midnight of the masquerade | d. malfoy

seven ; the bells of death

Joining the crowd of students filing into the Great Hall reminded myself of the Yule Ball, taken place last year. With a small piece of that memory, it triggered another.

The crowd screaming in terror as they witnessed Cedric's body laid dead on the floor. I couldn't bare the sight, so I ran from the scene before anyone could have heard my sobs.

"Ally?" Marion shook me, snapping my mind out of a tangled mess. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" I let out a shaky laugh, possibly worrying her even more.

"You've been quite distracted ever since the year started," she explained, taking a short glance as Celeste joined some Ravenclaw friends who I recognized were Drea Charlize, and a blonde I haven't had the chance to meet before.

"Well that must be a good thing then," I looped my arm around hers as I lead us into the room. "So far it's only been two weeks. It's also pretty preposterous - two weeks, and a masquerade ball, already? If I hadn't known any better, I think Dumbledore has signed up for matchmaking."

Marion slipped out a loud laugh, and I felt as her shoulders relaxed. I knew I had successfully distracted her from the previous subject. "Alright, now let's go have some fun!" She slid through our loop, and dragged me to the centre where we supposedly waited for music.

Instead, they had surprised us. Small screams echoed throughout the Hall as the lights were dimmed. I attempted to grab a hold on Marion, but it was far too dark to sense where anyone was. Due to the crowd, I was shocked that I had managed to not have bumped into someone.

Abruptly, a white light had burst at Dumbledore's podium, and there McGonagall stood.

"Welcome, students of Hogwarts!" She announced, allowing us to cheer. "We are pleased to see all of you showing up."

I took the chance of McGonagall's spotlight to guide myself over to Marion. She didn't flinch as I took her wrist. I had completely blurred out the professor's speech, and I found myself scanning the room for something or someone that was unknown to me.

However, my eyes had landed on a handsome boy, although he had a mask covering most of his facial features. It was almost like seeing a boy from his back and already knowing he was attractive.

This boy had a sleek black mask, which had been slightly brushed over with his light hair. His dress shirt was messily tucked, and I realized from the looks of him; he hadn't tried much for this event.

"Now that you all understand, you may begin to scramble," McGonagall boomed into my ears, and I was suddenly taken into a spiral of bodies and crashing shoulders.

If I had listened instead of fawning over a mysterious boy, I would probably not have been close to falling over.

"Grab the nearest dance partner!" Someone who was clearly not female, but young, instructed us and I had never felt so lost in my life - until a hand skimmed across my waist and landed at my fingertips.

"I'm guessing you didn't pay attention," my apparent 'dance partner' began to glide us across the floor, following everybody's circular pattern.

"I don't happen to pay much attention in anything, actually," I defended myself in a shameful manner.

The boy chuckled, and took the chance to twirl me. "I knew it was you under that mask, Alana."

"Oh my, Merlin," I grinned at my friend in surprise. "Harry Potter, I have never seen you dress up so nicely for an occasion before!"

"What about last year?" He lifted an eyebrow at my compliment.

"Harry that dress robe was absolutely disgusting, I'm sorry," I peeled one hand off his shoulder and waved the subject off.

He laughed at my honesty, before twirling me once again. "You should get ready, by the way."

"And why is that?" I inquired, but my question was answered with no patience.

"Switch!" The voice instructed abruptly, and Harry decided to put all his strength into my final twirl, causing me to spin endlessly before a strong arm wrapped along my front, forcing me on his chest and my arms to be crossed across my waist; using his hands to keep them bound.

"That was bloody brilliant," I huffed, breathless of my new partner.

"I could say the same for yourself," he complimented, his lips barely brushing my ear before he tore us apart, allowing us to continue the same dance pattern with his hand on my waist, my own on his shoulder, and the other to hold each other's hands.

"Who do I have the pleasure of being with this time?" I smirked, and he returned it with his own.

"The point of a masquerade is so you can't know who you're dancing with," he pointed out.

"Really?" I wondered sarcastically. "I always thought the point of it is so people don't have to worry about having a date, or just because wearing an itchy statement piece made for covering the face is definition of fun."

He scoffed at my theory, lightly nodding his head. "I have to admit, you are one clever girl."

"I try," with a shrug of my shoulders, he grins at me before taking both of his hands on my waist, and lifting me up just as everyone else did the same. As I had the chance to scan the room, I swear the door peeked open - only thing is, nothing came in, nothing went out.

I felt my feet land on the marble, and my attention diverted to the mystery boy who continued to take possession of my breath every time I glanced in his shadowed eyes.

"So are you going to tell me who you are, or am I going to have questions?" I suggested, and he smirked at my need to recognize him.

"How about that second option," he answered with a shake of his messy bangs.

"Fine, we'll do it the hard way-"

"Only," he interrupted me. "Only if I am able to ask you questions myself."

"I don't think we have much time," I warned as I heard a voice boom through the crowd. Students around us began shifting and finding a different suitor.

"It wouldn't hurt to break a pointless rule for tonight," he spoke up, and I found myself deeply intrigued by him. "You first."

"What house are you in?" I asked, not wasting my time.

"Slytherin," he tensed, probably thinking I would rip off him.

"Me too," I ducked under his hand as he spun me out, then back into his arms, gently swaying us before going back into position. "Your turn."

"What year?"

"Fifth, how about you?"

"Same as you," the corner of his lip tugged upwards. "Does that count as your question-"

"Of course not, it wouldn't be very fun if we had the same questions."

"Go on then," he nodded his head.

I bit at my lip, attempting to find a question. "Who are your roommates?"

"Can't answer that," he simply replied.

"Why not?" I pried.

"It would be too obvious."

"That would be an advantage on my part then," I softly released a laugh, before it was sharply ended with a strike at my back, piercing its way throughout my body.

My hands left the boy and I held back the scream of aggravating and unbearable pain which rattled through my veins. My vision began to darken as I collapsed flat across the floor, writhing in burning heat.

Before my lids were able to close, I heard screaming, and professors shouting for Pomfrey. A hand lifted my head from the marble, cradling it in his hands as the bell of midnight chimed heavily in my ears, and a shadow attacked me into sleep.

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I've really been in a draco mood lately - even though I'm in that mood all the time - so I decided to continue rewriting chapters, then I'll possibly continue writing if people are actually still interested :p