Chapter Six
Hermione lay on her bed, reading the entries over and over again. There had to be a mistake somewhere. The rainforest couldn't stop them, but even if it could, Slughorn probably wouldn't expect them to find these.
It was late and she was getting bored of reading them. She yawned and stretched, looking out her window. The summer was almost finished and maybe it was time to catch one more of those sunsets. But someone had interrupted her thoughts. Hermione bolted upright and looked at Parkinson.
"Is it okay if I come in?" she asked shyly and self-consciously. Hermione nodded. Pansy closed the door behind her lightly and looked around Hermione's clean and organized room, with all its trinkets and heirlooms. "Your room is nice." She told her.
"Thanks," Hermione answered.
"I came to apologize for this morning. Mum is only letting me stay here if I'm not a jerk to everyone. And I'd like to stay here because…well…I'm a head girl and I love Draco. And also, McGonagall isn't letting us pass unless we've made a good name for Hogwarts again. The only way to do that is to put our differences aside and don't think I'm just trying to gain your trust because I want Voldemort back in the school." Hermione could hardly believe it. Pansy Parkinson was apologizing to Hermione Granger. Hermione stared in disbelief.
"Did you just ask for forgiveness?" Hermione asked, dazed.
"Yeah," Pansy said almost confidently.
"Okay, okay…Parkinson, yeah. Fine." She finally said, forcing a grin, and trying to keep her tears back. Pansy smiled and for the first time Hermione realized that she had perfect teeth.
"I have to go." Hermione said getting up and walking out of her own room. Pansy got up as well and watched her almost leave.
"Granger…wait." Pansy asked. Hermione stopped and turned.
"Yeah,"
"Where exactly are you going?" Hermione swallowed and then remembered. She wanted to watch one more sunset.
"To catch one last summer sunset." Hermione spoke the words in a watery voice.
"Mind if I come." Hermione shook her head and turned as she set out for the lake's brim. Pansy ran to her side and bit her lip nervously. Would the school really change if they saw some of the most different girls walking together to go watch a sunset?
They sat there together, picking grass up from the ground and splitting it apart. Finally Hermione looked at her. "How long have you and Draco been together?" she asked.
"A while, I guess. We haven't really kept track because there was never a point where he acting asked me to go steady with him, it just kind of happened. What about you and Weasley? I see the way he looks at you, Granger."
"We're nothing more then friends. He hasn't got the courage to make a move." Hermione had realized that she almost wanted him to make a move for her, to show that he really did care for her. She needed someone to do that. To care for her, to make sure she feels loved. She felt the water works getting to work and her eyelashes getting glued together by tears.
"Why not?"
"I don't know, Parkinson. Why don't you ask him?" Hermione said trying very hard to blink her tears back, but it was like a flood.
"Why are you crying, Grang-" She stopped, looking at Hermione. "Hermione…" She looked at Pansy. Pansy looked studied her face and noticed that underneath the make up was a bruise and a cut. Pansy felt her heart drop into her stomach.
"You don't have to feel sorry for me, Parkinson."
"I do though. You don't deserve the treatment you get. You deserve better, you know." Hermione kept looking at Pansy and sniffed. She then looked at the last few minutes of the sunset and then wiped her tears.
Hermione stood up and rubbed her eyes. Pansy stood up and then they walked back to the dorms. Hermione had never felt like such a loser before. She had just made Pansy Parkinson feel sorry for her which was a new record.