Pansy lay under the thick cotton comforter, which was tucked tightly around her body. She shivered, from fear and not from the cold air surrounding her. She clutched the pillow tightly, as if clinging to life itself. In one night she had lost every hope for a good life she possessed. Sure, she acted like she had a stone heart and nothing penetrated its cold surface, but she just did it to hide who she really was. Lies, her entire life was based on lies.
She rolled over and felt a tear slide down her cheek. She had best not let the other girls see or hear her crying. She quickly stiffled her tears and wiped her face on the edge of the blanket. She looked around for a clock- there was none. The only clock was in the common room. She pushed the covers to the foot of the bed and slid onto the cold stone floor. She found a pair of black silk house slippers and slid into them. She slowly opened the door and walked quietly down the marble staircase.
"Pansy, is that you?" A voice called from the common room.
"Yes," Pansy answered shakily.
"Why're you up?" The voice belonged to Crabbe. He was sitting at the foot of the stairs. Pansy hurried forward and sat next to him. She knew that Crabbe and Goyle would maim Ron if they knew. But they didn't. At least she was safe here, next to big tough Crabbe.
"I couldn't sleep." She told him.
"Why not?" He asked, tilting his head at her.
"Didn't Draco and Goyle tell you?"
Crabbe sighed and shrugged. "They never tell me anything."
Pansy felt a stab of sympathy for Crabbe. She knew that Draco was just using him for protection. Goyle, who knew what use Goyle served? "Ron attacked me."
"He what?" Crabbe cried, standing up abruptly. "When? Where? Why?"
"I don't know, he's done it a couple times," She bit her lower lip, fighting back the rush of emotion fighting to break through. "I don't know why he does it."
"You told Draco and Goyle, though?"
Pansy nodded curtly. "They can't do anything, though. I don't want them to. I don't want you to do something either. You'll get in trouble."
"Are you going to tell someone?" Crabbe asked, sitting back down beside her and putting a thick hand on her shoulder.
"I'm afraid of what he'll do to me or you three," Pansy lied. The truth was, she still had feelings for him. "I'll just wait until he gets tired of torturing me-"
"Torturing?!" Crabbe half shouted, standing up again. "What in the hell does he do to you, Pansy?"
"He just. like, puts a spell on me, I guess," Pansy muttered. "Makes it so I can't breathe. Then, he laughs at me. Asks me if I know what's going on. If I know that I'm dying and if I want to die. He only lets up when I'm about- about to die."
Crabbe was silent for a minute. "I can't just sit around and let him do those things to you, Pansy. You're like my kid sister, I feel like I have to protect you. At least let me hit him, Pansy."
"I'm not even totally sure it's him, Crabbe, I mean, you of all people should know about Polyjuice Potions. What if it's someone else, messing around."
"Then we beat Ron until he tells us who it is," Crabbe suggested. "He's bound to know, isn't he? I bet you it's Potter."
"It isn't Harry," Pansy said, rolling her eyes. "You just blame him for everything that goes wrong around here. You and Draco and Goyle are all the same. He molds you two, doesn't he?"
Crabbe shrugged. "He's usually the cause of everything. And I wouldn't say mold, that's kind of a strong word. He. gives us a nudge in the right direction."
Pansy snickered. "He does a hell of a lot of nudging, then."
"I'm going to go to sleep," Crabbe said. Pansy stood up.
"You won't tell anyone I told you it's Ron?"
"You didn't tell Draco and Goyle?" Crabbe asked, wide eyed.
"Of course not. I don't trust either one of them half as far as I could throw them." Pansy smiled and stood up. She hugged Crabbe, he stepped back in surprise. "Sleep well."
Crabbe nodded and went upstairs. Pansy sat down in a chair in front of the fire. She took a few deep, calming breaths. Pansy stretched out a hand, waving her fingers an inch before the flames. She smiled as warmth spread through her hand and up her arm. She sighed and leaned back into the soft plush chair.
She remembered the reason she had come down, and looked up at the clock. It was two thirty in the morning. Why had Crabbe been awake at such an ungodly hour? But on the other hand, it seemed safe to go on a midnight stroll. She stood up and pushed open the portrait door. She snuck outside without waking the portrait, and walked along the stone hallway.
She heard voices further done the corridor. "It's time!" A boy's voice murmered excitedly. "I can't wait. This time it's going to be great."
Pansy, drawn by the boy's voice- who's was it? it was so familiar!- pressed up against the wall into the shadows and slid slowly towards the owner of the voice.
"I still can't believe you're doing this," A girl said, sounding very irratated.
Pansy came close enough to see their sillehoutes. She could make out two very familiar people conversing side by side, sitting on the fire, with a lit candle between them. Pansy gasped.