1One Last Chance

Pansy hurried out of the Great Hall after dinner almost a week later. She had been avoiding Draco for the past week, hoping not to have a confrontation. Pansy had spent more time in the library than she had in her whole time at Hogwarts.

Inside the library she made her way to her usual spot in the back of the library. Out of her bag, she pulled a few books, parchment, ink, and a quill. Propping open her Potions book she began leafing through it to find something to help her with her essay she needed to do. After twenty minutes Pansy was busy writing and didn't notice anyone in front of her until they pulled the chair out.

Hermione was sitting across the table from her with a smile and a few more books on potions. "Hey." She greeted warmly.

Pansy smiled back but didn't say anything just looked back down at her work. She couldn't help but glance up at Hermione every now and then, though. She looked cute when she concentrated so hard on something like homework. Glancing up at the door she saw Ron and Harry entering the library. They looked around briefly before spotting the two of them.

Pansy glued her eyes to her work as she heard then approach.

\"Hermione." Ron grunted.

Hermione's head jerked and she saw the boys on either side of her. "Oh hello guys."

"What are you doing with that ." he put a particular emphasis on the word that as he shot a glare at me.

"We are doing homework." She said simply as if this was an everyday activity.

"I do have a name you know. It's..." Pansy began but Harry cut her off.

"Stay out of this, Parkinson." He snarled.

"Some of us are trying to work here. So if you guys don't mind." Hermione stood her ground with them.
Harry and Ron gave a her a disgusted look but walked away to the other side of the library. Pansy watched them for a moment before turning back to Hermione. She could feel the two boys staring at them.

"You don't have to risk your friendship with them just for me." She muttered, although quite pleased that she had.

"No, it's well worth it." Hermione smiled reassuringly up at her. "Oh and use this book for that essay."

Pansy took the book Hermione was handing her. "Thanks." She said and returned to her work.

They worked for well over an hour before Pansy decided to go back to the Slytherin Common Room for a bit. Hermione nodded but didn't make any move to leave. Pansy shoved all her things into her bag and swung it over her shoulder.

She threaded her way through the few people in the hallway until she was in front of the wall used for the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.

"Basilisk." She recited the password.

Looking around the room she spotted Draco sitting in front of the fire. She began walking over to the couch he was sitting on and sat down next to him. Draco neither looked at her nor said anything. This was how Pansy liked it. He wouldn't say anything productive to her until everybody was gone and none could hear them talking.

As if everyone understood they seemed to leave the room as fast possible. Draco glanced over at her but said nothing for another ten minutes or so.

"What did he do to you?" Draco asked turning his head to cast a stony gaze at her.

Pansy froze and took a breath. "He kissed me."

"What were you doing with Granger?" He asked abruptly getting up to stand in front of her.

"Excuse me?" Pansy asked raising an eyebrow and trying to act dumb.

Draco sneered at her with disgust. "Out at the lake. I saw you guys together."

"Oh."

"You are scaring me, Pansy. She's a mudblood and your associating yourself with her. I refuse to be boyfriend to a blood traitor." Draco seethed angrily. "Your lowering yourself to her position in life. She is nothing. Absolutely nothing. We both know perfectly well that Granger isn't worth more than the dirt on the bottom of our shoes and yet you still associate with that mudblood Gryffindork whore."

Pansy stood up in anger. Before she could stop herself she slapped Draco across the face for the second time in one day. "One, don't you dare ever call Hermione a Gryffindork, whore, or mudblood. She is none of these things. Two, I will associate myself with whomever I please. Three, if you don't like that then don't be my boyfriend for all I care."

With a flick of her hair Pansy had strode out of the common room and down the hall. Draco watched her go and he kicked the couch in anger. He had been hoping to change her mind about Granger the Mudblood, as he sometimes spoke of her as.

Pansy angrily stormed down the hallway.

"Smug bastard." Pansy thought darkly wondering quickly through the halls. "How dare he think she was his property. She was allowed to associate with whoever she wanted. He couldn't run her life He had absolutely no right to even think he could do so."

Looking around at her surroundings Pansy found herself in the middle of the Charms corridor. Groaning she began quickly walking the way she had come. It was no doubt long after curfew and being caught would mean a detention. Before Pansy had even made it around the next corner she heard the clicking of the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professors shoes.

Stifling a small squeak of fear, Pansy turned the other way and tried to run as fast and quietly as her feet and shoes would allow her. She heard Professor Barittion not far behind her. Before she knew what was happening though she was dragged through what seemed like the wall.

"What the he..." She started but something was put across her mouth.

A small light was put on and she saw Hermione in front of her. "Shh." She said quietly nodding to where the wall was supposed to be.

It was now transparent and they could see Professor Barittion walking past. She looked highly annoyed and irritated as she searched for whoever she thought was up and about at night.

"What...how...where are we?" Pansy stammered out.

"The Room of Requirement." Hermione answered. " I come here when I want to think and sometimes to help anyone who is out of bed at night."

"Why would you want to help somebody who's breaking the rules?" Pansy asked. "Your a prefect."

"Don't remind me." Hermine said sourly and Pansy remembered that Padma Patil had been made Head Girl instead of her. " Besides I can tell when people are just thinking or something or if they're causing trouble. I actually tripped Blaise Zabini once because he was doing something wrong."

Pansy grinned as she remembered when Zabini had tried to tell them that he only got detention because the wall had tripped him. Nobody had believed him and instead thought he was crazy, of course.

"He hated that detention, too." Pansy said.
"I suppose nobody would like to dig for worms, so Professor Sprout's plant could eat." The girls giggled until an awkward silence feel over them.

"I can't stay long though. I told Draco I'd take a walk with him." Pansy downright lied, trying to break the silence. She enjoyed Hermione's company greatly but she had to get past Draco in the common room, which wouldn't be very easy.

Hermione nodded. "It's ok. I don't mind." She said politely, although Pansy could see in her eyes that she would be lonely.

Pansy grimaced and stood up. Hermione had opened up what appeared to be a door and was still smiling that fake smile. "See you later Pansy."

"Bye!"

Pansy hurried down the steps and into the Slytherin Common Room. Draco was still on the couch in shock from her slap and quick departure. Pansy quietly tip-toed past him but as she was about to go up the steps two arms made their way around her waist and flipped her around. She was met with Draco's face barely two inches away from her own. His lips crashed down on her unexpectedly but as soon as it had begun it had ended, much to Pansy's relief.

Draco put his hands on either side of her face and rubbed a thumb along her cheek. Pansy's heart went out to him as she looked into his eyes...his pools of sadness. She knew he loved her and it was breaking his heart for her not to be able return the love he held deep inside.

"Pansy..." He muttered trailing off. "I won't let go of you. "

Pansy leaned her head against the wall and stared up at him sadly. She knew he meant what he said. "Draco, sometimes you have to let go."

"I'll give you one last chance." He told her, confidently.

Pansy scowled in disgust and pushed away from him. "You know what Draco Malfoy. You're an even bigger jerk than you give off."

Draco looked shocked as he was pushed away and she stormed up the steps. He hadn't meant to sound so terrible. Pansy closed the door behind her and kicked her bedpost. She threw herself on the bed and kicked off her shoes. Curling under her sheets she hoped that tomorrow would be much better.