Immolator of Brandywine 🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘

“Decided who you’re going to the ball with, Draconia?” asked Goyle. Draconia Malfoid sighed, lying back in the grass with her arms crossed behind her head. “No, not yet. Too many boys to choose from.” “Didn’t you say a Durmstrang boy asked you?” “As if I’d ever go to the ball with one of those troll-brained idiots.” “Well you’d better pick soon, time is running out.” Draconia looked up at the sky, fiddling with her wand. The truth is, no one had asked her. Even Crabbe and Goyle, fat as they are, had several prospects. “Did you hear Harry Potter got rejected?” said Goyle, chewing on some candy. Draconia shot up. “What?” “He asked Cho Chang, and she laughed at him or something.” “He asked… Cho?” Draconia suddenly felt very hot. “The other day, yeah. But she’s going with Cedric, I heard.” “Might’ve been a tactic to get into Cedric’s head, try to steal his girl y’know?” chimed in Crabbe. Draconia slowly unclenched her fists. “I’m sorry, I just realized I’m late for studying.” “Since when do you study?” snorted Goyle, stuffing more candies into her mouth. Draconia smacked the box out of her hands. “Since when do you ever stop eating?” Draconia walked away in a huff from the courtyard, in no direction in particular. Honestly, the nerve of that Goyle. The nerve of the boys in this stupid school. She walked past a couple sitting on a bench, kissing. Gross. “Everything alright Miss Malfoid?” asked Nearly Headless Nick, poking his head up from beneath the floor. “Fine. Thanks.” she replied through gritted teeth, stepping through his ghost head as she walked. She found herself in the entrance hall, alone with the Goblet of Fire. The cup was empty and lifeless, having served its purpose of spitting out the names of the Triwizard champions. The room was dimly lit by enchanted blue torches along the walls. She sighed, sitting on a bench in front of it. Mother and father would be so ashamed if she went to the ball herself. Especially after all of those letters telling her to make herself known to Cedric Diggory. “A girl of your stature needs to go with a Triwizard champion.” she repeated, sarcastically. The door creaked open, and Draconia eyed it suspiciously as a figure with messy black hair, round glasses, and Gryffindor robes entered the room. “What do *you* want?” Draconia sneered. “Nothing with you, that’s for sure.” Harry Potter taunted back. Draconia scoffed. “Come to tamper with the goblet again, Mr. Boy-Who-Cheated?” “I came to be alone, actually. To think. You ever try that?” “Didn’t think you had it in you to ever want a break from the attention.” “It’s hard sometimes, being the greatest wizard who ever lived. I slayed a dragon, you know. Not sure if you saw.” Draconia rolled her eyes so hard she thought they’d flip into the back of her head. “Well I’m not leaving. Got to look after the goblet, you know.” she said, gesturing to the cup, “So you may as well join me, so I can keep an eye on you.” Harry opened his mouth like he had something to say, but closed it, and sat next to her. They both sat in silence for several moments, listening to the crackle of the blue torches along the walls. “I heard you asked Cho Chang to the ball,” Draconia said softly. “Yeah. I got turned down.” Draconia started giggling, and Harry’s eyes narrowed. “Well who are you going with then?” he said. Draconia’s eye twitched. “Oh, I haven’t decided yet. Too many suitors to choose from. Thinking of going with a Durmstrang boy, an older one.” Draconia said innocently, eyeing Harry as she said it. “Durmstrang?” Harry laughed, “The Malfoid I know wouldn’t go to the ball with one of those troll-brained idiots.” “Well perhaps you don’t know me as well as you think, Potter,” she said, stubbornly. “Perhaps I don’t.” Harry chuckled. She didn’t reply, continuing to stare at the Goblet of Fire. He really didn’t. She’d attempted to use the spell that killed his parents. Avada kedavra. Moody was right. If Harry really did know her, he would hate her. Maybe he already does. “Did you really cheat? You know, to get your name into the cup?” “You think I’d choose to fight a dragon of my own accord?” “Don’t play stupid Potter, you wouldn’t have known there’d be a dragon.” “No, I didn’t put my name in the cup.” “Honestly?” “Honestly. I don’t know who did. I thought it was you, for a while.” “Me?” Draconia laughed, “Why would I do that?” “I dunno. To humiliate me?” Harry smirked as he said it. “If I wanted to humiliate you I’d make sure you ended up alone at the Yule Ball,” Draconia giggled, “but I wouldn’t kill you.” “Yeah well, it seems you’ll get your way then.” “Since Cho turned you down?” “I don’t care about Cho. She was my second choice anyway,” he said, defensively. “Is that so.” “Yeah.” “So you’ve been rejected twice? How embarrassing.” Draconia said flatly, not even looking at him. “I haven’t, you twit. Only once. I never asked the other girl.” “Oh?” Harry looked down at his shoes, and Draconia felt her pulse quicken. “It’s just… how do you ask someone to the ball that you know will say no?” “After slaying a dragon is there seriously any vapid, easily impressed girl in this school who would turn you down, Potter?” “You would.” “I’m not vapid, or easily impressed.” Annoyingly, Harry looked like he was stifling a laugh. “The girl I’m talking about is… well, it’s complicated.” “Complicated.” she repeated. “I mean, she’s beautiful. Intelligent, too. Rough around the edges, but… I dunno. I think she hates me, honestly.” “Well if it makes you feel better, no one could hate you more than me.” “Exactly.” Draconia frowned. What did that mean? “Do whatever you want, Potter. Why are you telling me this?” “Well, you’re a girl. How would you feel?” She sighed. “If someone, somewhere, out there felt that way about me, I would want them to tell me, yes.” “Even if you hated them?” “Sure, Potter,” she said, rolling her eyes, “Even if I hated them.” Harry rolled his wand between his fingertips, nervously. “Then Draconia… would you like to go to the ball with me?” Draconia blinked, suddenly feeling very hot again.