My Father Can't Hear About This | Draco Malfoy

The Yule Ball

I took a deep breath in and released it. I let Hermione hopefully get all the way down the stairs and out of sight before I attempted my descent. 

I round the corner and almost immediately see Cedric's golden brown hair leaning against the wall on the right. It did not seem he was waiting specifically for ME. He seemed to just be waiting, maybe just to get a glimpse of me perhaps? Unless he was waiting on a date that I didn't know about. He made eye contact with me and smiled shyly. 

I finished around the corner to the first step when my eyes meet the top of a man's silver hair. He was adjusting his sleeves, not yet seeing me. I stop in my tracks. He finally looks up at me, his blue eyes meeting mine. Draco. He's actually here. Dressed up for the Yule Ball. For ME. His pale face stared in my direction as he noticed it was me. I began to see his pale skin turn to blush. His cold eyes turned into a look of anxiousness as his eyebrows raised. Was he nervous?

I smirk down at him as I take my first step down the stairs. My eyes haven't left his yet. I loved the way the white bowtie on his tux collaborated with his hair and the black jacket contrasted it. He looked so well put together tonight. 

My eyes shift around the room. I couldn't see Hermione anywhere. Maybe she had already gone inside, but she had to have seen Draco standing out here waiting. Even if she hasn't put it together yet, it is for certain that she will see us walking in together.

I make it to the bottom of the staircase, where I slow down in front of Draco. He reaches out his hand. I timidly place my hand in his, and he lifts it to his mouth for a kiss. "Good evening, Granger." There was a softness in his voice. 

"Good evening, Malfoy." I say rather politely. "I did not expect to see you here tonight." 

"I can't believe you thought I would stand you up." He turns and gestures for me to wrap my arm around his. He escorts me away from the stairs. 

"I didn't expect much else from you to say the least."

He raises his eyebrows and looks at me. "Let's not do this now. Let's have a fun night." He continues to look ahead of him as we approach the doors to the Great Hall. He's right. I shouldn't insult him knowing that he did show up tonight.

We turn the corner and peek through the double doors. Everything was white and snowy, with gigantic Christmas trees at the front of the hall, and snow magically falling from the ceiling, but not reaching the ground. It was probably the most beautiful room I had ever seen. My eyes lit up as I took a look around. 

"It's beautiful in here. This place needed a bit of a makeover." He said with a laugh, making me chuckle. At least he's trying to be humorous with me.

We slowly made our way into the room. It was so crowded, maybe Hermione wouldn't even see me tonight. Maybe she'd be too busy dancing with Ron. Maybe she'd somehow forget about me and not come looking. 

With a few nervous steps, Draco and I found ourselves a table alongside Blaise and Iris, who I didn't know would be going to the dance together. Iris's eyes widened when she saw me, and widened even more when she saw who I was with. Surprisingly, she didn't say anything, though.

"Well Draco, you seem to have found yourself a mudblood to hang out with tonight." Blaise commented.

Draco could see the disgusted and embarrassed look on my face. "Come on. Let's go somewhere else." He grabbed my wrist and we found another table. As we marched away, I could hear Iris slapping Blaise for calling me that, and yelling at him afterwards. At least someone was standing up for me. 

We sat together, not yet speaking, but enjoying the atmosphere of the night. No sign of Hermione yet so that's good. Within moments, we heard a little *tap tap* from Professor Flitwick at the front of the room, and the music had started. The dance floor began to fill with couples eager to dance together.