One Sweet Day

The small insistent ringing from his bed-side table finally nudged its way into Draco's mind, the noise too much to ignore at last. Opening his eyes, he was met by darkness, and tugged the curtains open, glancing around. His alarm was set to wake him up at six each morning, except on weekends, when it let him sleep until eleven. Waking up was always a luxurious process for him, and he was always up before his dorm mates, a hidden pleasure. Rising softly, he padded into the bathroom, and showered quickly, drying and styling his hair while he decided what he'd wear. Very meticulously, he chose and disregarded five complete outfits before deciding that he'd go a little slummy today, and deftly picked out a pair of form-fitting jeans, and his nice trainers his mum had bought just before school started again. He topped it with a green button down shirt that sported a dragon on the back, his aunt's idea of a joke, and tied back his hair so that it was off his face.

As he was exiting the room, several of his mates were finally getting out of bed, and a glance at the clock told him it was nearly noon. He'd taken longer getting ready than he'd thought originally.

Pansy and Daphne stopped him in the common room, demanding his attention.

"We're ordering for the Leaving Ball, and we want your opinion on the colour. Daph wants red, but she said she didn't want to be considered too 'Gryffindorish', but I think that pink would clash with her hair. What do you think?"

"Do I look like a bloody girl to you?" Draco demanded, settling himself next to his cousin on the couch. "Hm... Red, definitely, but not bright red. Try a burgandy, or wine colour, and off the shoulders if you want any hope of getting Theo's attention without bludgering him over the head with a beater's bat."

Daphne giggled at the image. "I might have to anyway. Now Pans, too. She insists on green, but I keep telling her that if she goes with blue it'll bring out her eyes."

Draco regarded the girl most considered his girlfriend keenly. "Teal," he pronounced at last. "It's green enough to be 'green' but the blue will still offset your eyes. Wear green eye makeup, if you like, but nothing to heavy, mind, you don't want to go out there and shame Slytherin by looking like a tramp."

"Draco, darling, I am a tramp," Pansy corrected him, planting a kiss on his cheek. Draco smiled at her, inclining his head.

"Yes, but we don't want them finding out." He jerked his head in the direction of the Great Hall. "Speaking of them, I'm starving. I'll meet you back down here after I eat and we'll talk dresses some more."

They chuckled at his back, but agreed.

Draco whistled as he made his way towards the dining hall, his good mood imperturbable, until he stopped mid-step at the sight of the one person who could ruin his mood.

Harry Potter.

(Continue to Chapter 4)