Slytherins, Kisses and Other Disasters
Copyright© 2026 by Caroline Stanton
Chapter 50: Just Draconia
By the time Victoria Crabbe, Georgina Goyle, and Hermione Granger emerged from the trophy room, all three had developed a profound dislike of silver.
They had spent the better part of three hours polishing cups, shields, plaques, and assorted commemorative objects under the watchful eye of Argus Filch, who had seemed positively delighted to discover that two Slytherins and a Gryffindor were being punished together.
Victoria had particularly resented the enormous silver cup awarded to the winner of the Inter-House Gobstones Championship of 1892.
“Why,” she demanded as they descended the staircase, “does a Gobstones competition need a trophy the size of a cauldron?”
Georgina rubbed her aching wrist.
“Why does Hogwarts even keep trophies from 1892?”
“Tradition,” Hermione replied.
Victoria glared at her.
“Don’t start.”
“And if you hadn’t decided to spy on Draconia—”
“Hermione.”
“—we wouldn’t have spent the afternoon polishing them.”
“Hermione!”
Georgina laughed.
“She’s right, Vic.”
Victoria threw up her hands.
“Wonderful. Everyone’s right except me.”
They turned into the corridor leading towards the unused classroom where, only the previous morning, they had helped Draconia prepare for her date. Hermione stopped.
“Do you think she’s there?”
“She said she’d meet us after detention.”
Georgina smiled.
“Perhaps she’s brought something to eat.”
Victoria brightened.
“Now that would be lovely.”
Hermione opened the door. Draconia Malfoy was sitting on one of the desks, swinging her legs and looking at her mobile phone. Beside her stood a small tray containing four cups of tea and a plate of biscuits. She looked up.
“Good heavens. You look dreadful.”
Victoria groaned.
“Don’t.”
Draconia smiled sweetly.
“Enjoy your afternoon?”
Georgina gave her a look.
“Immensely.”
“How delightful.”
Hermione shook her head, smiling.
“You are enjoying this far too much.”
“Perhaps a little.”
Victoria sank into a chair.
“I never want to see another trophy again.”
Draconia hopped down from the desk.
“Then I suppose you’ll appreciate some tea.”
Georgina’s face brightened.
“Draco, you’re wonderful.”
“I know.”
She handed them their cups. Then she settled onto the desk again, picked up a biscuit, and smiled.
“Now. Since you’ve served your punishment, apologised properly, and promised never to behave like complete lunatics again, I thought we might have a little chat.”
Victoria looked up suspiciously.
“About what?”
Draconia’s smile grew.
“Alex.”
All three girls straightened. Hermione was the first to speak.
“Draconia, you don’t have to tell us anything.”
“I know.”
“Really. We meant what we said.”
Draconia nodded.
“And I appreciate that.”
She looked at Victoria and Georgina.
“But yesterday was rather special to me. And there are things I want to tell my friends.”
Victoria’s expression softened.
“Really?”
“Yes, Vic. Really.”
“Then we’re listening.”
Draconia took a sip of tea.
“First, I want to know exactly when that unfortunate security guard expelled you.”
Victoria winced.
“Draco...”
“I’m curious.”
“It was shortly after you and Alex sat beside the fountain.”
Draconia nodded thoughtfully.
“So you saw us kiss.”
All three looked embarrassed.
“Yes,” Georgina admitted.
“Twice?”
Victoria nodded.
“Twice.”
Draconia smiled faintly.
“Well, then. You missed the best part.”
Victoria blinked.
“We did?”
“Oh, yes.”
Georgina leaned forward.
“What happened?”
Hermione gave her a warning look. Georgina immediately sat back.
“Sorry. You don’t have to answer.”
Draconia laughed.
“Oh, relax, Georgie. I’m telling you because I want to.”
She looked down at her hands. Then smiled.
“We stayed by the fountain for quite a while. We talked about all sorts of things. His school, his friends, the music he likes, what he wants to do after he finishes his studies.”
“And?”
“He wants to learn to drive when he’s eighteen. Apparently, he’s been saving money for lessons.”
Hermione nodded.
“Driving lessons can be expensive.”
“So he told me.”
Draconia smiled.
“He also likes camping. Proper camping, apparently. Sleeping in a little tent, cooking food outdoors, walking through forests.”
Georgina grinned.
“Sounds like Harry.”
“A little,” Draconia admitted. “Although Alex doesn’t have a habit of being chased through forests by things that want to kill him.”
Hermione laughed.
“An important distinction.”
Draconia continued.
“He asked whether I’d ever been camping.”
Victoria raised an eyebrow.
“What did you say?”
“That my family generally prefers houses.”
Georgina laughed.
“Draco!”
“Well, it’s true!”
“And what did he say?”
“He laughed. Then he told me he’d take me camping someday, if I wanted.”
Victoria looked delighted.
“Would you go?”
Draconia considered.
“Perhaps.”
Georgina stared.
“Draconia Malfoy sleeping in a tent?”
“Don’t sound so horrified.”
“With insects?”
Draconia made a face.
“I hadn’t considered the insects.”
Hermione laughed.
“There’s usually quite a lot of mud as well.”
“Perhaps I’ll negotiate for a cottage.”
She took another sip of tea.
“Anyway, eventually we left the shopping centre.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“Together?”
Draconia raised an eyebrow.
“Obviously, Vic. I wasn’t going to abandon him beside the fountain.”
Georgina laughed. Draconia smiled at the memory.
“It was getting cooler outside. Alex noticed I was cold and gave me his jacket.”
Victoria’s expression softened.
“Oh.”
“He just took it off and put it around my shoulders. I told him he’d be cold, and he said he’d survive.”
Georgina smiled.
“That’s sweet.”
“It was.”
Draconia looked down at her cup.
“And rather strange.”
Hermione tilted her head.
“Strange?”
Draconia nodded.
“I’m accustomed to people doing things for me. Servants, attendants, people who want to impress my father. I’ve had gentlemen open doors, pull out chairs, and make elaborate gestures because they were expected to.”
She paused.
“But Alex wasn’t trying to impress anyone. He simply noticed I was cold.”
Victoria smiled.
“That’s what Harry does.”
“And Adrian.”
Draconia looked at them.
“Yes. I suppose it is.”
She considered that for a moment.
“Perhaps that’s part of what I’ve been missing.”
“We walked for a while,” she continued, “and he teased me about the racing game.”
Georgina grinned.
“You were dreadful.”
Draconia gave her a sharp look. Georgina winced.
“Sorry.”
Draconia sighed.
“Yes, Georgie. I was dreadful. Apparently, I crashed eight times, not seven.”
Victoria burst out laughing. Draconia pointed at her.
“Not a word.”
Victoria covered her mouth. Draconia continued.
“Then we reached the place where I had to leave him.”
Her expression softened.
“He asked when he could see me again.”
Hermione smiled.
“What did you tell him?”
“The truth. As much of it as I could.”
Draconia looked at her.
“I told him that my boarding school is very strict about pupils leaving the grounds, and that I couldn’t promise when I’d be allowed out again.”
“That’s true.”
“Yes. And he understood.”
Georgina smiled.
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
Draconia seemed almost surprised by it herself.
“He was disappointed, of course. So was I. But he didn’t complain, didn’t try to make me feel guilty, didn’t suggest I should break the rules.”
Hermione nodded approvingly.
“That’s a good sign.”
“He just asked whether we could still talk.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“And?”
“I told him I’d text him every day.”
“Every day?”
“Naturally.”
“And phone calls?”
“Those too.”
Draconia’s eyes brightened.
“He said he’d like that. Even if I talk too much.”
Victoria grinned.
“He really doesn’t know you yet.”
Draconia threw a biscuit at her. Victoria caught it.
“Thank you.”
For a while, they drank their tea and talked about ordinary things. Then Georgina looked at Draconia.
“Can I ask you something?”
Draconia nodded.
“Of course.”
“Did he kiss you goodbye?”
Hermione immediately turned towards her.
“Georgina!”
“What? She said we could ask!”
Draconia laughed.
“It’s all right, Hermione.”
She looked at Georgina.
“Yes.”
Victoria’s eyes widened.
“He did?”
“And?”
Draconia smiled.
“And it was lovely.”
Georgina leaned forward.
“Tell us.”
Draconia considered.
“Well, we were standing in a little square, and neither of us particularly wanted to say goodbye.”
She smiled at the memory.
“He kept holding my hands, even after we’d agreed that I had to go.”
Victoria’s expression softened.
“Harry does that.”
“Does he?”
“Sometimes.”
“Alex looked rather nervous. Then he asked if he could kiss me goodbye.”
Georgina smiled.
“He asked?”
“Yes.”
Hermione nodded.
“That’s considerate.”
“It was.”
Draconia looked down at her hands.
“And I said yes.”
She paused.
“It wasn’t like the first kiss beside the fountain. We weren’t nervous anymore. He put his hand against my cheek, and I put mine on his shoulder, and...”
She stopped. Victoria smiled.
“And?”
Draconia’s cheeks turned pink.
“And I didn’t want it to end.”
For a moment, the classroom was quiet. Then Georgina sighed happily.
“Oh, Draco.”
Draconia laughed softly.
“When we finally stopped, he looked at me and said, ‘Wow.’”
Victoria laughed.
“Wow?”
Draconia nodded.
“That was his entire assessment.”
Georgina giggled.
“Very eloquent.”
“Precisely what I told him.”
Hermione smiled.
“And then?”
Draconia’s blush deepened.
“I kissed him again.”
Victoria grinned.
“Of course you did.”
Draconia raised her chin.
“Well, I wasn’t going to let him have all the initiative.”
All four girls laughed. Eventually, Hermione asked the question that had been on her mind since the previous afternoon.
“Draconia, can I ask you something a little more personal?”
Draconia looked at her.
“Of course.”
Hermione hesitated.
“Why Alex?”
Draconia blinked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean ... you’ve met plenty of boys. Some of them very handsome, some from wealthy families, some who would have done almost anything to attract your attention.”
“That’s true.”
Georgina smiled.
“Remember that seventh-year Ravenclaw who kept sending you flowers?”
Draconia rolled her eyes.
“Don’t remind me.”
Hermione continued.
“So what is it about Alex?”
Draconia looked down at her tea. For a while, she said nothing. Then she smiled.
“That’s actually a very good question.”
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