A/N: Pansy and Hermione are Potions partners. Set in their later years at Hogwarts.
Submission for:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Astronomy Assignment #4 - Write about two characters who usually dislike/ don't associate with each other, working togther.
Open Category 4 Competition: Friendship
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
"You can't be serious, Professor," Pansy shrieked, slamming her hands on the desk as she jumped up from her stool. "I will not be working with that, that- her!" she said, correcting last word upon her teacher's glare.
"Professor, I would gladly work with anyone else-" Granger began.
"Miss Parkinson, Miss Granger," Professor Snape said, speaking above the bushy-haired girl as he steepled his fingers. "The two of you will be working on this potion together, whether you like it or not. Miss Parkinson, your grades have been unfortunately dismal in the last few weeks, and as much as I am loathed to admit, Miss Granger can help you to improve." Then he added with slight smirk, "Now, if there are no more complaints, please get started. You're already behind everyone else."
Granger made a small squeak before she darted to the Potions closet, leaving Pansy to sulk at her desk. Daphne gave her a teasing smile before she moved to sit beside Tracey at the next table.
Pansy rested her head down on the table and sighed. She knew her grades were falling. Ever since she had gotten that letter from her father, she had been unable to concentrate on anything. And it wasn't like she could talk to anyone about it. Slytherins were such cold and nosy people. If she ever told Daphne or Tracey, it would spread all over the school by lunch.
"You know, you could have been setting up the cauldron while I was gone," the bushy-haired girl said in her usual know-it-all tone as she dumped the items in her arms on their table.
Pansy frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't need this stupid Mudblood telling her what to do. She had more important problems than a stupid cauldron.
The girl sighed before she walked away, returning quickly with a pewter cauldron and setting up the apparatus. "So what kind of help did-"
"I don't need your help, Granger," Pansy spat.
Granger frowned. "According to Professor Snape, you do, or we wouldn't be in this situation," she said, pointing between them. "Now, the sooner we get through this, the sooner we can go our separate ways and never speak again."
Pansy scoffed, reluctant to agree that the girl was right, as usual. If they moved quickly, then they could leave early, and Granger was known for always finishing before everyone else.
Wordlessly, Pansy reached for her knife and the three gurdy roots on their table. Granger gave her tense smile before she turned towards their text. "We need to cut to those into slivers and add them after the shredded dried plums."
"Then get to it, Granger," Pansy said, passing the small, wrinkly fruit across the table.
They sat in silence as they chopped their ingredients, Granger watching the boiling liquid in the cauldron and intermittently stirring and adding smaller ingredients to keep them on track. However, this allowed Pansy's mind to wander back to the letter. Her father had been invited to dine with the Dark Lord himself at the end of this month, something that was considered an honour among her circles, but Pansy didn't feel that way.
"Parkinson..."
For so long, her family had stayed out of the Dark Lord's reach, their only involvement including funding in dire consequences. But now, he wanted more, and since the Parkinsons only heir was a girl, her father was being summoned.
"Parkinson..."
She knew what happened to Death Eaters who faced the Aurors and she didn't want her father in any danger. However, she also knew, if her father managed to stay safe, she would eventually be called on, despite her gender. There were female Death Eaters, after all, and-
"Pansy!"
"What, Granger!" Pansy cried, her knife clattering out of her hands onto the table.
Granger bit her lip before she said, "Those gurdy roots are getting too fine."
Pansy looked down and saw that the large white roots were nothing more than the width of whiskers. She groaned before placing her face in her hands. Now she was going to fail another potion and-
"Ah!" she screamed, when she felt something touch her shoulder. She looked up to see Granger's hand hovering over her. "What are you doing? Don't touch me. I might get infected."
An annoyed look crossed the girl's face a moment before she asked, "Are you okay, Pansy?"
"I'm fine," Pansy said, leaning away from her. "Why wouldn't I be? It's not like I have anything to worry about."
Granger sighed before she rummaged through her bag. "If you say so. Here," she said, handing a white cloth to the dark-haired girl. "For your eyes. They're kind of smudged."
Pansy grabbed the cloth, dabbing around her eyes to see that she had indeed messed up her eyes.
Granger took the shredded gurdy roots. "And this isn't a complete waste. We just have to add three drops of vanilla instead of two." She added the powder to the cauldron and began stirring, before she said, "And you know, if you want to talk about it, I'll listen."
Pansy let out a little laugh. "You wouldn't understand, Granger. These things don't happen to your kind."
Granger shrugged as she busied herself with reading their text. "Maybe, but it's always nice to talk to someone about things. Everyone needs a friend sometimes."
Pansy looked over her shoulder at Tracey and Daphne who were giggling and whispering behind their hands as they watched the other students work, then she looked back to the bushy-haired girl she was working with.
"Thank you," Pansy muttered, sitting a bit straighter to read the text with her.