Disclaimer: I don't own J.K. Rowling's world, I just like to play with her characters.
Author's Note: Written for lj's minuit_etoile at lj comm hp_wishes, for the prompt "You lay still in the grass all coiled up and hissing."; this line rolled around in my head for a week and wouldn't leave me alone.
Green
by Scribe Teradia
"Come to the wedding."
The words came seemingly from nowhere, and Pansy frowned without opening her eyes. She'd gone to a lot of trouble to secure the western-facing hillside for the express purpose of lounging in the sun of an afternoon, and she wasn't about to let anyone ruin it for her.
She frowned again when a shadow fell across her face, and the voice repeated, "Come to the wedding."
"Go away, Daphne." Being able to tell her friends apart by voice had been a terrifically useful talent in school, and it helped now in allowing her to identify her unwanted visitor without having to look at her.
"This isn't like you, Pansy." There was a rustling of grass, and the shadow moved, and Pansy repressed a surge of resentment that Daphne would dare to take up space on her hillside.
"Who says it's not?" she retorted, protesting out of habit even though she knew Daphne was right, the bitch.
"Come on, Pansy." Daphne sighed, and Pansy braced herself for the lecture she knew was coming. "You take off without a word to anyone and go to /France/, of all places, and here you are in the grass pretending to be relaxed and coy, but I know better. Inside you're still coiled up and hissing like the snake you are, trying to hide the hurt by keeping everyone at arm's length."
"I hate you," Pansy said, but it was without heat. "Why is it that you're the one who knows me this well?"
"Years of practice," Daphne replied. "This isn't like you, to give up so easily and without a fight."
"You'd rather I make a scene at your little sister's wedding?"
"She's doing you a favor, marrying Draco. Now you're free to live your own life, the way you always wanted."
"Do you really think I can?" Pansy opened her eyes at last, giving up the pretense of being bored and disinterested. "I burned a lot of bridges when I left."
"Some bridges can't be burned." Daphne plucked a blade of grass from the hillside, shrugging. "Come to the wedding, at least. It won't be any fun snarking on the poor fashion sense of the guests without you there."
Pansy raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to smirk. "Is the fashion sense of the wedding party off-limits?"
"Only when Astoria's within earshot," Daphne replied, smirking back at her. "Does this mean you'll come?"
"I'll be there." Pansy waited for Daphne to leave before allowing herself to think about the possibility of finally returning home.
The End