don't bring flowers.

chapter 4.

Author's note: Thank you to all who have read and those who have reviewed so far. I have ideas as to where to take this fic, but I'm not sure whether they are substantial enough or not. Still, this is my favourite entry so far. Hope you all enjoy!

The night began to come to a close but Pansy still had some unfinished

self grooming to attend to. Spending the entire day in a court room left her feeling tense and in need of some pampering. The interviewing had run smoothly after the little debacle. Odette Childe seemed more fascinated in the intricate details and code of conduct of the Slytherin house rather than Draco. Pansy certainly didn't mind. In fact, she felt so pleased that she agreed to meet Roger for dinner the next evening under the condition that it wasn't actually a date.

She mulled over the events of the day while immersed in bath water. Her

parents had left the house to attend a charity ball, but gave Libby clear instructions to prepare dinner for Pansy and draw her bath. She even included the rose scented potion that Pansy liked. She closed her eyes and stretched out her legs as far as they would go. Muscles relaxed to show their delight in her action. Just as her eyelids began to droop, a voice was heard that jolted Pansy out of her resting state.

"Pansy... Pansy... Pansy I need you..." it was unrecognisable to her, but still very audible. Startled, she sloshed about in the water, dazed by how someone appeared to be speaking out to her without being present in the room. She heard the mysterious voice utter its last words. "Pansy save me, I need you to come back." Something about the voice made her eyelids close as though she was being calmed in some way, if only for a second. Making a grab for the towel on the floor next to her, she pulled herself out of the water and draped the fabric around herself. She twirled around, defenceless, secretly hoping that someone in particular would be standing behind her, giving her that message. The thought of that gave her an idea that almost made her slip over her feet in shock.

"Libby! Libby you come in here this instance." She called out to her house elf as she re-entered her bedroom. Almost immediately, the creature was at her feet and waiting patiently for some sort of instruction or explanation.

First on her agenda was the dithering Pansy. She hadn't bothered to dry herself properly and was pacing up and down her floor in a demented manner, muttering under her breath. "Miss Pansy!" Libby squeaked in worry. "Must you wander around like that? You will catch a cold." With a flick of her wrist Libby managed to shut the windows. That didn't help much.

Pansy's bottom lip quavered when she responded and goose bumps were visible on her skin amid the water droplets. "Someone spoke to me just then. I think I know who it was." She started to comb through the knots in her hair with her fingers. Her thoughts drifted back to the odd spiritual moment in the bath tub. "I definitely wasn't dreaming about it." Libby didn't seem too convinced and that distressed Pansy even more. "Ugh!" She screamed. She threw her towel down on the floor in annoyance and started to pull on clothes left out for the next day, not right now. Soon after her little strop she was wearing a pink sweater and a pair of dark blue corduroy trousers.

Libby disapproved. "Miss Pansy," she spoke with a stern voice like she did when Pansy misbehaved as a small child, "you are supposed to dress in your pyjamas, eat your dinner and then stay in your room. Just like your parents ordered!" She stretched to appear taller, not being used to taking the superior role. Pansy usually did what she was told. "Miss Pansy, stop tying your shoelaces and listen to me!" Libby bellowed. Instantly Pansy moved her hands away from the boots she leaned over. She never liked being yelled at. This time made her cry. The small elf shuffled towards the crying girl and placed its hand on her knee so that she didn't have to reach upwards to comfort her. "Please don't cry Miss Pansy." A tissue appeared from her pinafore which was used up straight away.