Shake the Glitter

Malfoy waited for Pansy in the Common Room, leaned against the hard marble of the fireplace. He straightened himself up when he heard the clatter of students coming down the stairs. He craned his neck in every which way direction, trying to get a peek at the short black-haired girl.

But, she wasn't coming down. Where was she?

Malfoy spotted Millicent Bullstrode out of the crowd and made his way to her, gently grabbing her elbow and pulling her aside. "Have you seen Pansy this morning, Bullstrode?"

"No," She answered. "She wasn't in her room when I stopped by earlier. Maybe she already went down to the Great Hall?"

Malfoy nodded. "Yeah. Thanks." He turned around and ran out of the room, his shoes making a horrible cracking sound as his heel slammed against the heavy pavement. He was just about to reach the Hall when he glanced out a nearby window quickly, only for a moment, and stopped, dead in his tracks. "Pansy!" He called, even going so far as to wave his arms rabidly above his head.

Pansy was out in the courtyard, sitting by the fountain. Her head was down but by the way her shoulders were heaving and the way she shook, it was obvious she was crying. She pulled her wand out and remember her instructions -- "After Miss Quille gets the gift, wait outside of the school. I'll make sure the barrier is down and you can apparate out of there. Safe and unharmed. But, fail and you will die, Miss Parkinson. Am I Understood?".

Malfoy ran as fast as his legs would carry him, down the stairs, past the wave of students and outside into the courtyard. The muscles in his legs burned and his lungs felt as if they were going to collapse but he didn't stop moving until he was standing beside her. "Pansy," His own voice sounded foreign to him. "What are you doing? Talk to me."

Pansy rose her head, only slightly, and shook it. Her face was sullen and her eyes were sleep deprived. Her own voice raspy, as if she had been screaming all night. "There's nothing to discuss, Draco."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," She sighed, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "That it's done, now. And, I can't change that. I'm sorry."

"For Merlin's sake, Pansy," Malfoy snapped. "I'm getting really tired of your moping around bullshit, alright? Is this because of Ashley? I remember what you said last night."

Pansy's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. "Since when is she Ashley to you?"

"Since I decided I'm tired of being alone all of the time. And... And, that I love her, Pansy."

"Love," She spat the word like poison from her tongue. "You don't know what love is, Draco! I have spent years throwing myself at you, giving everything up for you, and still you treat me like I'm some imbecilic child. You don't know the first thing about love."

"Pansy," Malfoy murmured. "D-Do you love me?"

"It's too late, Draco. I'm too tired, now." Pansy stood up, pointing her wand at herself. Before she uttered the spell and left him completely helpless, she said, "You should find your so-called lover, Draco. She could use your help right about now."

And, then, she was gone.

Malfoy stood there, confused. He couldn't comprehend what had just happened. What did she mean? Where did she go? So many questions unanswered.

A blood-curdling scream tore him from his thoughts and Pansy's words haunted him.

"You should find your so-called lover, Draco. She could use your help right about now."