A/N #1: Wow. Thank you everyone for your kind words! They really helped me! Sorry for the delays in all my stories; A lot of things going on as you can imagine. Luckily we only have a couple more weeks of school left here, and then I'm back to writing full time! Anyways, back to the story--- This chapter starts getting us where we want to be, I think. I received many emails asking where this was going, so I thought I would just give the same answer to everyone: Somewhere many Canon!Slytherin writer's fear to go.
Warnings: Can be dark and angst at times. Rater "R" for language and sexual situations. Don't worry, it's not worse than your everyday movie though.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter. It's all Rowling's.
The Flower and Dragon
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
Chapter 3
Part 1
The sorting was so long and boring, Pansy was sure she had dozed off at least a dozen times. There wasn't nearly as many first year's, only about half as many, and McGonagall had taken over the Head Mistress position. Each student was shaking like mad as they went up to the stool. It made Pansy reflect over her own sorting.
She was sure that she was going to get placed in Hufflepuff. Draco had always teased her about it, saying that she would never be a Slytherin. She was too weak and nowhere near smart enough to be a Ravenclaw, like her mother, or a Slytherin, like her father. The whole way too on the train that day, she could barely speak, and when she did it were very simple words, she was so nervous.
As soon as she sat down, the hat began to mutter, "Hmm… A great mind, you have Miss Parkinson. Very intelligent," Not according to Draco. "And so ambitious I might add… I see you going far in life, no doubt. Your father was a great potion maker," Maybe that's why he's a healer? "And witty, like your mother." Oh great. "Hmm… SLYTHERIN!"
Draco nearly chocked when she sat down beside him, wearing the biggest smirk she could muster. "He didn't even consider Hufflepuff, Draco. Your wrong." She had too wear the biggest smirk, no it was a grin. She had showed him up. She shook her head back, brushing the black hair over her shoulder. Draco grinned and rolled his eyes, watching as soon as Harry-Fucking-Potter went up.
"He'd never make a good Slytherin." Snapped, Draco, watching the young boy race down to the Gryffindor table.
Pansy nodded in agreement. "Good. I don't think I'd like him anyways." She buffed.
"Look at his hair," Draco waved his hand in the air, making him look like a small boy having a temper tantrum, "Father would never allow me to walk around looking so inept."
To that, Pansy looked over the boy, his blonde hair was swept back from his face, he looked handsome for a boy, yet still had the look of a vicar. She nodded in agreement. "That's why he could never be a Slytherin, Draco. He isn't primped and proper."
"It's not about being primp and proper, Pansy."
"Oh? Then what is it about?" She asked, her lips curling into one of those smirk that make everyone shudder.
Draco frowned. "It's about me."
They both chuckled and smirked.
She had always remembered that day as the day she and Draco had really started becoming friends. Not that they weren't before, but that day he had looked at her like he had never before. She was no longer the girl his mother was in awe over, and the girl his father praised.
Pansy gave a faint yawn, her eyes blinking several times as the last name was called.
"Zatamophus, Gilbert."
She watched as a young boy, his blonde hair splattered with light brown, a his mustered eyes sweeping over the student's as he made his way up to the stool. He was so short that Pansy was sure he would only come up too her waist.
Several minutes passed before the hat finally announced, "SLYTHERIN!"
Pansy and the rest of the Slytherin's all cheered. Out of the whole new lot of students, only twelve had been sorted into Slytherin, all boys but one. Poor lass. Pansy felt sorry for the girl who was sitting no far down, chewing on her lips softly. She looked a lot like Tracey Davis; blonde hair, green eyes, and a rather square face. Where was Tracey this year? She wasn't on the train?
Pansy blinked. "Daphne? Tracey? Where are they?" She asked stunned.
"Both attending that new school in Greece." Fallon replied. Pansy's lips formed into a small "o" shape. "Their parents didn't see Hogwarts fit for them. I heard Daphne was pissed."
"Well who wouldn't." Bridgett interjected. "I hear that they have to wear like, these horrible dresses and then live inside tombs."
"That's Egypt, idiot." Blaise muttered, still looking haughtily.
Pansy and Fallon both rolled their eyes, just as McGonagall rose.
"Welcome back, everyone old and welcome to Hogwarts all those of you new. As many of you know, our late headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, as passed away. Due to this unfortunate turn of events, I will be taking over as the headmistress. Along side, I would like to announce or new Potions Mistress; Professor Tonks our new Defense Against the Dark Art's professor, Professor Lupin will be returning."
Pansy scowled looking over at the dishwater blonde women and Lupin. What joy this was going to be. She could hardly wait for this year to be over.
"I would also like to introduce our new Head boy's and Girls; Hermione Granger and Harry Potter, from Gryffindor, and Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini from Slytherin." Pansy felt her cheeks pinken as the Slytherin's roared with applause for her and Blaise. "And now, indulge yourself. Classes start tomorrow, 9AM."
With a soft sigh, Pansy watched as the tables filled with food. The usual amongst a few new dishes, that Pansy wasn't sure if it was a dessert pie or a meat pie. She stared at the food blankly. Her stomach felt full and stuffed already.
"Pansy, eat." Blaise ordered, shoving a chicken wing in his mouth.
She grimaced and sighed. "I'm not hungry."
His eyes narrowed into slits. "Eat. Now." He shoveled a small amount of pudding to her plate. "I'm not going to watch you starve yourself."
"I said I wasn't hungry. And if I choose to starve myself, that's my problem. Not yours. So stay out." Spat Pansy, pushing the plate away.
"Parkinson, if you don't eat that, I'll hex it in you. Draco wouldn't want to see you like this. Your skin and bones. Eat."
He was right, and Pansy knew it. She bite her lip to keep it from trembling. "Fine." She muttered, spooning a small amount of the pudding and swallowing it without even taking the time to divulge the taste. "It taste like shit." She muttered, licking the spoon clean. Her stomach jolted slightly. It was making her sick.
"Yes, it does. Because you're being an insufferable bitch. Don't you know what your eating?"
She rolled her eyes. "Pudding you bloody bent. I'm not that thick."
"It's not just pudding, Pansy." He added, smirking. "It's that new type. The taste is supposed to match your mood." He grinned.
"Who in the world told you that load of ludicrous?"
"Hermio--- Granger." He quickly covered himself up. "She--- Er, told me in the library about it once."
That was the last straw. "Zabini, if you don't start talking the fuck up, I'm going to curse your balls off." She snarled, her eyes narrowed pointedly. "Something's going on, and I want to know."
"Not now." He hissed, cocking his head to the side. "I can't."
They were both staring at each other with narrowed eyes. Pansy looked at him vinegary, thrashing her spoon back to the plate, her green eyes widening like saucers.
"You know where he is," whispered Pansy, her lips barely moving. "Where is he, Blaise?"
His gaze softened slightly. "Pansy…"
It was like a war all in it's self, and Pansy was losing. She was losing all hope for him. Why couldn't she just forget about him. Why couldn't Draco just disappear from her mind like he had from her life? He was haunting her every thought and every breath. She was dieing to touch him, to kiss him once again. Why did she run? If she wouldn't have left him, out of fear and anger, would he have finished the task? It was her fault.
Oh Draco… This is my fault I can't be with you. If I had only stayed with you. Pansy could feel tears waling up as she stared vulnerably at her half full plate. No longer did she really care what everyone thought if they saw her like this. She had a reason, a right to sulk. You have to get over him Pansy. Just forget about him.
No.
Time had passed so fast, she was too busy mercifully trying her hardest not to show her emotions like her mother had taught her, to notice that students were starting to depart. She had missed McGonagall's speech about the Auror's and Ministry official's standing guard around Hogwarts. The new rules they had established for their safety. She had missed the light chorus of the Sorting hat. She missed Blaise walk right past her and give Ginny Weasley a small hug and Hermione Granger striking up a conversation about the meal. She had missed a whole fifteen minutes of her life, thinking of him.
There was a tug on her robe sleeve and Pansy was pulled from her thick vale of thoughts. Her green eyes sweeping up to meet the soft honey colored orbs and fiery red hair. She wanted to pull away and push him down. She wanted to hold her wand to his neck and murmur those two words she swore she'd never speak. But she was too weak.
"Pansy?" asked Ron, his voice soft like the wind blowing outside. "Are you okay?"
Pansy tugged her sleeve away from Ron. "I'm perfectly fine, Weasley."
"You look sick."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
""Well I'm not. So you can just—I'm perfectly capable of walking on my own, Weasley. Thanks." Pansy snapped as Ron moved his arm around her to help her stand. Her head felt heavy and hot. "Don't touch me." She stumbled slightly to stand up, but gained her posture after a few moments.
Ron backed away, his eyes not moving from her face, but resting just below her eyes. "Bloody hell. Do you always have to be such a-"
"Ronald," Screeched Hermione, swooping down on them like a owl on the hunt for its pray, "your suppose to be showing the first years too their dormitories! Not harassing her."
"I wasn't harassing her!" defended Ron. "I was trying to help her, but she was being a total cow!"
Like a bat boggy hex, Pansy had launched herself at Ron. She had made sure that when she pushed him back it was hard enough to cause a bruise or two. How dare him! After everything they had done and put her through! And then he goes and starts accosting her!
"PANSY! NO---"
Then it all stopped. Everything was black. There was nothing. Not even the slightest sound of someone breathing or even the dim glow of some ones wand. It was like she was floating in one of those weird dreams. Pain had seared her body, as if someone had taken a rock and hit her over the head with it, and the pain was trickling down her spin. She tried to move her fingers, tried to move her toes. Nothing. She was dead. Every piece of life was gone.
Move.
Move Pansy. Why can't I move?
Move. She told herself once again. And then again and again. Until she realized it wasn't her saying it was someone else.
"Move." And then she felt something wet against her forehead. "Pansy, please."
"Is she awake?" Came the voice of a female.
And then there was another light feathery touch to her forehead. "Afraid not. It might take her a while to waken." Said another female voice, which Pansy realized at once to belong to the school nurse.
"Pansy," warm water trickled down her face, "wake up."
"It's no use dear. Her powers are weakened---"
Pansy groaned her head was throbbing even harder than it had before. "Wh-what happened?"
Pansy opened her eyes to see Madam Pompfrey pouring a pale green liquid on a towel and then dab it to Pansy's forehead. It almost instantly soothed her aching pain. Bridgett was sitting by her side, her hand was grasping her arm so tight that Pansy was almost positive that was the reason she had lost her feeling. Pansy could barely make out the outline of Hermione Granger lingering behind the small crowd of professor's and the few students.
"Omigod! You like, passed out…" Bridgett pointed out, wrinkling her nose, "Don't you remember?"
"No." Pansy muttered. The last thing she remembered was Ron calling her a cow. "What---"
"Shush, Miss Parkinson. You need to rest. Since you're obviously okay, just tired and weak, I'll allow you to stay in your dormitory. Mr. Zabini and Miss Granger will help you to it," Madam Pompfrey squawked, using her wand to clean everything up and rise from the floor, "Mr. Zabini, please inform Miss Parkinson of what happened. If there are any more problems, Miss Parkinson," She raised a gray brow threateningly, "lay down. I will exempt you from lesson's if rest is needed."
Blaise, who had been sitting next to her leaned down and wrapped his arm around Pansy's shoulder, heaving her up with a gentle but strong force. Hermione stayed in front of the two, her head girl badge glimmering from the torches as she lead them to their dormitory.
"Where are we going?" Pansy asked, not really caring that she had to follow Hermione Granger; all she wanted was to go to sleep. "The dungeons are the other way."
Hermione looked around at Pansy, her brown eyes were darting around as she said, "To the Head's Dormitory. Since the Ministry thought that there should be four Head's instead of the usual two, they needed a bigger dormitory. Surely you didn't think we would be staying with the Slytherin's?" inquired Hermione, her robes gave a small swishing sound as she took a sharp right turn and started up the set of stairs, "The dormitory is near the astronomy tower. Blaise and Harry are staying in the downstairs dormitory and you and I are upstairs."
"You mean--- I have to share a room with, you?" Pansy choked, her body stiffening.
Blaise chuckled. "This is going to be interesting."
"Well, there's no need to sound so uptight about," sniffed Hermione, pulling her wand out and waving it over the portrait of a Unicorn herd, "I didn't ask for it, Parkinson."
Hermione, with the most vinegar scowl, glared at Pansy. Even if Hermione Granger had been a pureblood, Pansy Parkinson doesn't think she'd still be able to stand her! It's not the blood, it was her personality; She was always acting like she was better than Pansy! Pansy had tormented Hermione since the day Granger started waving her hand in the air during potions. Pansy was actually very talented in potions, she had managed to perform a few rather complicated potions, and got an O in it. But Pansy won't have to get a job, her part after school is to marry a pureblood, give birth to his heir, raise the children and teach them basic's before attending Hogwarts or any other magical school, and be a trophy wife, who has tea with other rich women and plans balls on countless occasions. Clearly, potions wasn't need as bad as Charms, transfiguration, and all her other classes that she took, she had no room afterwards, so she didn't potions. Draco had taught her outside of class.
Like during their sixth year, Pansy wanted to learn how to brew a dark potion that would allow you to talk the dead for a period of time. Pansy had used all her ingredients from the year before, and then stole a few from Snape's personal stash, Draco loaned her a few ingredients that not even Snape had. He was a good teacher really; he knew what he was talking about. The rumors that the only reason he was in the class was because his father paid Snape for high grades, was total bogus. It was like the Quidditch, Draco was very talented on a broomstick, just not as good as Potter. His father bought the team the Nimbus's after he made the team.
"This is our common room," said Hermione, leading through the portrait after performing a special charm and giving it a new password, "Pansy and I will be staying just threw that hall. Blaise, you and Ron are over in the west. I believe Harry is already there."
Pansy looked around the Head's common room. It was smaller than the Slytherin common room, but much nicer. Instead of the usual green and black decorations, it was decorated in all the house colors. They had a small fireplace with the Hogwarts crest boar into it; two black couches around it, and several chairs, tables, shelves filled with books, and hidden in the far window alcove, Pansy could see that they had quick access to the astronomy tower. It reminded Pansy much of her father's study.
Blaise yawned. "Great. Well, Hermione, I think you should go to bed. Pansy and I have a lot to talk about…" He ruffled his dark hair and then rubbed his eyes.
Pansy had barely registered that he had sat her on a couch, and was cuddling close to her. She was still staring around the room at the many portraits when Hermione nodded her head and bid them goodnight. Pansy merely rolled her eyes and sighed.
"This has been one of hell of a night," muttered Pansy, dropping her face into her hands, "are you going to tell me everything, now?"
Blaise nodded and said, "Well, almost everything. I can't tell everything, Pansy. Draco has forbidden me too, but I will brief you on certain things that he would like you to know…"
The bubbling excitement in her stomach caused Pansy to blush. She was finally going to know if he was safe. Everything would get better. Blaise would tell her that Draco ran away and was hiding in France or America and then she would go after him. If only that would happen… Everything would just get better and Pansy would no longer fill this emptiness inside, which she had never felt. It was driving her crazy. Pushing her to the point she had never been pushed.
Before he left, everything was just starting to come together. Well, almost. It wasn't like Draco had really paid much attention to her over their sixth year. Everything just started to slow down. He was always busy and always away. No longer did he come to the common room right after dinner to study with Pansy. He never went on Hogsmeade trips, especially after the one were Katy Bell ended up seriously injured. Harry Fucking Potter had gone off and told the professor's it was Draco who had tried to kill her. Pansy knew it wasn't Draco, because that was the trip she had Draco had spent the whole time in a small shop further down that had excellent sandwiches and tea.
Then everything started to fall apart.
"Start from the beginning." Pansy demanded, shifting away from the grip Blaise had on her shoulder. She didn't want to be touched. She didn't want to even be around anyone right now. Not when she was stuck in this school, while Draco was out fighting to survive and losing his schooling. It wasn't fair. "Start from sixth year."
Blaise gave Pansy a pitted look and groaned. She was more difficult than he had ever remembered. But then again, that was before everything changed. "I can't Pansy. There are certain things I can't disclose, especially with the ministry so close to us," Blaise muttered, and then stood up, "Pansy do you see those portraits? Each one of those can hear what we talk about, each one can report at any time to the ministry. One wrong word and it could be your life. I'm not risking you or I any danger. I have a job and I'll be damned if I screw it up." Blaise hissed, his old attitude was starting blend with him.
"You know where he is, don't you?" barked Pansy, chewing her lip.
"Yes," said Blaise, with a softer tone than before, "I know exactly where he is, Pansy."
By this point, Pansy was clutching to the couch till her knuckles were pearly white, her teeth gritted as she spoke, "Tell me."
"I can't." Sighed Blaise. His skin around his cheeks tinged pink.
How could he tell her everything that happened? How could he really even begin to describe everything? The things he had seen, felt, and heard. There was no way he could even begin, nor would he. Blaise Zabini, the son of a rich pureblood witch who had married eight times since this summer, and so far not one of her husbands had lived to see their six-month anniversary (He was her mistake.), once known for his bitterness, had officially gone soft.
Blaise sighed and shook his head.
"Last year, Draco had been given a task by the Dark Lord himself---"
Pansy interrupted him barking about how she had already known that much, but Blaise shot his hand to her lips to quiet her. "If you want to know what happened, you can't speak." She gave him a huffy look, her cheeks slightly sinking into her face deeper and her brows weaving. "As I was saying--- After Draco's father was taken, The Dark Lord wanted Draco to take over. He wanted Draco to pay for his father's faults. He knew that Draco wasn't strong enough, nor capable of even completing the task, so he thought. But Draco was smarter than meet's the eye," chuckled Blaise, rising from the couch and pacing the ground, "He started giving him small task; Stealing dark items, performing hex's on innocent muggles- then it started to get worse, and darker…"
"The Dark Lord was getting tired of Draco failing, so he came up with the perfect plan. Draco would kill Dumbledore. It was perfect. No one could kill him, not even the Dark Lord himself."
"But he didn't!" Pansy protested, looking distraught. "Draco didn't kill him! We all know he didn't! It was Snape!"
Blaise sighed. "I know that. You know that. But who else would? Look--- before Draco even started developing his plan, his mother had found a loophole. She and Snape made a Wizard's Oath that if Draco couldn't complete the task, Snape would," said Blaise, pacing back and forth the hearth, "Draco found out soon after when Mrs. Malfoy let it slip out. Draco didn't want to let everyone down--- We all know Draco is egoistical and ambitious, all Slytherin's are--- and he wasn't going to allow his family to become dishonored, or harmed."
They both sat in silence for a moment, carefully watching each other. Pansy's breathing slightly shallow. She had heard this all before, from Draco himself, but she hadn't taken everything accounted for then. Now, it was all starting to add up. She had closed her eyes from a brief moment, allowing herself to calm down before she nodded to Blaise to continue.
"Go."
Blaise sighed. "After the train ride to school, Draco had decided what he needed. You already know about the cabinet?" He asked, his dark eyes glittering slightly. Pansy nodded. "He had worked on it all year almost, and Snape wanted to help---"
"Snape was double crossing." Came a male's voice from a door.
Both turned to see who the intruder had been. Standing there, with his arms crossed over his chest, wearing the faintest smirk, his robes bellowing beneath him, and his mysterious eyes sweeping Pansy over as he leaned against the door post was the one boy Pansy had least expected too see. She slightly choked on her own breath just watching him move forward. His long strides were graceful and fluid, and it only took him a few second's too reach the pair.
Blaise chewed on his lower lip nervously.
A/N #2: Ooh… man. Talk about evil? I had to stop it before everyone got bored. I don't want to bore you with so much "small talk". Cliffies work so marvelous, don't you think? A prize goes too whom ever guess who the boy is, right! –Winks-
Thank you, Slytheringurl650, Sugarbabe1, fieryred, Forbiddentreasures, Roanne, Slinky-and-the-BloodyWands, ubsessedwithHP, Dransyluver, kissy.kiss.Draco, Fira, and those of you who emailed, for your reviews and for taking a minute and telling me what you think. –Snugs- Review's are oh-so-welcome!
--Isabella