Summary: They met at one of parents' boring parties, and he was absolutely entrancing. She just can't stop thinking about him, but what does he think of her?

Disclaimer: I own no recognizable content.

Please Don't be in Love with Someone Else

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

I'll spend forever wondering if you know

I was enchanted to meet you

~Enchanted, Taylor Swift

The lights twinkled in the ballroom, creating the image of an elegant winter evening. It looked as if a light dusting of snow was falling on the assembled guests. All the fine points in the room, the flowers, the table settings, the decorations, screamed elegance. It was truly an exquisite evening, definitely one of the best her mother had ever thrown.

Lydia Greengrass had truly outdone herself this time. It would definitely be a party to remember.

And yet, Astoria couldn't wait for it to end, she had grown up with these parties. She'd already been to what felt like a thousand of them. And they were always the same. The wealthiest and most influential people in the wizarding world put on their fanciest outfits, stood around eating tiny, slightly disgusting looking food, and talking about the very trivial concerns they all had. Most of the conversations held at these parties revolved around money, status, and who was currently sleeping with whom.

Astoria was usually able to survive these parties, from the moment she was old enough to start realising how inane and trivial everything was, by holing herself up in her father's study with her friends and a bottle or two of whatever extremely expensive alcoholic beverage her mother had chosen to serve that evening. This year, however, all her friends had ditched her for a cross-European tour. Astoria had originally planned to go along with them, not thinking she would get into the highly competitive Healer program the first time she tried.

But she had gotten in and her friends had gone without her. It really made her rethink her choices. She had some very self-centered friends.

Because of her absent friends, Astoria was forced to face the true monotony of the party. She stood on the edge of the dance floor, watching couples slowly waltz around. In the opposite corner from where she stood was a small group clustered around a table. The group was comprised of past students of Hogwarts; all of whom she'd attended school with. None were great friends of hers, but she knew if she went over to them she wouldn't be turned away.

Yet, she stood rooted in place. Her friends (before abandoning her) had always had the same opinions about the party as she had, so spending time with them was actually fun. This other group, however, were essentially mini versions of their parents, who were the idiotic individuals populating the party. While joining in the group of her peers would certainly provide some relief from the party, it would come at the cost of her having to hear countless amounts of gossip and, even more troubling, residual prejudice and vitriol left over from the ideals their parents had been filling their heads with since childhood. Astoria wasn't sure she was willing to pay the cost for so small a reward.

"I wouldn't if I were you," a voice spoke from just over her left shoulder. The voice was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Slowly, Astoria turned to the source of the voice, hoping she wouldn't regret it. Her mother often invited ex-boyfriends to these things, and some still held a torch for her. If this was one, she would immediately be heading across the dance floor, other costs be damned.

Standing just behind her, leaning effortlessly against the bar, was a blonde haired man. He wore expensive looking, tight fitting dress robes and had tousled his hair in a way that gave him a slight haphazard edge to his look. Astoria relaxed at the sight; he definitely was not an ex-boyfriend.

"Oh," she responded coyly, "and why's that?"

"They're all vapid, and boring, and terrible conversationalists. You'd be more bored than you are now," the man responded, smiling mischievously at her.

"Well, as I see it, they're the best chance I have at keeping my sanity until I'm finally allowed to leave and return to a world with more important issues to discuss than the 'tramp whose breaking up the Blanchard's marriage.' Though, if someone were to give me a better offer, I might consider joining them." She wasn't sure why she'd added that last part. Perhaps it was a combination of the copious amount of wine she'd consumed, the very appealing appearance of the man she was conversing with, and the fact that she'd been alone since her last boyfriend broke up with her eight months ago. Whatever the cause, she hoped it would continued; flirting with him had been the most fun she'd had all night.

That thought surprised her. It was not a thought she ever believed would have formed in her mind. Flirting, enjoyment, and him had never been linked in her brain until that moment. She'd basically grown up with him, their family's being close friends, and had disliked him pretty much that entire time.

The first time she remembered meeting him, he'd acted like a spoilt brat and instantly put her off of him. Then, every other interaction they'd had since then had not done a lot to change her opinion. And yet now, here she was, enjoying herself in his presence.

It was so very strange that she didn't register what happened next until a bottle of her parents' finest mead was shoved in her face.

"What do you say we take this and go have our own little party?" He had most likely reached around the edge of the bar he was leaning on, the bartender was too distracted by guests who needed their drinks, and he'd snatched the bottle.

Astoria playfully smiled at him.

"After you, Malfoy."

Astoria couldn't help but stare at Draco. He was completely relaxed, lounging on an expensive leather settee in her dad's office. His head was flopped back on a pillow, his arms and legs and akimbo. She'd never seen him look so unkempt and not put together. It was definitely not something he let just anyone see.

"I know I'm quite something to look at," Draco spoke up, his tone the cocky tenor she was used to hearing from him, "but your incessant staring is making me blush!" He brought one hand up to his chest and placed another on his forehead. He looked like those distressed women in old-fashioned muggle movies. Astoria rolled her eyes at the theatrics.

"I'm just not used to seeing the always perfect Draco Malfoy so open and unreserved. It's strange, like seeing a dog walk on its hind legs. Hard to look away." Draco smirked at Astoria, but she also noticed a slight dimming of the mischievous glint in his eye.

"There are many sides of me you've never seen before. I'm a very mysterious man." To punctuate his statement, he took a long sip of the mead they were sharing, both drinking right from the bottle because they'd forgotten glasses and were too lazy to go out and get any.

Astoria couldn't really believe the ease with which she and Draco were interacting. They'd know of each other for years, but hadn't really known each other. Yet here they were, conversing like old friends. Draco seemed to be exuding an ease and comfort that allowed Astoria to let down any or all of her walls. It was like he had a magnetism about him, one that was drawing Astoria in.

Suddenly, music from the ballroom caught Astoria's attention. It had been lightly filtering in to her father's office all night. It had simply become background noise at that point. However, as soon as this song, an upbeat pop song about enjoying life and having a good time, Astoria perked up. This was her favourite son and, whenever it came on she felt compelled to get up and dance along.

Hearing it filter into the room at that moment, Astoria stood up from her perch on an elegant wing chair. She gave Draco a suggestive look and motioned that he should join her. Then she began dancing, wiggling her hips and moving her arms. It was not necessarily a particularly enticing dance, just Astoria completely enjoying herself.

After a few seconds of dancing alone, Astoria turned back to Draco, wanting him to join her. She'd never seen the blonde male so free and unreserved as to dance along to a pop song, she still felt like she might be able to convince him. He had been casually laying on her dad's settee and that wasn't something she'd ever seen before.

She turned to face Draco full on and moved her eyebrows in a suggestive, come-hither motion. She also waved him up with her hands, and changed her carefree dancing to more enticing hip shaking motions. A mirthful smile crossed Draco's face as he watched the slim, petite, dark haired woman try and seduce him. Astoria had always been a fantastic flirt. She could get a guy to do anything she wanted with just her words. However, when it came to seduction with bodily motions and movements, she often looked like more of a circus clown than a temptress.

Something about what she was doing though, must have appealed to Draco on some level. After a few seconds of her attempts at a luring dance, he stood from the settee. Draco grasped Astoria's hands and pulled her in close. He then began dancing with her, performing simple spins and moves across the floor. In the midst of one particular spin, Astoria let out a giggle of pure glee.

She was intoxicated by the quick yet fluid movements, the amount of wine and expensive mead she'd consumed and, most of all, the aura of Draco Malfoy. He was absolutely enchanting and Astoria felt herself quickly falling under his spell.

The evening passed quickly in Draco's presence. They drank a lot, talked both about themselves and a myriad or innocuous topics, and even danced to a few more songs. It was, by far, the best night she'd had at one of her parent's extremely boring parties, even including the times she'd snuck out with her friends.

But, even good things must come to an end. Far too soon for her liking, the music filtering in to the office got softer and softer. It was a sign that her parents employed to let their guests know that it was time to leave. Astoria groaned, but got up and began picking up the room. There were a few empty bottles, some food residue, and other detritus on the floor that, if left, would clue her father into what she'd been up to the night before.

While the pair picked up, a soft noise, the sound of someone delicately clearing their throat, sounded at the door. Astoria turned to see whom it was, hoping that it wouldn't be a person that would report back to her parents. Standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame and staring at what was going on inside the room with a mild interest was an absolutely gorgeous blonde woman.

She had slim, yet athletic legs that seemed to go on for days. She was slim yet curvy, a figure that she proudly displayed in a form-fitting short dress. Her chest was large, but well proportioned, and her face was blemish free. She'd applied her make up in such a perfect way that Astoria wondered if she'd gone to a professional to get it done.

Astoria didn't recognize her, and relaxed, believing she wouldn't go tattling to her father. However, she wanted to know what such a physically perfect individual was doing away from the party. Sure, the events of the evening were winding down, but shouldn't a girl like her be getting to leave with her equally perfect date?

"Can I help you? Are you lost? The front door is back down this hallway." Astoria moved toward the woman, but didn't want to stand too close to her. Any comparisons between the two would result in a loss for Astoria. She didn't need that blow to her self-esteem.

"I'm just waiting for Draco," the blonde responded, a slight Italian accent in her voice. Astoria's heart sank and she took a step back in surprise. Draco had come with a date? A gorgeous Italian date at that. If he'd been with such a girl why had he spent the majority of the evening hidden away with her?

"Oh," Astoria responded, her tone still stunned at the whole situation, "yeah he's here." She then awkwardly motioned to the blond male who had just vanished away all the bottles and trash with a wave of his wand.

"Alright, ready to go," Draco spoke, and then he turned and faced the doorway. Astoria watched his face closely, and was surprised that it didn't show joy or lust, or any other emotion. His face remained the same as it had been while he dealt with the trash: blank. Neutral.

'Strange,' Astoria thought to herself, though she couldn't help the small smile that spread across her face. He wasn't ecstatic to see the girl so maybe there wasn't really anything between them.

"Have a good evening?" Draco asked, stepping towards the door. The blonde woman shrugged noncommittally, and then began to leave. At the door, Draco paused. Astoria, for reasons she still wasn't entirely sure about, held her breath. The blonde had disappeared down the hallway, leaving Draco and Astoria alone once again.

Slowly, Draco turned back to face Astoria. Her heart began to flutter, then race. The look that Draco gave her, in comparison to the blonde, held a lot more interest and passion. In Astoria's estimation, drunken as it was, she felt as if Draco were undressing her with his look, and she gladly welcomed it.

"I had fun tonight," he stated, his voice deep and husky. He then took a step back towards her. Astoria prepared for what she thought would come next. A passionate kiss, some intense snogging, and maybe even more.

"Draco!" a silky, Italian accented voice called. The electricity in the room dissipated, the passionate moment now gone. Without another word or even a second glance (or was it a second, second glance?) Draco left the room and hurried down the hallway.

Astoria was left more confused than ever. Draco had acted like the woman, the gorgeous, perfect blonde was at most a friend, someone he'd brought along because this wasn't a party you'd attend alone. Then, and Astoria was certain about this, he'd been about to kiss her after having playfully, and at times not so playfully, flirted with her all night long. Yet, as soon as the blonde had called, he'd gone running. That wasn't a reaction only a friend would so easily elicit.

Astoria took a few steps to the edge of the office. She leaned on the doorframe, in the same spot the blonde had leaned only moments before, and watched Draco and the blonde Italian leave. Their arms were entwined and the woman was resting her head on Draco's shoulder.

'Please,' Astoria asked out to the universe, 'please don't let him be in love with someone else.'

The End