Chapter Thirty.

Draco? What's he doing there-

Amber had suddenly misplaced a step and nearly tripped on the loose floor tile before Grace pulled her up for balance. "Ugh, I hope no one didn't see that,"

"What a great first impression," said Grace Harrison, fighting so hard not to laugh. Amber had detected the drippy sarcasm in her voice and elbowed Grace hard in the shoulder. "Grr, calm down Juliet-He didn't see your little slip-up,"

Luckily, nobody important didn't see her trip. Amber sighed and felt a little relieved that no one saw her. She shook the dust off her clothes and slowly re-adjust her bag strap on her shoulder. "So, are we going to just stand here talking or are we getting breakfast?" Grace wondered out-loud, her hand on her hip.

"Erm, I'm actually not hungry,"

"Ugh, Come on Amber-he's just there eating his cereal,"

Knowing she might be right, Amber nodded and tautly walked towards their table. Before they can go to their table, Seamus Finnigan had tapped Grace on the shoulder. Amber paused to notice that Seamus had combed his hair and he tucked in his school shirt. She also detected a smell of lavender in the air.

"Hi Grace," Seamus called out, his tone a little high pitched.

"Oh, Hi-Seamus,"

"Erm, can we go somewhere to talk, I want to ask you something?"

"Yeah, sure!"

Grace was about to walk away with her long-term crush that she almost forgot about Amber. Grace hesitated for a moment and turned to Amber. Grace thought that she could make a rain check and go with Amber.

"Just go Grace," Amber consented firmly.

"Are-you sure?" Grace whispered.

"Yes, I'm sure…I'll see you in first lesson,"

Grace jumped towards Amber and choked her in a tight hug. "Good luck,"

Amber's best friend couldn't take in all the excitement and left the Great Hall to catch up with Seamus. Amber had lightly chuckled and smiled to herself as she approached the table.

"Why are you so happy?"

Amber blinked when she almost forgot about Draco sitting there. "Oh nothing, I'm just excited for Grace right now,"

"Why? That guy looks like a weasel covered in dandruff,"

"That's not very nice, Seamus had made an effort-he wore cologne,"

Draco scoffed absurdly. "It's not funny, Draco- he's trying to ask her out!"

"Well, it is a little funny…I didn't know he had owned a cologne," he smirked. Before saying anything else, Amber pinched his cheek and start squishing it.

"Ow-ow-ow!"

"Whoops, sorry sweetie-did I hurt you?"

Amber had automatically let go as Draco caressed his very sore cheekbone. "No not at all," he got out, feigning a warm smile.

Draco leaned a little too close to Amber's liking. "Um, what are you doing-"

"Thanks a lot Charlton," he whispered sarcastically. "Now everyone here thinks I'm this poncy weakling."

"Poncy weakling?" she breathed confusingly. "I thought you said it didn't hurt?"

"It didn't…but hurting my social standing does."

"I doubt no one will think you are poncy weakling for being pinched by me, they all assume that I'm just playfully teasing you,"

"Not everyone thinks that…My fan club thinks I'm cool and tough-"

Without realising it, Amber snorted. And it was too late to cover it up when Draco glared at her. "Something funny, princess?"

"Um…no,"

"Look Charlton, I don't want Mason catching wind of this…she'll take this as an easy advantage,"

Amber nodded but couldn't control her laughter and tried to hide it by reading her newspaper. "Why are you laughing Charlton!" he hissed.

"Pffft-Nothing-I just saw something funny in the comic section,"

Draco caught on in Amber's little fib and snatch the newspaper from out of her hands. "Why are you not taking this seriously," Malfoy growled.

"I'm sorry to disappoint the fan club but you are a total opposite of tough,"

"I'm fucking tough, Charlton."

"Beating someone who's smaller than you don't count, Draco,"

"I am tough see!"

He forced Amber to feel his arm as he flexed his muscle. She pulled her hand away and felt heat rushing in her cheeks.

"See! Quidditch training isn't just chasing what you say…a gold thimble all day,"

Amber didn't say anything else and gave a hesitant cough while she picked up her newspaper. "You have to calm down, Amber…if you didn't bother him like that, he wouldn't touch your hand-"

Suddenly, Amber felt the familiar warmth slowly clasping her fingers.

Before Amber could respond and look up, she was shaking up and down like an old rag doll. Her ear drums had burst with wild screams and shrieks. And the person who's shaking her is a very elated Grace Harrison. "Can you believe it Amber!"

"Believe what G?" she breathed unsteadily.

"He asked me! he asked me, and I said yes!"

"Oh, how wonderful! But can you let me go, I'm suffocating."

Grace had let her go yet she couldn't contain her overwhelming happiness that Seamus Finnegan had asked her to the ball. "Oh, this changes things! We need to go to Hogsmeade first thing in the morning,"

"M-m-morning-" Amber stammered, not liking this at all. "The shops don't open until nine!"

"Well, we have to get in line duh, we have to be there at seven!"

"No-no way, I'd rather sleep…"

Unexpectedly, Draco had burst out laughing.

"What's so funny, huh?" Grace called out. Amber was speechless and confused.

"Well, I just couldn't imagine Charlton waking up for something that isn't schoolwork."

"Great, you can see it for yourself because you are coming with us!"

Draco glared icily at Amber's best friend. Fat chance he's attending a stupid shopping trip with her and Amber. However, how is Draco going waste an opportunity to get-well…more acquainted with Amber?

"What are you doing! He doesn't want to do that?"

"You're right, it's all poncy and girly," He shrugged coolly.

"See!" said Amber righteously, feeling a sense of relief that he isn't coming along on this spontaneous little girl's trip.

"I'll just meet you-er all at the broomsticks when you finished,"

"What!?"

"Great, we need someone to hold our bags when we get back to the castle!"

"Who says I'm holding your bags?" Malfoy sneered.

"As common courtesy-"

"Hold on just a minute, I wasn't going to consider if I'm going or not!" Amber interrupted firmly.

Hearing this, Grace budged close to her and enlarged her eyes to give the impression that she's an abandoned puppy in a shop window. "Please come along, I don't want you to ruin my best day of my life now,"

Amber raised her eyebrows at her. "Don't you dare guilt trip me into this-I'm not-"

Before she could give her answer, she caught a quick flicker of something on Draco's face. He looked almost hopeless.

"Ugh, okay fine…I'll go,"

Grace squealed and hugged her excitedly. "You won't regret this!"

"Let's kill two birds with one stone, right." Grace whispered.