Unfortunately it was as Hermione had predicted, there was no trace of her parents inside the house. Still Pansy and Hermione decided to stay. Hopefully the Death Eaters didn't send out a signal before they met their demise, and presumably nobody would check on them anytime soon. It was crazy enough to work and they didn't have many other options.
Hermione Apparated the bodies into an empty field beyond the outskirts of the city while Pansy got to work on cleaning the blood stains and debris. They didn't have anything to patch the broken window so they decided to lock off that room.
Hermione went down into the back yard to put numerous wards on the house, mostly in order to alert them if anyone tries to break in. Meanwhile Pansy went into the kitchen to find some food.
"This is all they had except for some disgusting looking jars." Pansy said pouring the milk into a big bowl of cereal.
Hermione sat on the stool across. "Better then nothing." She grumbled and started eating. "I'll leave you half." Hermione said chewing on a spoonful.
Having finished Hermione pushed the bowl over to Pansy and stood up on wobbly legs.
"You ok?" Pansy asked with concern.
Hermione nodded yawning. "I really need some rest. This has been a one incredibly long, nightmarish day, and I've been in two fights back to back.
"What was the first one?" Pansy asked.
"Right…" Hermione muttered realizing she didn't mean to reveal that. "I'll tell you another time. I'm just too tired now." She said dragging her feet up to the second floor.
"Where can I sleep then?" Pansy asked following behind.
"Hmm… The window is broken in my parent's bedroom, but I suppose we can drag out the mattress out of there."
"Good idea! Shall we drag it into your room?" Pansy suggested. "You know after everything, I'd rather be close by."
Hermione was too spent to decipher what Pansy meant so she just nodded, there where no usable rooms beside a small bathroom on the end of the hallway, so it seemed like the only option.
Once they did all the work Hermione was finally able to take off her shoes and rest her weary eyelids. She was already slipping off when Pansy's voice brought her back.
"Do you think they'll attack again?" Pansy timidly asked from the mattress which they placed in corner of Hermione's room, not far from the foot of Hermione's own bed.
"I don't think so." Hermione said. "Go to sleep…" She managed drifting off.
"Good night." Pansy said even though the blood-red sun was still above horizon.
When Hermione woke up the light was already pouring trough the crackly wooden blinds. She opened the window to see the sun high up in the clear blue sky. How long had she slept? She wondered smelling the breeze until her belly rumbled and she felt the remnants of dry, bloody crusts on her face.
Pansy was still sleeping, so Hermione tried to sneak out quietly, but when the door screeched and Pansy propped up with a yawn. "Where are you going?" She asked.
"I should go wash up, than I'll go to the store to get some food." Hermione explained.
"Wait up, I'm coming too!" Pansy sprang up to her feet. "I mean, I'll shower too… after you, than we'll go together, ok?"
"Ok…" Hermione undecidedly accepted.
Having both cleaned up, Hermione found her father's emergency stash of money under the basement floorboards and off they went to the nearby store.
Pansy was starry-eyed as she looked around at all the colourful items the Muggle store was adorned with.
Meanwhile Hermione snuck glances at her, envious of her amusement.
They picked up some fast food on the way back and thoroughly pigged out. Hermione had to lie down after all that food, so she ended up falling asleep again. She woke up in the evening oddly rejuvenated and went downstairs to check up on Pansy.
Pansy got comfortable on the couch, wearing a woolly blue robe that once belonged to Hermione's mother. This made Hermione sad for a moment as she watched from the dark doorway, after all her mother was still presumably missing and that was the best case scenario. However noticing a pair of white bunny slippers on Pansy's feet, Hermione smiled and dark thoughts vanished from her mind. She walked over and took a seat on the couch next to Pansy who barely noticed her presence.
Pansy was completely engrossed in the old black and white movie she was watching. She gave Hermione a brief nod, but her eyes where still fixed on the screen, even as she brought a spoonful of oatmeal up to her mouth.
"Where'd you get those?" Hermione asked pointing down to Pansy's slippers.
"Oh these?" Pansy lifted her foot up to stroke the smooth bunny ear of the slipper. "Got them yesterday at the store, didn't you see me take them?"
"No, there was too many stuff. What else had you snuck past me?!" Hermione feigned a serious tone.
"What?! I didn't…" Pansy started.
"Relax, I'm joking." Hermione laughed. "But we can't be buying any more silly stuff, or I'll have to rob a bank." She said jokingly.
"Ok." Pansy accepted. "I mean it's your money after all."
"I didn't mean it like that…" Hermione scratched her head. "I meant we should make it last, you know. Buy only the stuff we need."
"Well, I needed these." Pansy smiled wiggling her feet.
"Ok, whatever. You clearly have a thing for unusual clothing items." Hermione smiled shaking her head. "I'm gonna go take a bath."
"Ok, have fun."
Hermione took her time. She floated in her thoughts as her body soaked in the water. Once she dried off she stopped to inspect herself in the mirror. With a day's rest and a full stomach she felt and looked much stronger already. Her muscle-toned arms looked fuller as she flexed them in the mirror.
Just then Pansy barged in sticking her fingernail under her tooth. "Sorry! Something got stuck between my teeth." She apologised shutting the door. "Those arms look good though." She added in a muffled, giggling voice from behind the door.
"Can't you knock!?" Flustered Hermione shouted back from inside.