What's Eating You, Sly?

Montage 6 AKA La Finale.

By: epiphanies

Savour this chappie/montage. It's La Finale. :'(

It is time. There will be nothing after this, which will hopefully satisfy a bit of your hunger. If not, then you are out of luck. Unless I decide suddenly to do a sequel. But that is highly unlikely due to the fact that school is indeed beginning again soon. If I do decide to do a sequel and this story is on your favourites list, you shall know because I will put up an announcement update to point you in the right direction. Do not assume that I will make a sequel. LoL. I sound so mean right now, but it's not that...it's that I feel very sad right now. In the past few days I've written something like six or seven small ficlets in order to NOT post this last chapter. It saddens me that this story has been told, and is over. I am almost crying at the moment. I clutch to this story and all who have read it and reviewed it. Thank you all. So much. Adoringly and signing off for now...



~epiphanies







As Pansy entered the hallway that led to the common room, she recognized a familiar form striding - or rather, skulking, as she was - toward her.

When they reached the entrance to the common room, they didn't move, and didn't reach each other's eyes.

Finally, Pansy said "Where's Branwen?"

She wasn't stupid, after all. Branwen wasn't the kind of girl who -wouldn't- kiss on a first date.

So, why was Draco standing in front of her? Alone?

"Out at the lake... some of the guys had FW."

"And you didn't go?"

Draco pointed to his head, "Massive headache."

He couldn't possibly be lying, he looked horrible. Baggy eyes, flushed skin, and he wasn't standing as cool as he usually did - in fact, he was leaning on the wall, looking as if he were about to be sick.

Pansy nodded, "Yeah, Blaise went down too."

"And you didn't go?"

Pansy shook her head, "Tired. From all of the dancing, you know. Wizards have magical cures to maladies but they have the absolute inability to make comfortable dancing shoes."

She thought she saw his mouth twitch as he leaned further onto the wall, "Yeah, I saw you wincing - when I saw you dancing. The -few- times I noticed you, that is."

"Yeah, I only saw you a couple times too, hardly at all," Pansy lied, "You didn't seem to talk to your date much, though."

"She didn't have much to say."

"Then why the headache?" Pansy scoffed, "Plus, she's a Ravenclaw. They never shut up, they always have something to say."

Draco met her eyes finally, a pink flushing his pale cheeks, "Well, she's a quiet one!"

"Except when she's drunk down at the lake with a bunch of boys her age, of course. -Then- she's the life of the party."

"She was more fun that you will EVER be!" shouted Draco angrily, "She's beautiful and smart and charming and tall and-"

"Well if you love -Branwen- so much then why isn't she standing where -I- am right now!?" Pansy hissed, feeling as though steam could erupt through her ears.

Draco looked as though he'd been slapped.

To make matters worse, in their argument they hadn't noticed that two other people were also in the corridor - Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and they'd obviously heard every word.

"Cat got your tongue, Malfoy?" Weasley asked snidely in passing.

"Weasley, you're stupid!" Draco said distractedly, still staring at Pansy. Then he froze, realizing probably about how lame he'd just sounded.

Hermione slapped her hand over her mouth to contain her giggles.

Pansy, watching Draco's face, also began to chuckle. Ron soon followed, and finally, all four of them were giggling madly in front of the Slytherin Common Room Entrance. (Pansy thought that the punch in the Great Hall may have been spiked with firewhiskey, and this only confirmed that suspicion.)

Once the fit had ceased, they were left to awkward silence.

Hermione, who also seemed to be in good house spirit, possibly because Ron was holding her hand, went out on a limb.

"Nice robes, Pansy. I almost bought them myself, but they weren't my colour."

"Erm," stammered Pansy, taken aback, "Yours aren't bad either, Granger.."

Hermione smiled brightly before she and Ron continued down the hall, looking awkward holding hands, as many drunk new couples did.

Pansy glanced at Draco, whose mouth was parted in shock. He looked about as confused as she felt.

After a moment of silence, Draco spoke.

"Hey, Sly?"

"What?"

"Bet they got hugs as kids."

Pansy blinked, then furrowed her eyebrows together, "Draco..."

"Sly...just...shut up a minute."

Pansy was, for the second time that evening, taken aback, "Why?"

Draco's face had taken on a look that she had never seen before. His voice was low and whispery when he spoke, moving toward her.

"Just let me look at you."

"But-"

He put a finger to her lips, "I hear, yet say not much, yet hear the more..."

He moved his finger and slowly replaced it with his lips.

When he pulled back, his eyes were wide.

"Pansy..."

"Draco, just shut up a minute."

His eyes fluttered shut like gothic butterflies as she covered his mouth with hers, and forgot all thoughts of literature, blood purity, dark marks, and the inconsistencies of life. At that moment, all she knew was Draco. It felt wonderful. It felt beautiful. It felt real.

And it felt right.






FIN