In the end, at the group mixer hosted by Upperclassman Rowl, about thirty percent of the participants, including Cedric and me, ended up confirming partners.
People like Daphne and Millicent only secured casual lunch date promises with a few others and planned to decide while feeling things out. About half of the participants fell into this category.
On the other hand, people like Krum and Cho Chang participated mainly out of friendship, but it seemed they either already had someone else in mind or did not meet anyone who truly caught their interest. About twenty percent of the participants left with vague comments like "let's all go together sometime" or "I'll go if I can."
"Not bad, I'd say."
As the organizer, Euphemia Rowl seemed to find the results within her expectations as she checked off names with a quill in a notebook titled The Slytherin Student Couple Registry.
"Is thirty percent considered a lot?"
"To begin with, among Slytherin students in fourth year and above, about one in three already has a partner. If you exclude that proactive group, then thirty percent pairing up among the remainder is quite high."
Indeed, Zabini and Tracy had partners as early as their second year, and if Pansy had been more proactive herself, there was a real possibility she could have been dating Draco long ago.
(Still, Pansy's long-standing unrequited love has finally been rewarded. That's a relief…)
Just as I was thinking that, the words Pansy said to me a few days later were completely unexpected.
"Hey, everyone."
The next day, after finishing classes and returning to the common room, Pansy suddenly spoke up in front of us.
"How do you think I should ask Draco out?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
We froze at the completely unexpected question.
"Wait, Pansy, you still haven't asked Draco out!?"
Daphne looked utterly shocked, and Millicent and I, who had assumed it was already settled, instinctively pressed her for answers.
"When I asked Cedric to be my partner the other day, that was obviously the moment to chase after him and ask, right?"
"Seriously, what were you even doing then, Pansy?"
"Uh, I was… well…"
Pansy muttered quietly while looking down, her cheeks faintly flushed.
"I just wanted Draco to cheer up…"
There was nothing there but a pure, gentle concern for the person she loved.
"Oh… yeah. Sorry. We shouldn't have asked."
"I think I finally understand why she's always stuck at the 'just friends' stage…"
"Pansy, that's exactly your problem."
"What!?"
Millicent said this with an exasperated expression to Pansy, who looked as if flowers were blooming all over her head.
"Honestly, you should just ask him already. Right after he got rejected by Elaina is the perfect chance to take advantage of his heartbreak."
"Eh, that feels kind of obvious… or underhanded… or like I'd be a terrible woman."
Despite her usual boldness, Pansy seemed painfully shy when it came to her true feelings.
"Pansy, even if you don't take advantage of Draco's heartbreak, someone else definitely will."
After all, this was Slytherin.
"Ugh…"
Perhaps remembering how popular Draco had been during second-year Valentine's Day, Pansy's face showed clear anxiety. Sensing she was almost ready to give in, Daphne and Millicent piled on.
"Yeah. Astoria's kind of suspicious too. She's been oddly sweet to Draco lately."
"I also heard Ravenclaw's Fawcett and Edgecombe might be aiming for him."
"At this rate, it might really be only a matter of time."
"Ah, enough! Fine, I get it!"
Provoked deliberately, Pansy messed up her blunt-cut black hair while letting out a frustrated groan.
"I'll ask him, okay!? If I really wanted to, I could totally ask out one Draco or two."
As Pansy puffed out her cheeks and sulked, we delivered the final push.
"Ehh, really? Are you sure sweet, pure-hearted Pansy can handle it?"
"We've seen this 'I'll do it' act plenty of times already."
"Want me to casually ask about his schedule for you, miss?"
"…"
Just as planned, after being thoroughly teased, Pansy's face turned bright red. Heated words flew back and forth, and at last, the maiden in love stood up.
"J-just watch me!"
"…."
And so, ten minutes later, Pansy Parkinson stood frozen in front of the boys' dormitory with a determined expression.
"…."
"Elaina, just in case, are you ready for a consolation party?"
"I already made a reservation."
"Then I'll lead the toast for the pity drinks."
As Millicent, Daphne, and I whispered together while peeking from around the corner, the door suddenly opened, and Draco appeared with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.
"Eek!"
"Whoa!"
Startled by the door swinging open, Pansy let out a small cry, and Draco also looked surprised, clearly not expecting anyone to be there.
"Pansy? Why are you here?"
"Uh, well… um…"
Avoiding Draco's puzzled gaze, Pansy glanced nervously at Crabbe and Goyle beside him.
"And just like that, two perfectly placed nuisances have appeared…"
"Pansy, this is where you quickly say, 'Could you give us a moment?'"
"Honestly, maybe the reason this never worked before is because those two are always glued to Draco."
Seeing Pansy flustered, Draco tried to change the subject, saying, "Oh, right. If you'd like, we could grab some sweets…" At that very moment, Pansy finally spoke.
"Hey, Draco, what are you doing this Christmas?"
(You said it!)
Caught completely off guard by the straight punch, Draco stared blankly for a moment. Then, as he grasped the meaning of her words, color slowly crept into his pale face.
"…Let's move somewhere else."
Perhaps embarrassed to talk in front of Crabbe and Goyle, Draco took Pansy's hand and led her away.
"Oh no, they're coming this way."
"We need to hide."
"Please be quiet. Camouflage Spell."
At my whispered casting of the camouflage spell, the three of us blended into the background just as Draco stopped right in front of us.
"Um, about your question earlier…"
At Draco's words, I could feel the tension in Pansy's back.
"Give me about a week to think it over!"
◇◆◇
After postponing his answer to Pansy, I, Draco Malfoy, sat on a sofa in the common room, absentmindedly watching the fish and the giant squid outside the window.
"Hey, Draco."
For some reason, I didn't feel like going back to the dormitory. Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't say anything, but that somehow made it uncomfortable in its own way.
"Hey."
Blaze Zabini, on the other hand, loved romantic drama. Faced with such an interesting topic, he would surely pry into every detail with delight.
"No response. Is he dead?"
"Looks like a corpse."
Theodore Nott, unlike the high-energy Blaze, would probably address me in his usual calm manner, just like the scene unfolding before me now.
"Hm?"
"Oh, his eyes are focusing again."
"You alive?"
When I snapped back to reality, the two of them were peering down at me.
"…I'm alive."
"Could've fooled me. Your eyes looked dead."
"Something happen?"
After hesitating, and making sure no one else was around, I told them about Pansy asking me out.
"Thinking about it now… Pansy probably likes me, right?"
When I finally asked, Zabini looked exasperated almost immediately, while Nott withdrew the hand he had been half-reaching toward his wand.
"So you were at least aware you're liked…"
"If you'd pulled the dense act here, I was about to cast Bombarda."
Zabini continued, as if confirming something.
"You don't dislike Pansy, do you?"
"…Well, being asked out didn't feel bad."
When I answered honestly, Zabini blinked in surprise.
"Then there's your answer."
"But it's just… you know…"
As soon as I hesitated, Zabini seemed to understand and let out an impressed "Oh."
"Switching to another girl right after your attack failed would look bad, and emotionally you haven't sorted things out yet. That about right?"
"Ugh…"
He hit the nail on the head, leaving me speechless. Zabini gave me a weary look.
"Seriously, Draco. Are you earnest? Faithful? A Hufflepuff? Or what, a neat freak? A Gryffindor?"
"Remember your Slytherin pride," he said, and I shrank back slightly.
I had always been called a "typical Slytherin," and I took pride in that myself, so this hit harder than I expected. Judging by cunning and realism, the traits usually associated with Slytherin, I was being completely unslytherin-like right now.
Still…
"Hey… what does it even mean to be 'Slytherin-like' anyway?"
"Where did that come from all of a sudden?"
For the first time, I found it difficult to act like a proper Slytherin.
As I struggled with my thoughts, Zabini shrugged.
"Look, you and Pansy are both overthinking this. For now, you're just dance partners, okay? It's not like Elaina and Diggory are dating, and dancing with Pansy doesn't mean you absolutely have to go out with her."
He patted my shoulder. "Take it easy."
"…But you never know what'll happen in the future."
When I let my weakness slip, Zabini shrugged again.
"Even so, if you do end up dating, half of student couples break up within six months. Some last longer, sure, but most don't make it to marriage or anything."
"But what if we break up and it gets awkward…"
"If it's not cheating or something, but just personality clashes or things naturally fizzling out, things usually go back to normal after a while."
I had no experience there myself, so I fell silent and stared at Zabini.
"What's with that 'Are you sure about that?' look?"
"Well, when you say it, it sounds kind of sketchy…"
"Handsome guys don't lie."
"Don't call yourself handsome."
Even while trading our usual banter, this popular roommate suddenly felt distant. For Zabini, dating and breaking up were probably just part of everyday life.
For me, though, this was all new, and it left me unsettled.
"And besides," Zabini said, leaning forward with a look that said, "Man, you're a pain."
"I'm not saying don't worry about the downsides, but why not think about the positives too?"
"Like what?"
"The possibility that, even if you don't feel it now, you might grow to like her."
Elaina's face and Pansy's face alternated in my mind.
The girl I had feelings for, and the girl who had feelings for me.
The possibility that Elaina might someday fall for me, and the possibility that I might someday fall for Pansy.
"…I guess I hadn't thought about that."
Honestly, I had been too fixated on the former. At the same time, I was surprised by how conflicted I felt once I actually confronted it.
"By the way," Nott, who had been quietly listening, cut in.
"Do you really have the luxury of taking a whole week? Quite a few guys are aiming for Pansy, and if you take too long brooding, she might get fed up and get snatched away."
"Ugh."
"Don't confuse postponing a decision with waiting to see."
"…I know."
Elaina and Diggory had already paired up long ago, and at least until Christmas, there was no opening for me to intervene.
In the end, the answer had been there from the start.
Still, changing one's feelings takes time and energy. And as Nott said, the world wouldn't wait around for my convenience.
"Well, that's as much as we can say. We've given you our advice. Whether you use it or not is up to you."
"For all that advice, it kind of feels like you dumped the final decision on me."
"Of course. You're the only one who can decide your life. I'm not taking responsibility for that."
Zabini grinned and lightly punched my shoulder. He could say lines that made the listener embarrassed without batting an eye.
"Do your best, Draco. If you ever want to talk, I'll listen."
That confidence probably came from being secure in himself.
"…Got it. Thanks."
* * *
Before I knew it, the clock was already pointing to late at night.
In the end, I knew I would have to come to my own conclusion about the situation with Pansy, but talking it through with the two of them made me feel a little lighter. At the same time, it was embarrassing that I was the only one whose love life had been completely exposed.
"So, Zabini, did you ask anyone out?"
"Fleur Delacour."
The blunt answer made Nott react at once.
"And the result?"
"She said she can't deal with a frivolous guy."
Zabini replied breezily.
"That's rare. You seem like you'd be popular."
"Just because I'm popular doesn't mean I can win over every girl I'm interested in."
Apparently, being turned down by Delacour had added another bitter memory to Zabini's collection. It was unusual to see him react like this, given how carefree he usually was.
"Did you ever have someone you were serious about?"
When I asked on a whim, Zabini's expression turned a little awkward.
"…Yeah. A long time ago."
After a slight pause, he muttered quietly.
"Even a womanizing playboy used to be just a dumb kid trying too hard once."
Zabini gave a thin, uncomfortable smile, his eyes seeming to look off somewhere far away.
"…Well, it's all in the past now."
He tried to end the conversation unnaturally. His curt tone seemed to carry a swirl of emotions, but I hesitated to press any further.
"Anyway, I've got other prospects. More importantly, what about you, Nott?"
As Zabini shifted the topic, Theodore Nott replied shortly, "Not yet."
"Anyone you're interested in?"
"About four. One of them already shot me down."
"You're gloomy as hell, but you're surprisingly indiscriminate, huh…"
He might be reserved, but Nott was evidently quite honest about his desires.
"Who was it?"
"Alicia Spinnet."
"Going straight for an older Gryffindor, huh. Bold move. She does seem like your type, though."
She certainly was beautiful. A refreshing, model-like look with medium-short blonde hair, the kind who seemed like she would be vice-captain of a sports club.
"Why didn't it work?"
"Apparently she got a new boyfriend."
"Ah, yeah, that pattern again."
Incidentally, Nott had been infatuated with senior Gemma Farley until her graduation last year, so taken together, he was a pretty easy guy to read.
"Man, you really never learn, Nott. How many times has it been now?"
"No, I am shaken. Even now."
He answered Zabini's exasperation with his usual unreadable expression.
"I feel like I'm about to awaken to some new fetish."
"You seriously are something else…"
If there were a phrase for someone who truly knew how to enjoy life, it would be for people like him. I honestly respected Nott's occasional flashes of inexplicable positivity. Admired them, even, though I didn't aspire to be like that.
"…Alright, fine. Then who's next?"
"Megan Jones from Hufflepuff."
If I remembered correctly, she was of tainted blood with a quarter half-blood heritage. Technically classified as half-blood, but it was cutting it close.
"Is that really okay? You're from a pure-blood family too."
"I did agonize over it, but in the end, reason prevailed."
That sounded more like instinct winning out.
"And then Sue Li from Ravenclaw."
"Seriously, don't go there."
Zabini suddenly cut in with a genuinely serious tone.
"Didn't you date her last year?"
"For about three months."
"What happened?"
"Well… I asked her what she wanted for her birthday. She blushed shyly, and then said—"
"Yeah?"
"'A baby…♡'"
That's terrifying.
"Lastly, Shirley Fawcett from Ravenclaw. I heard she's single again recently."
From what I remembered, she was a gentle, refined upperclassman, but apparently she also had an unexpectedly active side. She had tried to get past the Age Line using an Aging Potion like the Weasley twins and failed.
"Did you even have any connection with her?"
"I stopped by a café where she works part-time, and she talked to me a lot."
"Rosa Lee Teabag, right?"
"Yeah. She explained all kinds of coffee varieties and rare tea leaves in great detail. I'm sure she's interested in me."
"…."
She was just being a kind employee.
When I exchanged a glance with Zabini about whether we should correct his misunderstanding, he closed his eyes and shook his head. Apparently, this was one of those lessons best learned through failure.
"But if she's in a different house, you won't have many chances to see her. How are you planning to close the distance?"
If this were a Gryffindor, they might recklessly blurt out something like, "Hey, want to go to the dance with me?" without considering anything else, but surely even Nott wasn't that reckless.
"I'll start by sending a letter."
Oh, unexpectedly old-fashioned.
"Seriously? Nott writing a love letter…"
Zabini's mouth twitched as he struggled to hold back laughter.
"What, the kind with a cute, stylish envelope, colored pens, and little drawings?"
"I'm sending it by owl post, in a parcel."
"Are you an idiot!?"
Sure enough, when we checked the letter he was planning to send, the contents were every bit as awful as we feared.
Subject: [Request for a Partner for the December 24 Dance Party]
Hufflepuff House
Ms. Megan Jones
Nice to meet you. I apologize for the sudden and unsolicited correspondence.
My name is Theodore Nott, a fourth-year student of Slytherin House.
I am writing to you regarding the upcoming Christmas Dance Party.
At present, I am searching for a partner, and I have taken a great interest in you.
Therefore, I was hoping we might meet once to talk in person.
I apologize for imposing on you while you are busy, but I would appreciate a reply via owl post.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
There wasn't a shred of romance in the overly polite, formal wording, and Zabini and I both clutched our heads.
"No way… this is an embarrassment to Slytherin boys everywhere."
Zabini's nonexistent Irish blood cried out in protest.
"I conveyed my intentions politely and concisely."
"You really think any girl would feel a flutter in her heart reading this?"
Nott replied with a blank expression, "I see," but it was questionable whether he truly understood why it was such a problem.
"Why is it that whenever romance is involved, your IQ drops by about a hundred points?"
"Honestly, it's impressive you've managed to keep second place behind Elaina all this time."
Nott frowned in dissatisfaction.
"Hogwarts classes don't teach you about gifts girls like."
He seemed to have discovered a grave flaw in the educational system.
"…By the way, why are all four of them from other houses? If anyone would do, wouldn't it be easier to ask a Slytherin girl?"
Unless he was seriously in love, it sounded like he was choosing based on looks, style, and misunderstandings anyway. In that case, it would be far easier to look within Slytherin, where the prestige of a pure-blood family actually carried weight.
"I don't want to."
The unexpectedly strong rejection made even Zabini widen his eyes.
"Why not? If you've got the Nott family name, you might as well use the weapons you have."
"I don't want to."
Nott stubbornly refused.
"I've decided not to rely on my family."
"Why, though?"
After a brief silence, Nott spoke.
"Because I'm in my rebellious phase right now."
Rebellious phase.
Nott. Rebellious phase.
"…Huh."
I gave him a dubious look, but he maintained a straight face. He seemed serious.
"I know your father is strict, but still…"
Pure-blood families were essentially born aristocrats, so unlike ordinary wizarding families, they were raised under elite education from a very young age.
Among them, the Nott family was particularly education-focused. In addition to regular classes, they had correspondence courses on weekends, and even during summer and Christmas holidays, they were tied up with private tutoring and intensive programs.
"Did you have a fight?"
When I asked, Nott nodded.
"I told my father I wanted to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas because I wanted to dance with a girl at the party."
Apparently, his father dismissed it outright.
If you have time to waste on such idiotic events, you should study more for your future.
I always ranked first in my year. Aren't you ashamed to be losing to someone of tainted blood?
You are the heir to the prestigious Nott family. You are not like those frivolous people who get excited over pointless parties.
A flighty girl obsessed with dancing will only have a bad influence on you.
Zabini and I exchanged looks and grimaced.
The Nott family, known for manufacturing magical tools, was famous among pure-blood houses for its austere, practical values. They prized earning reputation and respect through one's own abilities rather than lineage or connections, and enforced rigorous elite education to raise flawless heirs.
Thanks to that, Nott himself was talented enough to consistently maintain third place in the year. Unfortunately, Granger and Elaina were simply too exceptional.
"I told him I wasn't slacking off, that I was making an effort."
But his father refused to listen.
You are my son. If you truly tried, you would be able to take first place.
If you haven't, then that means you are slacking. I don't want to hear excuses.
Produce results. If you can't, then obey your parents. I am saying this for your own good.
"Wow…"
Even I was put off. My own father could be strict, but nothing like that.
"I was seriously pissed off."
Even his tone wavered. Nott really had been furious.
"So I told him this. That because he did nothing but study and never played, he ended up friendless and girlfriend-less, became a workaholic Death Eater, and missed his chance to marry."
With years of pent-up resentment, Nott continued.
"And then he goes around acting like some cool, rational, lone wolf who doesn't follow the crowd. He dives into dark magic and pure-blood ideology, and that's probably why people drifted away from him even more."
The murderous intent in every word was terrifying. Just imagining the scene of that parent-child fight was enough to send chills down my spine.
"I told him I don't want to end up like him. Forced into an arranged marriage after my maternal grandparents had to beg and bribe some cash-strapped relatives just to make it happen."
I felt a cold draft pass through the room.
"The last thing I saw was my father's furious face as he cast Bombarda at a two-way mirror. We haven't been in contact since."
"…"
"…"
"So, I'm not relying on my family's prestige. I want to ask girls out myself and enjoy the dance party to the fullest."
After a brief silence—
"You really do go all in when it counts. I've got a new respect for you!"
Zabini slapped Nott on the back enthusiastically.
"Well, it's not so bad, right? I heard Farley-senpai ran away from home all summer during her rebellious phase, and Flint-senpai once trashed half his house after a fight."
I added my own words of encouragement.
"It's not as intense as your family, but mine's a pure-blood house too, so I get how you feel."
I was proud of my blood and lineage, but sometimes it did feel heavy. Sometimes, you just wanted to throw it all away. Being needled by your parents for not being able to beat Granger was more than enough reason to get irritated.
"I'll support you, and I'll help however I can."
Before I realized it, the words had slipped out.
"I appreciate it."
Nott thanked me plainly, as always awkward with emotions. Still, I hoped that my clumsy childhood friend, who had finally found something he wanted and begun struggling toward it, would be rewarded someday.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I had talked so openly about my worries with Zabini and the others, and the first time I had stepped into the private sides of Zabini and Nott that they usually kept hidden. Strangely enough, it didn't feel unpleasant at all.
(End of chapter)
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09