Those dark, powerful eyes…the press of Granger's body against hers….
She hadn't felt helpless or afraid, she wanted to reach out, to touch her cheek and keep looking into those dark eyes-
Pansy's grip on the dresser tightened, knuckles turning white with the effort to support her. She didn't know what it was, but she had just met Granger's creature side, and no matter what her body was telling her, she needed to focus, her brain kicking into gear.
She took a deep breath and cast a silencing charm around her head as she dialled the one number that could provide her some answers. He finally picked up after a few rings.
"Hello?" he sounded a bit sleepy, and only then did Pansy realise it was only 6.30 in the morning and they were an hour ahead of Britain.
"Neville, sorry to have woken you," she began, trying to keep her tone patient though it wasn't inherently in her nature.
"Did something happen? Are you alright? And Hermione?" he asked, now much more awake and the sound of rustling sheets travel over the receiver as he clearly sat up in bed.
"No...Yes...something did happen," she sighed and rubbed her forehead tiredly. Focus, you need answers, she reprimanded herself. "Due to a system fault we ended up sharing a room and sleeping accommodation and we had a little incident," she tried to summarise without sharing what actually happened. "Are you aware of her….particular traits and proclivities?" she asked vaguely. She understood from what Kyra told her that the two were close friends and if there was anyone Granger would have told about herself, it was Longbottom.
There was a moment of silence while he no doubt weighed up how much he should be revealing. He made a promise to Hermione not to say what she is, but that didn't mean he couldn't put Pansy on the right track. He still had a feeling she would prove worth it. "Yes, I am aware," he confirmed.
"What is she?" she asked up front as she usually did when dealing with Gryffindors.
Neville remained silent for a long moment, not willing to answer that straight up. He would help but he wasn't going to specify. If she wanted to know, it was Hermione's tale to tell and she would have to work for it.
Pansy huffed with irritation. "Fine be like that. How about a game of true or false instead? You won't exactly give it away if I guess it," she proposed and waited for a vague hum of consent before firing the first question. "Obviously she is a creature or has some sort of creature heritage," she stated.
"True," he confirmed easily, as that was clearly already established.
"She has wings and can fly," she stated next, waiting for confirmation.
"True," Neville answered though he hesitated just a moment this time. Hovering did sort of count as flight, right?
"She's a veela," she shot out her next guess though something about that assessment didn't feel right.
"False," Neville replied softly, wanting to help her eliminate some of the obvious but careful not to narrow it down too much.
Pansy took a deep breath before uttering the next statement. "For some reason, she or..it, the creature I mean, wants me. Or we're connected somehow," she said with more confidence than she possessed.
Neville's hesitation was palpable but he did believe he was correct in his assessment that Hermione's harpy wanted the Slytherin. "True," he finally admitted.
Pansy closer her eyes in relief. She knew it. She knew she didn't imagine it, this connection between them. She ventured another statement, aware it was a long shot. "She doesn't want anything to do with me beyond our professional relationship," she stated clearly, bracing for the that being the cause of their stinted interaction so far. Was that why she was keeping her distance? It was clear the brunette was aware of this pull as well but was making every effort to avoid Pansy ever since that dinner at the Greenhouse.
Neville bit his lip, trying to figure out how to answer that. It was true on some level, Hermione feared her harpy and what she could do to Pansy, but if they were mates like he suspected, she would never be able to hurt her. She was in denial and it was not his place to say either way. "I won't answer that one. Honestly Pansy, I can't tell you any more. It's not my place," he finally closed the conversation, not comfortable with revealing any more on Hermione's behalf.
Pansy leaned back against the wall as her mind spun rapidly with the possibilities. What was she? Did she want to know? Would she get hurt? "She doesn't want to talk to me," she sighed, looking at the closed and warded bathroom door.
"Then make her. Just because she refuses to respond, doesn't mean you can't talk to her," Neville pointed out patiently.
Damn, he was right. "When did you become a Slytherin?" she flipped back, a grin pulling at the edge of her lips. She must be clearly rubbing off on him.
He chuckled. "We've been friends for a while now, I'd like to think I learned from the best," he grinned in kind before the thought of a hyperventilating Hermione sobered him up. "Seriously, talk to her. And if you decide to walk away at the end of the day, it will be with full knowledge of what you're rejecting," he said simply.
Pansy bristled but held the retort on the tip of her tongue back. Who said anything about rejecting? Did he seriously think she would just decide to hear Granger out and then tell her to fuck off? She held her temper as she agreed and that said their goodbyes before she chucked the phone onto the fluffy duvet that has been so comfortable only a few moments ago.
She checked the time and realised they had an issue, and there was only one solution. She picked up the carved handle of the antique room phone and called through to reception. "Please connect me through to Monsieur Gilmel," she requested.
"Un moment s'il vous plaît," the receptionist sounded far too chipper this early in the morning but efficiently connected her through, the man picking up after only three rings.
"Gilmel," his voice slightly gruff so early.
"Claude, it's Pansy," she put on her professional voice with just a hint of honey sweetness.
"Pansy, to what do I owe this early call?" he asked, intrigued.
Pansy took a deep breath, wondering whether it was worth it, but she knew she had no other option. "I seem to find myself in a bit of a predicament. My Potions Mistress woke up feeling a little under the weather this morning but we are the first once to present at the conference. I noticed you had the afternoon slot for your seminar. Would it be too much trouble for you to switch with our time?" she asked smoothly.
This man was a piranha. He had been after her technology for years, and she knew requesting this from him would cost her. She was however prepared to pay that price, there was no way Granger would be in a fit enough state this morning to present. They needed to talk and she needed to calm whatever the creature side of her was.
There was a moment of silence on the line before his voice return after some contemplation. "Such a sudden change, I don't know whether it would be advisable…" he mused, clearly waiting for an incentive.
"Just this once," Pansy hoped to work her charm. "Perhaps once this conference is over, we can meet in London for lunch on our tab, and I would be happy to show you around our headquarters," she invited. There was no chance of him seeing her state of the art labs but she could take him through some of the impressive parts without giving too much away and still satisfy the deal. If only he would bite.
"Well, how could I refuse under such circumstances. We will be happy to switch with you, I will let my team know," Gilmel sounded almost smug.
Prick. "Thank you Claude, I appreciate it. I will notify the conference staff of the change," she agreed and after last few pleasantries ended the call before calling reception again and arranging for some breakfast and their sign in passes to be delivered to their room so they could just come into the conference after lunch.
All arranged, she took a deep breath and stepped towards the bathroom, knocking gently. "Granger?" she called through, frowning when there was no response, no movement from within. She tried to bring the wards down but they were quite sound so she knocked once more and tried what seemed to work the last time. "Hermione… Please lower the wards, we should talk. I've cleared our morning schedule and breakfast will be here soon, we have until lunch to discuss this," she coaxed.
Hermione managed to get a hold of herself and listened to Pansy's voice through the door. It wasn't a demand for her to leave, neither was it her calling the authorities to examine the rogue creature that just momentarily assaulted her. Could she do this? Sit down and have breakfast across from the woman she now knew was her mate?
Pansy Parkinson was nothing like she would expect her to be. When she was at work, she was strong, uncompromising where needed and channelled her sharp tongue into clear-cut diplomacy that got the results she needed. But that dinner with Neville and Kyra really made her true personality come out. Surrounded by the soft glow of the greenhouse, comfortable in herself and her surroundings, she was still smart, sharp with her opinions and quick-witted with her humour. But her usually focused gaze softened whenever she laughed at Neville's jokes, or when she returned Kyra's excited smile at the prospect of finding that one ingredient that will crack their recipe for a scar balm. The mean schoolgirl she met at Hogwarts was nowhere to be seen. This Pansy was unapologetically herself, and while still selective about the people she let in, clearly there was a side to her that one only discovered when truly let in. Whether it was the harpy within her pushing her, or her own instinct, she wanted to get to know the woman beneath the polished exterior.
Pansy waited for a few long moments but there was no response still. She was beginning to get frustrated when she felt the wards shimmer and the lock click open. Nervously, she took a steadying breath and schooled her features into a neutral expression to not portray her worries outright. The door opened slowly, before Hermione stepped out, still in her black sleeping shorts and tank top, looking more composed than she expected. Her hair was a wild mess of curls falling around her shoulders which were clearly tight with anxiety.
"I think it's about time we talked," Pansy offered, her voice calm and gaze somewhat guarded but curious.
At least that was a good sign, Hermione thought as she took in every inch of Pansy's heart-shaped face and the expression in her dark eyes. "I promise to stay on my side of the furniture this time," she offered, though the attempt at bringing humour to the moment wasn't as wholehearted as her usual tone.
Pansy's lips quirked up into a small amused smile before she walked back to her side of the room and slipped on a silk robe that matched the dark indigo blue of her nightie. "I think that would be advisable for now. I ordered a breakfast platter to share."
"Thanks," Hermione wrestled her wild mane into a messy bun atop her head, sticking her wand into it to keep it tight as she used to when studying back at Hogwarts. Her skin was still too warm from the earlier adrenaline spike, so she just made the bed by hand to give herself something to do instead of walking over to the brunette and getting in her personal space like the harpy within her yearned.
Their breakfast arrived shortly, a selection of bread, cheeses, pastries and scrambled eggs, and enough tea and coffee to fuel them for the day. They sat across from each other at the small table by the window, and Hermione made sure to carefully fold her legs under her own chair, crossing her ankles to keep from bouncing her knee or in any way accidentally touching the Slytherin's legs.
Pansy sipped her coffee and carefully tore a piece from her pain au raisin as she watched Granger load up her plate with eggs, cheese and a brioche bun. "So, you're not a veela but you do have wings, which means you can fly… is it strange having wings?" she asked, her tone light and perfectly conversational.
Hermione looked at her for a long moment, as she processed the question before nodding. "It wasn't something I expected but I'm mostly used to them now. They rarely come out. This morning was…unprecedented," she admitted.
Pansy nodded, understanding that clearly her creature was reacting to her this way. "What are you?" she decided to change tactic and ask bluntly, wanting to finally hear some straight answers.
Hermione frowned at the phrasing of the question. "I'm a Potions Mistress, a dog mum, and a tea enthusiast," she deadpanned, her voice carrying a hint of hiss that didn't belong to her own vocal cords.
Pansy's gaze narrowed at the insolent response but she stumped on her impatience, looking at her in a calculating manner. "Alright, I'll ask differently. What happened to you that you have…inherited or developed a creature side?" she asked more diplomatically though her tone remained blunt as ever.
Hermione sighed and sat back in her seat, cradling the warm cup of tea in her hands. "Before I say anything, do I have your vow that this conversation remains between then two of us?" she asked.
Pansy nodded solemnly. "Yes. Full disclosure, I did call Neville to ask if he could tell me what was going on, so he's aware that I am cognisant of your nature and have knowledge of your creature side," she explained, seeing her gaze narrow. "He didn't reveal anything and suggested we talk, so here we are," she added for the sake of peace.
Hermione took a deep breath before nodding and began to explain her circumstances to Pansy the same way she had to Neville. Where he had been curious as she explained, Pansy's brows climbed ever so higher on her forehead as she continued talking, explaining the incident, her travels, and her abilities.
Pansy was dumbfounded. A harpy. Granger was a harpy. Merlin, they were supposed to be a legend! So rare they were extinct for many years! It all clicked into place, the guarded behaviour, the incident in the Greenhouse and the dark, bottomless eyes, and most of all that silent power that pulsed along Granger's skin when her creature side, her harpy, was in charge.
Hermione allowed her a few moments of silence to take it all in as she finished her plate, feeding the hunger created by the earlier expense of energy on keeping her wings in check.
Pansy's unfocused gaze sharpened on the woman across from her once again, the last question on her mind still left unanswered. "Why me?" she set her cup down before refilling it carefully. "Why is your harpy reacting to me this way? Am I the only one?" she asked, observing the tension that returned to Hermione's shoulders at the question.
She hesitated, not sure whether to answer this straight away. It was already so much to take in, and not that she thought Pansy would do it, but Hermione wasn't even technically protected by Wizarding law from being fired as a 'creature of near human intelligence'. Could she tell her everything all in one go?
Sensing her hesitation, Pansy added. "I just want to know. I'm not judging you, your creature status is no business of mine as your employer. But if this is personal, if it matters that your harpy reacts to me, I have the right to know," she added softly, hoping it would encourage her.
Hermione nodded. "That's fair. I knew after the dinner at the Greenhouse that there was some sort of connection between us but I didn't know why I reacted to you, or felt this…" she tried to find the words, indicating between the two of them back and forth.
"A pull?" Pansy asked. "I've been feeling it too," she admitted. It was only fair to be honest in this particular case.
Hermione nodded. "There is so little literature on harpies to explain all of this, trust me I researched on three continents," she admitted. "This morning, after I woke up and the way I had no control over wanting to get close to you, I realised that harpies were amongst the creatures that mated. And the reason why I reacted to you the way I did was because you are mine," the last words coming out in barely a whisper.
Pansy remained still, gaze distant but filled with flickering emotion as she processed the news. She had suspected that there was a reason why she felt this way about the Gryffindor but to learn that she was a mate to her creature side was still a lot to process. "I must ask, is it just the harpy or do you agree with the prospect of me being your mate?" she asked, knowing she was effectively asking if Hermione wanted to have a future with her as well as what her instincts were telling her.
Was this different than werewolves who mated both man and wolf? Was the harpy that felt so strongly about her making Hermione do something she didn't want to?
As much as it put her into a vulnerable position with Pansy, she knew she had to be honest, otherwise this wouldn't work. "The harpy knows what she does, and wants you. I can't deny that. But I will admit that I have seen the woman you've become and want to get to know you better," Hermione admitted, all her cards on the table so to say.
Pansy contemplated her for a moment before nodding. "I would like some time to take this all in, but I also want to confirm in a way that we would be compatible if we were to pursue…getting to know each other," she admitted, feeling a flutter in her stomach at the prospect of getting closer to the enigmatic woman.
Hermione nodded her consent and followed her lead when Pansy stood up from the table and stepped closer, heir bodies merely a breath apart. They were just about the same height, perhaps an inch or so difference in Pansy's slightly taller and slimmer frame. Up close she could see the crinkles forming around Hermione's eyes, the colour of whiskey with a darkness and a depth just beneath the surface, the presence of her creature side so clear. She reached up, her soft pale hand carefully caressing the scars that ran across Hermione's cheek and down her throat in a curious, sensual caress.
Hermione managed not to flinch at the intimate touch. No one other than a healer has yet touched her scars, her previous interactions with women quick and purposeful. Most looked and liked the dangerous edge it gave her appearance but they never touched. Unlike Pansy who was right there, caressing the silvery lines as their magical cores recognised their proximity and hummed. She reached to hold onto Pansy's hips, more to steady herself than anything, but the cool silk beneath her touch did nothing to hide the firm curve of the brunette's hips, the harpy within positively crooning at the physical contact.
With a last fortifying breath, Pansy closed the last inches of distance between them and their lips caressed each other for the first time.