The 4th change - The First Ball

I lasted a whole month without it being seen, but as with everything, it did eventually get noticed. I suppose luck was on my side for once because it was not one of the 'Steps'.

However, it was quite an obvious observation, and by a Slytherin.

I was in the potions cupboard (and for extra credit, because Neglegar hated humanity anyway), stacking the jars, filled with unmentionable disgusting creatures, in a reasonable alphabetic order.

My outer robe was draped over a chair in the classroom, next to my bag, and the sleeves of my shirt were pushed up due to the stuffiness of the cupboard, despite having the door open.

I knew quite a fair bit of my hair had fallen from its scruffy bun at the back of my head, but I could fix that before I left.

Professor Neglegar was marking some papers at his desk and I, humming a Damien Rice song to myself, did not hear the door to the classroom open and someone walk in.

What I did hear however was, "Sure, just take some from the store."
I had enough time to have a form of a minor panic attack, but very little else, for seconds later the doorway was filled with the figure of Scorpius Malfoy, his one had resting on the door frame as he stood in shock.

His eyes flickered to my wrist, I had one hand reaching up to a high shelf, my fingers clasped around a jar. The bracelet stood out painfully well against my pale freckled skin, the metal reflecting the minimal light, that the soft fires gave, and casting flecks of it around the room. It was hardly inconspicuous. More like a form of a muggle disco ball. I inwardly groaned, hoping he at least hadn't heard me humming.

He blushed slightly, seemingly at a loss for words he managed to chocked out, "I was just, um, coming for some, um, beetle's eyes, for our essay."

I blinked, hardly hearing what he was saying, just wishing he would leave, but at the same time marvelling at the stuttering Malfoy before me. Oh how he was different when a hoard of girls surrounded him.

I looked up at my bracelet subconsciously, averting my eyes from looking at him, but I ended up noticing the jar that my fingers were wrapped around – Beetle's eyes.

Merlin's stripy pink underpants!

I held it out to him awkwardly. Without taking it from me, he popped off the lid, scooped a few out and pressed the lid securely back on.

"Thank you," he spun around to leave, but turned back again in the doorway, frowning slightly he said, "oh, you know, that's a really pretty bracelet by the way." His eyes dropped to my wrist, my arm now hanging limply by my side, hand still clutching the jar of beetle's eyes.

I murmured, "thank you," unable to look away from his piercing steel grey eyes.

He left the cupboard, his deep voice muttering softly, "nothing unusual, nothing strange..." the tune my own voice had been previously mumbling.

I let my eye line drop to the floor, my whole body following only moments later, why did a Slytherin have to see it? Why can't I just have a normal life and enjoy any gifts I get?

I hoped that my suspicions about Scorpius Malfoy were right, and that Albus' preconceived hostility toward him was wrong. Please don't say anything! I silently begged, hoping he'd suddenly become a mind reader and pick up on it.

One week later it seemed I was doing well, no words from the 'Steps' so Malfoy must have kept his mouth schtum.

But it was two days until this blasted ball.

Why did the school have to have these things, I mean I'm not against going with someone, if I had someone to go with. I suppose it's every girl's dream to be taken to a ball.

But, why do I have to go even when I have no date and don't feel like it!

The evening of the ball finds me staring at the simple black dress and swearing heavily under my breath.

I eventually pluck up any courage I'd had hidden deep within (well something had to have gotten me placed in Gryffindor) and slide it on.

It's very modest, full length and strapped with little or no cleavage on display (I'd gotten measured by the kind old lady in the shop and asked her to, um, keep it high).

Happy (being an overstatement by a mile) that I was decent, I pinned on my prefect badge and plaited my hair. I never left the dorm without my hair up, my fringe was enough to use to hide my eyes, and waist length hair was impractical, (yet I still could not bring myself to cut it) so it was always in some form of 'up'.

I was early down, not really surprising as I was only 'supervising' the evening.

What did surprise me though was a partner-less Malfoy following me into the hall only a few minutes after.

The girly part of me was utterly in awe at the decorations the room had taken on. True the Ball room (three classrooms joined together in an abandoned area on the fifth floor) could never look as grand as Great Hall during Christmas, but this room was still extravagant.

As my eyes travelled around the room they settled for a few moments on the still form of Scorpius Malfoy. Despite arriving alone, (not sure if it was by choice, or if no one wanted to go with him…though the second was highly unlikely as he was a registered hot topic within the female population of the school) he was still dressed smartly. A deep green suit with a black shirt underneath, I noticed he looked slightly unsure of himself. Well, there is a first for everything.

"Ah, Mister Malfoy, Miss Weasley," Chester Abastor (the head boy) had just entered behind us, I turned to face him, only to realise in his hand he held some very obviously charmed Mistletoe. "I'm glad you're early, could you do me a favour and conceal some of this around the room?"

Malfoy, no longer holding the unsure disposition, raised a questioning eyebrow at him, "and what would be the spell that is on them?" a slight smirk reached his lips.

Abastor, despite being scrutinised by Malfoy, just grinned, "follows the unlucky person till someone kisses them." He handed out some of the branches to the now blank-faced Malfoy and some to an equally blank-faced me.

I took my handful to the other side of the room, attaching them to the walls at random intervals with a small sticking charm and a temporary disillusion charm.

I turned around to find Malfoy grinning (yes grinning?) at me, "that's a good idea, disillusion them," he said, his sneaky grin rising on one side to form his trademark smirk, wait, did he just compliment me?, "where did you come up with that?"

I just shrugged, I was generally not one to converse with others outside of lessons, unless it was to scold some unruly student who just happened to be out three hours after curfew. Although, I normally just had to raise my eyebrows pointedly and they got the message, I'm told I can be quite intimidating when I want to be. Try telling that to my Step mother, I'm too far beneath her for any of that to affect her, not that I would even dare to.

I made my way back to the entrance to stand by the door to collect tickets. Malfoy stood opposite, awaiting the same thing.

One minute there was about three people coming through, the next people were practically forcing their way in. I was going to have to suggest another way of checking tickets because this way was too bothersome and most people weaselled their way in. I spotted at least eight fourth years!

At around eleven thirty I decided my services were no longer needed, or rather I was fed up of hiding in the corner. There had only been one fight, and that had fizzled away before I even had to intervene, and I'd managed to avoid being seem by any of my step-siblings or, thankfully, McLaggen.

The main incident of the evening for me, was just after I left, it had taken me almost half an hour to make my way across the room and now the ball was near finishing what with the midnight curfew looming.

As I made my way down the hallway to the stairs I heard an angry hoard of profanities emitting from a classroom to my right.

"Stupid blasted thing, why did it have to get stuck on me, what a load of sh-" I Alohamora-ed the door a little more forcefully than I would have liked (the two shots of Firewhiskey and my tired mind affecting my judgement a little) and the door banged onto the wall behind it. In the process revealing a slightly intoxicated Malfoy banging his head against the stone exterior wall, one of the charmed mistletoes hanging almost mockingly above his head, occasionally brushing his platinum blonde hair as if to remind him of its presence.

The glare I received didn't last long, but rather turned to a troubled grimace.

"I'm going to kill Abastor!" he exclaimed, "do you know what it like to have this hanging over you like a little piece of cr-"

I coughed purposefully.

He only sneered, but it was not directed at me, which was surprising regarding the foul attention I normally received from most of the Slytherins in my year.

"Why don't you just go back to the room, I'm sure Goyle will kiss you." I said, not unkindly, Jessica Goyle was a girl in Slytherin who, to say it kindly, was not the nicest person (in regards to looks and personality), but she swooned over Malfoy in a way that made me feel slightly sickened, although, most of the female population wouldn't say no if he turned his attentions to them.

He grunted forcefully, "No bloody way, I'm not heading back there!" he exclaimed.

I could feel a small smile pull at my lips, this whole situation was humorous if I did say so myself, the one boy who could (at any rate) get pretty much any girl in the school, was hiding in a disused classroom so he wouldn't get kissed.

"Fine then," I was astounded at myself for even lasting this long in a conversation, let alone with a Slytherin, let alone with Malfoy! I blame the Firewhiskey (even though I know it takes a lot more to get me drunk, there aren't a few bottles charmed and hidden in my room for no reason, I mean I've got to drown my sorrows some way).

I took a few big strides to stand beside him, pecking him on the cheek to release the curse, "I just can't stand to see you looking so blooming pathetic, it doesn't suit you, and I really need to get to bed."

His face was blank, unreadable, but I turned sharply, heading back to my dorm, instantly regretting my decision, now there was another thing I had to hope that Scorpius Malfoy would refrain from telling my step-siblings.

Damn!

AN

I had to put this up before I bottled out of it.

Thanks for the reviews too!

Also the song is Damien Rice - Amie