"It's been an entire week –" Draco paces the room as Violet speaks to him from his bed. "– I mean an entire week should have been enough time for her to at least unlock the door and speak to one of us, right? Or am I just being insensitive?"

Draco and Violet have locked each other out this entire week as well. Ever since him and Astoria had burst into her dorm room, Violet found it weird to continue talking to him. However, Cressida has been worrying her and everyone else is choosing to ignore it and go on with their lives as if their friend isn't starving herself under them. Draco has been trying to talk to Violet through the whole week, during first period, during dinner. Sadly, Violet was persistent on staying out of his way and now she's here, sitting on his bed and ranting her entire week to him while he listens.

"I do think that it's unhealthy." Draco responds to her rant as he serves himself a glass of Brandy. "But people cope in different ways and I know Cressida since she was in her mother's stomach and she's strong. She'll get through this; you just have to let her."

Violet takes the glass out of Draco's hand and chugs it herself before answering. "You people are so complicated."

Draco looks down at her hand wrapped around the glass and he scolds her. She had completely forgotten about the ring. "Is that Theo's ring?"

"Uhm, yes." Violet closes her hand into a fist and hides it under her leg. "He gave it to me the day I arrived at Nott Manor. I have no idea why but he insisted."

A raged look takes over Draco's face and he just shakes his head with an eye roll. Ever since him and Theo became friends, Theo's word has always been insist because girls can't resist when he says it. He uses that word to get his way in or out of everything. That and his charming smile with his never aging hair.

Theo and Draco have always been each other's competition since the day the met. That's actually how they met, by arguing over who girls would rather pick. It wasn't until they realized how good they really were that hey decided to become friends and heart breakers all together. They've never done anything together the way they were with Violet the other week, but that doesn't mean it won't happen.

"Should I not have accepted it?" Violet guilts into the bed and feels her heart sink. "I can give it back if you want me to. It's kind of huge anyway."

Draco shakes his head and grabs her hand, sliding the ring back on. "Keep it. It's not my business to tell you how to live your life or what to accept." He takes a ring off from his hand and slides it onto her next finger, causing Violet to scrunch her eyebrows together. "Take mine as well. That way things are even."

She looks down at her hand now full of hers and both of their rings and she fakes a smile. It's not that she isn't happy but she doesn't understand why everything has to be a competition. Things won't change over a Quidditch ring, much less with Theo.

"Anyways." Violet shrugs it off and looks up at Draco. "What are you wearing to the ball? It's next week and I need help picking out an outfit."

Draco smiles, as though he's been waiting for her to ask him this question. He quickly turns towards his wardrobe and pulls the doors open before grabbing a hanger that's holding a white cover with something inside. "Take it –" he hands the heavy item to Violet and she lays it on her lap with confusion and curiosity. "– it's yours Violet. Open it."

Violet's lips curl up into a big smile as she begins to unzip the white cover and her eyes light up as soon as it's open. Inside, there's a red dress that is practically lingerie but in a fancy way. It's a red corset that stops at the hip and a red silk fabric that wraps around the neck and around the waist and falls down to the ground. All while leaving her breasts, shoulders, and a gap of her thigh exposed.

"It's very, showy." Violet laughs and pulls the dress out of the bag, holding it up to her body. "Do you want me to leave little to your imagination that night Draco?"

A laugh – that Violet never hears – escapes Draco's lips and he leans down to place a quick kiss on her lips. "Whatever you'd like to think I want. Think it." He whispers and pulls away from her face, only to take a seat next to her and stare at the wall in front of them. "There's a mask inside a red box and it's in your bedroom."

"You went in my room!?" Violet shouts and turns to face Draco with a gasp. "I knew letting you find out what dorm I'm in was a mistake."

"I think you should get going." Draco sighs and helps Violet zip the dress back up inside the plastic cover. He gulps and then says the reason. "I promised Astoria I'd have lunch with her today and she should be here any minute."

Violet feels as though the fun has been sucked out of the room by a tornado of emotions. Astoria. How could she forget that she's just a fun side piece for him while Astoria gets to be taken out on lunch dates outside of this castle. On top of that, she gets his last name lives with him when he's not at work.

"Of course." She frowns and stands up from the bed with the dress in hand. "I hope you have a great lunch date. With your wife."

"Violet don't do that." Draco sighs and tries to pull her back but she shoves him off. "Really? You're going to get upset with me?"

She turns around to face him and shakes her head with a straight face. "No, Draco, I'm not going to get upset with you. I can never be mad at you."

The reality is, she can be mad at him and she is right this second. She doesn't understand how he can be obsessed with her but still be with Astoria at the same time. He came onto her first with that kiss outside of her house. That has to mean something because it happened again at Nott Manor and he initiated both of them. Astoria can't be that special to him if he's willing to get involved with Violet the way he is. She just can't be.

Violet walks through the main corridor towards the Hufflepuff common room after leaving Draco's bedroom. The dress is in her hand and she's holding it as tight as she can because she's somehow afraid she's going to lose it. When both Draco sees her in the dress, he's going to freak, but so will everyone else. It's not really a usual dress that someone wears to an auction for wealthy families. It is hot though.

With a halt and screech, Violet stops in the middle of the corridor. Cressida is on the other side, eating a bowl of cereal as she walks in her pajamas back to her common room. Violet runs towards her and laughs in surprise.

"You're out!" She shouts and pulls Cressida into a hug, careful not to drop her bowl. "How are you? We've all been really worried."

Cressida groans and tosses her bowl against the stone wall, letting it crumble into dust. "I'm better. My mom and dad are both okay with my sexuality but I guess I was just bummed that I wasn't the one who let them find out." She wipes her lips dry and widens her eyes at the bagged dress in Violets hand. "What's in the bag? Something fancy, is it?"

"It's very fancy." Violet laughs and grabs Cressida's hand before leading her to the courtyard for some sun. They take a seat on a cobblestone wall as Violet begins to unzip the bag. "It's for the Auction Ball. I think it's pretty, right?"

Cressida's eyes light up as she takes the dress from Violets hand an examines it. "I feel like such a proud mom! This dress is so hot!"

It's good for Violet to see Cressida is back and finally happy again. The past week that she was locked in her room, breakfasts and dinners were so different. There was no one to complain about the horrid taste in clothing at school or about the ball. No one is like Cressida and it was just so different without her.

"So, what are you planning on wearing?" Violet asks as her and Cressida are zipping the dress back inside the plastic. She's positive that whatever Cressida is wearing that night, it's going to be way hotter than Violets.

"Elaine bought me a dress." Cressida smiles and looks down at her hands. "I think she likes my dad and I'm fine with that. She's really nice and she bought me the dress just in case I didn't come out of my room in time to buy one."

A wave of guilt rushes through Violet's body, bringing the memory of what happened in the office with Elaine, Theo, and Draco. She still can't get over the fact that she almost slept with her best friends father. Everything would have been worse if Violet didn't stop the entire thing. So much worse.

Violet nods and rubs Cressida's thigh. "Elaine is really sweet. I'm sure she'll be great if her and your dad do end up together."

"We'll find out tomorrow." Cressida laughs and wipes her happy tears. "Schools giving us an entire week of break for the ball. Well, it's a week plus tomorrow but still, are you coming to my house? We're having dinner with the Malfoys and the Zabini's. Even my mom and her boyfriend are coming, kind of weird."

Dinner with all the important families. Two of them which Violet kissed their fathers. She doesn't think that it will be a good idea to attend that dinner but she also has no where else to go. Of course, she has her flat to go to but she doesn't want to be alone in a strange home. This is why the next few words might or might not be the best words every spoken for this question.

"I will love to go with you guys."