Chapter 3-

Pansy's POV-

After she extinguished the fire, Granger trudged over to the grassy hill where I sat and watched from a safe distance. She collapsed down on the grass next to me.

"There, it's out…" She breathed out, laying on her back and placing an arm over her eyes to shield them from the rising sun. Her face was dripping with sweat and she did look exhausted, but I bet she's faking a little as well. That didn't look so hard, and the fire wasn't big. I'm sure I could have done the same, if not better than her.

"Well done Granger." I complimented.

"Yea, whatever." She said, recognising I wasn't being sincere but condescending.

"But what about the scorched area?" I asked.

"That's your problem. I already saved your ass, I'm not gonna cover up your path of destruction as well." She droned indifferently, not bothering to move her arm off her eyes as she talked.

"Fine! But can't you just grow some new vegetation over it, isn't there some magic like that?" I persisted.

Granger removed her arm now and opened her eyes to look at me, apparently to see if I was being serious or not. "No." She said plainly upon seeing my expression. "It doesn't work like that. Don't you know anything after nearly seven years in Hogwarts?"

"I guess not." I shrugged. "It goes to show how bad this school is."

"It's the school's fault… of course!" She said sarcastically.

"What's the matter Granger? Why so bitter and sarcastic?" I teased. It was my favourite thing to do, and Granger in particular was an easy prey, she fought back, or at least tried to.

Granger sprang into a seated position. "No, I'm not bitter, I'm just tired. But you know what, I'm actually glad this all happened, 'cause there was a real problem here and I took care of it with my own hands…" She paused looking at her somewhat ashen hands. "I put out the fire. It's not some page in a book, it's not some story describing something, it's real…"

Seams she already released into some private monologue of hers. I got the feeling it didn't matter who was actually listening, as long as someone was, and the unfortunate person happened to be me.

"Wait!" I put my hand up, motioning her to slow down. "Why are you telling me this? And what are you talking about anyway?"

"Never mind, just thinking out loud." She said rubbing her eyes and yawned.

"Sounds to me like you're just bored." I concluded.

"No, I'm just…" She paused and looked up after plucking out a few grass blades. "Well, I'm not bored! Speak for yourself!" She snapped.

I was actually often bored in this accursed school, but she didn't have to know that. "I'm never bored!" I exclaimed with a smirk. "I have lots of fun." I lied just to oppose her.

"Yea, I can imagine." She rolled her eyes and stood up. "I gotta go shower." She said, more to herself than me, dropped the plucked grass she was toying with and wiped her fingers once on her blue pants, than she walked away.

I remained sitting on the grass and watched her head back for the castle. She's a bit nuts, for sure, I thought. I bet all of them mudbloods are, and mudblood lovers like Weasleys too.

I decided to rest here a bit, screw the classes. The morning sun felt pleasantly warm. I turned my gaze back on the patch of scorched ground. It wasn't that big, I bet anyone would miss it from a far… still… that thing she said before, Granger's not the first to want me dead and gone. I didn't fancy hearing that again, and no wonder I reacted the way I did…

It reminded me of when I was a kid, my mother went crazy on me and said all sorts of things she probably didn't mean, but it sort of stuck with me. Ah… she must have been drinking. Admittedly I really messed up that day at the Parkinson manor, which I reluctantly call a home. Anyway, it is a grand mansion with stone pillars and luscious gardens, and hosting a wedding that day. Against my will I was put in some white frilly dress and a pink bow was placed in my hair. Dressed up like one of the dollies I used to play with. I remember disliking it so much that rebelling against this was my whim of the day…

I stopped myself from recalling any further. Anything I try to do or say just goes wrong! In Hogwarts as well! Why am I so hated? What did I ever do to anyone? Can't anyone handle some humour or truth?! They just don't get it…

Sometimes I'd rather be one of them deluded Gryffindors, they're all into being friendly with each other. No! I couldn't handle that, I'd rather kill myself. All that friendship and love… I know it's bullshit. A fantasy, that's all it is, there's only death in this world and everyone's alone when life comes to it.

Better not think like that, true or not, that attitude is not very helpful. I should be recalling happier things that happened, or at least imagine they would. Still it's hard to discipline the mind, especially one like mine who's drawn to those darker places… and I'll have to deal with Snape or McGonagall for skipping classes, best not worry about it. I'll just deal with it as it comes.

I stretched out on the grass feeling kinda lazy, my mind was cloudy and I felt only half-conscious. This was not something I prefer, I'd rather be fully awake but that comes and goes.

Not much could make me move except another need that has to be sated. I'll go eat something later, I decided. Maybe there will be some breakfast left in the great hall. The scorched area won't be noticed. It will be gone, as I'm sure nature doesn't need my help to repair itself.

I hope this chapter was not boring for you, since it's mostly Pansy's thoughts.