!!HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!

!!MAY 2007 RECTIFY EVERYTHING 2006 BOTCHED!!

Lilyyuri.

..oo00oo..

Draco

It was only the beginning of December, but there was only one question filtering through the stone walls of the castle, buzzing in everyone's heads- who are you taking to the Yule Ball. I already had to turn down offers from several girls- a fact that Oliver seemed to find hilarious, but was actually rather annoying. If I couldn't take my boyfriend to the ball I couldn't really be buggered to take anyone.

It was Monday evening and I was sitting with Michael in the library, we were trying hard to concentrate on the already boring as hell material for the history of magic exam next week, while all around there was an undercurrent stream of happy Ball Babble. Michael seemed more agitated than usual tonight and I was trying hard not to ask what was wrong, in case he decided to explode. But after about an hour he snapped on his own, slamming the book he was reading so hard that the heavy oak table actually shook,

"Don't people have anything better to talk about other than that stupid ball? Don't they fucking realize that the exams start next week?"

"Michael, will you relax?" I hissed, but it didn't have much effect on his stormy temper,

"Just wish people would get it into their thick heads that there are far more important things than who to take to a stupid school ball!" I bit my lip and tried to figure out whether to go for the subtle "What's eating you?" or the provocative "So who are you taking to the ball",

"So, Michael, who are you taking to the ball?" Damn! Michael gave me a look that meant pain and I smiled sweetly at him,

"No one! I'm going solo!"

"Oh, come on, loosen up- it's not that difficult, you just go up to Potter and say "Hey scarhead, want to go to the Yule Ball with me?", it's very simple." I added cheerfully and obviously hit a nerve here because Michael didn't look murderous anymore, but on the verge of tears.

"You've got all the sensitivity of a raging dragon, don't you Malfoy!" I'd like to think I have a little more, actually,

"Sorry, touchy subject?" I was only half mocking, I have no idea what was wrong with Michael, because last time we talked about Potter he didn't look he was about to cry- not with tears and all that, anyway.

"Forget it." He said gruffly and turned to his notes again, clearly still upset and clearly not seeing a word that was printed on the page.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Forget it." I sat in silence for a few seconds but eventually my curiosity got the better of me,

"Michael…" Michael's head snapped up and he gave me furious look,

"We kissed, alright? Happy now?"

"You did?" My eyes went wide and bright with delight "Oh, that… not so great?" His face remained grave and he sighed so deep his whole body shook, "What happened?" I asked in a serious tone,

"Nothing."

"Come on Michael, stop being such a twat and tell me," his eyes blazed dangerously again,

"I did! Nothing happened, he bloody ran away!" At that he got up from his chair and grabbed his bag, making a hasty leave. I gathered my things as fast as I could and followed him through the throng of people on the corridors.

"Michael, wait, wait!" I cried after him and grabbed his arm when he didn't stop. I turned him to me and he looked up at the ceiling refusing to meet my gaze. "Tell me what happened, please." I said in a quiet voice,

"I just did, there's nothing to tell. He doesn't want me." His voice was so low I could hardly hear it over the den, and sad- so sad,

"Maybe he just freaked out when he realized that he does like you." Oliver did, maybe it's a Gryffindor thing- so much for them being brave, he?

"And maybe he's just not interested in boys." I snorted dismissively at that,

"Oh, please- Potter is as bent as a nine inch bob!" Students all around us stopped to look at us and while I was busy sneering at the lot of them Michael grabbed my hand and shoved me unceremoniously into an empty classroom.

"You know, coming from anyone else- people would probably believe it." He said with a small smile. I shrugged and cast a silencing charm on the class and sat down on the teacher's desk crossed legged, Michael joined me there and sighed deep again.

"Tell me what happened," I asked again and he pulled his legs to his chest and rested his chin on his knees, staring straight forward.

"We were in the Astronomy tower, doing an Astronomy project," didn't really expect any different from a Ravenclaw and a Potter. "We were there for a couple of hours, and I was worked into a rather hard position," by Potter no less, I mentally rolled my eyes, "I mean, you should have seen him, sucking on his quill and just running his hand through his hair and all that,"

"You seem to like that one, don't you?" I ventured, Michael's lips curled in a small tight smile,

"Yeah, I do. After he runs his hands in his hair, his entire look just screams "I've just been shagged through the bed and loved every second of it"." I chuckled at Michael's description of Potter's hair. I knew that quite a few people found that messy mop sexy- I didn't, I always said that if you can't be buggered to pass a comb in your hair at least once a day you just look unkempt.

"So? What happened next?" I tried to bring Michael back to his story,

"Next thing I knew he turned to take something from behind my elbow and his face ended up inches in front of me and I just went for it."

"You kissed him?" I was just making sure I got all the facts, Michael nodded and stared down at his shoes, but I still caught the look in his eyes- half warm from the memory of kissing Potter and half pained because of the outcome of said kiss. "Did he kiss you back?" Michael shook his head,

"No, and then I freaked out and pulled back and for about a year we just sat and stared at each other. Then he plunged in." He bit his lip and still refused to lift his head,

"He kissed you?" I asked in shock, so I was right- Potter is bent! Ha! Michael gave a small nod and then turned to look at my shining eyes,

"Yes, he kissed me and it was amazing, tongue and all and I felt like I could do that forever and not care about another thing and then he pulled away and gave me a mortified look like he just found out he was kissing Filch or something and then he took his bag and ran away so fast he nearly collided with the door." I chewed on my lip for a few seconds trying to make heads and tails of my emotions right now- anger, disappointment, hate of Potter, regret for Michael and just plain vindictiveness and a strong will to hex someone.

"And then?"

"And then nothing. I stayed in my chair and had the most disappointing wank since I was twelve." I put my hand on his knee in a gesture of comforting. Poor Michael, and stupid, stupid Potter. We stayed like that for a while, Michael trying as hard as he could to calm his quivering breathing,

"When did that happen?" I finally asked,

"Last Wednesday." He replied quietly, "And he's been ignoring me ever since."

"Bloody typical Gryffindor behaviour." I muttered and Michael turned to face me, shifting to a cross legged position,

"Did Oliver give you the cold shoulder after you first kissed?" Though his voice sounded casual there was a tiny ray of hope in his eyes,

"No. He saved that for after we shagged." I said in a rather bitter tone, guess I'm still not over that bit yet. "Look, maybe he just freaked out or something, you could still ask him out." I pointed out. I think that at some level a lot of my interest in his little "Potter affair" is due to the fact that I can't really out my own relationship… how fucked up is that- Living out a barely existing affair when I have a real thing myself.

"I can't ask him out," Michael said quietly, "He's taking Ginny."

"The Weaslette?" He nodded, and I just couldn't help myself, "Hey, it's like both your exes are going out together." Michael rolled his eyes and groaned,

"You just had to go and say that didn't you?" I couldn't help the smile that was taking over my face and nodded cheerfully. Michael gave me a half smile in return.

"Come on, I bet your little crush on Potter is the worst kept secret in the Ravenclaw tower."

"As a matter of fact, it isn't. The worst kept secret in the tower is the ongoing bet on how long it'll take Stephen to succumb to you friend." I gaped at him in surprise,

"You guys are betting on how long it would take Pansy to get inside Cornfoot's pants?" He nodded, "Gods, I've got to tell her about it, she's going to love it!"

"So far he's doing a pretty good job holding her off, considering the fact he's had the hots for her since we were fifteen."

"You're shitting me!" I exclaimed, I don't get it- if they both have the hots for each other what's taking the Cornfoot twat so long? "Well, I'd get ready to close the bets- because she told me this morning that he agreed to take her to the ball."

"Is that why you're not taking her?" I snorted and shook my head at that,

"The days when Pansy actually needed me as a dating buffer are long past. She could have practically any boy in this school."

"I suppose." Well, now that we were back on the subject of the ball it felt safe to ask again,

"So, who are you going to take?"

"Mandy, I guess."

"I've been meaning to ask you about her," Michael looked up in surprise, "What the hell crawled up her butt and died? Why is she such a bitch whenever it comes to you?" Michael actually grinned at that,

"She's going out with my older brother, so from some reason she feels responsible for me." He shrugged,

"How old is your brother?"

"Thirty." He said with a smile at my shocked face, goodness, that's just appalling. Thirteen years apart?

"I have two more siblings in between." Michael said, misreading my shock, "What about you?"

"I don't have any siblings, you know that." I said distractedly, still trying to figure out how can one date someone so much older than himself. Oliver was shagged by a guy that was over twice his age he said, but that was just sex, not a full relationship. I could never see myself going out with someone that older than me.

"No, dummy, I meant who are you taking to the ball." I snapped out of my thoughts and refocused on Michael.

"Don't know. A couple of girls asked me out but I don't really feel like taking someone who would actually think she has a chance with me."

"Then you should take someone who wouldn't." He stated simply and I gave a look that said- well, duh. "You should ask Lisa."

"Who?"

"Lisa, Lisa Turpin." I looked at Michael expectantly; who the fuck is Lisa Turpin? "She's that really cute blonde girl, the one that all the boys are dying to get in her knickers…"

"I don't really want to get inside her knickers."

"Don't worry; she wouldn't be interested in your knickers either."

"Hey! I'll have you know that my knickers are very popular." I said with my nose turned up and finally Michael was laughing.

"I bet they are, does Oliver know?" I pulled a face at him and he laughed again, "Anyway, she just broke up with her girlfriend and it would do her a world of good to go out and you know, let her hair down a little. Plus, you'll be going out with one of the prettiest girls in school." I gave it some thought, well; I didn't really have much to lose, I suppose.

"Alright, I'll ask her." Michael smiled at me and grabbed my hand,

"Well, let's go." I tried to pull his back,

"What, now?"

"Sure! If you don't hurry up someone else will get to her first." I got up reluctantly,

"Alright, I suppose."

A/N:

Ok, this one is a bit on the short side, because the next chapter will be the Yule Ball, and this is just a little chapter to clarify things a bit.