Pansy was relieved that she have had a normal breakfast with Blaise and Theo at the Slytherin table in the great hall that day because it was snowing outside and the back yard of the greenhouses would be covered in layer of snow right now. Draco was off to some school duties or something else that she did not wish to know about. Today was the day she would see him up close. All these days that she had been hiding, Pansy had seen Draco only once or twice from a distance and had immediately shun herself.
The last class of the day was Charms. One of the classes she enjoyed and looked forward to. Now she only wanted to get it over with. Pansy entered the class just before Professor Flitwick that gave her no chance to talk to anyone or notice Draco and Hermione sitting together. Pansy sat down beside Blaise in the third row and kept her head straight throughout the class. Still she could hear murmurs and whispers from behind her, endearments that she did not wish to know.
After the class, Pansy was about to leave as fast as possible but was stopped by Theo. Theo wanted to know if she would join them for the Hogsmead trip this weekend. Pansy saw Draco and Hermione walking towards them, holding hands. Pansy saw the way Draco was looking at Hermione. It was as if the world around them didn't even exist. He looked at her like she was Christmas after a long time, like she made his world, like Pansy looked at Draco.
Pansy suddenly averted her eyes from the scene. She did not notice that Hermione had noticed her disdain. She replied Theo that she would be there and made a hurried exit. Pansy ran from the class clutching her bag to her side and holding the tears in her eyes. She ran and ran till she did not enter the other wing of the caste. Unable to run anymore Pansy ducked in an alcove. Her bag was dropped on the ground and she was barely standing leaning heavily against the wall. Pansy let her tears flow. She cried for every time that Draco did not notice her, every time she waited for him in the library for him, every time she anticipated that Draco would wave at her during the quiddtich matches. She cried for every second that she wished he would be by her side and for every second that now wished to be far away from him.
Pansy slid down on the floor as her sobs became unbearable. She hated herself for crying out for Draco. But she could not help. When she saw Draco it was as if someone was forcefully tearing her wounds apart. Her chest literally ached.
Pansy sat there till dinner time and when the whole castle was empty she crept quietly towards her hovel. Pansy watched the moon grow in the sky that night and promised herself that she would not cry anymore. Draco didn't need her hence she wouldn't ever disturb him again.
Draco accompanied Hermione to wherever her class was in the castle and then ran to his class. This had become an everyday routine. One day, as usual, Draco and Hermione were walking down a hallway. Draco was carrying both of their bags and Hermione held his other arm. She was busy reading about a potion from a parchment held her other hand. They passed a group of giggling Gryffindors. One of them whispered, "Look the hot shot is here." Suddenly the boy was down on the ground and yelping in pain.
Everyone around him paused for a second wondering what had happened to him. Meanwhile Draco maneuvered Hermione out of the chaos and they went for their class. Pansy was standing a few feet away from the Gryffindors trying to merge in the crowd. She was sure very few people had noticed a strong stinging and boiling hex casted by Draco Malfoy.
Pansy was completing her charms essay when she was disturbed by Theo. He took the empty chair next to her. "Your new spot has good view." He commented. Pansy had abandoned the library. Due to Hermione studying there, library was frequented by a blond very often so she had taken up a desk at the corner of the Slytherin common room. It was very close to the girls' dorm. Apparently the window in front of it overlooked a shore of the black lake, partially in water and partially out of it.
"Yeah. I like the scenery" she said looking out of the glass window. "So you're coming tomorrow right?" Theo asked. "Where?" Pansy asked. "Sunday brunch, Hogsmead" Theo reminded her. "Oh that" Pansy had forgotten about what he had said earlier. She looked at her essay stalling a bit in order to make up an excuse. "I am meeting someone else tomorrow." She said still looking down. "Oh really" Theo said amused. Pansy knew he would see right through her lie but she tried nevertheless.
"Look Pansy" Theo said holding her hand. Pansy looked up at Theo. "I know things have been hectic here with all the studies and your art. But" he stopped to look in her eyes. "We have not talked properly for so long. I miss you Pansy." Pansy exhaled and smiled. Theo had been her closest friend. Even the prospect of talking with him after so long was relaxing.
"I missed you too Theo. It's just I have been so occupied in some things" she explained then continued "I promise we will spend some time together this weekend" Pansy had carefully removed the part with meeting everybody.
Pansy and Theo smiled at each other. There are still some things good in life, Pansy thought.