A/N: I'm baaaaaack! With Chapter TEN! Hehehe. There's not much more of this fic left, actually… While on vacation (figuratively… I only wish I had been really) I realized that there isn't much of this story left. For that I am rather sad… It was, after all, my first Harry Potter story. And now *sniff* it's almost over…
Okay, I am soooooooo sorry about this whole big mess I've made with trying to rewrite this. After getting a review from PassionPolice237, I started thinking. See, I actually have this whole thing finished. This version, at least. So I have, as you can see, reposted the chapters that were up before, and I will now start posting new chapters, beginning with this one. I will post the new and revised version on FictionAlley.Org, however, so if you would like to read it, go there. I only have the first two chapters up currently, but I will be working on the rest of them ASAP. Also, if you would like to know when I update there, either tell me in a review (and leave an e-mail address) or join the group I talk about down there \/, LiveALittle.
If you people want updates, join my Yahoo! Group: LiveALittle. It's for anyone who likes, agrees with, or is just interested in the Harry/Pansy pairing. Send a blank e-mail to LiveALittle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to join, or go to the site listed in my profile.
Rating: PG-13
Pairings: Harry/Pansy, Hermione/Draco, Ron/Padma, Ginny/Neville, and Blaise/Charlie
Disclaimer: I own nothing. What an original disclaimer.
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Harry grabbed some Floo powder from Ron and stepped into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" he yelled, wincing slightly as he began to spin. He sighed in relief when he came out where he was supposed to and stood back, waiting for Ron and Hermione to come through. Everyone else was already out. He nodded at Draco, who was standing on the other side of the fireplace, obviously anxious to make sure Hermione was alright. It was rather cute, the way Draco cared about Hermione. It was even better that she fully reciprocated.
Hermione came out and landed on her bum, coughing slightly. Draco jumped forward to help her up, asking, "Are you alright, 'Mione?"
"Yes, I'm fine," she laughed. Draco grinned at her and they stepped back, just in time as Ron came flying out.
"My, my, my," Mrs. Weasley smiled at them, "aren't we graceful today."
Ron rolled his eyes, swiping at the soot on his clothes. "Well then," he said, "aren't we going to do our shopping?"
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley smiled and left their children as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. Bill smiled, mentioning that he was meeting Fleur in an hour and wanted to browse before then, left, heading towards Flourish and Blotts. Hermione hurried after him, Draco tailing her, while Fred and George headed to their joke shop, situated next to Madam Malkin's.
Harry glanced at the remaining individuals; Ron, Ginny, Charlie, and Blaise. The latter two were glancing at each other occasionally, trying to be obvious about it, while Ron was watching them curiously, and Ginny was watching them knowingly. "Well," she said, a smile on her face, "I'll be off browsing; I might see Neville at Florean Fortescue's. I mentioned I would be here today, but I don't know whether he remembered or not."
"Yeah, I'll go with you," Ron said, looking away from Charlie and Blaise. He hurried after his sister, not bothering to see where Harry would be going.
"Well," Harry said, looking at two remaining people. "I suppose I'll just, uh, browse around then." He strolled off down the street, looking in windows curiously. Stopping in front of Quality Quidditch Supplies, he looked at the newest broom. It had come out in July; the Nimbus 3000 had it all—better cushioning charms, better braking, better… Well, better everything, basically. He sighed. He still felt his Firebolt was better—as it undoubtedly was—but it would have been nice to try it out.
"Harry?"
Harry turned towards the voice, grinning when he saw it was Pansy. "Hello, Pansy," he grinned at her. She smiled back.
"How are you doing?" she asked.
"Fine; here with the Weasleys buying Christmas presents. And you?"
"My father and I are here, actually. He's in the Leaky Cauldron while I have some time to myself." She smiled. "It's really nice to see you."
"And you," Harry said. She was looking nice too. Her robe was a dark green that accentuated her honey blonde hair, and… Harry frowned. Dark green robe. Honey blonde hair. Stunning figure. Now where had he seen that combination before?
Oh, that's right; he'd only slept with it.
"It was you," he whispered.
Pansy frowned, obviously confused. Understanding dawned on her face; she took a step forward. "Harry…"
He laughed coldly. "How long were you going to keep it a secret, Parkinson?" he asked. She flinched at the use of her last name. "That you'd slept with me, I mean? How was I supposed to have known? How? Tell me."
"Harry," Pansy whispered, "I was going to tell you at the Graduation Ball, remember? I was going to tell you."
"How do I know? Do you know how difficult it is, not knowing who you lost your virginity with?" he whispered menacingly.
Pansy sighed. "Harry, I don't see what the huge problem is."
"Pansy," Harry said, "We slept together. You, and me. But I didn't know who you were. Then you pretty much disappeared. And then I begin to notice you and, Gods forbid, fall in love with you. All the while, I have no idea who you are."
"Harry…"
"Pansy… I just… I need some time to think about this. I'll talk to you at school." And he turned away, leaving her behind him.
***
Hermione sighed. "Draco, do we have to go?"
"Hermione, we just spent fifteen minutes in Flourish and Blotts—"
"Exactly! It was only fifteen minutes, we should—"
"Hermione, please?" he pouted.
Hermione sighed. "I hate it when you do that. How am I supposed to say no to that face? Fine, let's go."
Draco grinned, grabbing his girlfriend's hand and nearly dragging her towards Quality Quidditch Supplies. He stopped short when he saw Pansy standing in front of it, tears running down her cheeks. Hermione caught sight of it as well and ran up to the girl, Draco just seconds behind her.
"Pansy?" she asked worriedly. "Are you alright?" She glanced towards where Pansy was staring and raised her brows curiously. Harry was disappearing into the crowd. "Pansy, what happened?"
She shook her head. "I can't explain it, there's, there's too much, and… I just, I can't tell you. I can't explain it. It's too complicated, and… I just can't." The tears ran down her cheeks, and Hermione put her arm around the girl, steering her towards the Leaky Cauldron. When Pansy realized where they were going, she stopped. "No; my father's there, he can't see me like this…"
"Alright…" Hermione trailed off, wondering where to go. She glanced down the street, smiling in triumph when she saw Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. They walked quickly to the shop, Draco trailing behind. "Fred, George!" she called as she stepped inside. Two red heads popped up from behind the counter.
"Hermione!" Fred grinned.
"So lovely to see you," said George.
"Who've you got there?" Fred asked.
"This is Pansy Parkinson," Hermione explained. "Can we go into your backroom?"
"Of course; anything for a pretty lady," George smiled at her, and winked at Pansy, walking back and opening the door with his key. He held the door wide so that Hermione, Pansy, and Draco could step through, and closed it behind them.
"Alright, Pansy," Hermione said softly, as they sat on the couch, "would you like to explain it now?"
"I-I can't," she whispered, tears still streaming down her face. Draco handed her a handkerchief. "It's not only complicated, but rather, uh, private."
"Pansy, we won't tell anyone anything."
"I know that," Pansy rolled her eyes. "The thing is, it is private, and I'd rather not explain it to you."
Hermione sighed. She'd have to get the story out of Harry then. "Alright, I suppose we can just stay here until you're done crying."
Pansy smiled through her tears. "Thanks, Hermione."
"Anytime, Pansy," Hermione whispered, "anytime."
***
Harry sat in a chair near the back of the parlor at Fortescue's. It had been Pansy, all along. Oh, how she must have been laughing at him… He gave a frustrated sigh. And he'd very nearly admitted that he loved her, as well. And he did. He hadn't even realized it until that very morning, when he'd been thinking about her—as he'd spent most of his vacation. Thinking about her, that is.
He'd realized that he loved her, and he'd made the decision to date her, to ask her to become his girlfriend.
And now…
Now he didn't know. Now he had no idea what would happen. He just couldn't get over the fact that she was the same girl he'd fretted over for so long. He'd wondered about a future with both of them. And now he'd found out they were the same person.
Shouldn't he be ecstatic, in a way? He had, after all, found out the identity of The Girl. And she was someone he'd already been having feelings about anyways. So why wasn't he ecstatic? Why wasn't he bouncing off the walls? Why was he rather… sad, and… Well, feeling almost betrayed? He wished he knew. Oh, how he wished he knew…
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A/N: Oh, come on. You knew it had to happen sometime. I couldn't wait till the Graduation Ball; it was way too far away. And, this might actually be the last chapter. I can't decide yet. There will, however, be an epilogue. In fact, I've already written it. And, just so you know, this is not the last you've seen of me with this story. Blaise and Charlie will have their own fic; in fact, I've already started it. And when that's done, I'll focus on Ginny and Neville. And if you want more Harry/Pansy, never fear! I have two more fics in planning for them. In fact, both of them are spin-offs of other fics I'm writing right now. Anyways, I might have another chapter after this; we'll see. But definitely an epilogue. I just have to decide whether you'll have anything before that. Well, you probably will. Hehe.
Oh, and you're probably wondering why I skipped so much. To tell you the truth, I didn't know what to write… And I was afraid of making something that I do in the Blaise/Charlie fic impossible by doing something conflicting in this one. I'm sorry there wasn't very much of the Weasley boys in this chapter. Know that they'll play a larger role in my Blaise/Charlie fic. The next chapter (yeah, I've pretty much decided there will be another chapter before the epilogue) will have our favorite characters back at Hogwarts. Harry has made his decision. What is it?
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Seeing as how, thanks to all this changing around I've done, I have no idea who I've answered and who I haven't, I am unable to thank anyone besides Nikki and PassionPolice237 for reviewing. :)