Evaluate This!
Chapter 9
Pansy Proposes
In the morning, the world did look different. But not in the way Draco had thought it would. Had he had any notion in his head, he would have thought that the day would be brighter, clearer, everything beautiful.
After all it wasn't every day that Hermione Granger fell asleep on your chest. Draco smiled at the memory. So of course he'd figured it would be a nice day, at least, when he opened his eyes.
However, reality was a very nasty bite in the ass.
First off, the castle was filled with an unearthly chill.
It seeped through the layers he'd dawned, making him hunch over to conserve warmth. Another thing, Draco noticed was the deadly silence.
His steps echoed down the dark, deserted hallway. Everything was dark—foreboding. Draco shivered. He should be used to this; after all, it mirrored the place he'd grown up in. But this, this wasn't Malfoy Manor Draco had assured himself. This was Hogwarts, what seemed normal at the manner was very out of place here.
Draco didn't like the change. He glanced out the windows as he walked.
Gray.
Rain.
Bleak, dreary sky.
The lightning zipped across the clouded heavens.
Shaking his head, Draco was glad to find more students in the hallway.
The student's of Hogwarts crept…no joke, crept as if waiting for the grim reaper to appear around the corner and slice their heads off.
He wasn't exactly sure why the outside weather mirrored the inside of Hogwarts perfectly.
Everyone was distant from one another. There was no talking, no laughing. Friends passed friends without so much as a hello, how do you do.
The whole thing gave Draco the creeps. What was going?
You may be asking yourself the same question, just as clueless as Draco Malfoy, or you may already know the answer—as did most of the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At least, those who had gotten a glimpse of the parchment outside the Great Hall did.
Draco neared the entrance to the Great Hall, only to find it blocked by a large crowd of students.
Whispers were being quietly thrown about as Draco tried to see what was going on.
"What's up with everyone Blaise?"
Blaise pointed to the parchment nailed to the doors. "Basically phase two of the evil sadistic psychologists has been announced."
"A less colorful explanation Blaise."
"We don't really know…"
"What do you mean?"
Blaise eyed Draco for a moment. "I wasn't lying when I told you that phase two has been announced."
"Phase two would be…" Draco prodded.
"That's the point Draco. All's it says is phase two."
"Well then, what's everyone so worked up about?"
Blaise looked after Draco as he entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Shaking his head he followed.
They sat together at an empty table.
"That isn't the point Draco. It's the fact that all's it says is phase two."
"So?"
"Did you shut your brain off before coming down here or something?"
"No." Draco scooped some eggs on his plate, a slice of toast…he contemplated the butter and jelly before picking up the jelly. "Why do you ask?"
"You just seem rather unconcerned that the sadistic rulers have announced a new law that no one knows anything about."
Draco shrugged. "It can't be that bad."
"Can't be that bad? Who are you and what have you done with my Malfoy?"
Draco cringed as he picked up his toast. "Didn't know I was a thing, Blaise." He took a bite.
"You know what I mean. Why the change of…heart?"
"Ha, ha. Very funny, a change of heart. Good one." Draco chomped down on his breakfast. "There's been no change of heart. I just woke up in a non-caring mood when it comes to the…" Draco pointed at the head table where the psychologists sat. "Those idiots up there."
"Okay. If you say so." Blaise peeled an orange as he looked around. "Um, Malfoy, would you want me to warn you if a certain person was making their way over here?"
Draco set down his toast. "What?"
"A certain someone." Blaise whispered. "Is coming up behind you."
"Who?"
Blaise's eyes bulged, but he didn't speak.
"Good morning Drakie."
She calls me on the phone
Hoping that I'm home
And that I'm all alone
But when I say hello,
I only hear dial tone
She thinks that I'm her own
Outside my window she crept,
Watching my every step
Draco's eyes closed and Blaise broke the awkward silence. "Hey Pansy."
"Blaise dear." Pansy nodded at him and he began to get up to leave. "Oh, Blaise, don't go. I need a witness."
"Witness?" Blaise said, fear in his eyes.
"Yes, a witness."
Draco had yet to turn around, or to open his eyes. His stomach clutched dangerously.
"Uh, then, err…I guess I'll stay." Blaise sat down.
Pansy grinned, a predator on the prowl. "I knew you would." she sat down next to Draco. "Drakie, look at me."
"No." Draco kept his eyes on his plate—though he doubted he'd ever get to finish it. As soon as he could, he was making a mad dash for the doors.
"Draco Herbert Malfoy, look up this instant."
Draco cringed at his full name and looked up.
Pansy nodded in approval. "Everyone!" she called out across the hall. "I have something I want you all to witness."
"Pansy." Blaise whispered. "Public murder, is uh, against the law."
"All murder is, stupid." Draco hissed.
All eyes were on their table. Draco fidgeted nervously. Blaise gave him a worried grin.
"I have all your attention?" Pansy could feel all eyes upon her. She smiled. "Drakie poo…"
Draco cringed.
Blaise held his breath, as did the whole hall.
"Draco and I…" Pansy paused again. "We're going to get married!"
Draco's head spun to the side in time to see Pansy flash a large glittering diamond to the whole school.
"My Merlin." Blaise whispered, pointing across the hall. Draco looked to where he pointed. Hermione had just entered—in time to hear everything.
Hermione wasn't about to let this foul day get the better of her. She strode toward the front of the Great hall shortly after lunch. The teacher's had left, as she had bid them, and the sadistic monsters from hell—namely Mr. McGale and Ms. Danna had been wise enough to remove themselves.
The student body was being very loud. The noise they created almost unbearable. She hadn't been in the best of moods, but this was ridiculous. "May I have everyone's attention, please?" The noise slipped down a notch and for that Hermione was grateful.
"You guys have heard that the Head boy and I have been given the task of preparing, arranging a rather…unorthodox fall ball." She'd have preferred to call the ball what it was, 'fucked up' was a lot closer to the truth than unorthodox. But…Hermione pulled out the list she'd been handed by Ms. Danna in the hallway after breakfast. At a moment in time when her head had still been a bit, well, shell-shocked.
The proposal, as it was already being called, wasn't, from what she remembered, a proposal at all. It was more of an announcement.
That, she thought, would be the talk of the century to be sure.
Shaking those thoughts away, she focused on the task at hand. She was more than positive that she'd hear more than she wanted to about this mornings incident later—in the common room, where she was sure the sullenly quiet Malfoy would break from his shell and rant and rave for hours.
She put the list away once more. Another time. She'd be seeing all of them again soon enough.
"So, this ball, as I said, is rather unorthodox. The head boy and I have decided to make it as entertaining as possible and as unforgettable as possible." Hermione paused. "This morning we all saw the sign stating that "phase two" has started. But let's face it. We're all a lot smarter than they think, so I hope none of you will worry about it too much." many of the students nodded. "So, with the help of several students, Malfoy and I were able to put together an event we think you'll all enjoy."
Some of the students groaned. If bookworm Granger approved of it, it couldn't be the kind of fun they were hoping for. But the students had misjudged the loathing the Head Girl felt towards the psychiatrists.
Putting a silencing charm on the hall, Hermione laid out the very well concocted, and to most, astounding plan.
Fred and George would be proud.
Draco didn't dare leave the protective common room he'd barricaded himself in since escaping breakfast. He paced back and forth nervously, half expected Pansy to barge through the door any moment. He tapped his foot nervously watching the un-moving portrait--ready to bolt if a certain female entered.
She's following me
She's out of her tree
She's off of her rocker
He shuddered inward. His entire body felt like a towel wrung of all water. He felt…he felt like his organs had been rearranged. He felt disgusted. It was enough to make him gag. And he had, he thought ruefully. Any other day he would have hated himself for the show of weakness, but Draco thought the current flow of events warranted his reaction. Now, he just had to hide for the rest of his fucking mortal life. Shuddering again, Draco replayed for the billionth time, what happened at breakfast.
He had woken, cold. Dressing warmly he had gone down to breakfast. Sitting alone at a table as far away, from the one Pansy had fed him at, as was humanly possible.
He'd left Hermione, asleep, on the couch. He smiled, replaying the events of the previous night. He'd been knocked off his feet. Wasn't that supposed to happen to the girl? No, that was swept off, not knocked off. Draco still couldn't believe how different Granger had looked.
"Use with extreme caution, understatement numero uno." He'd muttered. If the charm changed everyone in the school, as it had Hermione, he didn't think their would be a single person still 'single' by nights end, and a lot of disappointed hearts when they woke up the next morning.
Or not, he'd thought again. He'd spent a considerable amount of time examining Hermione while she was sleeping.
She was beautiful. He had concluded. Not in a supermodel type of way, or in the gorgeous type of way.
Her beauty was her own, not to be compared with another's.
Back to what happened at breakfast, it was thoughts of Hermione that had kept him from understanding anything Blaise said. Even when it truly mattered—such as when Blaise was trying to warn him of the approaching Pansy—he hadn't noticed until later that Millicent and two other Slytherin girls had accompanied Pansy. Most likely under orders to detain him had he tried to run.
With what Draco believed to be cruel and unusual precision, Pansy had glided to his side, and practically glued herself to him.
"Good morning, Drakie." Pansy had nuzzled his neck.
That was when Draco had first felt his gag reflex kick in.
Though he wasn't finished with his breakfast, Draco pushed his plate—along with his fork—as far way from him as possible.
Blaise was the one with manners; he was the first to speak. Draco only wanted to unhinge himself of the unwanted fixture.
He was blatantly lying now as he struggled to unhinge the unwanted and unneeded fixture.
Pansy purred. "Oh, Blaise, don't go. I need a witness." she slithered, if possible, closer to him.
Draco went dead still.
Blaise leaned forward, not wanting to miss a thing.
Pansy kissed Draco.
And it was the longest and worst kiss he'd ever had. Even now, thinking back, Draco had the sudden urge to wretch.
Pansy had drawn back, stood, taking a very gaudy pink diamond ring from her robes. That was when she made the announcement that he was marrying her. She'd dragged him to his feet, slipping the ring on her finger.
Draco recognized that ring. It was one of his mother's, one of the one's from the worst part of her jewelry collection. "What the hell?"
Drawing the attention of the room, with the help of her cronies, Pansy gripped Draco tightly.
"This morning, I proposed, to my love."
Draco blinked as many mouths in front of him fell open. "What?" he couldn't hear, what was it she had said?
"And he accepted!" Pansy squeaked, flashing the rock and flinging herself on an already unstable Draco. They toppled to the floor.
Being the first to recover his wits and senses, Draco had scrambled to his feet and made a mad dash for the hall.
"Drakkkkkkiieee!"
He'd barely made it into his room, the portrait slamming shut as the banshee from hell came barreling down the hall. He did get the satisfaction of hearing a nice, loud, thud. Assuming she had run head long into the portrait, Draco had grinned…before rushing to the bathroom, where he spent a very miserable hour over the toilet.
It was worse than a hangover.
Shivering, Draco wrapped another cover around himself as tightly as possible. He had no intention of ever…and he meant ever…leaving his room again. Draco didn't care if Hogwarts was burning to the ground. He—would—never—again—leave. Better to die in a fire than die in the arms of one Pansy Parkinson.
He heard the portrait swing open, his eyes focused on the door, his body tense. His whole body was preparing for the inevitable mad leap he'd make from the window if Pansy entered.
Hermione stuck her head in. "So you've just decided to hide out all day?"
"Are you crazy!" Draco shouted. "Close the door! Close the door!"
Hermione stepped inside the room. "Why?"
Draco rushed forward. "No, no no!" he cried. "Close the door Hermione!"
"Malfoy no one's out—" That was when she heard it.
"Drakkkkkiiiieee!"
"Oh my Merlin." Hermione smirked as she saw Draco pale. Closing the door just as she caught sight of Pansy.
"Are you crazy! What were you thinking leaving the door open! Are you trying to kill me?"
Malfoy was shaking so bad Hermione finally took pity on him. "Sorry. You cold?"
Draco shuddered. "I'll never be warm again. That…" he searched for an appropriate word. "Bitch froze hell over, I'll never be warm again."
Hermione's eyebrow rose.
"Yes, I'm from hell you god damn sadist. Happy?"
Cheerfully, Hermione bounced away. "I am now." She called merrily back at him.
Draco slumped back onto the sofa, his heart rate returning to its normal speed. He could faintly hear Pansy banging on the portrait.
"She's insane." He muttered.
"I do believe you're correct."
Draco jumped.
"Sorry." Hermione sat down next to Malfoy and handed him a piece of chocolate. "So…I didn't personally get to see all of what happened this morning, but I heard about it."
Draco shuddered. "It was horrible."
"I'm sure it was." Draco was still shivering. Hermione knew what she'd do if it were Harry…or Ginny, or Ron. But this was Draco Malfoy. She couldn't just go about hugging Draco Malfoy. But, she reasoned, he had just been proposed to by none other than Pansy Parkinson.
Anyone who survived that deserved a hug.
Draco felt Granger slip her arm around him—her body warming his. So this is what its like, he thought. This is why scarface comes crawling to her when he has a little nightmare. He had to give it to Potter…this would soothe any nightmare from his mind.
"I didn't poison the chocolate."
Draco jerked a bit. "Oh, yeah." He took a bite. Relaxing as it warmed him from head to toe.
"You want to talk about anything?"
"Uh…" Draco was about to suggest something that would probably make her slap him when there was a loud knocking.
"Don't let her in!" Draco screamed as Hermione got up to answer the door.
"Don't be so paranoid. You don't even know if it's her."
"No! Granger! Stop! Don't open the d—"
"Drakkkiieee poo, where are you!"
Hermione had opened Pandora's box.
Draco scrambled over the sofa…tripping over the blankets and covers that had been warming him, now only resulting in slowing him down.
"Drakkiee! Come here." Pansy scaled the coffee table and scrambled after Draco as he took off.
Hermione tried to intervene, but was knocked away as Draco headed for the nearest exit.
A window.
Draco didn't even pause to think of the consequences of jumping—the fact was, he wasn't thinking at all. Survival instincts drove him to desperate measure.
And out he went.
"And that is what you call love." Hermione said, shaking her head as she watched Pansy jump out right after him.
"Idiot."
"Idiots." She corrected, peering out the window.
Still shaking her head, Hermione made her way outside to see what she could do.
"Ms. Granger. Are you all right?" Madam Pomfrey hurried towards Hermione.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. But…" she waved two stretchers in behind her. "These two aren't doing so well."
Draco was in a full body bind. Hermione wasn't sorry about doing it, even as he continued to glare at her. She had her reasons. First off, she didn't know if anything was broken, and second he would not stay still.
"It's for your own good." She smiled at him and had the pleasure of watching his eyes panic. They swiveled around to look at the body occupying the other stretcher.
Pansy had also been put under a full body bind…but that was because Hermione just didn't like the girl and for all the trouble she had caused her.
Draco's eyes swiveled back to Hermione. She could see them begging her to do something. Hermione smiled and patted him on the head as if he were a dog.
"Ms. Granger, how did this happen?"
Madam Pomfrey was bustling about, preparing two beds for her injured students.
"Well…" Hermione looked at Draco. Pay back time, she thought. And told the truth.
"You see, Pansy here, proposed to Malfoy this morning." Draco closed his eyes. He did now want to hear this again. He silently cursed Granger. Without the use of his hands, he had no choice but to listen.
"Oh my." Madam Pomfrey was now unloading Pansy from the stretcher.
"Yes, I dare say that was pretty much everyone's reaction." Hermione helped Madam Pomfrey carry several potions back to the patients. "So, anyway. Malfoy was being chased by Pansy there, and he jumped out of the window to get away from her. Pansy…" Hermione shook her head, still astonished. She would follow Harry to the depths of hell and back, but…not jump out of a freaking window after some…some guy. It was completely absurd.
"Madam Pomfrey, I think you should run brain tests on Pansy here. I just don't' think its normal for someone to jump out a window…over a guy."
Madam Pomfrey nodded her head. "That's right, Ms. Granger, I'm glad to hear you're a lot smarter than Ms. Parkinson here. I shall run full diagnostics on them both." She released Malfoy from the body bind. "You may go, now, Ms. Granger."
Draco shot up from the bed. "NO! She can't go!"
"Mr. Malfoy! Lay down!"
Draco was struggling. "You can't go, Hermione, what if she wakes up!"
Hermione paused.
"Mr. Malfoy. If you don't stop struggling this instant Ms. Granger will leave!" Draco stilled. "Drink this." Madam Pomfrey handed him a potion, which he took.
"Don't go Granger." Growled Draco.
Rolling her eyes, Hermione sat down at his side. "Wouldn't dream of it."
Soon, his eyelids were fluttering, and before long, Draco was asleep.
Hermione glanced over at Pansy who was, thankfully, still asleep.
"Poor Draco." She said allowed.
Yeah, poor me, Draco thought, before finally letting himself go to sleep. Knowing she wouldn't leave him.
He woke with aches all over—every single joint, muscle, appendage, everything in his body screamed in pain.
Draco moaned.
"Well now, Ms. Granger, there's your answer."
Draco opened his eyes—but shut them again quickly. Even his eyeballs hurt.
"Mr. Malfoy, you are to return to your room. Ms. Granger here will help you."
Draco grimaced. "What about Pansy?" He whispered.
Hermione patted his shoulder. "She'll be here a little longer. We're giving you a head start."
Draco smiled at her gratefully. Hermione looped his arm around her neck.
"You might be a bit dizzy."
If he hadn't been before, he was now. Draco swayed slightly but Hermione kept him from falling on his face.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Harry and Ron sat in the library waiting. Sooner or later Hermione was bound to show up. Right? Instead, they were joined by Miriam and soon after, Charlotte.
"What are you guys doing?"
"Waiting." Harry stifled a yawn.
"Been waiting." Ron groaned.
"I don't think she's coming here today."
"Who?" Miriam asked.
"Hermione." Harry answered.
"Oh."
"But, Harry, Hermione always come to the library."
"She won't be in here today. I can tell you that." Charlotte sat down across from the red head.
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you heard?"
"Heard what?" Ron said aggravated.
"The proposal." Miriam glanced at Charlotte. "Right?"
"That's part of it, yes."
"What proposal?"
"Oh, Ron, you really are clueless."
"I am not." Ron shouted indignantly. "A little slow sometimes, but not clueless."
"Ron. You are clueless." Harry paused. "But at this moment so am I. What proposal."
"My god, you two don't know?"
"Know what?" Ron asked through gritted teeth.
Charlotte grinned. "Pansy Parkinson proposed to Draco Malfoy."
Harry's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding!"
"No. She's not."
"Why didn't I hear about this till now?"
Shrugging Charlotte eyed him. "Maybe because you're clueless, I don't know."
"So…how does this tie into Hermione not being here?"
Folding her hands, Charlotte leaned over the table, her eyes glowing. "Well, you see, that's the juicy part. It seems that Hermione let Pansy into the common room and Malfoy jumped out the window. As did Pansy."
"Sweet!" Ron whispered. "Did they die?"
"Ronald!"
"Sorry."
"No, they didn't die. I saw Hermione taking them both to the hospital wing."
"She was helping them? I'd have just left them there to die." Ron looked scandalized. "I don't think we've had all that much influence on her. Damn."
"Oh Ron! You wouldn't really want them to die, would you?"
Ron didn't answer.
"That's just below mean."
Ron didn't say anything.
"So, were they hurt?"
Charlotte looked shocked. "What kind of question is that? They jumped out a window! Of course they were hurt!"
"Sorry."
"Well, anyway. I just saw Hermione in the hall, taking Malfoy back up to their room. So he must not have been hurt too bad."
"Do you think we should go visit her?" Asked Miriam who'd been oddly quiet.
"Exactly my thoughts." Charlotte grinned. "Let's go."
The four stood and left the library.
"Do you think this is wise?" Harry asked. "Maybe we should wait. Hermione might not be in the best of moods. After all, she's got to baby-sit Malfoy."
"She'll be fine with it. It's Malfoy who might not enjoy our visit." Charlotte assured.
"Why?" Ron asked.
"Don't be stupid Ron, you know why."
"I do?"
Harry grimaced. His friend, ladies and gentleman, Mr. Dense. "Malfoy doesn't like us Ron, of course he'd be annoyed if we were taking over his common room."
"Oh."
"Which is all the more reason to do it!"
"You have a point there."
"I usually do."
Charlotte and Miriam shook their heads. "Boys." Miriam winked. Charlotte could only nod. "Clueless, the whole lot of them."
Hermione deposited her charge on the couch. "Feeling better?"
"Not really. Still sore."
"What did you think was going to happen? You were just going to jump out of a five story window and walk away all hunky dory?" Hermione fluffed one of the pillows and put it behind his head. "How did you ever become head boy?"
"It's called desperate measures, Hermione."
Hermione grimaced. It sounded foreign coming from his lips.
"If you say so." she pulled a blanket over him. "You're supposed to sleep."
"Will you stay?"
"I've got no where to go, Malfoy."
"Good."
Draco snuggled under the covers. The fire was going and it was warm and cozy. He felt instantly better.
"Do you ever wonder about how your life is going to turn out?"
Hermione grabbed Enchanting Charms off the floor—where it had landed when Pansy overturned the coffee table. Sitting down in the armchair she sighed. "I think most people do. Why?"
"I've never actually pictured myself married to Pansy." Draco murmured.
Hermione reached out and patted his hand. "I'm sure you won't."
"How do you know?"
"Well, you never actually said yes, did you?"
"I'd never say yes."
"Then don't worry about it."
"But I am."
"Draco. Please. Just sleep."
Draco nodded and closed his eyes, feeling himself floating.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Draco's eyes shot open; he glanced quickly at Hermione who was standing. "Don't! It's her!"
Hermione shot him a look. "Go to sleep or I swear I'm going to hit you with this book." she hefted Enchanting Charms up to show him the nice thick book that would be hitting him in the head.
"It's her!" Putting personal injury aside, Draco leapt up and grabber her arm. "I don't want to have to jump again! But I will."
"It couldn't possibly be Pansy, Draco, she's still in the hospital wing."
"How do you know! Maybe she escaped!"
Hermione's eyebrow rose.
"Okay, so she's not capable of that. Maybe she hit Madame Pomfrey over the head with…with…a tray or something and left."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Let go. I have to get the door." She removed Draco's hand and went to the portrait.
Draco slumped to the floor. "Please!"
"It's not her! Draco. My god. I want you back on that couch now!"
Grumbling Draco went back to the couch. "Now stay there. I don't want you off that even if it is Pansy." she saw him pale. "Which it is not!"
Rubbing her eyes she opened the portrait. It definitely was not Pansy. Draco lay down with relief as scarhead and the faithful red head came in along with the cousins. Unconcerned. He closed his eyes and allowed himself much needed sleep.
A/N: Yay! Another edited chapter...whew!
