Hell Tastes Sweet

Chapter Fourteen

Pansy was just too confused, upset and hurt to be fast enough to reply. She just stared blankly at Granger and Weasley.

For a crazy moment, Pansy just wanted either of the Gryffindors to hug her and tell her everything was going to be fine but, as she was slowly realising, nothing would be fine anymore.

Then Granger took a couple of steps forward towards Pansy and, lifted a hand trying to grab Pansy's left shoulder.

Pansy, instinctively, backed away not knowing that she had exactly the same look in her eyes as Draco had had when he had learnt about his father's imprisonment: the look of a hurt animal.

"Pansy…what's happened?" Granger almost whispered.

"I…no…I…can't…" Pansy managed to stammer.

"Hermoine, I think it's better if we get Madam Pomfrey…" Pansy heard Weasley saying.

"Yes Ron…I think you're right…you'll go and get her…I'll stay here with Parkinson…I don't think it is a good idea to leave her alone right now…" Granger said without taking her eyes off Pansy.

"Yeah…I'll see you in a sec…" Ron replied not sounding too happy about leaving Hermoine with the Slytherin girl but walking out the classroom nonetheless.

"Now…Parkinson...I've heard you shouting while Ron and I were…well…we were finishing our patrol and we heard you scream…and just now I think I heard a boy's voice…right here…are you going to tell me what happened?" Granger insisted clearly not wanting to drop the subject.

"I…I can't say anything…he'll kill me if I do…" Pansy said finally breaking down and starting to cry hysterically.

Hermoine didn't know what to do…one thing was clear to the Gryffindor, she and Ron had just saved Pansy from getting raped…the thought that someone in the school was sick enough to commit such a disgusting crime gave her goose bumps.

"Pansy…you've got to report this…it could happen to someone else…."

"NO! He wants me…only me…" Pansy managed to say between sobs. Hermoine was about to ask Pansy for the name of her attacker when Madam Pomfrey entered the classroom followed by Ron.

"Miss Parkinson…oh…sweet Merlin…what's happened here?."

"She's been attacked by some boy…she refuses to tell us who he was…" Pansy heard Granger saying.

"Well…Miss Granger…it's been good of you to stay with her but…I think she's going to tell us everything whenever she's ready…I don't think it wise to stress her even more…she's probably traumatised by the whole thing…now, Miss Parkinson…you're coming with me to the Hospital Wing…."

Madam Pomfrey put her arm around Pansy's shoulder and urged gently to walk towards the door.

Pansy heard Granger and Weasley walk behind her refraining from exchanging a single word. Madam Pomfrey, however, turned around briefly and said:

"One of you two, go and fetch Professor Snape, the other one, go back to your common room…it is too late for you students to go walking around the school…."

"Madam Pomfrey…we're doing our night patrol...it's our turn tonight…that's what we were doing down in the dungeons…that's how we heard Parkinson's scream…" Hermoine explained not wanting to be sent off to the Gryffindor common room.

"Ah…alright then…just go and get Professor Snape and then you can continue your patrol…" said Madam Pomfrey dismissively, not wanting to waste any more time arguing, eager as she was to get her patient into the Hospital Wing.

Hermoine then looked at Ron quickly and silently reached the agreement that the red haired boy would go and get the Slytherin's Head while Hermoine would follow Madam Pomfrey to the Hospital Wing.

A few minutes later, Madam Pomfrey was tucking Pansy in bed having removed her torn clothes and put one of the hospital pyjamas on.

She was already administering a light sleeping draught to her patient when Professor Snape, followed by Ron, entered the room not even bothering to knock. He looked at Hermoine like if she was the culprit of the whole situation.

"Madam Pomfrey…what's happened here?" the potions professor asked, being at least kind enough to lower his voice.

"Severus…please, would you follow me to my office?" the healer witch asked.

"Sure…you two…stay here…I want to speak to you later…" Professor Snape replied looking malignly at Hermoine and Ron.

The two Gryffindors had no other option but to just nod. They saw the two adults leave the room. Then Hermoine approached Pansy's bed. The Slytherin was already falling asleep but before she did, she muttered:

"Granger…thank you for tonight…I will be forever grateful…."

"Don't mention it…I just…Parkinson you've got to report whoever did this to you…as a school prefect, it is your duty…" Hermoine insisted.

"I can't…I just…can't…" Pansy said starting to cry again.

Ron freaked out a little bit fearing that Professor Snape would hear his student cry and would blame them. Thankfully, the sleeping drought started having effect and Pansy just slipped to a dreamless sleep.

Professor Snape came out Madam Pomfrey's office a few minutes later and, after the three of them were rushed out of the room by Madam Pomfrey, asked the two Gryffindors to explain in full detail what had happened. It was only once he seemed satisfied with the information retrieved, that he allowed both Ron and Hermoine to go back to finish their night patrol.

They were walking back to the corridors when Ron said:

"That Parkinson is really thick…she really should report her attacker…."

"Well…I don't think it's that easy…she must be really scared…I think she knows her attacker very well…she did say that he wanted only her…that's probably why she doesn't want to report him…" Hermoine said.

"Why is that? I just don't get it…" Ron said stubbornly.

"Argh…men! You're so insensitive…she's quite obviously terrified of him…" Hermoine said getting annoyed.

"Hermoine…if it wasn't because I know you quite well…I would say you're defending that Parkinson girl…" Ron said looking at her through narrowed eyes.

"Is not that Ron…is just that I understand how she must be feeling…and, Slytherin or not, she's still a girl nonetheless…."

"Right…" Ron said not really understanding but not wanting to upset Hermoine, then he added, "Let's go back to the common room, Harry is probably waiting for us…."

"I think Harry is keeping himself in quite good company right now…" Hermoine said mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" Ron said with an slightly higher tone.

"Argh…men!" the Gryffindor girl said for the second time that night and, not waiting for him, she started walking a bit faster towards the main, marble stair case leaving behind a very confused Ron.

To be continued…

A/N: Sorry I would have posted this yesterday but I had problems connecting to …in any case, I will try my best to upload one more chapter sometime in the next two days… Thanks again for all your reviews!! You make me very, very happy!!