chapter thirteen

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THEY SAT THERE, on the steps outside the Great Hall, the first place they had ever sat together and talked. The night of the Yule Ball seemed so long ago now, thinking back upon everything that had happened. Today was the day that the students of Durmstrang Institute and Beauxbatons Academy were due to leave Hogwarts, and the Hogwarts students were in turn meant to leave the following day.

Two girls, one adorned in scarlet and gold, the other in silver and green: two separate bloodlines, two separate pasts, but one undeniable secret held between them.

"You know, I believe the night of the Yule Ball was the first time I realized I was in love with you." Pansy claimed suddenly. They'd been sitting in silence so long, far too focused on one another's breathing than actual conversation. Because they were both breathing; they were both alive, and they were here, and it was okay.

"And there I was just thinking you were being nice." Hermione said, sending a smile towards her Slytherin comrade. The black-haired girl laughed: the first time she'd done so in a little over a week now.

"Being nice isn't in a Slytherin's vocabulary. We always have an ulterior motive." She revealed this fact, eyes lazily watching the students who moved past them on their way to wish farewell to the other schools or wherever else they had to go. They were quiet again for a moment, and then Hermione saw him: the Third Year Ravenclaw, Henry. The boy she and Pansy had saved, more alike them than she'd ever known, and he was holding another boy's hand – a Hufflepuff, and they had the happiest grins on their faces imaginable.

She reached forward and took Pansy's hand, and the pale-skinned girl held it comfortably. A smile spread across her face. Hermione's voice was even with the next words she said. "Where do we go from here?"

"Wherever you want."

The brown-haired girl frowned. "You know that's not what I mean." In response, her hand was squeezed.

"We don't have to figure everything out now, Hermione. We've got the rest of our lives to do that... or what's left of it, I guess, what with the war coming and whatnot."

"You really think there'll be a war?"

"Harry says that He's back. There has to be."

Hermione frowned. "And you believe him?"

Pansy eyed her quizzically. "Don't you?"

"I do," the Gryffindor trailed off. "But if-"

"When."

"When the war comes, whose side will you take? Your parents' side, or mine?" Pansy released her hand suddenly, and clambered to her feet. At that exact moment, Draco Malfoy walked around the corner with Crabbe and Goyle in tow, and Daphne Greengrass on his arm.

"Pansy, I've been looking everywhere for you. Blaise has just told me what's happened to you!" Then, he noticed the Gryffindor. "Granger."

"Wait, what do you mean what's 'happened' to me?" The dark-haired girl asked, not giving Hermione a chance to respond to Draco's taunts. "Where's Blaise?"

"Oh, how terrible! She's got herself a case of stolkholm syndrome!" Daphne cried dramatically, throwing her arms around her dorm-mate. Draco frowned pitifully at his friend, and even Crabbe and Goyle showed signs of sympathy for her.

"He took advantage of you, Pans. He's been taking advantage of you this whole time. He's just admitted it. He's at the headmaster's office now, awaiting expulsion." Draco explained, stepping forward to wrap his arms around her as well. Hermione watched the exchange with confusion.

Pansy remained stiff as a board. "He what? No, Blaise didn't take advantage of me! If you're referring to the night of the third task, I took advantage of him. But we didn't go beyond kissing, and I initiated everything! Oh, you can't let him be expelled. None of this was his fault!"

The Slytherin ran off, her group trailing after her. The Gryffindor stood there, extremely confused and concerned. Pansy had kissed Zabini? On the night of the third task? How had she missed that? She ran after them as well, but was stopped by Harry and Ron.

"Hermione, come on! Beauxbatons is getting ready to leave." Ron explained, pulling her along with them towards the Entrance Hall. As their grips on her were stronger, she found herself pulled along helplessly.

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As the Beauxbatons carriage rolled away with their single-malt-whiskey drinking horses, the students of Hogwarts and Durmstrang waved dramatically. The Durmstrang students were due for departure at any moment, but Igor Karkaroff, the headmaster of the school had yet to descend the steps with Professor Dumbledore.

Hermione's eyes peered around the open area, desperately trying to find the group of Slytherins who'd run off with Pansy mid-conversation. And then, she found them. But it was too late. Blaise Zabini was being escorted between the headmaster and Professor Snape, head hung shamefully as he was led into the middle of all of the commotion. Behind the headmaster and Slytherin's Head of House, a hoard of teachers walked, all with disgusted looks on their faces at the dark-skinned boy. Pansy was crying out, trying to capture someone's attention — anyone's attention.

"On this day, I, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, with the approval of Severus Snape and the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, expel Mr Blaise Zabini from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for disorderly conduct."

"Wait!" Pansy pleaded, and finally, Professor Snape turned around and glared at his student.

"What is so important that you must disrupt this expulsion ceremony, Miss Parkinson?" He snapped at her. Blaise's head snapped up at the sound of Pansy's name. She caught his eye, and sighed his name.

"Blaise is innocent." The black-haired girl had tears in her eyes. "You've got it entirely wrong. He never touched me!"

"He admitted to everything, Miss Parkinson." Dumbledore claimed.

Draco Malfoy stepped forward, placing a hand on Pansy's shoulder. "You can't honor her word anyway, Professor. She's clearly suffering from stolkholm syndrome. He harassed her, he deserves to be expelled. Strip him of his magical ability and cast him to the muggle world."

"Let go of me, Draco." She ripped herself from his gasp and took another bold step towards he headmaster and her head of house. "Blaise is innocent, I swear it, Professor. He doesn't deserve to be expelled, I do."

"And how do we know that what Mr Malfoy says is untrue? The cards are entirely against him." Professor Dumbledore asked.

With a shaky breath, Pansy declared, "because I'm gay. Because I like women, but I was upset with the person I'm in love with, and so I forced Blaise to kiss me. He never wanted any of it." She directed her attention towards the aforementioned boy. "And he's stupid for trying to say that he did."

There were audible gasps all around the Entrance Hall. Hermione's eyes widened.

"If what you say is true, Miss Parkinson, we have much to reconsider." Dumbledore claimed, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Would you care to step into my office so we may do a follow-up with this newly attained information?"

"With pleasure." Pansy consented, and then raced forward to take Snape's hands away from her best friend. She clutched either side of his face, forcing him to meet her eyes. "You idiot, Blaise. You absolute idiot."

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