Chapter 44 :

Ron had made an appointment with Malfoy in the middle of the night. He arranged to meet in the Library, in a little nook between two study rooms. It was late after the curfew, which was nothing new to them.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the red haired boy : asking help from the Enemy... But what choice did he have ? Malfoy, for all that he was an unpleasant jerk, was practised in the Tribulations of Lov-! Lik-! these unholy butterflies that came to his tummy when he thought about Hermione. The Slytherin had had a girlfriend and, if it had ended poorly for a time, he had even managed to reconcile with her after a nasty break up. He was the epitome of whatever it was that Ron was seeking.

Lost in thoughts, the Gryffindor didn't see said Malfoy appear from a nearby aisle like stars shining through the night.

"I'm here, Weasley. What did you call me for ?" Hummed the aforementioned in poor mood.

"Hey..." Greeted Ron. "Had you ever noticed that Hermione was a girl ?"

Okay. That started poorly. Even Malfoy looked repulsed now.

"You seriously called me here for that... !?"

"What !? No !" Denied the red haired boy. "I just had a question about you and Parkinson !"

"Gods and Druids, no." Painfully prayed the Slytherin under his breath, shutting his eyes in dread.

"How- How did you know you lo- liked her ?" Hesitantly asked Ron while messing with his hair and competently ignoring the other's disgust.

Malfoy raised his eyes to the ceiling, aghast. He was obviously feeling a despair unlike any other and yet, to Ronald, he had never seemed as life-saving than at this moment, where all hope was for naught for the both of them.

"Please, Weasel. Please, tell me you didn't make me come here for dating advices !?"

"Weeell... Not exactly dating ones but..." Admitted the Gryffindor boy. "I did something bad to Hermione and now I don't know how to face her... ?"

"Have you tried apologizing ?" Asked the Slytherin.

"I'm scared." Muttered the young Weasley somewhat defiantly.

The deadpan on Malfoy's face was literally aching with disdain. This was the start of a very long night...

Theodore was wandering aimlessly in the dark corridors. The rain was falling like crystal awkwardness on the windows and he was lost to his own brain. He knew he still had a notebook full of future revenge victims waiting for him, but for once it left his heart unmoved. Satiating his grudge against Snape had been O so sweet, indeed. But he had other blights in his mind lately. Namely : Harry Potter.

Harry who was sweet and beautiful and laughed at his jokes. Harry who actually survived his smile and even answered it with one of his own. Harry who would always have time for him and trusted him with his most vulnerable side. Harry, who had yet to find a date to the Yule Ball. And there was the problem, wasn't it ? The epicenter of these pitiful melancholy waves that echoed through his lungs : how to ask Harry out ?

Theo sighed and turned toward the darkest corner behind him :

"Come out, Greengrass. I can hear your despicable heels."

"Hmph !" Snorted the aforementioned, running her hand through her golden locks. "You must be under the weather, King, to allow yourself to be followed at all."

The fourth year boy sent a deadpan look to his fellow Slytherin. He had no interest in whatever she wanted, but a King had to somewhat listen to his subjects. It wouldn't do for him to be caught unaware after all.

"What do you want ?" He therefore asked with a roll of his eyes.

"You have replaced me." She said.

It was a sentence with no inflection and yet it oozed resentment. Theodore frowned a bit at this blatant blaming. Came to him the strange thought that this conversation really should not be taken out of context.

"You were inefficient, Greengrass. Or where you hoping that I wouldn't discover where your true loyalty laid ?"

The girl cringed. For all that she had been his Spymaster and still was the Ice Queen of Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass was quite easy to read. That she had the guts to reproach him his change in intelligence network when she was the one favouring another party -the Potterhearts, really!?- was telling : he had spoiled her for far too long, hadn't he ?

"Nevermind." She conceded. "I didn't come here for that. I want to cash in on the debt you owe me."

"Do I even owe you anything ?" Scorned the young Nott, amused by her foolish attempts.

The amusement didn't last long, for the golden haired wannabe lady took out a « IOU » ticket from her breast pocket. Damn. Theodore had done many a stupid thing when he was younger and innocent, but he never expected one would come to bite him back in the ass so painfully. It was especially grievous that : a King never reneged on his promises.

"What do you want ?" He half-groaned half-snarled.

"Accompany me to the Yule Ball." Answered the Slytherin girl with a proud smirk.

Ah.

Shite.

AN: Sorry I'm a bit late! I spent the last few days sleeping and living my best life ^^'. Also, I'm not abandoning this story but it'll probably take a while before I update again. I know a lot of you are disappointed that Theo won't go to the ball with Harry, but I promise you a slightly somewhat romantic surprise somewhere!