Pansy's Riddle
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot or any original characters. Everything else is the property of J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 1: Pansy discovers a Riddle
June 1990
Malfoy Manor
Summer was here. The last vestiges of springtime weather were gone and, while not quite what most would call summer weather, it was undeniably summer. Pansy Parkinson sighed softly to herself, then huffed in annoyance with herself. 'Really!' She thought to herself. 'I can't believe that that is all I can focus on right now. I must be really bored!'
'Still', she mused silently to herself, 'It isn't as though I can do very much while I'm here every year.' She sighed again. Her father had insisted that she spend the two months of June and July at Malfoy Manor every year since she turned eight years old. Her father really was set on a match between herself and the heir of Lord Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy: one Draco Malfoy. She scoffed. It wasn't like she had a chance with him. Not that she didn't try, of course. She was rather taken with him, after all. He just barely noticed her existence. All he seemed to want to do was play quidditch outside with his two troll-like henchmen, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.
Evidently, considering Narcissa Malfoy took pity on her and told her she was free to explore their rather expansive library collection to entertain herself, she wasn't alone in seeing this from Draco. Of course, the gesture would have been much more meaningful if it hadn't just been extended to her this year. She had to put up with two years of this solitude and indifference on the part of Draco - without any means to amuse herself. Save, of course, for her idle thoughts.
She had yet to make anything of the offer to explore the library, seeing as she was so used to not having it as an option that even when she did, she just stuck to what she was familiar with. She supposed she could give it a try, but she'd always been a stubborn girl, and she didn't like the thought of having to do an actual activity to stave off her boredom. She was, after all, not wanting to admit to herself that she was passed over again and again by the object of her affection, and if she did something actively to stave off the boredom, that is precisely what she'd have to admit to herself. At least this way, if she stayed sitting quietly and let her mind wander, she could trick herself into believing that she was just going to be waiting for a little while until the day came when he finally noticed her presence.
She sighed again. She was going to go and see Draco now. Hopefully today would be the day that he finally deigned to notice her presence. She doubted it, but then again, she figured that it was only a matter of time. She had an impeccable Pureblood pedigree, after all, and her father always told her she was the most beautiful little girl in the whole world, so it could only be a matter of time before he inevitably woke up and noticed her presence in his life. She knew he hadn't yet, but she also knew that she was perfect - A perfect little Pureblood angel - and as such she didn't think much of his apparent indifference so far. It wouldn't last - she just knew it wouldn't last. So, despite her annoyance at her treatment up to now, she convinced herself of this, and she allowed herself to hope.
July 1990
Malfoy Manor
"Bugger off, Parkinson!" Draco Malfoy screamed.
"But Draco!" Pansy whined. "I just want you to come and walk through your garden with me! You've been ignoring me all summer! I just want you to spend a little bit of time with me!"
"I said 'Bugger off'!" He shouted at her angrily. "Why won't you leave me alone with all of your stupid plans. I am busy trying to teach Crabbe and Goyle how to fly near the border of our Manor's wards so we can sneak a peek at the Muggles!"
"But Draco, we have to spend time together!" She shrieked at him. "Our parents want us to, and so do I! Can't you see that we're meant to be together? I just want you to come and spend time with me."
"We're nothing! You're nothing to me!" He shouted back. "The only reason my father even allows you to come every year is because he enjoys watching your father make a fool of himself trying to ingratiate himself with our family. As if the Parkinsons would ever be in the same league as the Malfoys!"
"Draco! You don't mean that. How could you say that to me? Don't you see that I love you?" Pansy was feeling beyond hurt at his words. After all, did he really feel that it would be so terrible to have to spend a little time with her?
"Yes, I do mean that!" He stated firmly, a hard quality to his voice and a cold look in his eyes and he poked her chest to emphasize each new hurtful comment he made. "You mean nothing to me, and I certainly don't love you! I wish you would just accept that and leave me the bloody hell alone!" He stomped off and gestured for Crabbe and Goyle to follow him after this statement, leaving Pansy alone and in shock from his harsh words.
Pansy started to cry and ran back into the Manor as fast as she could. She ran to her room and sat down on her bed. 'I can't believe he said that to me.' She thought to herself. She was used to his indifference, but his outright attack on her had been something new and completely unexpected. She cried softly to herself, remembering the cruel words and the harsh way in which they had been hurled at her.
She suddenly felt very drained, and lay down right where she was. Not even bothering to lay on the pillows or to pull the covers over her body. She just lay there and fell asleep, with tears running down her face.
She woke up a few hours later. Still feeling dejected but having somewhat more energy, she went to the bathroom and splashed water over her face to clear the remains of her tears and went to sit back on her bed. 'Draco was so cruel yesterday. What about me makes him so hostile. It's not like I ever try to be anything less than perfect for him.' She sighed. 'Well!' She thought to herself angrily. 'If I'm so terrible then I might as well go and enjoy his Manor for myself for a change.' Yes, she thought that was a splendid idea. After all, she had yet to make anything of Narcissa's offer to use their library, and she figured now was the perfect time to do so. She just wished she'd had a revelation like this sooner than the last week of her time here this year.
She entered the library and looked at the floor to ceiling, wall to wall bookshelves. Each one piled high with book after book after book. They were quite literally packed with books. She didn't think that there was a single open space on them. She sighed and grabbed something to read and then sat down in a plush and regal looking wingback armchair to read.
She had been reading for a while now, when she felt a gentle tugging sensation. Now, this wasn't a normal tugging sensation like you'd feel if someone was pulling the sleeve of your shirt, or your hands for that matter. No, this was a decidedly different feeling altogether. This feeling was coming from inside her mind. And maybe it would have given her pause if she wasn't used to unusual sensations and happenings of any sort. But, she was a witch, after all. And unusual happenings were as natural as breathing to her. Maybe more so than even that.
Now, maybe, if she was a normal little girl, one without the blessing of magic, she might feel more cautious about following the feeling tugging at her mind, and stay away from the direction of the insistent pull. She was, however, decidedly not a normal little girl, and nor would she ever be. And she was incurably curious after all. This just had to be a magical artifact. And in a room with nothing more than books, she was certain that is just what it is, and she knew she just had to read that book, wherever and whichever book it was, because it was undoubtedly a special book, and she was a special girl. She just knew that a book like that was just made for her. So, she went to search for the book that was pulling her, ever so insistently, towards it.
She'd been searching for nearly twenty minutes now, and still she couldn't find the book. She was growing frustrated, but she was stubborn, and determined to have this very special book, more so than she would be normally, even, given Draco's outright hostile rejection towards her the day before. She just needed this book. And, finally, she found it. It was hidden amongst various inconspicuous books about herbology and potion making, which she scoffed at. No book as special as this one obviously was, could ever have belonged anywhere near such obviously common books as these. She took it gingerly in her hands, and turned the cover to face her. It was a small, black journal type book. One that was blank on all sides, except for the spine, in which the words T. M. Riddle were inscribed in shiny, golden letters. 'Strange.' She thought to herself. Then, as if struck by a revelation, 'It must have belonged to Draco's paternal great grandfather Tiberius Malfoy. It must be a riddle of his hiding a family secret. She smiled to herself. She would discover the secret and when she knew, maybe it would give her some insight into finally getting Draco to appreciate her.
Giddily, she began to flip pages, only to see blank page after blank page. Confused, she closed the book. But she wouldn't be deterred. It was, after all, not in her nature to give up easily. She would take this little book and uncover it's hidden secrets, and hopefully she could use them next year to finally hook Draco on her, right before they started Hogwarts. 'It will be perfect!' She thought to herself. But she resolved to not bother with trying to understand what exactly was hidden within this book until she went back to her Manor in less than a week. After all, she didn't want to be caught by Lucius and Narcissa, or even Draco, trying to uncover their family secrets. She finally felt content, for the first time in the three years she'd been with Draco at his house, constantly being overlooked, now her future prospects improved dramatically. And she finally had the means to prove herself worthy of eventually taking on the Malfoy name.
Pansy went about the remainder of her week, sitting and thinking to herself like usual, and also in exploring the collection of books in the library. She happily packed her bags and stashed the little black book inside her trunk, right near the bottom, and went to greet her father as they apparated back to her home together, leaving another year with the Malfoy's behind her.
Author's Note: So this was my idea for a story featuring Pansy Parkinson and Tom Riddle. I feel as though it could very well have happened, all things considered. I mean, Pansy was so close to Draco - or at least she tried to be - and I assume that she would have been sent to spend time with him at the Manor before starting Hogwarts, thus leading her to come into contact with a certain dark artifact belonging to the Heir of Slytherin himself. I am curious to know what you all think of this, and I eagerly await any reviews, direct messages, etc... to hear your feedback. And I'd also be curious as to any guesses or assumptions you all have about where a story like this could go. I hope you all enjoy it. I can't promise to be updating regularly, but I will try my best. Bye for now.
Darth Maccium.