Beyond the Bonds of Blood: The Threshold of Hope | Harry Potter

Mending the Distance

Bellarose stormed out of the Veil Circle's meeting, her mind spinning with frustration and hurt. She had expected some pushback from the others, but Pansy? Pansy's vote had felt like a knife to the heart. How could she betray her like that? Bellarose needed answers, and she didn't want to wait.

She made her way through the winding corridors of Hogwarts, her footsteps quick and determined, until she found Pansy leaning against the stone wall near the entrance to the dungeons. It was as if Pansy had been waiting for her.

"Pansy!" Bellarose called out, her voice sharper than she intended.

Pansy looked up, her arms crossed, her face a mask of indifference. But Bellarose knew her too well to be fooled. Beneath that cold exterior, there was tension, anger, maybe even something more.

"What the hell was that?" Bellarose demanded, stopping just short of Pansy, her chest heaving with a mixture of hurt and frustration.

Pansy's lips curled into a smirk, but her eyes betrayed her irritation. "What are you talking about, Bellarose?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Bellarose shot back. "Voting against me in the Circle? Really? You knew how much this meant to me, and you still..."

Pansy's smirk faltered, her eyes narrowing. "You think this is about the Circle? You think I care about some meeting and their ridiculous little rules?"

"Then what is it about, Pansy?" Bellarose asked, her frustration boiling over. "Because I sure as hell can't figure it out. One minute we're fine, the next you're voting against me, and now you're acting like nothing happened. What's going on with you?"

Pansy pushed off the wall, her body language tense, her voice sharper than usual. "What's going on with me? What's going on with you, Bellarose? Ever since Fleur came into the picture, it's like you've forgotten about everything else... about the people who've always been there for you. You're so focused on helping her, on impressing her, that you don't even see it."

Bellarose blinked, thrown off by the sharpness in Pansy's words. "Pansy, I..."

"And don't even try to deny it," Pansy snapped, her eyes flashing. "I saw you last night. In the garden. With her."

Bellarose felt her heart skip a beat. "What? You mean Fleur?"

Pansy's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Oh, you know exactly what I mean. I saw the way she kissed you on the cheek, how you laughed with her like everything in the world was perfect. You think I didn't notice?"

Bellarose's face flushed. "Pansy, that wasn't..."

"It wasn't what?" Pansy interrupted, stepping closer, her eyes flickering with hurt. "It wasn't what it looked like? Don't lie to me, Bellarose. You looked like you were having the time of your life with her."

"It was just a thank you!" Bellarose protested. "She was grateful for the help, that's all it was. I didn't even expect her to..."

"To kiss you?" Pansy cut in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, she did. And I saw it. And it makes sense, doesn't it? Fleur's gorgeous, she's talented, and of course she'd want to thank you in her own little way."

Bellarose blinked, taken aback, thinking for a moment. "You're jealous . . . jealous of Fleur?"

Pansy's jaw clenched, and for a moment, she looked like she was about to deny it. But then, with a frustrated scoff, she turned away, running a hand through her hair. "I'm not jealous," she muttered, though the lack of conviction in her voice was obvious.

"Pansy..." Bellarose stepped closer, her voice softening. "I never meant to make you feel like you weren't important. You're one of the closest people I have. Fleur... she's just..."

"She's just what?" Pansy whipped around to face her, eyes flashing. "She's this beautiful, perfect, enchanted girl who you can't seem to stay away from. You light up around her, Bellarose. Like she's the only person who matters."

Bellarose opened her mouth to protest but found herself hesitating, unsure of how to explain her feelings for Fleur when she didn't fully understand them herself. "It's not like that," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's helped me figure out things, about myself... but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about you."

Pansy's expression softened for a brief moment, but the anger quickly returned. "You don't get it, do you? You don't see how you've been pushing me away. I thought we were... I thought you trusted me more than this."

"I do trust you!" Bellarose protested, feeling the knot in her chest tighten. She took a deep breath, trying to express what Pansy really meant to her. "Pansy, you were there for me during my worst moments. When everything was falling apart, when I couldn't even face myself, you stood by me."

Pansy's expression softened, though uncertainty still lingered in her eyes. She crossed her arms, her voice quieter now. "Then why does it feel like you're slipping away? Like everything's changing, and I'm just... I don't know, watching it happen."

Bellarose stepped closer, searching for the right words. "Things are changing, Pansy. But not between us. You were there when things were at their worst, and only with you can I truly be myself. Not Anthony, not Luna, and definitely not Fleur." She paused, meeting Pansy's gaze. "You're the one who knows me best."

Pansy's shoulders relaxed slightly, though she still looked unsure. "It just feels like Fleur's been taking up all your time, all your attention... I hate feeling like I'm losing you."

Bellarose shook her head firmly. "You're not losing me. I've been trying to figure things out with the Tournament, with everything, but that doesn't mean I've forgotten you or us. You're the one I trust, Pansy. You always have been."

For a long moment, Pansy didn't say anything. Her eyes flicked away, staring at a spot on the floor as if she were gathering her thoughts. Then she let out a soft sigh and looked back at Bellarose, her voice less guarded than before. "It's just... I don't want to be left behind."

"You won't be," Bellarose said, her voice steady with sincerity. "We're in this together. Whatever happens, that won't change."

Pansy studied Bellarose for a moment longer, as if searching for any sign of doubt. Finally, she uncrossed her arms, the tension between them loosening. "Okay," she said, her voice softer. "But no more running off without me, alright?"

Bellarose managed a small smile, relief flooding through her. "Deal."

There was a brief silence between them, the tension softening but still lingering. Bellarose felt a flicker of relief as Pansy seemed to relax, her frustration finally ebbing.

Pansy shifted her weight, looking at Bellarose with a hint of mischief returning to her expression. "Alright, to make up for all this," she began, her voice a little lighter, "you're going to the Yule Ball with me. As friends, of course."

Bellarose blinked, caught off guard by the sudden demand. Then she smirked, a playful glint in her eyes. "I suppose I do owe you."

Pansy crossed her arms, her tone turning mock-serious. "You definitely do. And no backing out. You can't just run off with someone else halfway through."

Bellarose laughed softly, the weight between them lifting. "Wouldn't dream of it. But let's get one thing straight, you're the one making it up to me by not stepping on my feet the whole time."

Pansy rolled her eyes but smiled in spite of herself. "Please. I'll make you look good out there."

"Is that a challenge?" Bellarose raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe," Pansy shot back, a competitive edge creeping into her voice. "We'll see who survives the night without embarrassing themselves."

Bellarose laughed, the last traces of tension finally fading as they exchanged a light nudge.