Whats Eating You, Sly?

Chapter Five

By: Emma

Disclaimer: Nothing but "Sly" is mine.

Summary: It ran away. If you find it, call me at 1-800-isuckatsummaries

Reviews: Please! It's a beautiful thing. It is...well...it is positive re-enforcement, otherwise known as motivation, inspiration and all of those other big, beautiful words that make you want to barf all over yourself because you just want to get to the damn story.







As the weeks passed and the lake frosted over with a shimmery glaze, the student body buzzed with the news that indeed, a ball would take place at Hogwarts this year.

Pansy and Draco really hadn't really spoken of it - they'd gone together to the Yule Ball two years before, but that was before. Things had changed.

Not to say that Pansy wouldn't love to attend with Draco again, it had been fun. But, in the past year and a half, Draco had become quite popular with the female population - a positive heartthrob, even among girls in other houses! Why would Draco pass up a dating event for his best friend?

*Maybe he'll remember how much fun you had last time,* she told herself hopefully.

*But he sees you all the time,* she argued, *there wouldn't be a point!*

It wasn't as though she would be at a loss for a date, she had a sweet round face and sky blue eyes that brought out here straw coloured strands of hair and freckles...but still.

She sat down at the dinner table alone - Draco had had "business" to take care of directly after class and she hadn't seen him since - so she turned to Blaise Zabini and began speaking about Neville's marked fiftieth cauldron melting just an hour before in a ceremonious Potions class.

She was soon laughing with Blaise so uproariously that she didn't notice Draco appear at her side and tuck in.

"Guess what?" he said excitedly, and turned her attention immediately from Blaise to him.

"Potter's finally expired?" she quipped, feeling still giddy from the memories of Potions class.

"No, better." he grinned in an un-Draco-ish manner, "I got a date!"

"A date?" Pansy said blankly.

"Yeah! For the ball, you know?" he sipped his pumpkin juice, attempting to return to his cool style, but failing.

"Oh," Pansy finally said, an edge lurking in her voice, "Who's the lucky girl? Or, shall I say, victim?"

"Branwen Sharp," he said happily, "Ravenclaw, Seventh year."

"I know who Branwen is," Pansy said waspishly, "she won that beauty contest last year. Little did they know, she got her Mummy to touch up her nose and improve her singing voice."

"Who told you that? That's not even true," said Draco, annoyed. He stopped eating his potatoes and stared at her.

"She bragged about it to -everyone- last year, Draco."

He hesitated, then studied his potatoes, "I don't care, why do you think I care?"

"Because," said Pansy, her temper rising, "I just thought you might want to know that your little gem isn't as natural as you may think!"

"Why do -you- care, Sly?" he snapped, and she glared at him.

"Believe me, I *don't*."

She turned her head sharply back to Blaise, who was just finishing off his pumpkin juice.

"Blaise, do you have a date for the ball?"

Blaise's eyes widened and Pansy crossed her fingers that she hadn't just set herself up for ridicule.

"Er, no, I don't, Pansy. Why?"

"What do you think about going to the ball with me?"

Blaise's eyes brightened, to Pansy's relief, and she noticed for the first time how very tan and handsome he was.

"Actually," he said enthusiastically, clapping her on the hand, "I had been wanting to ask you anyway! But why aren't you going with Draco?" he lowered his voice for the last bit, but Pansy knew that Draco was listening.

She waved him off airily, "Oh, we're just friends, Blaise! Now, who would want to go to a ball with a *lifelong friend*? No, I'd *much* rather go with *you*."

"Excellent," Blaise grinned at her, and she smiled back. Good thing she'd had all summer to act out plays with Draco and hone her dramatic skills - it was beginning to really come in handy.

"So, I'll meet you in the Common Room at seven, then?" Blaise took out a small calendar from his back pocket and marked it as Pansy nodded and winked at him. Then she smiled furtively into her pudding.

This plan - this *vengeance* - was absolutely *flawless*!