Pansy walked on the empty streets of Hogsmead the next morning. She was escorted by her father till the village from where she had to walk to the castle while her luggage was already sent. Pansy was draped in a cloak. She only carried with her a small bag in which many vials of dreamless sleep potion and calming draughts were placed by her mother. Pansy was walking through the streets of the village with her head down on the path. She did not know what to expect from the year ahead of her.
"Hello, Miss Parkinson" someone who was passing by called. The voice was not familiar. Pansy looked up to see the Ravenclaw, William Thomas standing there with a small smile. "William Thomas" she acknowledged him with a neutral face. "You remember me then?" he asked. "My memory does me good." Pansy replied somewhat coldly. "May I ask what brings you here so early?" "I did not board the train four days ago. I am here to join my seventh year classes." Pansy replied.
"Then let me escort you to end of the village. I am headed there myself." William said. "Okay" Pansy replied. Pansy was thankful that she had something else to concentrate on, even for a little while. They started walking. "What are you doing here?" Pansy asked. William replied, "I work for Olivander. Actually I am to join the Wizarding Institute for Wand Making. I wanted to get a head start on some basics so requested him to take me as an apprentice."
"I have heard it is one of the best places to learn wand magic." Pansy said "It is" William said smiling at Pansy. Pansy relied with a small smile. "So why are you joining late? I didn't know they allowed that." "I enrolled in a class during the vacation. Under special consideration I was allowed to postpone my joining till the project submission of my class." Pansy said looking forward at the nearing castle. "What kind of class was it?" When Pansy did not reply William looked at her. She seemed to be lost in thought. William observed her, to him she looked a bit troubled.
"So here we are" he said a bit loudly. Pansy looked at him. They had reached Olivander's workshop. "You didn't tell me which class you joined?" William said a teasing smile on his face. "Magical Art and Design" Pansy replied monotonously "I'll see you later then." Pansy said to him as he nodded at her and Pansy resumed her walk to the castle gates alone.
Pansy walked up straight to McGonagall's office where she was given the time table and asked to go to her class. Her already depressed mood was intensified when she saw her time table. She had a double History of Magic with the Gryffindors meaning Hermione and Harry would be there. She had to face them, she had no other option. So she held her head high and walked to the classroom. Determined not to look at anyone in the class she occupied the first empty seat she could fine which was the first desk in front of the class.
Though she was determined not to look at anyone, she noticed Draco was sitting at the back of the class with his hand on the back of the bench. Beside him was Hermione Granger. The class passed in anxiety for Pansy. As soon as the bell sounded signifying the end of the class, she bolted out of the door without looking back. She knew she could not avoid them forever, but she was determined to do so till she could.
Her whole day passed, running between the classes, trying to keep her mind on only what the teacher was saying. And at the end of the classes she decided to skip lunch and spend the time alone in her dorm. Pansy was determined not to see anyone of them till the next day and she did not.
Pansy could not sleep at night. She got up and sat in her bed. It was five past six. The castle would be empty now so Pansy decided to take her breakfast early. She showered and dressed and made her way to the Great Hall. When she reached there, no one was there except a few teachers and some second years. She took the offered bread and ate it with honey. After some time, more people were coming down for breakfast so she took an apple and left the hall. Maneuvering her way out of the hallway, she reached the green houses. The winds were still slightly chilly so no one was outside.
Pansy sat near one of the glasshouses watching the sun rise from the horizon. She sat there for a long time after eating her apple. The warm sunshine was feeling good on her skin. The clouds were forming complex designs on the sky but her mind was clouded by a single thought. How would she survive for the rest of the year? When the bell sounded for the start of the classes, she begrudgingly stood and made her way to the castle.
After dodging Theo for the fourth time, she entered a small hallway. She had a few classes with Draco today but Blaise and Theo were in them all. She arrived late in every class and sat on the first bench. Now, she was on her way to the Slytherin common room where she would hide for the rest of the day. She checked back once, Theo was nowhere around. She turned a corner to smack right into Blaise. "Hey Pansy! Where are you off to?" he asked smilling. Blaise seemed to not have the slightest idea what was happening. Somehow his sickeningly sweet smile riled Pansy up.
"It's not your business where I go or what I do. So stop following me." Pansy said angrily. Blaise opened his mouth to say something but Pansy continued "Don't you dare say anything else. I don't want to hear anything from you." Blaise cocked an eyebrow at her outburst "Cranky much?" he said leaning on the wall beside him. "Leave. Me. Alone." Pansy said with clenched teeth and stormed off in other direction. "C'mon Pansy. I was just kidding" Blaise said but Pansy had already left.
She spent all her afternoon in the back of the greenhouses. The back gates were rarely opened and there was plenty was shade. Pansy watched the green fields and small hills from there till dusk. She kept thinking about how she yelled at Blaise all because of that one boy she could not stop thinking about. And it fustated her. When it grew dark she made her way quietly to her dorm where she stayed till she was woken up with a resounding headache at 5 o clock the next morning.