Henrietta Potter || Draco Malfoy

32 - Deck The Halls

Oh my life. Ron and Hermione have fallen out. Well, actually - Ron has fallen into Lavender Brown's mouth and out of Hermione's heart.

Hermione was pretty cut up about it, to be honest.

And it did not help that Ron just kept parading her about as though he had discovered a brand-new limited edition flavoured lollipop.

It made it pretty easy to not to feel bad about neither of us inviting him to Slughorn's Christmas party.

"Serves him right," Hermione sniffed, her head held high as we made our way to Slughorn's office for the festivities. "He was always so jealous that we were in the Slug Club and he wasn't!"

The second we arrived at the party, we were approached by Cormac, Hermione's date. Both Hermione and I shrank back in disgust as the lumbering idiot tried to put his arms around us in some kind of attempt at a group hug.

"Ladies! Ladies! Aren't you both looking gorgeous!" He leered down at us, practically drooling. Yuk. "Potter, you're looking exceptionally ravishing in that red dress tonight."

And to my revulsion, he roughly slid his hand down my hip.

"Touch me again, and I'll fucking kill you!" I hissed furiously, thrusting the heel of my hand very hard in his chest making him stagger backwards slightly.

I turned to Hermione who was looking at me speechlessly. "Good luck." I muttered, before taking my leave to stride over to where the buffet table stood. I had little to no sympathy for her. She only asked this creep just to make Ron jealous, knowing full well what a loathsome cockroach he was.

This party was shit. I could tell that already. I wish I had not bothered getting dressed up for it - so much effort for a bunch of pretentious prats. Slughorn even had Neville dressed up in a ridiculous white suit, acting like some kind of house-elf. I was glad I didn't bother getting a date for this.

Professor Slughorn had cornered me and was bragging to Snape about how great I was at Potions. I wish he'd shut up. I was only doing well because of that book with all the scribbles. And the way Snape looked at me made me think he did not find my newfound brilliancy believable either.

Thankfully, we were interrupted by a commotion coming from the door.

A very interesting commotion indeed.

Filch dragged a certain Slytherin in by his ear, presenting him to us, saying he found him lurking in an upstairs corridor.

"Take your hands off me you filthy squib!" Draco yelled, pulling himself free of Filch's grip, looking furious.

He angrily tried to straighten out his suit, pausing only when he realised I was standing right in front of him. Grey eyes momentarily locked onto mine. My stomach gave an involuntary flip.

"I'd like a word with you, Draco," Snape demanded, rudely interrupting our moment.

"Certainly... Professor," the resentment in Draco's voice was unmistakable, and I watched as he allowed Snape to escort him from the party.

Without thinking, I followed.

I wanted to know why Draco was lurking around the castle after hours again. He was acting very strange indeed and I wasn't about to let him get away. Oh no.

I made it out of the party in time to see them disappear behind a door in the corridor up ahead.

Excitement mounted in my stomach as I swiftly made my way to it. I was so close to discovering Draco's secret.

Pressing my ear against the door, I could just make out their voices.

"Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"