Brews and Braids

Chapter 6

After dinner that night, Pansy, Hermione, Draco, and Harry were walking together to the eighth year tower when McGonagall stopped them and requested to speak to Pansy.

Pansy crouched down in front of Hermione. "Hey, Mini. How about you take Draco and Harry to our room and show them some of your new stuff while I talk to the Headmistress? I'll be right behind you."

"Okay, Pansy!" Hermione grasped Draco's hand and Harry's hand in each of her own and began pulling them down the hallway. Pansy wasn't sure that Hermione actually knew how to get back to the common room, but between Harry and Draco she would be persuaded the right direction.

"I talked to Madam Pomfrey about your concerns," McGonagall told the teen, "She is apprehensive about using a Dreamless Sleep potion because of Hermione's age. She has the same apprehension about the charms she could think of that might help. Madam Pomfrey is going to conference with some pediatric medi-wizards from St. Mungos, but in the mean time, just try to ease her sleep in any way you can. I am sorry that I do not have a better solution for you."

"That's- That's okay, Professor. Thanks. Is there anything else?" Pansy was dismissed, so she left to join Hermione, Draco, and Harry in her dorm.

It wasn't actually okay to Pansy, but what else could she say to the Headmistress? They were wizards, and they couldn't come up with a better solution to a 4 year-old's night terrors than for Pansy to confine her arms and hope for it to end? Even knowing that the girl couldn't remember her bad dreams when she woke up, Pansy felt like she failed her charge. No child deserved a fear like that, even if it was only temporary. 

Pansy's train of thought was diverted as she entered her and Hermione's room to find a giggling Hermione and Draco and a drenched Harry.

"You were alone for five minutes!" she exclaimed, "What have you been doing?"

"Hermione decided to teach Draco here about muggle pranks," Harry answered drily. "Except this prank was just 'dump-a-bucket-of-water-on-Harry-and-see-how-he-responds."

Pansy quickly cast a drying charm on him.

"Nooo, Pansyyy," Hermione complained, still giggling with Draco, "You ruined it." 

Pansy wiggle her fingers at Hermione, then met Harry's eyes and twitched her head toward Draco. He nodded. They each dove forward with tickling fingers, Pansy toward Hermione. Hermione shrieked, squirming to try to escape Pansy's onslaught. 

When she finally escaped a several moments later, she vaulted into Harry, knocking him off of his perch on Draco's waist,  oblivious to the fact that Harry was no longer tickling and Draco no longer laughing. Pansy was not so oblivious, though. 

She picked up Hermione underneath the armpits, swinging her around once before putting her back down and sending her towards the bathroom. "Time to take a bath, Mini. We'll all still be here when you're done. Call if you need me."

As soon as the door shut, Pansy turned to the two boys, hands on her hips. "What was that?"

"What are- What are you talking about?" Harry said nervously, running his hand through his hair. 

"That. That little moment, or whatever, that you were having before Hermione tackled Draco."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Pansy," Draco said smoothly. He had a much better poker face than Harry. 

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me, then. But I'm not blind, and I'm not stupid." The boys avoided each other's eyes. "I saw that sexual tension. And now that I've said it, you should actually talk about it when you're back in the privacy of your own room."

Draco leaned forward, looking her in the eye. "Pansy. You act like I don't know all of your secrets, like a certain crush on one Hermione Granger."

She glared at him in response, her eyes flicking meaningfully toward an interested Harry. "Yeah, an eighteen-year-old Hermione," she whispered, "So that has nothing to do with what we were just talking about! In case you've forgotten, Hermione is currently four."

"I haven't forgotten, Pans, I'm just making a point. You may have accepted your Gryffindor side but I'm still a Slytherin through-and-through."

Luckily for Pansy, Hermione interrupted by bounding through the bathroom door in her pajamas, this time in with dragons actually flying around on the cloth. 

"Can you do my hair again, Pansy?"

Pansy turned around to face her, a smile on her face. "Of course, Mini. Go sit down, just like yesterday." She climbed on the bed behind the girl and started running the brush through her hair.

"So, Hermione," Draco said, "What's your favorite thing to do?"

"Oh, um, I like to help mum in the garden. She teaches me about plants. And I play pretend with my dad. We like to be dragons."

"Our friend Neville might take you to the Greenhouses and show you some magical plants soon, if you ask him," Harry told her.

"Magical plants? Can I ask him now?"

"We can at least go see if he's in his room, but let me finish braiding your hair first," Pansy placated

"You're doing twin tails, right, Pansy?"

"Of course, Mini," Pansy said aloud, mouthing to the boys don't ask. It only took a few moments for Pansy to finish Hermione's braids. "Up you go," she told the girl, "Let's go visit Neville."

Grasping Hermione's hand, Pansy led her into the hallway and to Neville and Blaise's door, Harry and Draco trailing behind them.

Pansy knocked solidly on the door. A thump was heard from inside the room before a shirtless Blaise opened the door a few seconds later. "Is Neville in?"

"Wow, Pansy, I'm feeling the love," Blaise drawled, "But yes, he's in."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Can we see him?"

Neville pushed Blaise out of the way, appearing in the doorway in his place. "Sorry about him. What's up?"

After a nudge from Pansy, Hermione looked up at the tall teen. "Hi, Neville. I'm Hermione Granger. I wanted to see if you could show me the-" she looked at Pansy questioningly.

"Greenhouses," Pansy whispered.

"-Greenhouses one day soon. I like plants a lot."

"Sure, Hermione. I can show you around this weekend, if that's okay with Pansy and my Professor. I'll ask my Professor tomorrow and let you know for certain."

"Thank, you Neville!" Hermione chirped, flinging her arms around the boys legs. Neville froze for a second, startled, before he returned the hug as best as he could from his angle.

"Just let me know," Pansy told him, as Hermione released his legs and the two girls turned to walk away. She looked back at him. "Oh, and Neville?" She said, her eyebrow raised meaningfully, "You're shirt is inside out." 

He blushed a dark red as Blaise shut the door in front of him.