It Started With an Insult (Hermione x Pansy Parkinson)

Womanly Emergencies

"Granger?"

Granger, wearing Mrs. Patil's appearance, squirmed uncomfortably. Although she knew she had been caught, she didn't confirm nor deny her true identity. I narrowed my eyes at her, smirking slightly.

"Well well, Granger, what a surprising situation..." I smiled at her teasingly. "Poor Parvati nearly thought her mum had followed her to school... I must say, you had me convinced you were a middle aged witch in that potions shop...how did you do it?" I watched as Granger panicked silently, my teasing grin growing by the second. For once, I had been the one to catch her in an embarrassing situation. My heart fluttered in my chest at the thought of the power I now held over her.

"I- I don't know what you're talking about." She responded, causing me to roll my eyes. Her voice was deeper than I was used to, and it threw me off guard a bit.

"Oh please, Granger, I've found you out. Give up the act." I watched as Granger sighed in defeat,  her middle aged appearance contrasting with the youthful manner in which she carried herself.

We were standing in a small alley, around the back of The Three Broomsticks. I raised my eyebrows at her questioningly, waiting for her so say something, anything. "How... how did you know its me?" She questioned, and although her eyes were a different shade of brown than usual, and her skin was much older and much more creased, I could still make out her distinct facial expression. She was so... recognizable, even in a body that didn't belong to her.

I smiled softly, faking sweetness. "Oh Granger, you're just so recognizable..." I smirked at her, not even trying to hide my amusement. My smirk slowly faded into a frown as I realized how much effort Granger had been putting into beating me at our competition.

Granger gulped nervously, unsure of what to say. I found myself feeling slightly infuriated that I hadn't thought about transforming myself into an older witch in order to obtain the unattainable moonstone powder. She still hadn't answered my question. How had she transformed herself? And why had she chosen Parvati Patil's mother's appearance to take after?

"So? You never answered the question... how?" I pressed. My eyes took in her new appearance, drifting to the leather satchel she carried, and I presumed that what where she had placed the moonstone powder.

"Polyjuice potion, Parvati keeps one of her mothers blouses in her trunk to hold when she feels homesick, and I... well, I found one of her mum's hairs on it." Granger admitted hurriedly, biting her lip, her sheepish demeanor looked irregular on the face of Parvati Patil's mother. I did my best to mask my astonishment.

I couldn't imagine brewing a potion as complicated as the polyjuice potion, even if I had agreed to create amortentia to prove to Granger that blood had everything to do with magical ability. I suddenly felt a forceful wave of insecurity. Granger had brewed the polyjuice potion for the first time in her second year, who was I to think I could even compete? I would only make a fool out of myself. I swallowed the saliva that had built up in my throat.

My breath slowed as the realization that I would most likely fail the competition. How could I have been stupid enough to agree to Granger's bloody proposition? Some of my concern must have been evident on my face, because Granger was now peering at me curiously.

"Pansy? Are you feeling alright?" She asked. I scoffed at her concern, forcing myself to wipe the panic from my face. I wasn't accustomed to being so easy to read...

"Im fine, Granger." I responded, annoyed at how she seemed to be reading my features so easily. It was then that a thought occurred to me. "I'm fine, Granger... but are you? The potion's not supposed to fade for a few hours..." I recalled what I had read in Most Potente Potions, and checked my wrist watch, "And by then the castle gates will be shut." I frowned at her, wondering how she planned to sneak her way into the castle while looking the way she did.