Reposted: 12/04/07 fixing bad spelling, bad grammar and other typos etc etc.

"Alex. What a surprise? I had no idea you would be here today." Draco looked up from his circle of sycophants and grinned at her

"I've never been known for my lack of social involvement, Draco." Alex smiled back. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

Draco's smile flickered briefly. Her poke at his own, less than stellar, record of social attendance was so well aimed he doubted anyone else noticed it.

"Isn't it great, Alex?" Julia Flint, cousin to the Slytherin Quidditch captain, bubbled up next to Draco. "Draco Malfoy and Alexandria Bellmonte both at my event! You're never both at the same thing unless the other person is throwing it!"

"There's never been an event quite like this one, so why wouldn't we come?" Alex smiled at the eternally cheerful second year. The girl's comments were true. Due to their overwhelming social influence Narcissa and Deana tried to coordinate so that neither family presented overwhelming support for any other, lesser, family. They also tried not to have both family names represented at any one event.

"Indeed. When I read the invitation I couldn't wait to attend," Draco commented, amused. "With all the effort your father put into getting clearances from the Ministry this ought to be quite entertaining."

No one was completely sure what tonight's, 'extraordinary entertainment' was going to be. All anyone knew was that it had taken a ton of money to bribe the clearances out of the Ministry of Magic...not that that was anything new mind you, but there had been rumors circulating over the nature of the show for weeks. However it turned out it promised endless fun for Alex. Either it would live up to its hype or it would be terrible and then she'd get to abuse the Flints for a few months.

"I agree. What more could one ask for but a beautiful day," Alex gestured first to the clear blue sky overhead then to the circle of teenagers around her, "and wonderful companions to share it with?"

"The beauty of the day pales in comparison with the company," Draco put in smoothly. The girls in the circle sighed softly.

"How charming of you, Draco," Alex responded, trying to divine his game.

"Aren't I though?"

"And arrogant, too." She noticed the quickly concealed horror on nearly every face around her. No one spoke to a Malfoy that way! It wasn't done! But she was a Bellmonte! Who was going to stop her?

Alex could almost hear the headaches forming. She suppressed a grin.

"How kind of you to notice. I've been working on developing that trait lately." Draco's gaze flickered briefly from her toes to her head. "You've developed some new interesting traits yourself recently, Alex."

"Oh, yes." Alex grinned, purposefully mistaking his meaning and continuing cheerfully. "I've become fluent in two more spell languages and my mother has finally gotten around to teaching me her collection of castration spells."

Draco choked on the punch someone had offered him. There was a flurry of concerned female voices offering him everything from a napkin or towel to a new drink or a new shirt.

Alex laughed. "Don't worry, ladies. He'll be fine. I think he's just allergic to something nearby." She extracted herself from the group. "I have other people I simply must greet. I'll talk to you all later.

Alex managed to avoid Draco for the rest of the afternoon. It wasn't until later that night that she met up with him again. The 'entertainment' had finished...and had turned out to be quite pathetic, a display of "Fire works" and other forms of Muggle explosives.

She'd been sitting on the grass, enjoy the cool night air and the quiet, Muggle explosives really do live up to the name you know, when he approached her.

"Alex, come for a walk with me?"

Alex glanced up at Darius Goyle, older brother of one of Draco's cronies. Alex had never liked him. He was large, strong and not at all opposed to using those attributes to get what he wanted...no matter what it was or who objected. "I'm rather tired, Darius. I think I'll just stay here and rest." She offered him an apologetic smile that conveyed some level of exhaustion.

"I know something that will re-energize you faster than any amount of sitting and resting." Darius seized her hands and hauled her to her feet. "Come on, Alex. I won't take no for an answer."

"Excuse me?!" Alex tried to pull her hands free and that only resulted in Darius closing his grip around her wrists tight enough to hurt.

Alex never knew why Draco Malfoy appeared beside her. She only knew he did and she had never been more grateful for his presence...though she never knew the why of that either. It wasn't like she couldn't blast the big man into the dirt is she wanted to…. well, if she needed to.

"I highly recommend you remove your hands from her." Draco's voice was low and anything but pleasant. He slid one arm around Alex's waist.

She tensed, but then she realized what he was going for and, playing along, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I do think I'll need use of my hands before the night is over, Darius. Draco might object otherwise." Alex widened her eyes and smirked knowingly. "The Malfoy men are known for being jealous."

Apparently her not-so-subtle comments were enough to remind Goyle that he was facing off a Bellmonte and a Malfoy...and the Malfoy seemed to be angry with him. Alex suddenly found herself in possession of her own hands again.

"Perhaps you should leave."

Alex wondered if the air had dropped in temperature due to Draco's tone or if it was just her. Apparently Darius discovered the effect too because he disappeared into the night without a sound...an amazing feat for such a large man.

"You're alright." Draco was still glaring off after Darius.

"Of course I am!" It struck Alex that he'd just commanded her to be alright, not asked if she was. She started to remove herself from his grip. "I was handling it you know."

Draco finally looked down at her, tightening his grip on her waist. "I was handling it better. I doubt he'll ever speak to you again as long as he thinks you belong to me."

"I don't belong to anybody, Draco! Few men have ever handled being in a relationship with a Bellmonte woman. No one has ever owned one!" Alex tried to rip away again.

"Stop that." Draco commanded. "I'm trying to talk to you."

"And I'm trying to leave. It would seem our interests conflict."

"Why do you think I'm your enemy, Alex?" His voice seemed impossibly soft.

"I don't know, Draco. Maybe the threats and the leering?" Alex realized she wasn't angry any more. Just... tired.

"What can I say?" He spread his arms, releasing her, and smiled. "I'm a product of my society."

"Sadly, true."

"Keep going to these things, Alex. Maybe I'll show up to another one." Draco smirked, suddenly every inch the jerk she hated. He disappeared into the night. Alex stared after him, confused.

"What just happened?" she breathed softly to herself. "How the hell did he manage that?"

Round Four: Complete. Winner: Draco Malfoy.