Ferret

Before we knew it, Hogwarts had transformed into the headquarters of the unofficial yet very enthusiastic Harry Potter Hate Club. People walked around proudly displaying "POTTER STINKS" badges like they were the newest fashion trend, and honestly? I had no personal vendetta against Potter, but since my friends were invested in this whole debacle, I did what any self-respecting Slytherin would do: I played along for entertainment.

We were out on the lawn that day, taking in the fresh Hogwarts air, when Malfoy—being the drama king he was—was perched on a tree like some sort of brooding literary character. Only, instead of pondering life's mysteries, he was preparing himself for a full-fledged taunt session.

He called down to Potter, "Why so tense, Potter?"

Oh boy.

"My father and I have a bet, you see." He smirked as he toyed with one of his Potter Stinks badges. "I don't think you'll last ten minutes in this tournament."

He laughed, delighted with himself, and jumped down from the tree with a practiced elegance.

"He disagrees," Draco continued, straightening his robes. "He thinks you won't last five."

Ohhh, Potter was MAD. Steam-coming-out-of-the-ears mad.

"I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy!" he snapped, pushing Draco. "He's vile and cruel, and you're pathetic!"

OOOOOOO, the main character energy was radiating off Potter. This was getting good.

Draco scoffed, feigning offense. "Pathetic—"

And just as he raised his wand to cast Merlin-knows-what, Moody struck.

BAM! Ferret Mode Activated.

One second, Draco Malfoy was standing there, all smug and elegant, and the next, he was bouncing up and down in the grass, a very distressed white ferret.

Kenny, Blaise, and I? We were thriving.

Moody, looking far too entertained for a professor, flicked his wand again, sending Draco-the-Ferret flying into the air. Up, down, up, down... and into Crabbe's pants.

Oh. My. God.

Crabbe's scream could have shattered glass.

We collapsed into laughter, gasping for air as Draco was yanked out and sent bouncing once more like a cursed fluffy ball.

"Professor Moody! Professor Moody! Is that a student?!" McGonagall's horrified voice finally broke through our hysterics.

"Technically, it's a ferret," Moody answered, entirely unbothered.

I had to clutch onto Kenny's arm to keep myself from falling over. Blaise was actually crying.

Before we knew it, Draco was back to his very human, very disheveled form. He lay on the grass for a moment, staring at the sky like he was reevaluating every decision he'd ever made.

His robes were a mess, his hair was a disaster, his dignity was nonexistent.

But Draco Malfoy, being Draco Malfoy, sat up, brushed himself off with all the composure he could muster, and declared, "My father will hear about this."

Cue Moody chasing Malfoy on foot.

"IS THAT A THREAT?! IS THAT A THREAT, MALFOY?!" Moody bellowed, storming after him with the speed of a man with nothing to lose. "I COULD TELL YOU STORIES ABOUT YOUR FATHER THAT WOULD CURL EVEN YOUR GREASY HAIR, BOY! IT DOESN'T END HERE!"

Draco sprinted for his life.

"ALASTOR!" McGonagall shouted, clearly done with this entire school. "We never use transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Dumbledore would have told you that?"

Moody didn't even look guilty. "He might have mentioned it."

"Then you might as well remember it."

And the worst part? The part that sent all of us over the edge?

Cedric Diggory was watching from the sidelines, laughing his beautiful Hufflepuff laugh, his golden boy hair shining in the sunlight, living for the downfall of Draco Malfoy.

I locked eyes with Kenny, and that was it. We lost it. We physically could not breathe.

That day went down as one of the greatest in Hogwarts history.

........................................................................

The moment we stepped into the Slytherin common room, the teasing began. Kenny and Blaise were already seated on one of the green velvet couches, looking positively giddy with excitement. I barely had time to sit before Kenny pounced.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god—Malfoy got turned into a ferret!" Kenny squealed, practically vibrating with laughter. "And the best part? He got stuffed down Crabbe's pants! That's a level of closeness you just can't come back from."

Blaise, shaking with silent laughter, clapped Draco on the shoulder. "Mate, you should probably shower. Who knows what's been lurking in Crabbe's trousers?"

Draco, still dusting off imaginary specks of dirt from his perfectly tailored robes, glared at all of us. "Ha. Ha. You're all hilarious. I suppose I should be grateful my so-called best friends were too busy wheezing to actually help me."

"Help you? Help you?" I gasped, clutching my stomach. "Draco, if I so much as moved, I would've fallen over and died. You—you were bouncing! Up and down! Like some demented fluffy ping-pong ball! I nearly lost my entire soul watching it happen."

Draco groaned dramatically, throwing himself onto the couch beside me. "It was completely unjustified. Moody should be locked up. And did you see Diggory laughing? I swear, if I hear so much as a chuckle from that pretty boy, I will—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Kenny put up a hand. "We're not skipping past this Diggory thing. What's the issue with perfectly friendly, objectively very attractive, excellent-smile-having Cedric Diggory?" She smirked at him.

Draco scowled so deeply I thought he might combust. "You're delusional if you think he's attractive."

Blaise leaned forward, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Oooh, Selene, you hear that? Someone's feeling insecure about his girl witnessing his ferret-fication in front of a certain Hufflepuff heartthrob."

Draco turned to me, horrified. "You—you wouldn't—I mean, you didn't—"

"Draco, please," I sighed dramatically, placing a hand over my chest. "As if Cedric Diggory would ever compare to the majestic sight of my 'boyfriend' being yeeted into Crabbe's undergarments."

Kenny and Blaise howled.

Draco groaned, covering his face with both hands. "I hate all of you."

I grinned and nudged him. "Oh, come on. You can't actually be embarrassed."

Draco peeked through his fingers. "Selene. I was a ferret. And you saw it—and now it's seared into your memory forever. I will never be intimidating again."

I leaned in and whispered, "Draco, you were never intimidating to me."

Kenny screamed. "OH MY GOD, GET A ROOM!"

Blaise groaned. "Honestly, I don't know who's worse—ferret Malfoy or in love Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes but looked at me, his cheeks still faintly pink. "You are still mine though. No amount of Diggory's Hufflepuff charm is going to change that."

I smirked, pulling him closer. "Oh, I know, Malfoy. You're very hard to miss."

"Especially when he's midair." Kenny cackled.

Draco groaned again. "I AM GOING TO BED. GOOD NIGHT."

I watched him stomp off, and despite all the teasing, my heart was completely full. Because yes, Draco Malfoy might have been the most dramatic person I had ever met—but he was my dramatic person, and that was all that mattered.

..........................................................................

(I'm skipping the first task of the Trivizard Tournament since it was mainly like a Harry thing)

To say I was thrilled would be an understatement.

But let's rewind.

I had just finished dressing up for my much-awaited Hogsmeade date with Draco Malfoy. Yes, the date that he suggested after getting decked by Hermione Granger. An iconic moment, truly. Still, not as iconic as my humiliating hair incident, but let's not talk about that.

I was just adding the final touch to my outfit—a quick flick of my wand for a slight curl to my wine-red locks—when Kenny stormed into the room.

Absolutely flushed.

Like, ruby red, ears to cheeks to the tip of her nose.

I paused. Blinked. Stared.

"Oh my god, who's this Humpty Dumpty?" I teased.

Now, under normal circumstances, Kenny would have clapped back instantly. Probably with an insult so creative it would leave me emotionally recovering for the next five years.

But today?

She was silent.

Kenny. Silent.

I knew then.

Something was up.

And then—before I could demand an explanation—she looked at me with the softest, shyest smile I had ever seen on her face.

And then.

I had no idea what happened.

One second, I was standing. The next—

KISSES. EVERYWHERE.

Hugs. Bone-crushing hugs.

I was tackled onto the bed, held in an embrace so tight I genuinely feared for my lungs.

And Kenny? Kenny was giggling.

Giggling.

Like an excited schoolgirl in one of those cringey Muggle romance films.

I was wheezing.

Laughing hysterically.

"Kenny—" I managed between gasps, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

She squeezed me tighter—which I did not think was humanly possible—before squealing:

"We kissed!"

I gasped.

I gasped SO hard I nearly choked.

"BLAISE?" I shrieked, scrambling to sit up, eyes wider than a house-elf caught stealing socks.

Kenny nodded so aggressively I was afraid her head might actually fall off.

"OH, FINALLY!" I threw my arms around her, dramatically shaking her shoulders.

"TELL ME EVERYTHING."

Kenny, still blushing, flopped back onto my bed, grinning up at the ceiling like it contained all the answers to life itself.

And that's when I knew.

My best friend was smitten.

...............................................................................

I was grinning so wide my face could've split in half. Kenny had her first kiss.

My best friend. The same girl who once swore she would rather kiss a Dementor than a boy. The same girl who had spent years gagging at the idea of romance. The same girl who had just hurled herself onto my bed and nearly suffocated me with hugs.

And now, she had kissed Blaise Zabini.

I was buzzing. Practically vibrating with excitement as we stepped into the entrance hall, the cool air from outside creeping in through the large wooden doors. I was supposed to be going on a date. A proper Hogsmeade date with Malfoy, which was already historical enough, but at that moment, my focus was entirely on Kenny.

"First kiss, first kiss, first kiss!" I chanted, skipping beside her, unable to contain myself.

Kenny groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Selene, for the love of everything, shut up."

"I refuse!" I twirled dramatically. "This is monumental. Do you realise how big this is? This is, like, a generational shift. This is something that deserves to be documented in Hogwarts: A History."

Kenny grabbed my arm and yanked me to a stop. "Okay, first of all, never compare my love life to a historical event again. Second of all, you have a date to get to."

Right. The Hogsmeade date. With Draco Malfoy.

I turned toward the doors, and there he was.

Standing near the entrance, arms crossed, his usual smirk plastered across his face, watching me with an amused, slightly skeptical expression. The sight of him in his tailored black coat, with the winter sun making his pale hair shine, made my stomach flip.

I shook my head. No. This was about Kenny. Not me.

"First kiss," I whispered one last time, grinning.

"Selene," Kenny groaned, shoving me forward.

I laughed, stepping toward Draco, already anticipating his reaction when I told him the news. If I was this excited, I could only imagine how he'd—

"First kiss! First kiss! First kiss!" I practically yelled, bouncing in front of him.

Draco's entire body tensed, his eyes widening in pure horror. He looked as if I had just announced I personally kissed the giant squid.

I paused. Blinked. Then realised context matters.

"Blaise and Kenny," I added quickly.

Draco let out a visible exhale, pressing a hand over his chest. "Selene. What the bloody hell is wrong with you?"

I snorted. "I dunno, Malfoy. A lot of things, probably."

Draco still looked as if he had narrowly avoided a near-death experience. "You can't just say things like that without context, you menace. I thought you—" He shuddered dramatically. "Merlin, don't make me think about it."

I smirked. "What, me having my first kiss is such a terrifying concept to you? I legit saw your first kiss in the middle of Hogsmeade."

He scoffed. "True, but you announcing it like a town crier is a terryfying concept."

Kenny, standing off to the side, cleared her throat. "Um, hello? The actual subject of the conversation is still here?"

I turned to her with the widest grin possible. "Right. Back to more important things—Blaise. Tell me everything."

Draco groaned, rubbing his temple. "Please don't."

But it was too late.

Kenny exhaled dreamily. "Okay, okay, listen. We were just walking near the common room after dinner, right? And then, out of nowhere, Blaise looks at me and says, 'You look nice today.'"

Draco snorted. "How poetic."

I ignored him and gasped. "He did not."

"He did!" Kenny nodded frantically. "And then he just—leaned in. I panicked, obviously. My brain stopped functioning. I think my soul temporarily left my body."

"You stood there frozen, didn't you?"

"Like a complete idiot."

I gasped again. "So he kissed you."

"He did," Kenny whispered, clutching her chest like she had just witnessed the birth of a unicorn.

I grabbed her shoulders. "Oh my god, Kenny, you are in love."

Kenny immediately turned red. "Shut up."

Draco looked like he was about to throw himself into the lake. "Are you two done yet?"

I turned back to him with a mocking pout. "Awww, is little Draco getting jealous?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Selene, I'm devastated I wasn't the one to have a life-changing first kiss with Zabini."

Kenny giggled beside me, and I shot Draco a smug look. "Well, for the record, I am devastated you weren't either."

Draco gave me a deadpan look. "If you ever repeat that sentence again, I will personally hex you."

"Whatever you say, blondie," I winked, and before he could retaliate, I grabbed Kenny's arm and pulled her toward the doors.

"Come on, lovebird. Let's go celebrate."

Draco sighed heavily behind us. "Why am I even here?"

Kenny, still glowing from her Blaise-induced romantic awakening, smirked. "Selene. Your date."

Oh. Right.

My face dropped. "Oh, shit."

Draco, who had been pretending to ignore us, suddenly perked up. "Wait—what date?"

I turned to Kenny in horror. "How could you let me get so caught up in your love life that I forgot about mine? You're a terrible friend."

Kenny crossed her arms. "Excuse me, but weren't you the one running around screaming about my first kiss like you just won the Triwizard Tournament?"

Draco's eyes narrowed. "Can we please circle back to the part where Selene has a date?"

I waved him off. "Not now, Malfoy, I'm in the middle of a crisis."

Kenny rolled her eyes. "It's not a crisis, you just need to go get ready. What are you even wearing right now?"

I glanced down at my outfit. "Uh. Clothes?"

Kenny's expression screamed disappointment. "This is exactly why you need me."

She grabbed my arm and started dragging me back to the dormitory.

Draco, looking vaguely murderous, called after us, "Who's the date with?"

I threw him a smirk over my shoulder. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

His scowl deepened.

This was going to be fun.

................................................................................

The second Draco and I stepped into Madam Puddifoot's, I knew this was a mistake.

The place was practically vomiting pink. There were floating cherubs, twinkling fairy lights, and little enchanted teapots pouring themselves into dainty, heart-shaped cups. Every table was occupied by couples either giggling at inside jokes or staring dreamily into each other's eyes. Some were even sitting on the same side of the booth like their legs would detach if they weren't touching at all times. Disgusting.

Draco, standing beside me, let out the longest, most suffering sigh. "Of course. Of course, we end up in the one place where everyone is acting like—" he gestured vaguely at the nearest couple, who were literally feeding each other biscuits, "—this."

I smirked. "We could always leave."

He scoffed. "What, and admit defeat? Not a chance."

So, we sat down.

And immediately forgot how to act like normal humans.

For a good few seconds, we just stared at each other across the table, the awkwardness settling like a thick fog. This was stupid. We'd spent years bickering, teasing, and arguing with ease, yet now, when placed in a vaguely romantic setting, we were acting like first-years who just learned what holding hands was.

Draco tapped his fingers against the table, looking anywhere but at me. "So."

"So," I repeated, trying not to look as incredibly nervous as I felt. Why was I nervous? This was Draco. The same Draco who once dramatically collapsed on the floor because I told him his hair looked slightly out of place.

I cleared my throat. "Nice weather today."

He arched a brow. "It's snowing."

"Right. Yeah." I mentally cursed myself. Brilliant. Absolutely stunning conversation skills, Selene.

A small silence stretched between us before we both simultaneously reached for the menu, as if that would somehow fill the awkward void. Our hands brushed, and I flinched.

Draco paused. Then, because he's Draco, he smirked. "Are you blushing?"

I snapped my head up. "Absolutely not."

He leaned back, tilting his head as if studying me. "You are. You're blushing."

"Am not."

He grinned, all smug and victorious. "This is interesting. Is this the effect I have on you?"

I grabbed my napkin and chucked it at his face.

He laughed.

And suddenly, the tension cracked just a little.

A waitress approached, looking frazzled and very done with life, probably because she had spent her whole shift watching lovesick teenagers make googly eyes at each other. "What'll it be?"

Draco shot me a questioning look. "Tea?"

"Sure."

The waitress nodded and walked away, leaving us to marinate in our own awkwardness. Wonderful.

I rested my chin on my hand. "You know, I always imagined my first date would be somewhat less... tragic."

Draco snorted. "Tragic?"

"Look around, Malfoy. We're surrounded by couples who are, at this very moment, writing poetry about each other's eyebrows."

Draco glanced at the table next to us, where a girl was literally twirling a quill and whispering something about the "depth of her beloved's gaze." He shuddered. "Disgusting."

I grinned. "Very."

Our tea arrived, and for a while, we just sat there, slowly returning to ourselves. We talked about school, our latest run-ins with Snape, how Potter had somehow landed himself in the Triwizard Tournament, and which poor soul would have to deal with Pansy's dramatics after she found out Draco took me to Hogsmeade instead of her.

I could tell Draco was different when we were alone. Less arrogant, more thoughtful. His teasing didn't come with the usual dramatic flair but instead felt softer, lighter. He made fun of me, obviously—this was Draco Malfoy, after all—but there was no malice, no sharpness. Just him.

And then, as I was stirring my tea, I felt it.

A hand, brushing against mine.

I froze.

Draco was looking at me, his usual smirk replaced with something softer. He didn't move his hand away, didn't say anything—just let the touch linger, warm and grounding.

For once, I had nothing to say.

The world outside faded. The overly affectionate couples, the obnoxious fairy lights, the pink decor—it all disappeared. There was just us.

I looked up, meeting his gaze. He opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but—

"Drakie!"

The moment shattered.

Draco pulled his hand away like I had burned him, just in time for me to witness Pansy Parkinson barrelling toward our table like she was on some sort of mission.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Draco muttered under his breath.

Pansy reached us, looking between the two of us with a face that suggested she was debating murder. "You brought her?"

I sighed dramatically. "Sorry, Pansy, I should've checked in with you before daring to exist."

Draco groaned, already done. "Pansy—"

But she was already spinning on her heel and storming off, muttering something about "betrayal" and "how could you do this to me, Drakie?"

Silence.

Then—

I burst out laughing.

Draco ran a hand down his face, looking like he aged ten years in the last sixty seconds. "I hate my life."

Still giggling, I sipped my tea. "I had fun."

He looked at me, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

He let out a small breath of amusement. "Good."

We paid for our drinks and stepped out of the obnoxiously romantic shop, the cool winter air wrapping around us. As we walked back toward Hogwarts, side by side, I felt something I hadn't felt in a while.

Something warm. Something real.

Something terrifying.

Draco glanced at me. "You know, wine-red hair suits you."

I arched a brow. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just bumped my shoulder against his.

He didn't pull away.