Wonder // Draco Malfoy

33. Fist Fight

All of the students are excited for the coming ball. Groups of girls are passing, each one giggling about something another of them said. It's interesting to see the boys ask girls to the ball. Some go for the romantic route, like chocolates or flowers. Many Durmstrang boys have asked girls in groups, which I think is odd.

I'm still waiting for Draco to ask me. If he ever will. Should I ask him if he's going to ask me? Ugh, love is complicated.

"Valentine," someone calls. I turn and see Harry and Ron, both out of breath as they slow from a run to a stop behind me. "We need your help."

I furrow my brows in confusion. Harry elbows Ron to continue, but then both of them start arguing about who is going to ask me. "Can one of you just say something?" I ask, a hint of amusement in my tone. I thought it was serious at first, but now it doesn't seem like a life-or-death situation.

Ron shoves Harry forward and he clears his throat. "How do we ask girls to the Yule Ball?"

I laugh in total amusement - these boys have faced countless situations where Death smiled at them, but they can't ask a girl out? "Who do you want to ask?"

"Dunno, any girl really," Ron responds. "All the good ones are probably taken by now. Just don't want one with a weird face is all."

"Don't be shallow, Ron," I reprimand. I lean against a pillar and look at the courtyard. There are a lot of boys approaching girls - some walk away proudly while others run in embarrassment. Are girls really that terrifying? "Well, have you tried to ask anyone yet?"

Harry laughs. "Ron tried to ask Fleur. You should've seen his face when she rejected him," he mocks. Ron curses at his friend as we both laugh. I can't believe he mustered the courage to speak to Fleur. I'm sure he isn't the only one who has asked her.

"Do neither of you have any girl friends that you wouldn't mind taking?" I question.

"Don't think we really have any of those," Ron responds. I look at him in utter confusion - isn't the third member of the golden trio a girl?

"Are you joking? You have girl friends."

"Well yeah, we have friends that are girls, but we don't really see them as, you know .... Girls," Harry responds. I flick his forehead in annoyance. "Ouch!" He mutters, rubbing where I flicked.

Ron backs away at my glare in fear that he'll be my next victim. "I see this is a sensitive topic for you," Ron says, holding his hands up in defense. "How did Malfoy ask you?"

"He hasn't yet," someone replies from behind me. We all turn to look at who it is and I'm baffled - it's Lev.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Harry asks. I take a step away from Lev, then Harry and Ron step forward, sensing my hesitation. Lev doesn't look at Harry - his eyes are only on me.

"Can I have a word, Val?" Lev asks. I scoff - who does he think he is to call me by a nickname? Lev's eyes shift between Ron and Harry in annoyance. "Alone."

I shake my head, remembering what Draco warned. Why can't Lev just disappear? "No, I won't be anywhere alone with you," I reply. I straighten my back to seem more bold, but I think anyone could see through my round cheeks and wind-blown hair. "I would rather you leave me alone."

Lev blows out of his nose in frustration and steps forward. "You're making a big mistake by dating him," he warns.

"Back off!" Harry yells, pulling me behind him and standing nose-to-nose with Lev. In all honestly, Lev would destroy Harry in a physical fight. But with magic, I'm not so sure. Harry is pretty experienced in battle.

Lev shoves Harry and he almost flies backwards before I catch him. "Stop," I warn. Ron and Harry both have their wands pointed to the aggressor. But Lev doesn't have his wand out - he's rolling up his sleeves to fight. "Lev, stop!"

"What do you think you're doing?"

Draco appears from behind us, gliding directly in front of Lev. Lev is taken by surprise - even more so when Draco punches him. I gasp in shock and try to reach forward to stop Draco but they've already started. Ron pulls me back to avoid getting hit in the crossfire.

"What's going on? Is that Malfoy?" Marcus asks.

Marcus and Rue are now by my side. Lev and Draco are rolling on the ground with each other, and I'm honestly shocked with how well Draco is doing. "Marcus, stop them!" I beg. Out of the three boys next to me, Marcus is definitely the strongest.

"Are you joking? Your man is fighting for you! Don't stop them," Rue exclaims, grabbing Marcus's arm to hold him back.

"Break it up!"

Professor Moody limps toward us and casts a spell that blows each boy in a different direction. Professor Snape glides next to him, immediately going to Draco's aid. I follow him, but he holds up a hand to stop me. "You've done enough, Ms. Walker."

I stand up in confusion - what does he mean, I've done enough? I've done nothing! "Your nose!" I exclaim. Draco is bleeding from his mouth and his nose and there's a bruise forming on his cheek.

"Ms. Walker," Professor Snape warns. I sigh and take a step back, watching as he leads Draco away.

Karkaroff appears and speaks in a foreign language to Lev. Their attention turns to me and Karkaroff looks at me in disgust. They continue to speak while Karkaroff puts his arm around Lev protectively and they walk to their ship together.

"You get used to Snape hating you," Harry says.

"Who cares about that? Malfoy was in a bloody fight! Never thought he had it in him!" Ron admires. He begins to talk with Marcus excitedly about what just happened.

"To your classes - all of you!" Professor Moody scolds. Then his eye - his non-magical one - turns to me. "Except you, Ms. Walker. Follow me."