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chapter nine

THE THIRD TASK grew closer every day, and Hermione Granger allowed herself to remain bitter towards Ronald in that span of time. She still spoke to Harry: he'd done nothing wrong, but blatantly ignored her redheaded 'friend' at all costs. This being said, she tended to avoid time in the common room, knowing it to be one of Ronald's favorite places to hang out, and instead spent her time amongst piles of books in the library, or recruiting new members for S.P.E.W. with Pansy.

Pansy. The Gryffindor had actually started calling her by her given name. And another shocking thing: she actually liked spending time with her. She was a funny girl, had funny stories to tell about her Slytherin house and Slytherin friends, something that honestly made them seem more like people and not the pricks she'd believed them to be. She learned Draco Malfoy had a sense of humor, Blaise Zabini still called his mother 'Mummy,' and Crabbe sucked his thumb when he slept. They were people with flaws. People.

This was a refreshing thought.

Together, the girls had recruited a total of five new members: all of whom were underclassmen, all cornered between classes or on the way back from meals — all people who'd joined unwillingly, but it still counted, dammit. Still, Pansy was the sole Slytherin member.

Not that she minded.

To be truthful, Pansy Parkinson loved it when Hermione got into arguments with Weasley. This meant that she had the Gryffindor all to herself, and that Professor Trelawney was wrong. She was wrong, dammit. And Weasley was so stupid; he was missing out on possibly the best thing that could ever happen to him all because he was a stubborn git, and Pansy didn't mind at all.

The girls sat together on a low wall in the Clocktower Courtyard one day after classes, kicking their legs back and forth as their feet couldn't quite reach the ground from their angle. Hermione had her nose in a book ( as usual ), and the black-haired Slytherin was watching a pair of Hufflepuff underclassmen playing an intense game of Gobstones.

It was peaceful. The sun was shining brightly into the courtyard: the trees were greener than ever before with summer coming nearer, and small blackbirds soared high overhead, their song playing melodically in the background. The temperature was comfortable: sunshine warming skin and a light breeze carrying the scent of flowers through the air. The girls were seated partially under the shade of a large tree, and Pansy found that she'd never felt more at peace than in that moment.

But then the peace was gone.

A sharp voice pulled both of the girls from their somber states and drew their attention towards one of the arches that led into the courtyard. An older Ravenclaw was shoving a Third Year roughly. "You're disgusting! I can't believe you'd do that in front of me."

The younger Ravenclaw whimpered softly, falling to the ground and curling himself into a ball as the older boy spat maliciously at him. "Boys aren't supposed to kiss boys!"

Pansy froze in her seat, her pale skin turning the color of ash. That little boy was just like her, and he was being abused for it; he was being kicked at, spat on, shoved at... and what could she do? She watched helplessly, dark eyes shifting sideways to see the appalled look on Hermione's face. But what was she appalled by, the homosexuality or the bullying? How would the Gryffindor react?

A particularly nasty blow hit the Third Year in the stomach and the kid cried out weakly. Pansy sympathized with his pain. "You've probably had queer thoughts about me, you little freak!"

She closed her eyes, helpless and yet unable to watch. Merlin, make it stop!

"Have you no shame?" A high-pitched voice rang out: a voice Pansy would recognize anywhere. She opened her eyes to find Hermione Granger standing between the crumpled younger boy and the elder Ravenclaw who stood a good foot or so taller than her. "Kicking that poor boy when he was down, a boy from your own house no less?"

"He's a queer," the bully spat. "He's no more a Ravenclaw than I am a stupid Gryffindor like yourself. Mind your own business, Granger. This has nothing to do with you."

"You bring shame to the Ravenclaw house, not him." She knelt down and offered her hand kindly to the young boy. She helped him to his feet and allowed him to lean against her for support. A part of his face was swollen and tinted purple, and he had a limp as he walked. "One of Ravenclaw's traits is acceptance, and yet you show none for this boy. And, beating him out here in the open? Merlin, for someone supposedly in the house of wisdom, you don't seem very wise."

The older boy was belligerent by now, taking a step towards her as if he were going to shove her as well. "I said, back off, Granger."

Her brown eyes met his evenly. "Make me."

He pulled his wand, aiming it directly at her. "This is your last warning, Granger. If you don't move now, I'll have no choice but to hex you."

"That's where you're wrong." Her tone was calm. "The choice is entirely yours as to what you do with that wand."

Angered by her refusal to back down, he twirled his wand and shouted: "Petrif-"

"Depulso!" Pansy was on her feet at the speed of light, and the Ravenclaw was soaring backwards and away from them. He landed with a thud in the archway, and Hermione stared at her in surprise, mouth open with shock.

"You-" before she could finish her sentence, the Third Year let out a guttural moan. He was in worse condition than the girls originally thought. Then, he collapsed. The girls fell to their knees beside him and cast a slicing charm on his pant leg, observing the swollen mass that should've been his ankle. "Ferula," Hermione muttered.

The spell worked like a splint for his ankle, and the girls shook him from his unconscious state and helped him regain his balance again. Then, they each took him from under the arms and helped him to hobble from the courtyard. As they passed their antagonizer, Pansy cast 'Immobulus' to be sure he didn't follow. They headed off towards the Hospital Wing as fast as they could.

————— ↯ —————

In Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione Granger found herself seated between Harry and an armrest as she studied for an exam in Transfiguration. Then, the portrait hole opened and Fred and George Weasley walked through, Lee Jordan fresh in tow.

"Hermione," Fred began. "Is it true Pansy Parkinson protected you from a Body Binding spell today?"

"It is." The brown-haired witch nodded, closing her book as she knew the twins weren't about to leave her alone. She glanced swiftly to their right, noticing Ronald had begun listening in from his seat in the far corner.

"But why? Why wouldn't Parkinson just let you get hit?" George queried, rubbing his chin in a mock sense of wonderment.

Hermione frowned. "Would either of you have let me get hit?"

"That's not the point, Hermione." Lee said. "Parkinson's a Slytherin, and you're you. What business does a Slytherin have protecting their biggest rival?"

"I'll bet they're up to something. Those little scheming snakes always are." Fred declared, crossing his arms. "Harry better watch out at his task next week."

"Who says they're up to anything?" Hermione spat, clinging to her feet defensively. She hadn't told anyone about her newfound friendship with Pansy, and she certainly wasn't about to either. "Perhaps the Slytherins aren't as bad as we all thought."

She trudged up the stairs towards her dormitory, throwing her books on top of her trunk and face-planted into her bed. Downstairs, the boys looked after her in confusion.

"Oh no Freddie," George claimed, watching as she stormed away. "They've brainwashed her!"

From his seat on the couch, Harry Potter remained silent. He'd watched for weeks as Hermione Granger snuck around with Pansy Parkinson on his map. He knew all about their friendship, but he wasn't going to be the one to break this news to everyone either. So, he remained silent and buried his nose in a book.