Pansy knelt on the floor, her expensive skirts sticking to the polished wood where the scarlet river had touched it, flowing from the body of her husband. Her green eyes flicked around the massive room nervously, thinking of the stilled corpse, already taken to be disposed of, continuing to bleed out from the curse it had been hit with. She had never seen anything like it; slashing the man she had been forced to wed like he was nothing more than a cow taken to slaughter.
Where had he learned something so evil? Pansy sighed.
Closing her eyes briefly and swiping at a stray tear that threatened to fall, she felt the sticky smear of iron on her cheek. When she opened her eyes once more, she cringed at the sight of her crimson hands. Where was her wand? She needed to clean up this mess. Pansy pushed herself shakily from the floor, shedding the heavy skirts in the process, and made her way toward the oak desk at the center of the room in search of the fallen cherry wood.
Her eyes scanned her husband's things, and snorted at the sight of the headlines for that days Prophet. "Marriage Law Successful?" the bold letters read, below it an article in favor of the forced unity. She rolled her eyes.
Some success her marriage had been! Forced into loveless matrimony with a man that had looked at her with disgust, and had abused her any chance they had alone. She still bore the bruises upon her biceps from where he had shaken her just a few nights prior.
No, Pansy didn't think they were a success at all...
"Pansy?"
She startled at the sound of her name, turning her eyes to meet the gaze of beautiful hazel ones in the doorway.
"It's done, his body is gone."
Pansy stared at the man, blood splashed across his sweater, and began to tremble and whimper.
What had they just done?
"Pans," he made his way to her side, "shh, darling." Pansy felt strong hands on her shoulder, turning her to face him. He loomed over her, and when she turned her face away from his, he gently coaxed it back.
"I know you're terrified," he spoke, eyes dancing, "I'm bloody terrified too, but it had to be done. You know that, don't you?"
Of course she did. If she had to spend one more night locked away with her husband's constant belittling and abuse, she was quite certain she would have ended her own life. She nodded her head, though she felt her eyes fill to the brim with salty tears.
"Oh, love, please don't do that." He kissed her chastely, "Pansy, please don't cry. We have to move. We have to go. They'll be here soon and..."
"Where did you learn that curse?" She interrupted him.
"Where did I...Pansy, we need to leave. Now isn't the time, love."
"No, I know," she worried her bottom lip between her teeth, "I just...I'm covered in blood."
A fat tear rolled down the apple of her cheek before the rough pad of his thumb swiped it away. Gently he placed a hand on either side of her face.
"Sectumsempra, created by Snape and taught to me by Harry. I had never seen it done before, though I knew what it would do. I knew it would kill him."
Pansy searched those deep pools and saw no evil, just pure want and justice hidden behind the most beautiful shade of light brown she had ever seen.
They were the same eyes she had fallen into madness with awhile back one drunken night at the Leaky whilst mourning their forced hands. Neither had expected their fling to last longer than the night, but when she had still felt his warmth inside of her for days to come, she knew it wasn't so simple. What had ensued was a whirlwind affair written for the ages. He had been her escape. His arms had been the safest place in all the world, and her cries echoed through the halls of the manor on nights she was kept from him by the cruel man they had just murdered.
"Now, let's clean you up."
He pulled his wand from the pocket of his trousers and Pansy, still trembling, held her hands out to him as he whispered a small scourgify. She watched as the blood began to disappear, noticing the way it pulled away from the large diamond on her left ring finger. It was gorgeous, a large oval surrounded by smaller diamonds, though it represented something so sad. Quickly she stripped her finger bare of the object.
"There," he whispered, taking her newly naked hand and kissing where the ring had just sat, "all better."
She drew her eyebrows in worry as he turned her hand over and kissed her open palm. "I swear, you will never have blood on your hands again."
"Where will we, g-go?" She stuttered, invoking a small pick-up in the corner of his mouth.
"Anywhere, as long as we're together."
"What if they find us?"
"They will never find us. Do you trust me?
She nodded and he threw his arms around her, kissing her temple.
"I know you do. Now," he spoke while releasing her, "gather your things, we need to go."
"Yes," she agreed. Picking up the cherry wand she had located. She watched as he crossed the room, flicking his wand and removing all traces of blood. Her heart nearly lurched from her chest as she studied him.
"Neville!" She called out, as his hand gripped the knob, "I love you."
A genuine smile played on his lips as he paused.
"I love you too Pansy."