CHAPTER TWELVE
My friends and I gather outside the room of requirement trying our bests to look normal. Edem our usual lookout make sure the coast is clear as we bring in Halloween decorations. After we have brought everything in Edem joins us inside. I assign everyone into various decorating committees, making sure to give the hardest tasks to Edem and Anaya as they are the most responsible. I drag the jack o lanterns into the corners of the room. I sit on the floor panting. I see Anaya use magic to carry them over. I slap my forehead well now I know why I wasn't sorted in Ravenclaw. As expected the room has morphed into exactly what we needed a huge dance floor with flashing orange lights. Apart from the lights and a disco ball we stole from Snape's office the room is pretty dark. We hang skeletons in the corners of the room to add to the Halloween aesthetic. As we have actual ghosts in the castle I doubt anyone would be too scared. I open up bags of chips and candy and poor them into glass bowls. When we're done the room looks good. We barely have time to admire our work before students flood in.
"If you spike the punch I will murder you" I warn Fred and George
"Spike the punch" George starts
"We would never" Fred finishes
"You know Zayaah we find your lack of faith disheartening" George says
"Honestly, new we might just spike it to spite you" Fred says.
They both grin simultaneously. They try to nuzzle my hair but I narrowly avoid them.
"Hey! I spent hours on this" I say
"We know" they chorus
I lose them as more students enter. The room expands to accommodate all of us. I look around for Cedric's familiar head of hair but I see nothing. I spot Malfoy and Pansy arguing by the punchbowl. Pansy is wearing lingerie with kitten ears while Malfoy is in his signature black shirt black trousers. He couldn't even try for Halloween I think shaking my head. From the looks of it the argument is heated; Pansy is swinging her arms animatedly, while Draco looks painfully unbothered. Pansy storms off but hesitates when she reaches the door. I can tell she's waiting for him to come after her but of course he doesn't. She slumps off sadly to her room while Draco drinks the hell out of his cup. Something tells me there's more than just Kool aid in it.
I take my eyes off Draco and spot Lee and David making out against the wall. From the looks of it they won't be at the party for much longer. Edem and Michael a friendly Hufflepuff are flirting at the DJ booth. Is everyone getting it tonight but me? Well maybe Draco. As if reading my thoughts a pair of soft lips plants a kiss on my neck. Goosebumps arrive at the back of my neck. Strong hands spin me around.
Cedric's eyes grow wide taking me all in.
"I'm so lucky" he says.
My smile stretches all the way across my face.
"You don't look so bad yourself" I compliment. He looked amazing as always. Who knew Cedric as Deadpool would be so sexy. The mask certainly was doing things to me.
"Care to dance?" he asks holding out his hand.
"I don't know I'm really bad at it" I warn
"I'm not too good myself. We can embarrass ourselves together"
"I like the sound of that" I say as he leads me to the dance floor.
He swings me along to the music steadily. As I suspected he undersold his dancing ability he is leagues better than me. He doesn't even flinch as I step onto his toes. He gives a dramatic spin and dip.
I laugh, "I feel like we're in a ballroom dancing competition" I say amused.
"We'd definitely lose" he says.
I frown.
"Because of my technique I'm definitely not as good as I used to be" he says.
"Like you were a professional?" I asked amused.
"Hell yeah I competed in competitions and everything it's my most embarrassing secret" he says.
"I'll take it to my grave" I say.
"My Aami and I used to participate in mother and daughter stage plays for my whole family during holidays. As much as I've asked them to burn the evidence we still have the home videos" I say embarrassed.
Cedric laughs heartily his whole chest vibrates.
"I don't know why you're laughing you'll never see them" I say.
"Do you want to bet" he says.
"What's your plan Diggory?" I ask.
"I can always stop by and visit Haroon and Hassan for the holidays" he says.
"Please don't home Zayaah is not the same as school Zayaah and trust me you don't want to meet her" I say.
"I'll like you in any form" Cedric says.
"I've been trying to find the perfect way and time to ask you this but it just hasn't come up. So I just thought fuck it let me just ask you now. Zayaah will you be my girlfriend?"
I open my mouth to answer when a slamming sound interrupts me. Cedric and I both turn around to face the commotion. The crowd parts and we see Draco and Harry locked in a fist fight.
Not now not at my party. Both Draco and Harry look livid. Harry's face is red and bloody and Draco's fist is bruised. From the looks of it Harry has given Draco a terrible black eye. Harry lands another blow on Draco he coughs up blood. Draco tackles Harry to the ground. I gasp. The crowd moves back to give them more room to fight.
Before I know it I have left Cedric's side and am pushing through the crowd. I now have a first row seat to the circus.
The audience starts to pick sides and starts cheering for Harry. Draco really did not have a lot of friends. But a few loyal Slytherins shout jeers.
"Harry stop!" Hermione screams but it is futile they continue go on at each other. They roll around on the floor destroying everything in sight.
"They're going to kill each other. Someone has to go and get a professor" someone in the crowd says.
My legs move before my mind does and I am suddenly behind Draco. Don't be stupid Zayaah girls that do this always get hurt. Bur Draco was on the floor wounded badly I could not stand there and do nothing.
'Harry stop' I yell. My words deflect off him easily. Next I do something really stupid I jump in between them. Harry tries to stop his fist but it's too late; his punch lands on my face cutting my lower lip. I fall to the ground next to Draco.
Harry stops ashamed of what he has done. Now Draco is furious.
'See what you've done Potter, you hurt her, you idiot' he spits blood onto the floor.
'Draco calm down I am fine' I reassure him.
He looks at my face but the sight of my busted lip only makes him angrier. He attempts to get up I assume to hurt Harry. I hold him down.
'Stop' I demand.
His cloudy expression clears up and he unclenches his fist.
'Both of you before you hurt anyone else' I say.
Harry just looks at his fist disgustedly. It is bruised badly and the skin is raw and bleeding.
Anaya casts a spell that makes it rain. The rain destroys the food and decorations but Harry and Draco are finally apart. Hermione and Ron quickly pick up Harry from the floor we can hear her scolding him from here. Draco gives me one last look before storming out of the room angrily. A thank you would've been nice I think angrily rubbing my lip. I look at the floor and there is blood everywhere the real one has fused with the fake.
The crowd dissolves slowly leaving the room of requirement.
"I'll help you clean up" Cedric says staying behind the look on his face is unreadable. I wonder what that must've looked like to him.
"Thank you" I say giving him a sad smile.
He looks at me concerned, 'you should probably go to the nurse'
I wait for more but that is all he has to say. I look for any trace of anger but there is none. He is as composed as ever.
He pulls out his wand and uses it to throw the spoilt decorations into the bin. I go to the table and look at the soaked food and toss it into the bin. What a waste? Anaya and Noah perform cleaning spells and in a couple minutes the room is in perfect shape. It's like we were never here.
"Sorry Zayaah" Edem says, "We all know how excited you were for this party"
"Yeah" I shrug, "but what can you do?"
"Malfoy ruins everything" Noah says annoyed.
Lee nods her head.
"Harry was part of it too" Anaya defends.
"Malfoy probably provoked him like always" Lee says.
Everyone nods their heads in agreement.
"You okay?" Lee asks.
"I'm fine. I just want to go bed. If that's fine with you"
"No problem" he says kindly.
"I'll walk you there" Anaya suggests
"I really want to be alone" I say.
"Yeah no problem"
"Are you guys done or do you need me to stay behind and help some more" I ask.
"No we're fine" Lee says.
I leave the room of requirement and cover myself up in my school robes. I march right over to the astronomy tower. I just have a feeling that Draco will be there. I need to give a piece of my mind before I go to bed.
I see him hunched over the wall looking intensely into the night sky.
"You're such an asshole you know couldn't have had a pissing match with Harry-
"Listen Zayaah this is not time I am not in the mood for your lectures" he says.
"Oh my god Draco you look terrible" I say worried the anger I am feeling slowly leaves my body.
'Speak for yourself' he says sourly. My lip throbs in response. He immediately looks guilty.
"I'm going to find a first aid kit" I say concerned. I wander through the halls conveniently the nurses office is right next to the astronomy tower. I remove the kit she placed on the wall for emergencies and carry it a long with me. To my surprise Draco is still there waiting.
"I don't need your help" he says stubbornly.
"Well I'm definitely not going to leave you like this" I say just as stubbornly.
I use a spell to wash the blood off his hands. The skin underneath his blood is red and bruised.
"I just don't understand why the two of you find the need to do this. This rivalry of yours is going to cost you in the long run" I chastise.
I open the first aid kit and apply a salve to his knuckles. He doesn't even flinch. How many times has this happened?
I look at his face there's a cut on it and his eye is throbbing.
"Look Harris I'm sorry about your party ok the whole thing got out of hand." he apologizes, 'now let me see your lip' he inspects it thoroughly.
'Can I?' he asks. I nod my head and he tilts my head upwards so he can inspect it.
'You're an idiot' he says softly, 'Why would you do that for me?'
"I don't care about the party. I care about you Draco this thing you have going on with Harry is toxic. It scares me one day of you will cross the line" I warn.
He shuffles his feet around my emotional outburst has made him uncomfortable.
"Like your thing with Pansy" he says defensively.
"That's not the same thing Draco. Pansy and I have never put hands on each other" I say.
"Except when you threatened her with a knife"
"I was never actually going to go through with it. I can't stand her but I wouldn't hurt her"
He looks at me sceptically.
"Please?" I ask gesturing to his face.
He nods reluctantly.
I touch his cheek and he flinches.
I clean the blood off with a wipe. The skin is a raw pink. I run my thumb over it.
"Ouch Harris that hurts" he says but he doesn't stop me.
"Where's Pansy anyways?" I ask, "Shouldn't she be doing this"
"We kind of got in a huge fight during the party. Right now she wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole" he admits.
"But you're hurt she should be able to put that aside and help you" I say.
"No Pansy is right about this one I would understand if she didn't ever want to speak to me again"
"What you did couldn't have been that bad" I say wiping his eye.
"Ow" he shouts at me angrily.
"Well I'm sorry Draco no one asked you get into a fight"
"Well no one asked you to help me" he spits.
"You're right why am I?" I say, "You clearly don't deserve it. You haven't even thanked me from saving your life"
He laughs stopping me from leaving. It is hearty laugh I do not think I have heard it before. It makes me unexpectedly giddy. I want to hear more of it.
'I'm sorry you ruined your pretty little face because of me but I would hardly call that saving my life'
"That was a terrible apology and I would call it saving your life because you were losing and badly" I say.
"Zayaah" he says looking deeply into my eyes, "I'm really sorry for ruining your party and giving you attitude while you were helping. I am grateful. You're a good friend" he says.
Friends? Were we friends now.
"Ok you got me that one was good" I move his hand onto my arm. It completely engulfs it.
"Squeeze when it hurts" I say.
"I don't want to hurt you" he says cautiously.
"Just how strong do you think you are Malfoy' I say with a grin
He returns it and reluctantly grabs my arm. I continue to wipe the blood off his eye. He squeezes my arm I flinch but I don't scream, when I'm done he looks presentable a lot better than he did when he left the party.
I smile at him, "is that better" I say.
Draco looks at me intensely his grey eyes bore into me, "you're kind of beautiful you know that even with the busted lip and everything"
Kind of?
"I-
He stitches my lip for me.
It was perfect, 'How did you learn how to do that?'
The smile vanishes off his face and his eyes return to their stormy nature, 'Let's just say I have had a lot of practice'
'Draco what does that mean?' I ask concerned
'Don't worry about it' he says vaguely
He tucks a stray hair behind my ear. I freeze and my heart beats unexpectedly in my chest. He moves closer to me.
'My mum said you would be beautiful you know that. You were five all awkward and gangly playing Quidditch with all the boys on the street. I remember that day my father wouldn't let me play because you were playing with poorer wizards. 'Malfoys cannot be seen associating with people of lower status' he said. So I was watching you from inside the manor and you were throwing a hissy fit because someone said boys play Quidditch better than girls. I remember you clocking him I thought that was cool' he says smiling.
I am too nervous to interrupt, 'and my mum was like that girl is going to be really beautiful someday. I laughed because back then you looked like a duck but now' he stops there as if realising what he is saying.
But now what? I think about begging him to finish. But I refuse to give him that satisfaction.
His hands are now on my cheeks he runs his hand against it softly. I didn't know his touch could be so gentle.
"Don't worry I am not going to do anything I know you're Diggory's girl"
That scary thing was I want him to do something. I really want him to. He leans down and my heart skyrockets out of my chest. His breath lands onto my face.
"You're kind of beautiful too" I whisper. He smiles another one of his rare full ones. A warm feeling spreads takes over.
He plants a light kiss on my cheek. So light I can barely even feel it.
"Thank you"
"Y- You're welcome" I stutter.
"Are you okay Harris?" he asks.
"I guess I'm not used to you being so nice" I lie.
"Don't get used to it. I am kind of tipsy tonight I might not even remember this tomorrow'' he says rudely. There he is.
"I'm going to sit here for a while" I say.
He takes off his jacket and puts it on my shoulders, "Don't stay too long its cold out"
"Yeah I'll come back in soon" I say.
"Ok" he says giving me one last look before entering the castle.