Let's Dance
“Draco, you've had enough,”
Draco shoved her away, gripping onto the champagne flute he'd taken from a nearby tray.
“You don't know what you're talking about,” he slurred, taking a swig of the drink, most of it dribbling down his chin.
“I mean it!” Hermione whispered through gritted teeth. “People are looking, you've had /enough/!”
She went to tug the glass from his hand, but in the struggle he spilt more of the liquid down his shirt.
“Mate, I think she's right. She's just looking out for you. Maybe stick to water now, yeah?” A firm hand clapped his shoulder, indicating the arrival of Theo.
Fuck them both. What did they know? They didn't understand the black hole inside his chest. They didn't get it. How dare they stand there, all pretty and /fixed/, looking at him like some sad case?
“Fuck you.” He slurred. He pushed Theo out of the way, sending him stumbling into Hermione as Draco stormed out of the ballroom.
He hated these fucking things anyway. Just an excuse for his mother to pretend she was back in favour with society. But he saw how everyone looked at him. The hatred in their eyes.
He punched a wall, staining the antique wallpaper with his blood. The edges of his vision had started to go fuzzy. Maybe Hermione was right, maybe he’d had too much.
No, she was just trying to turn him into something he wasn't. Turn him into something happy. Well, she knew what she was getting when she started dating him. He was not a good man, she knew that.
Draco moved back to the doorway, leaning to catch a glimpse of her. He watched Theo bow deeply, his lips forming the words 'let's dance’ as he offered his hand.
And then she smiled. Not only did she smile, she laughed.
When was the last time Draco had seen that? And why was he only just realising?
He watched as Theo led her to the dance floor, her navy blue dress perfectly complimenting his charcoal robes as they began to twirl.
Theo was making her laugh. She looked so happy.
She used to look like that with him.
Gods, Merlin, fuck, what was he doing? He had the most beautiful woman in the world and he was treating her like shit. He didn't deserve her. She deserved more than him.
He kept his eyes trained on the dancing pair, waltzing perfectly in time. Theo's hand remained firmly on her waist, never daring to drift lower, so full of respect for his best friend.
But Draco knew. Theo looked at her the way Draco used to look at her. And Hermione– she was looking at Theo the same way.
Draco’s heart cracked in two. But how could he be angry? She deserved better than him anyway.