AN: Only in my dreams do I own any part of Harry Potter, and that never counted for much, anyway!

Thanks so much to the five people who have reviewed this story so far – Abercrombieduckie, Appacio, FaerieGlitter, DMHPluv and EcstasyOfSesshoumaru. I don't mean to torture you guys, but it would be great to have a few more reviews! Let me know you people are out there, and what you think. This is my first time at writing, so it helps! Review, review, review! I appreciate it, and will try to acknowledge you in my author's notes, plus I will even eventually get around to reading and reviewing your stories. (Yeah, I promise!) Got it? Okay, thanks!

Pansy's Secret – Chapter 3

Back home in my bedroom that evening, I couldn't get over all that Draco and I had spoken about that day at Malfoy Manor. It was crazy enough the way I felt about Harry, but Draco being interested in Hermione? There was no way this made sense! On top of that, how were we supposed to implement our little plan of breaking Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione up and having our respective way with them? Was it even worth it in the long run?

All our lives, Draco and I had been told that Slytherin and Gryffindor can never be together, and yet something told me that this was bound to be the hottest pairing possible! (Ever heard the saying opposites attract?) Gryffindor has everything I don't have – the bravery, the chivalry, the conviction. Slytherin has all the other great points – the intuition, the determination, the shrewdness. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin are passionate, together they would make the best team around, a team that no one could stop! I knew it, I just knew it! So yeah, it was worth it!

The next few days passed by quickly. I spent time planning my costume for Harry's ball. I decided on a beautiful pale lavender gown with a lavender fake fur boa which showed off my coloring very nicely. The dress was form fitting, which was fine with him, I'm not ashamed of my figure! I would wear lavender eye shadow, red lipstick, rose blush and lavender nail polish, with one exception! I was going to have one nail painted red with a gold lion charm. The charm would be the enchanted kind that moves, of course. You never know when a girl might need a little secret weapon!

Finally, the day I had been looking forward to arrived. How wonderful everything looked in the Great Hall at Hogwarts! The decorations were mostly red and gold, of course, but there were some green and silver ones, as well. (After all, Professor Snape and Draco had played a big part in the events, too!) Draco looked even more stunning than usual in his dark green robes, he even had his father's walking stick with him, the gold one with the snake. (I personally love that walking stick!) But the one who took all the attention away was Harry, of course. Everyone stood as he walked into the room, and there was a lot of fanfare, there was even a drum roll as he entered with Ginny the Weasleyette on his arm. I had never seen him looking so magnificent in his dark red brocade overcoat with gold lions embroidered into the fabric, he really looked like a king! Mudblood Hermione and drooling simpleton (Ron) Weasley trailed behind them. Harry sat at the front of the room with simpering idiot Ginny beside him. She, too, was dressed in red, gad, did no one ever tell her that a redhead should never, ever wear the color red! I have to admit Hermione looked nice, her hair was curled in a pretty way, and her rosy pink dress brought out her skin tone very nicely. Ron looked like a total prat in his brown robes that looked like a hand me down from one of his older brothers, they probably were and he isn't even worth mentioning any further!

All of a sudden, Dumbledore walked into the room. The crowd began to shout with excitement, how happy everyone was to have him back! He wore long red and gold robes (I knew he was a Gryffindor!) and he still had his long beard, of course. Something about him has always reminded me of the muggle Santa Claus. He walked to the podium at the front of the room, never have I heard such cheers, people were practically in tears! Professor Snape was there, too, still looking super cool in his black robes. (Few men are sexier than Professor Snape!)

Dumbledore began speaking. "We are here tonight to honor a true hero, perhaps the greatest wizard who ever lived" (loud cheering and crowd noise). "I am so happy and honored to have known this young man and to have had the pleasure of being his Headmaster at Hogwarts. You all know the many incredible deeds he has done, from surviving Voldemort trying to kill him when he was only a baby to finally overpowering Voldemort and triumphing over evil in the end, freeing us all from such tyranny forever. Without further ado I give you our guest of honor, Mr. Harry Potter! (I have never heard so much noise in my life – the shouting, the cheering, the screaming was just amazing!)

Harry began to walk to the podium as the screaming and shouting continued without any signs of stopping. Finally, he was able to speak. "Wow, it's amazing to see so many of my friends here," he began. "All of you know already that I had to kill Voldemort, it was my mission. After all, he killed my parents, and there was no way I could go on living if he was alive. There was nothing that could have stopped me from doing what I did, so I don't know if that makes me a hero. I was just doing what I had to do." The crowd roar rose up again with shouts of "Hero, hero, hero!" Ginny continued to be attached to Harry's arm like a leach. He turned and gave her a small kiss. God, this was not going to be easy. "I want to thank my friends who are here with me tonight, all of you, but I especially want to thank Ginny, Ron and Hermione. These are my three best friends in the whole world, and I don't think I can have done what I did without their help." Ron and Hermione walked up to join Harry at the podium as the applause and noise continued around them. "Now, I want everyone to just relax and have a great time! We're going to have a meal then we're going to have our entertainment, so enjoy!"

I was sitting with Draco at a table near the front of the festivities so I was able to get a really good view of all that went on, that's for sure! I saw Ginny's iron grip on Harry's arm and the way that Hermione was latched onto Ron. What possible hope could there be in Draco and I getting rid of these two parasites?

After the feast, Harry and Ginny started the dancing off. The music was beautiful, and the enchanted sky in the ceiling glimmered with stars. Draco and I joined in the dancing along with many other couples, including the ever annoying Hermione and Ron. I looked over and saw Harry. It was then that I flashed my Gryffindor painted fingernail at him. "Congratulations, Harry", I shouted over at him. "Thank you for saving all of wizardkind from Lord Voldemort!" "You're welcome, Pansy", Harry said, and moved away from me quickly, Weasleyette still clinging. They looked like they were in love. It looked like I was going to have to use a love potion to get him to notice me. Then finally, Ginny left Harry's side to talk to Hermione about something. At that moment Harry looked at my fingernail. "What's that?", he asked. "Why is your fingernail painted with the Gryffindor colors?"

"Why it's nothing, Harry, just something I thought you might enjoy", I responded coyly, and turned away. It wouldn't pay to make myself too obvious. Harry seemed very confused. Now we're getting somewhere, I thought, at least he finally noticed me! I wondered how Draco was making out with Hermione, couldn't wait to find out later on!

AN: Okay, that's it for now, remember to read and review and I'll update this thing for you. If you don't review, then I don't write. And of course, you KNOW it isn't going to be that easy! This story is going to go on for a while!