Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter Eight

"What!"

Fred winced at the ear-shattering shriek of Katie Bell. She stood over him, her face red with anger, and Fred sat on a chair, hanging his head, his hands held together tightly. Hermione stood close by, arms crossed, and a few others glanced over at the sudden outburst, but a look from Katie quickly turned them away.

"A little loud, Katie," Fred said. Katie slapped him across the face, a loud Smack! sounding throughout the common room. Fred held a hand up to his face.

"I deserved that."

"Yes, you did!" Katie yelled. "How long?"

Fred thought about it. "Not very long. Maybe a couple of weeks…"

"A couple of weeks," Katie said through gritted teeth. "Did you fuck her then?"

Fred sighed. "No."

"How can I believe you?"

Fred glanced at Hermione for support but his friend just shrugged.

"We've only kissed. I swear."

Katie's eyes welled up with tears. "So did you like me at all then?"

"Yes," Fred lied. Katie sat down on a nearby chair and began to bawl into her hands. Hermione quickly rushed over and put an arm around her.

"It's okay, Katie," she whispered. "Calm down now."

Fred stood up. He felt terrible. He had, after all, been Katie's first, and he had never wanted to hurt her this way.

"Look at it this way," Hermione said, leaving her post of comforter when another one of Katie's friends came to help. "That's not as bad as what Pansy would get if Malfoy found out."

Katie lifted her head from her hands, red and blotchy.

"Oh, don't think that Pansy is going to get away with this," she growled, standing up and walking over to Fred. "Draco will find out. I'll make sure of it."

"Katie, please don't," Fred said. "Draco will hurt her."

Katie laughed in his face.

"Are you kidding me?" she asked. "I don't owe that little cunt any favors."

"Well, it might not even matter," Hermione said. "They're broken up anyway."

Katie smiled. "They weren't when it first started."

She walked off with her friends, Fred and Hermione staring after her.

"I have to tell her," Fred said, scrambling over to the door so he could go up to the Owlery, but Hermione grabbed his arm.

"Let this be, Fred," Hermione said.

"But Draco will go mad!"

"So let him go mad!" Hermione said impatiently. "There's nothing you can do. He'll find out eventually anyway, the way gossip spreads around here."

Fred lowered his hand, frowning. "I should warn her."

Hermione shook her head. "Don't. Just let things work themselves out."

Fred looked unconvinced.

"Trust me on this," Hermione said. Fred walked back to a couch and sat down.

"This is going to be horrible," he muttered.

Hermione sat down beside him and rubbed his back.

"I know."

---

Pansy didn't want to sit with the Slytherins the next morning, and it was a good thing she didn't—she didn't notice the way Draco was glaring at her, and when she sat beside Fred at the Gryffindor table, it didn't go unnoticed. She could almost hear the murmurs. Katie smiled wickedly at Pansy because she, unlike the pretty brunette, noticed the way Draco was killing the new couple with his eyes—she had, after all, told Draco about the situation just this morning.

"You're acting risky," Fred said nervously, making room for Pansy. The others scooted away so they sat at the end by themselves.

"I'm sorry," Pansy said. "I know you wanted to keep this private, but—"

"It's okay," Fred said. "It's really no use anymore. People will get used to it." He passed her a biscuit.

"No thanks," Pansy said, crossing her arms. "I'm not hungry."

About forty-five minutes later, students were dismissed from the Great Hall, but no one really went anywhere. They were too distracted by Draco, who had stood up suddenly and strutted over to the Gryffindor table where Pansy and Fred were sitting. Pansy stood up and glared up at Draco.

"So it's true then," he sneered. "Parkinson and Weasley."

"Don't call me that," Pansy snapped. Draco laughed darkly.

"I can call you whatever I bloody want to. Cheater. Hussy. Slut. Just to name a few."

Fred stood up at this and the hall broke out in murmurs.

"Shut your mouth," he said to Draco.

"I could ask Pansy to do the same thing," Draco said. Fred crossed his arms, his angry gaze never wavering.

"I guess I can't say I'm surprised, Weasley," Draco continued. "I hear you like virgins. Sorry that Pansy's not one—I've taken care of that for you."

Pansy slapped Draco across the face, but it were her own cheeks that were burning with embarrassment.

"What's going on, here?"

Snape appeared at the trio's side and Pansy glared at him.

"Nothing. Draco's just exploiting my sex life," Pansy growled. Snape held up a hand.

"I find the sexual activities of my students quite disturbing Miss Parkinson, so please, relieve my distress and don't mention that again." He turned to the rest of students. "Go to your classrooms, now."

Everyone began to stand up; Fred put his arm around Pansy to lead her away, but Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him.

"Draco, let go of me!" Pansy yelled. Everyone stopped moving again to glance back at the commotion—including Snape.

Pansy got out of Draco's grip and backed up toward Fred again, but Draco just came after her.

"Leave her alone, Malfoy," Fred said, stepping in front of her.

Malfoy blinked, his eyes wet now—he didn't try to stifle any tears, however. He seemed to have lost any sense of inhibition.

"So it's him you want then," Draco said, ignoring Fred and looking straight at Pansy. "You love him."

Pansy opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"I love you, Pansy," Draco whispered.

"W-what?" Pansy asked. Fred reached back to hold Pansy's hand, but she didn't move.

"I love you," Draco said.

"Shut up, Malfoy—"

But Fred was cut off by Draco's fist in his nose.

"Malfoy!" Snape snapped. Blood gushed from Fred's nose and he backed away—relenting enough to allow Draco room to move up to Pansy.

"I love you Pansy," Draco repeated. Fred wiped his nose and pushed Draco, but Snape grabbed Draco's arms before he could retort and McGonogall had strutted up angrily to grab Fred's arm.

"You missed your chance," Fred growled. He looked over at Pansy, but she was staring at Draco, not him.

Snape and McGonogall began to drag the two boys away, Draco staring back at Pansy with big, sad eyes. He was almost out the door when Snape let him go and let him walk on his own, and he heard someone say:

"I love you too, Draco."

He stopped walking and both he and Snape stood staring at Pansy. Pansy crossed her arms and Snape rolled her eyes as Draco walked over to her. They stared at each other for a moment before Pansy reared back and punched Draco square in the jaw. Draco held his mouth in his hands, blood leaking through his fingers.

"Miss Parkinson!" Snape roared, but Pansy ignored him. Draco spit the blood on the floor.

"Bitch," he sneered.

"Git," Pansy growled.

Pansy's eyes sparkled, her face angrier than Draco had ever seen, and he waited only a moment before grabbing her around the waist and forcefully pulling her into a bloody kiss.