"I'm really sorry about him trying to kill you," Astoria said, gesturing at Dumbledore's painting, "but I need you to let Draco come back this year, Professor McGonagall."

Pansy stood in the Headmistress's office next to her friend, amazed at how she got into this situation.

As the summer passed, she started having more alright days than bad ones. She kept herself busy by learning British Sign Language because anyone who thought that Pansy Parkinson would rather lose a lifelong friend than learn a (regrettably) Muggle method of communication had another think coming. It wasn't Daph's fault that her boyfriend's psychopathic father hit her with a curse that was actually intended for his own son, and it wasn't her fault that the Wizarding world didn't have enough magical options for witches who could still do everything except hear.

Daphne knew how she felt, of course, which is how she was able to guilt her into accompanying her to Muggle shops because, "I don't think we'll be welcome on Diagon Alley, Pans, and do you actually want to see me in whatever the dodgy shops on Knockturn Alley have to offer? I'm a wealthy orphan, help me frivolously spend my money." Pansy was not going to be seen with Daph in some insanely ugly outfit, regardless of where it came from, so she went along with the shopping excursions to prevent such a catastrophe from occurring.

Otherwise, Pansy spent her time smoking loads of weed, drinking loads of alcohol, and contemplating life from under her duvet. That last activity is what she was doing one morning when Astoria knocked on the door, and as soon as she received permission to enter, ran in the room and dove onto the bed.

"I'm going to do something absolutely mental," she said.

Pansy raised an eyebrow. "This is not a new phenomenon, Astoria."

"Lucius told Draco he'll never let him step foot in Malfoy Manor again as long as he's with me. So if that's the way he wants to play, well, I have a plan to get the Manor into Draco's possession. Because Draco can't move forward if he doesn't deal with everything that happened there, and when Daph and Theo inevitably get married I want them to have full possession of this house, and mostly I want revenge on a man who claims to love his son but does a piss-poor job of showing it."

"You're right, it is absolutely mental."

"Don't think I can do it?"

"Any answer will only encourage you further."

Astoria grinned.

"Let's make a wager. If Draco gets that house, you'll go back to re-do your seventh year."

To be honest, Pansy had been considering the idea of going back to school, but she was scared shitless about actually doing it. She knew Theo was being encouraged by his mentor to go back for his NEWTs and was bringing Blaise and Daphne along for the ride. Astoria had already convinced Tracey not to go the correspondence route, so of course she was on Pansy's case now.

"Fine. If you can pull this off, then maybe anything is possible and McGonagall will welcome her favourite student back with open arms," said Pansy.

Those words came back to bite her quickly. The surprise eviction was brilliant and bold and perfectly embodied the Slytherin adage that 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' It wasn't fucking fair that someone who burned so bright as Astoria had to live with this blood curse hanging over her head, knowing that one day in the future, it would emerge out of dormancy.

So that's how Pansy ended up at this meeting with the Headmistress while Astoria pled her case to allow every member of their group to return in the autumn.

"He didn't take the chance when it was offered to him, but I need you to give him just one more," Astoria said. "Let me show you something. Dumbledore's Army tried to teach me, but I couldn't do it. But I kept trying, and a few weeks ago this happened...Expecto patronum!"

A beautiful silver dragon materialised in front of them, proudly stretching its wings out and then with a fierce look in its eye, letting out a roar of flames. There were a few gasps from the various paintings around the room. Even McGonagall seemed taken aback.

"I know what it means," Astoria said, wiping away a tear with her thumb. Pansy's own mouth dropped open once she put it together. To have that kind of love at sixteen , that was powerful.

"I recall a similar scene occurring in this very office with your predecessor, Minerva," Dumbledore's portrait said calmly.

McGonagall nodded slowly, her fixed gaze on Astoria becoming very soft. "One more chance," she said. Astoria's smile could have lit up the darkest of rooms.

"Well I don't have any moving displays of emotion to add to this conversation," Pansy blurted out, "but someone has to be the most hated student at Hogwarts next year and it might as well be me."

"I don't hate you, Miss Parkinson."

"Most people think that you should have confined us to the dungeons during the battle. The Prophet even did a poll. Eighty-twenty."

"I would never have done that. You were afraid, you reacted, and I overruled you. I do think it's time to move on."

"Oh," Pansy said, not expecting this response.

"You are aware, though, that there will be zero tolerance for anti-Muggle sentiment this year. All students will be treated with respect regardless of blood status, and breaking this rule will result in expulsion."

"I've learnt to see beyond Death Eater propaganda, Professor. Not really sure what I do believe in, but I'm not going to become a younger-and far prettier-Alecto Carrow. I mean, if I wasn't already discouraged by all the torture and death I witnessed, recently I discovered that Accio That is a complete rip-off of a Muggle band except for some changes to their lyrics. Daph and I went to every concert on their UK tour the summer before fourth year. I feel deceived," Pansy mused.

She could translate the look on McGonagall's face to something like 'thank Merlin the Hat didn't put this one in Gryffindor,' but the Headmistress quickly recovered.

"What do you plan to do with your life?" she asked.

"Fuck all, now that I'm financially independent. Exactly as I told Snape during that bloody career advice meeting. I don't know what you want me to say. What do you do when you wake up and you realise that you're not sure about anything you used to believe in and you have no idea what to do next?"

McGonagall smiled wryly. "Welcome to adulthood, Miss Parkinson."

"I think I'd rather stay in adolescence, thanks," she said. "So does this mean I can make Astoria's dreams come true and hang around the castle for a bit longer?"

"I'll see you in September," the Headmistress replied.