Welcome Party
The Slytherin common room was packed, the air thick with excitement and the steady beat of music. Juliet Van Der Hart had, once again, had outdone herself. Word had spread fast after she announced the party to welcome Viktor Krum, and nearly all of Slytherin—and a few daring students from other houses—were crammed into the dimly lit space.
Draco Malfoy leaned against a stone pillar, his arms crossed as he watched the chaos unfold. He hadn't wanted to be here, but there was no escaping this particular party. Juliet had decided to host it in the Slytherin common room, leaving Draco with nowhere to retreat. He would've preferred to be in his dorm, away from the drunken laughter and loud music, but now, he was forced to watch as Juliet effortlessly commanded the attention of the room, all for Viktor Krum.
Across the common room, Juliet stood with Viktor at the center of a growing crowd, laughing at something he said. She looked radiant, as she always did at her parties, her smile wide, her blonde hair cascading down her back. Her dress was dark green, Slytherin's color, and it clung to her figure in a way that made it impossible for anyone to look away, least of all Viktor.
Draco felt his jaw clench as he watched Krum lean in, whispering something in Juliet's ear that made her laugh again. The jealousy that had gnawed at him since their first meeting in the Great Hall flared up again, though he pushed it down, trying to ignore the bitter taste it left in his mouth.
"Can you believe her?" Pansy muttered, appearing beside Draco with a frown. She had her arms crossed, clearly unimpressed with how Juliet was monopolizing Viktor's attention. "Throwing a party for him like she's some star-struck fan."
Draco didn't respond, his eyes still trained on Juliet as she wrapped her arm around Viktor's, leading him toward the drinks table. His expression soured further at the sight of them together.
Pansy noticed his silence and raised an eyebrow. "You're not seriously bothered by this, are you?"
Draco shot her a glare. "Of course not."
Pansy let out an exaggerated sigh. "Well, I am. She's supposed to be my best friend, and she hasn't spoken to me all night. It's always about her, isn't it?"
Draco didn't answer, instead watching as Juliet poured Viktor a drink, her eyes never leaving his. He hadn't heard a word Pansy said, assuming it was just another one of her jealousy issues that girls always had between their girlfriends. To be frank, he had no time to waste consoling her on her dramatics. Not when Victor Krum has gone further with Juliet within less than a day of meeting each other. The entire room seemed to revolve around them, and for a moment, Draco felt a surge of anger he couldn't quite place.
"Whatever," Pansy huffed, noticing Draco wasn't really listening. "I'm going to find Blaise."
As Pansy left, Draco tried to move to the quieter corner of the room, but every time he shifted, his gaze was drawn back to Juliet and Viktor. The two were practically inseparable, and as the night wore on, it became more and more obvious that Viktor had taken a liking to her. Not that Juliet seemed to mind — she thrived on attention, and Viktor Krum was no exception.
At one point, Viktor pulled Juliet onto the makeshift dance floor, spinning her around with surprising grace for someone with his usually stiff demeanor. The room cheered, a few of the Slytherin boys letting out wolf whistles, but Draco remained stone-faced, his irritation growing with every twirl.
Juliet, clearly enjoying herself, leaned in close to Viktor, whispering something that made him smirk. The way they moved together, with such ease and flirtation, made Draco's blood boil, though he'd never admit it aloud.
He tried to distract himself, looking away and pretending not to care, but then Juliet caught his eye. For just a brief second, her gaze flickered over to him, a playful smile curling her lips before she turned her attention back to Viktor.
Draco scowled, his fists tightening at his sides. She knew exactly what she was doing.