#48, Diamond
Title: Deck for Balls
Genre: General, humor, romance
Time: Fourth Year (Yule Ball)
Length: Medium (<4000 words)
Rating: PG
Characters: Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, minor others
Pairings: Draco/Pansy, Theo/Millie, minor others
Summary: A girl's first ball requires extra effort. Journey, if you dare, into the fourth year Slytherin girls' dorm, where insults and beauty tips fly at about the same frequency and rivalry is an integral part of friendship--and then follow the Slytherin side of the Yule Ball.
If one wished to know the current pecking order among Slytherin girls, a glance at their jewelry would give a good clue.
Daphne Greengrass had made the mistake of telling her first year sister of her plan to wear emeralds to go with her green eyes. The little sister had boasted to the other first years, Tracey Davis had overheard and gossiped about it to Millicent Bulstrode, who passed it on to Pansy Parkinson, who immediately decided to wear diamonds.
Drusilla Rosier, seeing the diamonds arrive by owl post, immediately looked up a spell for seeing through boxes to determine the size of the diamond earrings and make sure hers would be larger. Pansy, however, expecting such an attempt, had chosen diamonds of small size but with exceptional clarity and sparkle. Tracey Davis, not having the money to go for the finest jewels, tried to go for uniqueness instead by handweaving a rope necklace, bracelets and even an anklet. Millie, who had the money but not the desire to spend it, was somewhat dismayed on Christmas morning to receive a box full of precious Bulstrode heirlooms, mostly austentatious pieces in bright yellow gold, which were sure to look wretched against the green undertone in her skin. But she knew her father would expect to see a picture of her wearing them "with her young man." For the first time, she felt grateful to Pansy for getting her a date.
"What lovely gold, Millie," said Drusilla, who was painting her nails with a polish that switched between green and silver. "Such large pieces. That will be good for you."
Millie smiled and put the jewelry back into the box. "Thank you Dru--oh dear. Are you wearing your nightgown backwards?"
Dru paused and looked down with confusion.
"Oh, never mind. Not that it would matter if it was backward. You could wear it either way," Millie said smiling at Dru's flat chest.
"Books!" said Daphne disdainfully, looking into the box she had just unwrapped. "Like I don't have enough to read for classes, my mum thinks she has to send me books? I asked for shoes!"
"You've got a whole pile still to open," said Tracey, who was taking her new winter hat on and off in front of the mirror.
"Is that one of those new hats that doesn't ruin your hair? Ooh, I hope my mum sent me one," Pansy said. She squatted next to the pile of presents and pawed through them, looking for a hat sized one. She seized on one, tore it open, and was happy to see a furry pink hat with silver trim.
"It's strange not being home for Christmas," said Millie, pulling a squirming chocolate frog from its package and biting the head off.
"I think it's great," said Daphne, who had opened several packages of shoes by now and was loking quite sunny. "My parents miss me so much they gave me more presents!"
"Maybe they're hoping you won't come home for Christmas next year either," said Dru snidely.
Daphne giggled and waggled her finger disapprovingly at Drusilla. "It won't work today, Drusilla! You can't get me down!"
"Anyone could get you down if you wear those shoes, Daphne," Millicent said, pausing to eat the last leg of her frog. "How are you going to dance in them?"
Daphne's brow wrinkled as she looked down at the teetering silver shoes she had been about to try on.
"I wouldn't worry about it," said Dru. "You won't be the only girl who falls on her face tonight."
--
The Slytherin girls all crowded on one side of the table at lunch and ignored the boys, which bewildered them. The reason, of course, was that they all wanted to whisper about what robe and makeup and hairstyle they would wear for the Ball, to assure that no girl would find her look duplicated--and they wanted their dates to be surprised and dazzled when they saw them.
Draco frowned down the table at Pansy, who was the center of conversation as usual, with even the seventh year girls apparently asking her opinions. Why was she pretending not to notice him? He looked with slight distaste at Crabbe and Goyle, who had stuffed their faces with candy this morning yet seemed to have plenty of room for turkey and pudding. Nott was reading a book as he ate. That left Zabini.
"Blaise," he said, "What's wrong with the girls?"
Zabini looked at him with a condescending smile. "They're girls. They don't admit explanation."
"I'm sure you can ferret out the answer, Malfoy," Nott said with a smirk, turning the page.
Draco thought of and discarded several cutting remarks before deciding on a smile. "I suppose I'll just ask Pansy when we're exchanging gifts. We'll have privacy then for a... long discussion." Nott's expression did not change but his jaw locked as he stared intently at his book.
There was a sudden collective "Oooooh-oooooh," from the girls. He looked over and evidently Pansy had just said something very... something. Draco was unsure what kind of remark would necessitate her smug grin and the girls' scandalized yet enthralled stares.
"Excuse me, ladies," she said loudly, standing up. "I'm finished." She walked the short distance down to Draco's place and smiled at him. "I was just telling the girls about your present. Wouldn't you like to open it, Draco?"
Now it was Draco's turn to look smug while the boys stared at him. He stood up, offered his arm to Pansy, and escorted her out of the hall. Someone whistled.
---
Once inside the dungeons, however, Draco detoured her into the empty first year boys dorm. She had opened her mouth to ask what he was doing when he closed it for her. And not violently.
Some minutes later, she broke for air, looking both pleased and embarrassed. He moved to kiss her again and she laughed, putting a hand up to his lips. "You don't want your present?"
"You mean this isn't it?" he purred, kissing each finger.
She giggled. "I said it was something you could open."
He paused with the tip of her ring finger in his mouth and raised an eyebrow.
"Draco Malfoy! Don't even think it! You know what I meant!" She was struggling to look outraged through her laughter.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Your loss."
"It would be!" Then she clapped her hand to her mouth, aghast at her own double entendre, while Draco laughed so hard he had to lean against the wall.
"I've got it in my room," she said. "I'll be right back." She darted away before he could remind her that he needed to pick up her gift as well. Still chuckling, he walked out and down to the fourth year room, retrieved her gift and returned to the first year dorm, where he found Pansy looking confused.
"Did you run?" he asked.
She pursed her lips, as if she did not want to admit that she had run for a boy, and held out a box wrapped in silver paper. He traded for his own green wrapped package.
She finished unwrapping his first. "Oh, Draco," she breathed, staring at the diamond bracelet in unaffected awe. "It's too much!"
"It was my great-grandmother's," he said, pausing from opening her gift to enjoy her reaction.
"You gave me something of your family's?" She transferred that look of awe from the box to his eyes, which unnerved him a bit.
"My house has got tons of old jewelry lying around," he said, embarrassed.
"Oh," she said in a funny voice, and blushed. She reached up and scratched her neck awkwardly.
"Here--let me put it on you." He put her half-unwrapped gift on someone's bed and stepped forward to take the box from her. Gingerly he undid the clasp, placed it upon her outstretched wrist and fastened it.
"Thank you," she whispered. She looked more beautiful than usual when she blushed--perhaps because she usually seemed so perfect, and her vulnerability made him feel appreciated. "My gift's not much in comparison."
He picked it up and finished opening it. It was two notebooks and two pens, still tied up with ribbons, and an printed page.
"These are really special," she said excitedly. "My dad's company isn't going to publish them in wide release until the spring. It's a new kind of enchantment. We perform that spell with our own wands and that binds the books to us. Then, I can write in my book, and it will show up in yours--but the writing will only be visible if you have your wand held against the notebook. And vice versa. Plus, it looks just like any notebook, so we can even use them in class."
"Ah, I suppose you'll be wanting me to write out the answers for you in potions."
"Silly," she giggled--and it seemed like the distance between them shortened, and they were kissing again.
---
"What are you doing?" Millie said as she allowed Pansy to drag her towards the Slytherin dungeons.
"We need to get ready for the ball, of course," Pansy said.
"It's only 3:30!"
"Auld lang syne," Pansy told the wall, which opened up for them. "We need time. And I have to give you your gift."
When they arrived in the room, Millie helped Pansy shove a bed against the door so none of the other girls could get in. Then Pansy presented Millie with a very large, rectangular box. With a sinking feeling, she opened it.
"Dress robes?" she said incredulously.
"I am not going to let you embarrass yourself in that shapeless thing you wore to the MacMillan's party last year."
"Pansy, it was shapeless because shapeless is my shape."
"Oh, nonsense. Put it on! Put it on!"
"How did you even get my size?" Millie said as she changed out of her uniform.
"What you don't know won't hurt you." Pansy lovingly retrieved her own dress robes from the place of honor in her closet. It was the dress of her dreams, a creamy pink chiffon. She rubbed the silk against her cheek and sighed rapturously.
"What is this? What is this?"
Pansy turned towards her friend. She had gotten the robes on and seemed to be in shock. Pansy swallowed her giggles and said "Millie, it looks just like I hoped!"
It was a classic velvet black robe with long lines that emphasized Millie's height and made her look queenly. The most riveting part of the dress, however, and the part that Millie was gawking at in the mirror, was the plunging neckline. Still holding her dress, Pansy came over and stood behind Millie, looking encouragingly into the mirror with her. "It makes a statement!"
"I'll say it makes a statement," said Millie, her face still gaping. "It's saying 'LOOK AT MY TITS.'"
"Millie!" Pansy laughed.
"I can't possibly wear this!"
"Of course you can," she said soothingly. "Look, it comes with a little shawl, okay? So you can cover yourself up and save your cleavage for stunning a certain someone." Millie rolled her eyes.
"Now, let's get started on your hair."
"My hair?" Millie lifted her hands to her limp black locks defensively, because Pansy had that cunning gleam in her eyes again.
---
It was approaching zero hour. The common room was full of boys waiting for their dates. Draco waited with the air of a man waiting to be told he has his party's nomination; nearby, Theodore Nott was waiting like a man waiting to be taken to Azkaban. Crabbe and Goyle were standing like large immovable objects. Blaise Zabini appeared to be comparing himself to the others and finding in his favor every time.
An unintelligible rustle of feminine voices announced that the ladies had decided to descend en masse. Those who were sitting stood. Pansy appeared at the front, whispering with an older girl in black who seemed nervous. She tugged at the girl and lead her towards Blaise, Theo and Draco.
As they came closer Draco was surprised to see that it wasn't an older girl at all, but Millicent Bulstrode, the greenish pallor of her skin gone and her clothing quite unexpectedly revealing an impressive set of knockers. He dragged his eyes away from that shock to the much more pleasing sight of Pansy.
"Hello," said Pansy cheerily.
"Hi," mumbled Millicent.
Draco glanced to his side and suppressed a smirk at the flabbergasted look on Nott's face. "Hi," the boy said weakly.
"I'm glad the bracelet compliments your dress, Pansy. You look beautiful," Draco said, although his mind wasn't on the dress at all. It was the sort of thing his father told his mother before they went out, and it appeared to work on Pansy as well. She crossed to Draco and took his arm. It was odd to have her almost at eye level because of her heels. He suppressed another smirk as he looked over at Zabini, who did not seem pleased at all that, in heels, his date was now taller than he was.
"Shall we go?" Pansy said.
---
Theodore Nott had had a plan. The plan was to pretend a sudden need to use the bathroom, thus making his entrance with Bulstrode during the dance of the champions, when no one would be watching. He would dance once with Bulstrode, offer to get punch, spill the punch upon his dress robes and claim that he had no others, thus sparing him from the ball.
His heart leapt into his throat when he saw Pansy appear at the entrance of the girls' corridor. She was stunning. His heart sank down to his gut as he recalled that she would spend the evening on the arm of Draco Malfoy, the phoniest git in Britain. Perhaps overwhelmed by these aerobics, his heart did not really know what to do when his eyes failed to locate Bulstrode. Was it possible that he had been granted salvation?
As Pansy approached them, he gave a cursory glance to her companion and froze. It was definitely Bulstrode--nearly his own considerable height and more than twice his paltry width. But her skin had a healthy glow, her hair was curled becomingly about her shoulders, and her figure---wow.
Who knew Millicent Bulstrode had boobs? The thought had certainly never occurred to Theo.
His eyes snapped back up from her chest as the girls said hello. "Hi," he said weakly. Malfoy made some smarmy compliment and Pansy crossed to him, leaving Bulstrode standing by herself.
"Shall we go?" said Pansy. There was general agreement and Malfoy led the way with Pansy clutching his arm.
Theo didn't move as Bulstrode crossed to him and whispered, "I don't suppose you have a plan to get us out of here?"
Plan? Oh yes. Theo had had a plan. But, putting out his arm for her to take it, he could no longer exactly recall what that was.
---
Pansy felt like she was floating. If it weren't for Draco's arm, she had a feeling that when they reached the top of the stairs she would just keep rising up, higher and higher into the air. She was in love and going to her first ball on the arms of the richest, most handsome boy there.
The front doors opened, and everyone turned to see the Durmstrang students enter, Viktor Krum in the lead with a girl in blue on his arm--someone from Beauxbatons, Pansy guessed.
"Champions over here, please!" came the voice of Professor McGonagall. Pansy turned and saw their teacher's head above the crowd, topped with an ugly tartan hat decorated with thistles, of all things.
"Alright, you're Scottish, we get it already," Draco said. Pansy giggled rather more than the joke deserved in a release of nervous energy. The doors to the Great Hall opened and everyone began to file in.
As they approached the doors, Pansy suddenly gripped Draco's arm so hard that he nearly yelped.
"What's the idea?" he said in a low voice.
"Granger!" she hissed. "With Krum--it's Granger!"
She had not spoken very loudly but the Slytherins around all heard it and swiveled their heads towards the girl in blue. Now that they were looking it was unmistakable. Pansy could do nothing but gape as she walked by.
---
Millie nearly laughed when she recognized Granger as Krum's pretty partner. Well, with what Pansy's done to me, it seems like anyone can be beautiful if you take enough time. Nott, she noticed, was not looking at Granger at all; he was looking at Krum with disgust.
"What's got into him, taking that mudblood?" he said.
That wiped the smile right off her face. He seemed to realize his mistake because he hastily said, "Look at what they've done to the walls, Bulstr--er, Millicent."
"My friends call me Millie," she said quietly. If you can stoop to calling a half-blood your friend.
"You can call me Theo, I guess. Pansy does."
Instead of the big house tables, there were many smaller tables that looked to seat about twelve. Malfoy strode to a particularly well-situated one and pulled out a chair for Pansy. To her surprise, Theo pulled out the chair on the other side of Pansy and looked towards Millie. Millie had never been one to blush, but she wondered if Pansy's miracle makeup treatment had rendered it possible as she slipped into the chair.
Before them were menus upon plates of gold. Everyone looked around for waiters, but there were none in sight.
"I've seen this before," Malfoy said. "We just tell our plates what we want." He looked down at his plate regally. "Steak," he said, and sure enough a steak appeared.
"Salad," said Pansy to her left. "I'm not sure if I can eat even that!" she whispered to Millie.
Millie felt herself in a conundrum. As an ugly girl she had never been self-conscious about eating her fill before, but in her disguise as a pretty girl she felt lost. She decided to follow Pansy's lead, since she had been a pretty girl for a long time. "Salad," she told the plate.
---
When people seemed done, Dumbledore rose and said grandly, "And now, the champions will begin the dancing."
Everyone stood up and walked to the sides of the room. Pansy clutched at Draco again as the tables suddenly leaped to life and flew by. He grinned at her and then pointed toward the right wall, where the Weird Sisters were walking up onto the stage. She clapped enthusiastically.
"You know, Merton Graves is my cousin," she heard Theo telling Millie, and she said something in return that Pansy couldn't catch. Her matchmaking was working!
"Ah, the champions are going to dance. And Potter's going to dance too," said Draco, to laughter.
The band struck up a mournful ballad.
"Ooh, it's 'She Took My Heart (And My Galleons)'!" squeeled Daphne, jumping up and down. On the the third jump she came down wrong on the tiny silver stilettos and stumbled into Cameron Warrington, the sloth-like Chaser.
"Hands off my date, Daphne," said Drusilla. "Honestly, I can understand not being satisfied with Blaise, but that doesn't mean you can steal someone else's partner."
Everyone laughed. Blaise snarled, "At least she has a partner who can walk upright."
"Try standing on your tiptoes and saying that again," said Warrington lazily. Everyone laughed again.
Blaise grabbed Daphne's wrist, said "Let's dance," and nearly yanked her off balance again as he walked onto the dancefloor. Pansy was surprised but as she looked out at the floor, she could see that other people were dancing too.
Draco took her hand and said, "Shall we?"
---
Theodore looked at Millie, who was looking at him nervously. "Do you know how to dance?" she asked him.
"My dad made me take lessons," he said, grateful that the rest of the Slytherins had disappeared onto the dance floor.
"Mine too," confessed Millie, "but I'm not very confident in them."
"I don't think anyone's watching us," said Theo. "It would be dumb to go to a ball and not dance."
He took her hands and they started to dance.
The plan was definitely out.
---
Midnight arrived much too soon for Draco. Pansy looked at her watch and gave a little wail. "I feel like Cinderella!" she said.
"Your robes aren't going to turn to rags, are they Parkinson? I can't be seen with that kind of trollop."
She pushed him playfully. He tried to kiss her but she grabbed on to him and hugged him fiercely instead, pushing the air out of his lungs.
"That's alright," he said with a sort of squeekiness. "I wasn't really using those ribs anyway."
---
Any of the Slytherin boys would have given a kidney to be in the Slytherin fourth year girls dormitory at ten of one, with its five witches in various states of undress.
Drusilla had just entered in a towel. She had been the last in the showers because she was the last coming in, having been sheepishly escorted into the dungeons with her date by Snape at twenty past. There was no embarrassment on her face now, however. "How did your Ravenclaw do, Tracey? Did he help you with your schoolwork?"
Tracey Davis was completely starkers, finishing a drying charm on her hair. "Eddie?" she said. "Oh believe me, schoolwork was not on his mind."
Daphne was sitting on her bed in her underwear, rubbing her feet. "Are you sure none of you have any Blister Balm?"
"You ought to have charmed your feet before you danced," said Millie, who was tugging on her nightgown.
She brightened. "I didn't fall on my face, though!"
"Aim for the stars, Daphne," said Pansy. Everyone, including Daphne, giggled.
Tracey began putting on her skivvies. "Pansy, nobody can believe what you did to Millie. You looked pretty, Millie!"
"I should have had her make my hair bushy. Then I could have caught myself a Bulgarian."
"What are you writing, Pansy?" asked Daphne. She had put on her nightgown and was brushing her long silky blonde hair.
"Just a diary," she lied.
"I won't need a diary to remember tonight!" declared Daphne. "I'll remember it always!"
It was the first statement Daphne had made in a long time that no one wished to mock.
~Fin~
Author's Note: The "using those ribs" line is inspired by a drawing by buttfacemakani, who does excellent art, especially of Slytherins.
Genre: General, humor, romance
Time: Fourth Year (Yule Ball)
Length: Medium (<4000 words)
Rating: PG
Characters: Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, minor others
Pairings: Draco/Pansy, Theo/Millie, minor others
Summary: A girl's first ball requires extra effort. Journey, if you dare, into the fourth year Slytherin girls' dorm, where insults and beauty tips fly at about the same frequency and rivalry is an integral part of friendship--and then follow the Slytherin side of the Yule Ball.
If one wished to know the current pecking order among Slytherin girls, a glance at their jewelry would give a good clue.
Daphne Greengrass had made the mistake of telling her first year sister of her plan to wear emeralds to go with her green eyes. The little sister had boasted to the other first years, Tracey Davis had overheard and gossiped about it to Millicent Bulstrode, who passed it on to Pansy Parkinson, who immediately decided to wear diamonds.
Drusilla Rosier, seeing the diamonds arrive by owl post, immediately looked up a spell for seeing through boxes to determine the size of the diamond earrings and make sure hers would be larger. Pansy, however, expecting such an attempt, had chosen diamonds of small size but with exceptional clarity and sparkle. Tracey Davis, not having the money to go for the finest jewels, tried to go for uniqueness instead by handweaving a rope necklace, bracelets and even an anklet. Millie, who had the money but not the desire to spend it, was somewhat dismayed on Christmas morning to receive a box full of precious Bulstrode heirlooms, mostly austentatious pieces in bright yellow gold, which were sure to look wretched against the green undertone in her skin. But she knew her father would expect to see a picture of her wearing them "with her young man." For the first time, she felt grateful to Pansy for getting her a date.
"What lovely gold, Millie," said Drusilla, who was painting her nails with a polish that switched between green and silver. "Such large pieces. That will be good for you."
Millie smiled and put the jewelry back into the box. "Thank you Dru--oh dear. Are you wearing your nightgown backwards?"
Dru paused and looked down with confusion.
"Oh, never mind. Not that it would matter if it was backward. You could wear it either way," Millie said smiling at Dru's flat chest.
"Books!" said Daphne disdainfully, looking into the box she had just unwrapped. "Like I don't have enough to read for classes, my mum thinks she has to send me books? I asked for shoes!"
"You've got a whole pile still to open," said Tracey, who was taking her new winter hat on and off in front of the mirror.
"Is that one of those new hats that doesn't ruin your hair? Ooh, I hope my mum sent me one," Pansy said. She squatted next to the pile of presents and pawed through them, looking for a hat sized one. She seized on one, tore it open, and was happy to see a furry pink hat with silver trim.
"It's strange not being home for Christmas," said Millie, pulling a squirming chocolate frog from its package and biting the head off.
"I think it's great," said Daphne, who had opened several packages of shoes by now and was loking quite sunny. "My parents miss me so much they gave me more presents!"
"Maybe they're hoping you won't come home for Christmas next year either," said Dru snidely.
Daphne giggled and waggled her finger disapprovingly at Drusilla. "It won't work today, Drusilla! You can't get me down!"
"Anyone could get you down if you wear those shoes, Daphne," Millicent said, pausing to eat the last leg of her frog. "How are you going to dance in them?"
Daphne's brow wrinkled as she looked down at the teetering silver shoes she had been about to try on.
"I wouldn't worry about it," said Dru. "You won't be the only girl who falls on her face tonight."
--
The Slytherin girls all crowded on one side of the table at lunch and ignored the boys, which bewildered them. The reason, of course, was that they all wanted to whisper about what robe and makeup and hairstyle they would wear for the Ball, to assure that no girl would find her look duplicated--and they wanted their dates to be surprised and dazzled when they saw them.
Draco frowned down the table at Pansy, who was the center of conversation as usual, with even the seventh year girls apparently asking her opinions. Why was she pretending not to notice him? He looked with slight distaste at Crabbe and Goyle, who had stuffed their faces with candy this morning yet seemed to have plenty of room for turkey and pudding. Nott was reading a book as he ate. That left Zabini.
"Blaise," he said, "What's wrong with the girls?"
Zabini looked at him with a condescending smile. "They're girls. They don't admit explanation."
"I'm sure you can ferret out the answer, Malfoy," Nott said with a smirk, turning the page.
Draco thought of and discarded several cutting remarks before deciding on a smile. "I suppose I'll just ask Pansy when we're exchanging gifts. We'll have privacy then for a... long discussion." Nott's expression did not change but his jaw locked as he stared intently at his book.
There was a sudden collective "Oooooh-oooooh," from the girls. He looked over and evidently Pansy had just said something very... something. Draco was unsure what kind of remark would necessitate her smug grin and the girls' scandalized yet enthralled stares.
"Excuse me, ladies," she said loudly, standing up. "I'm finished." She walked the short distance down to Draco's place and smiled at him. "I was just telling the girls about your present. Wouldn't you like to open it, Draco?"
Now it was Draco's turn to look smug while the boys stared at him. He stood up, offered his arm to Pansy, and escorted her out of the hall. Someone whistled.
---
Once inside the dungeons, however, Draco detoured her into the empty first year boys dorm. She had opened her mouth to ask what he was doing when he closed it for her. And not violently.
Some minutes later, she broke for air, looking both pleased and embarrassed. He moved to kiss her again and she laughed, putting a hand up to his lips. "You don't want your present?"
"You mean this isn't it?" he purred, kissing each finger.
She giggled. "I said it was something you could open."
He paused with the tip of her ring finger in his mouth and raised an eyebrow.
"Draco Malfoy! Don't even think it! You know what I meant!" She was struggling to look outraged through her laughter.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Your loss."
"It would be!" Then she clapped her hand to her mouth, aghast at her own double entendre, while Draco laughed so hard he had to lean against the wall.
"I've got it in my room," she said. "I'll be right back." She darted away before he could remind her that he needed to pick up her gift as well. Still chuckling, he walked out and down to the fourth year room, retrieved her gift and returned to the first year dorm, where he found Pansy looking confused.
"Did you run?" he asked.
She pursed her lips, as if she did not want to admit that she had run for a boy, and held out a box wrapped in silver paper. He traded for his own green wrapped package.
She finished unwrapping his first. "Oh, Draco," she breathed, staring at the diamond bracelet in unaffected awe. "It's too much!"
"It was my great-grandmother's," he said, pausing from opening her gift to enjoy her reaction.
"You gave me something of your family's?" She transferred that look of awe from the box to his eyes, which unnerved him a bit.
"My house has got tons of old jewelry lying around," he said, embarrassed.
"Oh," she said in a funny voice, and blushed. She reached up and scratched her neck awkwardly.
"Here--let me put it on you." He put her half-unwrapped gift on someone's bed and stepped forward to take the box from her. Gingerly he undid the clasp, placed it upon her outstretched wrist and fastened it.
"Thank you," she whispered. She looked more beautiful than usual when she blushed--perhaps because she usually seemed so perfect, and her vulnerability made him feel appreciated. "My gift's not much in comparison."
He picked it up and finished opening it. It was two notebooks and two pens, still tied up with ribbons, and an printed page.
"These are really special," she said excitedly. "My dad's company isn't going to publish them in wide release until the spring. It's a new kind of enchantment. We perform that spell with our own wands and that binds the books to us. Then, I can write in my book, and it will show up in yours--but the writing will only be visible if you have your wand held against the notebook. And vice versa. Plus, it looks just like any notebook, so we can even use them in class."
"Ah, I suppose you'll be wanting me to write out the answers for you in potions."
"Silly," she giggled--and it seemed like the distance between them shortened, and they were kissing again.
---
"What are you doing?" Millie said as she allowed Pansy to drag her towards the Slytherin dungeons.
"We need to get ready for the ball, of course," Pansy said.
"It's only 3:30!"
"Auld lang syne," Pansy told the wall, which opened up for them. "We need time. And I have to give you your gift."
When they arrived in the room, Millie helped Pansy shove a bed against the door so none of the other girls could get in. Then Pansy presented Millie with a very large, rectangular box. With a sinking feeling, she opened it.
"Dress robes?" she said incredulously.
"I am not going to let you embarrass yourself in that shapeless thing you wore to the MacMillan's party last year."
"Pansy, it was shapeless because shapeless is my shape."
"Oh, nonsense. Put it on! Put it on!"
"How did you even get my size?" Millie said as she changed out of her uniform.
"What you don't know won't hurt you." Pansy lovingly retrieved her own dress robes from the place of honor in her closet. It was the dress of her dreams, a creamy pink chiffon. She rubbed the silk against her cheek and sighed rapturously.
"What is this? What is this?"
Pansy turned towards her friend. She had gotten the robes on and seemed to be in shock. Pansy swallowed her giggles and said "Millie, it looks just like I hoped!"
It was a classic velvet black robe with long lines that emphasized Millie's height and made her look queenly. The most riveting part of the dress, however, and the part that Millie was gawking at in the mirror, was the plunging neckline. Still holding her dress, Pansy came over and stood behind Millie, looking encouragingly into the mirror with her. "It makes a statement!"
"I'll say it makes a statement," said Millie, her face still gaping. "It's saying 'LOOK AT MY TITS.'"
"Millie!" Pansy laughed.
"I can't possibly wear this!"
"Of course you can," she said soothingly. "Look, it comes with a little shawl, okay? So you can cover yourself up and save your cleavage for stunning a certain someone." Millie rolled her eyes.
"Now, let's get started on your hair."
"My hair?" Millie lifted her hands to her limp black locks defensively, because Pansy had that cunning gleam in her eyes again.
---
It was approaching zero hour. The common room was full of boys waiting for their dates. Draco waited with the air of a man waiting to be told he has his party's nomination; nearby, Theodore Nott was waiting like a man waiting to be taken to Azkaban. Crabbe and Goyle were standing like large immovable objects. Blaise Zabini appeared to be comparing himself to the others and finding in his favor every time.
An unintelligible rustle of feminine voices announced that the ladies had decided to descend en masse. Those who were sitting stood. Pansy appeared at the front, whispering with an older girl in black who seemed nervous. She tugged at the girl and lead her towards Blaise, Theo and Draco.
As they came closer Draco was surprised to see that it wasn't an older girl at all, but Millicent Bulstrode, the greenish pallor of her skin gone and her clothing quite unexpectedly revealing an impressive set of knockers. He dragged his eyes away from that shock to the much more pleasing sight of Pansy.
"Hello," said Pansy cheerily.
"Hi," mumbled Millicent.
Draco glanced to his side and suppressed a smirk at the flabbergasted look on Nott's face. "Hi," the boy said weakly.
"I'm glad the bracelet compliments your dress, Pansy. You look beautiful," Draco said, although his mind wasn't on the dress at all. It was the sort of thing his father told his mother before they went out, and it appeared to work on Pansy as well. She crossed to Draco and took his arm. It was odd to have her almost at eye level because of her heels. He suppressed another smirk as he looked over at Zabini, who did not seem pleased at all that, in heels, his date was now taller than he was.
"Shall we go?" Pansy said.
---
Theodore Nott had had a plan. The plan was to pretend a sudden need to use the bathroom, thus making his entrance with Bulstrode during the dance of the champions, when no one would be watching. He would dance once with Bulstrode, offer to get punch, spill the punch upon his dress robes and claim that he had no others, thus sparing him from the ball.
His heart leapt into his throat when he saw Pansy appear at the entrance of the girls' corridor. She was stunning. His heart sank down to his gut as he recalled that she would spend the evening on the arm of Draco Malfoy, the phoniest git in Britain. Perhaps overwhelmed by these aerobics, his heart did not really know what to do when his eyes failed to locate Bulstrode. Was it possible that he had been granted salvation?
As Pansy approached them, he gave a cursory glance to her companion and froze. It was definitely Bulstrode--nearly his own considerable height and more than twice his paltry width. But her skin had a healthy glow, her hair was curled becomingly about her shoulders, and her figure---wow.
Who knew Millicent Bulstrode had boobs? The thought had certainly never occurred to Theo.
His eyes snapped back up from her chest as the girls said hello. "Hi," he said weakly. Malfoy made some smarmy compliment and Pansy crossed to him, leaving Bulstrode standing by herself.
"Shall we go?" said Pansy. There was general agreement and Malfoy led the way with Pansy clutching his arm.
Theo didn't move as Bulstrode crossed to him and whispered, "I don't suppose you have a plan to get us out of here?"
Plan? Oh yes. Theo had had a plan. But, putting out his arm for her to take it, he could no longer exactly recall what that was.
---
Pansy felt like she was floating. If it weren't for Draco's arm, she had a feeling that when they reached the top of the stairs she would just keep rising up, higher and higher into the air. She was in love and going to her first ball on the arms of the richest, most handsome boy there.
The front doors opened, and everyone turned to see the Durmstrang students enter, Viktor Krum in the lead with a girl in blue on his arm--someone from Beauxbatons, Pansy guessed.
"Champions over here, please!" came the voice of Professor McGonagall. Pansy turned and saw their teacher's head above the crowd, topped with an ugly tartan hat decorated with thistles, of all things.
"Alright, you're Scottish, we get it already," Draco said. Pansy giggled rather more than the joke deserved in a release of nervous energy. The doors to the Great Hall opened and everyone began to file in.
As they approached the doors, Pansy suddenly gripped Draco's arm so hard that he nearly yelped.
"What's the idea?" he said in a low voice.
"Granger!" she hissed. "With Krum--it's Granger!"
She had not spoken very loudly but the Slytherins around all heard it and swiveled their heads towards the girl in blue. Now that they were looking it was unmistakable. Pansy could do nothing but gape as she walked by.
---
Millie nearly laughed when she recognized Granger as Krum's pretty partner. Well, with what Pansy's done to me, it seems like anyone can be beautiful if you take enough time. Nott, she noticed, was not looking at Granger at all; he was looking at Krum with disgust.
"What's got into him, taking that mudblood?" he said.
That wiped the smile right off her face. He seemed to realize his mistake because he hastily said, "Look at what they've done to the walls, Bulstr--er, Millicent."
"My friends call me Millie," she said quietly. If you can stoop to calling a half-blood your friend.
"You can call me Theo, I guess. Pansy does."
Instead of the big house tables, there were many smaller tables that looked to seat about twelve. Malfoy strode to a particularly well-situated one and pulled out a chair for Pansy. To her surprise, Theo pulled out the chair on the other side of Pansy and looked towards Millie. Millie had never been one to blush, but she wondered if Pansy's miracle makeup treatment had rendered it possible as she slipped into the chair.
Before them were menus upon plates of gold. Everyone looked around for waiters, but there were none in sight.
"I've seen this before," Malfoy said. "We just tell our plates what we want." He looked down at his plate regally. "Steak," he said, and sure enough a steak appeared.
"Salad," said Pansy to her left. "I'm not sure if I can eat even that!" she whispered to Millie.
Millie felt herself in a conundrum. As an ugly girl she had never been self-conscious about eating her fill before, but in her disguise as a pretty girl she felt lost. She decided to follow Pansy's lead, since she had been a pretty girl for a long time. "Salad," she told the plate.
---
When people seemed done, Dumbledore rose and said grandly, "And now, the champions will begin the dancing."
Everyone stood up and walked to the sides of the room. Pansy clutched at Draco again as the tables suddenly leaped to life and flew by. He grinned at her and then pointed toward the right wall, where the Weird Sisters were walking up onto the stage. She clapped enthusiastically.
"You know, Merton Graves is my cousin," she heard Theo telling Millie, and she said something in return that Pansy couldn't catch. Her matchmaking was working!
"Ah, the champions are going to dance. And Potter's going to dance too," said Draco, to laughter.
The band struck up a mournful ballad.
"Ooh, it's 'She Took My Heart (And My Galleons)'!" squeeled Daphne, jumping up and down. On the the third jump she came down wrong on the tiny silver stilettos and stumbled into Cameron Warrington, the sloth-like Chaser.
"Hands off my date, Daphne," said Drusilla. "Honestly, I can understand not being satisfied with Blaise, but that doesn't mean you can steal someone else's partner."
Everyone laughed. Blaise snarled, "At least she has a partner who can walk upright."
"Try standing on your tiptoes and saying that again," said Warrington lazily. Everyone laughed again.
Blaise grabbed Daphne's wrist, said "Let's dance," and nearly yanked her off balance again as he walked onto the dancefloor. Pansy was surprised but as she looked out at the floor, she could see that other people were dancing too.
Draco took her hand and said, "Shall we?"
---
Theodore looked at Millie, who was looking at him nervously. "Do you know how to dance?" she asked him.
"My dad made me take lessons," he said, grateful that the rest of the Slytherins had disappeared onto the dance floor.
"Mine too," confessed Millie, "but I'm not very confident in them."
"I don't think anyone's watching us," said Theo. "It would be dumb to go to a ball and not dance."
He took her hands and they started to dance.
The plan was definitely out.
---
Midnight arrived much too soon for Draco. Pansy looked at her watch and gave a little wail. "I feel like Cinderella!" she said.
"Your robes aren't going to turn to rags, are they Parkinson? I can't be seen with that kind of trollop."
She pushed him playfully. He tried to kiss her but she grabbed on to him and hugged him fiercely instead, pushing the air out of his lungs.
"That's alright," he said with a sort of squeekiness. "I wasn't really using those ribs anyway."
---
Any of the Slytherin boys would have given a kidney to be in the Slytherin fourth year girls dormitory at ten of one, with its five witches in various states of undress.
Drusilla had just entered in a towel. She had been the last in the showers because she was the last coming in, having been sheepishly escorted into the dungeons with her date by Snape at twenty past. There was no embarrassment on her face now, however. "How did your Ravenclaw do, Tracey? Did he help you with your schoolwork?"
Tracey Davis was completely starkers, finishing a drying charm on her hair. "Eddie?" she said. "Oh believe me, schoolwork was not on his mind."
Daphne was sitting on her bed in her underwear, rubbing her feet. "Are you sure none of you have any Blister Balm?"
"You ought to have charmed your feet before you danced," said Millie, who was tugging on her nightgown.
She brightened. "I didn't fall on my face, though!"
"Aim for the stars, Daphne," said Pansy. Everyone, including Daphne, giggled.
Tracey began putting on her skivvies. "Pansy, nobody can believe what you did to Millie. You looked pretty, Millie!"
"I should have had her make my hair bushy. Then I could have caught myself a Bulgarian."
"What are you writing, Pansy?" asked Daphne. She had put on her nightgown and was brushing her long silky blonde hair.
"Just a diary," she lied.
"I won't need a diary to remember tonight!" declared Daphne. "I'll remember it always!"
It was the first statement Daphne had made in a long time that no one wished to mock.
~Fin~
Author's Note: The "using those ribs" line is inspired by a drawing by buttfacemakani, who does excellent art, especially of Slytherins.