Demons

I run a hand through my slick hair, messing up the gel I had so carefully put in this morning. Why do I keep doing this? I can't be good for her; I never will be. I'm far too tainted for her to touch. Her soul is seraphic; mine is demonic. Hell, almost every Malfoy's has been. We don't know the meaning of choosing the right things instead of the easy ones. Most of us- exceptions being a few of the women on Father's side and a few of Mum's distant, distant relatives- have always spouted pureblood propaganda; believing ourselves to be better than anyone else.

My flirting with her is only going to damage her, but I can't stop. Just being around her brings out that more playful side of me, the one that has rarely seen the light of day. I need to stop doing this. Staring into the mirror set into black marble, I try to make a promise to myself.

***

.."And then he caught me, and it was kind of awkward, and then I started to blush, because, you know, I was embarrassed, and tried to cover it with my hand, like this,' Hermione mimicked herself earlier in the day,' and he caught my wrist and told me that I'm adorable when I blush. What was that?"

Hermione reenacted the story for Astoria and Pansy; the three girls were rapidly becoming closer and closer and were meeting up at any of their three apartments on the regular. Tonight, Pansy had insisted on hosting, and she had persisted in persuading Hermione to teach her how to cook, and so Hermione had brought a salmon and they were just letting it marinate while Hermione recounted the day's tale. Astoria and Pansy shot each other a look that Hermione didn't miss.

"What was that?"

Astoria gave her a funny look. "What do you mean?"

"That look that you just exchanged with Pansy."

Astoria dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "Nothing. Want some wine?" She grinned, and pulled out a bottle of white wine from her tiny clutch. Hermione rolled her eyes. "What kind of question is that? Of course I want alcohol."

Astoria shook her head, popping the cork. "I think we may need another bottle."

***

Pansy grabbed Astoria and Hermione. "Let's go to a club!" Hermione laughed, swirling her second glass of wine. "Merlin, Pans, you're already sloshed."

"I am not." Pansy frowned. "I took a PepperUp earlier. Let's go to a club." She frowned again at the look on Hermione's face. "Please Hermione?"

The girl sighed."Fine. But I have no idea what to wear." She gestured to herself, in jeans and a half-sleeve black V-neck. Pansy looked her over. "C'mon. I might have a thing or two in my closet." Astoria began heading over to the guest bedroom, where she often stayed and had a closet of clothes, since she often was hungover and unable to get herself back home.

The duo headed over to Pansy's closet and she fished around a few seconds before pulling out a sparkly emerald green top with long, tight sleeves and a black miniskirt with fishnets and heels. Muttering a quick, colour- changing charm, the top transformed itself from the Slytherin green to Gryffindor red and Pansy thrust them towards Hermione enthusiastically.

"Here."

Hermione let the skirt dangle off of one finger. "This won't even cover my ass, Pans. No way in hell am I wearing this." Pansy rolled her eyes. "Trust me, once you get drunk you won't even notice." She shoved Hermione towards her washroom. "Now try it on."

Hermione undressed and pulled the now-red top over her head and the fishnets and skirt up over her hips. Looking at herself at the full-length mirror that Pansy had installed on her washroom door, she grudgingly admitted that she look good. The skirt accentuated her waist any the shirt was low-cut- not low enough, mind you, that she looked like a slag, but certainly risky in her opinion. The fishnets fit perfectly and made her creamy legs look longer than they were, and heels added height so that she was three inches taller than normal. Pansy slid the door back.

"Ohmygodthat'samazingonyoudon'ttakeitoffIswear"

"Pans, this is ridiculous." Pansy scowled, and shoved Hermione into her vanity chair, to do her makeup. She applied a dark red eyeshadow to compliment her shirt and a similarly-coloured lip. Hermione's eyelashes became longer, her eyes bigger and her face more put-together. With a few more flicks of the brush, she was finished.

"There! Done. You're hot as fuck now. Imma just change and then we'll go." Hermione sighed.

"Alright."

***

Blaise sighed and shoved Draco in the general direction of his closet, throwing his suit jacket over the nearest chair with little regard.

"Mate, you've gotta have some fun. Like, c'mon. Let's just go to a club or something, for tonight. We're both free agents! Just let loose for a night."

"Fine."

The pair changed into slacks and grey and green sweaters, respectively, and they headed out.

***

Hermione sighed. Both Astoria and Pansy were out on the dance floor, but she was here, at the bar, a Mint Julep in her hand that she was sipping occasionally.

Suddenly, the girls showed up at the bar, faces flushed from exertion on the dance floor, and ordered shots for all three of them.

"Guys- I have a low tolerance-"

"C'mon, Granger! Let loose for a night, at least!" Pansy screamed in her ear as she shoved the shot glass in her hand. Hermione shrugged. Not like she was going to get out of it anyways.

***

"Izzat at the bar taking shots with Pans and Astoria?"

Blaise shrieked into Draco's ear, pointing to a wavy-haired brunette, downing a shot with a familiar blonde and another brunette.

"I- I dunno." Draco shrugged, trying to make it casual, but Blaise read him like an open notebook. "She's your bloody employee! Don't you know?"

"I can't see her face!" Blaise shook his head. "Whatever. Let's get some firewhiskey."

***

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