AN: I uploaded a new chapter, love this one! I love how Draco helps her, at the moment I think its the most he could he do for someone he supposally "despises".
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K.R.
When I finally got the guts to owl mother and tell her about the Yule Ball, my worst fears came true. Her letter was even more horrible than I thought it would be.
My Dearest Astoria,
I was indeed impressed that you were invited to the ball by a young man. And Blaise Zabini. A fine catch. I am very excited and have sent these beautiful dress robes that will bring out your eyes. I hope that you like them and enjoy the ball and your time with Blaise.
Your Loving Mother
P.S. I was speaking to Lady Zabini and she said that she would make sure that Blaise was wearing something to match your dress. She is also pleased.
After I read the later and I crumpled it up in a ball and threw it in the waste basket. It was so… so distant and formal. No I love you's, only polite rubbish. The letter represented my mother to a t. Polite, perfection, formal, obedient and blanche. I un-wrapped the paper and pulled out the dress that was the most beautiful color of blue I had ever seen. This was supposed to match my eyes? Mine weren't even close to this beautiful color.
"I wish I was going, too." Arabella pouted. We were in our room and Arabella were helping Katrina and I get ready. I was going with Blaise and Katrina with a fourth year Ravenclaw.
"No, you don't. It's going to be boring. The only reason I'm going is to see Pansy, Millicent and Daphne make a fool of themselves." Katrina replied, pining up a piece of straight auburn hair.
"Ahem." I raised my eyebrows at her. My sister was probably going to make a fool out of herself.
"Oh, sorry Tori. I mean I'll be watching Pansy and Millicent make a fool out of themselves." She smiled and stepped back from the mirror on the wall in the bathroom. "But really, Pansy will be dancing the night away with Draco," She snorted and grabbed Arabella and spun around. "And Millicent will be standing there giggling and fawning over Draco with Daphne. Their so predictable." She stopped dancing and straightened her green sequined dress.
"I want to defend my sister, but you're right. Don't you think it's kinda creepy that they follow him all the time? Yeah, he's cute, I guess, but he's a such a prat." I slid the last hairpin in and looked myself over in the mirror. Half of my hair was pulled back while the rest was flowing and shining in the light. My blue dress was halter dress, the empire waist emphasized my thin waist and the flowing bottom definitely made me look taller.
Arabella was still pouting that she wasn't going and I ran over and wrapped my arms around her before pulling back and standing beside Katrina.
"You guys look… beautiful!" She exclaimed and ran to her bed. I watched her fish in a bag and pull out a camera. "Smile!." She beamed at us before taking a picture.
We swept around the floor, his hand on my waist and mine on his shoulder, hand in hand. We twirled and spun round and round, the music filling my ears and the beautiful landscape of the Ball filling my vision. It was absolutely beautiful.
When he stopped to chat with friends and drink pumpkin juice, I followed him wordlessly, smiling at Slytherin's who I hated. They made comments on how "scrumptiously beautiful" my dress was and how hot I looked. The latter was said by a certain Vincent Crabbe, and when was said, brought an awful air of anger to Blaise. It happened a little like this.
"Hello Malfoy, Parkinnsen, Goyle, Crabbe." Blaise said smoothly in one breath and I smiled wordlessly at the some of the very Slytherin's I despised.
"Hello Blaise." Draco smirked and the rest of them nodded. I tried to keep the look of disgust off my face as I saw Pansy hanging off of Draco's arm. She was so desperate, it was sad. He turned to me and a look of shock crossed his face as if he hadn't noticed me but I knew perfectly well he had. "Oh, and Greengrass." His smirk broadened and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Malfoy." I nodded tightly. "Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle" I watched Pansy sneer and Crabbe and Goyle nod and give each other a look. I turned my eyes to them and they looked down at the ground.
"Oh Tory! Your dress is scrumptiously beautiful!" Pansy whined in her sickly sweet voice she used when she was trying too hard to be nice. She was probably just pretending to be nice to me because I was Daphne's sister. I knew she actually hated me; she hated anybody that she thought was competition.
"Thank you, it was a gift." I smirked, trying to imply that it was gift from some famous pureblood of some sort instead of just my mother. Draco didn't seem to believe it and smirked back at me, his eyes twinkling. Pansy looked jealous and I'm sure Crabbe and Goyle didn't care, they were too busy staring at my chest (which wasn't that big to begin with). Blaise face was ceased in wonder, but he did seem to be fascinated by everything I said and did.
At that moment, Crabbe whispered something and Goyle grinned back. I thought I heard my name but that was it. Blaise tensed beside me and I looked up into his stormy face.
"What was that, Vincent?" Blaise used his first name, which no one ever did, and when they did, Crabbe always ended up getting angry and in the infirmary.
"I said, Zabini, Astoria looks hot." He sneered and Blaise glared. I, myself, felt bile rising in my throat. That was just… Ewww.
"Take it back, Crabbe." Blaise growled and Crabbe just laughed.
"Why should I? It's true, even you would admit it. Just look at her." I was astounded, I didn't realize underneath that pudgy frame and dopy expression, Crabbe was quite witty. "It is the only reason you asked her." Crabbe smirked, an expression that was obviously copied after Malfoy's.
The only reason Blaise asked me out was because he thought I, a girl 2 years behind him, was hot? That was actually a compliment. It didn't matter much who I went with or why, I had just wanted to come. And why not with great Blaise Zabini? He was quite handsome, after all. I decided to make it hard for them and I acted hurt.
"Is that really why, Blaise?" I said in my soft, fake sweet voice that I only used when I wanted to guilt someone. I looked up innocently and tried to look hopeful.
"Yes, why did you ask her?" Malfoy spoke up; he was smirking and looked like he was quite enjoying the drama. I took a second to glare at him before looking back at a blushing Blaise. Blushing Blaise? And sweating too, gross. I unhooked my arm from his when he didn't answer and stepped back, accidentally tripping over the hem of my robes and stumbling back. A fake look of hurt crossed my face and I was out of the ballroom in flash.
I heard Blaise distantly calling my name but I ran outside, into the garden. It was full of couples entwined together and I ignored them and collapsed on an empty bench. I held my side and bent over, my giggles uncontrollable. I broke down and laughed loudly, it echoing off the building for all to hear.
Blaise had been so embarrassed, naturally like the true Slytherin I was, didn't feel bad for playing them all. Especially if I got a good laugh about it. I wondered if anybody was going to come looking for me or if I was going to have to go back to the dorms.
Just then, Katrina came through the entrance, a look of panic on her face. My heart warmed at the thought of her ditching her hot Ravenclaw date to come looking for me.
"Tori! Astoria!" She shouted and I waved and she ran over. She sat on bench beside me; she looked confusingly at the huge grin on my face. I giggled and she stared at me, hard.
"I'm sorry." My grin left my face and I became serious. She relaxed and then took a deep breath.
"What happened?" She exclaimed and I laughed again before patting her shoulder.
"I'm alright. I just found out that Blaise only asked me because he thinks I'm hot but I don't really care because I don't really like him. I acted like I did and pretended to be hurt and Blaise even blushed! It was hilarious!" I laughed and she finally broke into a smile.
After Katrina left I stayed outside on the bench, soaking in the darkness. I was surprised when I saw a certain platinum blonde head come through the doorway, peering into the dark garden. Malfoy was the last person I thought would come looking for me; but here he was, the great prat himself.
I quietly got to my feet and tried to sneak away, hiding behind some bushes and going deeper into the green hole.
"Greengrass! Come back here!" Malfoy called after me and I sighed and stopped. He caught up to me and stood in front of me, arms crossed. He looked kinda embarrassed and I had no idea what he was going to say and it was already awkward. Why was he even here?
"What?" My voice cracked and I mentally punched myself, I sounded sad. His molten silver eyes softened and he starred at the ground awkwardly.
"Ya know, Blaise really does like you." He was staring at my forehead, trying to make it look like he was looking into my eyes but I could tell he wasn't.
"I don't really care, Malfoy. That was all an act, I did it on purpose. I don't care at all for the reason Blaise asked me." I replied. He gave me a confused look and I raised my eyebrows at him. Surely he was more clever than this? "Let me put it simply. I don't really like Blaise. I just acted like I cared and pretended to be hurt. That's it." I sighed and his face relaxed again.
"I have to say, Greengrass, you're quite a good little actress. Your… act, was quite believable, Zabini was almost in tears. But of course he was too much of a coward to talk to you himself so he sent me. Only Merlin knows why, though, I think we've only talked once or twice. We hardly know each other." Malfoy smirked and I smirked back.
"Little actress? I'm the next Emma Watson." I laughed and he smiled. A real, genuine smile. Wow, I made Draco Malfoy smile. "I guess I should go inside and assure Blaise that he is forgiven." I winked and Malfoy blinked at me before his eyes refocused.
I spotted Blaise in a chair in the corner his head in his hands. When I got closer I noticed he was shaking as I got closer. "Blaise?" I called out and his head lifted slowly. His eyes brightened when he saw me but they then died.
"Astoria, Crabbe wasn't lying, but it's not the only reason-"He began but I caught him off.
"It's alright, Blaise." I replied tiredly. His brows furrowed and I tapped my foot. I grabbed his hand and pulled him off the chair and toward the dance floor. "Let's dance, you're forgiven." He looked at me in disbelief but followed me.
We danced for the rest of the night, twirling around the dance floor late into the night. By the time we left the only people were Malfoy, Pansy, Goyle, Crabbe, Nott, and a couple Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and Ravenclaws.
When we got back to the dorm, Blaise and I stood awkwardly in the middle of the Slytherin common room. I waited for him to do something and when he came at me I was totally unaware of what was happening.
Blaise's lips were suddenly on mine and he was kissing me hard. I didn't kiss him back but I'm not sure he realized that. I should have been happy, I was snogging Blaise Zabini for Merlin's sake! But still! I was a second year and he was a fourth, it just felt odd, kissing him. When he backed me into a chair, I had had enough. I tried to push him away but he just kept kissing me.
Just then Malfoy, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle walked in. Pansy was hanging off Malfoy almost drunkenly, and of course she could be. She was giggling madly and Malfoy was paying no attention to her. I looked over at them, my eyes asking for assistance, not begging, because Slytherin's do not beg, even this kind of situation. I struggled against Blaise and finally they looked over. Pansy's eyes widened and Malfoy let out a laugh. Crabbe and Goyle stood expressionless.
"C'mon Blaise, you can't just ignore rejection!" Malfoy mocked and Pansy cackled while Crabbe and Goyle chortled. Blaise stepped back from me, his eyes wide. He mumbled something unintelligible before running off. "Just like a coward, running off!" Malfoy called after him and then he wandered off toward the dormitories, Pansy running right past me and up the stair well. Before disappearing up the shadowy stairwell up to the boy's dormitories, Malfoy looked down at me. I gazed back at him and I saw the corners of his mouth twitch up into an almost smile. I was about to say something before he was gone, disappeared into the darkness.
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