Chapter 239
"The other two-thirds probably belong to Fleur Delacour and that Gryffindor know-it-all," Pansy Parkinson muttered, counting on her fingers. In the end, she sighed faintly. "You people really are creatures who only care about appearances."
It sounded as though she was including Draco Malfoy in that accusation.
"I'm not," Malfoy replied, shrugging with an awkward smile as he looked at her.
The two of them left the long tables and circled around the dance floor toward the entrance hall. The doors stood wide open, and as they descended the steps, the fairy lights in the rose garden glowed brilliantly. Low hedges lined the winding paths, interspersed with ornate stone statues. The soft sound of splashing water echoed from a fountain, and scattered benches held quiet couples.
They followed a winding path through the rose bushes.
"What are those two doing? Did their partners abandon them? Or… are they actually together?" Pansy whispered, spotting two figures not far away. In the moonlight, she could make out Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, both bent over suspiciously.
Ron's outdated dress robes made him especially easy to recognize.
Her guess wasn't entirely wrong.
Ron's partner, Padma, had already lost interest in him. His attention had been fixed on Hermione and Krum all evening, which only made things worse. No one appreciated being ignored for someone else.
She had left early—and never returned.
Similarly, Harry's partner, Parvati, had also grown frustrated. He barely paid attention to her, treating her more like an obligation than a partner. She, too, had left.
Now Harry sat alone earlier, staring at the dance floor, watching Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory dance in perfect harmony. Her graceful movements and their seamless coordination unsettled him, though he didn't even notice when his own partner walked away.
Eventually, he had wandered off—only to run into Ron. The two "fellow sufferers" had decided to step outside together.
---
"What are they doing, Draco?" Pansy nudged Malfoy with her elbow, confused.
Then she noticed two more figures nearby.
"Severus Snape? And… who's that?"
Snape's greasy hair was unmistakable under the moonlight.
Before Malfoy could answer, Pansy gasped. "They're eavesdropping!"
"Professor Snape! Hello!" she suddenly shouted at the top of her lungs.
Startled, Snape and the man beside him instantly separated.
"Potter? Weasley?" Snape's expression darkened as he realized they had been overheard.
"We're just taking a walk," Ron said rudely. "That's not illegal, is it?"
"Then keep walking!" Snape snapped, striding past them, his robes billowing behind him.
Only then did Pansy clearly see the other man—Igor Karkaroff. He nervously twisted his goatee, then hurried after Snape, his movements stiff and uneasy.
"Well? I ruined their little scheme, didn't I?" Pansy said proudly. Then she frowned. "But why was Professor Snape with him? Do they know each other?"
"Maybe," Malfoy replied casually, clearly unwilling to elaborate.
"I heard Professor McGonagall tried to set Snape up with Sybill Trelawney… and he refused. Do you think he really—"
Malfoy tapped her forehead lightly. "Use your brain for something else."
He gestured ahead. "Let's go there."
---
They approached a large stone reindeer statue. Behind it stood a fountain, its water shimmering under the moonlight. Nearby, a secluded space opened up, surrounded by hedges, with a narrow path leading to a white marble pavilion. Inside stood a stone table with several stools.
They sat down.
"I still want to dance," Pansy said softly, resting her chin on her hands as she gazed longingly toward the brightly lit hall.
"Then watch others dance," Malfoy suggested.
"What's the point? I've already watched enough," she muttered.
Malfoy flicked his wand lightly. "How about this instead?"
Pansy blinked in surprise as small, glowing fairies of various colors emerged from the bushes. They gathered into circles, and a soft, melodious tune filled the air. Under the moonlight, the fairies began to dance.
"Thank you," Pansy said quietly, watching the enchanting scene. She understood the effort Malfoy had made.
At that moment, the midnight bell rang.
"Draco, let's go back," she said, stretching. "I'm really happy today. The ball should be ending soon anyway—I don't want to leave with the crowd."
"Alright."
Malfoy nodded, waving his wand once more. The fairies gradually faded, returning to the bushes, and the quiet night reclaimed the garden.