Draco Malfoy and the Goblet of Fire (BOOK 4 of 7)

Chapter 9-To the Ball

 "It's due after break."

"Why would it be due after break? No one does anything over break."

"Well, it's too much work to do in one night."

"Maybe if you'd started it when the project was first assigned."

"I did!"

"Yeah, you wrote one word and then decided to finish it later."

"Draco!"

"What?"

"That's not fair."

"Come on. Don't be a fairy."

"I'm not. I'm a doxy!"

Draco rolled his eyes and said, "I think I'll just go and ask someone."

______________________________

Draco entered the library. He knew exactly who he could ask about the Ancient Runes assignment and get a definite answer from.

"Granger, it's lovely to see you." Draco said, putting on his best innocent-and-polite face as he pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.

"What, may I ask, are you doing here?"

"It's a library-"

"No, I meant at this table."

Draco sighed. "Blaise thinks that the Ancient Runes project is due after break. Isn't it due tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is Wednesday."

"Yes."

"It's due on Friday."

"What? But that's the last day before break starts."

"Exactly."

Draco frowned and then it suddenly made sense. "Oh!"

"There we are. Do you really expect her to start a new unit tomorrow and then put it off until January?"

"No."

They both sat there awhile and it started to get awkward.

"So," Hermione spoke, clearing her throat, "are you going to the ball?"

"I suppose. Everyone's going. But honestly? I really don't want to. I've been going to my parents' Christmas ball since before I could walk. And those things were bloody awful. I just hope that the Yule Ball won't be like those."

"Well, Dumbledore's organizing it."

"So we can expect a theme from the 1880's?"

Hermione laughed. "He's got to be older than that!"

Draco joined her, chuckling at her joke. Soon they were both rolling around in tears.

"Stop, we're done." Draco said, clearing his throat.

They started laughing again.

"Stop!" Draco insisted, smiling. "It's like that bloody dance class all over again."

"Alright, alright."

"So are you going with anyone yet?" Draco asked, remembering that he was going to ask her.

"No, not yet. What about you?"

"I was wondering if-"

"Excuse me."

Hermione and Draco looked up to see Viktor Krum with a red rose.

"Yes?" Hermione asked.

"I voz vondering if you vould like to go to the ball vith me."

Hermione looked at Draco with a grimace but quickly she wiped the expression and turned to Krum with a nod, accepting the rose. Krum bowed and left.

"Wow," Draco said.

"Just between you and me," Hermione said, "I hate roses."

Draco chuckled. "Then would you have preferred a lotus?"

"I love those! How did you know?"

"Well, I somewhat guessed. I've always thought they were pretty cool. There's a pond in the backyard of Malfoy Manor, in the middle of the garden. There are tons of lotuses and water lilies."

"What's the difference?"

"I think the water lily's petals are thinner and more pointed. Don't ask me; I'm no expert."

"Oh. So who are you taking?"

"Hmm?"

"To the ball?"

"Oh! Well, I was about to ask you using the exact same words as Krum."

"Really?" Hermione's heart dropped. Why did Krum have to come?

"Yeah, but that's alright. I'll just ask Pansy. She's the only normal fourth year I can think of."

"You should have been faster! Now I have to go with Krum."

Draco smirked. "That's your problem, not mine."

Hermione mock-huffed. "How rude! Perhaps I'm better off with him."

"Oh, you don't want to go there."

"I'm just kidding."

"I know." After a pause, he added, "we can still hang out at the ball, though. I mean, it's not like we have to stay glued to our dates' sides. Especially since what you said last year and...I know you know about Sirius. There's no use pretending with you, I suppose."

"Good to know I'm not a Mudblood," Hermione spoke sharply.

Draco cringed. "I never apologized about that, did I? I'm sorry. You know I don't really believe those things."

"Then why do always act like such a git? To me, to Ron, to Harry."

Something about Granger made Draco want to tell her everything. But he couldn't. He didn't owe that to her. "Just forget it."

"Right. Well, perhaps it's for the best that we won't be going to the ball together." Hermione gathered her things and left the library before Draco could say anything else.

______________________________

"It's due on Friday!" Draco yelled as he walked into the common room. Everyone looked up.

"Sorry," he whispered and the other students went back to whatever it was they were doing. Draco entered his room and repeated what he had said to Blaise.

"Friday?"

"Yes sir, so you've still got time."

"Oh, by the way," Theo, who was also there, said, "who are you taking to the ball?"

"Be right back," Draco said.

He went back into the common room and found Pansy talking with Daphne.

"Pansy, you're going to the ball with me."

"Rude, but fine," Pansy said, looking up and then went back to her conversation. Or, at least she tried to.

"No fair!" Daphne wailed. It seemed that she still hadn't matured.

"It's okay, Daphne," Draco said. "I think that Blaise wanted to go with you so that's why I didn't ask you."

Pansy rolled her eyes at his way of avoiding drama with a Greengrass.

"Really?" Daphne said.

"I'll tell Blaise that you'll go with him," Draco answered. He returned to his room and a few seconds later a giant "WHAT?!" could be heard from a voice that was neither Draco's, Theo's, or Adrian's.

A/N: I encourage you all to share this book with your friends, comment, vote, and keep on reading! Thank you all so much!