Unexpected
The door to the dormitory swung open with a loud thud. Juliet lifted her head, startled, just in time to see Pansy striding in with a look of utter excitement plastered across her face. She didn't wait for an invitation; she simply plopped herself right on the edge of Juliet's bed, grinning ear to ear as she flipped open her sketchbook.
"Juliet!" Pansy squealed, holding the book out in front of them like it was the most prized possession. "You have to see this. I've been working on it for days!"
Juliet sat up slowly, the sudden burst of energy from Pansy catching her off guard. She rubbed her eyes before focusing on the page Pansy held up. There, sketched with precise, delicate strokes, was a stunning dress design. It was elegant, with intricate lace details that traced the neckline and a bold slit running down the side of the skirt, revealing just enough to make a statement without being too over-the-top.
Pansy's eyes were practically glowing as she pointed to the sketch. "This is what I'm wearing to the Yule Ball. What do you think? Isn't it perfect?"
Juliet blinked at the drawing, a smile slowly curling at the edges of her lips. "It's... gorgeous, Pans. You'll look like royalty in that."
Pansy let out a pleased sigh, already lost in the fantasy. "I know, right? I'm thinking emerald green for the fabric, something that really pops with my complexion and brings out my eyes. I want to make sure everyone knows I'm the queen of the night."
She spun the book around, admiring the sketch herself before turning to Juliet with a look of expectation. "So, what about you? What are you wearing? You have to outshine every girl in that hall."
Juliet hesitated, unsure how to answer. "I haven't... really thought about it yet."
Pansy's face fell, her brow knitting together in confusion. "What? Are you serious? The Yule Ball is coming up fast, and you're still not prepared?" She huffed, shaking her head. "Don't tell me you're doing this thing where you wait until the last minute again."
Juliet shrugged, leaning back against her pillows. "I just... haven't decided who my date is. I mean, Viktor asked me, but I haven't given him an answer yet. And then there's been... other guys."
"Wait, wait," Pansy interrupted, waving her hands around in disbelief. "Viktor Krum, international Quidditch star, asked you to the Yule Ball, and you're telling me you haven't given him an answer? It's been weeks!" Pansy groaned dramatically, falling back onto the bed next to Juliet. "Juliet, do you know how many girls would kill to be in your shoes? The guy is practically famous! You can't just leave him hanging."
Juliet snorted, trying to suppress a laugh. "I don't even like Quidditch, Pans."
"That's not the point!" Pansy said, exasperated. "It doesn't matter if you like Quidditch or not. It's about making an entrance, being the talk of the night. You can't just sit this one out. And if you're not going with Krum, who else are you going with?"
"I don't know," Juliet admitted, hugging her knees to her chest. "Maybe I don't even care about the ball. Maybe it's not as important to me as everyone thinks."
Pansy stared at her friend for a moment, then sat up, brushing her hair back. "Juliet, that's nonsense. You're Juliet Van Der Hart, the girl who turns heads no matter where she goes. You can't just not show up. People expect you to be there, to look amazing, and to have the most handsome guy on your arm. This is your chance to make a statement."
Juliet laughed softly at the way Pansy hyped her up, but there was still that gnawing feeling inside her, that uncertainty. "I just... don't want to make it about everyone else, you know? I don't want to show up just because people expect me to."
Pansy rolled her eyes and nudged Juliet's arm. "You're thinking too much, Jules. It's not that deep. You go, you have fun, you wear something stunning, and everyone talks about how amazing you looked. That's it. And trust me, the right dress and the right date can make it feel worth it."
Juliet sighed, laying her head back against her pillows. "Okay, sensei. I'll think about it."
Pansy let out a relieved breath, her lips curving into a sly grin. "You better. And you should totally say yes to Viktor. It's not every day a Quidditch star asks you to a ball. You'll have the whole school watching you two. Imagine the jealousy."
Juliet chuckled softly. "And what about you? You're going with Blaise, right?"
At the mention of Blaise, Pansy's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink. She gave a shy nod, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "Yeah, I mean, it's kind of a no-brainer, right? We've been best friends for years. He's the only guy I trust not to step on my toes while dancing."
Juliet raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Are you sure it's just a friendship thing? I've never seen friends who make out and go on dates."
Pansy playfully shoved Juliet's shoulder. "Shut up. It's not like that. Blaise is... Blaise. Besides, it's just a ball. It doesn't mean anything more."
Juliet gave her a knowing look. "Uh-huh. Sure."
Pansy swatted her again, laughing. "Oh, shut it! You're just deflecting because you still haven't made up your mind about Viktor. And besides, at least I have a date."
Juliet smirked, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll admit it — I'm jealous. But only because you get to avoid the drama of deciding who to go with."
The two girls shared a laugh, the kind of easy, carefree moment that reminded Juliet of how much she appreciated Pansy's presence. Beneath all the snobbery and drama, Pansy was the one person who had always been there for her, who could lift her spirits without even trying.
"So," Pansy began softly after a moment, her tone more serious. "How was the date? With Draco?"
Juliet turned to Pansy, her expression hardening as she tried to deflect the question once again "Well, it was nice. For a bit until—"
"—Until?" Pansy asked, eager to know the juicy details of the beginning of what she assumed was Juliet and Draco's love story.
Juliet's breath staggered and Pansy couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You got drunk, probably slept with him, and then what?"
She knew Juliet too well. Though it was getting too well for everyone. Juliet wasn't a surprise anymore. She wasn't this unpredictable girl everyone claims she is because they all know what Juliet's next moves always are — drink, party and end up naked with some guy then not remembering a single thing in the morning where she was late to class, skipping , throwing up in the bathroom stalls or drinking some more.
"He started acting weird right after—"
"—Right after what?"
Suddenly, the door to their dormitory burst open once again. This time, Daphne Greengrass came storming in, her face twisted in frustration. Without so much as a word of greeting, she flopped down onto Juliet's bed, wedging herself between Juliet and Pansy with an exaggerated huff.
"I'm so over this," Daphne muttered, crossing her arms and glaring up at the ceiling.
Juliet and Pansy exchanged a glance, clearly amused by Daphne's dramatic entrance.
"Okay, spill," Pansy said, tilting her head curiously. "What's got you so worked up?"
Daphne groaned, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "It's Cedric bloody Diggory! He still hasn't asked me to the Yule Ball. And I swear, every time I try to hint at it, he just acts completely clueless. I don't know what else to do!"
Juliet raised an eyebrow, struggling to hold back her laughter. "Daph, Cedric's a Hufflepuff. You can't expect him to pick up on subtle hints. He's not exactly known for being the sharpest in social situations."
Pansy, who had been smirking the entire time, let out a soft chuckle and gave Daphne a look of sympathy. "Hate to break it to you, Daph, but Cedric's already asked Cho Chang to the ball. I overheard some Ravenclaws talking about it earlier today."
Daphne's eyes widened in shock, and she sat up straight, her mouth hanging open. "What?!" she exclaimed, clearly not expecting that piece of news. "Cedric asked Cho Chang?! Are you kidding me?"
Pansy shook her head, her lips curving into a smirk. "Nope. Sorry, Daph, but it looks like you're out of luck with Diggory."
Daphne's face fell, her frustration quickly turning into a pout. "Ugh, of course he did. Cho Chang is so... boring. What does he even see in her? I mean, come on, I'm right here. And I'm way more fun!"
Juliet snickered, patting Daphne on the shoulder. "Oh, Daph, you'll find someone else. There are plenty of guys at Hogwarts who'd be lucky to take you to the ball. Cedric's just too oblivious to realize what he's missing."
Daphne grumbled, clearly not comforted by Juliet's words. "Yeah, well, I wanted Cedric. All the other guys just don't have that... charm, you know?"
Pansy rolled her eyes playfully. "Daphne, Cedric's a nice guy and all, but you could do better. Besides, now you don't have to pretend to care about Hufflepuff matches or whatever."
Daphne let out a loud sigh, falling back onto Juliet's bed in defeat. "Yeah, I guess. But it's just so annoying. I thought this year would be different. Like, I was actually going to get the guy I wanted, and now Cho Chang is swooping in and taking him right under my nose."
Juliet nudged Daphne gently. "Well, now that you know Cedric's off the table, maybe it's time to set your sights on someone else. There are plenty of other guys who'd love to take you to the ball."
Daphne perked up slightly, her pout softening. "Yeah? Like who?"
Pansy grinned, sitting up with a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Well, there's always Theodore Nott. He's been staring at you in Potions for weeks now."
Daphne made a face, wrinkling her nose. "Theo? Please. He's nice, but... I don't know. He's not really my type."
Pansy laughed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, come on, Daph. At this rate, you might as well give him a shot. He's cute, he's smart, and he's definitely into you. What more could you want?"
Juliet joined in, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Plus, he's got that brooding, mysterious vibe going on. That's totally your type, Daph."
Daphne groaned, tossing a pillow at Juliet. "You guys are impossible. But anyways, who started acting weird right after what?!"
Juliet sighed and buried her face in a pillow.
"Draco?!" Daphne asked Pansy, who gave her an awkward nod, signalling that it didn't quite go well. "What happened? You drank, you slept with him, and then what?"
Juliet's mouth hung open at how even Daphne had expected this situation for her. "Well, and then, he kind of left right after. Something about how I wasn't who he thought I was."
Pansy furrowed her thin brows. "Wait. Jules, what were you talking about before that?"
"I don't know," she spoke softly, becoming more and more frustrated in trying to figure out what went wrong with Draco last night. "I thought everything was fine. He was asking me about my past relationships and—"
"—Jules," interrupted Pansy. "What past relationships?"
Juliet gave her an impossible laugh and threw a pillow lightly over Pansy's face as the three girls laughed. "You know, just about who I've been with in the past and how many there were."
"Oh, Merlin," groaned Pansy. "Don't tell me you gave him the real number."
"How can I when I don't even know what it is? I said I kind of lost count."
Daphne threw a pillow over Juliet's head. "Jules! When a guy asks you what your body count is, no matter what, it's always three."
"What? Since when?" asked Juliet.
"Since always! If it's more than three, you're basically telling them you're open for business!" squealed Pansy.
"No wonder he left after sex. You just showed him you have no self-respect," said Daphne.
"What am I supposed to do now? Nobody told me any of this!" Juliet scratched her head.
"I don't know, Jules." Pansy shook her head in disbelief. Juliet always made a mess of things and for the most part, Pansy was always able to clean up after her. But recently, the pieces of the mess she'd been carelessly creating had been getting smaller and smaller. "You kind of dug yourself a hole on this one."
Juliet shrugged, desperate to deflect this entire situation and forget it ever happened. She'd only hoped everyone could also do the same.
Pansy saw through Juliet's expressions and leaned back against the headboard, sighing contentedly. "You know, for all the drama about dates, I'm actually really excited about the ball. It's going to be amazing. The dresses, the dancing, the attention — it's going to be our night."
Juliet smiled, her earlier indecision about the ball slowly fading. "Yeah, you're right. It's going to be great. Maybe I'll even say yes to Viktor."
Pansy raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Maybe? Girl, you better say yes to Viktor. You're going to make every other girl in Hogwarts jealous."
Daphne perked up at that, nodding in agreement. "Pansy's right. If you don't go with him, someone else will, and you can't let that happen. He's Viktor Krum! You'll be the envy of the entire school."
Juliet laughed, shaking her head at her friends' enthusiasm. "Alright, alright. I'll think about it. But no promises."
Daphne grinned, her earlier frustration forgotten as she joined in on the excitement. "Well, when you do, you're going to look absolutely stunning. I can't wait to see everyone's faces when we walk into that hall."
Juliet's owl swooped through the window, landing gracefully on her desk. Pansy and Daphne exchanged mischievous glances, ready for a bit of teasing.
"Another love letter from one of your many admirers?" Pansy quipped, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I bet they're all begging to take you to the Yule Ball, and you'll just reject them because you can't make up your mind."
Juliet rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "Very funny," she replied, picking up the letter. She walked back to her bed, and the two girls followed, eager to see what was inside.
With a flourish, Juliet opened the envelope and began to read aloud. The familiar snarky tone of the handwriting made her heart race as she looked toward her friends with a stunned look on her face. Pansy and Daphne perked their heads up to pay closer attention.
"Dear Van Der Hart," she began, her voice dripping with agitation. "I'm assuming you've managed to scare off your other suitors, but let's get to the point. For the Yule Ball, you will wear green. It's non-negotiable."
Pansy's eyes widened. "Wow, he's really laying it down, isn't he?"
"Yeah, like he thinks he's the king of everything," Juliet muttered, trying to hide her excitement on the fact that Draco was still interested enough to take her to the ball.
Juliet continued reading, rolling her eyes at the absurdity. "Be ready at eight o'clock sharp. I'll pick you up. Don't be late, as I won't wait around."
Daphne burst out laughing. "He's so demanding! Who does he think he is?"
"I can't believe he actually asked you," Pansy said, still incredulous. "I thought, for sure, you'd messed it up!"
"Seriously, Juliet?" Daphne shook her head. "There's not a single guy in the world that can resist her no matter what she does."
"But you're going to, right?" Pansy pressed, nudging her excitedly. "This is a golden opportunity! Just think of the drama!"
Juliet felt a mix of confusion and exhilaration. "I guess I have to find something green to wear now, don't I?"
Daphne smirked, leaning closer. "You have to! Just imagine the looks on everyone's faces when they see you two together. They'll be shocked!"
"I still can't wrap my head around it," Pansy said, shaking her head. "Draco Malfoy asking Juliet Van Der Hart? After the chaos that went down last night? You're unbelievable!"
Juliet frowned, the excitement mingling with apprehension. "I mean, it's just a dance. It doesn't mean anything."
"Right," Daphne said, raising an eyebrow. "But it could mean something... if you let it."
As Juliet felt a strange sense of anticipation rising within her, she realized that this Yule Ball might turn out to be far more significant than she'd originally thought.