Chapter 41: The one where I almost kiss Greengrass

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by the brilliant mind that is J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

Leoncina- lion cub

Chapter 40

Malfoy smirked at Zabini, "Isn't she the cutest little cub?" They shared a laugh at my expense, and I hit Malfoy under the table with my heel.

"Ouch. What was that for?" Nott looked at me half amused and half irritated, and I apologised to him innocently, evidently hitting his shin instead of Malfoy's. He turned to Davis, "Want to dance?"

She nodded enthusiastically and walked off simpering up at him, and my eyes followed them to the dance floor. Unfortunately, I caught sight of Cedric whispering into Chang's ear. She laughed so prettily. I mean who laughs pretty. It's supposed to squish up your face and make you look awkward. And what was she wearing, was it a kimono, was it a dress? Was it white, was it grey, was it silver? And now she suddenly wants curly hair and of course it suits her.

"Now, Crabbe."

I looked at Malfoy questioningly as Crabbe stood and walked to the dance floor. He tapped Nott on the shoulder and cut in. Nott walked towards the door, turned, and nodded at us. Malfoy stood and held his hand out to me, I glared at him, and he let it fall to the side.

He began walking to the door and I followed him, Zabini and Greengrass following. We exited the hall and walked straight past a prefect towards the dungeons. I knew some of them were on duty, in charge of making sure this very thing didn't happen. I then noticed the green tie on his chest. Slytherins.

We walked down the corridor and Malfoy muttered into a portrait, and I stepped in after him. We walked down a long corridor. Was I being stupid entering the snake pit? I smirked to myself; I could handle a few snakes.

I turned around and saw Zabini whispering into Greengrass' ears. I bumped into something, not realising that the boys stopped walking. Malfoy steadied me before I fell back, and I quickly pulled my hands away from him. I could walk on my own. Nott smirked at the exchange and tapped his wand on the wall in a specific sequence. It opened like Diagon Alley and revealed a narrow staircase.

We ascended single file and stopped after a few seconds. Nott opened the door at the top and Malfoy followed him. I stepped over and I hugged myself against the cold.

We were outside.

Malfoy continued walking and I followed him, he unlatched a gate and walked through. We stood on the quidditch pitch. I looked at him, impressed. Of course, these sly devils would find a way to get to practice through their backyard.

Nott went into the Slytherin changing rooms and exited with a blanket which he tossed at Zabini, which Zabini laid on the floor. He tossed us each a bottle of butterbeer and sat on the blanket. Malfoy looked at me,

"You've been quiet."

"Would you rather I speak? You won't like what I say."

"Are you going to chide us for sneaking out?"

"No. I was going to compliment you on it."

"I don't see how I wouldn't like that."

"Oh, did I say that you wouldn't like what I say? I meant I wouldn't like what I said."

He smirked and shrugged off his coat and passed it to me, I took it. I was stubborn, but not stubborn enough to freeze to death. The coat smelled expensive, just like everything that had to do with Malfoy. I realised I was the only one standing and plopped down.

Zabini was giving me a calculating stare. "What?"

"I still haven't figured it out yet."

"What?"

"Why you agreed to go with Malfoy."

"Upset because you had to give him all that gold?"

"Oh no, that was money well spent. And don't tell me it's because you owed him one or whatever. I don't buy that…what are you really up to Thornton?"

Malfoy cut in, "Don't worry about Zabini. He just can't accept that I'm more talented than he is."

I looked at Malfoy, "So asking me out was some game you needed talent for then?"

"Of course, talent and a face like this."

I laughed at his conceit. Greengrass joined me. "You two probably believe the sun rises and sets just to look at your face."

"Of course, it does." Zabini retorted, "You didn't answer my question cara."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you Zabini." I took a swig of the butterbeer and Zabini smirked at me.

"Your friends wouldn't be too pleased to see you here with us. You're brave to sit alone with a bunch of snakes."

"You're brave to be sitting with a lioness."

"A lioness isn't so scary without its head."

"It's much easier to stomp a snake to death than it is to behead a lion."

Zabini and I were right in each other's face. He burst out laughing then and flopped onto his back. "Ahhhh, I like you Leoncina."

I looked at Malfoy confused at the boy's strange behaviour, and he shrugged. Greengrass cut in,

"Were those your brothers you were walking with earlier on?"

"Yes."

"They're hot. You're hot too. Good genes." I nodded at the direct comment.

"You're hot too."

Everything went quiet. The boys' eyes were plastered on us. All we did was complement each other in an unconventional way and suddenly they thought we would make out or something. I smirked at her, and she smirked back. She moved forward and I did too, our faces almost touching. I couldn't hold the expression long enough and burst out laughing which set her off.

"You should see your faces. Serves you right for being perverts."

"I need to take a leak." Nott walked off quickly and Malfoy and Zabini tried regaining their usual bored expression which they usually had down to the wrinkle, but it seemed to evade them now. Malfoy shook his head at me,

"You're evil."

"Why thank you."

"You don't get it from your brothers. Did they honestly think that whole act was scary?"

"Probably. It worked on you, didn't it?"

"I was not scared of them."

"You agreed to everything they said."

"Just to placate them, not because I was scared. I didn't want them to ban you from going tonight!"

"And you think them telling me I can't go would stop me."

"Well forgive me for applying the rules of normalcy to you. I thought you were a good girl."

"A good girl you met in detention."

"Just because you got detention doesn't make you bad."

"And just because your- "I stopped. Biting back what I was going to say. It was the truth though. Just because his father was an evil prat didn't mean he had to be one too.

We were such idiots, screaming compliments at each other.

He leaned back on the blanket, "What's going on between you and Diggory."

I looked quickly at Zabini to see if he had heard, but all I saw was the back of Greengrass' head as they made out. When did that happen? Nott still hadn't returned from his 'leak'.

"Nothing."

"Don't insult my intelligence."

"Can't insult something that's not there…there really isn't anything though. He liked me but now he doesn't."

Why was I telling him this?

"And you?"

"I unfortunately do not possess the switch that he has."

"You're hotter than Chang."

I looked at Malfoy. "That's sweet Malfoy but-"

"No, I'm serious. You are. And let's not pretend that isn't exactly what you want to hear."

"She's really pretty but it's not just about looks."

"Haha. Yeah sure. No denying that she's pretty though. Very pretty face, but you're in a whole other league." His eyes quickly perused my reclining body, and I narrowed my eyes at him. Surprisingly it didn't make me uncomfortable, it was just inexplicable at how easily seduced men seemed to be. "You were the most beautiful girl at this Ball. I'm not just saying that because you're my date. Actually, because you're my date is proof enough. I have very high standards."

"Ironic considering your lowly state."

"Yes… return compliments with insults."

"Well, it's not my fault you choose to descend in ranks."

"In your eyes."

"In most eyes."

"So, you think I'm scum."

"No. I think you act like scum. You're not."

"Then what am I?"

I didn't get to respond as I felt a prickle across my neck. I turned around, looking for the source of the uncomfortable feeling.

I saw the source and acted quickly without thought, I jumped onto Zabini knocking him and Greengrass to the floor, a shot of green highlighting the night.

A/N: Okay, I know I am having a bit too much fun with these Draco-Ky moments – but I hope he isn't being too out of character – what do you think ?

Kalina