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Author’s Notes: I’ve had this idea for a long time now, and Anastasia’s “Do You Dance Challenge” inspired me to finally write it, while re-planning some things to fit with the challenge. My entry for this will fully make its appearance in a future chapter (probably third, maybe fourth).

I hope ya’ll enjoy this; it is different than anything else I have planned, and will quite possibly be the only time I write a fic focused on Draco, or at least that’s romance and pre-HBP. I must say writing him came a bit differently than expected, but still was enjoyable and an experience very different from my other work.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related things to it. It all belongs to J. K. Rowling.

* * *

Being a Malfoy, I was always used to getting (or taking) what I wanted. Everything came easily to me; I always came on top. True, Potter might beat me at some things, but the first real challenge of my life did not come until fourth year. It also came in the form of a girl, a ball, and a challenge rather than a scar-faced dolt on an over-publicized broom that my parents, for some reason, still refused to get me.

Before the time of the Yule Ball in my fourth year, I had always laughed at guys who became fools over girls. It was all very silly in my opinion – what was so special about girls? Why did they always feel the need to stress over getting girls so much? It couldn’t be that difficult, unless you’re an individual unworthy of anything good (example: Mudblood).

My mocking ended when I became one of those guys.

It all started in preparation for the Yule Ball. The heads of houses all would be giving dance lessons to the students in their house.

I had better things to do and, other than hearing the announcement of the lessons, paid no attention to them until my dorm mates returned from said lessons.

“You missed Snape’s dance lesson”, I heard Zabini say as he tossed his book bag on his bed. I caught the ball I had nicked from a first year and been throwing in the air and turned m head towards him. He was sitting on his bed, removing his shoes.

Before I answered Crabbe and Goyle came wobbling in the dorm room, looking even dumber than usual.

“I don’t need lessons,” I replied with confidence. “Malfoys are natural dancers.”

Zabini rolled his eyes. “Mother told me that your father said the same thing and then when he danced with a girl he tripped over her feet, grabbed the punch table for support, and caused it to spill everywhere.”

I glared at him for the insinuation, though I found the story somewhat amusing. “I know how to dance.”

He shrugged and turned to Crabbe and Goyle, while I went back to fiddling with the ball. “Where’s Nott?” he asked them.

Goyle looked at Crabbe, who then said that he was going to ask Theodora Moon to the dance. I snorted. Thea and Theo, what a pair! I rolled my eyes. Couldn’t Nott find anyone better, someone who actually spoke to someone outside of their family without making an insult?

Never mind, I thought after thinking that. I could see why Nott would be attracted to her. “Birds of a feather…”

“Well, aren’t you going to answer me, Malfoy?” I heard Zabini ask.

I turned my attention to him. "What, Zabini?”

“Who are you taking to the Yule Ball?” he inquired. “Or are Malfoys above such things?”

I ignored the last comment. I really didn’t feel like getting into it with him, for once. “Pansy and I are going together.”

“Really? When’d you ask her?”

“That’s my business,” I answered, annoyed.

“Well, just last night she said that the only guys to ask her were some bloke from Durmstrang and some Hufflepuff Mudblood showcasing his idiocy.”

“We’re going together.” I stated firmly. It was a fact. I hadn’t asked her yet; so what? It wasn’t as if she’d say no to me. She was crazy about me.

And besides, who else would she go with? I knew she wouldn’t go with anyone who wasn’t a Slytherin. She was above that. And no Slytherin would dare ask out my girl.

Okay, so she wasn’t my girlfriend. Yet. But everyone knew we would be. No other guy deserved her, and no other girl at Hogwarts could carry the Malfoy name like she could.

I know you might be thinking Isn’t fourteen a little young to be thinking of such things? If you are thinking that, then you are obviously of less than pure blood, so you can leave. Now.

Zabini lay on his bed reading a few minutes, and I continued to boredly throw the ball in the air, while thinking about how everyone at the Ball would be jealous of me and Pansy. No one else had dress robes as nice as we did, and no one would have better dates. Suddenly, Zabini stood from his bad and began stalking toward the door.

“Where are you going?” I asked, intrigued.

“To ask Pansy to the ball,” he answered, as if it were the most obvious and trivial thing in the world.

I stood quickly. “What!?”

“You heard me,” he replied. “I’m going to ask Pansy to the ball.”

“No, you’re not,” I stated firmly whilst staring him down. What the hell was he thinking?

“What? Are you going to stop me?” he scoffed.

“Pansy can’t go with you! She’s going with me!” I yelled, startling Crabbe and Goyle from whatever stupid thing they were doing. Upon seeing the confrontation, they began to walk toward me, the ever loyal friends they were. They might not be the brightest guys at Hogwarts, but they were handy and dependable.

“Not officially,” Zabini corrected. “You have yet to ask her. She’s free.”

“She won’t be for long,” I said before shoving past him.

There was no way that Blaise Zabini was going to the Yule Ball with Pansy. He wasn’t worthy. Even if he asked her, she would never say yes. She was crazy about me, I was sure of it.

And yet, even with my certainty, I continued with determination to reach Pansy before Zabini did. I had to ask her first…I wouldn’t let him have her!