A World for Millicent
"Merlin, Millie, how daft can you be? How could you do that?" Pansy screeched. "Just how thick are you?"
"I'm sorry—they tricked me. They said if I went down to the kitchens, I'd find out the secret location of—"
"Huh! And you believed the blood-traitor twins? Idiot! If all your friends jumped off the Astronomy Tower—No, don't answer that. For one, you don't have friends, not any longer; two, you're so stupid that you'd probably jump off the tower without anyone telling you to. Merlin, you're so stupid!" Pansy yelled, cutting her off.
Millicent stared at her feet, blinking as the tears stung at the corners of her eyes. She was not stupid, she never was. Honestly, they were all over-reacting. It wasn't as if she had let Potter's little club get away on purpose. When the Weasley twins had found her following them, they hadn't hexed her like she would have done had their positions been reversed. How was she supposed to know not to trust their kind words? After all, the twins were connected to her weak spot, in a way.
The tears threatened to plop down on her uniform, and she struggled to sniff back the snot forming in her nose. Why were they being so mean? None of them had managed to catch anyone either.
"Are you even listening to me?" Pansy asked, stomping her foot. "Or are you too stupid to even do that?"
"I wouldn't doubt it," Draco said, standing next to the irate brunette.
Draco's face wasn't as red as Pansy's, but Millicent knew better than to underestimate his cool facade. His dark, grey eyes flashed as she glanced up at them, revealing that he was just as annoyed, if not more so, than her best friend. Behind him, Vincent and Gregory nodded, and Tracey smirked.
Millicent couldn't not defend herself, however. Hiccoughing, she tried to meet their gaze and said, "I'm not- I'm n-not stupid. Even-Even my moth- my mother knows I'm s-smart."
More hiccoughs escaped her lips, and she hastily brushed away the now falling tears with the sleeve of her robe. Draco sneered at her, the very act of crying seeming to offend him, whilst Pansy tossed her head back with a laugh.
"Ha! You think your parents are dumb enough to believe that you're smart? You think they even love you enough to forget the number of Trolls you receive on a daily basis? What a laugh!" she said, laughing harder.
Vincent and Greg guffawed, and Tracey began to howl with laughter.
Pansy wasn't finished however, and gasping for breath, continued, "Your parents really loved you, didn't they? Keeping you after the abortion failed and everything."
Millicent's cheeks burned. She didn't know what abortion meant, but was sure it wasn't something good. Did Pansy mean the time her father lost all their money? Well, it didn't matter, anyway; they did love her!
The laughter continued, echoing around the corridor. Millicent couldn't be bothered wiping away her tears, her hair sticking to her wet cheeks. All she wanted was to get away from these people, to prove that she was smart.
Pansy stomped her foot a few times, wiping away her own tears. Then, her eyes snapping back into a fierce, icy glare, she said, "That's enough. Go and find a way into that room, Millicent, or I will make sure you're not only off the Inquisitorial Squad, but that I give you something real to cry about. Go on, off you go!"
Spinning on her heel, Millicent didn't need to be told twice. She took off at a sprint towards the fifth floor where most of Potter's group disappeared to—that much, at least, she knew—and ignored the way Pansy started laughing again, this time at the way her thick legs rubbed together.
She didn't stop running until she reached the large stretch of wall. As soon as she saw it, she bent down, clutching her stomach. Running never really agreed with her, stitches and muscle cramps often stopping her progress. The sooner she got away from them, however, the better. Once she was sure the stitch in her side had gone, she stood up, panting. Draco was sure that the main entrance to their hideaway was her. The only problem was, what was the password?
Looking at it, she shouted a few words she knew Potter would use, "Dumbledore! Scar! Snitch! Um, glasses!"
Unfortunately, nothing happened, leaving her to come up with more.
"Secret! Broom! Green eyes!"
Still nothing. Clasping her hands behind her back and sticking her tongue out, she began to pace. She thought she looked very intelligent, holding herself like that, and knew that anyone who happened to cross her would see that she was thinking.
Passwords… passwords… what nonsense would Potter come up with? Hideaway? Placeforasecretmeetingthatnoslytherincouldfind?
She paused as the sound of another pair of feet hitting the stone floor met her ears. Listening, she realised that whoever the feet belonged to was heavy; very heavy. The only two people in the school she knew were heavy were Vincent and Greg. Great, Pansy had probably sent the apes after her to make sure she was trying to get into the room.
Going to take another step, she halted, another thought striking her. Knowing Pansy and her sadistic tendency, she might've sent them to torture her instead. Screw this, she was better off in the safety of somewhere they wouldn't find, not here in the open. She looked up and down the hall, wondering which way to run. Whoever was running was coming in from the left, but she could easily slip past and take a staircase to one of the other floors. On the other hand, the right meant she would have a clear pathway. Ooh, why couldn't they just leave her alone? All she wanted was for once in her life to live in a world where she was accepted!
Thankfully, her decision was made for her. Jumping, she watched as the stone wall in front of her began to crumble away, a solid, wooden door taking its place. Yes! This was it, Potter's secret hideout! No—her secret hideout. Hearing the footsteps grow louder and her pursuer draw nearer, she ran forward, opened the door and fell through, sighing as it slammed closed behind her.
Dusting herself off, she stood up, looking around at the room. Well, at least she thought it was a room; there wasn't much of it. All four stone walls were painted white, the only colour in the room coming from the grey stone beneath her feet. Turning around, she saw that the door to the room had disappeared.
Was this Potter's secret hideout? What did they do here? If it was her hideout, she would have decorated it in the way she imagined a room should be. For instance, the floor would be covered in soft, blue carpet, just like his eyes.
Gasping, Millicent jumped backwards as the stone beneath her feet transformed from grey to a blue within a blink. She stared at it, mind whirring. Was she—was she going insane? Had Pansy hexed her in her earlier anger, and she was now lying unconscious somewhere in the castle? No, she was sure this room wasn't from her imagination. If it was, he'd have been standing next to her.
The room seemed to groan before a white table spat up from the floor. Millicent turned her head towards it, her heart beginning to beat faster. With slow, nervous steps, she walked over to the table, eyes on the matching white frame. She picked it up and a smile grew on her face. The picture showed herself and her crush, laughing as he swung her around on a patch of grass. Though she didn't recall having taken this photo, she clutched it against her chest, determined to never let it go. In her world, the boy would never hang out with the two twits he usually did, let alone shoot her looks of disgust whenever they passed each other in the hallway. No, he would recognise her beauty and brains, and cherish her for them.
With these thoughts, the room rumbled again, before a mirror sprouted up. Reluctantly, she put down the mirror and dragged herself over to it. Peering in, her smile became a wide grin. The image reflected back showed a young, sophisticated lady, brown hair swept back into a smooth up-do. Little pieces of gold and bronze shone through it, caught by the light of the crystal chandelier that now hung from the room's ceiling. Her teeth were a perfect row of white, her normally dull brown eyes sparkled, and her cheeks were defined. She was a vision of beauty, just like she had always imagined she would be.
Was this room a secret portal of some sort? Had she just discovered her secret wonderland—the real world that she knew always existed, but could never find? No, some things were missing. If it was her world, other parts of her life would be just as good.
No sooner had the thought left her mind did the room begin to rumble. Millicent's heart thumped harder, anticipating what the room—or her world, now—would produce. Large paintings slapped down against the walls, which were now a delightful cornflower blue. Looking around at them, she saw that they feature several portraits of her and her crush dancing at a ball, or playing in a park, or eating ice cream at the beach. Between them, pictures of her parents hung, their round faces smiling as their hands clapped her shoulder.
Several more little white tables also lined the walls, and as Millicent walked over to one, she saw a neat pile of parchment stacked on top of it. On the top, her most recently written essay on the uses of Expelliarmus had been marked. Her heart soared as she took in the large pink 'O' written neatly across the top, as well as Umbridge's comment, 'Another well thought out assignment, Miss Bulstrode.'
She knew she was smart! Wouldn't Pansy's smirk have disappeared if she saw that?
Thinking of the Slytherin girl, Millicent sighed. She didn't know how long she had been in the room for, but it had been late when she had entered. As part of the Inquisitorial Squad, she could easily get away with being out after curfew, yet walking around in the dark by herself wasn't something she fancied. Sighing again, she turned on her heel, smiling slightly as the door re-appeared to let her out.
In the hallways, the torch flames flickered, casting their eerie light across the floor. Millicent quickened her pace, wrapping her arms across her chest. Part of her yearned to go back into the safety of the room, yet the other wanted nothing more than to hide in the warmth of her bed. She was too busy dodging the shadows to notice the figure standing around the corner, arms also folded and feet tapping the pavement.
"Millie! Where have you been? Ugh, it's so typical of you to leave me standing here by myself."
Millicent jumped, looking up into Pansy's sneering face. The girl's eyes were narrowed, causing her to gulp.
"Well? Did you end up finding the entrance? Crabbe told me you weren't in front of the entry like you were supposed to be. Then again, you could've been; that boy's just as thick as you are," Pansy continued, giggling at her own little joke.
Millicent looked back at her feet, the reaction natural whenever she came across her friend. She'd love to see Pansy's silly smirk wiped off her face; maybe she would lay off if she told her that, yes, she had found the entrance to Potter's little clubhouse. The proper one, this time. Swallowing, she met Pansy's fierce gaze and bunched her fists at her side.
"I think I—"
"Merlin, Millie, how many times do I have to tell you? Do not try to think, dear, it doesn't suit you."
If this was her world, Pansy would be a much kinder person. Looking back to her feet, any thought of redeeming herself in Pansy's eyes left Millicent's mind. It wandered back to the room she had been in, where everything was as it should be. Would Pansy change if she entered it? Or, more likely, would the world be destroyed? Maybe it was best she kept the secret to herself, for now, even if it meant Potter's little group got away and Pansy continued to believe that she was some dumb oaf. At least she knew the truth.
Lifting her eyes up once more, she shrugged her shoulders. "Didn't see anything."
As she expected, Pansy huffed. "Ugh, of course you didn't. Come on now, before you do anything else stupid," she said, stomping off down the corridor.
Glancing back towards the hall she had come from, Millicent vowed to return to it as soon as she could.
Millicent hummed as she watered the pot plants, her heart light as she watched them sway to her singing. They had grown since the last time she had visited her world, transforming her little oasis into a jungle of sorts. More white furniture covered the room; all of it matching and ornate. Various trophies dictating Millicent's skill and academic aptitude sat gleaming in cabinets.
Everything was perfect in this new world of hers. She tried to visit every night when she could, sneaking in after Potter's little group left for the evening. Once or twice, she had hoped that Potter's friend would stay behind, and perhaps marvel at the world she had created. Posters of the two of them together still clung to the walls, whilst albums of their holiday adventures sat on different coffee tables among the greenery. The thought that he had been to the world and seen how happy the two of them were together, was enough to make her giggle. He never said anything in class, however, barely glancing her way, and it worried her that perhaps he didn't know how to break it off with the Mudblood he hung around.
Still, she would help him if he needed it, and then they could venture off together in this new world.
Once she was satisfied that the plants had enough to drink, she plopped down on a creamy white sofa. A book was lying open, and she eagerly picked it up, expanding her mind to its contents. Reading wasn't as hard as she had thought it was, at least not here. She could pronounce every difficult word she saw, almost as easily as she could write her own name. For example, she now knew that 'knight' wasn't pronounced 'kaynigget', nor was a pawn what she had thought it originally was. It all made sense, and soon she found she was beginning to understand how to play chess as well as a professional, as the book insisted its reader would. It was just as well, for the chess board she had imagined for her crush sat on the table in front of her, unused. If she could play the game with him when he came, rather than simply admire the cute horse pieces, the entire experience would be even better.
Millicent became so immersed in the chapter on tactics that she did not notice the door to her world forming. The door opened, and in stepped a student, blue eyes gazing around the tropical-style room. He took a step forward, spotting the girl reading.
"Bulstrode? What are you doing in here?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Millicent jumped, slamming the book shut. Swinging her head around, she stood up, trying to see the intruder. No, not intruder; this man had every right to be here. He had come, just as she had hoped he would.
Smiling, she walked over to him, flipping her silky braid over her shoulder. "Hi."
The boy gawked at her, blue eyes widening and mouth falling open. It made her heart flutter, the smile growing wider. He had noticed her transformation. She watched as his eyes scanned the world, drinking in its many features. They stopped at one of the paintings, and following his gaze, she laughed. That was her favourite picture of the two of them—it was of their holiday to France, the pair of them sword fighting in front of the Eiffel Tower with baguettes.
"Bloody hell!"
Millicent turned back to him. "I thought you'd like it."
The boy stared at her, mouth still agape. "What, what have you done—where's the Room of Requirement?"
"The what? Don't be silly, this is our world, our sanctuary. We can be together safely now, just like we've always wanted."
"Have you been sniffing Flutterby bushes again, Bulstrode? What are you—"
"Shh," Millicent hushed him, strolling forward with a smile on her face.
He was here, flesh and blood; Ron Weasley was here! Closing in the distance between them and standing on her toes, she cupped her hands around his glorious red hair. She studied the cute freckles splashed across his nose for a moment, trailing her eyes up to the dazzling blue pools of his eyes. She could go swimming in them; actually, they could go swimming together, later, in a proper pool. Her world was bound to have several heated pools.
Ron squeaked as she ran her hands through his hair once more, closing her eyes and leaning in. Her breath hitched as their lips met, butterflies erupting throughout her stomach. They flew around her slim middle as she felt Ron's hands claw at her back, her lips locking onto his as she deepened the kiss.
By the time they broke away, her chest was heaving up and down, and her lips were much too sore to smile. She did, nevertheless, grin at the boy in front of her.
Ron was staring back at her, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. It was almost a minute before he finally blinked. Raising the back of his hand to his mouth, he wiped it, spluttering.
"What the hell was that?"
"Wh-what?" Millicent raised her own hand to her mouth, huffing into it. Then, raising it to her nose, she sniffed, trying to see if her breath was alright. It didn't smell like the garlic she had for lunch; in fact, in this world of hers, her breath never stank.
Looking back to Ron, she saw that his eyes were narrowed and cold. They were nothing like the admiring, love-struck orbs she had always pictured.
"Yuck! Is this some sort of sick joke you Slytherins are playing? Well, ha-ha, very funny. Yes, I kissed the stupid bint, so amusing," Ron spat, the tips of his ears turning bright red.
Millicent took a step back, a hint of fear entering her heart. The Ron in her world never had a temper; in fact, no one in her world did. Everyone was kind and carefree, too relaxed to be anything but nice to her. Tears began to well in her eyes as the boy shook his head at her, his hand travelling back to his mouth and wiping it once more.
Around them, the room began to tremble, the walls making themselves known once more. Her perfect little world crumbled around her, the picture Rons pushing away the picture Millicents before the frames fell to the ground and shattered. The furniture began to vanish one by one, and the plants began to wither and die. The tower of successful assignments she had written flew upwards, the large pink 'O's flashing to 'T's before disappearing completely.
Ron had backed towards the door. With one last, disgusted look at her, he fled into the safety of the hall.
Millicent collapsed to her knees, watching as her dream world was destroyed. All it had taken was one kiss for her to wake up; one kiss to come crashing back down into reality.
A/N: This fic was written for several challenges on the Diagon Alley II forum:
1) The Fairy Tale Challenge
Classic fairy tale: Sleeping Beauty—Write about a dream world. Alternatively, write about a deadly curse that can be broken.
Optional prompts:
Dialogue: "If all your friends decided to jump off the Astronomy Tower—No, don't answer that." and "Your parents really loved you, didn't they? Keeping you after the abortion failed and everything."
2) Potions Club
Ingredient: Leeches—Write about someone who could be described as imbalanced.
3) Writing Bingo
Rare pairing prompt #86 Millicent/Ron
Word count: 3324 words
A huge thank you to Arianna Waters for betaing! I hope you all enjoy this silly little tale, and for those wondering, no, Ron did not tell anyone about the kiss. In fact, the minutes that he waited, he may or may not have enjoyed it... Hey, it could happen.