just for you (years 3-5)

chapter 43

yule ball is today and the whole castle is buzzing with excitement. at every meal throughout the day, every conversation is centered around people's dresses, their dates, etc. i learn from daphne that draco is going with a fifth year girl, flora carrow. apparently she had asked him multiple times and he finally gave in two nights ago. her twin, hestia, is going with crabbe.

"have you seen cedric's dress robes yet?" a group of slytherin girls gather around me, asking me question after question during the christmas feast.

"no not yet" i smile

"have you shown him your dress?" another girls asks

"no he wanted it to be a surprise" they all giggle and gasp. i've never seen people so excited over a boy before, besides when pansy fancied draco of course.

eventually they leave me alone, giving daphne and pansy time to make fun of them all. i can see draco down the table, sitting with blaise, crabbe, and goyle, each of them glaring at the group of girls as they walk away from us. i make eye contact with draco, just as-

"don't give him attention" daphne says, snapping my eyes off of his, "it's what he wants" we all look back at him for a moment, but his head has turned away. once we've finished eating, we're all sent out of the hall so the teachers can prepare the space for the dance, and all of us can go get ready.

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daphne and pansy meet their dates in the common room, as they're in our house. i take pictures of them all in front of the fireplace, the boys all complimenting me on my dress. as i finish taking pictures, i see draco come down the boys dormitory staircase, wearing a white button down and vest, along with a white bow tie. he throws a black robe over his shoulder, then absentmindedly fixes his cuffs as he walks over. he looks up and i just have time to look away, although i'm sure he must've noticed i had been staring.

"i'm meeting her down there" he says, addressing the boys mainly, "we can all head over now" he looks at me a little, observing my dress. he says nothing though, continuing on with the group while putting on his dress robe. i follow along behind them with daphne and pansy, making our way upstairs towards the entrance hall.

as i walk into the entryway, i can see cedric waiting by the doors to the great hall, nervously adjusting the ends of his robes. he's dressed similarly to draco, all white button down and tie with black pants and robe. he looks up just as i reach the the entrance to the room, a smile spreading across his face as he walks towards me.

"you look lovely" he extends his arm, i place my hand over his forearm, smiling back at him

"you clean up alright, yourself" i smirk and he laughs a little, fixing his hair back with his other hand

"they want us in this back room" he nods, "they'll have us come out for the first dance once everyone else has been let in" i nod and say goodbye to my friends, draco staying silent the whole time. flora has joined him, but they don't seem to be talking. cedric leads me back into the room, where the other champions and their partners are all waiting.

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when we're brought into the great hall, we all stare in awe at it. the top half of the room appears to be snowing, with icicles hanging from the now icy white ceiling.. although the room is it's normal temperature. snow covered christmas trees stand at the front of the hall, reaching up to the top of the ceiling. large circular tables are throughout the hall, all decorated in blue and white, with frozen fountains as their centerpieces.

the first dance goes surprisingly well. i thought i would be more nervous with all eyes on us, but cedric manages to crack jokes the whole time and keep me distracted. he's an excellent dancer, he says he had to help harry during free periods.. since our lessons were not enough.

once everyone else joins in, i can't help my gaze from continuously finding draco and flora, spinning around the room along with us. after a couple songs, we take breaks to get drinks, and take pictures together. girls come around to compliment my dress, or compliment our dancing. cedric thanks them all, placing a hand on my back anytime draco gets near me.

"i'm going to grab a snack" i say, and cedric nods, asking me to bring him back something. i walk through the room, past couples dancing, to a grand table on the side with food piled on it. as i grab a plate, picking things out to try, i feel someone come up beside me

"i like your dress"

"oh thank-" i look beside me to see draco standing there, "....you"

"i've been wanting to talk to you" he says, leaning against the table, "hard to get you alone with diggory acting like a bodyguard" he scoffs

"he's being nice" i back, trying not to look at him as i continue to get food

"nice? or overbearing?" i look sideways at draco and see him smirking, it's like he can read my mind, "does he not think you can handle yourself?"

"will you just leave it alone draco" i put down my plate, turning to face him, "you didn't ask me, we both have other dates, let's just move on" i shake my head, going back to the food

"i wanted to ask you" he says, "i just didn't know how" i look back at him, and i can see regret- genuine regret- in his face. i consider what to say carefully, before picking up my plate and saying-

"well it's too late now, isn't it?" and walking back to cedric.

"hey i just saw him- are you-?"

"yeah, i'm fine" i reply to cedric as he runs up toward me, wrapping his arm around my waist and bringing me back to a table with harry and cho.

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"you haven't stopped looking at him all night"

"what?" i say, turning my head to cedric as we sit at one of the tables, later on in the evening.

"draco" he says, "you can't keep your eyes off him"

"i-"

"i mean, he can't stop looking at you either" he raises his eyebrows, "you should go dance with him"

"i'm sorry" i laugh, "what?"

"i'm serious" cedric turns sideways in his chair to face me completely, "if you two can go through.... all the fights you've had; and still care about each other they way you clearly do... it's something worth fighting for"

"cedric, i'm here with you" i place my hand over his on the table

"yeah, but you were never really mine, were you?" he sighs, "you're his" he shrugs, "whether you want it that way right now or not, you guys..." he looks over at draco for a second, who is a couple tables a way, circling his glass boredly, "you're always going to find a way back together" he looks back at me, "so go" he nods encouragely, "dance with him, have a good time"

"i'm having a good time, with you" he raises his eyebrows, i look over at draco, then back at cedric, and i sigh, "fine. i'll go for one dance, cedric. that's all. if it's that big a deal to you" i gather up my dress a bit, standing up and walking towards draco, who instantly notices me coming and straightens up in his seat.

"would you like to dance?"

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and there's the tea. more yule ball content coming your way tmrw in the next chapter :)

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p.s. thank u for 30k reads!