Disclaimer: All canon characters, plots and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. We make no profit from this story.

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A/N: Did chapter five give you all the feels? I sure hope so! On we go…


She Keeps Me Warm

Chapter Six

"...This world doesn't matter me;

I'll give up all I had just to breathe

the same air as you …"

( A Twist In My Story- Secondhand Serenade )


Monday morning brought shy smiles, whispered greetings, and looks of longing from both girls.

Pansy let her mind drift, nibbling her lip as thoughts of Hermione's skin filled her vision. She had accidentally brushed her hand against Hermione's ankle as she scooped her bag up off the floor after Potions class. In that moment, she looked positively lovely, and Pansy longed to reach her fingers out and feel her warmth.

She was currently strolling down a lone corridor. She planned to drop her books off in her quarters and freshen up before she had to be in the Great Hall for lunch.

She was ripped from her thoughts as she felt an invisible hand grab her ankles, yanking hard. Her bag flew from her arms, books splaying across the floor, and she winced as her palms and knees smacked the cold ground with a loud thump.

Obnoxious giggles rang through the empty hall, and Pansy lifted her head to find Astoria and her gang of airhead sidekicks before her.

"A tripping jinx, Astoria? What are we… Firsties?" she spat angrily, picking herself up off of the floor with a slight groan. She smoothed her skirt and quickly assessed the damage on her hands, trying to hide the deep scarlet of her furious face.

School your emotions, Pansy, she chided herself. She would not give the younger girl any satisfaction by letting her win. No one bested Pansy at snarky repartee.

Astoria snorted delicately. "Someone needed to knock you off that pedestal you don't belong on," she jeered. Pansy pulled her wand in one swift motion, leveling it at the girl with a steady hand.

"You little—" she was cut short as one of Astoria's cronies shouted a quick Expelliarmus. Pansy gaped momentarily as her wand soared out of her hand, clattering to the ground a few feet away.

Cold fury shot through her veins as she finished her sentence with a screech "—bitch!"

She ran towards her fallen wand, no longer caring how frantic she looked. Just as she reached the precious wood, Astoria's words cut through the air, crisp and clear.

"Better a bitch than a filthy, little dyke!" Pansy could hear her mocking tone laced with ridicule.

She was suddenly warm - too warm - and she swayed slightly, caught off guard as shock blurred her vision. She shook her head, grasping onto what little composure she had left.

Sweet Salazar. This should not be happening! Her breathing was labored, and her head pounded. She wasn't ready for this to happen. Astoria and her fat mouth would let the whole school know in a matter of hours. This couldn't happen… not like this!

"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" Pansy questioned firmly, scooping up her wand and slowly turning back to the group.

"I think you know exactly what I'm speaking of, Pansy. It's quite obvious the way you stare at that filthy mudblood with stars in your eyes," she dredged on, a sneer contorted her features. "And you dare walk around like you're one of us," Astoria spat, motioning to her friends who all nodded their agreement.

Pansy held her head high. She wouldn't fall - not here, not now. When she formulated her words, she spoke with a low, calm drawl.

"I owe you no explanation. If that's all, I'll be on my way." She turned to walk away; they were only a few halls from the entrance of the Slytherin Common room. She could still make it out of here with her dignity intact.

She hadn't anticipated Astoria would hit her when her back was turned.

oOoOoOo

Draco strolled down the corridor, tugging at his robe sleeve nervously. He played a script out in his mind, trying to ensure that his apology spoke volumes of the sorrow he held for upsetting Pansy.

He knew she liked to take a moment to collect herself midday, so she ought to be in her quarters by now. He wasn't known to express regret often and was worried she wouldn't grant him forgiveness for his rash behavior the previous week.

He'd noted a change in Granger over the last few days. She seemed… happier, lighter. It did not go unnoticed that she and Pansy seemed enamoured with one another during class that morning. His heart clenched at the thought of the two of them so close, but he prayed this new development would put him back on Pansy's radar and into her good graces once more.

As he neared a turn in the stone wall, a shout pulled him from his incessant worries.

"Aculeatum Dolor!"

He knew that voice and instantly picked up speed to round the corner. He was surprised to find Pansy, wheezing for air on the stone floor. Before he could even get a word out, the group of girls were scampering away from the scene.

He knelt beside Pansy, who had rolled herself to her side and gone purple with lack of air. Her throat was swollen and her neck an angry red. It appeared that she knocked her head on the stone as she collapsed to the floor, and a slow trickle of blood dripped from her brow down her cheek. He quickly brandished his wand, levitating the fallen girl gently and moving swiftly back through the corridors and up to the first floor. Madam Pomfrey would have her fixed in no time.

She can't stay angry with me now, he suppressed a grin, though the worry hadn't left his eyes as he stared ahead at his injured best friend.

oOoOoOo

Pansy squinted her eyes, easing out of a slumber she couldn't quite remember entering. The lights were far too bright and the bed much stiffer than her own.

She felt a hand touch her forehead and opened her eyes fully to find Madame Pomfrey, the school's nurse, dabbing a cool cloth to her face.

"Finally, you're awake," she whipped her head to the side, searching for the source. Wincing, she instinctively reached up to her sore throat and blinked hard; her head was absolutely throbbing.

"Draco…" she croaked his name, but the matron gently pushed her back down before she could get out any more words.

"Take this, dear. It will help with the pain," Madame Pomfrey tutted. "Young ladies hexing each other in the halls! Well in my day…" her voice trailed off as she retreated to her office at the back of the wing.

With those words, the day's events flooded back with full force. She lay there staring at the ceiling, willing the tears pricking her eyes to go away. She hated crying, she hated to feel weak and Draco's presence wasn't helping.

"She knows," Pansy whispered, barely audible.

"Come again?" he leaned in a bit, and she took the opportunity to reach out and find his hand. Lacing their fingers, she squeezed - hard. Her breath hitched, and she whimpered as the tears she fought to hold back leaked freely down her cheeks.

"Astoria! She knows, Draco. Everything! She knows!" Pansy cried out, choking on a sob that ripped from her chest. She couldn't believe she'd worked so hard to hide her secret, and just like that the whole world would know she was nothing but a liar. A fraud. She cried for herself, for Hermione, and for the remnants of life as she knew it. She wasn't sure at this point whether to cry out of agony or sheer relief that this internal battle might finally be over.

Draco moved to the bed, holding her as her wails turned to soft snivels. She wondered briefly if this was a good thing. She was tired of playing the role of someone she's not. She was sick of hiding her feelings behind a carefully constructed mask.

He kissed the top of her head, muttering "I'm sorry" over and over into her tousled hair. In that moment, her heart ached for Draco, as well. He was everything she should want, everything she was expected to find. Perfect, her best friend, but exactly what her heart rejected. She sighed, and hugged his warmth a bit tighter. One day, she would make it all up to him. He deserved so much more. With one last chaste press of his lips, he untangled their limbs and stood.

"It's evening, nearly dinner hour. I'm going to go to my quarters and clean up a bit. Will you be alright?" He gazed at her as though she were something fragile on the verge of breaking, patting her hand that rested on the bed. She supposed there was a bit of truth behind that thought.

She took a deep breath, relishing in this newfound freedom she'd cried over just minutes ago. She smiled softly, waving him off.

"I will be."

oOoOoOo

Hermione stepped out of the washroom, grabbing her uniform robe off the back of the chair. She'd tossed it there upon entering the Head dorms to freshen up before dinner. She glanced to the corner where a large grandfather clock stood tall and proud; still twenty minutes until the doors to the Great Hall would open.

She plopped on the sofa, not bothering to open a book as she was too distracted to focus on any written words. Who would have ever thought? Hermione Granger - book nerd extraordinaire, not wanting to read! she snorted at her own running commentary.

Pansy hadn't been at lunch, and Draco was missing as well. She knew the two had yet to reconcile - Pansy would have mentioned it if they had. She had an anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach that something wasn't right.

Just as she began to stand, a mission to find the pair firm in her mind, the portrait hole swung out. A tired looking Draco Malfoy stepped through, eyes on the floor and a hand rubbing his face. She went seemingly unnoticed until she cleared her throat loudly, catching his attention.

"Granger," he grunted, continuing towards his chambers, barely sparing her a passing glance.

Hermione huffed loudly, exasperation present in her voice, "Where have you been? I noticed you weren't at lunch… And Pansy…" Her words were rushed as he muttered a spell to unlock the wards surrounding his quarters.

"Draco!" she screeched with desperation. This made him halt; there was no denying her upset.

"Where is Pansy?" She toyed with the edge of her sweater vest, fraying the edges worse than they already were.

He turned, though seemingly reluctant to speak. Hermione Granger's temper was legendary. A normally level-headed girl, but when crossed, you'd think twice about putting a toe out of line in her presence again. He sighed, and muttered begrudgingly, "Hospital Wing."

She didn't bother with a response, but turned on her heel and sprinted out of the room.

Maybe she was being rash. If something was seriously wrong, Malfoy would still be there, wouldn't he? She carried on, navigating the stairs quickly, but carefully- the last thing she needed was to take a wrong step and fly off the moving steps. She'd be a lot worse off than Madame Pomfrey could fix!

Finally to the first floor, she found herself in front of the large door of the Hospital Wing. The wood creaked slightly as she pushed her weight against it, peering her head inside. The lights were dimmed, but she could see the matron exiting a small room off to the right, where supplies were kept. Hermione let herself inside, saying a quiet "hello" as to not sneak up on the elder woman.

"Miss Granger!" she sounded surprised, but a soft grin formed, smile lines present around her kind eyes. "What ever are you doing here? You should be in the dining hall," she looked genuinely confused by her presence.

"Um… well… I came here to see P-Pansy…" she paused. "Parkinson?" it came out more question than statement, and Hermione blushed profusely at her nervous discomfort.

The matron crinkled her brows, taking a quick glance towards a bed at the center of the room. It's curtains were drawn, but it seemed to be the only one occupied in the wing. "Well, I suppose that's alright. I'll just have the elves bring something up for the both of you. Don't need you hungry, Miss Granger." She motioned towards the bed, giving the okay for Hermione to proceed.

Her gut swarmed with butterflies as she slowly walked the remaining few feet; gripping the curtain's edge, she eased it back and found a beaming Pansy propped up by a fluffy stack of pillows. Even in those awful wool pajamas Madame Pomfrey always provided, she looked radiant. Hermione couldn't stop the timid grin that spread across her own lips.

oOoOoOo

Pansy strained to hear who Madame Pomfrey was speaking with. Surely Draco wasn't back so quickly? Damn curtains must be made of brick… she thought, frustrated.

She lay back into the mountain of pillows she had requested. If she was stuck here for the night, she wanted to be comfortable. So much for this ghastly sleep attire, she fingered the itchy fabric with a look of disdain. Finally, she could hear footsteps padding closer. Gripping the thin sheets, she yanked them up higher in an attempt to hide as much of the hideous pajamas as she could.

Small fingers appeared around the curtain, pulling it back to reveal a wary looking Granger. Pansy's demeanor changed, face lighting up with the broad smile now spread across her cheeks.

"Hermione," she breathed, both elated and surprised that the girl had found her here. She watched Hermione's eyes travel from her face to the foot of the bed and back up again, a shy smile breaking up the worry etched on her countenance.

"You're okay? I mean… I see that you are okay.. But you weren't at lunch and then Draco shows up looking absolutely terrible and I just—" her babble was cut short as Pansy began laughing gleefully at the troubled girl.

"I'd be a hell of lot better if I weren't stuck here!" She heard the matron clear her throat, and sing-songed, "No offense, Madame Pomfrey!" leading both Pansy and Hermione into a fit of giggles.

Hermione perched on the edge of the bed, reaching timidly for Pansy's fingers to lace through her own. Pansy gave her a squeeze of encouragement before explaining just exactly how she ended up here - well, what she recalled of it, anyway.

"The bloody cow!" Hermione exclaimed, anger evident in her eyes. Pansy couldn't help but blush at the way the girl seemed absolutely horrified that someone dare hurt her.

"We simply must speak with Professor Dumbledore! Astoria has gone too far," she paused, lost in thought. "She can't treat you this way, Pansy. It's not right!" Hermione cried.

She knew Hermione was right. There was no way she would let Astoria think this was over. But going to the Headmaster?... She didn't think Hermione was really thinking this through, lost in her anger over Pansy's mistreatment.

"If we go to him… that means we tell him why she attacked me..." She studied Hermione's face as she spoke the words, deliberately gauging her reaction; Hermione gave nothing

away.

Hermione pulled her hand away, standing and pacing the foot of the bed. A soft pop! interrupted their conversation. A small elf wearing a worn out cloth dress appeared out of thin air, holding a large tray packed with various meats, veggies, and sweets, placing it on the side table near the head of the cot.

Pansy's laugh boomed across the hospital wing as Hermione, much to her amusement, pounced at the opportunity to harass the young servant.

"Do they treat you fairly here?" She inquired, a frown marring her sweet features. Pansy's laughter continued as the elf ripped it's hand from Hermione's, scowling and disapparating away with another pop!

"Thank you!" Pansy called out to the air. She winked at Hermione, grabbing a warm biscuit from the feast they'd been gifted. She took a nibble, dabbed her mouth with a cloth and grinned, "I had no idea you were still into that nonsense. Spew, was it not?" she snorted.

"S.P.E.W.!" Hermione spat, though there was no real venom in her tone. "Why can no one remember that?" she pouted, grabbing Pansy's biscuit and popping a large chunk into her mouth.

Pansy watched her jaw work slowly, swallowing deeply herself as Hermione's tongue peeked out to swipe a crumb from her lower lip. She raised her eyes, realizing for the first time how close the girl had moved on the bed, only fingertips away.

She watched as Hermione's breathing pattern changed, and her eyelids dropped slightly, a sultry look crossing her features. As if in the slow motion, the biscuit fell from her grip, and Hermione reached forward to brush a wayward lock of ebony hair from Pansy's brow.

She used that moment to catch Hermione's hand in her own. "It doesn't matter what we do from here," she whispered, tugging Hermione closer yet, merely inches from her own face. Her breath ghosted across her cheeks, warm and sweet and entirely irresistible. "It doesn't matter who knows," she kissed Hermione's cheek, her forehead, the tip of her nose.

"Better yet, tell them all." And with those words, she pressed her mouth fully against Hermione's. Their lips moulded together, tongues dancing to a beat only they could hear.

oOoOoOo


A/N: I really dislike Astoria. Is it evident?

This moment of pure clarification of one's self is so very real and exhilarating. I'm cheering Pansy along from the sidelines!

"Aculeatum Dolor" - Latin for "stinging pain" or so says google translate ;-)