After their second unsuccessful store visit, both girls decided to take a break. Emily led Pansy to a small sandwich shop nestled a few streets away, its aroma inviting. They ordered sandwiches and took a table outside, enjoying the lively hum of the city around them.
As they sat and ate, Emily tried to get a better sense of Pansy's style, asking questions between bites of her sandwich. "Do you have a color preference? Maybe something darker? Or would you prefer something more casual, like a t-shirt and some jeans" It was an odd experience for Pansy, who had never given much thought to her clothing beyond the required robes of Hogwarts and her family's traditional attire.
In the middle of Emily's stream of questions, a woman sauntered past their table clad in black jeans, black boots, and a leather jacket that hugged her figure perfectly. Pansy found herself watching the woman, entranced by the effortless confidence she exuded.
Snapping her fingers in front of Pansy's face, Emily laughed, "Earth to Pansy, you still with me?"
With a start, Pansy turned her attention back, blushing slightly, only to see Emily grinning at her. "Sorry, you were saying?"
"Fancy yourself a bad girl, Parkinson?" Emily teased, poking Pansy lightly.
Pansy turned redder, stuttering, "Excuse me?"
"Oh, come on," Emily teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You were checking out her style. Admit it." Pansy huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was not."
Emily stood up with a smirk saying "I know where to take you next." She said holding out a hand.
Pansy was about to protest when Emily grabbed her hand and started leading her down the street, fingers fitting together effortlessly. It felt nice. "Where are we going?"
Emily only smirked over her shoulder. "It's a surprise."
They navigated the bustling city, Emily leading Pansy through side streets and alleyways, until they arrived at a small store nestled between two larger buildings, that seemed to embody the style Pansy was drawn to. Black leather jackets hung in the window, along with an array of sunglasses and various accessories that completed the look
"This is it," Emily announced, pushing open the door. A bell chimed overhead as they entered, the scent of leather filling the air.
Pansy's eyes widened as she took in the surroundings. Black, silver, and dark colours dominated the shop, an assortment of jackets, boots, and accessories laid out with care. It was a stark contrast to the other shops they had visited, but it felt... right.
Emily, ever the guide, began pulling out items she thought would suit Pansy. She held up a black leather jacket with silver zippers, a pair of pitch black jeans and a simple white top, a confident smirk on her face. "Try these on."
Pansy reached out, running her fingers over the smooth, cool leather. The jacket was surprisingly light, its material supple and well-made.
As Pansy stepped out of the changing room, black leather jacket clinging to her body and black jeans hugging her legs, Emily couldn't help but appreciate the transformation. It was a drastic shift from her usual robes, but it suited her perfectly.
Emily, however, glanced at the price tag hanging from the leather jacket. "Pansy," she said slowly, "Maybe we should try another one…"
Pansy looked at her, confused. "Why?" she asked, an eyebrow raised. Emily merely pointed at the price tag. Pansy glanced at it and shrugged. "It's not that much."
Emily's eyes widened, her gaze moving from Pansy to the pricetag and back again. "O-oh, well okay then."
Moving on Emily and Pansy ventured into the footwear section. She tried on a few pairs, Emily watching with a grin as Pansy experimented with various types. There were flats that she found too simple, and sky-high heels she deemed impractical for wandering around the city. She tried on sneakers, but they felt too casual for her taste.
Emily picked up a pair of calf-high boots with a small heel and silver zippers pointing towards each other. "Try these," she suggested, holding them out to Pansy. "They're chic but not too formal, and I think they'll suit you."
Pansy took them and sat down on the small bench, pulling the boots onto her feet. Standing up, she took a few steps, adjusting to the slight heel. Looking down at her feet, she couldn't help but be satisfied with how they looked. They were practical but still had an elegance to them that appealed to Pansy.
Emily nodded approvingly. "They look great on you. Comfortable?"
Pansy took a few more steps, testing the feel of the boots. "They are," she admitted, a small smile playing on her lips. "I think we've found the shoes."
Emily laughed. "Great! Now, let's get the accessories."
As Pansy tried on different styles of sunglasses, she watched out the corner of her eye as Emily playfully tried on various pairs of sunglasses. She was doing it more for the laughs than anything else, making silly faces in the mirror and striking dramatic poses. But then Emily picked up a particular pair – angular and stylish, seemingly made for her. The way her eyes lit up was pure delight, her smile genuine and wide.
However, when Emily flipped the price tag, her bright expression fell. She grimaced slightly, placing the glasses back on the rack with a disappointed sigh.
Pansy selected a pair of sunglasses for herself after trying on a few more options. Once she was satisfied, she took a final glance at herself in the full-length mirror. Dressed almost head-to-toe in black, only broken by the white of her top, sunglasses perched on the top of her head, she felt an unfamiliar yet exhilarating sense of confidence
She couldn't help but be slightly awed by her reflection. The jacket fit her like a glove, accentuating her frame while giving her an undeniably 'cool' aura, and the calf-high boots not only stylish but also undeniably comfortable. It was a far cry from her usual attire, yet it felt surprisingly right. She admired the transformation, turning this way and that, watching how the light played off the material.
As she looked at herself in the mirror, Emily came up behind her, resting her chin lightly on Pansy's shoulder.
"How do I look?" Pansy asked shyly.
Emily looked her up and down in the mirror before smirking. "Sexy."
Pansy blushed to the tips of her ears, whirling around to smack Emily's arm. "Emily!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and embarrassment, but Emily only laughed in response.
As they walked up to the counter Pansy paused "Em, can you bring these to the counter? I need to grab something else real quick," Pansy asked, gesturing towards the pile of selected clothes.
"Sure, take your time," Emily, smiling slightly at the nickname, gathered up the items and made her way to the counter. With Emily occupied, Pansy quickly made her way back to the sunglasses section. She picked up the pair that Emily had reluctantly put back, checking the price – 120 pounds.
With Pansy disappearing back into the store Emily went towards the counter.
The clerk, a middle-aged man with a friendly face, looked up from the clothing he was folding. "Found everything okay?" He inquired
"Yes" Emily replied placing Pansy's selections on the counter, the shopkeeper starting to tally up the total immediately.
After quickly scanning the items the total came to 850 pounds. Emily let out a small breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her mind reeling slightly at the amount. Pansy returned, her face calm and her steps measured. In her hand, she held another pair of sunglasses.
"I'd like to add these to the purchase." Pansy said, dropping the second pair of sunglasses onto the counter on the side Emily wasn't standing on so she couldn't see them.
Emily's eyes flicked over to the glasses, catching a glimpse but not recognizing them instantly. She looked at Pansy in askance, but Pansy simply gave her a nonchalant shrug.
The clerk rang up the items, the total coming to 970 pounds. Pansy pulled out her money without hesitation, handing it to the man who looked taken aback by the amount of cash.
"Quite a shopping day, isn't it?" he said, a note of astonishment in his voice as he accepted the bills.
"You could say that," Pansy replied, her voice light and unconcerned.
Emily watched the exchange, her eyes wide. She'd known Pansy was well-off, but seeing her friend casually hand over nearly a thousand pounds like it was no big deal left her a bit dazed
Just as they were about to leave the shop, Pansy paused. "I think I'll change into these real quick," she said, gesturing to the bag of clothes. With a nod from Emily, she disappeared into the changing room.
As Pansy stepped out of the dressing room, Emily could not help but let out an approving whistle at her friend's new look. "You look like a rockstar, Pansy."
Pansy's lips quirked into a smirk. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Laughing, they left the shop and began walking towards the bookstore. As they strolled down the busy city streets, Emily turned to Pansy, her eyes gleaming mischievously.
"So... did you really need two pairs of sunglasses?" Emily asked, her tone light and teasing.
Pansy simply stopped in her tracks and flashed Emily a smile, a glint of mischief in her own eyes. "No," she admitted.
Emily looked at her, confused, but before she managed to say anything, Pansy had removed the other pair of sunglasses from the little black box and placed them on top of Emily's head. Emily's hands immediately went up to touch them, her surprise evident.
"Pansy, these are... I can't accept these," she stammered, pulling the glasses from her head and trying to give them back to Pansy.
Pansy simply shook her head, refusing to take them back. When Emily continued to try, Pansy reached out, grasping Emily's outstretched hand with her own half full one and bringing it down, holding it loosely. "I want you to have them," she said quietly.
Emily looked down, blinking back tears. She mumbled a soft, "You didn't have to do that."
Pansy lifted her free hand to take the sunglasses from Emily, then used her index finger to tilt Emily's chin up until their eyes met again. "I wanted to," she replied firmly, placing the glasses back on Emily's head.
There was a moment of silence as Emily looked at Pansy, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Then, suddenly, she threw her arms around Pansy's neck, hugging her tightly. "Thank you," she said, her voice muffled by Pansy's new leather jacket.
For a minute or two, they just stood there, in the middle of the busy street, wrapped in a warm hug. When Emily pulled back, she planted a quick kiss on Pansy's cheek, leaving the latter blushing profusely. Emily giggled at her friend's reaction, took her hand, and pulled her along towards the bookstore, the both of them smiling all the way
The remaining days of Pansy's summer passed by much faster than she would have liked. With her parents occupied with their own matters, she spent most of her days at the bookstore, helping Emily sort books and talking about everything from muggle literature to the art of potions brewing (which she cleverly referred to as "advanced chemistry").
Pansy also found herself writing letters to Emily almost every day, delivered by Lady who seemed to have developed a certain fondness for the muggle girl. With each letter she wrote and each conversation they shared, Pansy found herself becoming more and more attached to Emily.
She also noticed the gradual shift in her own behaviour. She was less defensive, less haughty. Emily's kindness had thawed the icy veneer Pansy usually wore. The warmth she felt when Emily greeted her with a bright smile and a hug was a stark contrast to the frosty interactions she had at home.
The day of her departure finally arrived. She had shared with Emily that she would be leaving soon, but she hadn't revealed the exact date. She didn't want her last day to be a sad one.
Pansy arrived at the bookstore early in the morning. Emily was already there, humming to a muggle song playing on the radio. Seeing Pansy, she flashed a wide smile, "Morning, Pansy! Here early today?"
Pansy nodded, "I have something to tell you."
Emily's eyes filled with curiosity. Pansy took a deep breath. "I'm leaving for school tomorrow."
Emily's face fell, but she quickly composed herself. "I knew it was soon, but..." she sighed, "I'm going to miss you, Pansy."
"I'll miss you too, Emily," Pansy replied, her voice choked with emotion.
Emily looked at her for only a moment before she moved around the counter and enveloped Pansy in a tight hug.
"Em," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I just wanted to thank you. You've made this summer... better.
"You've made my summer better too, Pansy. Remember, this isn't goodbye. It's just... see you later."
As Pansy stepped out into the cool morning, Emily's words echoed in her mind. This wasn't goodbye. With that thought, she made her way home, a small smile playing on her lips.
The evening light seeped through the large windows of Parkinson Manor, casting long shadows on the grand furniture. Pansy sat at the dinner table, picking at her food, her stomach churning with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.
Her parents sat at the opposite end of the table, their faces cold and sharp as glass. It was almost tradition for them to give Pansy a lecture the day leading up to her departure for Hogwarts every year, a reminder of her responsibilities and their expectations.
"We trust you understand the weight of your actions, Pansy," her mother began, her frigid gaze fixed on her dinner, not once looking at Pansy as she speaks to her. "You are a Parkinson, your actions reflect upon us aswell."
"Your association with the Malfoy heir is of great significance," her father continued, his tone as hard as his eyes. "He is a proper wizard of good breeding. Do not, under any circumstances, jeopardize this alliance."
Pansy swallowed hard, clenching her fists in her lap. Her parents' words felt like a cold shower, a sharp reminder of her lot in life. A future of pureblood traditions, of alliances and arranged marriages, of a life lacking in joy, in warmth.
"Remember, Pansy," her mother added, her voice a warning, "if any actions you take harm our standing... you will regret it."
With that final chilling proclamation, dinner continued in icy silence, the only sound being of scraping cutlery and crackling fire. Her parents left the dining room shortly thereafter, taking their oppressive presence with them.
Pansy was left alone, the silence of the manor echoing around her. She pushed away her nearly untouched dinner, the thought of food making her feel sick.
She spent the rest of the evening packing her belongings, her mind a whirl of thoughts. By the time she was ready for bed, the manor felt colder and emptier than ever.