High School!AU


"I've been looking all over for you! Where on Earth have you been? And why are you sitting out in the rain?"

"Leave me alone," Pansy grumbled, hastily wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I'm not in the mood for company."

"Well, too bad." Astoria sat down on the step next to her, the rain cascading through her brown hair like a waterfall. Rummaging through her bookbag, she pulled out a comb and began brushing Pansy's hair. Pansy jerked back, staring at her incredulously.

"What are you doing?"

"I've heard combing someone's hair is therapeutic!" said Astoria brightly. "It should help you feel better."

"You're weird," Pansy said, but she was smiling. Astoria might be bizarre, but she knew that her friend was only trying to comfort her. "Let's move inside, so you can comb my hair properly."

They did not go inside but instead sat on one the benches under the canopy, and Astoria resumed brushing her hair.

"You have such beautiful hair, Pans," Astoria said. "Most people think black is a boring color, but I like yours. It's a pretty black, a jet black."

"I've been thinking of dyeing it," Pansy admitted. "But it's nice to hear your opinion."

"You're welcome. Why were you crying?" Astoria began braiding her hair.

Pansy pursed her lips; sometimes it was impossible to pin down that girl. She was so…capricious. In a school of arseholes, that made her an easy target.

"None of your business." She drew her knees up to her chest.

"It is my business," Astoria replied patiently. "And besides, I think everyone heard about it. Little goes on in this high school that you don't hear about. Daphne heard you two arguing very loudly after Chemistry."

Pansy frowned. "Then why are you asking me?"

"Oh, I don't listen to her," Astoria said airily. "She tends to overexaggerate rumors. I thought I'd rather hear it firsthand."

"...If you must." Pansy's heart did an odd sort of somersault. "Draco and I broke up."

"Mhm."

"He said some things."

"He can be rather nasty."

"Tell about it. My only regret is that I didn't notice it until now. But the way he was talking…that was a side of him that I've never seen before. He's...mean. I guess it was only a matter of time…"

"Sometimes people can say things that seem mean, but it's just because they're afraid." Astoria tied the braid with a yellow hair ribbon (something else from the eccentric collection of items in her bag). "Do you think he was afraid of something?"

"Draco? He's never afraid." Pansy snorted. "Or at least he acts that way."

"Everyone is afraid of something," Astoria said sagely. "I'm afraid of confrontation. You're afraid of seeming weak. He's afraid of commitment."

"Commitment?" Pansy whirled around. "That makes sense. He lashed out because he was afraid that it was getting too serious and he wasn't prepared."

"Yep." Astoria's hair was still decorated with pearly beads of rain, but she was smiling. "I think you need someone who is willing to commit the entire way. Someone who is prepared for everything that a relationship might throw at you."

"You're right," Pansy said, determination flooding through her. "I can find someone better."

"Indeed." Astoria was gazing at her, her eyes warm and her expression affectionate. "Though you might not even realize it, even if they're right in front of you."

It suddenly occurred to Pansy that Astoria might be hinting at something. She was suddenly aware of Astoria's face close to hers, of the scent of vanilla. She was very, very pretty, and kissable…

Pansy jerked back, her face burning, and grabbed her bookbag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she stood.

"I have to go," she mumbled, all but running out into the rain, because there was nowhere else to run.

"Wait!" Astoria called after her, but Pansy kept moving, rain beating at her head, the droplets icy against her skin —

Astoria. Astoria ran past her, stopped, and wheeled around so she was facing Pansy. She was soaked too, but she didn't look any less beautiful.

"Don't go," Astoria begged, her eyes wide and round with desperation. "I need to know how you feel."

This was such a contrast from the strange, dreamy-eyed Astoria, but then again she was prone to mood swings.

"Don't tell me that you didn't feel something," she said as Pansy stood motionless, emotions waging a war inside of her.

Finally, she said, "I did feel something, but there's no point to it. It's just a passing fancy. I'm — I'm not —"

The next thing she knew, Astoria was kissing her and Pansy was on fire.

Pansy froze for about five seconds, but during those five seconds, she was acutely aware of something erupting in her, something scorching hot, something that egged her to respond.

Desire.

Slowly but surely, her lips moved, and once they moved, she was ravenous. Astoria's lips tasted like vanilla chapstick and her hands were relentless, pressing insistently against the small of her back and then sliding up to Pansy's hair, where they delved and made a home for themselves. Kissing her was intoxicating, electrifying; she felt as though she was going to explode from the sheer passion coursing through her body.

Kissing Draco had never felt like this. Draco was cautious, testing out the waters, while Astoria…Astoria was storms and infernos and everything that was wild. Astoria didn't hold back.

It was always the strangest of girls who had the fieriest souls.

Astoria was the first to pull away. Her hair was plastered against her forehead, her cheeks were wet and streaked with raindrops, and her lips were swollen, but she was grinning triumphantly. "You can't tell me that you didn't feel something then. This isn't just a passing fancy, is it? Did I make myself clear?"

"...You did," Pansy breathed, resting her forehead against Astoria's. "I think…I think this is something more than a fancy."

It was like the sun broke through the clouds, even though the rain didn't stop. In that moment, it seemed as though no storm had ever been more ferocious, but with Astoria in her arms, they could weather any storm.


1036 words

Written for:

Assignment 6 - Unsolved Murders - Task #11 - The Alphabet Murders: Write about a character with an alliterating name.

Pumpkin Patch Stomp: A4 - (word) Bizarre

Monster Petting Zoo - Keith the Kraken - Go for a ride out to sea: (scenario) kissing in the rain

Halloween Petting Zoo - Haunted Heart - 14. Christina Aguilera: It's like a dream but you hope it's real

Drive-in Halloween Movie - 20. Paranorman - "Sometimes people can say things that seem mean, but it's just because they're afraid."

Hot Air Balloons - 14. (color) Yellow

Wine Tasting - Dessert Wine - 4. Croft Vintage Port 2017 - (pairing) has less than 250 fics.

Trick or Treating - House Two: The Weasleys - 6. Fruit: (color) jet black

Apple Bobbing - Apple 17/Pansy Parkinson

Costume Party - Beetlejuice - Beetlejuice: (color) Black

Leaf Picking - Yellow - 7. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Pop Figures - 12. Bilbo Baggins - Character Type: Alliterated name

Sticker Club - Antipodean Opaleye Dragon - (word) Beautiful

Talent Show - 5. Baton Twirling - AU: High School!AU; Dialogue: "Do I make myself clear?"; Emotion: Regretful; Item: Comb; Word: Bright

Coming Out Day - Orange: Plot Point: Falling in love with someone of the same gender

(more challenges to be added later)