Sun | JUSTICE FOR DOBBY 🇻🇦📿

Brush brush brush. Draconia Malfoid had been getting ready for the ball for hours now, doing her makeup, redoing her makeup, and bathing several times. It was almost time to go down to the great hall, and her hair needed to be perfect. She’d be in the opening dance, of course, so she had to look presentable. Goyle was watching her, snacking again. “Why are you going with Potter, again? I thought you hated him.” “Don’t ask stupid questions, Goyle. My father said I need to go with a Triwizard champion, and so I am, simple as that.” Draconia replied, fidgeting with her hair. “Well be careful. If he tries anything I’ll give him a few more scars to add to his collection.” “What do you mean ‘if he tries anything’?” “I dunno, what if he tries to kiss you?” Draconia’s eyes shot to look at her through the reflection of the mirror. Goyle was lying on her bed, not even dressed yet, like a slob. “You should start getting ready instead of bothering me. You’ll need Crabbe’s help to squeeze you into that dress.” “It’s an enchanted dress, when I put it on I’ll have a better figure than you.” Draconia frowned. Must be one hell of an enchantment. Satisfied, she stood in front of the mirror, and twirled. She wore a dark green strapless gown, with a silver snake band wrapped around her upper arm. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant soft braid, with two strands loose in the front of her face. Draconia slipped on her tall heels, grabbed her clutch bag, and exited the dormitory, headed towards the great hall. The other girls she passed in the hallway had no idea how to dress. Jewelry: doesn’t match. Shoes: wrong color. Face: unattractive. What a pity. It wasn’t long before she spotted Harry Potter, chatting with Ron Weasley. What on earth is Ron wearing? Never mind that. Why did Harry look so calm? Stupid fool probably didn’t even know he had the first dance, as Triwizard champion. He didn’t even bother to comb his hair! Draconia started simmering, until their eyes met. “Potter.” “Malfoid.” “You look… very presentable.” “Yes um… thank you.” Draconia’s eye twitched as she waited for him to return the compliment. “Oh! You look lovely,” he hurriedly added. “Thank you,” she replied sweetly. She really did look lovely. The two stood in silence for a moment, unsure of what to say. “You know-" “I think-“ “You first.” “No you first.” “Okay, um… I was just going to say I think that’s the first time you’ve ever complimented me,” Harry said with a nervous chuckle. Draconia snorted. “Well maybe if you had more to compliment, I would’ve done so sooner.” Harry started cracking up, and she did too. “Potter! Good, I was looking for you, it’s time for the dance. Where is your date?” Professor McGonagall interrupted. “Um… she’s right here, professor.” Draconia gave her a sarcastic smile, and Professor McGonagall tried her hardest to conceal her surprise. “Well, you two look wonderful. Come now.” They stood together in the back of the line, her arm interlocked with Potter's. She stole a look at Harry, smiling as the doors to the great hall opened. Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang. Viktor Krum and Hermione Granger. Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies. Harry Potter and Draconia Malfoid. As they strode into the ballroom together, she heard hushed murmuring from the crowd. Draconia didn’t care. People were always talking about her. The dance began, and Harry just stood there, looking at her. She flicked her eyes downward, and he just seemed even more confused. “My waist,” she hissed. “What?” he stammered. “Put your hand on my waist, Potter.” He did with a light touch, as if he was afraid to touch her, and Draconia began the dance. A girl shouldn’t have to lead, but this was better than him standing there stupidly. She opened her mouth and looked up to insult him, but froze when she looked into his eyes. When did he get so tall? As they danced, they grew more and more in sync. Harry tightened his grip on her hip, and Draconia relaxed, allowing him to fully take the lead. Harry raised her arm, and spun her, giving her a smug look. Typical Potter, always showing off. The music ended before she was ready, and Harry seemed disappointed as well. Draconia gave him a curtsy, and he led her by the hand to the champion’s table. Hermione Granger gave her a dirty look as they sat down; fitting for someone with dirty blood. “You two look lovely,” said Cho Chang. Oh right. She was here too. “Well, one of us does!” Draconia beamed, gesturing to herself. “That’s very nice of you to say Draconia, thank you.” replied Harry Potter. Draconia rolled her eyes and stepped on his foot underneath the table, and Harry only laughed. “Fleur! I love your dress, tell me where you got it,” Draconia chimed. She actually hated the dress. It looked cheap. “Oh thank you! I love your dress too!” “It’s custom, my mother had it made, from Twillfitt and Tattings.” Draconia said, proudly. “Oh really? Mine is from there too!” Draconia gritted her teeth, “What a lovely coincidence!” A girl caught her eye as she walked by. Goyle?! She looked a hundred pounds lighter, with the exception of her face which looked like it always did. Huh. Hell of an enchanted dress after all. “Ahem. Draconia?” Hermione Granger spoke up. Ugh. “…Yes?” she replied, annoyed. “How long have you and Harry been together?” Draconia froze. Hermione smirked as she said it. “Uhm… we-” Cedric chimed in, “Oh yeah! What a surprise seeing you two here together. I thought you hated each other, but I guess that whole time it was just secret love, right?” “N-no… I-” Draconia felt very hot. Hermione turned, waving to Rita Skeeter, who hurried over to the table before Draconia could object. “Rita, perhaps the prophet would like a photo of Harry and his date?” “Great thinking Miss Granger, but I already took so many of each of you! Although I suppose a few more wouldn’t hurt…” A camera flashed before Draconia could react, blinding her. “Draconia dear, would you smile this time? As big as you were smiling during the dance, if you please.” Rita said. Draconia shot up, making the chair screech against the floor. “Excuse me,” she said, hurriedly walking away from the table, red-faced. That filthy mudblood… always meddling in things that don’t concern her. Mad-Eye Moody stared at her contemptuously as she exited the hall. She needed fresh air, finding it on a snow-crusted balcony, overlooking the black lake. A cold breeze blew by, making her shudder and messing up her hair. If only she’d brought a cloak. “Draconia… is everything alright?” “Harry… you came after me?” “Of course I did, why wouldn’t I?” “…I don’t know. All your friends are in there.” “I’d rather be out here, with you.” She laughed, “Who taught you to be such a gentleman, Potter?” “Fred and George.” “Ah.” “You know, we didn’t get to finish our dance.” “I think you’re right, Potter. I mean, it’d be bad luck if we didn’t.” He reached out his hand, and she took it. Harry pulled her in, and she rested her head against his chest as they began to dance slowly. She could hear his heartbeat speed up. Cute. They held each other tightly, dancing in silence, collecting snowflakes in their hair. “Draconia… would you like to go on a date with me?” “This is a date, Potter.” “Well... I mean-” She giggled. “I’m just teasing you. The answer is yes. But…” “But what?” “There are things you don’t know about me, about my family. It’d change how you see me.” “I don’t care about those things.” She thought of her father’s death eater mask on display in his study, and squeezed Harry's dress robes in her hand. “You would, Harry. You’d hate me.” Tears welled in her eyes as she turned to look up at him. “I could never hate you, Draconia.” “You can’t say that for sure.” “You’re a pain in the rear, you’re arrogant, you’re mean…“ Draconia scoffed. “Excuse y-” “But whenever I’m around you… I feel…” “…Yes?” “…I feel like this.” Harry pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and pulled her in for a kiss. Her eyes widened as their lips met. Her heart started racing. This is it. A kiss. Her first kiss. With Harry Potter. Her eyes were open. She needed to close them. She closed them. Was she breathing too fast? Or too slow? She slowed her breathing. His lips were wet and his hands were warm. So warm. He clutched her harder, like he was afraid to let her go. When did he get so strong? She ran her fingers through his hair, kissing him back. He broke the kiss first, and she instinctively leaned forward, desperate to continue. Suddenly, a camera flashed, blinding them both.

“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.