It was New Years Eve morning. The furious snow that had tumbled onto the Manor grounds was now simply moist pavement. The sky was as cloudy as a old dogs eye but the sun somehow peeked through and shone a bit of light out of the window of my guest bedroom.

I stretched, yawned, and finally sat up. There was only a couple more days of winter break. Today was going to be the most interesting by far. The Malfoy's planned a ball and we were all permitted to attend.

Narcissa gathered a variety of dresses and suits for us to rummage through and wear to the ball. I should've expected there was a ballroom in the enormous house, but I still hadn't got a full house tour yet.

I chose a extravagant ball gown from the pile.

Draco and Blaise both chose black suits and Pansy an elegant emerald dress, as usual.

It took a couple hours to get ready and help prepare for the ball downstairs. But eventually, afternoon creeped up and the job was done. People were arriving in an hour which gave us time to have lunch.

We all sat around the table in our usual spots and the house elves served us with salad followed by a fresh omelette each.

After carefully chowing down our full plates, we touched up our outfits and hair, then made our way back down to the ballroom where a variety of purebloods were arriving.

"Hi," someone said from behind me.

"Hi, Malfoy."

I turned around to face him.

"I didn't know my father was going to set up a ball over break," he half-apologized all while while glancing at my dress.

"That's alright, now you have company," I replied as I smiled and scoped out his suit.

He nodded and we made our way over to the drink station. We requested drinks and the hired bartender quickly poured them and moved on to the next people in line.

"Draco, go say hello to Daphne and Astoria," Lucious said while walking over.

"I'll come," I said.

"No, stay," Lucious demanded.

I froze in my spot and sent a slightly scared glance to Draco who hesitantly walked away.

"Enjoying yourself?" Lucious questioned.

"Yes, sir."

"I hope you do enjoy the ball, there may be times you could come in the near future?"

"If you plan more balls I'd be happy to attend."

"Great. I'm off to greet people."

And with that, Lucious scurried off into the crowd, lightly patting people on the back and saying how lovely it wass for them to make it while I was left alone. I stood still, frozen in place, wondering why Lucious was so interested in me coming to his gatherings.

I shook the thought from my head and attempted to enjoy the rest of my night.

"Afternoon," Blaise greeted while grabbing a drink from the table behind me.

"Hey," I replied. "Where's Pansy?"

"Talking to her parents."

"Oh they're here? That's wonderful. Have you met them?"

"Yes, it wasn't terrible." He nervously chuckled.

"Brilliant. Care to dance?"

"Oh — no no no no no. I don't dance in crowds," he immediately declined.

"Oh c'mon Blaise," I urged, pulling at his wrists.

"Only one song."

I nodded rapidly. "One song."

I then pulled him onto the tile ballroom floor with a few other couples swaying around us. I put my hand in one of his and the other on his shoulder. He reluctantly put his hand on my waist and I rolled my eyes.

"Blaise, don't make it weird."

He got visibly more comfortable after that and we started swaying to the music. It eventually got more upbeat and he twirled me and we happily bounced around together.

If I was anyone else, I would be jealous of the friends dancing on the dance floor. We were just two teen best friends who didn't care what anyone thought of us. We laughed, twirled, and danced to a couple songs rather than only one.

After a few songs, we became out of breath and made our way to the benches set up along the edge of the room.

"That — was — fun," I said through deep breaths.

"Now I'm all sweaty," Blaise complained.

"Oh hush, it was fun."

"I'll drink to that," he replied, holding up his sparkling water.

I giggled at him and Pansy walked up to us.

"I saw you guys dancing out there. Interesting moves," she insulted.

"Like you could do better, Parkinson," I teased.

"Where did Draco go?" Blaise asked.

"He was talking to the Greengrass sisters."

"Oh, he's coming here now." Pansy pointed across the room.

Sure enough, Draco was strutting over to the bench that we claimed.

"Nice moves," Draco immediately said as he approached.

"Was it really that bad?" I asked.

"Just a little."

We all collectively looked around the room and savored the happiness we were feeling in that moment.

After a few more dances with Blaise, Draco, and Pansy, the room seemed to become hotter and hotter so I made my way outside for fresh air while Blaise and Pansy trailed behind Draco and I.

As we stepped outdoors, the cool wind blew in my face which livened me up quite a bit. The sun was setting and purple radiated from the sky. A gust of intense wind suddenly blew through the air and my hair whipped violently close to Draco's face.

"Tame the nest," he groaned while swatting away my hair.

"Calm down, it's just hair," I said while grabbing my hair in my hands and holding it down.

The wind calmed down and I let go of my handful of hair which sat nicely on my shoulders. We walked over to the garden and I sat on the cold bench and gazed at the flowers planted in the ground.

I could look at these forever.

We sat silently and the cold was finally getting to me. I lightly chattered my teeth which earned me a chuckle from Draco.

"Want to go inside?" he asked.

I forcefully nodded and he led us back inside to the heated ball room.

"Y/n!" a voice yelled.

I turned my head in all directions to see where the voice came from. I finally noticed a small Astoria Greengrass waving at me and smiling wide.

"Hi, Astoria! How have you been?" I beamed at her presence.

"I've been great. I can't wait to be back in Hogwarts and see you again all the time though," she said.

"I agree. We must study together and hang out more often."

"Of course."

"Well, I'll see you around then?"

"Yeah, see you," she replied while scurrying off to locate her sister.

"Well, we've danced, talked to people, and gotten drinks, what's next?" Blaise asked.

"More dancing!" I replied while pulling Draco's wrist as well as Blaise's who was already gripped into Pansy.

They groaned but didn't bother leaving the dance floor once I dragged them out. We danced to a couple of songs and I all I could see was flashes from Narcissa taking action shots of us, which I appreciated for the future.

A slow song began to play and Blaise began to slow dance with Pansy. I didn't quite want to dance with Draco alone so I began to walk back to a bench near the doors.

As I walked back, a tall boy with brown hair bumped into me.

"I'm so sorry, love."

"No, I'm sorry," I said glancing up.

"I'm Pucey. Adrian Pucey," he greeted.

"Oh hey. I'm Y/n L/n."

"Nice to meet you. Care to dance?"

"I — sure," I said, not expecting him to ask that question.

"Come along then."

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto the dance floor.

Furthermore, he gripped my waist and I placed my hands on his shoulder. We swayed to the slow music and I glanced over to Draco who cocked his head to the side, raised his eyebrows, sending an impressed look my way. I mouthed "what" to him and he shook his head and walked away to a chair to watch the crowd — but mostly Draco and I.

Adrian was expectedly flirty and flattering. I giggled at his jokes and even teased him back. All in all, it was just for fun. Nothing serious came out of our brief conversations.

"I've never seen you around before," he said.

"I'm in Draco's year," I replied.

"You don't play Quidditch?"

"Not yet." I grinned, imagining myself soaring across the Quidditch pitch with a quaffle in my hand in honor of my sister's tragic death.

"It was lovely meeting you but I've got to go. My parents are leaving and I must accompany them." He sighed. "I hope to see you around."

I unwrapped my arms from his shoulder and whispered "bye."

With those final words, he left my presence and sent a wink when looking back while walking away. I rolled my eyes as I had just met this guy and made my way back to Draco who was sipping from a glass and watching Blaise and Pansy exquisitely dance.

"I don't think I get can get with Hermione," Draco croaked as I sat next to him.

I turned to him looking appalled and he avoided my eyes.

"Don't give up so easily," I advised.

"There is nothing I can do."

"Malfoy, there are many things you can do!"

"No, I can't, Y/n! My father will never forgive me and I'm not willing to let him down over a silly girl. My feelings will pass soon."

"He's a pretty bad father if he doesn't let you be with who you want," I said through gritted teeth.

"You don't understand," he simply said.

"I understand enough, Malfoy! Do you want to be with Hermione or not? It is not as complicated as you believe it to be."

"Of course I want to be with her! The issue is that I can't."

"It's controlling, that's what it is," I mumbled.

"He's not controlling! He just wants what is best for me!" Draco whisper shouted, attempting not to gather attention from the large crowd.

"That's not true and you know it."

"You seriously can't understand it, your parents don't care for you enough."

"You know what? You're right. They don't care about me. Thanks for pointing that out."

"I don't mean it like that. You just don't understand what my father prides his family on. He just wants what is best for me," he repeated.

"I am not what's best for you!" I attempted to whisper, my voice growing louder.

"I know you're not!"

"Then why do you keep saying that your father wants what is best for you when all your father wants you to do is date me?"

"He doesn't want me to date you, L/n. He just wants the stupid wizarding world to stay pure and you are a gateway. You can be so thick sometimes."

"He is using me?"

"Yes, can't you see?"

"Can't I see? Malfoy, if all he wants is a pureblood world and if you follow his rules then you're going to end up just like him."

"I can't explain it to you! I don't want to follow my stupid fathers rules but I have no choice!"

"There's always a choice," I growled, walking out of the ball room and back outside with a heated face and hands balled up into a fist.

Why am I even friends with this git? All that ever happens is continuous fighting.

I absentmindedly walked to the garden and sat where I had earlier this evening and looked up at the stars while thinking. The sky was dark and only a couple stars were visible in the night. The crowd had died down quite a bit but others planned to stay until the New Years countdown.

The tension that had built up during my fight with Draco was slowly releasing as I took breaths and focused on the cool breeze blowing my hair into my face. It was a distraction from all of the drama that always seemed to follow me.

This alone time was cut short earlier than I desired.

"More fighting?" Pansy appeared next to me.

"Unfortunately."

"You guys have to stop bickering all the time and find some common ground. It's difficult picking your side while Blaise leans to Draco. Of course I know that you don't want to fight, but I want you to realize it has an impact on us as well."

"I'm sorry. I don't want to put you in the middle of these situations. Malfoy just gets under my skin and it's hard to resist the urge to fight. The things he says make no bloody sense sometimes."

"I understand." Pansy sighed forcefully.

I looked back into the few mesmerizing stars and continued thinking of ways to avoid arguments with Draco. It would be the most rewarding and difficult thing I would ever do.

I could avoid him altogether? But that takes time away from Blaise and Pansy, as they are always around him. I could just not talk to him but still hang around? But he can be fun when he's not mean. I could find something in that we have in common which would bond us closer? That's probably the best and most realistic option so far. It sounded like a good plan until I could eventually think of something better.

"It's almost midnight already," Pansy observed.

"I guess we should get inside then."

I took one last glance at the stars and then the moon. As fascinating as the night sky appeared, I knew that I needed to go inside and socialize or watch the seconds go by where everybody would be cheering for the New Year when, in reality, nothing felt different.

"This feels wrong," I blurted out.

"What does?" Pansy question while we continued walking to the building doors.

"It feels like we're celebrating Voldemort's birthday." I scrunched up my face at the thought.

She nervously laughed it off and we entered through the ball room door. Pansy led me back to the two boys and I avoided eye contact with either one of them. I stayed on the side of Pansy and Lucious began calling out for the crowd to quiet down.

The noise level immensely subsided and the countdown from ten began, similar to the Christmas Eve tree lighting.

"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1!"

The crowd cheered and disappearing confetti was flying through the air with a few whips of wands and vanished when reaching the ground. There was a variety of events taking place around the crowd: Elated faces displayed through the room, kisses were exchanged among couples, and hugs were encouraged throughout the crowd.

"Happy New Year." I turned to them.

"Happy New Year," they synchronously stated.

After a long night of celebrating, attempting to get over the fight with Draco, and party games, the night ended just as quick as morning arrived.

It was only the first full day of the year, and my resolution to make up with Draco was already deeming unsuccessful.