Kept In The Shadows

6

Hi y'all! We really appreciate all the support on this story. I know the chapters have been pretty short, but this one's a little longer. Please comment if you like longer or shorter chapters, it would help a lot! Thanks so much, enjoy chapter 6!

Love y'all,
-snowbazxtracob

(Pansy's POV)

To say I cried myself to sleep last night would be the understatement of the century. When I went back to the common room I was such a mess, I completely forgot about the state of my makeup.

As soon as I walked in and my friends spotted me, they all rushed over to me like a stampede of...well...teenage girls, I guess.

"OH. MY. GOD. Who did this to you?" Amanda screeched, "I'll kill him, I swear."

"It's nothing. Just boys being the worst," I lied, "Look, I've had a long day, please, I don't wanna talk about it." Before they could ask me anything else, I ran up the stairs to my bed.

I had to put a silencing charm around my bed so other people couldn't hear me sobbing. It feels like the world is sending so many signs Hermione and I shouldn't be together. Even so, I'm terrified that I just threw away the best part of my life for no reason.

Sitting up in my bed, I decide not to go to breakfast. Before I can start sulking however, Millicent barges on and practically drags me out of bed.

"Face your sorrows, Pans! Get up!"

"What the bloody hell does that mean?"

She just yanks me by my ankles until I'm on the floor in a big pile of hot mess.

Somehow I make it to the bathroom so I can wash off all the crusty makeup from yesterday and put on my uniform. Time to start the day.

I want to get to The Great Hall before everyone so I speed walk down the hallways. I need to be ready to see Hermione. Once I'm at The Great Hall, I sit down in my normal spot and take a few deep breaths. My eyes feel itchy from unshed tears. At this point, my sadness is getting annoying.

People start to slowly trickle in and take their seats, I really was the first one down for breakfast. Go me.

Draco comes in and sits on the right of me, Crabbe and Pike saunter in a few moments later and place themselves across from me, and Millicent skips in and sits on Goyle's lap on my left. Merlin, they're adorable.

I'm sure they can all tell I'm distracted when Goyle has to tap my shoulder four times just to get my attention. My thoughts are somewhere else when Harry and Ron walk into the Great Hall...without Hermione.

Where is she? Is she okay? Is she hurt? Is this my fault?
My rapidly-escalating thoughts are cut off by Draco. He'd just dropped his glass and now pieces of it are scattered everywhere.

"Draco!" I yell, jumping back, "Why'd you do that?" I look up at him but his eyes are on the huge oak doors of The Great Hall. I turn and follow his eyes to try and see what he's looking at.

Before I can get a good glance, Draco pulls my arm, tugging me back into my seat. "Hey..uh...Pansy, wanna go talk to uh... Snape?" Draco's words are awkward and uncomfortable sounding. What's even more confusing is that he's making intense and aggressive eye contact with me while talking.

Just then, Pike, being a bit of a git, decides that he would in fact like to go see Snape. Draco looks over at Pike and I snatch up the opportunity to peek back at whatever Draco was looking at.

It's Hermione. Of course it's Hermione. It's Hermione and- NO. No, no, no. She wouldn't do that to me. She couldn't do that to me.

She's just sat down at the Gryffindor table and she's holding Seamus Finnigan's hand. Really, Seamus? She had always thought so little about him, she thinks he's a total prat and now...now she's going out with him just to spite me?

"You've got to be kidding me," I huff. Draco puts his hand on my elbow. "Pansy, don't think anything of it."

My friends are all giggling and laughing and most of the students are cheering and calling things out at them. Some ravenclaw yells out, "Gryffindor Lovebirds!"

My face is hot and my breathing is sharp. I can't believe her. She obviously chose Seamus because of me. We both used to joke and make fun of him whenever we were partners in Potions. She thinks he's a git, we all do.

My head is strangely clear and focused. I turn to Draco and mutter, "Don't wait for me, I'll meet you in potions," before standing up and storming in Hermione's direction. I can hear Draco calling after me. "Pansy, that's a bad idea!" His voice is background noise, just like everything except for Hermione's infuriating giggle. That girl is screwed up and she needs to know it.

I get to the Gryffindor table and tap Hermione on her shoulder. I can tell she knows it's me because she turns around slowly with a big, smug smile on her face.

"Can I help you, Parkinson?"

"Actually, yes. Can I please speak to you outside."

"Whatever you have to say," she smirks, "you can say to me and my boyfriend."

"Actually, Granger, this particular thing can not be discussed in front of your boyfriend."

Seamus pats Hermione's lower thigh and I restrain myself from tackling him. "It's okay, babe, you can go."

Hermione rolls her eyes. She makes eye contact with me and slowly kisses his cheek, looking at me the whole time.

She gets up from the table and the two of us walk out of The Great Hall. I can feel the heat of all the eyes in Hogwarts on me and Hermione and the grand oak doors shut behind us.

"We need to talk."

"We should go somewhere a bit more private," is all she says, before leading me away.