Chapter 15

-Pansy's POV-

The heavy mists which spread throughout the forest seemed to weigh down on Pansy's whole body, inhibiting her every move. Scampering over a set of rocks, she had to stop to rest.
By now she had fallen far behind Draco, who was still moving as if the ground was flat and the mists didn't exist.

Isn't he even slightly tired? I mean, he's the one with the bad lungs.

After entering the forest, Draco had taken the lead and with every step into the forest he seemed to grow braver on some level. Even his bad lungs didn't seem to be impacting his movement like they normally would have been.

Maybe he's pacing himself. That must be it. Pacing. Or all that Quidditch practice is paying off.

She bent over, hands resting on her knees. She felt like she could lie down right then and there and take a nap. Despair had been weighing on her soul since they entered the forest.
Several times, Pansy had tried to strike up a conversation with Draco, but his mind always seemed to be somewhere else and since he had removed his pendent (the key to their means of mental communication), she hadn't been able to tell what he was thinking. She had even gone so far as to tease him about him apparent love for Hermione, but he had not batted an eye.

I wonder what's up with him, he's never this quiet. Maybe he's trying to piece everything together or trying to remember.

Draco's voice calling to her from over the hill they were on brought Pansy out of her mental ravine

"Hurry up Pansy, you have to see this," Draco's words floated to Pansy on the wind.

Gathering her strength, Pansy climbed over the last of the rocky barrier which Draco had disappeared over moments ago. However, she didn't see Draco. Taking a few steps forward, the clump of foliage which she had placed her weight on gave way and she fell into a stone tunnel. A scream escaped her throat, but the mist echoed it back to her, never letting it leaving the boundaries of the clearing in which she had been in moments ago.
Pansy watched green changed to gray as she fell. Beneath her, she felt smooth stone. Her body was slammed hard against the shoot and sharp pain shoot through her head just before blackness flooded her vision.

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-Normal POV-

Pansy slowly opened her eyes, her head pounding.
"Draco, where are we?" she telepathically called out while trying to sit up, hoping he had put back on his pendent. Her hand touched something slimy and she jumped away, backing against a wall.

Pain shot through her head and her vision blurred at the sudden movement.

Shit, now I have a concussion. What else could happen today.

Reaching up to message her temples with one hand, she grabbed her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at her temple after removing her hand.

She muttered a few words and white smoke flowed out of her wand, disappearing into her temple. Her headache vanished and her vision cleared as her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the tunnel.

Glancing back, she calmed down a bit when she noticed that the slimy stuff was only some moss growing on the stone's surface.

Some light splashing came from behind Pansy. She spun, wand ready to jinx the first person who came through the tunnel. She stared into the darkness, trying to make out exactly what was making the noise.

Damn, I wish Harmony was here. I really need her night vision right now...

"That's who we're here to find, remember? Though I don't think she's here. The place where it appears she was staying looks abandoned," Draco mentally reminded her. "Head straight down the tunnel and don't take any turns. I've already disabled the traps that were down there, but you should still be careful. I don't know if I got them all."

"Wait, if your down in Harmony's old hiding place, then what's splashing around up here?"

"Probably a snake or lizard of some kind; I saw a lot of them coming down."

Nodding to herself, Pansy started down the tunnel. However, she didn't get very far before: splash. Pansy slipped on a piece of moss and fell backwards into the clear water.

Lucky me, she thought as she glanced up.

There, just above her head, were perhaps four knives in a line down the wall. If she hadn't fallen, well, she didn't want to think about what would have happened. Pulling herself to her feet, she again removed her wand, this time holding it out in front of her.

"Lumos," she commanded, light flooding from her wand. The tunnel ahead was now more visible, though she doubted she could avoid any hidden traps. I'll just have to be on my guard. She then continued her journey down the tunnel.

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Draco seemed to have disabled the rest of the traps; she had no more trouble reaching the tunnels end. Ahead of her, she could see bright light flooding what appeared to be a cavern.

There must be a way to the surface up there.

The thought of getting out of the dark tunnel urged Pansy forward, though she still exhibited caution. Finally stepping from the tunnel, soaking wet from the multiple times she had fallen in the water, which was ankle deep, she was aw struck.