Yes. You're seeing right, folks. I have updated! General hurrahs and fanfare are in order, I believe. Only joking. Thank you to those who have not given up on this story (and Woman Scorned) and constantly review it. I know it may seem sometimes that my updates are few and far in between, but rest assured, I am writing when I have free time! Also, I have just written a one-shot of our favorite Slytherin couple. Check it out and review/comment if you wish. With love, Makbee.
She spotted them loitering outside on the school grounds. The whole lot of them had taken to the shade of trees in an attempt to avoid the purifying rays of the sun. She steered her course in their direction, Daphne trailing closely behind her. Even from afar Pansy could observe Theodore laughing, jesting with Blaise, who was clearly not amused. Crabbe and Goyle were, however. The former had one arm leaning on the latter, tears practically streaming down his reddened cheeks. Meanwhile, Draco stood aloof from the rest of the boys, arms crossed against his chest and his face donning an agitated frown.
She was no more than a stone's throw away from them when they took notice of her. In an instant she saw their change in attitude. All laughter and jokes died down. Both Crabbe and Goyle seemed to puff up. They threw their shoulders back, assuming their default bodyguard position. Blaise and Theodore's expressions became critical, eyes narrowing and mouths forming into sneers. Their faces were not too unlike Draco's. If Pansy had been an idiot, she would have arrived at the conclusion that it was she who was on the receiving end of such a display of animosity. But she was no imbecile, and it did not take her long to realize that it was intended for the individual following her.
"Parkinson," said Blaise, when she had stood within arm's reach from him, "there's an ogre behind you." It was not said in a joking manner.
"Why, I do believe the hag is lost," observed Theodore, leering at Daphne from behind Blaise. Crabbe snickered, and Goyle immediately followed suit.
"You're definitely in the wrong place, Greengrass," said Draco. He uncrossed his arms and marched over to where both the girls stood.
Daphne, for her part, glanced at Pansy and raised an eyebrow, as if to ask 'what have you gotten me into?' Pansy, alerted to the mounting tension, released an aggravated sigh and dumped her book back on the ground next to theirs.
She pointed her thumb towards Daphne. "It's fine, she's with me. Daphne Greengrass, in case you don't know her. Let's display our best manners shall we, gentlemen?"
Draco eyed the newcomer warily before nodding in acquiescence. That's all that was necessary for the others; he spoke for all of them.
Pansy took a seat on the marble bench nearby. "So I take it you've heard?" Pansy asked Draco. He became visibly irritated, yet he said nothing in response. Instead, he stared at Pansy, attempting to read her face for her own reactions about the situation.
She replied to the quiet inquiry by looking away. She was very, very upset.
Blaise shook his head. "We can ruin him if you wish it, Parkinson." His face was the epitome of seriousness. Nothing made Blaise more content than watching another person fall into a wretched state of misery and knowing he had a hand in causing it.
"Do you want us to clobber him, Pansy?" asked Crabbe.
"It has been a while since we've punched a face," added Goyle. He fished around in his pockets until he found the object of his search: a chocolate frog. "I'm up for it," he said, before stuffing the doomed amphibious dessert into his looming mouth.
Pansy was amused by their concern for her. However, Daphne was slightly confused, if not jealous, by this show of 'friendship', if it could be labeled that. She had always assumed that they tolerated Pansy, allowed her to join them in meals and perhaps conversation. Certainly the way these boys treated everyone else was a far call from how they treated her, yet she never would have guessed that they cared for Pansy, albeit they had a different way of showing it than those Gryffindors or Hufflepuffs.
"Argh! I hate him, alright. He called me a bloody prude, if you can believe that!"
"And that you worship Malfoy," added Daphne.
"Well that last part is true enough," Draco said, winking at Pansy.
"Be serious, Malfoy! He's insulted me, rejected me even. But I want to settle a score with that strumpet Astoria, too," cried a vexed Pansy.
Draco's eyes flashed with anger at the mention of the name. "Why? What has that pitiful harlot done now?"
Pansy looked to Daphne, who answered. "To sum it all up? My sister has been reciting her belief that Parkinson here is below her, that she could never be the alpha female of the house. She claims that she's better than Parkinson in every aspect and constantly asks why three popular Slytherins, and their two thugs over there, bother to hang out with such a boring, dull girl."
"You see the benefits of actually knowing another girl, Parkinson? You get to find out what all the Slytherin females talk about," lectured Nott. Pansy rolled her eyes.
"Her head has gotten a tad bit bigger since she dumped Malfoy," said Blaise. "She's gained some popularity."
Daphne chuckled. "Not 'some'. Try a lot. She's practically being heralded as the most desirable Slytherin girl by our entire house right now."
"Not the entire house," commented Theodore.
"So she uses me as some stepping-stone to fame, and slanders Parkinson at the same time? Tell me she doesn't think she can walk away unscathed," said Draco.
"She's riding her high," replied Daphne. "No one ever thinks of the fall when on top of the world."
They were all silent for a moment. Hierarchy was a serious matter to every Slytherin, especially if you were one of the ones located in the uppermost echelon.
Blaise spoke up. "She can't have risen to the very top in such a short amount of time," he reasoned.
Daphne clicked her tongue. "Regardless, she now has a fan base. I'll wager it could happen soon enough. I heard Sally-Anne proclaim that Astoria and Aurelius were practically Slytherin royalty! There are more than a few who agreed."
"Excuse me?" asked a bewildered Draco. "HIM? You better check your sources again, Greengrass. I'm the king of this unruly house, in case they've forgotten."
Daphne smirked. "Well, they have. All they're talking about now is how you were dumped unceremoniously by none other than my sister."
"We'll make them remember, then. And I'll make Astoria eat her words as well," said Pansy acridly.
"You've a plan, then Pans?" asked Draco.
"Of course Parkinson's got a plan," assured Theodore. "Almost all those times we'd get in trouble when we were younger was because Pansy always 'had a plan,' remember?"
Before Theodore could say anymore though, he was rudely jabbed in the gut by Blaise's elbow.
"Oof! What in Salazar's name was that for, mate?" he asked incredulously, rubbing his stomach for effect, though not really in any physical pain.
Blaise's eyes motioned towards Daphne. "No need to run your mouth off about our private affairs when there's a . . . stranger here."
"Oh, right. Forgot about that one there."
Daphne responded with a huff. "Believe me, what you do on your own time is something I could care less about. I'm here strictly for the intrigues that are about to be underway."
"Just so we're clear, then," said a smug Theodore.
"Oh, leave her be. Didn't I say best behavior? Or at least the best you're all capable of? Honestly!" Pansy stood up and threw her hands in the air.
"How can we trust her? She's Astoria's sister for Merlin's sake!" argued Theodore.
"Right, how about shutting your traps and letting Pansy speak?" thundered Draco. "If Pansy thinks she can be here, then that's that. Parkinson, will you just tell us your plan before another moron decides to start up again?"
Theodore opened his mouth and was about to retort but thought better of it and promptly closed it.
"Simple, really," explained Pansy. "All we have to do is turn the tide against her and also against that buffoon Aurelius. We'll have our house shun the two and put them in their rightful place."
"That's not a very detailed plan, Parkinson. How exactly will we accomplish that?" Blaise tilted his head to the side.
"Well, I mean, I didn't say it was a well-crafted plan!" argued Pansy. But Blaise did not seem to hear her as he was deep in thought.
"Easy enough to use our family influence on a majority of them. Some blackmailing and bullying would suffice I suppose."
"No, we won't do it that way," Pansy said.
"Why not?" Draco asked. "It sounds like a plausible plan."
"Because Astoria believes that Pansy doesn't have the skill and guile necessary to be the most popular Slytherin girl," replied Daphne. "Doing it that way will only prove that Pansy needs to resort to outside resources to accomplish de-throning her."
"Point taken," said Blaise. After a few minutes of silence, he clapped his hands together. "Actually, there may be something to that plan of yours, Parkinson. But I think we can make it better by killing two birds with one stone. Malfoy and you both want those errant drones to be put in their place. However, they're parading themselves around as monarchs. So, why don't we have them go down together by using another, more powerful and celebrated couple?" He eyed Pansy meaningfully.
Theodore took it from there. "I think I know where you're going with this, Zabini. We'll have a coup d'etat using these two." He pointed in Draco and Pansy's direction. Blaise nodded.
"What!" shouted Pansy and Draco in unison.
Blaise put up his hands placatingly. "It will all be just for show, as part of the plan. We'll have the two of you get together, and then start recruiting everybody against Nova and Greengrass."
Pansy stood up from the bench and started pacing. "So, just to make this clear, Zabini, I have to pretend I'm dating Malfoy?"
"Why do you make it sound so bad?" retorted Draco.
But Pansy ignored him. "And then we'll set ourselves up as the more popular and influential of the two, thereby ousting and destroying Nova and Greengrass?"
"Yes, something like that."
"But I have to act as if Draco is my boyfriend." repeated Pansy, who still could not believe what she was hearing. Granted, the plan was good. It was, after all, an expansion of her idea. She just could not get over the part where she actually had to pose as Draco's girlfriend and vice-versa.
"And Pansy would be my supposed girlfriend?" Draco echoed. He thought it was actually quite brilliant. Except that portion about him and Pansy pretending to date; that was something he was not too comfortable with as well.
"Oh, come on," said Theodore. "It shouldn't be that difficult. People are suspicious about your 'relationship' as it is. Getting together wouldn't be a far stretch of the imagination for anybody in this bloody house. All you have to do is make it believable. And you already have a handful of loyal insurgents right here," he said, indicating the rest of the group.
Pansy did a double take. "What do you mean people are suspicious about our relationship?"
Draco jumped on the topic as well. "And why did you just say 'relationship' like that?"
Blaise interjected. "Listen, you two are not focusing on what's important right now. Do you agree that it's a good plan?" he asked.
Both Draco and Pansy hesitated before replying 'yes'.
"Alright. Now, do you think you can pull this off? Can you actually make everyone believe you are dating? I mean, you'll have help from the rest of us," he eyed the others, "but if you know right now you can't, then we'll have to come up with a different plan."
"If it means they'll go down, then yes," said Pansy.
"Simple enough for me," said Draco. "We'll just act how we've always acted, Parkinson, since that seems to have made everyone 'suspicious about our relationship.'"
"No, mate, I'm afraid that's not enough," said Theodore. "The only thing that that has ever done is create speculation about the two of you."
"He's right," Daphne said. "You have to take it a few steps further. You need to act in a way that will solidify your relationship status. Don't leave a single doubt in their heads about where you two stand."
"There you go, listen to the girl," encouraged Theodore.
"And we'll help with the rest," continued Daphne.
"This is your sister we're talking about taking down right?" asked Theodore, casting an unsure glance at her.
"Exactly why I want this to succeed," Daphne replied, sending Theodore a sly smile.
Goyle started massaging his temples. "I'm so confused right now!"
Draco spoke up. "Nevermind, Goyle. You and Crabbe just keep your eyes open for eavesdroppers. Nott will explain it to you later." He turned towards Blaise. "Okay, we'll do it." He looked over at Pansy, who seemed determined as well. "You're okay with this right, Parkinson?"
"Yes." She did not hesitate in the least. It wouldn't be so hard, she thought. And at least it was with Draco, someone she knew fairly well and got along with. There would be no awkwardness. At least, she hoped there wouldn't be.
Draco smirked, then threw an arm around Pansy. "Right then. But before we put this plan into motion, I want you all sworn to secrecy." He rested his eyes on Daphne. "Just in case."
"Agreed," said Blaise.
Daphne laughed. "By all means."
Draco whipped out his wand. Pansy took hers out as well, while everybody else gathered around them. Together she and Draco flicked their wands and mumbled that old pureblood spell they had known since their first year:
"Scheming, deviant and sneaky we are,
that's why Slytherins are better by far.
Gathered now to uphold our pride,
a plan devised, we've picked a side.
We have secrets but our lips won't tell,
lest our souls be thrice damned to hell."
They all stood quietly for a while, eyes closed, feeling that ancient chant cast it's hold upon them.
Finally, Draco broke the silence. "So, how do we go about doing this?"
Daphne snapped her fingers. "I'll go round up some of the girls in my own little clique and start telling them about how I just found out these two started dating," pointing to both Pansy and Draco.
"That's a good start," replied Blaise. "But don't give out too many details until we've got a solid story that we're going to stick to."
Daphne gave him a salute. "Parkinson, I'll catch you in the common room later!" She started walking back towards the school.
Pansy just watched her go, the wheels in her head turning. First things first, Astoria had a claim to fame, which was dating, and then dumping, Draco. Her claim would be dating Draco as well, but she needed something more than that. Draco had to treat her different from the way he treated all the rest of his past girlfriends. He had to treat her better so others would think she actually was better. Yes, that made sense.
"Nott, Zabini, you two go with Daphne and lend her story some credibility. Act as if the three of you are all just meandering around, minding your business. When she happens to spot those girls of hers, tell her to go over to them and let it slip that Malfoy and I are dating. The two of you just stand around in the background, pretending to be impatiently waiting for her to finish up. Maybe one of you could yell to her to hurry what she's doing because Malfoy and I are waiting for you guys. Then we can all be seen together eating dinner, with our acting skills on display."
"On it," said Theodore as he and Blaise ran to catch up with Daphne.
"Crabbe, you and Goyle take our stuff up to the dorms and then meet us in the common room before supper," she ordered, pointing to her bag along with two others. They both obeyed, lifting the heavy parcels and making their way towards the rear entrance.
"Ok that cares of that. What are we going to do?" Draco asked.
She faced him. "Malfoy, you and I have things to talk about."