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Pansy shot up in her bed with a gasp. Her hand flew to her chest in a vain attempt to steady her rapidly beating heart. Her breathing so hard and labored she was surprised that she hadn't woken Daphne, Tracy or Millicent.

After several minutes, her breathing calmed down enough for her to lay back down in bed. Pulling her sheets back up around her, she rolled to her side and closed her eyes in hopes that she could go back to sleep.

But all she could see is yellow in the pale moon light. Those long, lean fingers reaching for her and grabbing her all over again. The pain that radiate through her body as it came in contact with the stone wall.

She had to get out of here.

She thought she would be able to sleep in her own bed tonight. At least she let Ron believe that when he asked her if she was going to be okay and without a word, she walked up to her bedroom.

And like so many other things since that night, she knew he was right and she was wrong again.

Crawling out of bed, she tiptoed past the other girls' beds hoping not to wake them. Though she thought that might be highly unlikely given that she hadn't woke them earlier but still, she didn't want to chance it.

She just didn't know what to say anymore especially not to them. Pansy found herself just wanting to remain silent. It was easier. It didn't hurt as much.

Opening the door, she carefully stepped out of the room onto the landing that ran along the wall in front of the four rooms where the female eighth years slept in rooms according to houses. The landing overlooked their shared common room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one was still up in the common room.

Pansy continued down the stairs with the hopes that maybe curling up next to the fire, her mind would actually let her sleep. However, her feet had different ideas as they carried her to the Gryffindor boys' room. Her hand was on the handle, when she realized just where was.

Biting her lip, she stared at the closed door, trying to decide if this was a good thing or not. Turning her head around, she looked at the empty common room and sighed as she pressed the door handle carefully down.

Opening the door slowly, she saw five beds lined on both sides of the room. Ron had told her earlier which one was his and he would leave the curtains open, if she should need anything during the night. She didn't see a bed with curtains open at first which she figured was the fates cruel way of forcing her hand further.

Moving completely inside the room, she closed the door gently behind her and crept to the aisle between the two rows of beds. She finally could see Ron's bed at the end of the aisle on the right. He had left the curtains open, just as he said he would.

She was beginning to wonder why she ever doubted him anymore. He had always kept his word to her from the first moment she woke to find the Gryffindor sitting by her bed, scratching out an essay.

Taking a deep breath and holding it, she moved towards the bed. He was facing away from the wall and towards the bed next to his. He looked so peaceful sleeping at that moment, she knew she would hate herself if she woke him but she also knew that she wanted to sleep. And not dream of yellow coming towards her.

Carefully she crawled into bed, trying desperately not to wake him. She settled in a little ball in his bed but not touching him. Pansy had finally allowed herself to breathe again at the same time she felt an arm wrap around her waist, pulling her back.

Her eyes snapped open as she realized he was touching her and moved to get out of the bed as quickly as possible. He couldn't touch her. She was too dirty, too worthless. She was nothing. Why would he touch her?

"Shhhh," she heard him whisper as he held onto her, fighting her attempt to get out of his reach. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"I...," she whispered back, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to fall as she stopped fighting against him. Finally letting him hold her against his warm body, she struggled as she spoke, "I just...I just...Ron..."

He interrupted her stops and starts with a gentle whisper against her ear, "Shhhh. It's going to be okay. Let's just get some sleep. We can talk in the morning."

Pansy just nodded her head and let him pull her down, his arm never leaving her waist. Curling up next to his much larger body, her tears finally dried up when she realized that she was safe. She was actually safe, a snake amongst all these lions. Sighing, she closed her eyes and drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

Harry didn't want to wake up but he knew he had to. It wouldn't be a good thing for either him or Ginny to be caught together in his dorm. Her because she was the Head Girl and was supposed to be a role-model to other students. Him, well her very large, older brother was sleeping in the next bed. Though Ron was his best mate and swore that he was okay with them dating again, he still wasn't entirely sure Ron wouldn't beat the tar out of him for corrupting his 'innocent' little sister.

Peeking his head out between the drapes to check to see that Ron was not only in bed but still dead to the world, his jaw fell open at the sight before him.

There in the early morning light was Ron fast asleep facing Harry's bed but tucked up into him lay Pansy Parkinson on her back. Her legs bent over his, her head cradled into his neck and arm, her hand in a death grip on the arm that held her close to Ron and the evidence of dry tears staining her once innocent face.

"Harry, what is..." Ginny's furious whisper stopped the moment her eyes saw what Harry was starring at.

Harry and Ginny both stared at the angry red scars, realizing that Pansy had used a glamour the previous evening. Staring at the hideous truth of what had happened that night two weeks ago.

The thick, long scars that ran up the length of her leg they could see. The small ones seemed to criss cross her arms and hands. The large one that screamed 'look at me' that jagged across her cheek. Ginny's hand flew to her mouth when her eyes finally saw the one that started beneath her ear and disappeared into the shadows of Pansy's chin tucked securely against her brother.

"Harry," Ginny whispered her voice cracking. She had seen a lot of things in the past year but to see the evidence of what exactly happened to the Slytherin Ice Princess was more than even her hardened heart could take.

"I didn't know either," Harry muttered.

He now understood just what Ron had seen that night when he came back with his clothes soaked in blood and a distant look in his eyes. Guilt flooded Harry as he should have asked before then about the dried blood that had lingered on Ron's hands and arms while blood also streaked his face. He just thought that Ron would come to talk to him. Every day he kept Hermione away, he figured his best mate would talk to him about what had happened. But he never had. Harry felt Ginny's arms wrap around his neck as her hot tears came in contact with his neck.

He wrapped his arm around her holding her and whispered, "He's never said a word."