Chapter 19: The Christmas Party
"Ginevra, bring your ass! You've been getting ready for hours! shouted Draco from outside the guest room that Ginny was staying in.
"You can't rush perfection!" shouted Ginny back. "Of course you wouldn't know that!"
Draco chuckled as he headed down the hall and down the grand staircase in his home. His mother and father were standing at the bottom, greeting guests as they came in.
"Draco darling, you look dashing." said Narcissa as she fixed Draco's bowtie on his dress robes.
"Mother, stop fussing, I'm already flawless." said Draco, waving her hand away.
"Your modesty becomes you." said Lucius, sarcastically.
"I get it from you honest, don't I, Father?" said Draco, glaring at the man.
Lucius raised a brow, readying himself to say something, but then decided against it. "Where's the Weasley girl?" he asked instead.
"Her name is Ginny."
"Ginevra, actually. Sounds more refined than Ginny." said Lucius, almost spitting out her nickname.
"Lucius dear, you said you would be kind for the remainder of her stay. That means tonight as well." growled Narcissa.
Lucius sighed. "Yes, my dear." he said as if he was a child pouting.
Just then, Blaise and Rashida entered the manor arm and arm.
"Blaise, it's wonderful to see you!" said Narcissa, hugging Blaise. "And who is this lovely lady?"
"My friend-date Rashida Mosi, ma'am" said Blaise, a hint of attitude in his voice that Draco detected.
Rashida rolled her eyes, but smiled kindly at Narcissa. "Don't mind him. I'm pleased to meet you." she said as she gave a small curtsy.
"Your dress is so beautiful!" said Narcissa. "Who is the maker?"
While Narcissa and Rashida chatted, Draco pulled Blaise aside. "The hell is wrong with you, mate?" he whispered.
"I'll tell you later." said Blaise.
After the chat, Rashida once again took Blaise's arm and nodded her head at Draco, who did the same back.
Blaise and Rashida walked towards the ballroom that Lucius had pointed out.
"So is this going to be you the whole night or..." said Rashida.
"Maybe. Let's just see what happens. Just like you said, right?" spat Blaise.
"I didn't say that to be rude to you, you do understand that right? And besides, I'm still your date, even though we are friends." said Rashida, giving Blaise puppy dog eyes.
Blaise rolled his eyes and grinned. She looked too adorable to stay mad at. And frankly, he really couldn't put a finger on why was he even irate with her. "You're not cute."
"Of course not. I'm gorgeous. You told me that earlier, remember?" said Rashida with a wink.
"Cheeky woman."
Harry and Pansy was next to come in. As Narcissa gushed over Pansy and her attire (and as Lucius sneered at Harry), Draco took Harry aside.
"Well, Potter?" he asked.
Harry shook his head. "Definitely not the time. She overhears anything, I'll be losing a girlfriend tonight."
Draco smirked, impressed. He really didn't think Harry would even make a dent in Pansy's hardened shell.
A few minutes later, Narcissa tapped Draco's shoulder as he was greeting Ron and Hermione (much to the contained rage of Lucius. Another Weasley and a Mudblood in his home?!) when they came in.
"Draco, she is stunning!" she whispered in Draco's ear as she turned his head towards the stairs.
Draco's jaw dropped as Ginny descended the stairs in her custom made all green dress, hair done up in a neat and intricate bun, with dangling diamond earrings that Narcissa had let her borrow, along with a black satin choker around her neck.
That sealed it. He was gone.
Ginny smiled as she got to the bottom of the stairs, seeing Draco's mouth still wide open. She couldn't help but admire him as well in his all black dress robes, his bright locks slicked back neatly. He used to slick his hair back a lot during 1st through 3rd year, however, instead of looking like a prat, he looked extremely handsome and very much put together, making Ginny's heart flutter.
"Close that mouth of yours, Draco. Nargles might make a home in there." said Ginny, words sounding angelic to him coming out of her blood red lips.
"The fuck are...you look..." stuttered Draco.
"You look too." said Ginny, laughing.
Narcissa didn't say a word. She was enjoying watching the iced heart of her son's melt. Even Lucius couldn't find a complaint.
Draco held put his arm as he gained his composure. "Shall we go and make the masses jealous?"
Ginny nodded, smiling slyly as she hooked her arm with his and let him lead her into the ballroom.
The ballroom was immaculate. It resembled a winter wonderland, something almost similar to the Yule Ball that they had at Hogwarts three years ago. The walls were white, the ceiling was enchanted with snow falling but never hitting people nor the ground, there were ice sculptures, twinkling lights, and a live band.
Draco and Ginny looked at each other and then back at the scene, sour looks on their faces.
"Avada Kadavra pact?" asked Ginny.
"Let's see how long my parents make us stay." said Draco.
For the next hour the teens waltzed around the room. Pansy and Hermione seemed to be the only two that were enjoying themselves. Rob was trying to keep his mood up for Hermione, while Harry tried his best not to look bored. Ginny and Draco were obligated to dance, while Blaise and Rashida found seats and watched unimpressed as stuffy older witches and wizards conversed and danced. Other witches and wizards Draco age and around that were invited shared their same temperament.
Soon, Narcissa gave Draco the cue that he could leave. He quickly grabbed his friends as well as the other young adult witches and wizards and had them follow him and Ginny down the hall to the ballroom that he and she were skating in earlier that day.
The atmosphere was very much different than it was in the other room. Thought the decor resembled the other ballroom, Draco had The Weird Sisters as well as music that was geared towards his generation in there. Food that they loved, instead of horderves, and games.
The room soon erupted in lively conversation, music, and fun. The friends danced and joked around with each other, enjoying themselves much more than they were earlier.
As the girls started getting together and discussing what they had been doing, Draco took Ron, Blaise, and Harry aside to discuss the same.
"So? Anything happen? I am indeed happy to report that you, Zabini, is officially my bitch." said Draco, proudly.
"You and Ginny fucked?!" asked Blaise. Ron clenched his fists.
"No dumbass! My part of the bet was to at least get her on a date. And she and I are on a date with this ball." said Draco, huge smile plastered on his face.
"Wanker." grumbled Blaise. "And you, Harry?"
"Harry shrugged. "Pansy and I are dating now, but that's about it." he said.
"Good on ya mate." said Ron, patting Harry's back.
"You still have to fuck her." reminded Blaise.
"Baby steps my man, baby steps." said Harry, feeling slightly guilty at his comment.
"And you? What was wrong with you two when you came in, Zabini?" asked Draco.
Blaise sighed. "We got into it before we got here. I tried to insist on her that this be a date. But she just wanted to come as friends."
"So basically you're telling us that you are getting nowhere." laughed Ron.
"Sod off." said Blaise. "I was actually being genuine."
The boys eyed their friend. "Are you falling for her, Blaise?" asked Harry.
Blaise looked down at the ground. "I gave her my Nonna's necklace. The one she has on now."
"You what?!" said all three at the same time.
"Look, I don't know what I'm feeling alright? She's fucking confusing. She drives me absolutely mental, but I actually like that shit. She's complicated, she's brutal, she's harsh, she can be aggressive, but she is honest, and doesn't take my bullshit. Plus she is fucking beautiful. I can't get her out of my damn mind!"
"Mate, you like her." said Ron.
"No I don't! I can't like her! She is only a conquest. I know what I'm supposed to do. Fuck her and chuck her. That's the plan!" said Blaise, frustrated.
"That may be the plan, but do you want to follow it anymore?" asked Draco.
Blaise looked over at Rashida as she conversed with the others. "I don't know anymore, mate. I just don't know."
The girls were having their own complicated conversation.
"So you two are dating now? As in boyfriend and girlfriend?" asked Hermione to Pansy.
Pansy nodded. "Yup. Since this afternoon actually. "
"Wow. I didn't think you would go that far." said Ginny.
"Why not? He thinks he will get what he wants that way, so I'm going to make him think he has a shot. I'm not going to actually have sex with him. I'm the winner, not him."
"You sure about that, Pans?" asked Rashida, cautiously. "You're in an actual relationship now. You'll be having boyfriend and girlfriend conversations, boyfriend and girlfriend moments, bonding mug differently than you were as friends. You can easily catch feelings."
Pansy shook her head, disagreeing. "I won't catch feelings. Not at all. He unfortunately will. And then, come Valentine's Day, he will learn a valuable lesson."
Ginny, Hermione, and Rashida looked at each other, and then back at Pansy.
"I think you guys should call the whole thing off." said Hermione.
Pansy and Ginny looked at Hermione, bewildered that she would say that.
"Why?" asked Ginny. "Wasn't the plan to teach them a lesson? Get to them before they get to us?"
"Yes, but I mean Ron didn't really do anything, Harry seems like he is actually smitten, Draco hasn't been able to take his eyes off you all night Gin, and Blaise seems almost normal. I do believe that you three just might have changed them."
"I'm not trying to seek vengeance anymore, remember Hermi?" said Rashida. "Especially now that I've met his family and know a lot more about him. I really just want to reach him how to respect witches, that's all."
"Understandably so Rah, but don't you see that at the same time, he is falling for you?" asked Hermione. " you said so yourself that he gave you his grandmum's necklace and he was mad because you didn't want tonight to be more than friendly."
"That's true, but Blaise knows that it isn't like that with us. Blaise is a great guy once you turn down the arrogance, but-"
"Then just let it go." said Hermione. "He will be fine."
"I can't. I'm helping him through this. He's my friend."
Hermione shrugged. Then she turned to Ginny and Pansy.
"Now you two. Do do either you even know what you want anymore?"
"I sure do. I have Draco right where I want him. If I was to whisper in his ear take me now, he would fall over himself." said Ginny.
"Same with Harry." said Pansy.
Hermione sighed. "Well, I guess it's the way it's going to be isn't it?"
Ginny sighed. "Look, I'm not going to deny that maybe a small part of me wants Draco as well. However, I'm not going to allow him to use me and then throw me away."
"Exactly, Gin. Harry would do the same to me, that was their plan all along." said Pansy.
"What if they were to be like hang the bet?" asked Hermione to the girls.
Pansy and Ginny both shook their heads, their minds made up. Rashida didn't know what to say, or how to feel.
Hermione sighed. "Fine. I guess do what you feel is right."
Ginny and Pansy smiled and walked off, heading towards the boys. Hermione started to over too, but Rashida grabbed her arm.
"Can I tell you something?" asked Rashida. "I feel like I can trust you to hear me out, and possibly help me."
"Yeah, of course Rah. Let's step out and find a place that is quieter." said Hermione as she and Rashida left the room.
