The Wonders of Witch Hazel

The Message Inside the Pouch

Pansy had never expected Neville Longbottom to help her. When she saw him step inside the Greenhouse, she thought he would kick her ass and tell her to get out. But he had been kind, kinder than she deserved.

The Carrows had played a nasty trick on her, hexing her left forearm until it was a pretty shade of red, according to Alecto. Pansy hadn't cried in the Death Eaters presence, nor had she when Daphne tried to soothe the skin with cold water and acne lotion. When Draco's charms, that had helped him 15 months before, had failed her she still hadn't shed a tear.

She thought about going to Pomfrey for help, but if she was not able to help the other students, the faces of some of the Gryffindors came to mind, how could the matron help her? She then thought about asking Slughorn, but she despised her head of house and was sure he despised her too. So, she resorted to searching through her notes until she found the healing properties of Witch Hazel

She snuck into the Greenhouse to look for the plant and when she failed to find it, the tears started falling, until everything came tumbling down. All the tears she had kept hidden. She should have taken her mother's offer and transferred to Beauxbattons when she had a chance.

But then Neville Longbottom helped her, giving her the twigs from the plant. Something that he did not have to do. From the state of his jaw, he and his friends could use it as well.

He had changed quite a bit. He was not the same chubby boy who in her first year had handled her a quill that had fallen from her bag, or the boy that in their third year had run across Hogsmeade to return to her a package of sugared butterfly wings that she had forgotten in Honeydukes.

Well, maybe he was the same boy, with the same heart and mind, but his body... The childish features were gone, and he was a man. Muscled but still soft, she could tell when he hugged her. Oh, yes, he held her as she cried. Pansy didn't enjoy people hugging her, but she hadn't felt safe in a long time, not as safe as she felt in his arms.

Three days later the skin on her forearm was as perfect as before the Carrow's hex. The skin was still sensitive to the touch, but the scarring had disappeared. If she had been alone, when she pulled away the bandage, she would have cried, but Millie was on the next bed, so she kept her tears at bay smiling instead.

She was so thankful to Longbottom, she just wished she could thank him in person, but she would not endanger them both by exposing them to the Carrow's wrath. He did that all by himself more often than she cared to notice. She did not want to cause him further, so she kept her distance. Sitting as far away from him during classes, sitting facing the wall on the Great Hall during meals

So instead she filled the cotton pouch he had given her, with toffees and a piece of parchment. Her gratitude note.

Thank you so much.

I followed your advice.

And the skin healed beautifully.

I hope you enjoy these.

Thank you.

Stay Safe 🌺

Pansy tied the pouch to the tree, discreetly, after a herbology class, and just hoped he would find it and read her message of appreciation.

The next time she was in the greenhouse, she noticed that the pouch seemed slimmer. She picked it up. The candies were gone, but inside there was a pansy flower and some parchment.

Very glad to hear that.

Thanks for the Toffees.

Stay Safe. NL.

The Slytherin Girl smiled, hiding the pouch inside her robes, and rushing to her dorms. She stroked the petals very gently until she decided to press it inside the pages of the book on her nightstand. Pansy would never forget how he helped her when she was at her lowest. Never.