Our Little Secret || Draco Malfoy

Chapter 3.

"Are you out of your mind? NEVILLE?"

I shushed Rosie, getting more annoyed by the second. We had followed a large group of girls down to Hogsmeade a few weekends before the ball to find dress robes to wear, and my friends had taken it as an opportunity to berate me about accepting Neville's invitation to the ball. "You really turned down Michael Shepard, the beautiful boy from America, for Neville Longbottom? Did you fall off your brother's broom or something?" Rosie said, holding up a black dress and studying it critically.

I rolled my eyes, sitting down on a puffy stool. "Rosie, I don't want to go with Michael. I'd much rather have a fun night than a night where I have to worry about being perfect." I said, hoping I sounded convincing. "I've got to agree with Rosie this time, Isabelle. Neville is a really nice boy, but Michael is so...gods, yes." Elinor said, stepping out of the dressing room in a floor-length red dress.

"Will you two just drop it? I'm going with Neville and that's that. Also, Ellie, you HAVE to get that one, it looks stunning!" I gushed, smiling at my gorgeous best friend. "Are you getting that blue one?" Rosie asked, examining her black dress in the mirror, earning claps from Elinor and me. "Yeah, I read somewhere that blue is good with black hair, so I'm getting that dress," I said, smiling as I looked at my dress hanging on the dressing room door. Soon, we all had outfits picked out, and when we paid for them, the shopkeeper said they would be in our dorms when we got back to the school, hemmed and fitted to perfection.

"Did you at least, I don't know, promise him a few dances or something?" Rosie said, exasperated as we parted ways with Elinor and climbed the stairs up to Gryffindor Tower. I sighed, keeping my gaze forward. "Yes, I promised him a dance. He's my friend, Rosie." I said, and I didn't have to look at my friend to know that she was smirking. "You like him..." She said in a sing-song voice, and she didn't let it go the rest of the night, much to my discomfort.

----

I stood in the mirror, tucking a long, silky lock of hair behind my ear, biting my lip. Hermione fastened the delicate golden chain of my mother's pendant around my neck and smiled at me, stepping back. "You look incredible, Isabelle. You have nothing to be nervous about." I smiled at her, taking a deep breath. "I know. I just don't want to trip and fall in front of all of Hogwarts. And Durmstrang. And Beauxbatons." I said, giggling with Hermione. 

Hermione slipped on her shoes, standing up straight. "How do I look?" I grinned and strapped on my heels as well, nodding at her. "Bloody beautiful! Viktor is going to die when he sees you." I said, and Hermione blushed. "Well, let's hope that doesn't happen." I giggled and grabbed my wrap, standing up and walking towards the door. "You finish your makeup, and I'll meet you there, yeah?" Hermione nodded and I blew her a kiss, walking down the stairs to the Common Room.

I met Harry and Ron at the bottom of the stairs and had to hold back a laugh. Harry looked quite smart in his dress robes, but Ron looked like a molting bird. "Wow, Isabelle, you look fantastic!" Harry said, hugging me. I laughed and hugged him back, smiling. "Thanks, Harry. You don't look too bad yourself!" I pulled away and turned to Ron, giving him what I hoped was a sympathetic look. He was pulling at the cuffs and collar of his robes, which were frayed and slowly becoming worse.

"Ron, please, stop," I said, pulling my wand from the sewn in pocket. I began to move it over his robes slowly, stitching it up and removing the slightly musty odor and yellow tinge. "You're a lifesaver, Isabelle." He said gratefully, brushing himself off and checking his reflection in a snowy window. "Just promise me you'll get a new set of dress robes one day." I laughed, turning back to Harry. "Your tie is crooked, love," I said, beginning to straighten it. 

"I'm sorry about Cho," I said softly. Harry shrugged, fixing a button on his shirt. "It happens. I'll have fun with Pavarti. And speaking of dates, don't let Neville try any funny stuff tonight." He said threateningly. I rolled my eyes, giggling and letting go of his bowtie. "Oh please. Neville is a gentleman. And I'm already late to meet him, so if you two will excuse me." I said, waving at Harry and Ron as I hurried through the portrait hole and out of Gryffindor Tower.