When Hermione woke up, it was still terribly early, even for her standards. In fact, she would probably have gone back to sleep at once if her pillow hadn't suddenly moved. This strange occurrence succeeded in waking her up completely and forced her to become aware of her surroundings.
Her pillow was in fact her husband, who was still deeply asleep and, she could only hope, entirely unaware of their current closeness. Because yes, they were very, very close. Not only was she resting on his chest, but his arm was draped across her back and their legs were tangled together in a very intimate way. She stiffled the impulse to roll away from him in a hurry as the last thing she wanted was for him to wake up too.
She stayed where she was for a few more moments. Because she needed time to figure out how to best get away, of course, not because she was quite comfortable and rather liked the feeling of Draco Malfoy pressed against her.
Carefully, she untangled her leg from his and slipped under his arm. She left the bed and tiptoed through the room, grabbing some of her clothes in the process. After dressing in a hurry she left their common room, desperately needing some time away from Draco to think.
After wandering the castle for a while, she headed outside, longing for some fresh air. It was colder than she had expected, however, so she cast a warming charm on herself and strolled towards the lake. The sun had only just showed its face over the horizon, giving the world an orange glow, and Hermione spent some time simply enjoying the mysterious beauty of the Hogwarts grounds. It was with surprise that she discovered that there was someone else already at the lake, sitting on a rock and looking lost in her own thoughts.
Hermione almost turned around and left the girl to herself, but for some reason she did not. It was curiosity, perhaps, a desire to learn more about her husband and his friends, and so she approached Pansy Parkinson and greeted her quietly.
"I did not expect you to be awake at this hour," she confessed.
Pansy smirked. "I did not expect to be awake at this hour. I actually like sleeping, the longer the better. But alas, sleep has had the nasty tendency to evade me these past months."
"That's a feeling I'm quite familiar with," Hermione said, surprised that she was having a meaningful conversation with Pansy without any kind of insults being thrown around.
They remained silent for quite some time, watching over the lake as the sun rose higher in the sky. There was peace to be found, here, next to this girl she used to detest, and all the concerns Hermione had been mulling over all morning (all week, if she was being honest), reached an obvious conclusion in her mind.
She took a deep breath and prepared for what would without a doubt be a complicated conversation.
"You didn't seem all that upset that Malfoy had married me. That Draco married a Muggle-born," she said hesitantly.
Pansy looked up sharply, shocked at the other woman's candor. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"
"I find it to be a waste of time."
"Why would I give you an answer? What makes you think I have a desire to discuss my opinions with a Muggle-born?" Pansy asked harshly.
"Several reasons, in fact," said Hermion. "I think you're smart enough to know that, regardless of our personal feelings, we will be around each other for at the very least the year to come, probably longer. If we learn to understand exactly where we stand, this would all go a lot easier. I also think you would do anything to regain some sort of standing in a world that has come to hate you for what you are and what you said, and you're perfectly aware that the best way to do that is by getting an in with a War Hero. There are more reasons, still, but none of that matters, because the truth is that you owe me at least that much, Parkinson, after all the shit you've put me through."
Pansy gritted her teeth and tensed, ready for the anger and contempt turning her words into venom, but all she felt was the dim sort of emptiness that she had become all too familiar with. She visibly deflated and fixed her glance on a pebble in front of her.
"Fine," she huffed. "Fine, let's act like Hufflepuffs and have a heart to heart. I don't mind you being with Draco because Draco is my friend, and no matter how much of a bitch you think I am I want my friends to be happy. I was always scared that he'd end up like his father, bitter and obsessing over things he couldn't change, and I think that being married to you might be the thing that kind of forces him to choose a different path. Not to mention you're actually one of the few people that can handle Draco and doesn't take any of his shit, and he definitely needs someone like that in his life. As for more selfish reasons, you're absolutely right, Granger. This is an excellent opportunity for us Slytherins to get back in the good graces of society."
Hermione nodded. "So you don't buy into all that Mudblood-crap anymore?"
Pansy swallowed audibly. "I... I'm not sure, Granger. It has been practically ingrained in me to believe that Muggles and Mud... Muggle-borns are inferior and worthless, and some things are hard to unlearn. On some level, I know that many of the arguments that are given are wrong, but my first instinct when I hear about something Muggle is still disgust. Blaise and Theo have been talking about it with me and Draco all year, and that did help."
"Blaise and Theo?" Hermione asked, surprised.
"Yeah. They never buyed into the whole pure-blood superiority thing like we did. Blaise because his mother didn't care all that much, and Theo because he really can't stand his father so he tended to doubt everything he was told. It's one of the reasons we didn't hang out together all that much before last year. As Theo put it so eloquently: "Your endless diatribes regarding Muggle-borns, combined with your inability to back it up with any kind of facts, were a pain in the arse to listen to."
"But last year things changed," Hermione offered, hoping the girl would keep on talking.
"They did. Draco and I, we were told that once the Dark Lord reigned supreme, the world would be a far better place. But what happened at school with the Carrows..." Pansy shuddered. "I'd never felt so lost, Granger. My parents kept praising everything the Dark Lord did, but all I saw was pain, horror and torture, regardless of your heritage. No one was safe. Not to mention I finally began to see just how fucked up Draco was because of his task in sixth year. I think Theo and Blaise noticed our confusion, and they took it upon themselves to 'debrainwash' us, or so Blaise said."
Hermione chuckled without humor. "I can't imagine that went over well."
"No, it really didn't. Not in the beginning, anyway. It took a while, but we both started listening. Draco long before me, I must confess."
"And yet you wanted to surrender Harry during the last battle," Hermione said, the bitterness audible in her voice.
"And that will haunt me till the day I die, I suppose," Pansy said without emotion. "It's surprising how unforgiving people can be for young, scared children."
"If what you claim is true, and you were already starting to change your views on the world and Voldemort, then why did you say it, Parkinson?"
"One is still less than an entire castle filled with people, the majority of them being children, Granger. It seemed to be the most logical escape, at the time."
Hermione refrained from answering, figuring there was no point in starting a fight about things that were in the past.
"Did my answers satisfy your inquisition, Granger?" Pansy asked, with a note of humor in her voice.
"Yes, thank you. I apologize for the intrusion, but I needed to know where you stood."
"Why? Why do you even bother to try? You should hate me and be done with it."
"Because I'm tired. I'm tired of war, I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of hate. I just want to help rebuild the Wizarding world free of prejudice. I don't want there to be a repeat of the same issues, again. But the only way we're going to be able to do that is by finally mending the bridges between pure-blood and Muggle-born and between Slytherins and, well, all the rest. I figured that my marriage to Draco might be an excellent way to get that done. When I see how well my friends and his friends have worked together, I can't help but feel hopeful. Maybe if we set the right example, the younger ones will follow."
"Always trying to save the world," Pansy said, and if it was a bit mocking, it certainly wasn't mean.
"Will you help me this time?" Hermione asked, looking Pansy in the eye. A moment of understanding passed between the two women, and, slowly, Pansy nodded.
"Yeah," she said. "I'll help you. Just as long as I'm not expected to like you. Contrary to Draco, my dislike of you was not solely based on your heritage."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked sharply.
"You'll both figure it out one day, I'm sure," Pansy said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to bed."
Hermione stayed outside until it was a reasonable hour to go to breakfast where she joined Harry, Ron, Ginny and Luna at the Gryffindor table. Harry took one look at her face and pointed at her with his spoon.
"Uh-oh, I know that look," he said, looking utterly ridiculous while waving the spoon around. "You're up to something."
"Harry, will you stop acting so paranoïd? And if you keep that stupid spoon pointed at me I'm going to charm it to attack you."
Obediently, Harry lowered his hand. "So, what's the plan?"
"There is no plan, because I'm not up to something," Hermione insisted.
"I don't believe a word of it," Ron said with his mouth full.
Both Hermione and Ginny recoiled from him in disgust. "Ronald," Ginny hissed. "Keep your mouth shut when you're eating."
Ron rolled his eyes but obliged his little sister, to everyone's relief.
"So, what's the plan?" Luna asked.
"Oh for Godric's sake," Hermione exclaimed. "Fine. I had a very long conversation with Pansy, and I was thinking that if we wanted to prevent the same mistakes in the future, we should try and really, truly, get rid of the lingering prejudices once and for all."
"You mean we should befriend the Slytherins, for real?" Harry asked. He was always quick to understand her, but instead of the outrage she expected he sounded as if he was considering the idea.
Ginny looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "And this would have nothing to do with your growing attraction for a specific Slytherin, I'm sure?"
Hermione shot her friend a reproachful look. "I'm offended that you would think me so selfish, Gin."
"There's nothing wrong with being selfish every once in a while," Luna said. "And I think it's a wonderful idea."
"I can't believe you had a long conversation with Parkinson, of all people," was Ron's input.
Hermione ignored him and turned to Harry, as he was the only one who could help her with the idea she had been toying with all day. "I think we should bring the pure-bloods into the Muggle world. These prejudices will keep existing as long as they see Muggles as inferior, so the first step would be to show them what they're really like. I'm pretty sure some of the Slytherins still think that Muggles live like they did in the Middle-Ages."
Harry nodded, slowly. "That might work. We could take them to the movies."
Hermione smiled brightly. "Yes, that's a great idea. I'm sure the Headmistress will allow it!"
They kept talking about it excitedly while their friends just stared at them without comprehending.
Hermione remained in high spirits for the rest of the day, and when she returned to the dorm she shared with Draco that evening she was still too wrapped up in her ideas to remember to feel awkward. Draco noticed that something was amiss at once, and he narrowed his eyes in distrust.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.
"No reason," she answered hastily. "I was meaning to ask you something, actually", she added, figuring she'd have to distract him. "How'd you like Shakespeare?"
All color drained from Draco's face, and he looked for all intents and purposes like a kid being caught with his hand in the cookie-jar.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he uttered after far too many seconds of silence.
Hermione smirked, then, shocking Draco even more. "Tsk, Draco, you didn't really think you were being subtle, did you?"
"Bitch," he spat out.
"No need to be rude about it," she replied, far too amused to be offended. "His plays are undeniably great, Draco, only a fool would say otherwise. What's your favorite?"
He eyed her strangely, wondering what on earth had gotten into her, before his shoulders slumped and he gave up his denial. What was the point, anyway? She knew already, that much was obvious.
"I like Hamlet, I guess, and a Midsummer Night's Dream is funny. Although I have to say that the way Muggles think of magic is a bit odd."
Hermione chuckled, glad he gave her an answer. "Oh there are stories that represent magic, and witches for that matter, in a far stranger way, trust me. When Professor McGonagall came to my home with my Hogwarts letter and explained I was a witch, my parents weren't exactly overjoyed and I was highly confused."
"I can't even imagine," he said.
"You might, once you've gone into the Muggle world for the first time," she said.
"It's not the same. I have always known Muggles exist, and—"
"Maybe so, but I'm pretty sure the idea you have of them is entirely wrong."
"If you say so," Draco said sceptically.
"Are you really not curious at all?" Hermione asked, even though she was aware that it might have been wiser to end the conversation. "There is an entire world out there, so much larger than the magical one, that you have yet to discover. Don't you want to know what it's like?"
The look in his eyes, then, was enough to give her hope, enough to change her entire perspective on this boy she accidentally married. For a few seconds, his usual walls went down, and she could read him like a book. He was interested, intrigued and fascinated, followed immediately by guilty, and she got the distinct feeling that he had been burrying these questions for years, telling himself that even so much as thinking about that was below him, unworthy of a Malfoy.
"Of course not," he said at last. "The wizarding world is obviously superior, so why should I care about a bunch of disgusting Muggles?"
And if his voice was a little tight and hardly convincing, she didn't comment on it. She'd prove him wrong, in time, and without his father and Voldemort's influence, she was sure she could get through to him. He was clever enough to think for himself, and not yet too old to change his way of seeing the world.
She would just have to be patient.
Thank you all for reading! What did you think of Pansy?