Author's Note: For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season Two/Round Twelve, as Captain for the Caerphilly Catapults, writing a mix up of Snow White with Harry Potter characters. Also, for the If You Dare Challenge, prompt 763. Snow White.
x x x x
The Last Poison
(AU. Snow White Daphne gives seven "dwarves" seven poisons for the evil queen, Pansy. Her magic mirror tells her that only one will succeed—and it turns out to be the one that makes the queen need a kiss. But from whom?)
x x x x
Once upon a time…
There were two Slytherin girls.
One was Daphne, the one with big dreams that she'd do anything to achieve. She wanted to change the world—but she'd need people to listen first.
One was Pansy, the one with all the friends and no real goal to speak of. She wanted to be admired, maybe feared—but she wasn't sure for what.
x x x x
Daphne had a plan. She was the one with the goal, she was the one who needed the friends. And she could just win them over from Pansy. (Pansy, who made them so easily, who somehow charmed everyone.)
Daphne'd consulted her mirror.
"Magic mirror on the wall, how do I get what I want most of all?"
The mirror told her to brew seven potions, each causing a different ailment that would make its victim's friends run scarce.
Daphne did.
"Only one will succeed; but they'll make your enemy concede."
Daphne was smart enough to not give Pansy the potions herself. She gave one to each of her seven selected house elves, and had them in turn slip their potion to Pansy.
x x x x
On the first day, her first elf put the first potion into Pansy's pumpkin juice.
Nothing happened.
On the second day, her second elf put the second potion in Pansy's soup.
Nothing happened.
x x x x
As this continued, Daphne again consulted the mirror. "Magic mirror on the wall, how long is it until my enemy will fall?"
The magic mirror told her she wouldn't have to wait long.
Daphne's stomach turned.
x x x x
More days passed. Daphne wondered about her plan. She wondered about the potions.
Mostly, she wondered about Pansy Parkinson.
x x x x
On the seventh day, her seventh elf put the seventh potion into Pansy's drink.
And Pansy collapsed to the floor.
It was quite the sight in the Great Hall—Pansy froze as she swallowed the potion, and then toppled backward, flipping over the bench, her goblet spilling and then being tossed aside.
Daphne looked a little bit down the table and tried to pretend to be uninvolved in the commotion, uninvolved in the panic. It had been the last one—she knew that this was it. And it was a very interesting potion.
Pansy couldn't wake up until she got a true love's kiss.
And who would be the true love of someone as evil as Pansy?
x x x x
Time passed.
Daphne didn't get caught.
Pansy didn't wake.
Her friends had no interest in Daphne.
"Magic mirror on the wall, when will I be loved by all?"
Soon, promised the mirror.
x x x x
Meanwhile, Pansy dreamt. She dreamt of power, she had nightmares of her fall, and she dreamt of everyone she had left behind in the waking world.
Mostly, she dreamt about Daphne Greengrass.
x x x x
Daphne thought that Pansy's friends were her friends, too, and that it would be a simple transition for them. But they missed Pansy. Pansy with her charming smirk and snark.
And, maybe she was insane, but—
Daphne did, too.
x x x x
"Magic mirror on the wall, who loves Pansy most of all?"
x x x x
Daphne was wrong. Her plan had been wrong. She couldn't take Pansy out of the picture to gain influence; she had to use Pansy's influence. She needed Pansy back. For a lot of reasons.
Pansy was misguided, but Daphne wasn't, Daphne had the plan, Pansy had the support; if they were together and had both—
Well. Then they'd be powerful.
x x x x
Daphne gathered her nerve and hurried down the hall.
It was late; there was no one in the hospital wing, but she snuck in easily.
And there was Pansy. Peacefully-sleeping, beautiful Pansy.
But maybe that was just in Daphne's head—had she envied her all this time?
Daphne crept over to Pansy's bed. She saw the other girl sleep quite a bit in their dormitory, and now she hadn't for quite a while.
Daphne lingered by the bed.
x x x x
Minutes later, she leant over, and pressed her lips to Pansy's.
Pansy's skin was cold, and the one-sided kiss seemed long before Daphne felt herself being kissed back. Her heart rate picked up; her breathing grew a bit more unsteady.
She drew away quickly; Pansy was awake, and, while she seemed smug about Daphne kissing her, she wanted answers.
Daphne gave her the old answers, and the new ones, talking until Pansy stopped her, and this time it was with a proper kiss—warmer as though it finally had a spark.
"Took you long enough to figure it out," said Pansy.
What?
"That you fancy me, too."
x x x x
After that, it was Pansy and Daphne against the world. Together.
Daphne got Pansy to want to fight evil; Pansy got Daphne her influence. And there were plenty of true love's kisses in between.
Many things in their story weren't conventional, maybe, but it was all theirs—and that was enough for both of them.
"Magic mirror on the wall, what's the fairest love of all?"
The mirror only smiled at the two girls.
… they all lived happily ever after.
THE END