(Outfit Reference!)

I walked down the empty corridors leading to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party, stopping in the middle of it where Harry had told me to meet him. The dress was slightly tight, but I quite liked it. It was different from all the other dresses I've worn in the past.

I turned around at the sound of footsteps approaching me. At the end of the hallway, Harry walked towards me with a big smile on his face. His eyes lit up when he saw me as so did mine.

"You're so beautiful, you know that?" Harry said coming up beside me.

"I wouldn't mind a constant reminder," I replied wrapping my arm around his. We walked down the corridors, the sound of our footsteps echoing. From the ceiling, bright orange, circular lamps hung down. It sort of reminded me of Halloween rather than Christmas.

"Orange lamps for Christmas, quite odd

don't you think?" I said as the two of us made our way down the corridors and to Slughorn's party.

"Yeah, you never know what goes on inside his head,"

"How's your plan going with trying to become friends with Professor Slughorn?"

"Decently well I guess,"

"If I were you, I'd spend time with him just like how you spend time with Hagrid,"

"But I'd rather spend those times with you,"

I smiled, feeling my face heat up. The feelings I had for this boy was insane, like I never imagined before. Is this what Fleur felt like when she first met Bill?

Chatters from inside the party could be clearly heard just outside the door. Harry opened the door holding it open for me before grabbing my hand once again.

"Ah, Evelyn and Harry!" Professor Slughorn greeted us almost immediately as we stepped inside. He pulled us towards him, Harry on one side and me on the other. Before I could realize or react to anything, there was a flash of the camera followed with laughter.

"Have fun, have fun," Professor Slughorn said walking away. All he wanted to do was snap a quick photo.

"Drink?" Just as Professor Slughorn walked away, Neville walked towards Harry and I carrying a trey of drinks. I wasn't expecting him to be a waiter at the party since he was present at Slughorn's dinner party. Besides, he's talented in herbology.

"Neville?" Harry called out also looking confused.

"I didn't get into the slug club. It's okay though!" He stuttered.

"What are these?" I asked holding up a glass of orange liquid from his trey.

"Fire whiskeys,"

"Oh yeah definitely," I replied quickly chugging the entire glass of fire whiskey. I wasn't quite old enough to drink it yet but I'm stressed out enough. Besides, if I get caught, that's totally Professor Slughorn's fault. It left a burning sensation in my throat causing my eyes to grow wide and left me with a strange feeling.

"No problem," He replied walking away. I don't think he knows that I'm not old enough to drink it, not that he needs to know either. From behind Neville, Hermione was sneaking away into the balcony behind the curtains. She was wearing a pink dress though her partner was nowhere to be found.

"Evelyn did you just-"

"Did you see that too?" I turned to ask Harry interrupting him.

"See what?"

"Come on," I said grabbing his hands and going into the balcony that Hermione had walked into past the curtains.

"Hermione-" Harry called out. She was looking extremely anxious and nervous, her face was filled with just pure regret. "What're you doing? And what happened?"

"Well, I just escaped. I mean... I left Cormac under the mistletoe,"

"Cormac? That's who you invited?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows at her. Stay away from him, she says.

"I thought it would annoy Ron the most,"

"Now do you understand why I took Draco to the Yule Ball?" No one replied and only stared at me. I coughed slightly looking away and facing the curtains. There were multiple flashes, Professor Slughorn was taking pictures with almost every student that showed up. In the crowd, I could see Cormac looking around searching for Hermione.

"He's got more tentacles than a Snargaluff plant," Hermione muttered drawing my attention back to her.

"Dragon Tartare?" Another boy in the waiter outfit walked in with a trey of nicely decorated tartare. Even though it looks delicious, it's notorious for giving terribly bad breath.

"No I'm fine thank you," Hermione whispered still feeling uncomfortable.

"Just as well, they give one horribly bad breath," The waiter replied making Harry scoff softly.

"Second thoughts, that'll keep Cormac away," Hermione said grabbing the entire trey and shoving her face with the dragon tartare.

"Oh god here he comes-" She said handing the trey to Harry before crouching and leaving the balcony just as Cormac walked in.

"I think she just went to powder her nose-" I began to speak.

"Stupid little minx your friend, nice to work her mouth too isn't she?" He said stuffing his mouth with the dragon tartare, "Are you two together? Because if not-"

"Oh yeah we're together," Harry quickly replied before he could finish.

"Er- by the way, those are made of dragon balls," I lied. They weren't made of dragon balls, rather dragon meat. I just wanted to play around with him knowing he made Hermione feel uncomfortable. He quickly stopped chewing and turned to face me with a confused expression when Snape suddenly walked in.

Just as Snape made his way inside the balcony, Cormac threw up all over his shoes. I quickly looked away pretending not to see anything at all trying to cover up a smile.

"You just bought yourself a month detention-l Mclaggen-" Snape started as Harry pulled me out of the balcony slowly.

"Not- so fast Potter," Snape muttered keeping his eyes in Cormac. I looked at him reassuring him while Snape walked towards him. Of course, I didn't want to be around Snape ever since our last encounter so I just walked away.

"Evelyn!" I turned around towards the entrance of the party to see Draco standing there in a black suit. The last time I checked, he wasn't part of the slug club nor did Professor Slughorn really favor him. Not that even if he did, he'd even come to this party because he's too busy doing death eater stuff.

"Draco? What are you doing here? Actually, never mind that. The hell were you thinking and what were you trying to do cursing Katie Bell?" I whispered walking over to him.

"I told you, I didn't want to-"

"For fuck's sake Draco if you want help then be more direct,"

"I'm trying my best- Are you drunk?"

"No you're not, and no, I'm not drunk,"

"You don't even know anything!"

"Oh I'm sorry I'm not a death eater and you won't tell be ANYTHING,"

"For your own sake,"

"Why the fuck is everyone trying to 'protect' me? I don't need anyone's protection. I'm an independent girl that can take care of myself. I don't need the prince charming bullshit,"

"I don't want to protect you either- I don't even care about you. For all I care, you can jump straight back into danger with your boyfriend Potter,"

"Yeah bull. shit. Then tell me what the hell is going on,"

"Fuck off Evelyn, my fault for ever trusting you thinking you would understand,"

"What's going on over here?!" Filch muttered with a scowl walking over towards us.

"This slick git was trying to crash the party," I spat glaring at Draco who scowled right back at me.

"I was invited to this party,"

"He's lying,"

"Yeh, Is that so?" Filch muttered again grabbing Draco by his shirt.

"Take your hands off me you filthy squib!" Draco spat as Filch dragged him into the crowd and toward Professor Slughorn. I followed behind the two still extremely annoyed. The students at the party all turned to face us and the chatters drowned out.

"Professor Slughorn sir, I just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to be invited to your party-"

"Okay okay I was gate crashing-" Draco yelled out annoyed turning to face me with a scowl, "Happy?"

"I'll escort him out," Snape came along eyeing Draco and I.

"Certainly, professor," Draco muttered releasing Filch's grip on his shirt. He purposely bumped into my shoulder as the two made their way out the party.

"Well, everyone, carry on, carry on," Professor Slughorn awkwardly laughed and the crowd of students scurried away doing their own business.

"Evelyn- What happened?" Harry asked quickly rushing over and grabbing my hand.

"I don't know, that idiot won't tell me anything,"

"I guess we'll have to find out ourselves then,"

"What do you mean-" Before I could finish, he pulled me out of the party following Snape and Draco. The two were walking off fast, Draco was extremely frustrated, or angry maybe. They walked into an empty corridor while Harry and I followed undetected, hiding behind a wall.

"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl, maybe I didn't," Draco muttered. Snape was quick to push him against the wall pinning him roughly.

"I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow," Snape muttered unusually angrily.

"I don't need protection-" Ha, ditto. "I was chosen for this, out of all others, ME,"

"You're afraid Draco. You tend to conceal it but it's obvious, let me assist you,"

"NO! I was chosen. This is MY moment!"

"Clermont figured out what you were trying to do and was on her way to tell Dumbledore," Snape muttered letting go of Draco. Harry immediately looked at me confused furrowing his eyebrows, haha, shit.

"She wouldn't," Draco snapped back.

"Yes she was. Our plan almost failed because your feelings for her-"

"I don't like her at all," Draco spat with disgust. Ditto.

"Come on let's go," Harry whispered pulling me away. We walked in complete silence, a rather uncomfortable one. The feeling the fire whiskey left was still there. It felt like courage, like I could do absolutely anything, not holding back anything I say.

"Is that why you wanted to talk to Dumbledore?" He asked after a long pause.

"Yeah,"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because if I did tell you, who knows what you would've done? To be fair, I was going to tell you afterwards,"

"Alright, fair enough. What else do you know? Besides Voldemort chose Draco to kill Dumbledore" He asked just as we reached the moving staircases. What else did I know, well after hearing the conversation I know the dark lord is using Draco to kill Dumbledore. Honestly though, it's Draco against the greatest wizard of all time.

"That's all I know," I said starting to laugh a little. Draco killing Dumbledore? Totally, the dark lord chose the wrong person for this. What an idiot.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Have I told you how much I like you?"

"Not exactly,"

"Well I really really do, like really," I said pulling him in for a kiss. The fire whiskey was a curious thing, right now I probably had enough courage to talk back to anyone.

"Evelyn?" Harry said pulling back slowly.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should drink fire whiskeys more often,"

"Oh shut up," I scoffed pulling him back again.