Stimulants
Rave. That was the new thing around the kids these days. Obnoxious lights that blew everyone's eye out, loud EDM music, and unsettling visuals for those who were drugged out of their mind to have a blast during their trip session. Oh, and girls also practically wore nothing.
"Have you ever even been to a rave?" asked Blaise Zabini to Draco Malfoy when he'd offered an invitation to Juliet's party, which she'd said was to honour the Slytherin quidditch team for their next game.
Draco scrunched his nose. "What's there to go to? The music isn't even good."
"Mate, you've barely been to any of the Slytherin parties, or any party for that matter. Stop being a bummer and come to the rave," convinced Blaise, placing a hand on Draco's stiff shoulder.
Draco rolled his eyes. But Blaise was right. He was in his fourth year of Hogwarts and he'd never been to a party. Sure, most Slytherin parties were in their shared common room so he'd technically been part of it, but he'd never shoot a drink or danced with anyone.
"Fine," he caved, "if it matters that much to you."
Blaise smiled, placing a hand over his heart. "It does, mate."
"What are you going to do there, anyway? Try to sweet talk Pansy even more 'til you fuck her?" mocked Draco with a grin.
"Actually," began Blaise. "I wasn't going to try and fuck her."
Drack eyed him carefully. "What does that mean?"
"It means I'm playing it safe. Traditional style."
Draco couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah right, I give it two weeks."
"No no, my friend." Blaise adjusted his robes. "I'm going to date her."
Draco furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Blaise? Date? Those two words didn't go together. He'd never been on an official date before. He'd never had a girl he didn't just use to fuck. He was a ladies' man. Draco never thought of Blaise changing any time soon, or ever.
"Alright. Cut the crap. What's the deal, Zabini?"
"Pansy would never ever fuck me. She's the only one in Slytherin who's hot and never even kissed anyone. Do you know how many guys have tried?"
"None," Draco answered plainly. "Boys are scared of Pansy."
"Exactly. She is untouchable."
"So this is about dating her to fuck her?"
"No, that's messed up, Malfoy, what is wrong with you?" Blaise turned to Draco with disgust on his face. "She is the ideal girl to commit to. That soft, virginous perfectionist. Imagine what people would think if the first person she dated was me."
Draco chuckled along. "You're the man, Zabini."
"Cheers to that," said Blaise, offering his quilt pen toward Draco.
Draco gave in and bumped his own quilt pen against Blaise's. Blaise's attention was then caught by a particular raven-haired girl hand-in-hand with a notably hyperactive Juliet, who Pansy had been shushing all the way to a seat in an attempt to hide her recreationally stimulated brain. But Juliet had been high for two hours and showing no signs of toning it down any time soon. In fact, she'd been getting more alert as the time passes.
Blaise wondered if Pansy would sit beside him. Remembering that Draco was sitting at her saved seat, Blaise immediately pinched Draco's arm.
"Move!" Blaise whisper-yelled.
"What?" asked Draco. Blaise kept his eye on Pansy as she took a seat next to Juliet.
"Mate, you have to move! I told Pansy I'd save her a spot next to me!"
"Not happening," denied Draco. "I am not sitting next to her." He arched his eyebrows toward Juliet, whose eyes were now twitching as she spoke to Pansy.
"Please! I will do anything! Switch!" Blaise was practically pushing Draco off the chair while pulling the chair closer to himself as much as he could.
Draco scoffed at Blaise and grabbed his textbook. "You owe me big time." He then walked over to Pansy. "I think Zabini's got a spot for you."
Pansy scattered her brain on how to act and what to say. It couldn't get more real than Blaise's best friend informing her of the plan he'd set up privately.
"Oh, really?" She tried to play it cool and dumb. It always seemed to work for Juliet. Juliet! She was drugged out on stimulants after snorting a gram in the bathroom stalls with Millicent Bullstrobe and cannot be left in this state. "Uhm, do you mind doing me a favour?"
Draco immediately groaned and turned to Blaise before rolling his eyes in surrender. "What?" he asked, irritated that he was getting dragged into their little thing.
"Could you just look after Jules? She won't be a problem, she's just... very passionate right now..." Pansy sheepishly said.
Draco huffed and glared. "Fine. But I won't be much help."
As Pansy got up and left her spot open for Draco, Juliet gave him a big grin.
"Malfoy!" exclaimed Juliet.
It didn't take much for anyone else to realize that she wasn't only her usual flighty self. She was jittery — unable to stay still without moving every inch of her muscle — and her eyes seemed even bigger and brighter than usual. As soon as he'd gotten somewhat comfortable in his seat, she was all over him like wildfire.
"Are you going to my party tonight? You're coming right? Oh Merlin, you have to come. It's going to be amazing! We're setting up visuals and audio visuals and music! I got the idea when I spent a week in Vancouver during the summer! I think it would be a fascinating experience for you, don't you think? I think so, if you ask me— Oh, but you haven't yet. I know, I know. You hate me and all. But I know you and you know me and the person that you know who knows you is inviting you to a party tonight. My party. Tonight."
Juliet was animated, tossing and twirling her blonde hair and giggling at her own voice, all while bouncing in her seat. He could practically smell the excessive, yet perfect amount, of perfume she had on, its heady scent mixed with the faint trace of Merlin-knows-what. Draco's lip curled in annoyance. She had clearly taken one too many. It was usual for Juliet to throw back potions and substances to keep her partying and energy going, but today he'd be the one to face it.
Perhaps it was the way she was practically vibrating with energy next to him, or how she was completely ignoring Snape's lesson — and for once, Snape had given up on punishing a student. Either way, Draco's patience was thinning.
"Will you shut up?" he muttered under his breath, voice cold and sharp.
Juliet blinked at him, her wild eyes still dancing with excitement and joy. "Draco! I didn't even know you were here!" she yelled, too loud for his or anyone's liking.
Draco paused for a moment. She had called him by his first name. Not even his best mates call him by his first name. Did he enter into an alternate universe where he'd deluded her into thinking they were on first name basis? He thinks not.
"Obviously," he shot back, voice laces with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes, the corners of his mouth twitching in annoyance. "Now can you keep it down? Some of us actually care about not flunking out of this class."
Juliet giggled, again oblivious to his tone. "Come on, Malfoy! Don't be a buzzkill." She poked his arm teasingly. "Lighten up! You should come to my party tonight."
Draco clenched his jaw. "I don't care about your stupid parties," he snapped, his grey eyes flashing. "And maybe you wouldn't be failing if you didn't spend all your time hopped up on Merlin-know-what."
Her smile faltered for a second, but just as quickly, she laughed it off, her giggles like enchanting music. "Whatever, Draco. Maybe you should loosen up a bit. You look like you haven't had fun in years."
Draco's stomach twisted. She had no idea, did she? She had no clue how much she got under his skin — not because of her stupid parties or her ridiculous behaviour — but because she was everything he wanted and everything he hated at the same time.