Colder Than Ice

Chapter Thirteen

“Listen, Paisley, please!” Neville shouted the first part but noticed that people were starring so his voice quieted down substantially.

“Your embarrassed of me. I get it. I'm not the most refined person ever.” Said Paisley, looking at her brother.

Draco, who was listening from behind a statue had stumbled upon the scene as he was looking for Neville so he could engage in his daily taunting. Draco thought that Paisley admitting that she wasn't refined, was a massive understatement.

“You could have warned me that you didn't tell your friends about me.” She said, sounding hurt and upset. Draco smirked because for once, Longbottomette didn't sound so sure of herself and confident.

“I just didn't-” Longbottom started, but his sister interrupted.

“I get it, you have a different life here, I don't need to be a part of it.” Said Paisley, turning away from her brother and nearly running down the corridor and out onto the grounds.

Neville sighed, running his hands through his greasy hair, Draco's lip curled into a sneer as he came out from behind the statue.

“So, little Longbottom didn't tell Staint Potter about his sister?” Taunted Draco, poking Neville with his slender finger. “How truly horrible of you.”

“Shove off Malfoy.” Grunted Neville, not in the mood for Draco's antics.

Draco, shoved him up against the wall, Neville whimpered as his face made a painful connection with the stone.

“Learn some respect for your superiors.” Said Draco, releasing his weight from Neville and sauntering at a leisurely pace in the direction that Paisley had gone.

“Hello, Neville.” Smiled Luna, she saw his face had fallen and he looked worn. “Floo Flies near your legs?”

“No, Luna.” Sighed Neville, “My sister found out that I didn't tell anyone about her.”

“Paisley, such a lovely girl. Play's along with all of my suggestions, a lot more patient then some, no idea why the Sorting Hat put her in Slytherin.”

Neville nodded, his sister was always caring, about everything and everyone, but she knew how to get what she wanted. She had everyone she met wrapped around her little finger. She also had a strong will, if you ever tried to tell Paisley Longbottom what to do, be prepared for the dire consequences.

“So, why didn't you tell anyone about her?” Asked Luna, trying not to pry, she noticed Pansy Parkinson and a couple of her friend bump purposefully into Neville's shoulders as they headed out to the grounds.

“I don't know really.” He said, looking directly at Luna, “She's my sister, and looking the way she does and being the way she is, of course she would be popular and be well liked. She's my best friend, I didn't want to lose her, I guess.”

Luna looked oddly at Neville, her head cocked to one side, “I don't know if you've noticed this Neville but, Paisley only has me as a friend.”

Neville mulled that thought over and smiled at Luna, before he could say thank you, Luna said,

“Your welcome, now I think I'm going to ask Blaise Zambini if he wants to help me find my shoes.” She said, skipping off the Slytherin table. Neville thought Luna to be mad, but he knew that he was mistaken, she was brave.

Paisley had wandered out to the Quidditch Pitch tears threatening to spill over. She was wandering underneath the tall stands, when she felt a sharp slick on her neck. She turned around, a saw Pansy, along with most of the female Slytherin population.

“Fancy meeting you here.” Said Paisley, trying to sound more brave than she felt, unfortunately Pansy saw the tears welling in her eyes and smiled.

“Poor baby, pressures of not being good enough for the Slytherin house finally getting to you?” She said, earning a very undeserved laugh from the fifteen to twenty girls that stood behind her.

“No, your face is hurting my eyes.” Paisley smirked, regretting it as soon as Pansy sent another slicing spell at her face, there was now blood oozing from a deep gash under her eye.

“Time to teach Longbottomette a lesson in respect, ladies.” She spat, readying her wand, the girls behind her did the same, all advancing on Paisley.

“Buggering hell.” She muttered, also drawing her wand. If she was going down, she was going down with a fight, a fight worthy of Dumbledore.

Draco convinced himself that he wasn't looking for Longbottomette, he was simply looking to find Crabbe so he could beat him to a pulp for eating the sweets his mom sent him from her visit to Paris.

“Draco, come sit with me by the lake.” Said Pansy coming up from behind him.

“I have other matters to attend to, Parkinson.” He drawled, turning his attention away from her.

“She doesn't want you, she never will. I'm standing right here.” Screeched Pansy, gripping Draco's arm. He turned to her with a withering glare and she retracted her arm. “My father and your father are close Draco.”

“Pansy, leave me. Now!” His voice held so much power and authority, she cowered and ran, calling over her shoulder.

“You won't want her after you see what I've done to her.”

Draco was confused, 'what I've done to her?'

His eyes widened as he ran to where he first saw Pansy, brushing off many attempts to get his attention. Girls were upset that he didn't chose one of them this morning at breakfast. Bulstrode was a horrible mess, crying and screaming because she thought Draco stood her up, which he did pretty much.

Near the Quidditch stands there were a group of twenty or so Slytherin girls all pointing their wands at something.

“Shite!” He yelled, sprinting over to the group demanding them to leave.

Some of them said Pansy told them not to stop until she came back, and that every Slytherin went through initiation. He bellowed at them, and they scurried, he aimed curses at the ones who kicked the unconscious form of Paisley as they went.

He slowly looked her over, there was so much blood on her face he could hardly see any of her features, there were deep gashes on her cheeks. Her arms were twisted in awkward ways as well as her legs, she was stripped of all her clothes, the sight of her bloody as bruised almost made him shed a tear.

He picked her up after chivalrously removing his robe and placing it on her exposed body. He ran to the hospital wing.

Pansy Parkinson had gone too far this time. By why on Merlin's grave was he acting this way to a Longbottom.

Maybe it was because she was a Slytherin? If it was any other person, he would have laughed, aimed a hex, and left to throw rocks at the Giant squid.