Poison Ivy || Draco Malfoy

8 - Pansy's Sound Advice

"Did you know Draco was a Death Eater?"

My question was directed at Pansy who was sat on my bed, busily applying purple nail varnish to her toes whilst I packed my trunk for sixth year.

"Darling, no one knew," she said, scoffing derisively. "He sulked the entire year, refusing to speak to anybody; thought he was too good for the lot of us now he's working for You-Know-Who."

"It didn't sound like he had much choice, though," I said sadly, as I removed my Quidditch robes from the wardrobe, my heart giving a small pang as I wondered if I'd ever play alongside Draco again.

Pansy looked up at me sharply, the varnish brush hovering just above her big toe.

"You don't still have a thing for him, do you?" she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "Need I remind you that he's my ex-boyfriend; sisters don't do that. And besides, Ivy, we may be Slytherins but we do not mix with Death Eaters. Mummy and Daddy are already freaked out that I was ever involved with one. They are terrified that the Malfoy's bad reputation will somehow taint us because of it."

"Of course I don't," I said quickly, turning away so that she couldn't see my face. "I was just observing that he didn't seem very happy, that's all."

"Probably because he was a shit shag." Pansy muttered bitterly. "Honestly, the last time we tried to do it he couldn't even get it up!"

"I thought you said you didn't like doing it anyway?" I pointed out, as my stomach gave a nauseating twist.

"I didn't," she shrugged. "But once we started, it was the only thing he seemed to want to do."

"Oh," I said, not being able to decide whether to push for more details or ram my hands over my ears and run from the room.

"Perhaps that's why we drifted apart," Pansy continued wistfully, "because he couldn't do it anymore."

"Umm, wasn't it because he lost his father to Azkaban and then was forced to become a Death Eater?"

"Whatever," Pansy shrugged, moving her attention back to the varnishing of her toes, "either way, it's over and I for one am relieved. I can't be doing with all that dark emo shit."

"Do you think you'll find someone else?" I asked, feeling relieved that Draco was firmly off her radar at last.

"Not with a school kid I won't!" she scoffed. "Mark my words Ivy, teenage boys suck. All they think about is sex and war; they don't give a flying fuck about anything else, least of all you. No, when I meet another man I'm going to make sure that he is super rich and too old to care about where his dick goes."

I think my sister was probably onto something there.

*****

The mood on platform nine and three quarters was sombre to say the least.

Everyone looked utterly terrified; parents hugging their children longer than they usually would, the frown lines of fear etched on their faces at the knowledge that they were sending the most precious things in their lives to a school run by a murdering Death Eater.

And on top of that, he had brought in the Carrows to teach Muggle Studies and Dark Arts; both classes which were now mandatory to take.

"At least we know they won't lay a finger on you girls," Mum said, trembling slightly as she pulled both Pansy and I in for a hug at the same time. "Just promise me you'll keep your heads down and stay out of their way."

Dad frowned down at us, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm, maybe it wouldn't hurt for me to send an owl to Severus reminding him of our blood status."

"Oh Merlin, don't embarrass us, Daddy!" Pansy spat. "Of course he knows our blood status. Ivy and I will be fine. It's those filthy Mudbloods who need to watch their backs."

"Pansy, mind your language!" Mum scolded. "You know how I feel about you using that offensive term."

"On the contrary, Jemima," Dad said, raising an eyebrow at Mum, "perhaps it wouldn't hurt for the girls to be heard supporting the Dark Lord's-"

"I can't believe what you are suggesting, Penley!" Mum gasped, horrified. "I will not have our children saying such words. We are a respectable family and therefore we conduct ourselves in a respectable manner."

"Come on, Ivy," Pansy said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed my arm and started pulling me towards the train. "Let's get on before it leaves without us."

"Please look after one another, girls!" Mum called after us.

"We will!" Pansy yelled as I turned to give my parents a parting smile.

Pansy and I went straight for the Slytherin compartment and I couldn't help but feel the rush of disappointment when I realised Draco was not there.

"Do you think he was right about not coming back this year?" I tried to ask as casually as I could as we sat down at our usual table.

"Well he did spend the entirety of last year plotting to murder the headteacher," Pansy scoffed, "I'd say they generally look down on that sort of behaviour."

"Yes, but the person that did actually murder Dumbledore is now the new headteacher," Blaise pointed out. "So I say anything goes."

"Oh hell, this is awful," I quivered, feeling a sudden wave of unexpected tears spring to my eyes.

I couldn't help but panic about what terrible things Draco was being forced to do. Did no one else see him like I did last year; how broken and afraid he had been?

"Cheer up, Ivy," Pansy sighed, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. "You can't be glum on your birthday, and your seventeenth at that!"

"Dude!" Blaise said, his face lighting up as he turned to grin broadly at me. "Happy seventeenth, girl! You're officially an adult now!"

He held up a hand to me and it took me a second to realise he wanted me to high five it, which I did, awkwardly.

I didn't feel that jubilant to be turning seventeen. Not only was I still a virgin, but I'd hadn't even experienced my first kiss yet.

I was such a loser.

Even Ginny had a fair few under her belt, and I'm pretty sure she and Harry had done it before he dumped her and went on the run with another girl.

But there was only one guy I ever wanted to kiss and he, as Pansy had reminded me, was out of bounds.

And it looked liked he wasn't even going to be at Hogwarts this year anyway, I thought sadly as the seat next to Blaise remained empty.

The train journey was its usual long and boring journey, so about halfway, I decided to go in search of Ginny and Luna.

I was halfway down the train, peering through compartment windows, when the sight of one particular compartment made me freeze.

Sitting inside all alone, was a white-blond haired boy, staring morosely out of the window at the scenery rushing past. He still wore the same, haunted expression he had carried around the previous year, but with it this time was a look of utter resignation.

My hand hesitantly hovered over the door as I contemplated opening it. Clearly, he wanted to be alone otherwise he would have sat with us. But then again he looked so incredibly lonely that it literally made my heart ache.

In the end, I decided to leave him be. What would I have said, anyway? He never showed anything but disdain towards me in the past, apart from that one time he helped get me on the Quidditch team.

So, casting my eyes downwards, I walked on.

What I didn't know, was that the instant I turned to move away, silver grey eyes flicked upwards, piercing the spot intently where I had just been.

*****