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Prompt 33 - Command

Pansy knew she was dragging her feet as she trailed slightly behind Ron.

But she couldn't think of one person who would blame her if they knew what she had done. Unbeknownst to everyone, including Ron (because she couldn't bring herself to burden him with yet another problem), she had sent a letter to her parents informing them that she would not be coming home as they commanded after that night. She in fact informed them that she would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas break; that she understood that she was no longer a Parkinson and as such felt that she no longer was required to submit to their dominance.

She knew Ron was confused as to why she had been summoned, supposedly 'out of the blue', to come to the Headmistress' office but Pansy knew exactly why. She knew her parents were there waiting for her. In fact, she fully expected them to either drag her out of there kicking and screaming or cast the charm that would officially make her disowned as well as turn her into a mute, Squib.

The moment they reached the statue guarding the Headmistress' office, Pansy found her feet unwilling or unable to continue. She watched as the statue slid aside so that someone could pass however she couldn't. She couldn't make her feet move one foot in front of the other.

Pansy watched as Ron entered the entryway to the office and take two steps before realizing that she hadn't crossed the threshold yet. He turned and walked back to her, his bright blue eyes full of concern. Her eyes started to water as he moved back to her.

"Pansy," he whispered, his hand reaching towards her face as he stood in front of her, before pleading, "Talk to me."

"I know why I was called here," she whispered back ashamed, she felt his other hand move to her face and her strength crumble. Crossing the inches that would take her to him, she threw herself into him; his arms wrapping around her body as she sobbed into his uniform. Mumbling the words through her tears, she sobbed, "My parents are up there. They will take me home. They will cast the charm. They are throwing me away."

Clinging to him, he rubbed her back as he whispered words to her. Words that she couldn't make out even if she tried. All she knew is that his hands didn't loosen; they just kept holding her as she tried to calm herself – to will herself that everything was going to be okay because Ron was here and he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He wouldn't let her parents hurt or take her away .

She just hoped that he would still take care of her, if they were able to cast the charm.

Because if not, she didn't know what she was going to do.

If she was even going to survive.

And that thought sent a new wave of tears rolling down her face as she clung to him harder; trying to believe the words of comfort he was whispering she could barely understand.

Her whole body was still shaking by the time Ron was able to coax her up the stairs and into the Headmistress' office. She clung to his robes tightly as she saw the confirmation of her worst fears that her parents were here in the Headmistress McGonagall's office.

"What is the meaning of this?" her father roared, her letter waving in his hands. "You are suppose to do what you are told. No questions asked. You were forgiven last time. It won't happen again."

Pansy froze on the spot at the unadulterated anger and hatred that streamed from her father's voice. Her body unable to move by itself, it allowed Ron to push her gently behind him, his arm pinning her to his backside as she clung desperately to his robes.

"Exactly what it says," Ron replied firmly, his stance so defiant, that it even took the Headmistress by surprise.

"I don't know who you think you are," Mr. Parkinson growled moving forward; though he wasn't a big man, his dark features and glowing hazel eyes were frightening. "But she is our daughter and she will do as she has been told. She has brought enough shame to this family. She will do it no more."

He reached out for her at the same moment that the arm Ron had her pinned to his body with shifted her just enough to keep him between her and her father as his wand found itself pressed to her father's throat.

Icily, Ron spat, "That's funny, I was under the distinct impression from the letter you sent her after she was brutally attacked and raped that you had no need for her anymore. That she was no longer your daughter, no longer a Parkinson."

"Listen, here..." her father started before Ron jabbed his wand up into his throat to remind him he was not in charge of the situation.

"I'm only going to say this once," Ron said, pressing his wand further into Mr. Parkinson's throat. "You will leave her alone. You will never write her, Floo her, or contact her in anyway. You will no longer upset her. She has been through enough for this lifetime. You say she is no longer your daughter, that's fine but you will not hurt her again as long as I breathe. Understood?"

"You little..."

Anything her father was about to say was cut off again. His mouth flopping up and down but no sound came out.

"I believe we are done Headmistress?" Ron said flippantly, lowering his wand.

Pansy watched as Headmistress McGonagall just nodded her head silently, her eyes still wide in shock at Ron's actions.

Ron said, "Good," before turning around, his body still shielding hers from her parents before pushing her down the stairs.

He didn't stop forcing Pansy to walk until they were back in the eighth year dormitory and in his empty bedroom. Sealing the door, he just looked at her and asked, "What didn't you tell me?"