"Didn't you ask me to the library so we could study?" I finally asked, putting down my quill and looking up at the sixth-year brunette sitting across the table. He had been staring at me intently albeit wordlessly for the past minute.

He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yes?"

"Well, you've been staring a hole through my head for a whole minute. Clearly you've got something on your mind so out with it already"

Cedric grinned, "That's what I like about you, Ari, you have a way of understanding me. Also, you're outspoken to a fault, incredibly nice and smart when you want to be, not to mentio-"

"And here I thought you liked me for all the help you get on your schoolwork" I interrupted, rolling my eyes. "Just so you know, flattery gets you nowhere with me. And don't bother denying it, I know you're up to something"

"Will you go to the Yule Ball with me?"

"Ced" I groaned.

"Oh, come on, Ari"

"I already told you I can't, Fred already asked me"

"But you haven't agreed to, right?"

"No, but I have every intention of accepting. I'll tell him first chance I get"

"Then it isn't too late to change your mind"

"The answer is no"

"I don't see why not, I need a date and you don't have one yet"

"Firstly, I am not a Triwizard Champion so I for one can manage perfectly on my own even without a date. Which brings me to my next point - I do have a date, I just haven't told him yet. Not to mention, I refuse to be your sorry excuse for not asking Cho Chang instead, which you and I both know you've been dying to but lack the nerve to do so"

"Please?" he asked, flashing me a handsome smile which did nothing to sway me whatsoever.

Yep, none whatsoever, liar.

Hey, I may not have romantic feelings for him but I am not oblivious to the fact that he's attractive. I'm his friend, not a saint.

Besides, I swear at least half the girls in the library swooned when he did that. A whole group of Ravenclaw fifth-years were staring at us, not that I wasn't immune to it by now – I get a lot of those whenever I am with him.

"Grovelling isn't becoming of you. For Merlin's sake, you're Cedric Diggory, I bet you could find a date without even trying to. Trust me, take your pick, ask any girl in this library"

"And go with someone I barely know, spend the rest of the night pretending to enjoy myself and attempt meaningful conversation? Besides, anyone else would probably take this the wrong way and expect us to start dating after that or something of the sort"

"I'm willing to bet my fortune that Cho will agree to go with you if you'd ask. And it would actually do you a favour if she took it the wrong way, wouldn't it? Ask her or I'll do it for you"

"You wouldn't"

"Try me"

He seemed to think better of it and sighed. "It's not that simple. Please? I'll owe you one"

"Do you fancy her that much that you'd owe me one just to avoid asking her?"

He didn't respond but simply flashed pleading puppy-dog eyes at me. Damn him and that stupid expression, it works every time. And here people accused me of using my Veela charms on him. They couldn't be more wrong - I am the victim here!

I exhaled defeatedly.

…

I was on my way back to the dungeons when I was suddenly grabbed into an empty hallway, a hand pressed over my mouth and a body much taller than mine trapped me with my back against the wall. Instinct took over and I had my wand in hand before I knew it. That was before I caught sight of a familiar mop of flaming red hair.

"Shh" he whispered before removing his hand over my mouth.

"Fred Weasley!" I hissed, hitting him on the arm. "Bloody hell, I could've hexed you!"

"You wouldn't, you love me too much" he said cheekily before continuing in a more serious tone. "So, how 'bout it? You, me, the Yule Ball?"

I sighed, hating to disappoint my best friend. "Freddie, I had every intention to"

"Why do I sense a 'but' in there somewhere?"

"I'm sorry, Cedric called in a favour and wouldn't let it go"

"You're ditching me for Pretty Boy Diggory?" he wrinkled his nose appallingly.

"You know it's not like that"

"Well, whatever, I'll ask Angelina then" he shrugged nonchalantly though I knew him well enough to tell he was slightly miffed.

"I'll make it up to you"

"Wouldn't matter if you didn't"

"I'll do your Potions assignment for a week?" I ventured.

He shrugged non-committedly.

"Potions and History of Magic? Come on, please don't be mad at me"

He glanced at me for a moment. I couldn't tell what was on his mind but eventually he chuckled and ruffled my hair playfully. "Couldn't stay mad at you even if I tried" he said with a genuine smile before strolling off. "Remember to save a dance for me" he called back with a wave.

…

He watched as she seemed to glide through the doorway of the Great Hall. He thought she was the most breath-taking creature and he obviously wasn't the only one – the room seemed to have become strangely airless as all eyes fell on her. Her willowy frame was fitted in a dark emerald green gown, so dark that it was almost black, contrasting sharply with her fair hair and skin giving her an almost ethereal glow; her long blonde hair sat high on her head in an up-do that revealed two thin strands of black crystals crossing low upon her bare back; a high-slit ran up the right side of her gown, exposing a tantalizing sliver of skin.

As the Champions began to take the floor with their partners, he saw her smile at Diggory as he extended his hand and said something to her. They guided smoothly through the Champions Waltz, moving with such elegance that even he found himself somewhat spellbound. He was snapped out of his trance by a sharp nudge in his side to find his date looking at him expectantly. "Draco, let's dance" she said and he found himself being led onto the dance floor before he could respond as all the other students and Professors joined in and he quickly lost sight of her in the crowd.

…

I stopped by a windowsill to catch my breath having danced unceasingly since the opening waltz. At my urging, Cedric had finally gone to ask Cho for a dance. I didn't mind given that I was rather occupied myself. My next dances were claimed by Fred, then George, followed by Theo, Blaise, Miles and a Drumstrang student or two thereafter. I would have taken up Harry's offer as well if I wasn't dead on my feet as it was. Of course, this had nothing whatsoever to do with the number of times I'd seen him step on his date's feet. I figured I liked my toes the way they were, but I wasn't going to tell Harry that even if he was one of my best mates.

"Someone's all the rage tonight, even more so than I am" a voice said, and I turned to see Cedric looking at me with amusedly. "Jealous much?" I teased in return. He let out a sharp bark of laughter. "You look like you're about to keel over" he replied before offering to fetch me a drink. I wandered outside while waiting; one of the Professors must've charmed the Great Hall to extend a balcony of sorts overlooking an enchanted night sky and it was a lovely change of scenery.

I leaned over the banister somewhat missing the way the actual sky looked like at night. Dancing always reminded me of them – when my father would lift me off my feet and twirl me around, when I secretly watched them dancing with each other on some nights when they thought I was already in bed. I miss you, Papa, Mama. It was my fault, if it wasn't because of me… I'm so sorry, I lamented, memories of that night assaulting me, the night I had failed them.

"Escaping from Diggory, are we?" a voice drawled from behind me. I snapped around, quickly blinking back the tears that were threatening to come a moment ago. Malfoy pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against and sauntered up to me. I was appalled with myself for thinking that he looked rather handsome in his black dress robes. Perhaps I was simply too accustomed seeing him in Slytherin robes.

"On the contrary, Cedric has gone to fetch me a drink" I said, trying not to mull over his appearance.

"Perhaps to lace it with something, we have Quidditch practice with Hufflepuff tomorrow after all"

"Not everyone thinks the way you do, Malfoy"

"That is true" he boasted.

"It wasn't a compliment" I scowled. He could be so insufferable at times.

"Wasn't it? As I recall, someone suggested, numerous times in fact that I should learn to take compliments" he flashed me a roguish smirk. It was unlike his usual obnoxious smirk and it elicited a peculiar effect in my chest. I ignored it and simply rolled my eyes in response. I looked about cautiously, surprised not to find Parkinson latched onto his arm and fawning over him given how ecstatic she had been after convincing Malfoy to be her date for the Yule Ball. She was probably lurking about somewhere nearby and I wasn't keen on logging horns with her in the slightest, at least for tonight. For Cedric's sake I had vowed to be on my best behaviour.

"Well, as much as I've enjoyed this delightful conversation with you, I'd best be heading in. Goodnight"

He reached out and grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks before I could walk past him. I raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"I'm claiming my win on our last bet" he declared.

~ Flashback

"Montaine!" I heard him shout from the pitch below. I ground my teeth in frustration. Since our Captain was stuck with a whole week's worth of detention and the friendly with Hufflepuff was upon us, Malfoy had taken it upon himself to act as our stand-in Captain. I had tried my hardest to put up with his hoity-toity, bossy, bigotry, unreasonably dogmatic tendencies but he was getting on my last nerve. I flew down towards him until I was hovering levelly before him.

"You called?" I asked in a sweet voice though the look in my eyes was anything but.

"What the bloody hell was that!? I told you to follow my instructions, is that too hard for you!?" he all but shouted.

"It doesn't always work during an actual match and I have to make my own calls and passes. Maybe if you actually flew up there sometime and practice with us, you'd see"

"Are you implying that I've been standing about here doing nothing while the lot of you are up there doing what you dare call practice? Not to mention I've had to stand here watching your sorry excuse of a Chaser making goals that even that blood-traitor Weasley can intercept"

"I'm one of the best here and I've more than proven my capabilities, in case you've forgotten. Don't you dare insult me when over half our team resorts to petty schemes and hostile plays to win. I refuse to resort to such brutish methods and yet I've never stopped any of you from doing so though not from lack of trying on my part" I answered irritably, dismounting my broom and facing him.

"Think you're too good for us, do you? Seems to me you've been spending too much time with Saint Potter and his filthy friends that you sound more like them at this point"

"All I'm saying is we're just as good as any team if we spent half the time actually practicing than brainstorming more underhanded plays"

"Challenging my methods?" he asked, taking a step closer, his grey eyes glittered dangerously.

"Who died and made you Captain anyway" I mumbled under my breath but judging from his murderous expression, he had heard me nonetheless.

"You think you're better than me?"

"Oh, I don't think so, Malfoy, I know"

At this point we were standing so close to each other that I could feel his breath fanning across my face. The others had swopped down and made their way towards us, watching our little battle of wits unfold.

"Let's have another wager then. Loser for the Hufflepuff game will have to do anything the winner says. We'll play for the most points" he prepositioned.

"That's ridiculous! The Snitch is worth hundred-fifty points; I'd need to make fifteen goals to even match that! Not to mention it's not even a real match"

"Well, you didn't seem quite so hesitant to make the same bet when we played Gryffindor second year. What's the matter? Afraid I'm a better Seeker than your Diggory? Besides, that's child's play for one of the best Chasers here, isn't it? Unless you don't think you can do it, I think I'm a fairly gracious person to accept your apology" he said smugly knowing he'd gotten to me.

"Fine" I said, hating myself for letting him corner me into his stupid bet. I almost always responded to bets although these were usually in my favour. Except Malfoy's, he was always more cunning, I'll give him that, guess he wasn't sorted into Slytherin for nothing. Not that I was one to back down either, I was going to win or die trying.

…

As the rest of our teammates flew into the pitch, I grabbed Cedric's arm before he could mount his broom. "Don't you dare let him get that Snitch" I said, having already told him of my situation with Malfoy.

His jaw tightened visibly. "Malfoy's not the only one I'm worried about. Try not to drag my whole team into your little game with him will yea?" he muttered before we zoomed onto the pitch.

'Whatever it takes, right?' I thought as I ran riot on the Hufflepuff Keeper, scoring goal after goal, mentally reminding myself to apologise to Cedric later. In the end it wasn't enough though – Malfoy caught the Snitch to earn hundred-fifty points for Slytherin, beating my own goal score by a mere ten-point margin. To add salt to my wounds, it took a whole fortnight of grovelling before Cedric even glanced my way again after that.

~ End of flashback

As terrifying as it was, I would honour the bet, I had given my word after all and I liked to think I had been raised proper to do that in the least.

"Well, what do you want?" I asked uneasily, silently praying I wouldn't have to do something dreadful like spiking Cedric's drink. He would never forgive me for embarrassing him again.

To my shock, Malfoy twirled me in one fluid movement into his arms. "How about a dance?" he asked.