Common Room Party
"Jules!" screeched Pansy as she walked over to the stool where Juliet stood and put on a show for the party in the Slytherin common room. She walked hand in hand with Daphne Greengrass with a yellow cocktail on her dainty fingers. "You will not believe what happened."
Juliet squealed at the sight of her friends, laying her hands out to invite them up on the stools. It was way past midnight, but the Slytherin common room had just started to get fun. Besides, Juliet hadn't planned on going to their early classes anyway. Instead, she'd handwritten a letter excusing her from morning classes signed by her mother — a skill she'd learned since childhood.
Pansy went up the stool and whispered into Juliet's ear, cupping her cheeks to control the blonde's drowsy head and forcing the both of them to sit. "Blaise asked me out."
Juliet threw a hand over her mouth with happy eyes. "You're so bad! You know he's definitely going to try and go home base."
Pansy giggled with a roll of her eyes as she said, "I know, which is why I said no."
Juliet put her hands on Pansy's shoulders and shook her. "What?! You did not. Pansy, he's so hot! You could totally just whipped cream him all over and lick it."
"Jules, he's not serious. He's drunk and horny."
"So?"
"So what? No! I'm not going to pop my cherry at a common room party."
"Fine." Juliet stood up holding Pansy's delicate fingers. "Until then, down that cocktail and dance with me!"
Pansy laughed as Juliet forced her to dance, her hands still chained to Juliet's. She couldn't deny it. If she was a guy, she'd be just like all those boys in the crowd staring and admiring Juliet's beauty. Even with her makeup ruined, she still looked perfectly photographable. In fact, her beauty was the kind that couldn't be captured all at once with a picture. It was the kind you'd have to skillfully paint to outline every perfect detail of Juliet.
Suddenly, Pansy noticed that while Juliet was oblivious to the fact, Blaise was staring at only one of them — and it wasn't the girl he'd just asked out. Pansy had had a crush on Blaise for a while now. She was ecstatic when he'd asked her out on a date a few minutes ago. But she was again reminded that nobody would ever ask her out, not when Juliet was there and they could easily distinguish who they're more likely to bed tonight, or who the prettier, hotter, blonder prospect was.
Pansy took her hands off of Juliet's grip and went down the stools. The music had died down in her ears like background. Daphne had forgotten she was there too, instead watching Juliet and copying her dances and sways to the music.
It all dawned on her at once again, the very fact she'd been trying to push down since she became friends with Juliet as very young girls. A fact she'd been hoping was either wrong or forgotten. But Juliet would never live her down on it, not even unconsciously.
"Watch it!" hissed Draco Malfoy when she'd accidentally bumped into his shoulder. Draco had given her a glare before he continued past the crowd.
At this point, it wasn't first day traditions anymore. It was the second week of school on a Sunday and they had Potions class at 8:30 in the morning. He couldn't even get some peace and quiet in his own common room to be able to pop open a book and read. With the crowd going on, he'd never be able to make it to his room in his lifetime.
He'd spotted Blaise, his mouth agape when Juliet took her top off and threw it to Daphne, who'd caught it attentively. All the boys whood and cheered.
"Dimwits, the lot of you," he'd sighed to himself before attempting to go to the very front of the crowd where Juliet was. "Another party? How shocking. Must be nice, not having to worry about classes and homework. Or you know, anything important for the matter."
Juliet's head tilted slightly as she tried to get her eyes to focus on the boy with the nasty mouth. There was a brief flicker of recignition in her blue eyes, but then she smiled — a lazy, almost dismissive smile, as if she was mildly amused by the idea of him.
"Malfoy," she declared. "Didn't know you were keeping tabs on me. Should I be flattered?"
Her voice was light, teasing, and completely unbothered by the undercurrent of venom in his words. It only made Draco more irritated, and it clearly showed by how he fumed. He folded his arms and raised a brow, keeping his tone sharp.
"You wish," he said coldly.
She laughed — actually laughed — and it cut deeper than Draco had expected. He kept his expression impassive but inside, his frustration simmered.
"Sounds like someone's jealous. What's wrong, Malfoy? Feeling left out?"
Draco's eyes darkened. She had no idea. No idea how long he'd been watching her, how long he'd waited for her to see him. Sure they were friends, or acquaintances who hung around the same group of people, but Juliet never really noticed anyone. And now, she was brushing him off as if he were just another character in the impeccable story that was her life.
"Please," he scoffed. "Jealous of what, exactly? You flunking your classes and sleeping with idiots? Yeah, I'll pass."
He'd expected her to get annoyed and hurt, and even embarrassed, but she didn't. Instead, she smiled — slow and infuriating — and stepped down the stool closer to him, her eyes glittering with amusement.
"Careful, Draco. You almost sound like you care."
Her words hit harder than he wanted to admit. He clenched his fists, the cool stones of the common room walls grounding him as he fought to keep his temper in check.
"I don't care about you or your little coward admirers. I just think it's pathetic, watching you waste your time on these stupid parties, when—"
"Whatever Malfoy. You're just bitter because no one invites you to the fun."