Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Nor do I make any money.

Promise

Sitting on a sofa in the common room, Ron was desperately trying to stay awake while he waited on Pansy to finish getting ready for the day. He hadn't slept much the night before because his mind had been racing thinking about where Pansy fit into his life exactly, while not entirely sure he liked exactly what his mind was telling him. On top of that, Pansy was such an earlier riser that he was now waking – whether he wanted to or not – when she did.

Rubbing his eyes for the umpteenth time, he felt the cushion next to him sink partially. Assuming that it was Pansy he asked, "You ready for breakfast?" without looking up.

"Actually she's still getting ready," a soft, unfamiliar female voice replied. He couldn't think of one girl he knew that had such a husky voice.

Opening his eyes, he saw Tracy Davis sitting next to him; dressed and ready to go for the days' classes. He asked apprehensively, "What can I do for you Davis?"

"Tracy if you don't mind," she replied nervously, wringing her hands together. "Pansy's much more like the boys in that arena than I am. I don't understand it all – the necessity to call someone by their surname – barbaric if you ask me."

"Okay Tracy, what can I do for you?" Ron asked again, trying hard not to laugh at the rambling girl sitting beside him. He found her behaviour this morning strangely amusing especially since she seemed to be channeling Luna at the moment.

"I know I don't have the right to ask, given my behaviour over the past couple of weeks, so feel free to tell me to stuff it, I know I probably would if the roles were reversed, but I really would like to know how she is doing?"

Ron felt sorry for the girl and with a soft smile, he told her, "She's doing as well as can be expected given everything."

"That's good, sorry to bother you, I appreciate you telling..."

"But why don't you ask her yourself," Ron asked interrupting. "I can't promise she won't be nasty and say mean things at first but I think you should try."

"You do know what the number one rule is amongst the Slytherins – always look out for number one."

To say that Ron was taken aback, would have been the understatement of the year. Her tone had changed so suddenly from gentle and unsure to cold and harsh. He couldn't believe that this was the same girl who had been approaching and retreating from several people for most of the weekend in an attempt they all believed to find out how Pansy was doing. Now she was sitting next telling him that? With that much disdain?

"And here I thought you were trying to be her friend," he asked coolly.

"Slytherin's don't have friends, we have allegiances," she said standing up and walking away without a look back.

"Then why ask?" he called out after her as she took her leave from the common room.

"Because we only have friends when no one is looking," came a quiet voice from behind him. Turning around, he was greeted by Millie Bulstrode sweet face. "As long as Pansy is a pariah to her own family. None of us can be her friend, even behind closed doors."

If that didn't floor Ron, her whispered comment that he barely heard himself did.

"Thank you for taking care of her. I'm sorry we can't help you. But if it gets too bad, promise me you will go to Draco? He's probably the only one of us who can help you in the end."