Chapter Six
Pansy was trying to ignore it. There was no reason in all the world she should like Hermione Granger and yet she did.
Why? Why the hell wasn't she normal? Why couldn't she like someone like Draco?
No, she had to be utterly fascinated with Hermione Granger.
As she sat beside the object of her reluctant affection, Pansy wondered what law of man had determined that not only should she like this girl, but Snape should make them Potions partners. Pansy herself had a sinking suspicion that Snape knew about her facination and was getting back at her for indulging Draco's own insanity, namely his pirating business.
Pansy wasn't really surprised to find she liked girls. Well, perhaps a little, but not enough to panic or anything. She first suspected she liked girls more than guys when Blaise, Theo and Draco all began to hang out with her. At first she thought it was pretty cool, hanging with three of the most sinfully goodlooking men on campus but she wasn't tempted. She didn't make too much of it at the time, but after a few years, it began to occur to her that she was more comfortable around guys. She could kick any of their asses, even Crabbe and Goyle.
After a while, Pansy decided it was the pirate outfit that drew her inexorably to Hermione. Today, for instance, Hermione was wearing a black pirate shirt and leggings. She also wore a marron corset, maroon gloves, a belt and knee high black boots. To Pansy, who had grown up with Muggle movies courtesy of her grandmother, she looked like she had stepped right out of The Goonies or The Princess Bride. Pansy didn't let any of the other Slytherins know. Even though her family had been pure for at least three centuries, they would have disowned her at the first sign of Muggle.
The only person in the entire school who knew about her love of movies, was Draco and that was merely because he had spent the night one time a few years back. His parents had been fighting and his aunt Andromeda, who surprisingly held a lot of sway in their family for the disowned one, had brought him over. Draco never mentioned the movies, but Pansy knew he never would. He had liked them just as much as she did.
Still, even with her secret, Pansy faced another problem. Hermione was a Gryffindor.
"Parkinson?"
Pansy snapped out of her reverie. She took in the page Hermione's book was open to, noting with relief that it was one she had studied before.
"What?"
"Were you just humming the pirate king's song from Pirates of Penzance?"
Pansy felt her heart stop as she realized she had been.
"Uh, yeah, I guess I was," Pansy managed, pulling out her own text book.
"I didn't know anyone else around here knew that movie."
"I don't know about these movie things, but my mother likes to take us to the opera," Pansy said. It wasn't exactly a lie. Pansy had seen the movie as well but she preferred the opera.
"That's pretty cool. I've always wanted to see it on stage," Hermione said, preparing the potion's ingredients.
Pansy realized that she was having a civil conversation with the object of her affection. She glanced around quickly, relieved that no one else was watching.
Until her eyes found those of Draco Malfoy. He was lounging in his chair like some Medival overlord as a pretty Slytherin girl giggled and prepared his potion. Draco smirked at Pansy. Pansy glared at him. He shrugged and nodded as if giving her permission.
In a sense he was. He was telling her he would keep all her secrets if she kept all his. Pansy felt relief flood through her.
"So, what other operas do you want to see?" She asked Hermione.
(A/N: Soooo tired... Sorry. Stayed up late to get this update done for you guys. Hope you like it!
To MidnightWriter: Still fifth year. We're pretending Draco didn't go all bratty. And I love that quote! It's wonderful!