The Paths We Take

Chapter 18- Breathe Again

"Wait, it's just about to break, it's more than I can take
Everything's about to change
I feel it in my veins, it's not going away
Everything's about to change"

War of Change- Thousand Foot Krutch

Chapter 18- Breathe Again

Pansy stood in the door frame of the chambers Harry had previously stayed in, while trying to hide the fear brewing within her stomach as she watched Theo and Ron plead with the mother Malfoy. It was amusing to say the least and so far, no one in the room had noticed her, so she continued to observe the comical scenario. Although her eyes kept drifting to a certain raven-haired wizard, who looked torn between laughing at the predicament and being utterly annoyed with the desperate appeals.

Ever since Thorfinn had mentioned that she and the Gryffindor might like each other, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about it the entire way back to the bedroom. Question after question ran through her mind and she had no idea how to sort them all out. It troubled her that she couldn't figure out if she was actually starting to fancy the Savior of the Wizarding World or if she was only thinking about it because it was brought to her attention. It wasn't as if she didn't like Harry, she enjoyed his company and was happy he was even willing to be her friend after everything they had been through. She didn't want to destroy it all based off of one man's suggestion because she knew that if she broached the topic when they had just recently become friends, the Golden Boy might think she was barmy and stop speaking to her. Not to mention that her Slytherin friends would criticize her ruthlessly.

However, she couldn't help but wonder if she was simply lying to herself about how she really felt due to her desperate need to be wanted, and accepted, by her peers and by Draco Malfoy. She was in love with the blonde, or at least she thought she was, even though it was blatantly obvious to everyone that the Slytherin Prince would never feel the same. Nevertheless, Harry had made her feel happier than Draco ever had and now, thanks to Rowle, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't look at the raven-haired wizard the same way. With her arms crossed as she leaned on the frame of the doorway, she bit her bottom lip while she studied her male Gryffindor friend.

Harry had removed his glasses from his face and rubbed his eyes as Theo and Ron continued to beg Narcissa for various pieces of luxury items to take with them back to Hogwarts. He then threw his head back in frustration before feeling like someone was watching him and replaced his glasses before looking to the door out of instinct. Noticing he had seen her, Pansy uncrossed her arms and warmly smiled while weakly waving to him. Harry grinned from ear to ear before quickly walking over to her, taking her hand, and pulling her out into the hall.

"Thank Godric you showed up!" he chuckled, though never freeing his hand from the Slytherins'. "I was losing my mind in there. I thought Ron was intense when it came to haggling but damn, Theo is one savage negotiator."

"He gets that from his father" she giggled softly. "Next to Blaise, he's the best salesman of our group. Not as good as the Weasley twins...I mean...twin..." she frowned while releasing Harry's grasp on her and fiddled with her fingers. "Anyway" she feebly smiled while glancing up, "a-are you still hungry? I think Keesy may still be in the kitchen..."

"Yeah!" he beamed while trying to ignore her small correction about the twins. Placing his hands in his pockets while pointing down the hall with his head, the pair began to make their way to the kitchen in an awkward silence. Once they made it to their destination, Harry flicked his wand and turned on the lights in the dark room. "I guess she went on break..."

"It's only noon" Pansy stated as she looked around the large empty space.

"Maybe because we are supposed to be going back to Hogwarts, Mrs. Malfoy told her to not worry about lunch?"