I loved you since I was young - Draco Malfoy

Chapter 10 - just us Girls

The morning light pierced through the curtains, and Kate groaned as she awoke, nursing a pounding headache. There was no hangover potion and there was no Astoria. Strange.

Pansy, seated on her bed, wore an uncharacteristic silence. Even stranger.

Kate decided to ask a bit concerned: "Are you okay, Pansy?"

Pansy just muttered: "I'm fine. Don't want to talk." And kept staring at the wall.

Perplexed, Kate decided to leave Pansy to her thoughts. In the common room, she spotted Draco, surprisingly composed and sober. He was dressed in dark trousers and a white shirt with a gold watch.

Draco saw her and said smirking: "Rough night, Oze?" She just groaned, not being able to think due to the pain. Chuckling at her disheveled state, he handed her a hangover remedy potion, a rare gesture of goodwill. Their exchange was oddly civil, and he even mustered a smile. Tentatively, they agreed to meet for another lesson the next night at 10 pm. She was even looking forward to it. But the moment passed just as it dawned on her: 'oh God, I kissed Draco Malfoy again...'

......

In the bustling atmosphere of the dining hall, Kate joined Theo for breakfast. Draco, she saw was accompanied by his usual entourage of girls. He sat and watched them both from a distance, his gaze unwavering. Curiosity nagged at Kate as she wondered about the sudden change in Draco's demeanor. But Theo snapped her out of the staring contest she and Draco were having: "So, what's on your agenda for today?" "Not much, just the usual."

As their conversation flowed, Draco's persistent stares heightened. Then suddenly, Theo made an unexpected proposal: "How about a trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow? Just the two of us." He said as he looked away. He was hopeful.

A surprised Kate, despite a nagging feeling that said 'don't go', she thought, 'Why the hell not?'

"Sure, sounds like fun."

Draco, witnessing the exchange, reacted with unexpected intensity. Abruptly leaving the dining hall, he left Kate puzzled. But then she shrugged it off thinking: 'No, he can't be upset by Theo and I. He can't have even heard what we said – he was sitting just too far.'...

As the day unfolded, Kate noticed the absence of both Astoria and Blaise. Hmm...

.......

The dark cold corridor held an air of secrecy as Kate made her way to the dorm, only to be abruptly pulled against the cold stone wall. Strong hands confined her, and as she turned, she found herself face to face with Draco. He was holding her by the neck.

"What's the deal with you and Theo?" he asked.

"Why do you care?" she said more defensively than she expected.

"Just curious, Katy. You do know. I have my ways of finding out. I always do. If he touches you - I'll kill him," he said, using her old nickname, and she blushed, 'What is with this bipolar ferret?'

Kate's irritation only grew: 'Why is he acting like this? Does he hate me or not?' she thought. She demanded to know: "How do you even knew about my plans with Theo. We just made them 5 minutes ago."

Draco, unabashed, just admitted, "I used a hearing spell".

"So you invaded my privacy?"

"It's not like we're strangers to each other's secrets. There is nothing you can keep from me and you know thar," he breathed down her neck sending chills down her spine. She almost moaned. Almost.

"Are you bipolar, Malfoy? Sending weird mixed signals. One day you want me to hate you – the next I can't go on a date with another boy. I'm not your sister and I'm not your girlfriend."
Draco, unfazed by her comments, pinned her closer to the wall, one hand gripping her neck tighter now, "so... it is a date, huh," he stated.

Unwanted sparks ignited within Kate, a confusing mixture of defiance and arousal. Draco realizing his effect on her, smirking, released his grip and walked away smiling, leaving a bewildered Kate grappling with her own conflicting emotions.

.......

Entering the dorm room, Kate finally found Astoria, her excitement and anticipation palpable. Unable to contain herself, Kate bombarded her friend with questions "So, what happened with Blaise? Tell me EVERYTHING!"

Astoria was grinning ear to ear: "It was amazing! We talked at first in the closet for a few minutes and I thought nothing would be happening so I said if I were any other girl or if I were you, Kate, then he would have already be making out with me. Me – he won't touch. I was about to cry or try to leave when suddenly he kissed me. It was soooo good. Later we sneaked off to his room for more... intimate fun. He's a lot BIGGER than I thought, Kate," she said as she took a sip of much needed water. Hopefully Holy water.

Kate, overjoyed for her friend, felt a wave of happiness. However, Astoria's next words cast a shadow over her elation. Astoria narrated the passionate encounters (they fucked more, okay) they had shared throughout the day, but Kate's elation dwindled as she sensed Astoria's concern: "I think I might just be an easy hookup for him. He saw I wanted him and went for it. There were no feelings from his side..."

Kate, torn between her joy for Astoria and her own complicated emotions, was left pondering the complexities of relationships as the room held an unspoken tension. Then she just said: "I think somethings off with Pansy"... Astoria confused nodded. She had been acting weird all day - it was time to find her and so they both left the dorm.

Kate and Astoria, more concerned about Pansy's strange behaviour since mroning, embarked on a search through Hogwarts to find her. They finally discovered her after 20 minutes, she was huddled in Moaning Myrtle's haunted bathroom, tears streaming down her face as she had a dead look in her eyes. Panicking, they rushed to her side, desperately seeking an explanation. "Pansy, what happened? Why are you crying? Did someone hurt you? Did Draco say something to you?" Astoria asked as she kissed Pansy's hands looking up at her.

Pansy started shaking her head almost screaming: "No, no, no, no, I can't..... I CAN'T!"

Kate, realizing the urgency, grasped Pansy's hand as well, squeezing it gently whilst both girls kneel in front of her. In an instant, an eerie calm settled over Pansy, as if her emotions had been drained away. In the quiet aftermath, Pansy broke down, confessing a revelation that had shaken her to the core.

Pansy was teary-eyed when she finally got out the words:

"I think I like girls..." as she turned away - trying not to meet their eyes.

The shock on Kate and Astoria's faces slowly transformed into understanding and acceptance. They embraced Pansy, assuring her that they would support her through this newfound realization. Pansy, still overwhelmed, found solace in their shared laughter, a bittersweet melody echoing in the bathroom.

"We love you, Pan!"

........

Leading Pansy to her room, Kate, Astoria, and Pansy settled in for another heart-to-heart conversation. They delicately broached the topic, curious about Pansy's feelings and possible experiences.

Astoria finally asked: "Is there anyone you've had a crush on? Any girl who caught your eye before this realization?"

Without hesitation, Pansy uttered a single name that sent shocks through the air.

She whispered: "Granger."

A silence enveloped the room as the weight of Pansy's revelation settled in. The trio exchanged glances, realizing the magnitude of the unspoken truths hanging between them.