AN: Big thanks to sierraemilie, 9 pieces of 8, and helenita1907 for reviewing!
Helenita1907; I try to find a balance between what's going on and the internal minds of my characters. When things slow down a little in the story, more thoughts will reveal themselves.
Read and review please!
Song suggestion: Tell Me Something I Don't Know, Selena Gomez.
Chapter Fifteen: Outsiders.
Draco and Blaise made their way back to the infirmary to fetch Pansy. Mr Weasley had informed them that dinner would be served soon and the two's stomachs churned excitedly. Neither had eaten since yesterday morning and the feeling of hunger broke through the uncertainty that was just dissipating. Now they could guarantee a roof over their head in relative safety with three meals a day and adequate comfort.
As they pushed in the large medical room, they noticed the polarisation. Or rather isolation. Pansy stood just away from the door while everyone else gathered near Hermione, who was unconscious, for now. Mistrustful curiosity made the Order members glance at the Slytherin girl every now and then, but none approached or spoke to the lost witch. Draco was irritated; they had just saved the golden trio's lives and others. But Blaise was resigned; clearly no one would trust them as far as they could throw them.
"How is she?" Malfoy whispered to Pansy. Be damned if he sort out them for information. Pansy looked over at the hospitalised witch, before looking at her former lover. Something about his eyes struck her as different, but the Malfoy's infamous emotionless expression cloaked any probing into deeper reasoning.
"She hasn't woken up yet." Pansy sighed, "Can you estimate…?"
"No." Malfoy muttered, "I may know Dark Magic the most but it's a bloody nightmare to predict or control. They're lucky I knew what I did."
"We're lucky, Draco, we're lucky." She corrected him and he looked down at her with a scowl, "If she had died, we'd be dead too. Don't be so sodding proud."
"Of course Pans, of course." He replied and she glared back. She knew his mocking tone all too well and her hand itched to hex him to Merlin's grave and back. Blaise watched his two best friends' converse in amused silence. If Draco didn't shut up Pansy would curse him. But then, if Pansy didn't back down, Draco would snipe back until he reverted back to the little prick he was in their early years of Hogwarts. Though Draco always been relatively pleasant, even in his worst mood, to him, Blaise had witnessed the Malfoy arrogance directed towards others. It made his best friend into a disdainful tosser at best, and egotistical nightmare at worst.
"Can't we just go to dinner without this?" Blaise finally interrupted with a quiet sigh, "Save this pettiness for the school yard?" He tired quickly of patience for the squabbling two. After years of their behaviour he felt like the parent on occasion.
"Fine." Pansy snapped with a superior flick of her hair, "Where exactly is that Blaise?" Her raised brow irked him and he looked her up and down. Like she knew either.
"We'll find it." He answered evenly. He was certain of that. His instincts were top notch and led him many a time. Though his two friends laughed at the notion. Pansy snorted delicately and glanced at the Order members for a second.
"You could always ask." She suggested knowing he wouldn't. All of them had too much stubborn pride to admit to being lost and needing to be shown everything like a thick first year. No, they'd work it out on their own. If only they had the choice about it when the female Weasley child strode over.
Blaise admired her bravery secretly. Clearly she hated all their guts and wished nothing more than to hand them back to the Death Eaters with a price on their heads and obviously loathed, apparently being chosen, to communicate with them. Her defence stance and proud head tilt suggested as much.
The three stood back in a line, Pansy in the centre with Blaise to her left and Draco to her right. A picture of solidarity and protection. She knew that the boys would count on her to shield them with protective charms if they had to attack. Though it was highly unlikely, the tension inferred otherwise. Weaslette paused just within the radius of a normal conversation distance, wariness causing her eyes to constantly flit from one Slytherin to another, always watchful with her wand clutched in her hand.
"Dinner'll be ready." She said bluntly. Despite her lithe stature, she had the attitude of a beater. Blaise wanted to laugh at the firecracker, for her determination to be strong and the use of her aura to attempt the appearance of superiority. Sadly, not everyone was born on the right side and he fancied taking her down a notch or two.
"We know." He replied in his grave timber. Pansy always said it made him sound like a subdued Dumbledore, while Draco always laughed at said it made him sound old. He liked to think it gave him an authority.
"Then find the dining hall yourself." She smirked and poised her hands on her hips. She'd trumped them with her familiarity of their surroundings. Out of the corner of his eye, Blaise watched Draco's jaw tick in annoyance.
"I would but when we can have such company as of you, why go alone." Blaise chuckled. Pansy frowned at him for using his so called 'charm'. She accused both boys of using tactics to win over people in a similar way; she called it a slippery charm. Something most Slytherins mastered before their first broomstick.
"Hm." The ginger harrumphed and turned abruptly. Blaise rolled his eyes at her amusing display of displeasure before following the younger witch. He had yet to have come across such a striking witch and that unique nature drew him to her personality.
Pansy nudged him as they walked down the corridor and sent him a confused look. He just smirked and looked forwards, watching the Gryffindor's stern march. Draco and Pansy shared a glance before studying their dark friend. Notorious for his hidden motives and secretive ways, neither Slytherin knew what to make of their friend. But whatever was on his mind they hoped it wouldn't compromise their new found freedom here.