Ruth."
"I know. But he's also really smart and I think there's probably some sort of human heart in there somewhere. My mom always said that he was such a sweet kid. That has to still be in there. And I'm sure I'll find it."
"Right." Fred looked at me, and then at the floor. "Well, if you decide that you can't take anymore of ferret face, you know where to find us."
"Right." I started to leave when he called after me.
"Ruth?" I turned back to him. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
I nodded. "Thanks."
I could feel Katie Bell glaring at my back as I climbed through the portrait hole.
I dragged myself to the library. I was sure that I'd hurt Fred's feelings somehow. I knew he didn't like Draco, but he seemed really bummed that I was going to study instead of going flying with them. Still, I needed to start distancing myself, at least a little bit, from him.
Draco was sitting at our usual table, books already open. As I approached, he stood up, which was odd, to say the least. Draco usually could care less about proper decorum as far as I was concerned. After I'd taken a seat, I saw the envelope he was holding out to me. I looked curiously from the letter to him.
He looked at me expectantly. "It's from our mothers. I got a larger parcel this morning with letters in it addressed to the both of us. I've already read mine." I reached out and cautiously took it from him.
"What's it about?" I asked.
"It's all written in there. You might as well just read it." He picked up his quill and turned back to his work.
I tore open the envelope.
Ruth, Sweetheart,
I have wonderful news! Narcissa and I have been talking and have decided that, since you and Draco seem to have forged a friendship of sorts and since you're feeling so much better, that it was finally time for us all to get together!
We'll be spending Christmas this year with the Malfoys. You'll finally get to meet Narcissa and you'll get to see your grandparents and my entire side of the family at their Christmas party. Won't that be wonderful?
Narcissa already has it all arranged. They're getting one of the wings of the manor ready for us, so that the three of us can be comfortable and still appreciate our own family while we're staying with them. You'll be free to explore, of course. I think you'll especially love the library at Malfoy Manor; it's quite expansive! I'd say that it's one of the largest private collections in Europe!
Now, we know that you two have the Yule Ball on Christmas Eve, so on Christmas morning, we'll arrange for you to be brought home specially. Usually during Tri-Wizard years, all of the students stay on campus, but we've talked to Dumbledore and he's willing to make an exception for you.
I am so excited for you to finally experience all of this with me. I've been wanting to introduce you to this world since you were born, sweetheart. Your father thinks it's a wonderful idea as well.
We absolutely cannot wait to see you!
Love always,
Mom
I looked up at Draco to find that he had started watching me again. "What is this?"
"Can't you read? It seems you'll be spending Christmas with us this year." He looked bored.
"Well, yes, but why?" I put the letter down.
"For the reasons it says, obviously. Assuming your mother explained it the same way mine did, they want our families to finally meet and spend time together or some rot."
"Well, that's nice, I suppose."
"Yes, I suppose so." He stared at me during a long silence, those piercing gray eyes searching my own. What was he looking for?
After a few moments, I cleared my throat. "Right. Well. Should we study, then?"
"Why do you look so tired?"
This surprised me. "What?"
"You look tired. I mean, you always look tired, but today it's worse than usual. Why?" He asked it as though this were an answer I could get wrong. Like he was
quizzing me about the properties of a ginger root.
"I was a little sick yesterday is all. I guess it took a bit of a toll on me."
"Hmm." He shrugged his shoulders and turned to his books. With a deep sigh, I did the same.
For a few hours, we sat like this across from each other. Occasionally one of us would ask a question of the other.
"What did you find on Rafflesia arnoldii spores?"
"If I put a hippogriff feather in a mixture of snake venom and mango juice, it'll make pink smoke, right?"
Then we'd resume our silence.
Around four o'clock, we started packing up our texts and book bags to go our separate ways. I stood to leave, but he stopped me.
"Doro. Uh. Ruth?" He shook his head and took a deep breath before looking at me, straight on. He stood, all the while keeping his eyes on me.
"That's a first," I said, stiffly.
He rolled his eyes, then fixed them, heavy, on me. "Go to the Yule Ball with me."
I started. "Excuse me?"
"I'm asking you to the Yule Ball." He was clenching and then flexing his hands at his sides.
"Draco, you don't like me. At all." I hugged my books tight to my chest.
"That's not true." He turned his chin upward as if I'd insulted him somehow. "I find you to be one of the least offensive and insufferable people in this godforsaken place."
He was keeping his composure well. But I could tell this was the last thing he wanted to be doing.
"You don't want to take me, Draco." I almost whispered it. I was sure that one of his friends had put him up to it. Make Draco ask the weird American girl and have a good laugh about it.
"Who else would I take?" He said it like it was obvious. He looked at me with those stupid gray eyes again. His eyebrows raised.
"Anyone. Really. This was a funny joke, I'm sure, but we both know that this isn't something that you would ever do." I took a step back and turned to go, my stomach having fallen into my shoes. I was thoroughly embarrassed after today and I just wanted to go right back to bed. Sleep through the rest of the day again.
"Doro." He put a hand on my arm to stop me.
"Ruth."
"Right." I turned around to face him again. He was too close. His hand was still on my arm.
"I'm asking you. Genuinely. Go to the ball with me."
"I don't know. You shouldn't be taking a Gryffindor. Especially one the whole school thinks is weird anyway."
He snorted. "Please. I study with you every week. I'm pretty sure the whole school knows that you're the one Gryffindor I can possibly stand. And they're all to afraid of me to say anything anyway. At the very least, come because you know it will please our mothers if we go together."
I thought about it for a moment. He was right. Our mothers would be ecstatic to see photos of us all dressed up together. It'd probably make their entire Christmas.
"Okay," I said. "I'll go."
"Good." He squeezed my arm, then became all too aware of the fact that he'd been touching me this whole time. His eyes grew wide as he yanked his arm away from me and he cleared his throat. "Right. Don't go buying a dress. We'll have my robes and your dress made to match. And you'll have to be on your best behavior. Don't go embarrassing yourself, me, or our families by being all...well. I will see you next week."
He picked up his things and left, leaving me standing behind, looking after him.
What had I just agreed to?
