"I must have misunderstood you," Pansy stated, putting her hands on her hips. Her pine green nail polish sparkled. Ron pulled his eyes from her hands, from the way her long delicate fingers curled against her robes.
"No, I think you understood me just fine," he replied. "I asked you if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade me with me this weekend," he repeated. Pansy narrowed her brown eyes. Ron couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked, even possibly mad at him.
"Why?" she asked, shifting her weight from hip to hip, looking him over. Her long blue black hair swished as she shifted.
"Because, we got off on the wrong foot, because you told Malfoy off in the middle of the Great Hall. I've always heard the enemy of my enemy is a friend?" Ron offered. Pansy smirked.
"Really? You want to be friends with me? What about Potter and the know it all? I thought they were your friends."
"They were, but... Hermione's not speaking to me and Harry's nearly gotten me killed a few times. Besides, it's one date, it's not like I'm asking you marry me or anything," Ron mumbled. Pansy snorted.
"You are the last person I would marry Weasley," Pansy laughed. "Being seen with you in Hogsmeade would make Draco jealous, or at the very least, pull his attention back to me, so sure, why not? One date, that's it!" Pansy exclaimed, before walking off leaving Ron staring at the space where she had once been standing.
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Pansy stood on the platform looking uneasy. The date had been amazing, so much more than what she'd thought. Draco hadn't noticed, but she didn't care. Ron was funny, he was amazing. She smiled thinking about how he'd challenged her to a game of chess. She'd won, he'd been shocked. That one date had started everything. Now, the year had ended, she was going home to her family, her pure-blood family. She could see her mother in the crowd. She knew she should go meet her. She held back for a moment.
"Ron, hey," she replied, giving him a slight smile. It was small enough no one would notice. "I see my Mum. I should... get going."
"I know, would it be alright if I wrote you this summer? I don't know what things are going to be like now."
"If you want, but, um be careful... I mean, no one believes Potter... but he's right," Pansy whispered, her voice hushed even though it was crowded. "I don't know if my family... We're not the Malfoys, but..." she let the words drop. Ron nodded, seeming to understand what she was saying.
"I'll see you next term, Pansy," he replied as he joined his family, giving Pansy one last look. She turned away heading to meet her mother. If anyone found out her and Weasley... he was a blood-traitor. She couldn't afford to be with someone like that, not with her family's reputation on the line. They'd lost enough status during the first war.
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"Really? You think that I want to be on your side? You think I want to betray my friends, my family?" Pansy asked, staring at Ron.
"We could use your help," Ron stated. "Things are bad, Pans. I know you're brilliant, more brilliant than you let on. I know you can strategize nearly as well as me, Merlin, you're one of the few people calculating enough to beat me a chess!"
"They're my family, Ron. My father... if he found out..."
"What's the worst that can happen? We need someone on the inside, someone no one will suspect. Harry thinks Draco's up to something."
"What else is new? He always thinks Draco's up to something. He's right though, Draco hasn't been the same this year. He's Marked," Pansy whispered, her voice so low Ron almost didn't hear it.
"We thought as much. Come with me Pans, come home with me this holiday. I hate the thought of leaving you here, with everything going on."
"I can't, Ron. I know you want this to work out between us, but this year has shown me a lot of things. It's shown me who my family is, who I'm supposed to be... It's shown me I can't do this anymore. I can't be with you anymore," Pansy whispered, tears pricking her eyes. She turned so Ron wouldn't see them. She heard Ron call out her name as she walked away from him, her arms around herself to keep from turning back around.
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Pansy screamed as the Great Hall doors burst open. The room flooding with Death Eaters, with Order members, with everyone. The rest of her house was gone. She knew they had fled, some to safety, some to join in the battle with their parents. She couldn't tell who was who behind the masks, but she had a sinking feeling one of them was her father. She'd always known it would come down to this.
"Pansy! Watch out!" a voice yelled. Pansy spun, her hair back in a single long plait that reached her waist. It whipped behind her as she moved.
"Bombardia!" she screamed in the direction of the nearest Death Eater. She wasn't sure if she wanted the spell to hit the man, the wall behind him, or miss everything entirely. She wasn't sure what she was even still doing here.
"I've got you," someone stated as a shield charm formed around her reflecting yet another wayward spell. Pansy nodded, turning to her savior.
"Ron?" she whispered, staring at the man before her. He was taller, his hair longer, but he still wore the same slight smile on his face. She snorted.
"Had to come save me, didn't you?" she asked, turning her back to him to reflect another spell aimed at the pair.
"Came to save everyone," he replied, deflecting a flash of blue light.
"Glad you showed up, but... Ron... My father... he's one of them," Pansy confessed.
"I know, and don't worry, Pans, everything will be alright," he promised. "I'll meet up with you again," he added, before bounding back into the fray. Pansy stood there for a moment, wondering if she would survive this, if he would survive this, and what she would do it they both did. That question was answered moments later when she found herself standing next to Ron.
"Harry Potter is dead," Lord Voldemort announced. Pansy felt herself start to crumble, Ron's strong arms caught her, holding her up. Suddenly everything changed, Potter was alive. The snake was dead, Lord Voldemort was dead and Pansy found her lips pressed hard against those of Ron Weasley. The kiss broke and Ron took Pansy's hand.
"They're holding the prisoners here," he stated, leading her to the dungeons, to a room with bars, like the dungeons she's read about in the fairy tales as a child. Standing in the middle of the room, bleeding but alive was her father. Pansy's entire body flooded with relief. He was alive, he'd been spared.
"Thank you for letting me know, Ron," she stated, taking his hand in hers. "I know he needs to pay for his part in all of this, but thank you for not making me worry any more than I have," she added, kissing Ron hard in front of her father.
"We should get back to the group. I'm sure there's people who will need our help," Ron stated, Pansy nodded, smiling as she followed him back up the stairs.
