Anathema [Drarry Fanfiction] [ON HOLD]

Chapter 18

Opal and Quinton Wither were the only two left of the Wither bloodline — or everyone just assumed they were since their parents had vanished one night during first anniversary of the Potters death.

Before being admitted to Hogwarts, they were homeschooled by close family friends; one of those friends being the Parkinson's.

Pansy had never met them personally, but she had overheard her parents discuss them on several occasions — but from everything she had heard, it didn't make sense in how they would be wrapped up in this.

"Pansy?"

Pansy snapped out of her daze and was met with the soft worrying eyes of Hermione.

"Hermione" she smiled. "Is everything alright?"

"I could ask you the same thing" Hermione stated and took a seat.

The other's hadn't arrived yet, so it was just the two of them seated in their small group.

"I'm fine, 'mione" Pansy shrugged. "I'm just a little stressed about the exams... The year had hardly begun and they're already pestering us with notes."

Hermione nodded and sighed before picking at her oatmeal. "If you want, I could help you study?"

"I can't let you do that. Won't that take away your study time or something?"

"Don't be silly" Hermione waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "I always help Harry and Ron with their studies - or at least try to." She chuckled.

Before Pansy could turn down her offer, Ron strolled towards the table — his hair disheveled and his robes clinging lazily to match his tired aura.

"What happened to you?" Pansy laughed.

"T... sle... a... bla..." He mumbled and plopped down onto the seat across from them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that last part?" Hermione grinned.

Ron sent them a quick glare and gulped down a few sips of coffee; he knew pumpkin juice wouldn't be able to do the trick this morning.

"Hey, guys you'll never-" Blaise chirped until he saw the mess of a Gryffindor infront of him. "You didn't even bother to clean up, did you?"

As the conversation kept going, a few tables away the two new students had made themselves comfortable at the Ravenclaw table.

"Are we seriously still dealing with the Parkinson's?" Quinton groaned.

"Don't be like that, Quin" Opal shushed him. "They've been nothing but good to us our whole lives."

"I know... I just- I don't have a good feeling about this. And judging by the story Nott told us, it doesn't seem like Pansy is going to agree."

Opal sighed and nodded. "At least she still has a choice in the matter."

Quinton cocked his head to the side and looked at his sister with a questioning look. "What do you mean? We had a choice..."

"Did we really, though?"

***

"Harry, don't forget that we have astronomy tonight" Draco reminded as they entered the classroom.

"Don't worry, I won't forget" Harry sighed and rolled his eyes playfully.

"Okay, I just don't want to repeat what happened last ti..."

Before Draco could finish, his eyes trailed off to a red head seated in the crowd — and seeing her again sparked some old feelings back into Draco...

Doupt.

***

After school the group agreed to meet up in the library to finish their assignments and to begin studying for their exams.

Blaise and Hermione were searching the shelves while Pansy, Harry and Draco were seated at the table.

"Blaise, can I ask you something?" Hermione asked in a hush tone in order not to disturb everyone else in the library.

"Sure, 'mione" Blaise chirped, but his cheery tone quickly faded once he saw her furrowed expression. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is alright... Sort of..."

"Sort of?" Blaise raised a brow.

Hermione sighed knowing that she wasn't going to get anywhere from beating around the bush. "It's Pansy"

Blaise set the book back onto the shelf and glanced back at their table — Pansy was scribbling onto a piece of parchment and her expression was everything but calm.

"What about her?"

"Do you know what happened between her and Nott?"

"Not really..." Blaise sighed. "They were okay with each other last year; I guess something must've happened during break to change their attitudes towards each other."

"Maybe you should ask Draco" He suggested. "Him and Pansy usually spend a lot of time together during break."

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Blaise"

"Anytime."

Back at the table, Draco and Harry had noticed Pansy's nervous state. "Whoa, Pansy, if you keep scribbling like that you're going to tear a hole into the page" Draco chuckled awkwardly.

Pansy sent him a glare before taking out another parchment.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked gently. "You know we're always here to help if you need it, right?"

"I'm sorry" Pansy sighed. "This just isn't the kind of thing I can talk to someone-" her eyes gleamed as a thought crossed her mind, and she immediately started to pack up.

She couldn't talk to them about it, but she could talk to someone who already knew.

"I've got to go."

"Pansy, wait-"

~Meanwhile~

"Professor, we have a problem." Snape breathed out once he entered the office.

Dumbledore looked up from his desk, silently gesturing for him to elaborate.

"A letter from Malfoy manor" He stated. "They want to see Draco."

Dumbledore felt his chest tightening. "You don't think-"

"- I'm afraid that the time has come, Professor. Opal and Quinton have already arrived and Pansy is barely paying attention in class." Snape addressed. "It's obvious that he is recruiting; but this time it won't be rogue wizards, or any of the sorts."

Dumbledore sighed and walked over to the cauldron. "If everything that we have been observing for the last few years is true — Draco is not going to have a choice in the matter. He's not like the others."

"What do you suggest we do?"

"The only thing we can. " Albus stated. "Fetch Draco and Harry. We will send Draco home."

"Professor, Harry and Draco have become rather... Close over the last few weeks" Snape drawled. "Potter might ask questions."

"Let him."

"But-"

"Let. Him."