Belong (D.M)

Part thirty

November passed and December was upon them, making the temperature outside drop even more significantly. Deep snow covered the school grounds and frost laid upon every window of the castle. The stone hallways were cold, and the classrooms even colder. Hufflepuff had played against Ravenclaw, but she had not attended the game, she had sneaked away with Draco. His face was becoming more and more gaunt by each passing day, and his eyes reflected something lost and hollow. His breathing was shallow and he never seemed to smiled these days, but still he was keeping everything in, speaking in riddles about his despair at best.

December 20th, the evening of professor Slughorn's Christmas party. Her, Hermione and Harry were all going. And Hermione seemed to be in a bad mood as they got ready. She kept on dropping her hairbrush, as she muttered quietly.

"What's wrong Hermione?"

"I'm going with Cormac to this party, that's what's wrong" she sighed, putting on her pink dress "I can't believe I asked him"

"Yeah that was pretty dumb" she laughed, picking up her emerald green dress "why did you ask him to go with you?"

"I thought it would annoy Ron the most" she confessed, putting a necklace on "pathetic isn't it?"

"No" she laughed, shaking her head "it's quite adorable"

"Who did you invite anyways?" Hermione asked, turning to face her "I haven't noticed you being interested in anyone"

If she only knew. She was more than interested in someone, her heart beat for the Slytherin boy Draco Malfoy... only things were complicated with him. She was pretty sure that Hermione would've freaked out if she had told her, seeing as how she looked upon the pale boy. Her punching him in their third year did not help her case either.

"Oh well no there isn't really anyone special here for me" she mumbled, putting her dress on "I am going stag"

"That's smart" Hermione mumbled.

In fact she had asked someone, she had asked Draco if he would want to come with her but he had politely declined seeing as it would not have turned out well. No one knew about them, and this wasn't the moment to show it all to the world, she knew that, yet she would've loved to have him join her. Her friends would've freaked out, and it would not have been a pretty sight. Besides Draco seemed to hold some sort of grudge against the slug club for not being invited himself. He was brilliant when it came to potions, far more skilled than her or Harry, yet he had not been invited to join by professor Slughorn. He had told her about his grandfather knowing Slughorn well and how his father used to have Slughorn as a professor and how he was a favourite who got to join the club, but Blaise had let him know that professor Slughorn had a distaste for death eaters and Draco's father being in Azkaban might just have cost Draco his place in the slug club.

She instead decided to not ask anyone, seeing as she didn't want to go with anyone else than him. And she bought a deep green dress, which resembled the Slytherin colour so she could feel like she was carrying a piece of him with her into the party.

"You look gorgeous" Hermione said as they were both done getting ready "lets go"

They met up with Harry and Luna, and together they entered the party. It was decked out in silks and glossy colours, and professor Slughorn had students working as waiters, serving drinks and finger foods.

"Hello my boy" professor Slughorn said as he saw Harry "so good to see you"

"You too professor, thank you for inviting us"

"Ah Granger, Ember and Harry's friend welcome"

"Thank you sir"

Hermione soon disappeared with Cormac McLaggen, looking as miserable as ever. She muffled a laugh as she walked off with Luna and Harry to greet everyone. Her and Luna danced for a while as Harry talked to professor Snape who had come to deliver a message to him from Dumbledore.

The party around them was in full swing. Drinks were flowing and pictures were taken. She was laughing with Luna as everything stopped. Her stomach dropped as she saw Filch storming in, holding Draco with a firm grip on the collar of his black suit jacket.

"Take your hands off me you filthy squib" he spat as Filch dragged him into the room.

"Professor Slughorn sir" mr Filch spoke "I just discovered this boy lurking in a upstairs corridor, he claims to have been invited to your party"

"Okay okay I was gatecrashing" Draco breathed through gritted teeth "happy?"

Everyone stood quiet as professor Snape stepped over to the blonde boy who looked miserable.

"I'll escort him out"

Filch let go of Draco, and Draco threw him a filthy look before he turned his head towards professor Snape.

"Certainly, professor"

Filch looked bewildered as professor Snape and Draco walked off, quickly leaving the room. She felt her heart beat heavily inside her chest.

"Alright everyone" professor Slughorn said, waving his arms around "carry on, carry on"

The crowd separated and everyone began to socialize once more, drinking and eating as loud banter and laughter broke out. Hermione was still with Cormac, looking off into the distance as he spoke to her.

"Excuse me I need to powder my nose" she mumbled to Luna as she sneaked off, following Draco and professor Snape out into the dark corridor as quickly and as quietly as she could. She hid around a corner as she watched them. She had intended to go and speak with Draco but he was not alone, he was still walking alongside professor Snape. She saw Harry sneak out of the Christmas party, and she hid further around the corner so that he wouldn't see her. Harry had come out here to spy on Draco.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl, maybe I didn't" Draco spoke, his voice angry and hoarse "what's it to you?"

Professor Snape stopped in his tracks and pushed the pale boy up against the stone wall near them.

 "I swore to protect you, I made the unbreakable vow" professor Snape said in a hushed whisper, his voice sounding stern and angrier than Draco's.

"I don't need protection" Draco hissed with a trembling voice "I was chosen for this, out of all others, me, and I won't fail him"

There was a moment of silence, and professor Snape pulled back slightly to look at the pale blonde boy.

"You're afraid Draco, you attempt to conceal it but it's obvious, let me assist you"

"No" Draco cried out "I was chosen, this is my moment"

She sunk down along the stone wall, feeling her stomach ache. It felt as if all the air in the world was lost, and the simple act of breathing became hard. She saw Harry get up and sneak back into the Slug club Christmas party.

"Go back to your dormitory" professor Snape spoke with a low voice as he let go of Draco.

"Of course professor" he spat before he walked off.

She watched as professor Snape walked off in a different direction, turning a dark corner and disappearing. Draco walked past where she was hiding, his steps quick and his face stern and broken. She drew a deep breath, trying to get her hands to stop shaking, then she crawled out of the corner.

"Draco"

He quickly turned around, facing her with a horrified look upon his face.

"Ellie" he breathed, rushing up to her "how much of that did you he... did you h-hear any of that?"

"Of what?" she lied, looking at him "I just came out to make sure that you're alright"

"Oh" he mumbled, swallowing "yes uhm I'm alright"

"Good" she whispered.

His eyes fell upon her, and she could see something shine through his dull and tired grey orbs. 

"You look absolutely breathtaking"

"Thank you" she laughed, feeling her cheeks heat up "that's sweet"

"I like this colour on you" he breathed as he reached his hands up to rest on her waist.

"It's the Slytherin colour" she shrugged, looking down at his hands "seeing as you couldn't go with me I wanted to at least wear something that reminded me of you, so I could carry a piece of you with me you know?"

"I wish I could've gone with you to this stupid Christmas party" he laughed, gazing at her with adoration clear in his eyes.

"Yeah me too" she mumbled.

The corridor laid dark and empty around them, and they could hear the party going on in the background. The snow was whirling outside of the tall glass windows, a storm was brewing.

"You look beautiful Ellie"

"Thank you Draco"

He reached up to stroke her cheek, something lingering in his eyes. A mixture of conflict, sadness and longing glimmered in his grey eyes, and his bottom lip quivered as he touched her.

"I should probably get back before they realize that I'm gone" she mumbled, looking down.

"Yes" he sighed, looking away "we wouldn't want Potter coming out here"

"I'm sorry Draco"

She wanted to stay, more than anything. But she knew Hermione and Harry would get worried, or even suspicious, and come looking for her and she could not have them come out into the corridor to find her in the arms of their so called enemy.

"You go on" he said calmly "enjoy your Christmas party, I'm sure Blaise will tell me all about it in the common room later"

"I'll hardly be able to enjoy it without you there Draco"

He nodded his head with a small smile upon his pale lips, then he let go of her and suddenly everything felt colder. It was like her skin burned after his touch.

"I'll see you later Ellie, good evening"

"Good evening Draco"

She nodded her head, offering him a smile before she turned on her heel to walk away. Music and loud chatter roared from the Christmas party in the distance, making it feel so different from where they were standing. As she walked away she found herself wondering why Draco had been up in the corridors alone anyways, was he really gatecrashing? For was he really that upset about not receiving a invitation to what he called a stupid Christmas party or was he here for other means?

She suddenly felt a hand grab hers, and she was spun around only to come face to face with him, the pale Slytherin boy with the mesmerizing grey eyes. He was looking down at her with longing in his eyes, and they stood so close that she could smell his expensive cologne. She felt his chest heaving up and down, and she felt weak in the knees beneath his gaze. Then he reached his hands up and cupped her cheeks, crashing his lips onto hers.

He kissed her, and she kissed him back like nothing else mattered in the world.