NINE TOLD YOU SO

     The Slug Party wasn't necessarily the worst social event Xander had attended at Hogwarts. The Yule Ball wasn't so great considering he and Diana had just sat in chairs and watched people dance for most of the night. Initially, Xander had been asked by Draco but apparently he had only been joking which was kind of a bummer, but at least he got to go with Diana. She was mainly pissed because she wanted Parvati Patil to ask her, but she ended up going with her sister, Harry, and Ron. Still, they had fun on their own like they always did. That was pretty much what they were doing now since all anyone wanted to talk about was what they were doing over the holidays or how they were doing in classes. It was small talk, Xander knew this, but oh how he hated it. For as prestigious as this was supposed to be, it really didn't seem to be all that impressive.

"Why are we here again?" Xander whispered into Diana's ear as they observed the other students that were present. Luna was wearing a dress that the boy found absolutely fantastic, but that was about the only interesting thing there. "Like, what's stopping us from just... leaving?"

Diana giggled next to him, smacking him gently on the side, "Don't be rude, Xander! We're here because we're invited and we're nice people! We've been going to school with these people for five years, I'm sure we can find something to talk about. Oh, Hermione! Cormac is looking particularly fetching tonight, isn't he?"

The girl turned around to face Diana with a fearful look in her eye as she whispered to the two of them, "He keeps trying to snog me and I don't know how to tell him I'm not interested, so I'm off to go hide, don't tell him, please!"

Xander chuckled lightly to himself as he said, "Your secret's safe with us, go find shelter."

Hermione giggled before she ran off to do exactly that and Diana shook her head as she took a sip of the drink that was in her hand. "I hate when men just can't get the hint."

"Like how Justin has no idea you've been in love with him for the last year?" Xander teased the girl, offering her a pointed look as he raised his eyebrows. He knew the girl would hate him for the remark, but he couldn't resist it. He really was sick of watching her pine for a boy who wasn't even worth her time, but if he told her that she would probably punch him for trying to tell her what was good for her. He would probably deserve it, too, but in his defense, he just wanted to see his best friend happy. Xander knew Diana would always be happy with him, but there's nothing worse than the fear that a crush is unrequited.

"I'm gonna kill you, why would you bring that up? I'm reaching for my wand as we speak," her hand didn't move as she threatened him which only made it more entertaining. "Seriously, though, at this point, I ought to just tell him how I feel, but where's the fun in that?"

Xander shrugged, running his fingers through his messy dark hair, "Oh, I dunno, maybe a fulfilling relationship? Could be wrong, though."

Diana was about to respond, but the conversation was halted with an exclamation coming from the entrance of the room, a familiar snobby voice shouting, "Get your hands off me, you filthy squib!"

Filch entered the room, dragging none other than Draco Malfoy by the collar into the party. Xander would be lying if he said he wasn't just a little entertained by the sight of Draco Malfoy being pulled around like that. Considering he had threatened Xander hardly a couple of hours ago, it was a nice thing to see.

"Professor Slughorn, sir," Filch spoke, "I've just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party."

Xander snorted at this, knowing damn well that was a lie.

Still in the grip of Filch, Draco admitted, "Okay, okay, I was gate-crashing! Happy?"

Snape stepped up to the front, saying, "I'll escort him out."

The blond tore himself free of Filch's grip, regarding Snape as he muttered, "Certainly... Professor."

Xander narrowed his eyes as they left the room and he already knew that Diana knew exactly what he was thinking as the girl scoffed, "There's nothing suspicious about that, cut it out. Just because it's Malfoy doesn't mean there's something going on."

"But he was lurking," the boy marveled as he watched them go. In a split-second, he made his decision, "I'll see you back in the common room."

"I hate you," the girl muttered as the boy left the party -- it's not like anyone was going to miss him anyway. He tip-toed down the hallway where Snape had taken Draco before hiding behind the corner to see if he could pick up what they were saying.

"Maybe I did hex the Bell girl, maybe I didn't. What's it to you?" he heard Draco say and Xander felt sick to his stomach as he remembered the frozen expression of utter horror on Katie's face as she hung in the air. Could Draco really be behind that? Katie still hadn't returned to school -- last Xander heard, she was at St. Mungos. He shivered at the thought.

The next voice heard was Snape's typical drawl, "I swore to protect you. I made the unbreakable vow--"

Something shifted next to him and Xander jumped, fearing he had been caught. Next to him, Harry Potter pressed a finger to his lips as he shushed him. Ah, so they were trying to achieve the same thing. Interesting. Then again, Harry and Draco always had it out for each other.

"I don't need protection!" Draco's voice cried out, cutting Snape off, "I was chosen for this! Out of all others. Me! I won't fail him."

"You're afraid, Draco," came the professor's voice again, "You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you--"

"No! I was chosen! This is my moment!" Malfoy said before the voices grew faint and Xander realized they were leaving.

Once they were gone, Xander turned to Harry, "Do you know that the hell that was about?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, I've got an idea. I saw Malfoy at the Three Broomsticks the day Katie got hexed and now he all but confesses. Have you been following him, too?"

"Are you following him?" Xander asked with a bewildered expression, "I mean, I know he broke your nose, but stalking is a little extreme."

"You realize that you're stalking him, too, right?" Harry questioned, furrowing his brow at the boy. Xander had very few conversations with Harry over their years of schooling together, but apparently, they both had an infatuation with Draco Malfoy so at least they had that in common. It might be a fun topic of conversation for the two of them one day.

Xander scoffed, "Yeah, but I'm stalking him because I care about him. You have malicious intent, I can feel it."

"I think he's working for Voldemort," Harry spat out and the boy immediately shook his head, "No, Xander, listen. I don't care if you two are friends or whatever --"

"Not whatever! I really think we are friends!"

"Whatever, he's not a good person. The package he gave to Katie wasn't meant for her, you know, it was meant for Dumbledore. That means someone is trying to kill him or at least incapacitate him. I think Voldemort's put Malfoy up to the task since he's already inside Hogwarts."

The boy whined, "Dude, stop saying You-Know-Who's name, it freaks me out! There's no way in Hell, what, you think Draco is a death eater now? We're like sixteen, none of us are death eaters!"

"Look, I know he's your friend," Harry started, but Xander was having none of it.

"No, no, don't pull that shit, Harry. You might think you're right about everything just because you're the one who almost dies every year, but I think you're a horrible judge of character. Draco is... misunderstood. Yeah, that's the word I'm gonna go with."

Harry rolled his eyes, "When he tries to kill Dumbledore again, don't say I didn't warn you. I'd reconsider the company you keep, Xander."

With that, Harry walked away and Xander scoffed as he muttered to himself, "Why is that the second person to tell me that today? What is so wrong with my friend choices? Sheesh."

Shaking his head, he walked back to the party where he caught Diana just as she was leaving. He didn't even have to ask for her to explain, "It started smelling like puke after Cormac barfed on Slughorn, just kinda... overtook the whole room. Kind of a party killer. Anyway, find out anything about Malfoy?"

Thinking about what he had overheard and the conversation with Harry, Xander didn't know why, but he couldn't get the words of the truth past his lips. Instead, he shook his head and muttered, "Ah, no, no, nothing. You were right."

The girl frowned at him, but didn't say anything about it, all she offered was, "Told you so. Come on, let's finish packing."

Diana: you're an awful liar

Xander like three chapters later: imma lie to u real quick