Part of me hated this. I didn't want to go to another party held by the ministry. During my teen years my parents forced me time and time again to attend such events. I was always out of place. Now here I am, working at the very place I hated going to not too long ago. I don't know what actually made me apply for this job, it was a spur of the moment thing. But I'm glad I did.
Another part of me was excited for this party. It was after all half of my own creation. That and I was no longer out of place. I fit in nicely. People spoke to me instead of over me. It was nice to be Mr. Malfoy instead of his son.
I dressed in all black with a silver tie. I looked good. That was something I knew I could be confident about, I always looked good. Maybe I was a little cocky but that was fine by me.
I apparated to the Ministry building a half an hour late. I fully believed in being fashionably late.
The first hour I just mingled with everyone who I was suppose to mingle with. The boss expected Hermione and I to keep everyone happy. We were suppose to make sure everyone was loving the party. Which wasn't hard, we did well. This party was actually quite fun. It was still a semi formal affair but it still had a party feel, instead of feeling like a business meeting like it had last year. We did a good job, and by we I mean mostly Hermione. I didn't really help as much as I've been telling everyone.
Speaking of Hermione; I had been sneaking glances at her all night. A few times I caught her doing the same to me. She looked gorgeous. She was wearing a one shoulder short silvery gray dress that hugged every curve just right. Her hair was straightened and part of it was pulled back out of her face with a large clip in the back. I was not the only man stealing glances, many others were. Some were even blantantly staring at her.
We couldn't talk much tonight since she had Ron with her, even though he was almost never actually with her. And I was sure that Potter and his wife were around here somewhere. Our little compromise kept me from ever showing our friendship to them. They would go ballistic. I would catch them throwing deadly looks my way. They always acted as if I was a sickness that they would catch if they ever came to close. We rarely ever came in contact and I liked it that way.
"Hi Mr. Malfoy!" I heard a voice come from behind me. Loren, the receptionist,
Oh boy, this should be fun. "Hello Loren, always a pleasure to see you. And my don't you look lovely tonight." She did look good, I'll admit that. She was a sweetheart, but she wasn't for me.
She giggled and looked up at me with her small almond shaped eyes. She has very tiny little features. "Oh Mr. Malfoy, thank you very much!" She was beaming. "You look amazing as well!" She was always so excited to be talking to me. I smiled at her in return.
Just then a girl who was taller than me came up behind her and pulled on her arm. "Loren! I have quite the story to tell you!" Her voice was bubbly and loud. She was the polar opposite of Loren. Her legs went on for miles. I couldn't help but look at them. She caught me looking and winked at me. "Who's your friend?"
Loren just giggled and turned a bright shade of red in response so I spoke. " Draco Malfoy. Loren here is the receptionist at this fine establishment. I work in an office on her floor." I smiled and I thought this woman was going to melt.
They both just stared at me for a while before the taller woman spoke again. "Uh...a Malfoy, like the super rich and powerful Malfoy family?" She ran her fingers up and down my arm, trying to hold my hand. A gold digger I see. She was not even attempting to hide that she wanted the money and power that came with being a Malfoy. She was looking at me like I was a slab of delicous meat. "You know, I'm a pureblood. And I fully believe that we are better than everyone else."
"Hey!" Loren squeaked out. Loren was a half blood. Her mother was a muggle while her father was a wizard.
The other woman rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up!" She pushed Loren out of the way and turned to me. "You need a good pureblood girl in your life, seems that this place is full of tainted blood. " She still was looking at me like a hungry wolf.
"Hmm, what a shame that you feel that way. I'm not looking for a shallow cold hearted bitch. But if I am anytime soon, which I doubt will happen, I'll give you a call." And with that I turned away and walked in the opposite direction. But not before seeing the woman's face. It was full of shock and anger. I laughed to myself.
"That was brillant." A familair voice said from the right side of me.
There I saw Hermione. "You saw that?" I laughed again.
"I did. " She smiled at me.
"What are you doing? Why are you talking to him!?" I heard Ron sneer. We had been talking for a few seconds.
Hermione turned away from me quickly. "Oh, Ron! Uh..you know...just making conversation." She bite her bottom lip nervously.
"You can have a conversation with me, you don't need to stoop this low." He glared at me, looking me up and down. He wasn't as nicely dressed as I was, go figure. After all he was a Weasley.
"Chill out. We're just talking." I rolled my eyes at him.
" Yeah Malfoy? What's the only reason you ever talk to women? Isn't it just to shag them?" He had this dumb look on his face that made me want to punch him. But that was all the time really. He just had one of those faces you wanted to smash your fist in to.
I snapped right back at him. "No, unlike some ...people I can actually carry on an adult conversation and have no alternative motives."
"Yeah I guess you wouldn't want to get your hands dirty anyway. " Ron smiled evilly.
"What are you on about Weasley?" Did he ever make sense? Having a conversation with him was like talking to a small child. I honestly had no clue how Hermione put up with him.
"Well she is a mudblood after all." He was still grinning. I was shocked, I didn't know what to say. He obviously took this as me losing. He had the most ridiculous look on his face, like he was proud of what he said.
He did not just call her that. Everyone knew better than to call someone a mudblood. It was a terrible name for a muggleborn. I knew I was being a little hypocritical because I had called her a mudblood back in Hogwarts. But we were just kids, and I was brainwashed by my father. Now I knew how bad that word truly was. I also knew how much Hermione hated it.
I looked over at her, she was staring at the floor. She seemed smaller, like a puppy who had been hit too many times.
I gave him a look of disbelief. "Did you really just call your fiancee a mudblood?"
"What is it to you. She's mine, not yours. So don't worry about it." He grabbed her arm roughly.
He was starting to walk away, dragging her along when I spoke. "Wow, she could do so much better than you."
That stopped him in his tracks. Then he turned to face me and he laughed. "I highly doubt that."
Finally Hermione spoke up. "Ron please stop. We work together, remember that? We do need to communicate. It's only business. "Hermione said in a soft voice. She was hurt by his comments, you could see it on her face and it was obvious in her voice.
*
I pulled Ron down the hall and into my office. "What the hell is wrong with you! You need to get over yourself!" I shouted at him.
He looked appalled. "Me? What's wrong with me? You need to get over yourself."
"Can't you just be civil?" I sighed. This was ridiculous.
"Not with you talking to people like that." He yelled.
"Whatever. I just can't even deal with you." I mumbled.
"Good! Then don't!" He yelled even louder before walking out of the room.
I spent the next hour and a half in my office crying. I hated crying. It made me feel so weak. I hated him for doing this to me. I hated myself even more for allowing him the ability to hurt me like this.
I finally pulled myself up and out of my office and went back to the party. I made sure I was all smiles and looked happy enough.
The countdown was just starting and Ron was no where to be found. I started going down the hallway that I thought he went down. The last time I saw him he walked by my office talking to some of the men from the broom company. He didn't look phased by our fight at all. I couldn't believe he ditched me tonight. I knew we were fighting but he could not have just taken off on me again.
Ten.....Nine...Eight...
You could hear voices echoing throughout the building counting down. Where was Ron? Was he really not going to kiss me to bring in the new year. I knew we weren't on good terms right now but still. This was unbelievable.
I was just going to turn around and head back to the main room but I felt a hand grab my shoulder as I passed a janitors closet. The hand pulled me in the open door to the closet. It was pitch black and I couldn't see who the hand belonged to. At first I started to panic, thinking the worst case scenario. Then the thought of Ron dawned on me. This definitely wasn't him. Ron was sloppy and rough whenever it came to touching me. The hand that grabbed me was soft touching.
Six....Five...Four...
"Hello love" a familiar voice whispered as I was pushed lightly against the wall. A gentle hand came up to hold my face.
It took me just seconds to recognize who the voice belonged to. 'Draco? " I whispered back.
Three...Two....
I could feel his breath on my face, his breathing slowing down. His one hand was still touching my face but it slipped down under my jaw, making my head tilt up. His other hand was placed on my waist.
One.
I felt a pair of soft warm lips press cautiously against my own. I stiffened. I didn't know what to do with myself. I ended up not kissing him back. He kept kissing me for a few more seconds before pulling away.
He sighed softly. "I'm....I'm sorry 'Mione. That was out of line." He let go of me, and moved back. He sounded so dejected and hurt. "I'll just go..." He started moving toward the door.
"Wait." I whispered softly. He turned back to me, my eyes had adjusted slightly to the darkness. I could now see his basic outline. I grabbed for his hand, missing twice before actually being able to hold it in mine. I pulled him closer to me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Not a soft little kiss like he gave me. I kissed him deeply. He seemed shocked but quickly kissed me back. It was deep and passionate but not sexual. It was nice. It wasn't a kiss that was full of groping and sloppieness. It was nothing like I expected a random kiss from someone who was not your fiance in a closet would be. It was meaningful. It was everything a kiss should be. It was perfect.
-Author's Note-
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