Beauty and the Beast

Witch by day, babysitter by night.

I woke up with a start. Another nightmare, and this time I couldn't run to Harry or Ron for help. I wonder if Luna was awake? I swung my feet over the side of my bed and walked over to the door. As I walked I pulled back my hair into a messy bun and slipped my shirt sleeve back onto my shoulder.

I closed my door quietly, trying to not awaken Pansy. But it seemed she was already awake. I heard sobs coming from her room and I couldn't just ignore them and continue by. I knocked on the door, "Pansy? Are you alright?" I asked as I turned the door nob and stepped inside the moonlit room.

Pansy was curled up into a ball on her bed. Blankets thrown around her. She was shaking and tears were streaming down her face. I rushed over to see she was still asleep. I wasn't the only one having nightmares. I gently shook her, "Pansy! Come on Pansy wake up! Its just a dream, it's just a dream..." I soothed as she bolted upright.

She looked me in my eyes, brown on brown. Her beautiful face was no longer the one from last night but a one with puffy red eyes and smudged mascara. I took her in my arms for comfort. Pansy stiffened under my touch, she obviously wasn't admitted to much physical contact and I felt sorry for the poor Slytherin.

"What happened in your nightmare, Pans? You can tell me in exchange for my own nightmare..." I said pulling back from the hug. Pansy sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve she looked me in the eyes and started to rock back and forth holding onto her legs.

I softened, it seemed that whatever was keeping her awake, was something she didn't want to discuss. "Come on Pansy. Telling wont hurt you. On the contrary it may help you." I said with a small smile.

"Okay. I'll tell..." Pansy said giving in. She took a deep breath and stopped her rocking. "It's about Draco and before the war. You might know by now that Draco went missing a few weeks ago, well I have this raising concern for him that someone must be doing terrible things to him, you know after all the bad things his done. But it wasn't his fault you know! It's his bloody fathers fault that he is in this messy situation in the first place!" Pansy was fuming and I felt terrible.

I always knew that what Draco grew up with could have been changed if his father had dismissed all those awful prejudice things about Muggleborns and Muggles. It was horrible to think that a boy had grown up without love or happiness and had been cracked and turned into some kind of minion of Volermort's.

I rubbed Pansy's back in comfort, telling her silently to go on. "And then all this shit with my parents before the war. I was pushed to meet 'suitors' so my parents could arrange an unchangeable marriage! Who would do that to their own daughter? Anyway, I got hit and everything for being bad. That's what all pureblood families do. Punishment if someone does something wrong. Draco.... Well, he has a lot to show. Lucius did a lot of damage on him."

Pansy took her head into her hands. "It's alright now. They are in Azkaban-there is no way they will do those awful thins to you or Draco ever again. I will make sure of it. " I said. Pansy shook her head, "thanks, Hermione. But, do you know how many people backed them all up when... He was still alive? What's to say they won't get out of Azkaban with help from those who did not get caught?"

I looked off. Pansy was right, all it took was one mole and the escapees would be gone. I had to send a letter to Kingsley. "With the DA still out there and all the people willing to fight back, I doubt they would get away. Relax Pansy." I comforted.

She gave me a small smile, "what about your nightmare? What happened? Are you alright?" She questioned. I took a shaky breath in. Luna and now Pansy. Could I trust her? Yes. Friendship starts with trust and ends with trust. I could do it. I can tell her.

"My nightmares are more of the present. Before I went with Harry and Ron to finish the job Dumbledore set us, I obliviated my parents memories of me and sent them to Australia so they could be safe from Voldermort. I found them after the war, hopping to restore their memories, but I couldn't do it- they were so happy. They adopted a child by the name of Annie. I lost it. I got so sad and depressed, I tried to keep around them and eventually got a job as Annie's babysitter." I explained. Pansy placed a hand on my shoulder.