A Taste of Magic

Chapter 22: 22nd Course - Amends

"I still can't believe you did that," Parvati said as they walked to breakfast the next morning.

"You told her?" Harry asked with a smile.

"I was debating it but she apparently sniffed out the biscuits," Lavender smiled back.

"At least I didn't try to steal any," Parvati said as if she made a very large concession.

"No, you just begged for them, looking at them like Cokie does for treats," Lavender giggled. "But I didn't mind sharing. I had to bribe Hermione so she wouldn't tell on us."

"I wasn't going to!" Hermione protested. She sighed and smiled a little when Lavender and Parvati laughed. "I completely understood why you did it, even if it broke the rules."

"I know, just teasing," Lavender smiled.

"There you go, now you're loosening up a little," Parvati praised when Hermione stuck her tongue out at Lavender.

"You two are terrible influences," Hermione said with a teasing smile.

"I can say the same about you. I find myself reading for fun and working on homework more," Parvati said airily.

"You could blame that on Padma," Harry smiled.

"I'd never admit to that," Parvati laughed. She looked past Harry and Lavender and went still. "Uhm, Pansy's coming over."

Harry turned and opened his mouth but his jaw dropped. "Pansy, are you okay?" he asked, worried.

Pansy always appeared collected more often than not. Her school robes were always clean and well maintained and she wore other kinds of robes for when they met in club, fashionable and well-made. She never appeared anything less than what she called 'presentable'.

Today she was not entirely presentable. She had dark rings under her red eyes, her hair not done like it normally was, her clothes a bit askew. She looked nervous and upset, almost as upset as the time Harry found her crying in the alcove. Her eyes were red and she twisted a handkerchief in her hands.

"I am not okay," she said very quietly. She took a deep and shaky breath. "Miss Brown, I am very sorry for what I said yesterday."

Lavender and Harry stared at her and Parvati and Hermione exchanged a shocked look.

Pansy continued to speak, her words coming out in a rush. "I swear I was not directing those comments at you. Millie, Millicent and I grew up together and that's how we usually interact and it's something a lot of the families that we know do. I realize from an outsider perspective it looks mean and it is…a little mean and…" her voice faded a little.

She blinked rapidly. "I know how I treated you all at the beginning of last year was unkind and I never properly apologized for it and I wish to do that now," she babbled. "And I am very sorry Miss Brown and whatever I must do to make up for it, I swear I will do." She looked down miserably, and waited.

Lavender took a deep breath herself and let it out slowly. "I forgive you," she said quietly. "And I accept your apology."

Pansy's head shot up and she looked at the other girl. "You do?" she whispered.