Chapter 10

"Mr. Potter, if you hadn't been there she probably would have died," said the nurse, the worry apparent in her voice.

"Madame Pomfrey's right you know," McGonagall said looking at Harry with what seemed to be pride. It had been a day since the accident and they still couldn't get over Harry's miraculous rescue.

She woke slowly and could barley make out the whispers. Her head was throbbing and her whole body felt sore. She felt like she had just been tortured for hours and hours. 'What happened to me?' she thought. Then it all came flooding back to her, the letter, her fear of having to return home, and her desperate plan. In fact the memories came back a little too quickly and her head started to throb as if some one was beating her over the head with a mallet. She let out an audible groan.

When he heard Pansy groan he turned around quickly to look at her. He went and sat on a chair next to her bed. He still couldn't believe what he had witnessed. Was her life so horrible that she would consider ending it? What could be going on that would make her do this, and what on earth did that letter say? He thought all this while looking at her. She was very pale and had slight bruises on her face, arms and legs. Then he remembered, her father. 'He must be a horrible bastard. What the hell did he do to her over the summer? I guess I'm not the only one who didn't have such a great summer.'

Slowly, Pansy tried opening her eyes. Even that hurt. When she finally got them open she found herself staring into bright green eyes filled with concern. "Professor, she's waking up," he whispered without taking his eyes off of her.

"Oh, thank Merlin. How are you feeling, dear?" asked the nurse comfortingly.

"Awful, I suppose, Poppy," said McGonagall a little more sternly than she had meant to because she had thought it a dumb question.

"What day is it?" Pansy managed to say looking at the teacher and nurse at the foot of her bed and ignoring Harry who was sitting down next to her. The truth is, she felt embarrassed that he was there. 'At least he doesn't know what really happened,' she thought.

"It's Saturday," Harry said catching Pansy by surprise. "First day of holidays, and Hogsmeade weekend."

She looked at him wondering what he was doing there. Then her thoughts shifted. 'I'm safe. It's already vacation, and I'll probably have to stay in the hospital wing for a while longer. I won't have to go home,' Pansy thought relieved.

"You know, dear, you had quite a fall yesterday," Madame Pomfrey began. "If it hadn't been for Mr. Potter here, I shudder to think what could have happened."

Pansy's eyes widened. "What? You saved me?" she gasped out.

Harry nodded.

"Perhaps we should give them some time alone," McGonagall whispered to Poppy. She nodded.

"Ms. Parkinson, here is a sleeping potion. I advised you to take it if you want a good rest," said the nurse before walking into her office with McGonagall.

Pansy took the potion and held it in her hand; her gaze never left Harry's face. "You-why-how-," Pansy couldn't find the words to speak.

"I saw you open that letter and you looked so scared that I knew who it was from. I thought you might do something so that you didn't have to go back home but I didn't think it would be this serious. Do you realize you could have died?" By the look on Pansy's face Harry realized that the thought hadn't crossed her mind.

"I almost died? I didn't mean to." Her eyes started to well up with tears. Harry took the potion out of her hand and placed it on the nightstand. What he did next came as quite a surprise to Pansy. He took hold of her hand. He didn't squeeze it roughly as he had done months ago in potions, he just held it gently. Her initial reaction was to pull it away, but something in her mind said, 'Don't.' She couldn't help but think 'This feels right.' So she just looked at him as he started to speak.

"I don't know exactly what happened to you over the summer but I have a pretty good idea and it's horrible. Nobody should have to go through that, and I'm sorry you had to. And on top of all that you have to worry about me too. Trust me; I know what it's like to have someone after you who wants to hurt you. But no matter how bad it gets, hurting yourself is never a smart thing. Because then, you'll be doing that asshole a favor. Never give in to the pain. And when it gets bad, just talk to someone, like your friends." It hurt him to talk about friends when at the moment he was at odds with his own.

She looked at him and knew that he meant every word he had just said. But it hurt to say out loud what she had always known was true, "I don't have any real friends like you do."

"You have me," he said breaking eye contact for the first time and looking down at the floor. The pain in her eyes was intense. "Besides, I don't have any friends at the moment either, so I could use one."

She didn't know what to say. A few months ago, if someone told her she would be having this conversation she would have told them they needed a visit to St. Mungo's.

Harry finally let go of her hand and took the sleep potion from off of the nightstand. As he handed it to her he said, "You better take this. It'll help you sleep, and don't worry no one knows what happened. They think it was an accident." He got up to leave. When he was at the door he turned around and said, "Sweet dreams, Pansy."

"Thanks…Harry." She took the potion and her last thought before falling asleep was 'I think I like him.'

Harry was halfway to Hogsmeade when he realized 'She called me Harry.'

It was busier than ever in Hogsmeade due to everyone doing last minute Christmas shopping. After all Christmas was on Monday. Harry walked around, his money jingling happily in his pocket just waiting to be spent. He had decided on the way there that he was going to buy Pansy a present, but what would he buy? He had never shopped for a girl before. This wasn't entirely true, he had shopped for Hermione plenty of times but she would be content with any book and he doubted whether Pansy would want a book for Christmas. After everything she's been through she deserved something more. And it was also true that Pansy had no friends that Harry could ask advice from. Besides how would it look if Harry Potter was asking around about what to buy a Slytherin for Christmas? Harry grudgingly decided that he would need a girls help, he decided to ask Hermione.

It was about an hour before Harry finally spotted them. He had already gotten both of their present. He had bought a giant book of potions for Hermione. It was rather advanced but he knew she would appreciate the challenge. For Ron he had gotten a magical quaffle at Quality Quidditch Supplies. It was magicked to fly straight at you, and it was for keeper practicing. He figured he would butter them up before asking for their help. They were standing together outside of Zonko's Joke shop apparently trying to decide where to go next. Harry thought this was as good a time as any so he walked up to them knowing there was a large possibility that Ron would hex him on the spot.

"Hey guys," he said.

They just looked at him before Ron said, "Harry, is that really you?"

"No, its Voldemort disguised as Harry. Of course it's me."

They both slightly flinched at the name but they couldn't hide their smirks. "What do you want?" said Hermione obviously still angry at him.

"I need your help buying a present."

"Who's it for?" she asked curiously. "For us?"

"Oh, no. I've already gotten your presents. They're right here in this bag. I must say I have outdone myself this year. It's for Pansy," he said simply.

"Really? Oh, I heard what happened. I wonder if she's alright."

"She's fine," he said quickly. "I went to see her in hospital."

Ron and Hermione exchanged a small but significant look. Harry knew what it meant. He also knew that Ron wasn't going to be as quick to forgive him as Hermione was.

"Yeah so what if she is my friend, is that a problem?"

"No, of course not," said Hermione quickly not wanting another row.

Ron spoke for the first time and asked his question as casually as he could. "Do you…like her?"

"I don't know," he replied knowing only too well what the answer really was. "Maybe." He wasn't too eager to disclose any private information with them in such a populated area. "So will you help me?"

"I suppose," said Hermione looking a little reluctant.

Hermione proceeded to ask Harry questions that he couldn't have answered in a million years like what's her favorite color and what kind of things does she like.

"Hermione, how am I supposed to know these things?"

"Well, you said you were friends."

"Well, it's kind of a recent development."

They went from shop to shop looking at quills, books, robes, candy, and just about everything in Hogsmeade. Finally Harry settled on a nicely packaged box of different flavored chocolates from the candy store. He had it wrapped and decided that he would have it owled to Pansy's dorm room on Christmas if she was out of the hospital wing. If not he would give it to her himself. They spent the whole day off school grounds and only returned when it was starting to get dark. Ron and Hermione hadn't fully forgiven Harry but they were at least talking to him now, although they weren't exactly acting like best friends. Harry told them he would meet them back in the common room. He wanted to check on Pansy.

She had slept for the whole day. The nurse would come in every hour and give Pansy more potion so that she could be fully rested. However, she had now gone to a late dinner and apparently had forgotten to give her more potion because she woke. She felt very rested, but she wanted to go back to sleep, so she closed her eyes. Without the potion, however, she was free to dream.

She was in her kitchen, slaving over a hot stove, for the man she called her father. He was sitting at the table yelling at her to hurry up, but she was going as fast as she could. She was peeling potatoes. Then in a wave of fury he got up from the table and went over to her. He grabbed the knife from her hand and said, "If you can't peel faster, then I'll peel you." He held the knife to her face. "Please father, no. You're going to cut me." He laughed. He didn't care what he did to her.

"Don't say 'no' to me. I can do whatever I want. Maybe you need a little reminder. I know, how about I use your favorite."

"No, not cruciatus. Please." Her eyes began to fill with tears as her did the curse. 'Just kill me and get it over with,' she thought as some one shook her awake.

He walked into the hospital wing and over to Pansy's bed. She was sleeping but she looked very disturbed. 'She must be having a nightmare.' Then he heard her say it. "No, not cruciatus. Please." Suddenly she began to shake as it she really was being tortured. Horrified, Harry saw a tear trickle down her cheek. Quickly he began to shake her awake.

She woke to find those eyes that she loved looking into her damp blue ones. "He-he-,"

"I know," said Harry. He sat on her bed and reached for her. He put his arms around her and she rested her head on his chest. He stroked her hair softly as she cried her heart out on his robes. "That bastard," Harry whispered.

"Don't let go," whispered Pansy through her sobs. "Please." She just felt right in his arms, like there was no other place she should be and she wanted to stay like this for as long as she could.

They didn't know that they were being watched. The black hawk on the window ledge to the hospital wing flew away.