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Hermione didn't like the dress. Not that it wasn't nicely made, expensive feeling but did it have to be light mint green. Her dark auburn curls clashed horribly making her look deathly pale.
"You know I think mint green is your colour." Pansy said from the leather couch of Madame Malkin's.
"Well, I would have to disagree, Pansy." Hermione sneered in disgust at the mirror.
"Honestly, Hermione. I have impeccable taste. You'll be the bell of the ball except for me of course." Pansy said crossing her legs, she looked at Hermione's reflection and smiled widely. "I am the bride and this is what I want my maid of honour to wear. Is that too much to ask?" Pansy said standing and walking towards her best friend. Hermione sighed. What ever Pansy wants, Pansy gets. Hermione looked at the simple dress, if it had been a deeper, richer colour, it probably wouldn't look so bad. The pale colour washed her skin of its natural beauty. Hermione felt Pansy's hands on her shoulders, followed by her chin. Hermione's eyes met Pansy's and Hermione suddenly let the issue go.
"It's your day." Hermione said smiling at her friend in the mirror. Pansy giggled and turned herself towards the couch once again. She cleared her throat nonchalantly.
"Oh keep forgetting to ask. How is the garden?" Pansy sat back down on the couch eagerly waiting for an answer.
"It's beautiful. Malfoy has got it looking splendid." Hermione said genuinely.
It was more beautiful then it had ever been, not only in the front but he was planning on turning her back yard into an elaborate one. She would see him almost everyday after he finished the front, sketching and picking out colours. Sometimes he would even ask her to pick a few, to add a more feminine then an architectural feeling. He had even asked her to go pick a fountain and few statues this weekend. She was really excited. She felt as though the week couldn't finish quickly enough. She busied herself everyday. With housework, renovations and planning for a new addition of a sunroom. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror again, it didn't look too bad. It just needed some getting used to. She only had to wear it for one day.
"Hello? Hermione, are you quite in there sweet pea?" Pansy's singsong voice called through her thoughts.
"Oh, yes. Pansy?" Hermione said looking at Pansy standing now, flattening her purple dress robes.
"How are you and Draco getting on?" Pansy asked quietly.
"Oh good. He's better at gardening then me so I like to keep it that way." Hermione giggled at her own pun.
"I see. Does he come over everyday?" Pansy asked now obviously prying.
"Yes, pretty much, just until the job is done." Hermione said walking away from the mirror toward the change rooms.
"I feel like we don't talk anymore." Pansy admitted sadly.
"We talk everyday." Hermione answered truthfully as she unzipped her dress in the change room.
"Yes, but it's mostly about the wedding and me. We never talk about anything else. I want to know about you." Pansy exclaimed, with a hint of frustration in her voice.
"Surprising." Hermione said sarcastically, pulling on her jeans.
"Hermione, I am being perfectly serious." Pansy said annoyed.
"I know, your heads in the right place Pansy." Hermione added pulling on her shirt and exiting the change room with the dress in her arms.
"So, I talked to Blaise last night." Pansy began nervously.
"Oh yeah." Hermione responded and rolled her eyes.
"He said that you two were going out for dinner." Pansy added quickly.
"Well, no. I am cooking dinner in my new kitchen." Hermione said innocently.
"Oh so Blaise is the first one to eat in your new kitchen. I am hurt." Pansy mocked grabbing her chest in pain.
"Also, no. Malfoy has had dinner there since it was finished." Hermione added handing the dress to Madame Malkin to package.
"Oh, will Draco be there tonight?" Pansy asked following Hermione around as she picked up her purse and her scarf.
"No." Hermione sighed at Pansy's questions.
"I am so happy!" Pansy suddenly squealed.
"About what?" Hermione turned out to find her friend shining with glee.
"You and Blaise." Pansy squealed out.
"What about Blaise and I?" Hermione asked shocked.
"I am so glad you finally realized that he was the man for you!" Pansy said embracing her excitedly.
"Pansy, Blaise and I are just friends and will remain so." Hermione said sternly breaking the hug.
"Hermione, are you daft?" Pansy asked somewhat angrily.
"What are you talking about, Pansy?" Hermione responded surprised.
"This man loves you. He will give you everything he has, his heart and his soul. He wants to be with you forever, to care for you. To marry you, to have children with you." Pansy exclaimed exasperatedly.
"Pansy, I have given him no inclination of my affections. My affection is strictly platonic." Hermione begged.
"Hermione, give him a chance!" Pansy started to raise her voice. "You're twenty-eight years old. It is your time to find love and you have! But, all you do is refuse it. I don't know what else that man can do? He's bent over backwards for you, all he knows is you. All he needs is you." Pansy breathed heavily. Hermione noticed tears in her eyes.
"Pansy, please. He deserves someone that will love him back with the same amount of love. I can't give that to him. I can't." Hermione admitted.
"You won't. That is the reason. We are all capable of that kind of love. Why do you think I am getting married? Because I found the man who loves me morning, day and night. Who is devoted to me, till the ends of this earth! You are my best friend but what you are doing to Blaise makes me want to be sick. He is sick for you. He has always been there for you. Why can't you do the same? Are you truly that selfish?" Pansy asked heatedly looking directly at her friend. Hermione didn't know what to say, she would have never expected Pansy to lose her composure like she had.
"Pansy, I am sorry." Hermione reached for her friend's hand.
"I will see you Saturday." Pansy said abruptly turning towards the exit. Hermione was left mouth hanging open in the middle of the dress shop.
"Draco-Mother-Effing-Malfoy, I swear to Merlin if you don't show yourself, I'll have you drawn and quartered." Pansy's shrill 'mad-voice' reached Draco's ears all the way in the east-wing garden. He was just standing up from his work of the patio table when a severely pissed off Pansy-soon-to-be-Weasley-Parkinson stormed in.
"Pansy, are you alright?" Draco asked concerned at her flushed appearance.
"No! Absolutely not! You bloody beast!" Pansy squealed into the patio. Draco couldn't believe Pansy's outburst usually she was calm, cool and collected.
"Pansy, why on Merlin—"Don't you say anything it is my turn to talk. Sit!" Pansy pointed to the chair at the table. Draco unwillingly took it in bewilderment.
"You must be pretty proud of yourself! Hmm… You've got Hermione all wrapped around your finger." Pansy huffed, Draco was utterly confused.
"Pansy, I know what you're thinking—wait what?" Draco stepped back from a now heavily huffing Pansy.
"Hermione!" Pansy screamed out in frustration, shaking an index finger in the air.
"Hermione? Hermione, what?" Draco asked exasperatedly throwing his hands into the air.
"Don't play stupid, it is a waste of my time." Pansy shouted from the entrance of the room.
"What is going on, Pansy?" Draco yelled back, not knowing what to think. Pansy was off her rocker.
"You have no shame. You above all people know how Blaise feels and yet you see a challenge, how could you do that to a most beloved friend. You're a horrid excuse for a friend." Pansy retorted.
"Pansy, you think that Granger and I are. Pansy, what gave you the inducement that—"I don't need one. I know you. Practically moved into her cottage. Working on the gardens. Really, Draco no one is blind." Pansy cut in violently, her chest heaved up and down almost uncontrollably it seemed.
"Pansy, Granger and I are not anything. I don't even think you can assume that we are friends. We are nothing. I am not infringing on Blaise's territory. Pansy, calm down! You haven't got it right." Draco pleaded with the almost irate Pansy Parkinson. He couldn't even think what had happened to evoke so much emotion.
"Promise me! Promise me, that you won't wrong Blaise in such a way I could never forgive you." Pansy pointed angrily at him.
"Pansy, calm down. Nothing has happened to even provoke these feelings that you think Granger and I possess for each other. We're both absolute messes. Opposites attract, and for once I can honestly admit that we are more similar then different." Draco said approaching his friend cautiously, soon having and hand on her arm trying to comfort her. "What's going on, Pans?" Draco lead her to the patio table and sat her down beside his seat, and leaned his elbow on the table ready to listen.
"Draco, I am afraid that Hermione may not get what she deserves." Pansy admitted, ruffled through her purse and pulled out a tissue.
"What does she deserve, Pansy?" Draco asked inquisitively wanting so desperately to get into Pansy's head, if he knew what was going on it might be easier to ease her mind but for now all he could was listen.
"She deserves someone who is stable, who educates himself extensively about her condition. Who checks on her everyday, talks about her and only her. Cooks her breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends. Kisses her on the head when he heads to work. Everything, that I have and so much more, beyond what Ron and I have, and surpass Harry and Ginny. She needs love, that's not just for her, but her life and the way she wants it. For the time she has." Pansy said it like Granger's life was so fragile and then stopped short of a breath.
"What do you mean 'time' Pansy?" Draco asked heatedly absentmindly wiping a tear cascading down her cheek.
"It's not my place, Draco. All you need to know is that Blaise will care for her. Keep her with us. I couldn't lose her. Nor, could Ron and it would ruin Harry." Pansy admitted. Draco found himself feeling suddenly hot, and angry. Something was being hidden and only Hermione, Pansy and obviously Blaise knew. It made Draco seethe that she had hidden this from him. They had become friends, far better than he had let on. They conversed either in person or by owl ever since that day she came to his home and shared that rainy afternoon. He knew that the afternoons spent with her made his mind settle, his body slowly calm. He loved laying her back yard surrounded by the new garden, which was almost completely finished. He felt his fists clench. He needed to see her. He needed an answer.
"What is wrong with her, Pansy?" Draco asked through clenched teeth.
"Draco, I am not going to tell you." Pansy said monotonously as she stood out from his grasp. "I am sorry, thank you for your understanding about the Hermione-Blaise thing." Pansy said absentminedly as she walked out into the garden all to quickly and disappeared with a 'pop'. Draco shook his head and followed her footsteps, he too apparated off the same spot.
"Granger?" Draco found himself yelling out on a familiar front lawn. "Granger!" He heard the front door open slowly.
"Malfoy, I thought you were going to take a night off, and what are you doing scaring the neighbors." Granger said jokingly walking onto the porch in a pair of jeans and a red sweater.
"I have a bone to pick with you!" Draco said sternly marching up to the porch.
"And what in Merlin is that?" Granger asked leaning on the porch beam.
"You've neglected to tell me that something is seriously wrong with you." Draco spat as he walked up to her closing the distance between them. Granger's countenance changed almost immediately.
"What are you on, Malfoy?" Granger said all playfulness drying from her voice.
"Granger, don't lie. I know when you lie." Draco said frustratedly. He couldn't believe that she had hid something from him like this, if something was wrong with her, he deserved to know and he intended to find out.
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MDM