BORN TO DIE ╱ DRACO MALFOY
꒷꒦ · ˚.‧ . written by ella . . . © -lostgardens
072 ━━━━━━━━━ ❛ the yule ball ❜

It was the night of the Yule Ball, and Olivia still did not have a date. That was fine with her, however. She didn't need to go to a stupid ball. Well, actually, she had to because she was a champion, but who would actually notice her not being there? Probably everyone, but that did not matter. She sat in her bed, keeping up with the sour attitude she'd had since Draco dropped the bombshell of news on her and told her it was because his father made him do it. Pathetic. He didn't have to listen to his father; he chose to. There was a major, drastic difference.

Was this what being a teenage girl felt like? Questioning everything a silly boy did?

Never mind that. She was reading one of her many books to occupy her time. Pansy wasn't there, but not because the ball had already started. To be honest, Olivia didn't know where her best friend was. She was probably helping Blaise get ready, and then she'd come there to get ready herself. A small part of Olivia hoped Pansy would choose somewhere else to get ready, knowing that if she faced the girl, she would try to convince her to go.

Imagine how pathetic and embarrassing that would be—going to a ball to celebrate the champions, which she is, without a date because she rejected everyone who asked and waited too long to answer Potter's invitation so he got another date, and having to watch the boy she—she didn't want to say the word but it was quite clear—be there with someone else.

Nope. She wasn't going to do it. She was going to stay in her room all night, alone, reading her book, and not having to worry about anyone disturbing her peace.

She knew she spoke too soon when the door burst open, and in walked Pansy. She was dressed in casual clothing, unlike ball attire—well, casual on Pansy's level. Her eyes trained on Olivia, narrowing slightly as she shut the door behind her. "Get up," she ordered, placing a hand on her hip, her expression serious.

"No," Olivia replied.

Pansy took a step forward, letting out an annoyed groan. "Olivia, you have to. You're a champion, in case you've forgotten. It's quite literally mandatory, even for you, Princess."

"I haven't forgotten, thank you." Olivia lifted her chin pridefully. "And I am not a princess."

Pansy ignored her words and took another step forward, sitting down on the bed. "I'm not going to let you mope in this room all night because Draco was too much of an idiot to ask Daphne to the ball instead of you."

Olivia sent her a distasteful look at the reminder. "I am not moping," she countered matter-of-factly. She was, in fact, moping, but she wasn't going to admit that. But it was clear. Her hair was a mess. She looked as if she hadn't slept in days—or spent days crying. She hadn't showered during that time, either. All because of a stupid boy. Draco Malfoy, of all people.

"You may act heartless around the others, like none of it matters to you, but I know better. I can see right through your little act." Pansy leaned closer to the girl as she looked away, watching as she seemed to think about the words.

Olivia felt like crying, and she hated that. She was aware Pansy meant well, but she didn't like talking about her feelings. She liked to bury them and pretend they didn't exist in the slightest. But right then, she couldn't.

As she turned her head up, tears were brimming in her eyes, and Pansy sent her a sorrowful look and pulled her into her embrace. "Oh, Olivia," she mumbled, speaking into Olivia's hair as her head rested on her shoulder. "I am so sorry. I had no idea Draco truly meant that much to you." She paused, pulling the girl back so that she could stare into her eyes. "I thought it was just a little crush."

"I don't know what it is," Olivia admitted, her chin wobbling and her cheeks wet with tears.

Pansy softly smiled, her face full of pity. "Well, there is one thing I know," she whispered, causing Olivia to give her a questioning look. "You are the Olivia Mallard, and if there is one thing you can do best, it's show Draco what he's missing. If he wants to be an idiot, then that's on him. You shouldn't let him spoil your fun." She rubbed her thumbs across the girl's cheeks, wiping away the tears. "This night is about you. And the other champions, I suppose." She added an eye roll to the last bit. "So, go to the ball and enjoy your night."

"I don't have a dress or a date, Pans," Olivia reminded her.

"Ah, but you do have a dress," she told her with a smile, lifting a knowing finger as she stood from the bed and took a few steps back. Olivia followed her with her eyes. "The one your mother gave you." She went over to Olivia's wardrobe, opened the doors, and grabbed the box from it. She shut the doors with her back as she faced the girl again. "And I have the rest covered; don't worry. All you need to do is take a shower."

Olivia released a breath from her nose, staring at her best friend, who was giving her a pointed look. They both knew Pansy was winning this discussion. And then, finally, she broke and gave up on her reluctance. She got up from her bed and made her way over to the bathroom, dragging her feet. She took a quick shower, then got out. She wrapped herself in a towel and entered the room once more, seeing that Pansy already had the dress laid out on her bed.

"Get dressed while I take a shower, then I'll do both our makeup," the girl instructed her with a bright smile.

And that was what Olivia did. As Pansy went into the bathroom, Olivia made her way over to her bed, where the dress was. She dried herself off with her towel, then dropped it on the floor before going to her dresser. She grabbed out some black underwear and a bra to match the dress and put those on. Then she picked up the dress, examining it closely. It was gorgeous. She had to admit that her mother had good taste, no matter how much she despised the fact.

From the long, fluffy skirt, which was even longer in the back to create a nice train, to the front, which looked like it was made of black vines, and with the black lining underneath in the bust area, she wouldn't be revealing anything. The faux vines climbed just barely to the chest and up the arms, creating full-length sleeves, all held together by a single layer of tulle. They also went from the bust to the torso, then to the waist, fading into the tulle of the top layer of the skirt. And it had just the perfect amount of silver shine to it.

It was perfect for Olivia.

She put the dress on after she was done studying it. And then she tried to bite back the desire to strip from it and just lay back in bed and go to sleep. This ball was stupid anyway. But she didn't do that, knowing that once Pansy came out of the bathroom, she would be dragged from her slumber and forced back into the dress, out of their room and the common room, down the corridor, and into the Great Hall, where the dance was being held. So she just sat down on the edge of her bed, waiting for Pansy to be down with her shower.

When her best friend finally came back into the room, she was wrapped in her own towel. Olivia looked away, turning her back to Pansy and focusing on her hands, giving her privacy to get dressed. And when Pansy told her that it was safe to turn back around, she faced her again and slowly took her in.

Pansy was in a long a-line dress with a slimmer skirt than Olivia's, but still just as flowy. It was a Slytherin green; the fabric crossed at the top, giving it a wrapped look as it went to the off-shoulder sleeves, and Olivia could see a hint of sparkle in the velvet-y material. It was the dress she had picked out when the two of them went shopping, and though she'd seen it before, it still didn't fail to take Olivia's breath away. She looked ethereal.

"You look beautiful," Olivia said, softly smiling as she stood up and took a few steps closer.

Pansy gave her a pointed look with a matching smile. "Says you." She took a step forward, sticking her hands out so that they rested on her best friend's arms. Looking the girl up and down, she took her and the dress in quickly before focusing on her eyes once more. "Have you seen yourself?"

Olivia shook her head. Then she felt Pansy's hand slide down her arm and bring their hands together. Her best friend led her over to the mirror, ignoring how she sighed and barely lifting her feet with each step. Pansy placed Olivia in front of the full-length mirror and stood behind her with her chin resting on her shoulder. They both stared at Olivia in her dress for a long moment, Pansy with a soft smile on her lips and Olivia with a blank, slightly saddened expression.

"Your mother has wonderful taste," Pansy whispered beside the girl's ear. "But you are the one that makes the look, Olivia. You're gorgeous." She pulled her a little closer, hugging her from behind with her hands on the front of the girl's shoulders.

Inhaling deeply, Olivia rested her head against Pansy's, finding comfort in her best friend's embrace. It was moments like this when she appreciated Pansy the most in the world. She always did, but right then, her heart was swelling with so much gratitude and love that it felt like it was going to burst from her chest. She didn't know what she had ever done or would ever do without her by her side. "Thank you," she replied with a barely-there voice, mustering a smile to match her tone.

Pansy seemed to perk up even further. She took in a breath through her nose, then let it out through her mouth in a singular huff. Then she stepped back from Olivia and shook her head. "Okay, enough of the sappiness," she began, rounding Olivia to stand in front of her and putting her hands back on the girl's arms. "We need to finish getting ready." She gave the girl a little shake of excitement with a bright smile on her face.

Olivia couldn't help but smile back, then she playfully rolled her eyes as she looked away. "Okay, okay. But when you do my makeup, don't make me look like a doll again."

"Don't worry your little button nose, Olivia." Pansy tapped the tip of the girl's nose with her finger, her smile turning more wickedly knowing. And that did not make Olivia feel any better about what she might do. "I've improved my ways."

After that, she took Olivia back to the bathroom, set out all of her makeup, and began her work. She had to move fast since they were crunched on time, but not too fast because, according to Pansy, it was okay to be fashionably late. In fact, she admitted that she would prefer them to be. However, she finished with Olivia's makeup in less than ten minutes. Then she moved onto her hair, not letting Olivia see the full look until she was done. That took only five minutes due to the fact that she had her wand's help with it.

Finally, when Olivia got to face the mirror, she saw a black, bronze, and silver smokey eye look. She was also wearing mascara, highlighter, and blush. Her lips had a light pink gloss on them, more so to enhance the color she already had. It was a little more makeup than she usually would wear, but she still didn't look like a doll. And her hair was in a braided twist at the base of her skull, with a few strands, which were curled, pulled out to frame her face. It was decorated with silver vine and flower hair pieces to match her dress and makeup.

Then Pansy started on her own makeup. She had a simple green smokey eye look but was a little lighter than Olivia's and went well with her dress. Like Olivia, she was also wearing highlighter, mascara, and blush, and her lips were painted a darker pink than the girl beside her lips. Her hair, in its short-length state, was pulled into a half-up, half-down style with a velvet green bow, leaving her fringe out.

Kissing the tips of her fingers like a chef, Pansy looked at herself in the mirror with her hands on her hips. "I'm so brilliant at what I do," she stated, causing Olivia to look at her with amusement as a small smile curled at her lips. Pansy then turned to her excitedly, her smile wicked once again. "Now it's time for jewelry and shoes!"

Olivia asked, "Can I wear my boots? No one will be able to see them under this dress," as Pansy dragged her out of the bathroom.

The look her best friend gave her was priceless, almost like she was offended by the question. But it was also telling. "No," Pansy replied, an answer that was to be expected. "I have the perfect shoes to go with your dress."

Continuing to guide her forward with her hands resting on her shoulder blades, Pansy moved Olivia to the wardrobe, ignoring the groan she let out at the answer. When they stopped, the short-haired girl rounded her best friend and opened the doors. She dug around the bottom of the inside for a moment before she pulled out two pairs of shoes. Heels, of all things. It was to be expected with Pansy, but Olivia could already feel how she would want to cut her feet off at the end of the night. As a child, she wore small heels, barely an inch in height, and she loathed them. She could only imagine how the ones that her best friend owned would make her feel.

Pansy faced her with a bright smile, holding up the two pairs of shoes. They were both black, but one had a thicker heel than the other. Olivia hoped she was getting those, praying that they'd be easier to walk in. Luckily, Merlin decided to be on her side this time, and Pansy pushed the heels Olivia had wanted towards her. "These are for you," she said.

Olivia stared at the heels, then met Pansy's eyes boredly for a moment, going back and forth before she let out a breath and took the shoes. She moved over to her bed, sitting down on the edge as Pansy did the same on hers. They put on the heels, then both stood up. Since they were the same height without the heels and the heels were the same number of inches, they were still the same height. After that, the two of them picked out the jewelry they were going to wear and put it on.

And then, at last, they were finally ready for this stupid ball. Making sure they had everything they needed, Pansy blew out the candles in the bathroom, and then they left their room. They made their way down the corridor, reaching the stairs that led into the common room.

Glancing over to the girl in the sparkly green dress beside her as they both stepped down the first few stairs, Olivia asked, "So, who's my date?"

Pansy just smirked at her. "You'll see."

That did not settle the curiosity in Olivia's mind; in fact, it made it worse. But she continued down the stairs without any other questions. And when they reached the bottom, her eyes landed on the person who was to escort her, standing alongside Blaise, who was in a tuxedo.

"Woah," both boys muttered when their eyes caught onto the two girls.

Stepping off the last step, Olivia took her date in. He was dressed in an all-black suit, paired with a silver-gray tie. His hair was actually styled once, making his usual messy brown fluff look presentable. His dead blue gaze scanned her, taking her just as she did him. Then their eyes met, and she saw his familiar smirk.

"Theodore," Olivia greeted as she stopped in front of him. She gave him a suspicious look, surprised and curious about his being there for a multitude of reasons. The first one being, "I thought you already had a date?"

He shrugged as if it didn't matter. "She found another one."

"She found another one?" Olivia repeated his words questioningly as she raised her brows. She didn't quite fully believe his answer. "You asked her, she said yes, and then she found another date?"

"Yeah," he nodded, smiling. "Sure did."

She narrowed her eyes, but before she could question him any further, Pansy cut in. "We should get going. We don't want to be late, after all." The smile on her face was tight, like she was stressed about something—like she wasn't saying something.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Olivia focused her suspicion on her best friend. "I thought you said it was better to be fashionable late than early?"

"Well, I changed my mind," Pansy retorted, her voice slightly rushed and breathy. "Now, let's go," she ordered, waving her hands towards the door and ushering for them to move forward.

Olivia stood in her spot for a moment longer, looking between the three. Theodore looked clueless, Pansy looked tense, as if she were holding her breath, and Blaise had no expression on his face, per usual. But finally, she gave up, knowing she needed to get to the Great Hall sooner rather than later for the champion line-up. Turning, she began walking towards the door, and she could've sworn she heard Pansy release a sigh of relief from behind her.

The four of them made their way out of the common room, down the corridor of the dungeons, and through the twists and turns of the main floor's corridors until they reached the Great Hall. McGonagall was out there with the rest of the champions and their dates. She seemed stressed as she looked around. But when her eyes landed on Olivia, she let out a breath and rushed over to her.

"Miss Mallard, there you are." She placed her hand on the girl's back, moving her forward with the fast steps she took. Theodore followed behind, and when Olivia glanced back, she saw Pansy and Blaise sending her small waves as they headed through the double doors. "We've been waiting on you."

"Sorry," Olivia muttered when they stopped moving.

The professor's eyes landed on the boy standing beside Olivia. The surprise was very apparent on her face as she looked him up and down. "Mr. Nott." She focused on Olivia. "Not the person I was expecting you to be with, but a fine choice nonetheless." And with that said, she walked away, probably going to the other champions.

Olivia had a nagging feeling that McGonagall had been expecting white-blonde hair, gray eyes, and fair skin, not brown hair, blue eyes, and slightly tanned skin, to be by her side. She wasn't alone in that. Looking up at Theodore, she saw him smiling proudly, causing her to give him a questioning look.

He shrugged his suit jacket's lapels forward smugly, reminding Olivia of... someone. And he said, "Approval from McGonagall; that's quite the boast."

Olivia snorted at this, shaking her head with a smile on her face. Her eyes then landed on a person coming down the staircase, and she couldn't help but stop and stare. Theodore seemed to notice this, and he turned as well. The two of them stared at Granger, clad in her pink dress, with a darker-colored fabric belt around her waist and sheer sleeves covering just her shoulders, coming down the stairs with her hair tamed into a half-up, half-down style and a smile on her face, making her beam. She looked dazzling. Olivia's brows rose, taking in the girl as she descended the stairs even further.

Granger sent Olivia an excited smile as she stopped at the bottom of the staircase. Then... Viktor Krum? The Bulgarian champion walked to stand in front of the Gryffindor girl. Well, that was one way of making Weasley jealous, Olivia supposed. Go with the Quidditch player he was obsessed—and frankly, in love—with. And with that, Granger was guided over to the rest of the champions and their dates.

Olivia was with Theodore. Krum, who was dressed in red dress robes that were similar in style to the Durmstrang uniforms, was with Granger. Diggory, who wore plain black dress robes with a white shirt underneath and a black bow tie, was with a Ravenclaw girl, Cho Chang, who was clad in a beautiful silver dress. Potter, matching Diggory with his attire, was with one of the Patil twins, who was in a lehenga, a garment commonly worn in Indian culture. And Fleur, who was in a silver-blue dress, was with a Ravenclaw boy named Rodger Davies, Olivia believed, who was wearing simple dress robes as well.

It was clear that the girls were the main stars of the dance since most of the boys were dressed in plain attire. No matter, everyone still looked wonderful in their own right.

Grabbing onto Theodore's hand, Olivia pulled him closer to the champions. McGonagall had then all lined up so that one partnership could enter the Great Hall at a time. They had to do the first dance; after all, it was tradition. First were Fleur and Davies; second were Granger and Krum; third were Diggory and Cho; then it was Potter and the Patil girl; and finally, Olivia and Theodore. The doors of the Great Hall opened, revealing the decorated room and the other attendees standing on either side of the doors, leaving a path for them to enter.

Olivia had her arm interlocked with Theodore's as they moved forward. As soon as Fleur and Davies entered, the other students began clapping, and it only grew louder as everyone else followed. Her eyes searched around the ones around her, hating the fact but looking for a particular someone.

When her eyes locked on his, she inhaled deeply. It was like a scene in a movie; everything slowed as they found each other with their eyes. From what she could see through the crowd of students, he was in a white suit with a black suit jacket. His hair was styled nicely, unlike the slicked-back look he used to have during the beginning years of his life, and he looked breathtaking. She hated it. Beside him stood Daphne, in a pale blue dress, just like she had talked about that day at the Slytherin table. But Olivia didn't focus on her. No, her eyes remained on Draco, who was staring at her desperately. She was sure she was looking at him the same way.

Snapping herself back into reality as she passed him and he was no longer in her direct sight, Olivia focused forward, keeping a small smile on her face. She, Theodore, the other champions, and their dates stepped onto the dance floor. Her and Theodore joined hands, while his other one went on her waist and hers went to his shoulder. Then the music began playing, and the two of them, along with the other champions and their partners, started dancing.

They did the steps that had been practiced during their lesson with Snape a few times, and then Theodore lifted Olivia by her waist as both of her hands planted themselves on his shoulders. They spun once, and then her feet were back on the ground, with her hand returning to his. When she glanced over, Olivia saw Potter struggling to keep up as he danced with—whom she believed was named—Parvati. She knew she was one of the two, but she was almost certain it was Parvati that he was with. She focused back on Theodore, shaking her head with amusement and a smile, seeing the boy doing the same, no doubt reveling in the fact that Potter couldn't dance to save his life.

As Dumbledore led McGonagall onto the dance floor, applause broke out. They continued with the dance, counting their steps before the girls were lifted in the air and spun once. Olivia was quite surprised when she saw Neville Longbottom enter the dance with Ginny Weasley on his arm. Soon, most everyone was dancing to the instrumental music played by the Hogwarts choir and conducted by Flitwick, including Pansy and Blaise, Lucas and his date, a girl who was dressed in a fluffy pink dress, and Draco and Daphne.

While Olivia was paying too much attention to those around her, specifically the two blondes that danced together, Theodore had pulled her closer. When she focused on him again, she glanced down, seeing the smaller space between them. Then she looked up and gave him a teasing look. "You're not leaving room for Merlin, Theodore. That approval you got from McGonagall is soon going to be revoked if we don't take a step back from each other."

He simply shrugged with a smirk, causing Olivia to let out a small laugh.

Once the instrumental, classical music was over, The Weird Sisters took over with their "Do The Hippogriff," and it was safe to say that the energy of the night was brought up. Everyone jumped and danced. The floor was crowded, and Olivia could've sworn she saw Flitwick crowd-surfing. She and Theodore were with Pansy, Blaise, Lucas, and his date, whose name was Evelyn, enjoying their time and singing along to the music. But there was just one problem with Olivia that kept nagging her. Draco—and Daphne. But mostly Draco.

He didn't look as if he wasn't enjoying himself or his time with Daphne, even when he glanced in Olivia's direction, which caused her breath to hitch, as if she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't, and both of them to look away from each other quickly when their eyes met. In fact, he looked like he was having quite a bit of fun as they danced just a dozen feet away from her. He did not seem bothered by the fact that his father had "forced" him to ask the annoying girl. He was having fun. With Daphne Greengrass, of all people! The girl who'd killed Tommy. It annoyed Olivia so badly—the fact that Draco was there with that girl and was actually having a good time. And she knew it shouldn't, but she couldn't help it. She was supposed to be there to show him what he was missing, at least according to Pansy, when he decided to follow along with his father's wants and needs once more and not ask her. But instead, she was obsessing over how he was there with the one she hated most.

"Olivia," Theodore said over the loud music, snapping her attention back to him from where she was glaring at the blonde duo. They looked related; Olivia hoped they knew that. She gave him a questioning look, and he just stared at her. So she glanced back over at Daphne and Draco when he didn't say anything. Theodore followed her line of sight, then looked at her again. "You know," he finally continued, leaning a little closer to her ear, causing her attention to snap back to him with the sound of his voice. "Malfoy's a real idiot for not asking you. I know he wanted to, but for some mad reason he didn't."

Olivia furrowed her brows at his words, taking a small step back. That was all she could do since the others surrounded her so closely. "Malfoy"—she felt odd saying his surname as a way of speaking about him—"is your best mate."

"Well, actually"—Theodore tossed up a finger, glancing at someone behind them—"Blaise is." His eyes fell back on hers as his hand dropped to his side. "Draco is just one of them. And I can still think he's an idiot." He smirked, leaning a tad closer to her. That was when Blaise slung his arm down onto Theodore's shoulder, bringing the boy closer to him. He said something into the boy's ear and then walked off with Pansy, Lucas, and Evelyn. Theodore focused on the girl in front of him again. "Pansy and Evelyn are thirsty, so they're heading to the cordial table. Would you like to go as well?"

"Yeah." Olivia nodded with a tight smile, wondering why Blaise didn't just tell the both of them that. "I'm a little parched." With that, they walked out of the crowd of people. Once they were out, Olivia could see that Potter, Weasley, and the Patil twins were the only ones not dancing, besides her friends, who were at the drink table. They all looked bored, but the girls seemed as if they were regretting who they chose to go with.

Stopping in front of her friends and Evelyn, Olivia's eyes lingered on the girl her brother was with, giving her a curious look. "So, how do you two know each other?" she asked curiously, catching their attention. She was only wondering because of what Lucas told her over the summer and the fact that, in between staring at Draco and pretending like she didn't care about his presence when he looked at her, she saw her brother staring at a boy, who looked about his age, dancing with another boy. It made her curious.

Evelyn smiled sweetly, brightening up her already cheerful face. "Oh, Lucas helped me with one of my classes once per recommendation of one of our mutual mates, and then our friendship sparked from there," she explained. "I didn't have a date to the ball, and Lucas wasn't old enough to go on his own and he wanted to be here because Ak—" Lucas bumped her arm with his elbow, causing her to cut her words short. She gave him a confused look, and he widened his eyes tellingly. Olivia watched with furrowed brows as Evelyn seemed to realize, nodding her head short and turning back to Olivia with a still bright as ever but slightly tense smile. "So here we are." She threw her arms up, as if she were presenting something, and let out a few nervous chuckles.

"Ah," Olivia nodded.

Evelyn began fanning herself as she and Olivia continued to stare at one another. "Is it hot in here to you?" She breathed out, then swallowed hard. Her face was turning a rather dark shade of pink as her breathing got heavier. "Sorry, I need some air." And with that, she rushed past the others, towards the doors of the Great Hall.

"Evel—" Lucas tried to call out for her, sticking out his hand, but she was gone before he could even blink. He sighed, dropping his arm to his side, then focused on his sister. "You make her quite nervous," he admitted, causing Olivia to raise her brows in surprise. Well, she wasn't really surprised. But she had just met the girl, for Merlin's sake! What could she have possibly done to make her nervous? "She was freaking out about meeting you one day when we first became friends." He cleared his throat, looking to where the girl had run off to. "I should probably—" He gestured to the doors. "Yeah." He walked away without saying another word.

Olivia followed her brother with her eyes, watching him as he hurried to the doors. But before he could get there, his strides were cut short by the boy she had seen him staring at while they were dancing. The boy had dark hair, tanned skin, and sparkling brown eyes. His smile was sweet and bright like Evelyn's as he talked to Lucas, and the boy he'd been dancing with, presumably his date, stood next to him with his hands in his pockets. Her brother talked to him for a moment, his body seeming slightly tense. He glanced over his shoulder, meeting his sister's gaze, only to see her staring at him with raised brows and a knowing expression. His face flushed, and he looked away quickly, focusing back on the boy in front of him. Lucas told him something, patting his shoulder, then walked away, exiting the Great Hall, no doubt to find Evelyn.

Olivia had a nagging feeling that her brother had a crush. She wondered what his name was.

"Look who decided to join us," Pansy snarkly said, then took a sip from her cup.

This caught Olivia's attention, and she turned around, only for her eyes to land on the two people she wanted to be around less in the world at that moment. Draco and Daphne came to stand beside them, the boy with his hands in his trousers pockets and his eyes on Olivia, while the girl was focused on her other ex-roommate.

"Nice to see you too, Pans," Daphne sarcastically retorted.

Olivia looked away from Draco with a roll of her eyes and focused on Theodore. He gave her a knowingly amused look and mouthed, "He's an idiot." This caused Olivia to softly laugh, which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"Is something funny, Olivia?" asked the blonde girl.

Rolling her eyes as she slowly turned around, Olivia put her back to Theodore and focused on the one addressing her. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes, actually," she answered with a nod. Glancing back at Theodore, she smiled, then focused on Daphne again. "Theodore thinks Draco's an idiot for taking you to the ball and not me, and I happen to agree." Her grin turned more mockingly.

Daphne scowled at her, then looked at Draco, who was still staring at Olivia with soft eyes, like he wanted her to talk to him. Seeing that he was not paying attention to her or her annoyance, she rolled her eyes and looked away from him. "Whatever," she muttered. "Come on, Draco." She started to walk away, but the boy did not make an effort to move from his spot, his eyes still trapped on Olivia's.

She felt like she couldn't breathe when he looked at her like that, like he was longing for her. It made her heart hammer against her chest and her face hot, like she was going to melt, and she just wanted it to stop. The air in her lungs was running out by the second, and she now knew what Evelyn was feeling, though it was in a little different circumstances. "I need some air," she told everyone, practically tearing her eyes from his.

For a moment, her eyes found Theodore's, another boy who was watching her carefully. Her date. Theodore was her date to the ball because Draco hadn't asked her; she needed to remember that. "Do you want me to come with you?" he asked.

She shook her head, offering him a small smile. "No, I'm okay."

Then she turned to walk away, hearing Daphne call Draco's name again. She didn't have to look back or listen to how Daphne's voice got more irritated each time his name fell from her mouth to know he was following her. She could feel it. She could also hear his footsteps behind her. He was following her, and a selfish part of her—so most of her—was glad for it.

Going down the corridors with hurried steps, walking as best and fast as she could with those heels on, she made her way to the Astronomy Tower. It was her—their—spot. She stopped at the bottom step of the staircase, stealing a glance over her shoulder. That was when she saw the white-blonde hair turn the corner, and she made sure he saw where she was going before she lifted the bottom of her skirt slightly to make it easier for her to walk as she began up the stairs. When she reached the top, she crossed the tower, going over to the railing. She placed her hands on it, leaning forward as she took in deep breaths, taking in all of the air she needed. His footsteps were audible on the metal staircase like hers were, until they stopped when he reached the top.

Slowly, she turned around to face him. He didn't say anything and neither did she, as they took each other in. He was no longer wearing his jacket, just the two underneath pieces of a three-piece suit—the button-up and the vest—and trousers with his shiny shoes. His suit jacket was in his hand, hanging by his side. It was a bad idea to come up there, knowing he was going to follow her. Olivia knew that now. Her emotions were trying to get the best of her. But she had done it on pure instinct. It was their spot, though—the Astronomy Tower was where most of their problems were solved, where they talked and were just them. Draco and Olivia.

Taking a few steps back, Olivia moved away from the railing and closer to the wall, further away from Draco in the process. She couldn't handle this. Being near him. Her emotions. Reacting this way over something so small as him taking another girl to a school dance. It was all too much. She shook her head, not saying anything as she held back her tears. She was not going to cry in front of him. She was not going to do it. It was a weakness, and she was tired of showing him her weaknesses.

"Olivia." His voice was barely above a whisper as he came closer to her. "You look beautiful."

She scoffed at his words, looking away from him. "I look beautiful?" she repeated, like the words were foreign to her as she looked out at the dark sky and shining stars. She ignored the chill that crept up her spine due to the winter night they were currently on. Then she focused back on him. "Well, you can thank Pansy for that. She's the one that did all of this"—she gestured to herself—"besides picking out the dress; that was my mother's doing."

He shook his head. "No." Another step towards her, and she felt herself pulling back from the wall, wanting to be closer to him no matter how much she hated it. "You always look beautiful."

"Stop it," she told him, taking another step forward. "I'm supposed to be angry with you."

"Why, because I took Daphne to the ball?" he asked rhetorically. "I already told you that my father made me do it. I didn't want to."

"When are you going to stop using your father as an excuse for every little thing you do?" She threw up her arms, then huffed out a breath and dropped them to her sides. "When are you going to learn to stand up for yourself against him?" She just stared at him with a saddened face as he blankly stared back at her, not seeming to have an answer. "How could he possibly know who you took to the ball? Do you think he has some kind of little spy running around watching your every move?"

He still didn't respond, and her anger was rising.

"Answer me, Draco!" She stomped her heel on the ground, letting out an echo as he flinched, just barely enough for her to see. Heaving in a few more breaths, she took two larger steps forward. "When are you going to finally do something for yourself and not because he told you to?"

He stood still for a moment, seeming to take in her words. Then he began to move hastily towards her, dropping his jacket to the ground and catching her off guard with a face that was full of determination. She took a step back, giving him a confused look. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Stopping, he looked down at her. "Finally doing something for myself."

She relaxed slightly, only enough for him to cup the sides of her face with his hands and bring her in for a kiss. Her breath hitched against his lips, and then she melted under his touch with instant flutters in her stomach. She kissed him back desperately, a part of her hating herself for it and another part not caring at all.

Their connection only lasted a moment before he pulled back, causing her to lean forward, not wanting it to end. Her eyes fluttered open as her chest rose and fell with her deep breaths, and her features twisted at him questioningly. "What are you—?"

"There, I did something for myself," he whispered, his breath fanning against her face. Then he took a step back, his hands falling from her face, and the chill came back to her skin. He bent down and picked up his suit coat, shaking it off before placing it over her shoulders. He pulled the lapels forward so that the jacket rested on her and protected her from the cold that usually didn't bother her. And then, finally, his eyes met her still confused ones. "Do you think it's going to be able to change anything?"

She didn't even get to answer as he turned away and exited the tower, leaving her alone. The truth was, she didn't have an answer to his question, just like he didn't seem to have a solid one for any of her five—well, now four because he had answered the last one with a kiss. Inhaling deeply, she straightened her spine and lifted her chin. Then she went over to the staircase and began descending it with heavy stomps. Anyone in the corridor would be able to hear her coming; she just hoped it wasn't a professor because she was not in the mood to deal with them trying to get her in trouble for not being either in her dorm or in the Great Hall due to it being past curfew.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she aimlessly began to walk down the corridor, almost slumping in defeat. Her feet were killing her, and the stupid heels were making them ache. She stopped in her tracks, reaching down to unstrap the left heel. She took it off and then did the same to the right one. And with both shoes in her hand, she felt her anger rising, causing her face and chest to burn. She tossed the heels at the stone wall, watching as they hit it and clanked to the floor. A sob broke free from her lips as she moved towards them. Not having enough energy or motivation to pick them up, she turned so that her back was against the stone and slowly slid down it until her bottom hit the cold floor. Her head fell into her hands, muffling her sobs. She despised that she was feeling this way; she was just glad no one was there to witn—

"Olivia?" That voice was familiar, a little raspier than usual but still familiar nonetheless, and she wanted to pitch herself off the Astronomy Tower at that moment. Looking up, her suspicions were confirmed when her gaze met Granger's, a girl who looked to be in a similar state to the one she was currently in. That made her feel somewhat better—not that she wasn't alone in the matter, but that Granger was upset. The Gryffindor girl, still in her pink dress but her hair now a little messier, with her shoes in her hand, creeped towards her with slow steps, like she was an injured animal who needed help but might still attack if felt threatened. That analogy wasn't too far off. Olivia might attack; it all depended on if she thought it would make her feel better or not. "Are you all right?"

Olivia didn't answer, but she didn't look ready to commit murder or harm of any sort, so Granger took this as a sign to sit down next to her. She pushed the heels out of her way and set her own beside them. After that, both girls sat in silence, staring at the wall across from them. The dimly lit corridor covered the fact that their cheeks were tear-stained, and both were grateful for that, though they were sure the other knew how they were feeling.

"So, are you crying over Krum or Weasley?" Olivia asked, breaking the silence as she boredly glanced over to the girl beside her, with the back of her head rolling on the wall from where it leaned against it.

Granger met her gaze, looking hesitant to reply. Then she sighed and faced forward again, her brows furrowing with her teenage girl agony. "Ronald didn't ask me to the ball. Well, he did. But only because he and Harry did not have anyone to go to the ball with." She seemed to struggle with her words, like the reminder was going to make her start sobbing again. "And he only asked me after Viktor already had. But it wasn't real; it was his last resort effort to not go alone." She looked at Olivia with bewilderment at the memory. "Can you believe such a thing? Ugh!" Her anger was quite apparent as she tossed up her hands. "He said, 'Hermione, you're a girl. Go with one of us?'" She mocked Weasley's voice, making her slightly deeper and waving her hands around carelessly as she quoted his words.

"What a shame." Olivia dramatically sighed, shaking her head in disappointment as she stared at the wall across from her. Then she focused back on Granger. "I would have preferred you crying over Krum. At least he's a famous Quidditch player."

Granger gave her a bored look. "Your grief is about Malfoy; you have no room to talk."

"As if Weasley is any better," Olivia scoffed.

Granger lifted her chin pridefully. "He is in many ways, and I will stand by that."

"He's ginger," Olivia deadpanned.

"Some like a little spice in their lives."

Olivia practically cackled at this. Oh, she knew Granger was smart and could throw a good punch, but she hadn't known she was funny too. "Weasley and you are not spice, especially since he's involved," she retorted. "Draco and I are spice." A smirk curled at her lips with her knowing expression. "Two people from families that hate each other for unknown reasons falling for each other—or something of the sort—even though all the odds are against them, one hated the other for years before they became friends while the other was obsessed, and they know they'll never work but still pine after one another?" She explained her and Draco's relationship, almost as if it were a question. "Now that is spice—the perfect, tragic, star-crossed lovers romance for a novel." She pointed a telling finger at the girl beside her. "You and Weasley are just bland, like the frosted oats in that one Muggle cereal with the marshmallows."

"Lucky Charms?" Granger's brows rose with confusion in her tone.

"That's the one."

The Gryffindor girl breathed out in amusement, her face twisted in curiosity. "How do you even know what those are and how they taste?"

Olivia shrugged. "I pay attention in Muggle Studies, and the oats just look bland."

"Has Professor Burbage taught about the different cereals of the Muggle world in Muggle Studies, or have I missed a few lessons?" asked Granger jokingly, with a little soft laugh.

Olivia joined in her laughter, smiling as she looked forward with her arms resting on her bent knees. Both girls felt much better, now having their minds somewhat off of the fact that the two boys they'd wanted to go to the ball with didn't ask them. Once they settled down, falling back into a comfortable silence, Olivia rested her head on Granger's shoulder and straightened her legs onto the floor, suddenly feeling more exhausted than before. She felt the girl shift to glance down at her as Olivia's eyes stayed trained on the wall in front of them, but she didn't say anything. "Hey, Granger?" She spoke up after another long pause of silence.

"Yeah?"

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, feeling her eyes brimming with tears again, so she closed it and let out a breath through her nose. "Do me a favor and don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Is it because I'm a Muggle-born?" Granger's voice sounded a little sadder.

Olivia sat up for a moment, her eyes meeting the girl's. "This has nothing to do with blood status," she assured her. Then she smiled, almost teasingly. "It's only because you're a Gryffindor." Her expression turned more pointed, and the smile fell. "And because I never cry, especially not over a stupid boy like Draco Malfoy."

Granger nodded. "All right."

Then silence fell over them again as Olivia moved to rest her head back on the girl's shoulder.

"Hey, Olivia?"

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favor and don't tell anyone about this either, okay?" Her tone was the same as the darker-haired girl's had been, which brought some joy to Olivia's spirits. She sure needed some. "I don't need people to know that I cried over a stupid boy like Ronald Weasley."

"All right."

≀⋆⁺₊⋆ ꗃ 𖦹⨳✺

━━━━ ella's speaking !
when you pull up to the best-dressed competition but the slytherins are there 😔

i've had the idea for olivia's dress mostly planned out for like a year or so- i love it so much and now i'm glad my vision is finally seeing the light of day. i really hope you liked this chapter since it was sort of a longer one! the second task is approaching hehe

here's the inspo for both olivia's and pansy's look

make sure to comment and vote 🫶🏻

kisses.

━━━━━━━━━━ born to die,
© -LOSTGARDENS, apr 2024

word count: 8323.   written: 3.30. - 4.3.24.   published: 4.18.24.