Archive of Our Own ^beta

Parties, in theory, were meant to be a time of fun.  Pansy knew this, and was normally one to enjoy a good cocktail party, but that was very hard to do when she was forced to watch her very private girlfriend on the arm of some random Gryffindor boy.  It was nearly disrespectful, and Pansy was far from pleased… but not annoyed enough to not stir up some trouble for her lover.

“Granger.  You’re looking… nice this evening.”  Pansy mumbled as she relaxed beside Hermione on the wall, taking another sip from her drink and Hermione raised an eyebrow at her, as if shocked they were speaking.  Merlin, this bit was getting old.

“Oh.  Uh… so are you?”  Hermione said, her tone questioning at the end, and Pansy arched her eyebrow at the Gryffindor.

“Was that a question?”  Pansy asked, and Hermione was quick to shake her head and give her an apologetic glance.

“No, you do look lovely.”  Hermione insisted, and Pansy rolled her eyes, downing the rest of her drink as she did.

“Then say it as a statement, Merlin.”  Pansy breathed, and Hermione’s look was quick to turn annoyed, clearly not having Pansy’s attitude.
“What's your problem?”  Hermione asked, and Pansy let out a humorless laugh.  What was her problem ?  Well, Hermione was in for quite a treat if she wanted to know that.  She could go on and on about what her problem was tonight.

“Well, I’ve got this dilemma, you see.  My girlfriend decided to go to this party with some stupid, meatheaded jock and I’m stuck on Blaise Zabini’s arm because he gave me a pity invite.”  Pansy sighed and Hermione let out a long breath as she trained her eyes on the ground.

“Well, it sounds like maybe your girlfriend didn’t have a choice.”  Hermione said quietly, clearly embarrassed that Pansy was bringing this up somewhere so public, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“Oh, she had a choice all right, I just wasn’t ever it which is quite funny because I fooled myself into thinking I was, but no.  First she chose Ronald Weasley and then when he became unavailable, she picked her current date.”  Pansy said cooly, and Hermione gave her a look and reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, which Pansy was quick to shake off, not looking at Hermione.  She knew that if she saw hurt in her eyes she might end up apologizing by the end of the night and that wasn’t what she wanted to do.

“Pansy-.”  Hermione tried, but Pansy shook her head.  She didn’t want it to be fixed or for Hermione to talk to her until it was better, she was just bitter and annoyed.

“I’m fine.”  She snapped and Hermione let out a huff of frustration.  Good, now both of their nights could be ruined.

“Clearly you’re not, so how about you meet me in the washroom in five minutes.”  Hermione hissed quietly and Pansy chewed on her lip, debating saying no, but she really did want to talk to Hermione without anyone watching them.

“... Fine.”  She mumbled, and waited for Hermione to make it out the door before she pushed off the wall to follow.

“Where are you off to?”  Blaise asked, and Pansy jumped.  For such a tall man, he sure did walk quietly.

“Washroom.”  Pansy said curtly, and he cocked his head as his eyes followed Hermione’s retreating frame.

“Trouble in paradise?”  He asked, quiet enough that no one else at the party could hear him.  And despite his teasing tone, Pansy knew he was genuinely asking.  She had no clue, none.  She could leave this party incredibly happy, or broken up with and very heartbroken, only time would tell.

“One never knows, Blaise.”  Pansy sighed

“Best of luck with your lioness.”  Blaise murmured, giving her a quick peck on the crown of her head.

“Thanks.”  She sighed, and made her way towards the washroom.  For a moment she debated just going back to her dorm and having a smoke, but decided against it.  As frustrated as she was, she really did want to talk this through.

“Good.  I wasn’t sure if you’d show.”  Hermione said, sounding relieved when Pansy finally opened the door.  She rolled her eyes but did allow Hermione to press a quick kiss to her lips.  Not too long though, she didn’t want to lose her focus or any of her argument points.

“Of course I’m going to show.”  Pansy sighed.

“Okay. Now. Why are you so mad right now, this was always the agreement.  The point of a secret relationship is that it's a secret.”  Hermione reminded her and Pansy rolled her eyes.  The secret relationship had been Hermione’s idea, it was less reckless, Pansy wasn’t as likely to get disowned, and it gave Hermione time to warm the boys up to the idea of her dating her ex bully.  But Pansy was done .

“I don’t want it to be!  I never did, you’re the one who's scared of what your friends are going to think… and my parents, and that one is completely fair but if I get in trouble I will handle it.  You’re being a coward.”  Pansy spat, and she didn’t like the look of hurt that was in Hermione’s eyes, but she couldn’t stop herself.

“Well-.”  Hermione tried, and Pansy held up a finger to keep her quiet.  She was far from done.

“Which I think is quite ironic  considering which one of us is a Gryffindor.  My friends already know.  And they don’t care.”  Pansy pointed out, and Hermione gave her a look like she’d just divulged some kind of national secret, not talked about something important to her in the comfort of her own dorm away from prying eyes.

“You told them?”  Hermione asked, and Pansy nodded.  Slytherins could be very discreet if told to be by someone they respected.

“Had to tell Blaise, he wouldn’t leave me alone about why I was crying, that's why I got this invite in the first place.”  Pansy sighed, and Hermione gave her a bizarre look, as if what she’d said didn’t make perfect sense.  It did.  Pansy knew that for a fact.

“Why would you do that?”  Hermione hissed and Pansy shrugged.  Because she was complete and utter shit at keeping anything a goddamn secret any more.

“What's the worst thing that happens if someone finds out?”  Pansy asked and Hermione shrugged, chewing on her lip.  Pansy knew that wasn’t a fair question, fear wasn’t rational, but she couldn’t stop herself from asking that.

“I don’t know!  I’m just scared.”  Hermione said, and Pansy nodded, taking Hermione’s hand in both of hers and bringing it to her lips, hoping to soothe the other witch.  It had very little effect, sadly.

“So am I!  But… being with you makes it worth it, and you make me happy… happy in a way I never thought I could deserve.  And I just want the entire world to know that, because it seems like too good a thing to keep secret.”  Pansy admitted and then there was quiet.  Oh.  This was the first time she was being this open about this in a place that wasn’t one of their dorms.  Good.  Maybe now Hermione would realize that she was serious.

“I make you happy?”  Hermione asked, and Pansy chuckled and shook her head.  For such a smart witch Hermione could act so damn daft.

“Merlin, Granger… yes .  You do.  You make me stupidly happy, it’s actually quite annoying.”  Pansy sighed, her cheeks hot at that admittance.  It wasn’t anything that she hadn’t said before, in the private of one of their beds with the curtains pulled, nestled together under a blanket.  But this felt different.  It felt more real, and it seemed like Hermione felt that too as she nodded and took a deep breath, stealing another kiss from Pansy before speaking.

“Well… maybe we could start by just telling Harry and Ron… and if they take it well and don’t hex you or something -which I don’t think they’ll do, but you can never be too careful-, it doesn’t have to be a secret anymore.  How does that sound?”  Hermione asked, and Pansy tried her best to keep her smile tamed down to a smirk as she nodded.  Can’t look too eager and risk Hermione getting a big head over this, no.  She’d present as barely interested.

“I’d like that.”  Pansy said, and Hermione seemed to physically relax when she said that.  Was she honestly worried that Pansy was going to say no ?  To something she’d pushed for?  Ridiculous, maybe that was why Hermione hadn’t ended up in Ravenclaw, she sometimes lacked the street smarts to go along with her booksmarts.

“Brilliant.  Astronomy tower, noon, tomorrow.”  Hermione breathed, and Pansy nodded.  Perfect.

“Absolutely.”  She said, and pulled Hermione in for one last kiss before letting the Gryffindor go.  How dare she keep a member of the Slug Club from their party?

“Oh, and Pansy?”  Hermione asked, holding the washroom door open for a moment as Pansy glanced up at her.

“Yeah?”  She asked, and Hermione gave her a large smile.

“You really do look lovely.  Stunning even, love.”  Hermione said quietly before letting the door swing shut behind her, leaving Pansy alone in the washroom, ending the night much more at peace than she had begun it.  She’d make sure to fill Blaise in later, and thank him for the invite even if it was out of pity.