A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Tis lovely to receive them. Any who, without further adieu, here is the chapter.
WARNING: DRUG USE, ALCOHOL ABUSE, AND COARSE LANGUAGE!
DISCLAIMER: Only the plot.
Chapter Three: Pansy's Story
Draco walked down to the Great Hall, it was Monday again, and two days since Hermione had made her offer of help. Draco hadn't really given it any thought finding the whole offering help thing a laugh. He sat beside Pansy eyeing the Gryffindor with a look of pure amusement. Help? From her? It truly was laughable.
"So, care to explain where you were all weekend?" asked Pansy helping herself to some porridge and sprinkling it with All Bran.
"Blowing it off," replied Draco remembering how nightmare free his past two nights were.
"Who with?"
"No one."
Pansy frowned, "You spent the whole weekend jerking yourself off?"
"No. I might be a horny bastard, but I am not that sex driven."
Pansy fell silent trying to work out what Draco meant with his comment. She had heard the rumours of Draco smoking dope in the toilets nearly everyday. Romilda had been heard saying when she confronted him about it he didn't deny them.
"So," said Pansy casually, "You spent it getting high?"
She watched as Draco shifted in his seat and ate his hash brown. Pansy gave an angry huff and stood up storming out of the hall. Draco quickly stood and raced out after her grabbing her by the arm as she tried to exit to the castle grounds.
"Let me go!" she snapped yanking for her arm to be freed.
"No."
At that moment she relaxed and looked at him with tears in her eyes, "Why?"
"It frees me."
"Frees you?" cried Pansy, "You know what it did to my brother! You know it killed him! That… that… shit took my brother from me! It starts with pot and it can lead to you needing something stronger and longer lasting!"
"I'm in control," said Draco firmly.
"Yeah, for now maybe. But what about a month down the track? Two weeks even? You don't know what it is going to do, how it will take control. You will have no say whatsoever in the matter!"
People were starting to watch the argument. Pansy looked around, as did Draco. At that moment, Pansy yanked her arm free and stormed outside. Draco stood where he was for a moment before turning in need to calm his stress levels. He bolted up the staircase and ran down the corridor and rounded a corner almost crashing into a startled Ginny Weasley.
"Move it Weasley!" he snapped shoving past her and into the nearest boy's toilets.
HD
"Well I never!" snapped Ginny plopping down beside Hermione at the Gryffindor table, "Rude, insufferable, pot smoking ferret!"
"What'd Malfoy do to you?" asked Harry who had taken to talking in full sentences again without his cold tone.
"I was walking normally past the Charm classrooms when he comes barrelling around the corner like someone gone insane – which I dare say he has. Anyway, the rude bastard comes almost crashing into me yells at me to move it and shoves me into the wall!"
"Bloody jerk. He'll pay," muttered Ron.
"He's not himself," spoke up Hermione earning outraged looks from her friends, "Well he isn't. Violence doesn't answer everything either, you know."
"Yeah, we know. But it makes us feel better," shrugged Harry.
"Violence makes you feel good?" asked Hermione with raised eyebrows, "Even after the violence we all had a role in?"
No one answered seeing Hermione's side of the matter. Silently they finished their breakfast before Hermione left in need of fresh air. She told Harry and Ron she would meet them at Potions and wandered outside walking slowly towards the lake. She waved to Hagrid as he walked past, heading to breakfast in the Great Hall. He seemed too be thoroughly enjoying his role as Head of Gryffindor House.
Hermione kept her eyes down on the path kicking a stone every now and then. As she drew closer to the lake the sounds of sobbing caught her ears. Frowning she looked around for the source and spotted someone huddled under a tree with their back turned to Hermione.
Being a Gryffindor and having a kind heart her mother helped her develop within her, Hermione walked over slowly not entirely sure if she should intrude or not.
"Umm… is everything okay?" asked Hermione softly keeping a good distance between her self and the crying person, who had long, straight, dirty blonde hair.
The person looked up revealing Pansy Parkinson in a moment of weakness, "What do you want?"
"Sorry… I just heard you crying. I didn't know it was you… sorry."
"You know, don't you?"
Hermione, who had turned to walk away, stopped and turned back to Pansy brushing back a lock of her curly brown hair with a frown on her face, "Know what?"
"About Draco. How he is hooked on drugs."
"Yeah. That and alcohol and sex."
"What? Alcohol and sex?"
Hermione nodded, "Is that why you are upset?"
Pansy gave a halfhearted shrug, "That… and other crap."
"It can't be crap if it upsets you."
"Why do you care?" snapped Pansy viciously causing Hermione to back away and turn to leave, "Granger… I apologise… I… I tend to be guarded when caught blubbering like a baby."
Hermione gave a slow nod unsure if she should leave Pansy be or try and calm her down.
"My brother… William… he was three years older then me. This year he would've turned twenty-one. He was engaged to Cynthia Flint and seemed happy to the world. But I knew the truth. He couldn't handle the stress of if medical course at University," said Pansy gazing out the lake, "His friend told him that pot was a great stress relief so Wills though he would try some… just try. Always starts out that way – just trying it. He… he quickly became a regular user and when I caught him smoking a joint in my room I flipped out and threatened to tell our father. He swore he would quit it if I kept quiet about it to Cynthia and our parents. So… I foolishly believed him and he didn't stop. He soon needed something stronger and so along came the heroin, meth and any other friggin drug you can possibly imagine."
Hermione sat down half a meter away from Pansy listening to her spill her heart-breaking story to her.
"I thought maybe he had given it up, you know," said Pansy looking at Hermione with tear brimmed blue eyes, "He seemed normal enough… the same old Wills. Laughing, joking, playing quidditch with Marcus. How was I to know he was still getting high on what he could get his hands on? It was when he came to me saying he needed money that I guessed something was up. We each have ten thousand galleons given to us every two months. I had saved mine up for getting my own place once the war was over and school was finished. So I thought it odd that Wills would be out of cash. I… I thought nothing of it and lent him five thousand galleons. The next morning… The next-" Pansy paused and took a deep breath as she looked down at the ground, "The next morning he was found dead in his bathroom from over dosing on meth. If I hadn't given him that money William would be alive and I wouldn't be in this state!"
Hermione looked at Pansy with tears in her own eyes. Who knew that the cold, sneering Slytherin could be such a mess under that hard exterior she showed to the world?
"Pansy… I am so sorry," whispered Hermione unsure of what to say or do.
"He has to stop now!" cried Pansy pointing towards the castle, "Before it is too late!"
"I've offered to help Malfoy."
"Offer again, Granger! Keep offering until he accepts!"
Hermione nodded as the school bell rang. The pair stood up with Pansy wiping her face clean of tears. Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a small pack of tissues offering them to Pansy. Pansy gave a half watery smile and took a few using one to wipe her eyes with.
"Thanks."
"Your welcome."
The two walked towards the school in an odd silence feeling no hostility between them. It wasn't a sudden friendship but more of a truce. In the Entrance Hall they parted ways with Hermione heading down to Potions and Pansy going to her Divination class.
HD
Draco shoved the half smoked joint in his bag pocket having smoked two in the hour. He exited the toilets as Pansy passed with red eyes and nose. He went to call out but stopped himself before hurrying off to class. He arrived just before Slughorn walked in with his foolish grin.
"Well, what a weekend. I had a rather amusing one… only Mr Malfoy you weren't at my party and neither were you Miss Granger! Why ever not?"
"Study," answered Hermione smoothly.
"Prior engagements," replied Draco coolly.
"Getting high more like it," muttered Ron only everyone heard him and chuckled except for Draco and Hermione who nudged Ron hard in the side.
"Oh well. Perhaps next time. Now today we need to work in pairs. So, everyone, splitting up please."
Draco watched in alarm as Hermione moved to beside him earning surprised looks from Ron and Harry.
"What do you think you are doing?" snarled Draco in a hushed tone as Slughorn began explaining that days work – theory and answering questions in pairs.
"We need to talk and now is the time whether you agree to it or not," snapped Hermione writing down the page numbers and small details, "I want to help you kick your habit before it gets too far along."
"I'm in control."
"So you like to believe."
Draco glanced at her and remembered seeing Pansy with red eyes, "Did you speak with Pansy?"
"Possibly."
"A yes or no answer will do."
"Yes. She told me about William," sighed Hermione looking at him directly, "She told me everything and is scared senseless that you will become like William and I personally think you are already heading that way."
"Oh yeah and what makes you say that?"
"That morning on the balcony you smoked three joints in two hours and you drink close to two bottles of alcohol a night. Malfoy, you are killing yourself and you don't even care."
"Of course I don't."
Hermione gave an angry sigh and turned to her book, "The offer is still there whether you accept it or not. I want to help you because I know no one else can or will."
"And what makes you think you can?"
"I live with you. I see you every single day and I can put up with you extremely well considering all the crap you have dished out at me over the years. Who else is strong enough to deal with your nonsense?"
Draco fell silent and Hermione gave him a triumphant look before both turned to their work.
HD
"So you told her everything," said Draco finding Pansy curled up on the Slytherin lounge in the Slytherin common room later that evening, "You spilled your guts to Hermione Granger."
"Not like you are going to listen," muttered Pansy staring at the fire intently.
"Why her?"
"Because she cared. She listened to me and didn't butt in with comments like every other arsehole in this school."
"I would be one of those arseholes?"
"Naturally. When aren't you one, Draco?"
"When I am sleeping?"
Pansy snorted with the roll of the eyes, "Yeah, right. Even then you are probably picking on some random person."
"Bushy hair, brown eyes, nose stuck in a book," described Draco with a nod.
"See?" cried Pansy sitting up and glaring at him, "You know… I thought everything that has happened would've had a nice change on you. If anything it made you into a pot smoking, sex starved, alcoholic JERK! So from this day on until you snap out of the shit you are messed up in you have no friends whatsoever! Not me, not Millicent- no one, Draco. And I bet if Blaise, Greg and Vincent were alive they would've turned their backs on you as well."
"Don't you dare say that!"
"I lost them too. I lost them when I lost William! You seem to think only you lost people you loved! I loved William! I was in love with Blaise and Greg and Vincent were my friends as well! So… so go find someone to fuck and get high with!" screamed Pansy storming out of the common room to find somewhere in the castle to be alone.
Draco sat down and glared at everyone as they looked at him curiously. After sitting for a few moments he stood and left the common and headed out to the lake pulling out a flask of alcohol. He took a long swig and sat down on the damp ground glaring at the smooth black water.
"Fuck the world," he muttered, "Fuck having friends… fuck everything."
With another swig he pulled out a joint and looked at it silently.
"This is all your fault. Fuck you."
He lit it up and took a drag before tossing it in the lake and watched the water float it away from him.
HD
Hermione sighed at the pounding on the common room door. Who could possibly know the location? Her friends didn't even know. Placing the book on the coffee table she headed down to the door and pushed the brass handle on the stair railing. The painting split open and Pansy was revealed with a distraught look.
"Pansy… come in," said Hermione standing aside to let her in.
Hermione peered out to make sure no one was hanging around before shutting the painting with a push of the handle again. She turned and headed up the stairs and saw Pansy pacing around at the top with a hand over her mouth.
"I pushed him too far," she said, "I… I just lost control and screamed everything at him that I had wanted too for so, so long."
"Who? Malfoy?"
Pansy nodded and recounted the events that led her to coming to Hermione, "You…you were the only one I could think of and I need you to find him. Please. I can't face him anymore but I want him to seek help."
"Where is he?"
"I don't know. He wouldn't hang around the common room."
Hermione gave a sigh, "I'll go find him. You go back to your common room and I'll send you a letter when I find him… but just tell me this, how did you know where the common room was?"
"William was head boy."
Hermione nodded and left with Pansy going her way at the Entrance Hall ten minutes later. Hermione took a deep breath wondering where she could possibly find Draco. The castle was huge with numerous hiding spots.
"The map," whispered Hermione before turning and bolting up the Entrance Hall steps and running in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower. She took all the known short cuts and jumped the disappearing step with ease before coming to a halt at the Fat Lady, "Living Peace."
The painting swung open and Hermione walked in, thankfully spotting Harry by the fire talking to Ron about the Ireland Quidditch team.
"Hermione!" both cried at the sight of her.
"Harry, I need your map."
"Why?"
"It's kind of urgent. Could you just let me borrow it… please?"
Harry nodded and went up to his room to retrieve it. Hermione chatted to Ron about the assignment, despite being highly distracted on the whereabouts of Draco. And to think, last year it was Harry who was obsessed with finding him.
"Here," said Harry handing it too her.
"Oh thanks. You have no idea how much I need this right now. I'll return it too you, I swear."
Harry nodded and Hermione left quickly muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The map formed before her eyes and Hermione began turning over parts of it as she looked all over for Draco.
"Are you going to stand there or get a move on?" asked The Fat Lady in annoyance.
"Oh hush!" snapped Hermione earning a dignified 'Hmph' in reply. Hermione ignored it and kept searching for Draco before finally spotting his still figure by the lake near Hagrid's hut, "Bingo."
Hermione hurried down the steps and along corridors to the Entrance Hall before slipping out to the grounds. She checked the map every few moments to make sure he didn't move from his spot. As she caught sight of him she announced her mischief was done and slipped the map into her pocket.
"Malfoy. You have no idea how difficult it was to find you!" cried Hermione in annoyance before seeing he was clearly drunk and half asleep, "Oh this is ridiculous! How can one lousy person cause so much drama?"
"Shudup you talk too much!"
"And you clearly have drank too much," snapped Hermione in frustration, "Don't move. I am going to get Hagrid."
Hermione hurried over to her friends hut and knocked on the door. Fang gave a loud, excited bark before the door opened.
"Ermione? Shouldn't you be in your common room?" asked Hagrid seeing the time was ten past ten.
"Yes I should, only I had to find Malfoy. I have found him but I need your help to get him to the common room."
Hagrid nodded and shut the door behind him and followed Hermione over to Draco's spot.
"What's he done ter himself this time?" asked Hagrid picking him up with ease.
"Got himself drunk."
"Ruddy fool."
"I know. I'm not the only one unimpressed with him. Pansy is in a state about it."
Hermione led Hagrid through the castle to the common room. Letting them both in she told Hagrid to place him on the lounge and thanked him greatly for assisting her. Hagrid left and Hermione sent her promised letter to Pansy to assure her that she had found him alive but drunk.
Hermione walked over to Draco and glared down at him. She summoned a cup of water and mixed in it a few ingredients before tipping it over his face – an instant cure from a drunken state.
"What the?" cried Draco sitting up to be met with a glaring Hermione.
"You are the biggest moron on the planet!"
"I have other choice words for you," muttered Draco darkly.
"And I am sure I have heard them more then ten thousand times," snapped Hermione, "Pansy came to me in a state of hysteria and I had to find you. Once I did I had to get Hagrid to carry your sorry backside up here and now I am once again telling you that I will help you, if you accept it."
Draco sat silently on the lounge glaring at Hermione.
"Think about it Malfoy. Think about it a lot until it drives you insane."
Hermione marched over to her room and slammed the door behind her leaving Draco alone in the common room in deep thought about the offer.
A/N: So we learnt about Pansy's story. Will Draco accept the help Hermione is offering him or not? Well review to find out!
Until next time…
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