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Chapter 14 Aftermath
Pansy was in a foul mood. Malfoy had tricked her, and the worst part was that it involved another girl. And not just any girl, but a mudblood, the type she despised most.
Her mood was so sour that she skipped the Halloween feast entirely. She sat alone in the Slytherin girls' dorm, sulking, poking holes into a poor quill on her desk until it was almost bald.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone rapped on the door in a rushed, urgent rhythm.
I'm not accepting an apology that easily, Pansy thought. Still, she got up unwillingly, wiped the anger off her face, and replaced it with a cold, collected look. Principles were principles. He wasn't getting off that easy.
She also completely forgot that boys couldn't enter the girls' dorm.
When she opened the door, the first thing she saw was a pair of big front teeth.
A demonstration? Pansy's face went even colder. The apology she had imagined turned into the last person she wanted to see.
"Mud—" She was about to spit the word when Hermione cut her off sharply.
"Dr— Draco went after the troll alone to find you." Hermione spoke between breaths, clearly having run all the way there.
"What does that have to do with me?" Pansy tried to keep a straight face, though she felt her heart jolt.
"It's a troll." Hermione gestured wildly. "They're huge, stupid, violent. A first year can't fight one. I noticed you weren't at the feast, and Draco looked awful. Then Professor Quirrell burst in yelling about a troll, and Malfoy's face changed. He bolted."
"How do you know he went to find me?" Pansy's voice wavered. She was already eighty percent convinced, but she tried to hold her ground.
Hermione stared at her, furious. "If not for you, then who? Crabbe and Goyle?"
"I'm going to get Professor McGonagall. Wait here." Hermione spun around, clearly done with her attitude.
"Maybe he just wants attention," Pansy muttered weakly, but her feet had already started moving. She followed Hermione.
What an embarrassment, she thought as she trailed behind. This is entirely your fault, Malfoy. You'd better be alive.
But beneath the irritation, worry tugged at her chest. And sweetness, annoyingly enough. He took such a stupid risk for me. If he's fine, I'll forgive him.
They found Professor McGonagall and rushed to explain. Hermione spoke calmly, giving clear directions. Pansy, on the other hand, fell apart the moment she reached the hall. The fear in the air got to her. Her eyes reddened as she imagined Malfoy crushed under a troll's club. McGonagall had to spend several minutes calming her down.
And now, after all that panic, she stood staring at Malfoy alive and well. And standing with another girl. A girl whose figure, annoyingly, seemed even better than hers.
Pansy felt like her earlier worry had just been fed to the dogs.
"Thank you for your help," Cho Chang said quickly to Malfoy, sensing the tension. She bowed politely and hurried away.
Silence.
Strike first. Always strike first. Malfoy stepped forward and gently patted Pansy's head. "I'm glad you're safe."
People understood each other better the longer they stuck together, and after years of dealing with her, Malfoy had Pansy's personality down to a single word: tsundere. Sharp tongue, quick temper, quick to cool off.
Hermione, on the other hand, didn't look it on the surface, but in her areas of expertise she was even prouder, and hated being doubted. He had seen that firsthand during the earlier fight with Harry and Ron.
"I… I haven't forgiven you yet. Let go," Pansy whispered.
The dynamic had flipped. She had come to rescue him, yet somehow she was the one being comforted. She wasn't going to let him off without a punishment.
"Ow—" Malfoy sucked in a breath as Pansy suddenly bit his shoulder. His hand loosened in surprise.
"That's your punishment. Since you risked your life for me, I'll forgive you." She flashed her perfect white teeth, pretending to act proud.
"I swear, if you ever become an Animagus, you're turning into a dog," Malfoy muttered, rubbing his shoulder.
Pansy glared again.
"Alright, alright. I'm done." Malfoy lifted his hands in surrender.
"Let's go back to the feast," he said. "The smell here is awful."
Pansy gave a tiny nod.
The troll incident was over. But for Malfoy, the real ordeal had only just begun. Back in the Great Hall, he endured Pansy's relentless questioning through the rest of the banquet. Forgiven did not mean spared.
By the time the feast ended, Malfoy was exhausted. Too much had happened in a single night.
Tsundere girls were exhausting.
That was Malfoy's last thought as he collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
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