Too Much?

20

It was Draco who got up first taking a deep breath as he did so. "Let's go now," he said, picking up the rest of the spellbooks and tossing them into the chest where the boggart has been. "It's an hour past curfew already."

Pansy remained crouched in her seat, wiping her face with her sleeves. She looks away from Draco and keeps her head low so he wouldn't see her face. Draco, on the other hand, clicked his tongue in annoyance and held her by the arm to lift her up to her feet. "Get up!"

Pansy stood up and resumed in wiping her face with her head down. Draco watched her repugnantly. "You don't have a towel or anything?"

She shook her head and sniffed. Draco looked more annoyed than before as he took a small handkerchief from his inside pockets and handed it to her exasperatedly. "Here. Clean your face up-what would I look like walking in the corridor with you coming off like that?"

Pansy accepted the handkerchief and used it to wipe her face more properly without a word. He patiently waited her to finish, although with a nasty grimace. When she was done, however, she looked up at him in cue and he immediately turned his back to leave. "Come on, then. And you don't have to return that-I don't need it anymore."

They left the classroom and proceeded to Snape's office; Draco leading the way as Pansy followed him quietly. When they reached it, however, Snape is nowhere to be found.

"What?" whispered Draco furiously. "Don't tell me we have to wait here until he comes back?!"

"You don't have to, if you hate it that much."

They both glanced around consciously to look for the owner of the voice, and they saw Bloody Baron floating around the corner gloomily. "I saw him leave, and I can tell him you're already finished," he continued.

Draco missed a beat. "Where is he?"

"In the forest. You can see him from the window here, if you desire for the details," replied the ghost, inclining his head shortly at the window behind him. Draco walked towards it and Pansy, who's distress was suddenly replaced with curiosity, followed him.

Indeed, they saw the tall figure of Snape in his usual black robes down the forest, although he could hardly be seen in the night. What's more interesting is that he's talking to a silver-bearded wizard with half-moon spectacles, and they somehow appear to be in a row-as Snape is flapping and gesturing his arms wildly.

"It looks like what I think it is, isn't it?" said the Baron from behind them. Pansy was the only one who turned her head to face him, and he gave her a meaningful smile.

"Let's go now," said Draco after moments, bustling past the ghost and leaving the office way before Pansy could even start thinking what might Snape and Dumbledore be talking about. She hastily followed him silently, and chose not to talk to him until they reached the common room again.

..

March moved in before anyone could notice it, and the first news Pansy has heard in the month was the cancellation of the next Hogsmeade visit.

"Too much to look forward to," said Pansy sarcastically as she scowled at the sign bearing the announcement. "Another exciting event as the Apparition Class with that dunghead."

The next Apparition lessons proved to be more difficult; several students has splinched themselves including Gregory Goyle and Emily Whortswaggen which caused Pansy to fear more in trying. The students are becoming more hopeless as well, considering that the Apparition exam would be held in no time this month.

Pansy also received no news from her father, and the Daily Prophet is filled with news of more disappearances. Lord Addington's uncle was one, and his parents are planning to pull him out of Hogwarts. Lord is a sixth year like Pansy and is one of Slytherin's outstanding students.