AN: Thanks for your reviews! I love reading your insights into the story.
On Saturday morning after breakfast Harry, Ginny, and Ron were standing attired in the Quidditch outfits in the middle of the Gryffindor common room. Hermione came down the stairs that lead to the girls' dorms, said hello to her friends, and turned to leave.
„Wait! Where are you going?" Ron asked, causing her to stop in her steps.
„I'm going to the library", Hermione answered. „I've just forgot something upstairs."
„The Quidditch tryouts are today", Ron said.
„I know. You will do fine without me", Hermione said.
„Why don't you wanna watch our Quidditch practice anymore? You have always done so in the past", Ron asked.
Ginny rolled her eyes behind her brother's back. Harry grinned. Did Ron really think that Hermione had done it because she enjoyed Quidditch so much? She hat watched her best friends and one crush the previous years. The perks of sitting in the Quidditch stands had been the opportunity to read at the fresh air and the view of the Scottish landscape.
„Things have changed, Ron. As I have to divide my time between my friends now, I have to set some priorities. In this moment my priority is to go to the library and meet some other friends of mine with whom I can interact instead of watching them zoom around."
Ron shrugged. Than he blushed and scratched his ear.
„Ask Neville and Luna to come and watch the tryouts as well", Ron said. „It would be nice to have them there as well." He looked around the common room. „Where is Neville anyway? I haven't seen him all morning."
Harry and Ginny gave him a confused look. Hermione was too annoyed with him at the moment to appreciate the little plea in his voice when he had asked for Neville and Luna.
„Ronald, you know exactly who I'm talking about", Hermione said. „I will meet Luna and Pansy. As long as you won't start to be at least polite to her, there will be times when you and I are not hanging out together. It is as simple as that."
Ron opened his mouth. Harry patted him on the shoulder.
„Ron, please don't start. You two - no - we four have been through all this a few times", Harry said.
„Tell me, Harry, are you willing to meet Parkinson?" Ron asked.
„We meet her all the time. We are at school together. She is not my favorite person but I will definitely be polite to her. From what Hermione has told us about her, I don't see why not", Harry said, shrugging. Ron turned to his sister for support.
„I'm actually quite curious to get to know her better", Ginny said. Ron frowned. „Enough of this. As your potential future Quidditch captain, I order you down to the pitch this minute. Tryouts will start soon." Ron grunted, but took his broom. Harry looked a bit shocked at his girlfriend. Hermione laughed. With a wink Ginny added: „Hermione, see you at dinner."
All four went through the portrait hole and followed their separate paths.
###
At the same time in an other part of the castle, Pansy prepared to leave for the library. She smiled to herself. In a few minutes she would see Hermione again.
Since their clash under the shower the day before, Castorius had not tried to pull another stunt. That was not the last she had heard from the wannabe Slytherin first lady. Pansy was sure of that. It was no reason to become careless. Pansy knew that Castorius was only biding her time till her next chance to strike. She must not let her guards down.
Pansy checked her bag. Everything for a library session was there: Her books, quill, and parchment. Her diary. Sense and Sensibility. She wanted to swap the novel for Persuasion.
On her way through the common room Pansy saw that Draco was leaving the Slytherin Dungeon a few steps ahead of her. She called his name. He stopped but did not turn.
„Draco", she said again.
He looked over his shoulder.
„I wanted to thank you for bringing me my things to the hospital wing. And for talking to Hermione."
„Was she able to help you?" Draco asked.
„She put Professor Weasley on the right track. So, yes, she was", Pansy said.
He nodded.
„You are welcome", he said.
Draco left. Pansy waited a few moments to give him a head start. She sighed. That was their first conversation since the screwed up wedding. There was still so much to say.
###
On Sunday afternoon, Pansy and Hermione sat in the senior years common room on two chairs in front of the grand fire place. Hermione marveled about their relationship. She was still a little bit surprised but she had started to like the other girl. And Pansy had practically asked for her friendship the other day. So here Hermione was and presented the other girl with a parchment full of her clean handwriting. She had started to compile it during their visit in the library the previous had shown quite a hunger for fiction. She said that some of the novels helped her to see some of her own experiences from a different angle. Other novels were just fun to read. Hermione gladly provided her with some food for thought. It was so different from spending time with the boys. Pansy did not want to copy her home work. She wanted to know things and wanted to exchange her thoughts with Hermione. Pansy knew a lot and was curious about the things she did not know. That made their discussions so exhilarating.
„This is for you. I've made a list of novels for you to read. You are a fast reader. Finishing Sense and Sensibility in almost one go is quite an achievement and the number of Austen novels is limited", Hermione said. Pansy laughed. Hermione continued: „I have left contemporary novels for later. They contain too many confusing aspects of modern Muggle life that would only divert from the actual stories." Pansy nodded. „I started with more authors from the Regency Era like the Bronte sisters. North and South is a great book by Elizabeth Gaskell. It will also lead you a little bit through the achievements of the industrial revolution."
Pansy looked up from the list.
„What is the industrial revolution?" Pansy asked. „Has Binns ever mentioned it in History of Magic?"
Hermione shook her head.
„It was a time in Western Muggle history when a lot of technical inventions were made like the steam engine. It was a very influential period. The technological progress exploded from then on in the Muggle world and also effected the magic community. It made the Hogwarts Express possible, for example", Hermione said.
„Right", Pansy said. „How does your list continue?"
„It moves on in time and introduces you to authors of the Victorian Era like Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Henry James, and Oscar Wilde", Hermione said.
Pansy made a little surprised sound.
„I think, I actually know a little bit of Charles Dickens", she said.
„Oh?"
„Marianne read A Christmas Carol to me when I was little", Pansy said looking a bit sad. „I loved it."
Hermione did not pressure the point. Pansy did not seem to be ready to tell her more about the woman she cared for so much. Hermoine waited a moment till Pansy signaled that she was ready to continue with the list.
„I tried to find some classic novels featuring same sex couples. Only Carmilla by LeFanu written in 1872 came to my mind. It is a gothic novel with a lesbian vampire. That doesn't qualify as a happy lesbian love story. So I didn't put the title on the list. Unfortunately it is the only literary reference for lesbian intercourse I can come up with." Pansy laughed. Hermione shrugged. „I'm sorry. I have to do a little bit more research on that aspect. After all, I have never consciously searched in that direction before."
„It's all right. You have done quite a lot for me already. Thank you", Pansy said.
Hermione waved away the last remark.
„Anyway, the beauty of the list is: Every book is available in our library in the Muggle study section", she said.
Pansy looked impressed.
„Wow, I've underestimated our library. Going in there is almost like a treasure hunt these days", she said. „How is homosexuality accepted in the Muggle world?"
„The acceptance has grown in this century quite a lot. There was a time when homosexuality was forbidden. Oscar Wilde was actually convicted for been gay." Hermione tipped on the name on list. „The laws have changed since then. Little by little a gay and lesbian community has become more visible. Today there are gay bars and even a gay pride parade once a year. Still in the more conservative parts of society homosexuality is not accepted. And in the magic community?"
„I guess, the answer is not simple as well. In pure blood fanatic families homosexuality is not tolerated at all. If my parents had found out about me, they would have disinherited me, thrown me out of the house and removed me from the family tree. That is only the soft version, when you consider that they just let it happen when Lestrange tortured me."
Pansy paused. Hermione let her continue in her own time.
„When you go to the library you can find references to same sex love in every section: Magical Law, History of Magic, Charms, Transfiguration. I bet, there is something in the Potions section as well that I've not found yet. Nevertheless, there has never been a time in our history when homosexuality was forbidden. The books of Magical Law only contain the marriage rituals for woman and woman, man and woman, man and man. The most famous lesbian in our history was Helga Hufflepuff and her unrequited love for Rowena Ravenclaw. There are conceiving spells for same sex couples in the Charms and Transfiguration sections."
Pansy took a deep breath.
"For example, in 14something a conceiving spell for women was invented that caused a temporary sex change in the lower region of one of the two female participant of the procreative act. Ironically enough it was invented by a pure blood fanatic gentlewoman in need. It was a period when pure blood men were scarce due to a wide spread vendetta amongst the families, especially the the decedents of the three Peverell brothers. A lot of gentlewomen gave one for the team." Pansy waved a fist to emphasize her words. „This course of action was considered to be necessary to insure the survival of some of the oldest bloodlines."
Pansy rolled her eyes. She told the last part in the dry voice she already used to recount her clash with Castorius. With an afterthought she added: „It was a Parkinson woman who invented the spell. Patience Pellegrina Parkinson to be exact."
„Puh, the Parkinson women are quite something", Hermione grinned. Pansy swatted her with the list on the arm. She could not help but grin, too.
###
During the following week, Pansy and Hermione fell into nice routine where they spent some time together every day. They sat together in the classes they shared, or talked during dinner, sometimes learned together in the library, or the senior years common room. Often Luna joined them. Harry stuck to his word and said hello to Pansy in class. So did Neville only he still eyed her suspiciously. Ginny exchanged some small talk with her. Ron managed a nod of acknowledgement when he saw her. It looked as if he had a cramp in the neck. Pansy always answered with a raised eyebrow. Hermione thought that it was still a good idea to divide her time.
On Friday, the two of them walked together from the Transfiguration classroom to the moving stair cases. Hermione had a free period and wanted to prepare for next tutoring lesson with the first years. Pansy had to go outside to the greenhouses for Herbology. She wanted to meet Luna in the entrance hall. The Syltherins shared that lesson with the Ravenclaws.
They had to walk through a smaller corridor to get to the main corridor. In one dark corner they saw a couple kissing - two six year girls, one from Ravenclaw, one from Gryffindor. Pansy's steps slowed a bit. She caught Hermione's eye and shrugged.
„You know, Luna told me that there were quite a lot gay couples around. She is right. Somehow I cannot see anything else anymore", Pansy said with a last longing look a the couple. „Anyway, have you already written the essay for Professor Weasley's next lesson?"
Hermione went along with the change of subject but wondered if Pansy felt lonely sometimes. She was unhappily in love and her dating prospects were not good. Almost everybody still seemed to see her as the head girl from the Carrow regime. They did not see this graceful and intelligent person that was walking beside her. Would a date really cheer Pansy up? Somehow the idea sat not well with Hermione at all. She could not see Pansy with any girl who was attending Hogwarts at the moment. No one was suitable. Not even close.
Who was her secret love interest anyway? According to Pansy, her attempt to hand over Harry to Voldemort made all chances impossible. Maybe it was Ginny. No one else in the world would be more unforgiving than his girlfriend who loved him almost all her life. Pansy had changed her attitude during the last school year and in a way had helped Ginny and the DA. It must be Ginny. It was only logical. Poor Pansy. In this case, she had no chance at all to have a happy end.
Something stung Hermione a little while she thought about Pansy's situation. What was it?
###
One by one, Pansy worked her way through Hermione's list of recommendations. First she had finished five of six Austen novels, than she turned to the Bronte sisters. Now, one week later, she was reading North and South. Pansy could easily fit her new hobby into her daily routines. She had already heard most of the lessons the previous year. Defense agains the Dark Arts was the greatest exception as last year only Dark Arts had been taught.
Currently she came from the Charms classroom and walked in the direction of the Library. She, Hermione, and Luna had arranged to meet there after their last lessons of the day. Pansy read while she walked. Somehow she could not lay North and South aside. On the way to the library there were a few obstacles, but Pansy knew Hogwarts so well. She already had integrated the new road blocks and pit falls in her paths through the castle. Pansy did not need to decide between walking and reading. Automatically, she let staircase that got stuck in mid swing go by and walked the long way to the next landing. Pansy skipped the trick step in the staircase she actually took. She tapped the door with the squeaky hinges with her wand instead of using the handle. It opened smoothly and quietly. Pansy silently entered the corridor leading to the library.
Pansy heard some giggling in her back and swung around. Luna, Hermione, Longbottom, and she-Weasley - no!- and Ginny followed her through the door. Pansy knew from Hermione and Luna, that Ginny did not share her brother's resentments against herself. She had to get used to use the red-haired girl's first name.
Luna and Hermione were the ones who giggled. Ginny looked impressed and Longbottom simply dumfounded.
„See, Neville, I told you so", Luna said with her airy voice.
Neville groaned. Ginny burst out laughing.
„I feel like I've gone through some test", Pansy said.
Hermione looked at Longbottoms's face and giggled.
„You have. I'm proud to tell you, that you have passed with an O", Ginny said, whipping away some tears.
„We have been following you since the moving stair cases. On the Hogwarts Express, I have voiced a theory to Neville, which he didn't believe. The way you moved through the castle just now demonstrated that I was right", Luna said.
„What was your theory?" Pansy asked.
„That you know your way through the castle very well. But last year, when you were on patrol, you hit every squeaky door and floor board, sunk often into the trick steps and talked so loudly into the corners that transported sound so well through the castle. We were always warned in time during our nocturnal DA actions. My conclusion was: You helped us."
Of course. Naturally it was Luna, who saw through her smoke screens.
„Yes. Only the Creevey brothers just didn't take the hint", Pansy said dismissively. „They were definitely not suited to step into Fred and George Weasley's foot steps."
Ginny laughed. Neville mumbled something about Professor Sprout and green house, and left hurriedly.
„I guess, he must digest the shock", Hermione said.
„What are you guys up to?" Ginny asked.
„Potions homework", Hermione said.
„Mind, if I join you? Harry and Ron are not the best learning partners", Ginny said.
Luna and Pansy nodded. All four of them entered the library.
###
„There is something I always have wanted to ask you", Pansy said, closing Emma. She finally was able to lay her hands on the book. „Why are these balls such a big deal in the Austen novels?"
Hermione looked up from the essay she was writing. They sat in their favorite seats in the senior years common room. A dish with cookies and two tea cups sat on a table before them. It was just the two of them. Luna was somewhere else busy with her head girl duties and Ginny held Quidditch practice. No one else was in the room.
Hermione scrunched up her nose while thinking about the answer.
„Well, back than, the conventions were very strict in respect to the interaction of the sexes. Unmarried young men and women were not allowed to talk to each other unless they were properly introduced. Preferably they were in the company of a chaperone when they talked. A ball was a great opportunity to be introduced to other young people, which means: future spouses. The best chance to talk privately, to flirt, to touch was during a dance."
Pansy looked thoughtful.
„That sounds complicated. Imagine talking while waltzing", she said. „The thought alone makes me dizzy. There are too many things happening at once."
Hermione laughed.
„They didn't dance like us at the Yule Ball", Hermione said. She stood up. „Come one."
She pulled Pansy to her feet and placed her at a small distance.
„A couple stood face to face in a line or a circle with other couples. Every dancer had to follow strictly given figures. The dancing partners hands were allowed to touch very delicately." Hermione hold out a hand. Pansy took it. „And they moved closer to each other and away again."
Hermione demonstrated some basic positions, figures, and movements. She lead Pansy around by the hand. At the end of her explanation she stepped very close in front of Pansy. Hermione was a little bit out of breath from all the talking and moving around. Pansy was blushing furiously. Hermione looked into Pansy's eyes and inhaled deeply. Her heart skipped a beat.
There it was. The trace of cinnamon. Oh Merlin.
###
„Miss Parkinson, may I talk to you for a moment?" Professor Weasley said after she dismissed the class.
„Of course", Pansy answered.
They waited for everyone to leave. Hermione winked at her on her way out. At the edge of her vision, Pansy saw Luisa Castorius fiddling with her bag. Did she really think, she could linger around and eavesdrop? Seriously? Professor Weasley gave her a look and Castorius finally left. Professor Weasley scratched her forehead.
„All right. We better go to my office. We will be undisturbed there", the professor said with a last look at the door.
They climbed the small stair case leading from the classroom to the adjoined office. Professor Weasley offered Pansy the chair in front of her desk and sat her self behind it. The blond women regarded Pansy for a moment.
„Your break down was almost three weeks ago. Please tell me, how has your scar behaved since ?" she asked. „Has anything unusual happened? Have you seen Madame Pomfrey again?"
„I had a routine check up. Madame Pomfrey didn't find anything", Pansy answered. „Well, the scar itches from time to time. Sometimes it even burns a little bit."
Professor Weasley opened her note book. She had filled a few more pages with notes and drawings. There were even some clippings pasted in between the pages of the notebook.
„Can you connect the itching to certain moods, feelings, places, times of the day, or persons?" the professor asked.
Pansy had detected a certain pattern. It worried her. She tried not to show it.
„It happens sometimes when I'm sad or when I feel happy", she said.
Professor Weasley made a note.
„Are these feelings connected to a certain person or certain persons?"
Pansy swallowed. No. This conversation was not heading in that direction, was it? She looked down.
„Miss Parkinson, I know that I ask very private questions. Please believe me, everything you tell me stays with me. And I certainly will not tell Hermione."
Oh Merlin, first Luna, now the professor. Was she made out of glass? Professor Weasley smiled knowingly at her.
„Pansy, I'm part-veela. Veela are creatures of love and have special sense for these things."
Pansy exhaled slowly.
„All right", she said. „Though I can't link the itching and burning exclusively to my feelings for Hermione. Her friendship makes me happy. So does the friendship with Luna. Sometimes it hurts that I can't be with Hermione. She just doesn't return my feelings." Professor Weasley cleared her throat but gestured at Pansy to continue. „Most of the time I'm sad, when I think about Marianne, my nanny who died recently."
„I understand", Professor Weasley said. „So we can say that the curse reacts to you feelings you have for certain persons. Continue to observe yourself closely and try to identify as much details as possible. We will talk next week after class again. Nevertheless, you can come to me any time before that if necessary."
###
Hermione lay in bed. Her room was dark. She was alone. Ginny was somewhere outside with Harry.
With eyes wide open she starred at the ceiling. The day before she found out that Pansy carried that special trace of cinnamon. Exactly that trace of cinnamon that Hermione had smelled in the Amortentia potion. Since her discovery, Hermione asked herself what it meant. During their break up, Ron had asked: ‚Should a potion tell us who we are supposed to be with?' She had answered: ‚This is not like a prophecy in Divination. The smell of the potion mirrors something that is hidden inside ourselves. We should pay attention to it. It is more like listening to our inner voices.' First of all, it meant that, Pansy had some characteristics Hermione found attractive. Nothing more. Nothing less. Only some characteristics? Pansy was intelligent, hungry for knowledge, feisty, easy to talk to, passionate, protective, and so many other things. She was beautiful. Hermione loved to listen when she talked. She could go on like that forever.
Ah, who was she kidding? Hermione was so in love with the other girl. She was thinking about her all the time. It started during the battle, lasted over the summer, and never stopped. Without her noticing, Hermione was slowly falling for her with every homework session, with every talk they had, with every look they shared, with every touch of their hands.
There was one catch. Hermione did not mind that Pansy was a girl, or that she was a Slytherin, or their rocky past. Pansy had a secret love. It was unlikely that it was Hermione.
Oh Merlin. She was in trouble.
###
The senior years common room got a little bit more crowded in the last few weeks. More and more mixed groups of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs spend their time in there. The occasional Sytherin apart from Pansy was rumored to be seen.
Pansy and Hermione sat in a love seat by the fire place. Pansy was glad that they had some alone time without Luna or Ginny. Crookshanks lay on his back on Hermione's lap. He enjoyed a thorough belly rubbing. Pansy envied him. Just a little bit.
She suppressed a yawn. Images of Lestrange had haunted her in her sleep all night.
„Tough night again?" Hermione asked.
Pansy nodded. She wished she was in a different house. With Hermione, or with Luna for that matter. Saying ‚Good night' to them and wandering alone into the dungeons to her own unfriendly dorm got harder the more their friendship grew. Being able to have small talk with Daphne and some of her other room mates made things easier but not good.
„Do you have nightmares sometimes?" Pansy asked. „You know, about Lestrange?"
Hermione's hands stopped for a moment. She looked up from her cat and in Pansy's eyes.
„Of course. But Ginny is there for me. At least most of the times", Hermione answered.
Pansy raised her eyebrows in surprise.
„Why? Where is she the other times?" she asked.
Pansy let her gaze drop again and watched how Hermione's hands continued to wander through that thick red cat fur. Crookshanks rumbled. A purr was something for kittens. This was a grown up thing.
„She sneaks away to be with Harry", Hermione said.
Crookshanks rolled around and rubbed his head against the hand that was petting him.
„Of course", Pansy answered.
The cat sniffed in Pansy direction, looking at her with bright eyes.
„Have you nightmares, too?" Hermione asked.
Crookshanks pawed at Pansy's hand. One pair of hands to pet him was not enough.
„Yes."
Pansy surrendered to his pleading. She scratched Crookshanks between the ears. Hermione grinned at her cat.
„How do you deal with them? I guess, your roommates don't offer much comfort", she asked Pansy more solemnly.
Pansy let her hand wander over the cats body, too. Sometimes her hand and one of Hermione's crossed in their tracks. Hermione let her fingers brush over Pansy's skin.
„It helps me to read. Pride and Prejudice was the most soothing novel so far", Pansy said.
Crookshanks wandered over to Pansy's lap and presented her his belly. Pansy accepted the invitation.
„Do you want it back?" Hermione asked.
Crookshanks pawed at Hermione with one of his hind legs. Hermione moved a little bit closer to Pansy to be able to oblige him. Their shoulders and arms were touching. Pansy's heart pounded. All her being floated into that region of her body. She barely registered the itching of her scar.
„You don't need it?" Pansy finally managed to say.
Hermione tilted her head and gave Pansy that small smile.
„Its yours. I'm gladly giving it to you."
###
They had dinner together in the Great Hall. On Thursdays it was often the only time they had a chance to see each other. She did not share a class with Hermione. The other girl had no break. In addition to her own classes, she had to tutor the junior years in Transfiguration in the afternoon periods. It was Pansy least favorite day of the week. For Hermione it was a very exhausting day. Last Thursday after dinner, Pansy had found her sleeping peacefully on stack of books in the library. Pansy did not have the heart to wake the other girl. She just had watched her for while. She had been glad to be there. Castorius had been sneaking around.
„I've always meant to ask you. When is your birthday?" Hermione asked. She split the last portion of the shepherd's pie on their plates. Pansy thanked her.
„30 October", Pansy said.
„All right", Hermione answered.
They started to eat. Ginny sat beside Hermione.
„Ginevra Molly Weasley. Where have you been all night? You have been avoiding me all day, too", Hermione said to the new arrival. Ginny leaned forward to get a better look at Pansy.
„Don't let Hermione Jean Granger ever know your middle name, Pansy", Ginny said, glaring at Hermione. „She will only use it against you when she is angry with you. This is most unpleasant, especially when Mione is normally calling you by your nickname. Is Pansy short for something?"
Did Ginny just call her Mione? That sounded nice. It suited Hermione. It sounded so much softer than the full name.
„No. I don't know what my mother was thinking. I know, pansies are quite nice flowers, but most people have the other, more colloquial meaning in mind, when they hear it."
Hermione shook her had. Beside her, Ginny started to compile her evening meal.
„I don't. And pansies are quite nice flowers", Hermione said. With a smirk she added: „So, tell me. What is your middle name, Pansy?"
Hermione gave her that small smile Pansy loved so much. Ginny giggled. Pansy tried desperately to resist that look in Hermione's eyes.
„Pansy Patricia Parkinson is my full name", she said a little bit deflated. Had she no self control around the other girl? Ginny made a comical grimace of defeat.
„In your family runs the letter ‚p'", Hermione said grinning.
„You have no idea", Pansy said. „My mother's maiden name was Prewett."
„Are you serious? My mom is a Prewett as well", Ginny said.
„Oh? They are probably cousins of some degree. I don't know. My mother burned away her side of the family in the Parkinson chronicles and never talked about it", Pansy said.
„Maybe my mother can tell me more", Ginny said.
At the far end of the table, Castorius and a Slytherin boy sat down. On their end, Luna joined them and sat on Pansy's free side.
„How is Castorius treating you these days?" Hermione asked.
Pansy looked down the table.
„She pretends to ignore me. It is like the quite before the storm", Pansy said. „She still tries to be Slytherin's new first lady. As if. Slytherin House is not a united front anymore since the war is over. Only very few follow her lead. A lot of us don't like her attitude. She even lost popularity with some of the hard core pure blood fanatics. She lost too much house points with her attitude."
Luna scanned the table for something.
„No pudding tonight?", she asked. Than she turned to Pansy. „I've just caught Dennis Creevey. I know now why he was so vexed that you had his photograph of Hermione the other day."
„His what of me?" asked Hermione.
„What was he up to?" Pansy asked at the same time. Luna seemed to have heared only Pansy's question.
„It turned out that he tried to make some money with his brother's photo album. A small scale version of the chocofrog cards. He had a collection of photos from your second to your sixth year. Every collection contained three single portraits of Harry, one of Ron and one of Hermione, and five group shots. Pansy, the photograph you had at the beginning of the year, was the only single of Hermione from the sixth year."
Hermione gave Pansy a long, thoughtful look. Pansy did not dare to look her directly in the eyes. Luna continued her story while filling her plate.
„He prepared a small album with places to paste in the photos and made little packages with a random choice of six photos. His customers have bought on album and some of the photo packages. They have started to negotiate with each other when they needed a certain image. Creevey calls it the Panini principle for some reason."
„You are kidding me!" Hermione said. „Where is he now?"
Pansy was relieved that she did not ask further questions why Pansy had chosen a photograph of her.
„He is with the headmistress", Luna said.
„How did you get him?" Pansy asked. She wanted to direct the conversation further away from the tricky subject.
„He was arguing with some of his customers. They demanded a collection for the seventh year as well and he said that he needed time for getting a camera and taking the photographs", Luna said. „Not very subtle."
„He never has been", Pansy said. „Maybe Madame Pomfrey has something left for him to clean."
###
Hermione and Pansy stood between the shelves of the library. They were searching for a book they needed for their Transfiguration homework. Again Hermione noticed how high Pansy's collar was set and how tight her tie was bound. She raised her hand and loosened the tie and the collar. Pansy inhaled sharply and looked at her with wide eyes.
„Don't worry. No-one can see a thing", Hermione said.
She let her hands fall lightly over Pansy's shoulders. Pansy blushed. They stood for a moment longer looking into each others eyes before resuming the search.
###
Potter and Weasley walked before Pansy into the Great Hall. She could not help but listen to what they said.
„What I don't understand is, Snape was supposed to defend the students against the influence of You-Know-Who. The Carrows ran around the school and taught the students dark magic and allowed them to use the Cruciatus Curse. What did Snape to prevent that?" Weasley asked Harry.
Oh Merlin. Was there anything that could stop that boy from bitching about Slytherins?
„You really think that Snape did nothing to protect us, Weasley? It is true, he was not able to keep away the Carrows from school. But he intervened as much as he could and case by case he was successful", Pansy said. Weasley and Potter spun around.
„Enlighten me than. What did he do?" Ron asked, challenging her.
She felt her temper rising. That was never good.
„First of all, the Cruciatus Curse is only one out of three. Thanks to Snape it was the only one practiced at Hogwarts", Pansy said. „One case where he prevented the use of the Imperius Curse is very close to you."
That did it.
„And who might that be?" he asked. He was pale as a sheet.
„They planned to send your sister back to your family under the Imperius Curse. I don't know to what end. Perhaps to spy on your family or even worse", Pansy said. On her other side she heard a gasp. There stood Ginny and Hermione.
„I'm sorry", Pansy said to Ginny. Ginny shook her head. She was as pale as Ron. Pansy was angry with herself that she allowed Weasley to ignite her temper. What a verbal blow for Ginny!
„How did the Carrows plan to do it?" Ginny asked.
„They first had the idea after you broke into the headmaster's office", Pansy said. „They were furious that Snape insisted on punishing you himself. They waited for the next opportunity in vain. Snape had kept a close eye on you. You were lucky that you didn't return to school after the Easter break."
„Puh. I feel a little bit sick right now", Ginny said. „Thanks for handing us to Snape and not the Carrows after you caught us." She swallowed. „I'll skip dinner and take a walk outside."
Ginny left the Great Hall without further ado.
„Yes. Thank you, Parkinson, I guess", Weasley said. „Ginny wait. I come with you."
Weasley ran after his sister.
„Wow, this is the first time that he ever has skipped a meal", Harry said. „Do you think we should follow them, Hermione?"
„No. Let brother and sister have a little privacy", Hermione said.
Potter nodded.
„I think, I need something to strengthen me now", he said. „Come on, girls. Let's have dinner."
###
Pansy munched a cookie while reading a novel. The four girls sat around a table with a cookie dish in the middle. The other three were talking. Pansy had only three pages left in The Women in White by Wilkie Collins.
"Pansy! You've eaten all the chocolate cookies!" Hermione complained. "You are an only child, aren't you?"
Pansy blushed.
"This is your doing. You connected reading stories with eating chocolate in my mind", Pansy said smiling.
Hermione glared at her.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't realize that this was the last one", Pansy said. Would she ever be able to resist this girl? Luna ordered some more cookies by directing her words at the cookie bowl. Hermione reached for one of the new chocolate cookies. Ginny snatched it away under her fingers.
"You are an only child, too, Mione", said the youngest sister of six bottomless pits. "That you are."
Hermione looked exasperated at her red-haired friend. Ginny bit into the cookie.
"Hmmmm!"
All four started to laugh.
The door of the common room opened. Daphne Greengrass stepped in and told Pansy that Professor Slughorn wanted to see her in his office as soon as possible. Daphne left again.
„Do you have an idea of what this is about?" Ginny asked.
The three other girls looked at her with concern. Pansy's mind raced. The image of Dryground floated into her mind.
„I think, I do. What day is today?" Pansy said.
„Wednesday", was Luna's answer.
„I meant the date", Pansy said a little bit impatient. She had a bad feeling about this.
„21 October", Hermione said.
Pansy tried to remember the date of Dryground's visit. It was a day after Hermione's birthday.
„The thirty days are over. This must be about Marianne's will", Pansy said.
Hermione put a hand on her shoulder.
„Do you want me to come with you?" she said.
„I don't know", Pansy said.
She really did not know. Hermione took their bags.
„OK, I will come with you. Let's go."
