Disclaimer: see part 1.

Beautiful Poison

By Random1377

Chapter 8 – Fifteen Seconds

Pansy made her way through the halls of Hogwarts without really paying attention to where she was going. With all of her finals behind her, the Slytherin girl had nothing to think about… or rather, nothing she wanted to think about. She made a sharp right, trying her best not to think about her defense against the dark arts final.

A passing grade.

Barely.

Thanks to Potter, she thought angrily, making another random turn as she found the topic unavoidable. What a mistake. I never should have trusted that git!

In spite of her rage, she still found herself slowing as she thought of Harry, or, more accurately, the kiss she had shared with him. It was not her first… nor was it even the best – that honor still went to Peoria Sandoval, a Muggle she had met over summer break during her third year. The boy's name had been so unusual that Pansy was sure he had been a wizard, though she had enough foresight not to mention magic to him – fortunate indeed, as his parents were puritanical Baptists and may very well have tried to burn her at the stake.

But thinking of her kiss with Harry still made Pansy lose her concentration.

It was just a whim, she told herself angrily, just a little… hello, what's this…?

She frowned as she spied a tiny, dancing light at the far end of one of the narrow hallways. Glancing around, she noticed that the floors were rather dusty in this part of the castle, and there were not any other students around. Pulling out her wand, and telling herself over and over that curiosity is what killed the cat, Pansy went to investigate.

"Peeves?" she called tentatively, raising her wand to eye-level, "is that you?"

The light quivered, retreating down the hallway towards an open door as Pansy slowly pursued.

Will o' the Wisp, she thought, squinting in the relative darkness of the hallway as she recalled one of her Care of Magical Creatures classes. How did it get in, though? I thought the castle was supposed to be secure against intruders. There was that troll during first year… but someone let that in. Why would someone let in a Will o' the Wisp?

She tried to think of all she knew of the little sprit-like creatures, reminding herself that they tended to lead people into dangerous situations, but that they themselves were not inherently harmful. Her instincts screaming 'trap,' the Slyterhin girl advanced down the hallway.

Abruptly, the light dipped through the door at the end of the hallway.

"Probably shouldn't," Pansy told herself, thrilling slightly to the unknown, "but if I go to get a teacher, it could sneak out and we'd never find it."

Satisfied with her conclusion, Pansy continued down the hallway, too caught up in pursuing the sprite to notice that the dust on the floor had been smoothed out as if by a wide piece of cloth… or a passing cloak.

Stepping into the room, Pansy found the Will o' the Wisp dancing gaily in one corner.

She took a look around, finding the room empty, and focused her attention on the mischievous spirit. "This is the best you can do?" she asked, arching an eyebrow as she advanced on the tiny spot of light. "Not much of a trap, now is-"

Her reactions were good – a fact she had always been proud of… so when the Will o' the Wisp suddenly vanished, Pansy immediately whirled around, rescanning the room and finding – much to her chagrin – that there was, in fact, someone else in there with her, stepping out of the shadows with wand raised.

"Def-"

"Petrificus Partialus!"

Pansy gasped as what felt like an invisible blanket of warm oatmeal wrapped around her, making her movements sluggish and languid. "What did you do to me?" she demanded, trying to look cool as Hermione Granger stepped closer to her and pulled the wand out of her unresponsive hand.

"Partial body-bind," Hermione replied levelly. "Something from my own grimoire. Oh, it's really nothing more than a modification to an existing spell, but I like to think of it as my own. Now… about that spell you put on Harry at the start of the term."

"Go to Hell!"

Hermione clucked her tongue. "Tsk, don't let's get feisty… I've got you dead to rights, Parkinson, I could do anything I wanted to you."

Pansy grinned unpleasantly. "You won't, though," she said confidently. "I know your kind, Granger – you wouldn't hurt me because you're afraid to get your hands dirty. You're just the same as all the other… what are you doing…?"

"Nothing," Hermione murmured, continuing to draw a circle in the dust around Pansy's feet with her fingertip, "keep talking… I think you were about to say how I'm the same as all the other Gryffindors, and how I would never deliberately hurt someone I didn't like because it would reduce me to their level, or some nonsense like that." She looked up as she completed the circle. "But I'll tell you something, Parkinson," she whispered, studying the other girl's eyes intently, "Harry's special to me. He's been my friend for six years now, helped me in ways you can't possibly imagine, been there when I thought I would go mad from all the work piled on me. I care for him very much, Parkinson, and I don't consider rules to apply to me when it comes to protecting my friends."

Doubt niggled at Pansy's stomach as Hermione rose to her feet and laced her fingers together, twisting them outward and cracking the knuckles loudly.

"Now then," the Gryffindor said quietly, "it's nice and quiet here, and I've charmed the door to keep sound from traveling outside… so feel free to be as loud as you wa-"

"You're bluffing," Pansy cut in sharply, "you'll be expelled!"

Hermione's smile was razor thin.

"Only if they find you."

As Hermione raised her wand, her lips already forming a curse, Pansy's calm broke. "It was a fake!"

Hermione paused, eyeing the fidgeting Slytherin closely.

"What do you mean?"

"It was an illusory charm," Pansy explained through gritted teeth, glaring daggers at Hermione as she continued to struggle against the spell. "If Dumbledore found out I'd hexed his favorite student, what do you think would happen to me?"

Hermione felt like slapping her forehead. "Of course," she groaned, "I thought it was strange that you could carry it on your hand like that when it took me so long just to put it on paper."

Pansy snorted, her voice low with self-loathing as she muttered, "We can't all be Potters and Grangers… some of us have to rely on other means to get us by."

"That's why you're so good with potions," Hermione said with slowly dawning understanding, "and why you were so desperate to get Harry to help you learn defense against the dark arts… you're nearly a sq-"

"Don't say it!" Pansy snarled. "Don't you dare, you filthy little mudblood! So I'm not the strongest, so what? I was still good enough to get in here and make it five years – five years – without anyone's help!" In spite of the curse on her, Pansy's body was shaking with rage as she hissed, "You have no idea what I've been through, Granger… you never will! You and Potter deserve each-"

Hermione slowly raised her wand, cutting the girl off in a moment.

"Petrificus denen."

Pansy staggered forward as the curse was lifted from her body. "Give me my wand," she demanded, pretending she could not feel the sheen of sweat on her flushed face. "Give it!"

Hermione backed towards the door, shaking her head slowly. "I think I'll leave it right here," she said carefully. "You can get it after I'm gone."

"Coward," Pansy snarled. "You're pretty brave when you're facing a paralyzed, unarmed opponent, Granger."

"Cowardice has nothing to do with it," Hermione returned coolly, "I just know the difference between an opponent in possession of all of her facilities… and one who is not."

Pansy's nostrils flared as the Gryffindor reached back to open the door, never taking her eyes of off the Slytherin. "I think 'watch your back' goes without saying," she whispered, managing to get herself at least partially under control. "This isn't over, Granger."

Nodding, Hermione pulled the door open. "I know," she said quietly, "and before I go, I should tell you…"

She stepped through the door, crouching for a moment to lay Pansy's wand just inside its boundary.

"…I'm the one who let Harry know about the rumor that you were sleeping around."

Regardless of her lack of weaponry, Pansy lunged at the girl, slamming into the door as it was hauled closed. "Bitch," she panted, stooping down to yank her wand up off the floor, "I'll kill you for this, Granger!"

She yanked the door open, a thousand curses flying to her lips as she raised her wand… and found the hallway empty.

Pansy's lips pulled back from her teeth as she scanned the narrow enclosure. She couldn't have gotten away that fast, she thought, sweeping her wand from left to right, and she can't apperate inside the school… she HAS to be here somewhere!

She stepped into the hallway, moving cautiously, ready for anything… but she nearly screamed out loud as something unseen brushed past her, slipping into the room she had just exited and swinging the door shut with a loud bang.

"Granger!"

Whirling around, Pansy seized the doorknob, but a solid click told her that it had been locked from the other side.

She took a deep breath, trying unsuccessfully to calm herself.

"You can't stay in there forever," she said flatly, pressing her cheek up against the door and closing her eyes as she imagined the other girl doing the same on the other side. "I may not be able to take you in a standup fight, Granger," she continued quietly, "but you better believe that I will not rest until you've paid for what you've done. Remember that."

Hermione's voice, muffled by the thick wood between them, replied, "Don't worry… I will…"

Giving the door a sullen pound, Pansy turned on her heel and strode down the hallway. She considered lying in wait for the other girl, or setting a trap… but it was getting late, and Filtch was bound to be prowling the halls soon – and any trap she laid could be set off by anyone wandering by, or possibly spotted by Granger before she tripped it.

No, she had lost this round… but as she had promised, she would not forget.

( 0 0 0 )

By the time she got near the entrance to the dungeons, Pansy was starting to calm down a bit… but it was there, less than ten feet from the door, that Harry appeared seemingly out of nowhere, grabbing her firmly by the wrist and yanking her into a side corridor before she could protest.

"We need to talk."

"Let go!" Pansy grunted, trying to break his hold as he led her to a dark, secluded corner.

"No," Harry growled, "not until you listen to me!"

Pansy stopped struggling, her eyes flashing as she spat, "The Sorting Hat was right – you would make a good Slytherin!"

Pursing his lips, Harry leaned in close to her, his eyes never leaving hers as he whispered, "And you would have made a good Gryffindor."

"You don't know anything," Pansy retorted, letting her arms hang limply at her sides as he finally released her. "You don't know anything at all… about me, about Slytherin – nothing!"

"Then why don't you tell me?"

Pansy eyed Harry suspiciously as he slipped his wand into his robes, holding his empty hands out for her to inspect.

"Tell me about yourself," he said quietly, "if I don't know – if I'm so stupid about everything… then help me. Help me understand. I want to understand you."

Her eyes flat and hard, Pansy moved her face inches from his. "Go to Hell, Potter," she said coldly, "you don't care about anything but yourself! How was the final, hmm?" Her voice dropped to a furious whisper. "Professor Snape should have had you test the potion personally!"

As she tried to step past him, Harry slipped his hand into hers, squeezing it gently. "Don't go…"

Pansy's free hand whipped around so fast that Harry never even saw it coming, the force of the impact knocking him back against the wall… though he still held her tightly. "You make me sick!" she snarled, "Let go of me right now or I'll… I'll…"

She trailed off as Harry reached into his robes and pulled out his wand, offering it to her with an unreadable expression. "Whatever you're going to do," he said, making her shiver as she recalled the afternoon of their first kiss, "you'd better do it now…"

"Fine then!" she snapped, tearing the wand from his hand and pointing it at his forehead. "Aveada… Aveada… Ka…" Gritting her teeth, Pansy tightened her hold on the wand. "Cru…Cruci… Damn IT!"

Harry made no move to stop her as she planted her hand in the middle of his chest and shoved him back against the wall hard enough to shake a fine grit of mortar down over them.

"…damn it," she nearly sobbed, "I want to hurt you so bad!"

Nodding… miserable… Harry simply replied, "Yeah…"

Tentatively, he pulled on her hand, drawing her up against his chest and wrapping his arms around her as she trembled.

"I hate you," she sniffed, burying her face in the front of his robes, "I really, really hate you, Harry…"

"I know," Harry said softly. "I don't… like myself that much right now…"

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," Pansy whispered, her voice choked with suppressed tears, "I gave you blood, Harry – Heartblood… that should have meant something…"

With a deep, shuddering sigh, Harry murmured, "I know."

For several minutes, they simply stood in silence, with Pansy leaning weakly against Harry's chest and trying to stop the soft, miserable sobs that kept trying to work their way free from her throat. He wanted to tell her that it was ok to cut loose and cry – but from the little he knew of the members of Slytherin House, he was not sure if it would somehow hurt her status with them if it ever got out that she broke down.

For all he knew, they lost house points for crying.

I really DON'T know anything, he thought disgustedly.

"…let me go."

Reluctantly, Harry loosened his grip, bowing his head as she stepped away from him.

"Here's your wand," she said, her voice flat and hollow as she thrust the item into his hands.

"Pansy?"

"What?"

Harry raised his head, meeting her eyes head on as he reached out and put his hands on her cheeks. "I gave you mine too," he said bluntly.

Unable to turn her head, Pansy averted her eyes. "I wish-" cutting herself off, she took a careful step back, out of Harry's range. Slowly, she brought her eyes up to look into his, lifting her chin slightly as she whispered, "I wish you had actually believed in me, Harry…"

His face betraying the hurt and confusion he was feeling, Harry watched her walk out the door, his final thought echoing dull and flat in the now-empty room as the door swung shut.

"…I tried."

( 0 0 0 )

"Ohhhhhh MAN! I can't believe it's over!"

Harry grinned as Ron reclined in one of the chairs in the Gryffindor common room. "Last day, Ron," he pointed out, "they're gonna lock the place up whether you believe it or not."

Ron shot him a dirty look. "'Bout time you got back to being normal," he said grouchily, "you've been impossible for the past week!"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Harry replied, giving Hermione a significant look as the girl rearranged Crookshanks on her lap. "Just… had something on my mind."

"Not more bad dreams or anything," Ron asked, suddenly concerned.

Harry shook his head, his gaze locking with Hermione's as she shook her head faintly from side to side. "No," he lied smoothly, "just… missing someone, that's all."

"Oh," the redheaded boy nodded, wisely choosing not to press the issue, "well, you are coming to the Borough this summer, right? Last year was so boring with everyone worrying about you-know-who."

"We still have to worry about Voldemort – oh stop it, Ron – you know," Hermione said, casting Ron an irritated glare as he winced. "'Fear of a name-"

"'-creates fear of the thing itself,'" Ron cut in, rolling his eyes.

"Honestly," Hermione huffed. "Why you would want to spend the summer with him is beyond me!"

Harry excused himself, slipping out of the portal as the two began to argue in earnest. The entry hall was sparsely filled with students who had already packed and were waiting to go home. Harry could not relate to them – going home for him was more an exercise in frustration and barely contained rage. He understood the why of staying on number 4 Privet Drive, but he also knew that the Muggle world was definitely not his.

I wonder how she is, he thought, wandering to the great doors at the front of the castle and looking out at the Forbidden Forest. Hermione said that Ginny saw her a couple days back, laughing with some of the other Slytherins, so I guess she's ok. I just wish…

He let the thought go, reminding himself that wishes rarely come true – at least without magical intervention.

"Oi, Potter!"

Harry grimaced, slowly turning around. "Malfoy," he said grimly, staring into the other boy's pale blue eyes.

"Thought I'd forgot, did you?" Malfoy whispered, advancing on Harry with what looked like half of Slytherin House behind him, pushing students from other houses out of the way as they came and systematically cutting him off. "Thought I'd just let you get away with what happened last year?"

Without hesitation, Harry pulled out his wand, but he froze as Pansy materialized out of the crowd, her face grim and set as she slipped something into Malfoy's hand.

"Fifteen seconds, Potter," Malfoy whispered flatly, glancing around the hall for signs that any of the teachers might be nearby. "Fifteen seconds…"

Harry frowned. "Fifteen-"

He gasped as Malfoy stepped forward, whipping his arm around, and he barely had time to shout 'Protego!' …but instead of a wand, Malfoy produced a small vial, the contents of which sailed easily past Harry's reflection spell to splash all over the front of his robes, soaking to the skin in an instant.

Fifteen seconds, Harry thought with sudden, sharp clarity, Elixir of Osiris – I've got fifteen seconds to live!

He looked around wildly, but there was nowhere to run – the Slytherins had subtly cut off every possible escape route. "Funny, isn't it?" Malfoy drawled softly, folding his arms, "they all think it's the Draught of Living Death." He grinned wickedly. "They'll all watch you die, never even knowing what they're seeing."

Harry's eyes shifted to Pansy's, locking on them as she tilted her head to the side. "I'm sorry," he whispered, knowing that they would be his last words.

"Me too," Pansy whispered, a trace of a smile lighting her face as she added, "but not as sorry as him."

Malfoy's brow drew down. "What are you talk-"

Harry gasped as Pansy flicked her wrist, her wand dropping into her palm and pointing discreetly at Malfoy's back even as the boy started to turn her way… and though her voice was pitched too low to hear, Harry could still read her lips as she softly whispered, "Crucio."

Pandemonium erupted in the great hall as Malfoy let out a shriek of agony, his back arching nearly to the breaking point as every nerve in his spine reported excruciating pain directly to his brain. Screams echoed from every corner of the hall as students scattered, some bringing their wands to bear, scanning the crowed for the unseen foe, some simply breaking for the cover of the nearest room as Malfoy's cries echoed throughout the room.

Still standing by the doors, Harry could not pull his eyes away from Pansy's. Time… he thought with a sudden start, it's… my time's up!

"Don't tell me it took you this long," Pansy whispered, stealing a look around the room before stowing her wand in her sleeve.

"Y-you," Harry breathed, touching the wet spot on the front of his robes. "Did you…?"

Pansy nodded. "Only three of us knew," she said quietly, "Malfoy, me, and Crabbe – he wouldn't even trust Goyle with it. It was simple, really, when we… had our argument, he saw me coming back to the common room. He offered me revenge, Harry – and I agreed."

"Then why-"

"I don't know," Pansy interrupted, shaking her head as the last few doors slammed, leaving them – for the moment – alone in the great hall. "The plan was to sneak into Snape's office and steal one of the Elixirs. Well, Crabbe was too stupid, so I volunteered… and when I was there, I just… I just grabbed my own potion." She lowered her eyes. "Malfoy had no idea whose blood was in it, of course," she whispered, staring at the unconscious boy, "and do you know what? I don't even know why…"

Harry did not know what to say.

Pansy had saved his life… and neither of them knew why.

In short order, the doors were thrown open once more, and the teachers entered the great hall, eyes flying everywhere as their wands sought out any intruders.

Harry and Pansy simple stared at the floor between them.

To Be Concluded…

Author's notes: it's perfectly reasonable to expect that magi would come up with their own spells, and as Hermione is the smartest student in Hogwarts, she'd be one of the first. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Plus, I couldn't remember them ever mentioning a partial paralysis spell, so I had to come up with SOMETHING. Anyway – one more chapter to go.

SxStrngSamurai had some choice pre-reading comments on this chapter… but since I'm wholly evil, I erased them all! HAHA! Ok, actually what he said was that the chapter was ok, I just like blowing things out of proportion…

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities, or by e-mailing me directly at random1377(at-sign)yahoo(dot)com.