Disclaimer: It is not my intent as the author to claim ownership of any recognized characters and settings. However any unrecognized settings and characters as well as the plot belong to me.
A/N: This work is a figment of my imagination and should be treated as such. It is not real and I am not trying to convince you that it has or will happen. This may or may not coincide with the books, I am not interested in what JK Rowling has deeded to these characters, and if I was I wouldn't bother to write fan fiction. That being said, this story is rated M. Prepare yourself for mild-strong language, sexual content, slash, and adult themes. If you think you can handle said things then enjoy, if not, I hope one day that I will create something more suited to you.
Summary: In a world where nothing is as it seems, how can you expect the people in it to be as they seem.
You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you-Joseph Campbell
Spare Me
Thick smoke escaped her red tinted lips as her cobalt eyes scrutinized the area around her, these days it seemed like all she did was scrutinize. She preferred to fade to the back and watch the people and things that surrounded her on a daily basis; it was easier than being the center of attention. Easier than explaining why she was who she was.
"Spare a fag?" A hard familiar voice broke her reverie
She offered no verbal confirmation but held the pack out to him balanced between her long red talons. He accepted the pack, took a cigarette, and moved to sit beside her on the stone bench she occupied.
"Thinking about her still?" He asked, not bothering to clarify
"You know Dray, I shouldn't give the cunt a single thought at all. She doesn't deserve a place in my cranium or my heart" a flick of her cigarette and the tumbling of ashes followed her sour statement
"Strong words love" He nudged her gently "I know you don't mean them"
"But I do Dray" Pansy Parkinson lifted her head and met his eyes "I'm willing to give her the world and she spits in my bloody face"
"It's not that easy Pans" Draco Malfoy took another drag of his cigarette and squinted against the passing wind
"I asked her to run away with me" she expelled a bitter laugh "Can you believe that Dray?"
Draco returned her laugh, although less bitter, "I believe I've heard it all"
"I looked over at her in bed one night and I said, 'run away with me' like a pitiful love sick animal"
"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news my love but you are a love sick animal" Draco laughed and dodged a playful smack
Pansy dropped her cigarette butt to the ground and crushed it beneath her boot. She stood and shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her heavy fur cloak.
"I suppose you're right you bastard. I suppose you're right" She leaned down to kiss his cold cheek and made her exit toward the castle
Hermione Granger was no coward. She'd never backed down from anything before and she wasn't about to start now. Sure she was presently scared out of her wits, backing away from the sink in the loo like a live snake was coiled in the basin, but she was no coward. Her face was hot and sweaty and her hands were shaking to the point where she could not grip the doorknob properly. Her back was flush against the cold wood and her chocolate eyes were fixed on the glowing blue light surrounding the sink. A hard knock did little to shake her out of her panic but the soft voice that followed caught her attention.
"Herm? You okay in there? We've got to get down to breakfast"
"I'm fine Ginny, be out in a minute" Hermione finally exhaled and took a few tentative steps toward the sink
"I'll wait for you in the common room" Ginny took a last look at the door and headed down the stairs
Hermione picked up her wand with a still shaky hand, "Finite Incantum"
The blue light faded and the sink stared back at her, pure and white
She looked up at herself in the mirror and started to cry, life as she knew it was definitely over.
The great hall was always a sight to behold and today was no different. Hermione and Ginny made their way through the open doors and found their place at the Gryffindor table next to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, best friends and brother respectively.
"Think you could help me with my transfigurations essay?" Ron scooted closer to Hermione and pushed his bottom lip out in a pleading pout
"You can't possibly mean the one that's due tomorrow Ronald" She regarded him sternly
"Please 'Mione?" He scooted even closer smashing his left side against her right
"Fine Ron" She sighed "We'll go to the library before dinner"
"Thanks Hermione! You're the best!" Ron grabbed her in a tight hug and then went back to his mince meat pie
"Harry have you finished yours?" Hermione asked forking a piece of her own pie
Harry only smiled across the table, cheeks full of mashed potatoes, and shrugged
"I'll be seeing you too then" She reached for a plate of rolls and shot him a don't-test-me look
Harry loved Hermione. Not in a romantic sort of way but because she never changed, in this time of turmoil she remained strict about her studies and continued scolding everyone who wasn't. He smiled to himself, his good ol' 'Mione would never change on him.
"I do love you" She muttered staring down at her plain, dirty shoes
"Then why won't you let me take care of you? Let me love you! Let me buy you all the pretty things you want! Let me take you all over the world"
"Because it's not about pretty things!" She shouted, blue eyes blazing
"It's not about love either is it? You're not content with love! You have to have my head on a platter and my body on puppet strings. You knew what I was when you got in bed with me!"
"I knew you were a bitch. I didn't know you were stupid too" She turned and ran before the tears in her eyes made their way down her cheeks
"We're going to die" Draco mused lighting yet another cigarette
"Would that really be so bad?" Pansy swung her legs over the astronomy tower's ledge and let them dangle, her heels hitting the stone every few moments
"What are you down about now love?"
"To put it eloquently Dray, I told her that she knew what she was getting into"
Draco's melodious, seldom heard, laugh filled the air around them
"For a woman you certainly are daft when it comes to women"
"Up your arse Malfoy" She snorted and pulled another drag from her cigarette "She thinks I stopped smoking you know"
"Yeah, it'd be both our balls if either of them wandered up here right now"
"What am I supposed to do Dray?" Pansy looked up at the stars and blew smoke their way
"Stop trying to force her to let you do things. You want to shower her with love and gifts, do so. You don't ask a woman permission to love her…you just…love her"
"Who are you and what have you done with my Dray" Pansy smiled and flicked her cigarette into the atmosphere
He laughed and placed a cold kiss on her forehead "I love you…even if you are a bitch"
She returned his mirth and swung her legs back around to place her feet on the floor
"How long until dinner? " Pansy asked as she produced her wand to rid herself of the smoky smell she'd acquired
"Few hours" recognizing the look in her eyes he spoke again "Don't do anything stupid Pans"
"Me? Stupid? Why that's my middle name. Pansy Stupid Parkinson" She winked and sauntered out of the tower laughing
If Madam Pince had to shush Ron one more time Hermione was sure she'd make them leave
"Bloody hell Hermione" He continued in a shushed tone "Do you really think it's true?"
"It's probably a rumor mate, something to rile everyone up" Harry whispered back
"Ronald if Pansy Parkinson is…like that" She paused and looked around "wouldn't someone have seen her with a girl already? People don't just take a liking to their own sex overnight"
"Last I heard she had a liking for sex, her own or otherwise" Harry snickered
"Harry!" Hermione's harsh whisper halted his and Ron's laughter
"Let me see your essays" She held out her hand and snatched away the two parchments placed in her palm
"Please say they're okay. I'm bloody starving" Ron pleaded watching her face
"They're fine, we can head to dinner" Ron shot up and was at the door first eager to fill his aching stomach
Seated at their table, Hermione let her eyes wander over to the Slytherin table, when her eyes locked with his, he mouthed to her silently and she gave a very small nod signaling her understanding. Ginny hadn't yet shown up but just as Hermione began to wonder about her she rushed in red faced and flustered.
"What's wrong Ginny" Hermione was the first to speak when Ginny had chosen the seat across from her
"Detention with Hagrid, hard labor and such" Ginny waved off taking a sip of her pumpkin juice
"Hagrid gave you a detention?" Harry asked incredulously
"Oh no, that slime Snape, he just handed me off to Hagrid saying he had things of great import to attend to" Ginny said the last part in a spot on impression of the greasy professor
" 'imy 'it" Ron mumbled through a mouth full of pudding
Hermione reprimanded him for talking with his mouth full and Harry smiled.
A/N: This thing was like 59 pages on my comp but it looks so short on here. I wanted to write more but i like the ending here. A lot of things are made clear in the next chapter. Hopefully this one left you cloudy enough to come back and see what's next ;)