The Game - Pansmione

Chapter Three

"RON, PLEASE! JUST LISTEN TO ME!" She screamed as he backed away from her even further.

"NO HERMIONE! YOU KEEP GOING ALONG WITH THIS 'END RIVALRY' NONSENSE. YOU'RE JUST AS CRAZY AS HARRY AND GINNY! AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO BEFRIEND THE PEOPLE WHO KILLED FRED AND ATTACKED MY BROTHERS!" Hermione's heart beat in her throat as she realized that she had never taken the time to recognize what this must have felt like for Ron.

"Please..," She whimpered. The tears streamed down her face now in rapid succession. "I just want us to be okay."

Ron's angry demeanor didn't change but his tone lowered. "I just need a minute." And he walked away without looking back, leaving Hermione to cry in the middle of the hallway and just as she was rapidly wiping at her tears, the last person she wanted to see rounded the corner of the hall.

"Granger?" She said but Hermione was surprised to find none of the usual lilt, or teasing in her voice. "Are you alright?"

Hermione opened her mouth to say 'yes' but another bought of sobbing had her leaning against the wall, chest rising and falling rapidly. Pansy came closer. Her hair had grown longer during the summer, now ending past her shoulders in layers. "I take it, you're not." And without another word, Pansy Parkinson dragged Hermione from the wall.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as they had made it past the third staircase.

"Room of Requirements. It must have what you need to feel better." Said Pansy as though it were obvious. Hermione didn't have the energy to object, so she let herself be dragged inside the room and positioned against the couch. Pansy sat next to her, tapping her hands on her knees.

"So..uh, do you want to talk about it?" She prompted.

Granger nodded after a couple of minutes. "Ronald's mad, really mad."

"Because of..this?" Pansy didn't know how else to describe what was happening because they had never landed on the term friends and she wasn't exactly sure if they were even anything close to acquaintances but the word 'this' had her scratching her neck nervously. She felt like a caged cat about to be told off.

Hermione nodded, her curly hair shaking. Big brown eyes stared up at her as she spoke again. "He thinks that Harry and I—being..okay with you and Malfoy is some sort of betrayal." She gulped. "I-I don't want to offend you, Pansy but you did say I could talk to you, right?"

"Right."

"You've been really nice and from what I've heard from Harry and Ginny, Malfoy has been too. I just don't understand why you would go through the trouble when you didn't want to fight by our side in the war and I think that Ron has that idea overtaking his brain more than anyone. His brother was killed." She closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. "His brothers were injured. I can't imagine what he feels. I just wish that he could see past it but sometimes he makes me question even myself so what I think I'm asking is..what's in it for you? Can you convince me this isn't some plot? Because if you can—then I might be able to open his eyes. I-I want to."

Pansy didn't know what to think at first except look down at the floor and apologize profusely but then she realized that the apologizing would be no use without reasoning. "There's..something in this for me, yes. Being a good person. I want to be that. I've always wanted to but the way that our parents-mine and Draco's raised us..it was almost impossible. In the war, I doubt you were paying much attention but I had a moment where I realized that if I was going to die, I was going to die fighting for what I believed in. So I did just that. My mother was angry when she found herself body-bound on the grass alongside my father but what really solidified my decision was when Draco switched to your side. I thought that if I disappointed him in choosing the good, I would loose my best friend but as it turns out, we both hated who we were.

I know it doesn't change how awful we were but I want you to realize that those actions were of kids seeking their parents' approvals. If we didn't behave—I don't know what Draco faced but I would have the beatings of my life, Granger. It's why I was so mean to you. You had it all. The fame, the glory, the family, the friends. God, I even found myself wishing I had your confidence when Draco turned up with a broken nose. There's no amount of correcting that will bring back people's families, but I want to make sure that wherever I end up, I don't repeat my mistakes and that I can inspire people to do the same ..I know that sounds dumb."

Hermione smiled, lightly. "That doesn't sound dumb at all." Her hand found Pansy's laying on top in comfort. "It sounds amazing. And if anyone can do it, it's you but you have to show people. Not just me, not just Harry. Not just the people you think you have wronged but everyone. I'll even help if you are truly serious about this, Parkinson."

Pansy felt her shoulders relax and a smile takeover her face. Hermione brightened visibly. "I am. And I..think I am going to need your help in learning how to be a good person."