AN: In case I have not mentioned it before:

‚#' means: switch of POV between our two heroines.

‚###' means: jump in time and/or change of scenery (sometimes combined with change in POV)

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Please enjoy.


The next day Pansy was surprised but exited to have Hermione as a visitor again just before dinner time. It was Hermione's second visit while Pansy was conscious. Luna had already been there around lunch time. Pansy told the other girl that she only had to stay for one more night and that she could return to class the next day after Madame Pomfrey's final examination. The doors of the hospital wing burst open. Luisa Castorius stormed in, her hands glowing bright red, her nose four times larger than normal. She was screaming for the healer. Tears of rage streamed down her cheeks. Castorius eyes fell on Pansy. She drew her wand and aimed at the girl in the bed. Pansy reached for hers. It stuck somewhere under the pile of books and parchment on the bedside cupboard. Hermione was faster. She stepped between the fury and the girl in the bed, wand at the ready.

"Yes?" Hermione said to Castorius raising one eyebrow. Castorius measured her opponent and lowered her wand. At least she knew better than to duel with a war heroine. She decided to attack Pansy verbally instead.

„You sly little bastard of a Blood Traitor", Castorius shouted in a shrill voice. „Look at me! That is your doing! What is this magic?"

Hermione stood more broadly, creating a more impressive wall between the two Slytherins. Pansy on the other hand tried to keep a straight face but a smirk came through from time to time. Her instincts had not led her down when she decided not to leave her private things unguarded in the dorm.

„Yeah, just hide behind you Mudblood friend", Castorius said, venom in her voice.

„Miss Castorius, watch your language in my ward!"

The school healer came striding towards the ruckus at the her patient's bedside. Castorius send her a poisonous look. Madame Pomfrey gave her a critical once-over and led her away behind a screen at the other end of the room.

„What was that about?" Hermione asked Pansy.

„She has been caught redhanded being nosy", Pansy said, shrugging.

„I haven't imagined you to be into puns", Hermione said amused. „Now tell me, what has happened there?"

Pansy winked at her.

„I assume that Castorius tried to snoop through my private things in our dorm while I'm out of the way. I've put up some wards around my bed, closet, and bedside cupboard just in case. Obviously I was right to do so." Pansy noticed Hermione's frown. „Don't worry. Madame Pomfrey will be perfectly able to lift the spell with a flick of her wand. It would have lasted only for a few hours anyway."

Hermione looked confused.

„How was Draco able to get your things?"

Pansy had wondered the same since she had found her diary lying on the bedside cupboard.

„I can only guess. The wards I've chosen are the strongest I know but they require a second person to be able to get to the protected objects and places as a backup for emergencies. I named Draco because I didn't believe that he as a boy would ever be able to set a foot into the girls' dorms. He does not know that he is my backup. Slughorn must have accompanied him when he fetched my things. Otherwise he could not have entered the girls' section." Pansy looked exhausted for a moment. „It also means, that none of the girls, not even Daphne, were prepared to provide me with some fresh clothes while I'm here."

Hermione took Pansy's hand for a moment.

„But Draco was", Hermione said. „Although you two don't seem to talk much these days."

Pansy had to agree with the other girl. Talking to Draco again was one of the challenges she had to face here at Hogwarts. He had visited her. That was a silver lining. She looked in the direction of the screen at the other end of the room.

„You know, Slughorn was here and offered me to move into the empty head girl's dorm of our house so I won't be exposed to the other girls. For health reasons", Pansy said, making quotation marks int the air. „I don't think that I'll do it."

„Why in Merlin's name not?" Hermione asked.

„I think that the move will solve as many problems as it causes."

#

Hermione was not sure what she was doing again in the hospital wing. She felt quite drawn to the Slytherin girl. The day before, she had brought Pansy her own copy of Pride and Prejudice with all her personal notes in the margins. Not that she had confessed her darkest secrets on the pages, but still. She had also presented the other girl with chocolate. At the moment Hermoine was discussing said novel with Pansy rather than inquiring the Slytherin girl about her actions in the past, like Ron had demanded in the morning. Ron had started an argument when Hermione had mentioned that she had visited Pansy's bedside and was planning to do so again. In some points he had been quite the advocates diaboli for the reasons that spoke against seeking contact let alone seeking friendship with Pansy. He had reminded Hermione of how she had bullied her over the years. She had reminded Ron how he and she became friends. Ron of course had raised the issue that Pansy had tried to handover Harry to Voldemort. Hermione has answered, that Pansy had done that to protect someone she cared for. Pansy had done what Mr Lovegood had done. Ron had said that Pansy was a Slytherin. Hermione had told him to grow up. At that point Harry had said, that he trusted Hermione's instincts and Ron should let her do her thing. Ron had tried to argue. Ginny had called him a stubborn git. The two siblings had bickered all the way to the Great Hall and during breakfast. Neville had only watched owlishly the interaction of his friends. Hermione knew that this argument was far from being over and done with. Nevertheless, here she was again. It felt like the right thing to do. Hermione was confident that everything else would fall into place in its own time.

Pansy looked better than the previous day. Her complexion had lost the grey tint and her elegant paleness had returned. Hermione tried to get the Pansy sitting in front of her together with the past version of the Slytherin girl. With putting up the wards, Pansy had demonstrated that she was as intelligent and cunning as ever. Only these days she used her abilities to safeguard herself against possible threads rather than to attack. Pansy was not a completely different person. She just made different decisions now. And the punishment she had chosen showed that Pansy had a sense of humor. Hermione just hoped that the other girl had made the right decision in respect to the head girl's dorm.

Their conversation returned to the novel after Castorius was restored to normal and had been complimented out of the hospital wing by Madame Pomfrey.

Pansy raved about how much was in the novel that she recognizes although it took place in past period in the Muggle world. Austen must have been such a keen observer and knew just how to put it in words. It read like it contained some truth that was still universally acknowledged - at least in some families.

Hermione was pleasantly surprised to see Pansy so enthusiastic about something. The other girl was actually quite easy to talk to and Hermione loved to hear her insights into the story. Pansy's eyes sparkled when she talked. Hermione saw that Pansy's eyes were green but not as bright green as Harry's. Towards the pupil the colors blended into a light brown. Some dark specks were scattered all over the iris.

Pansy explained that she understood, why Hermione had thought of the Pride and Prejudice after she had learned about the wedding. The novel portrayed marriage as a means of survival and gaining social status rather than as a matter of love. These were sentiments that Pansy recognized from her parents and other contemporary pureblood families in the magic community. Marriage was a political device to ensure the survival a pure blood line or to merge families in order to increase the political or financial power. Only that her parents were much colder, more businesslike, even more sinister about marrying their only daughter off to the highest bidder than anyone in the novel.

Hermione did not know how to react to this revelation. That was quite a harsh environment to grow into. Before she had found the right words, Pansy changed the subject.

„Have you found a character you could identify with", Pansy asked. With a grin she continued. „I bet it's Lizzy Bennet. She is a very intelligent, witty, and complex character, and - of course - reads a lot."

Hermione laughed. She was not sure but maybe, just maybe Pansy had payed her a compliment. This time it was not so hard to find an adequate retort.

„I don't know about witty or complex. But she is definitely my favorite character. Have your found your counterpart? Maybe Mr Darcy? Well-bread, proud in the beginning but overcoming his prejudices?"

Pansy shrugged.

„I would love to be like Mr Darcy. It would mean that I will get my girl in the end. Unfortunately, that will not happen. So probably I'm more a Caroline Bingley. Being lonely and looking down on every one. Or the other way round."

Pansy blushed and pressed deeper into her cushions. Hermione shook her head.

„No. You are no Caroline Bingley. Not anymore", Hermione said.

A little phrase in her statement triggered Hermione's memory. Had Pansy just said that she would not to get her girl? Hermione remembered that Lestrange had not only called Pansy a Blood Traitor but a queer Blood Traitor during the battle. Hermione had quite forgotten about that little adjective.

"What do you mean by getting your girl in the end?" she asked. „You want a girl?"

Pansy blushed even more. Hermione wondered if there was any blood left in the other parts of her body. After what looked like not just an inner battle but a full blown war, Pansy nodded but avoided Hermione's eyes. Hermione did not want to make the other girl feel awkward. That was quite something to admit for an pure blood family off-spring. Hermione was impressed that Pansy trusted her enough to do that. How could she react to show that she deserved that trust. Once again Hermione felt that she was walking on eggshells.

„What is it like?" she finally asked. Well, that was not the most eloquent answer she could have come up with. It seemed to work, nonetheless.

„What?" Pansy looked her directly in the eyes in surprise.

„You know. To kiss a girl?" Hermione added.

Pansy sighed.

„I wish I knew", she said.

„You mean to say: You never have?"

Pansy shook her head again.

„Is there no one special?" Hermione asked. She felt a strange anxiety.

„There is someone I like. The girl would run screaming, if she knew that I fancy her. Well probably not run screaming, she is not the type for that but she would not be very thrilled about it."

Hermione felt for Pansy. Unrequited love hurt. Badly.

„Do you think, she would be disgusted that you are a girl?" she asked.

Pansy shook her head.

„I've only seen her dating boys. I don't know if she would also be into girls. She wouldn't resent the fact that girls can fall in love with other girls. I'm quite positive about that."

Pansy fumbles with the edge of her blanket.

„So she is not a Slytherin?" Hermione asked.

Pansy nodded to that.

„No. I'm afraid, my secret crush would not appreciate that it is actually me …", Pansy waved a hand at herself „…who is into her. There is no chance whatsoever. There is too much inter house rivalry and too much history. We seemed to be on different sites during the war. I tried to hand over Harry Potter to the Dark Lord, for Merlin's sake."

Hermione squeezed Pansy's hand again.

„Am I right to assume that you did it in the hope to save your nanny?" Pansy nodded and looked down. Hermione continued: „If your love interest is a just little bit openminded and has the chance to get to know you better, she may not return your feelings but she definitely would appreciate your affections. Otherwise she is not worth it."

Pansy gave Hermione a look that she was not able to read.

„I hope, you are right", Pansy said with a little tremor in her voice. She swallowed. „Enough about me. What about you? How are things with you and Weasley?"

„We broke up."

Pansy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

„You did? Why? It always seemed like it was only a question of time till the two of you would become a couple", she said.

Hermione sight.

„I guess, time is the key factor here. I love him. He loves me. When I finally got to be with him, kissing him felt like being with my brother. He feels the same. We are just not in love with each other anymore."

„When did it happen?"

„The day before yesterday, Monday evening."

Pansy shifted in her cushions.

„Are you OK with that?"

Hermione searched her feelings.

„Surprisingly, yes. It did not change much between Ron and me. Basically we just stopped kissing. We are still friends." Hermione rubbed her face. „What I so miss is actually being with someone. But I don't want to be with anyone just to have someone."

They both fell silent for some minutes. Finally Pansy cleared her throat.

„How did you realize that you are a witch and how did your parents react?" she asked.

Hermione told her that when she had been four years old, she had read a story from a children's edition of Arabian Nights featuring a flying carpet. She had been lying in the living room on a rug. Suddenly the rug took of from the ground and kept hovering in mid air. Her parents had not shown wether they had been freaked out. Her father just had taken her from the rug in his arms. The moment he had her, the rug crashed down on the floor. Many little incidents like that had followed. On her ninth birthday, McGonagall had appeared on their doorstep and explained everything about the magic community and Hogwarts to her parents. The professor had offered that Hermione could start a year earlier firstly because she had shown quite powerful abilities very early and secondly because as someone born in September she would be amongst the older students in the year. Her parents had decided against an early start to have her at home as long as possible. They never had intended to send their daughter to a boarding school. Pansy wondered how different the world would be now, if her parents had made another decision and Hermione had never become the friend of the boy who lived.

###

Finally Madam Pomfrey had discharged her from the hospital wing. Pansy was glad that she was able to go to class again. Sitting in the bed all the time had been getting to her. Though she had enjoyed Hermione's visits very much. She had never dared to hope they could have such a friendly and intense contact. And intense it was. Oh Merlin. She had outed herself in front of Hermione. That was quite something else than being out to Luna. On the other hand, she did not want to hide or pretend anymore. She just wanted to go one step at a time. Well, when she was running she would still go one step at a time. At the moment she felt like she was running down hill.

The only thing that had to stay a secret was the fact that Hermione was the girl she was in love with.

Pansy was getting nervous. She was about to return into the school routines. In the hospital wing, she and Hermione had been in a happy bubble, away from everyone. How would Potter or Weasley react if the two girls kept meeting in open sight? There was a friendship in the making between them, was there not? How could she ask Hermione for friendship without literally asking for friendship?

Pansy had entirely missed breakfast in the Great Hall. It was Thursday. She had no classes together with the other girl. By a happy coincidence Pansy crossed Hermione's way when the other girl came out of the Arithmancy corridor into the main corridor leading to the moving stair cases. Pansy called out to Hermione and waved the novel. Hermione smiled and came over to her.

„Thank you for lending me the book. I finished it yesterday after you left. Did Jane Austen write more?"

Hermione took the book and put it away in her bag.

„Yes. She finished six novels in total. They actually are available in our library in the Muggle studies section", she said, looking up.

Pansy was glad to hear that.

„Good. I'd love to read more Muggle fiction." She really did. „I'll get the next one right away." The one book she had read so far had taught her so much. What will happen if she really started reading novels? „I liked talking to you. About Pride and Prejudice and everything else. It meant a lot to me." OK, this was her chance. „I've been wondering, if we can do it again? With the next book?" There. She did it. She had asked.

Hermione gave Pansy a long look. Pansy got more nervous. Had she pushed her luck? Had she asked for too much? Hermione opened her mouth.

„Here you are. I've been looking for you everywhere", Weasley said.

He had just entered from behind a tapestry into the main corridor. Worst timing ever! Would this become a running gag? She and Hermione were talking in the school corridors only to be interrupted by this boy before they had a chance to come the crucial point? Weasley gave Pansy a calculating look and turned to Hermione again.

„Now that we have a free period, Harry and Ginny suggested, that we could learn by the lakeside as long as the weather is still warm enough", he said.

„That sounds good. Just give me one minute. I'll be right behind you", Hermione answered. Weasley did not move.

„Go ahead. I'll be right there", Hermione said. She glared at him.

„No. I don't want you to be alone in bad company in dark corridors", he said, glaring back, tilting his head toward Pansy. Pansy rolled her eyes.

„Ronald. Don't be rude. Go! Now", Hermoine answered. The tone in her voice said that this was not negotiable. Reluctantly, very slowly he started to walk away. Hermione waited until he was out of sight. She looked down for a moment. Finally she met Pansy's eyes.

„Try to find Persuasion or Sense and Sensibility next", Hermione said smiling. „See you at dinner."

Hermione turned to follow Weasley outside. Pansy looked after her till she was out of sight. She chided herself for not having more faith in the other girl. Hermione had already stood up for her twice since the beginning of the school year. Once against Creevey, once against Castorius. Pansy smiled to herself and had little spring in her step as she walked to her next class.

###

On Friday, the Slytherins and Gryffindors settled for the Transfiguration class while Professor McGonagall talked to a group of students at her desk. Hermione watched with amusement how Ron sat beside Neville at the table in front of her. It was much more entertaining sight than Ginny and Harry looking deeply into each others eyes at the neighboring table. Ron fumbled with his book, parchment, ink well, quill. He tried to handle everything at once. It did not work. He tipped the ink well over and had to clean the hole desk and Neville with his wand. Normally that was Neville's part. Ron had lately become quite clumsy around Neville, Luna, and Hannah Abbott, when Hermione came to think of it. He did say that he had come across someone who was smelling like lavender and that it gave him a fright, didn't he? What if he had found more than one person who smelled like lavender and one of them was a boy? She could imagine that Ron of all people had to chew on that one. Hermione made a mental note to test her theory later.

Hermione looked over her shoulder. Pansy entered the classroom and scanned the tables for an empty seat. Their gazes met. Pansy hesitated. Hermione took her bag from the place beside her. Pansy smiled timidly and sat down. Hermione registered some faint bruises on the other girl's face. Before she could wonder what that was about, Ron turned around to ask for an effective cleaning spell that could handle ink stains on books. He saw Pansy, frowned at her and gave her a sharp nod. Pansy raised an eyebrow at him but nodded back. Hermione told him a spell and hoped that his jerk with the head was meant as a greeting. She already had told Ron off for being rude to Pansy after she had caught up with him by the lakeside the day before. Hermione decided to concentrate on Pansy's bruises for the moment.

"What happened to you? I hope that has nothing to do with, well, you know", Hermione said, gesturing vaguely in the direction of Pansy's chest. The other girl had again closed the collar of her school uniform shirt very high and was wearing the tie very tight. Hermione suppressed the impulse to loosen it. She did not want to invade Pansy's personal space too much.

"Only indirectly. Castorius walked in on me under the shower and saw the scar. She thought that was a great opportunity to bully me. We did not have our wands within reach under the shower. As the mature and oh so well-born young adults that we are we had a hands-on girl fight with pulling hair, smacking, scratching, screeching, and everything."

Pansy told her story in a dry tone. Hermione shook her head in disbelieve.

"Tell me again, why haven't you accepted Slughorn's offer to move into the head girl's quarters for health reasons. It would have been easier for you in so many ways", she said.

"It would have caused only other problems than the ones I have now. Castorius has it in for me. If she wants to pick on me, she will find a reason one way or the other. She wants to be the new first lady of Slythering house", Pansy said. "I came back to school this year because I wanted to stand my ground. This is part of the deal." Pansy searched in her bag for her Transfiguration book. "The other girls had to separate us. What a sight. One of us was naked, one of us in a open bathrobe. Both dripping wet from the running water. Lather everywhere, especially in the eyes, of course." She examined a quill she had just taken from her bag. It was run down. She through it away and looked for a new one. "At least I'm on speaking terms with Daphne and some of the other more liberal Slytherins again. And the pure blood fanatics are showing their true color."

Hermione turned as she heard the classroom door banging close. While turning she cached Ginny's eye who was smiling at her. Luisa Castorius caused that noise. The wannabe Slytherin queen sat down together with three of her usual companions in the back of the classroom. They started to whisper and to point at Pansy. Castorius sported some scratches on her cheeks.

„Castorius doesn't have a good week, does she?" Hermione said. Pansy followed Hermione's gaze.

"No", said Pansy in a matter of fact voice.

Hermione looked at the other girl again. She smirked slightly. Yes. Pansy had definitely some catlike qualities.

From the teacher's desk McGonagall called for her students' attention.