Chapter 3
He did not know why he felt the need to dance with her. By all accounts no one would blame him if he hadn’t, considering the scathing remarks he had just heard her make to Theo.
Still, he felt the need to prove something to her. That he was not that same boy from her past, no longer the monster that haunted her living dreams. He led them towards the balcony, waltzing gracefully through the open doors into a more secluded area.
“Everything you said to Theo was true,” he admitted, and she stared at him, waiting. “It was cowardly of me to stand there as I did, doing nothing. I was scared. Terrified, really, of what she would do to my family if I intervened. I wanted to help you, to save you, but I wanted to save my family more.” He tried to stress the truth of his words. If it had been only him in that drawing room he would have intervened. Would have gladly placed himself in front of Bellatrix’s wand and suffered in her stead. At that point in his life he would have gladly died to save her, if only it meant escaping the hell that was his life. It wasn’t just him in that drawing room, however, and his family meant more to him than anything.
“If I could have spared you, I would have, but I could not sacrifice the safety of my family for any reason, and that is a choice that I have had to live with every day since then. The ghost of your screams still haunt me, a constant companion in my dreams,” he admitted, his face pale and his hands trembling at her waist.
“Thank you,” she said softly, staring at him with an unreadable expression. He could not tell if she believed him, but she seemed as if she wanted to. Through the open door way he could see cameras had begun flashing and heard the other guests begin counting down as the Grandfather Clock on the wall started chiming.
He stared at her, still holding her against him though the music was drawing to a close. She held his eyes, barely breathing, as their faces drifted closer together. They were virtually alone on the balcony, secluded in a bubble of privacy and shadows, and the air suddenly felt charged with something he would call sexual tension if he did not know better.
The clock struck midnight and the guests cheered, light and sound spilling out onto the balcony as more guests poured onto it, celebrating. They moved away from each other quickly, and Theo, Ginny, Harry, Pansy, and Luna joined them, bringing fresh champagne and laughter.
Theo eyed them speculatively but said nothing, and eventually they broke away to prepare for Theo’s masquerade.
“I hope to see you all very soon, and not recognize a single one of you!” Theo called, and they all laughed as they went their separate ways.
Draco kissed his mother on the cheek, promising to join her for tea in a few days time, and returned home to change once more. He had half a mind to send Theo a howler, begging off for the evening. It had been a long, emotionally taxing night already and he wasn’t sure he was ready for the chaos and depravity that was sure to arise at Theo’s party.
To his surprise, although really he should have seen it coming, Theo was sitting on his couch and drinking a scotch when he returned home.
“How did you beat me to my own home?” Draco sighed, pouring himself a drink.
Theo winked at him. “Magic,” he replied, and Draco laughed.
“Thought you might be trying to bugger off on my party, after whatever that little balcony chat was with you and Hermione,” Theo admitted, swirling his drink in his cup and watching as it spiralled around the rim, never quite forceful enough to spill over.
“You noticed that, did you?” Draco asked, staring into his own cup.
“I am rather observant, a fact no one ever seems to give me credit for,” he mused. “You’d better hope Rita Skeeter didn’t notice, or it will be all over the news tomorrow. “Death Eater Draco snags Golden Girl Upon His Return to Society, see page 6 for the Chosen One’s tearful remarks.” Theo chirped in a startling imitation of Skeeter.
“You two seemed awfully chummy yourselves,” Draco noted. “Why didn’t you mention how close you were?” He asked.
Theo shrugged. “Never came up, I guess.”
“Right,” Draco scoffed, “and just how close are you two?” He asked.
A slow grin spread across Theo’s face. “There may have been a few dalliances. Elite society can be rather lonely at times,” he mused.
Draco raised his eyebrows. “When should I expect the happy announcement?”
Theo guffawed. “Oh no mate, nothing like that! We just keep each other’s bed warm on occasion. We make much better friends than lovers.”
Draco nodded, though he didn’t really understand at all.
Theo knocked back the rest of his drink. “Now, let’s get our disguises on - we have a masquerade to attend. I think getting you laid will be the perfect reintroduction to society!”
Draco winced, his face blanching.
“Oh come on, mate. You haven’t slept with anyone since that muggle girl, what was her name? Michelle? Mindy?”
“Mika,” Draco corrected, her name bitter on his tongue.
“Mika, right, that’s the one!” Theo snapped his fingers and pointed at Draco. “You haven’t slept with anyone since Mika, and she broke up with you years ago. Don’t you think it’s time to move on?”
“I’ve been rather busy, becoming a Doctor and all!” Draco said pessimistically.
“Yes, and I’ve been busy slaving away in your place as the most eligible bachelor in wizarding society, but that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying myself and the many, many, many witches that want to enjoy me as well.” Theo grinned at a memory, presumably of one of the many witches he was referring to, and Draco rolled his eyes.
Theo turned to him and began walking around him, studying Draco intently. “Right, well your hair’s the first thing to go,” he said dismissively. “Dead give away, those locks,” he said, flicking his wand until Dracos’ perfectly coiffed and styled hair grew dark, turning an inky shade of black, the edges curling slightly as they grew longer. His jaw widened slightly, moving from delicately aristocratic to ruggedly defined.
Theo placed an ornate silver mask over Draco’s eyes and nose, the colour accentuating the blue of his eyes, which Theo had left unchanged. At Theo’s insistence, Draco removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, undid the top buttons of his shirt and loosened his tie. Theo placed a glamour over Draco’s left arm, until the skin was clear and unblemished by dark ink.
Draco glanced at himself for half a second in the mirror before Theo shoved him aside, turning his wand on himself to turn his eyes a startling shade of violet. He grinned lazily and winked at himself. “I am a god,” Theo stated, turning to Draco as he slid a golden mask over his eyes.
“That’s all you're going to change?” Draco scoffed.
Theo shrugged. “It’s my party and I’m already so perfect, it would be a shame to hide such beauty from the world.” Draco snorted at Theo’s serious tone.
“All right then, lead the way, Mr. Perfect,” he said, nodding towards his floo.
Theo grinned, winking at Draco before he stepped into the flames and disappeared, Draco trailing closely behind him.
Draco situated himself near the bar as other guests began arriving, their costumes ranging from subtle to outlandish. An eccentric looking witch came through the floo, her hair charmed a brilliant shade of turquoise and braided with peacock feathers. She had forgone a mask, instead applying makeup and jewels to her eyes and cheekbones, her long eyelashes a mix of white and turquoise. The effect was oddly hypnotising. She was joined shortly thereafter by a woman with a sleek bob that had been dyed orange, her makeup resembling a fox. Their dresses matched their hair and makeup, stylish and form fitting, the fabrics and adornments hinting at their animal counterparts.
Theo had converted his entire downstairs so that each room mimicked a certain climate or tourist location or bygone era. Draco moved through the rooms, admiring the extensive magic Theo had utilised to bring his vision to life.
In one room jungle animals filtered through the treetops, the air perfumed by large tropical flowers. In another room partygoers swayed high in the air on chairlifts before being deposited onto self steering sleds and whizzing down a fake mountain. Draco tried to identify the amount of charms and transfigurations Theo would have had to employ to create such a scene.
He continued his journey through the room, stopping at a drink cart to refresh his empty glass as he watched partygoers perform an elaborate dance on a Regency dance floor. It reminded him vaguely of the Yule Ball in their fourth year. His eyes followed one particular dancer, her hair as blonde as his normally was. Her dress was white and glittering, thousands of tiny crystals swaying as she moved. Her head turned as she maintained eye contact with her partner, and he noticed she too, had skipped a mask in favour of dark makeup and black feathers. She moved gracefully on the floor, and he followed her when she left the room after her dance.
She moved into the stillness of one of the more secluded rooms, slipping off her shoes to wade ankle-deep into the water near a gazebo. The light of an artificial moon shone down on her, and he realised she was meant to be a swan.