Unmatched Hatred

Chapter 39

Author's note: Just a little heads up before you read this! For the character Pansy, she had such an obsession over Draco for so many years that I dare say she has gone insane. Saying this, she will do some things that are... unpredictable.

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Remember, Malfoy, you may loathe me, but I loathe you more. You may despise me, but I despise you more. Believe me, I will make sure that you fail just as much as I have.

Saturday somehow arrived. I decided not to attend the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, despite everyone pushing for me to go. When they would ask why I refused to attend, I simply told them that I was feeling sick with a pounding headache. Although, in reality, I felt drained of energy from the previous week. I was mentally and physically exhausted, and believed I required numerous naps to cure that exhaustion. Every execrable thing imaginable has been thrown at me left and right. All I desired to do was lay on my bed in my dorm just so I could collapse into a never-ending slumber. I simply wanted to live in my dreams, away from this present reality I am existing in.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Kasper asked me once more, trying to make sure I was certain of my decisions.

"I'm sorry, Kas. I'll come to the second and third event. I promise, but as of right now, I'm incredibly exhausted."

Kasper placed his hand on my shoulder, nodding his head as he sought to find his words.

"I hope you feel better," he replied.

My countenance was softened at his words, and a pang of regret pierced my spirit as he hurried away to catch up with Blaise. The two boys carried on gleefully, and I watched as they were swallowed up in the crowd.

I just needed rest, I told myself. No need to feel guilty.

While the joyful and boisterous crowd dashed for the Quidditch Pitch, excited to spectate the long-awaited event, I sauntered through the halls in the opposite direction from the crowd. Maybe I should have gone not to disappoint everyone and to have a distraction from the chaos I have been dealing with, but I felt that my bed was calling my name. Therefore, I believe I made the right decision, though part of me does wish I were out there having fun. If only I were not so pitiful.

The walk to the Slytherin common room seemed to be a never-ending, depressing walk. The dungeons through which I sauntered gave the impression of having an eerie atmosphere because of the dark walls and my echoing steps. The candles on the walls flickered quite dim, and the noise of intense voices echoed into the hall. Wait- did I say voices?

I halted in my path to listen more closely. The dungeons now lacked the sound of my steps, and instead was replaced with the sound of distant quarreling, which was coming from the Slytherin common room. I thought everyone had left, but I suppose not.

I cautiously inched closer to the painting which was the door to the Slytherin common room. I hovered my ear over the canvas, eavesdropping on the rather heated conversation.

"You are nonsense!" a voice declared, clearly annoyed.

"But baby- come on! The Triwizard Tournament is boring."

Those two voices were extremely unmistakable.

"Let's just go to my dorm," Parkinson suggested in a flattery tone.

"No!" asserted Malfoy. "I would like to see a fire-breathing dragon turn Potter into a pile of ashes, thank you very much."

Well, at least Malfoy and I shared one thing in common.

"You never want to be with me!" Parkinson complained in an ugly, baby-ish voice.

Excuse me while I vomit.

"Pansy, we have snogged for the past twenty nights! Give me a break!" Malfoy argued back.

What the actual-

"All we ever do is kiss! We never do more!" Parkinson whined.

Can I just go ahead and pass away from disgust?

"I told you!" declared Malfoy in a much harsher tone. "I'm not comfortable."

"Fine! It's because you don't love me!" Parkinson cried out.

"You say that, then later you will come crying to me later," stated Malfoy as if this has happened before.

"Oh yeah? Well, not tonight I won't!"

"Fine!"

I then heard heavy footsteps trudging up to the painting from within the room. I gasped in panic and stepped backwards into a corner. The painting swung open, covering my existence from whoever barged into the hall. I stood motionless, hidden behind the massive painting. I then peaked through the small crack between the frame and the wall to see who was stomping through the dungeons. It was Malfoy, and I watched as he turned the corner with a provoked countenance.

I use the excuse of boredom to explain why I did the action I committed next. Though, I am fairly sure it was my curiosity leading me astray. I carefully followed behind Malfoy, making sure to not be caught. I made sure of this by keeping a great bit of distance between us, but by also keeping him within my sight range. As I followed in his path, I thought I recognized the route he was taking, but I did not want to jump to a conclusion so soon. During the time in which I was trailing behind him, I was nearly caught once, but prevented this by hastily hiding behind a wall and holding my breath. I do not believe he was suspicious at all. Otherwise, he would have called me out in a heartbeat.

My suspicions as to where Malfoy was heading to proved to be true, though I disregarded the assumption at first. I considered for a moment that perchance he was heading to the Astronomy Tower, and that is exactly where he stopped. I continued to stay hidden on the second floor of the Tower, spying on Malfoy from underneath him. He placed his elbows on the railing, leaning against it and staring downwards.

From Malfoy and Parkinson's conversation earlier, I inferred from it that things like this would happen on a regular occurrence.

Why? Why do you come up here to make my life a living hell?

That was not my original purpose.

Did Malfoy always come up here to clear his mind after an argument with his girlfriend? Was that why he unexpectedly showed up the other night?

I think it may be safe to conclude that Malfoy and Parkinson may be in a toxic relationship. That small part of their argument that I had witnessed seemed very unreal to me. From what I can gather from it, Parkinson wants to do more than kissing (yuck), and Malfoy does not consent. What a ridiculous reason to get mad at someone! No literally means no. If I were Malfoy, I would break up with her.

Maybe I felt a little sorry for Malfoy, or maybe I did not, but I wish not to ponder upon the matter. I would simply like to add another thing I have gathered from this. Every time an argument breaks out, Parkinson most likely goes to apologize to Malfoy, certainly in the form of manipulation. This means that Malfoy has been forgiving on multiple occasions, something I know he struggles to do as a person. Or perhaps he is the one being manipulated to apologize, something that he also struggles to do.

As I watched him stand on the balcony with the wind in his hair, instead of seeing him as the unforgiving, merciless boy, I saw a glimpse of the boy who was merely a misunderstood product of his father.