Periods at Hogwarts

Pansy Parkinson

It was a winter's day in January 1993, and Pansy, Blaise and Draco were sitting at the great hall eating dinner, when Pansy felt her stomach ache - again. She'd had these random stomach aches for the last few days, usually in Snape's class, but had been ignoring it. But this time, she couldn't. The pain was just too strong. Pansy tried to contain the pain to her inside thoughts, and quickly ate her dinner. She was finished in a flash, but stayed seated, making sure to wait for the boys. Draco and Blaise were taking their sweet time, so Pansy shouted ''Will you two hurry up? We don't have all day!'' This made Draco jump, spilling his pumpkin juice all over his white school shirt. ''My god flower, what's wrong with you?'' Blaise said, raising one eyebrow jokingly seductively and grabbing Pansy's hand. ''My god, get off you prick!'' Pansy bellowed, shoving Blaise's hand away from her, causing an audience. Draco stood up, ''I'm finished, so can we go now?'' he began to walk away, followed by Pansy and Blaise. Pansy took over the boys, walking down the corridor, down the stairs and through the dungeons.

They were about to get into the Slytherin common room, when Draco noticed something. His face went red, and his eyes grew wide. ''Pansy....'' Draco began, noticing Pansy turn around, ''I think you're....dying''. Pansy turned around, terror painting her face. ''Oh my merlin.'' Blaise said, backing away from the girl slowly, making sure to be as quiet as possible. ''BLAISE, PANSY'S DYING, AND ALL YOUR GOING TO DO IS SAY THAT?!'' Draco paused for a break, ''WE NEED TO GET HELP, MAYBE PROFESSOR SNAPE?'' Blaise eyes widened in panic, ''Yes, let's get Snape!'' He knew Snape could help, plus, the professor always favoured his Slytherins. The trio ran into the common room, heading for the professor's office, and once they got there Pansy hesitated. ''I don't want to know if I'm dying, isn't that just worse?'' She said, trying to seem smart. ''Just shut up, let's go'' Blaise answered, pushing her into the office where her professor was sitting grading papers.

Snape heard the door slam open, lifting up his head from the papers. ''My slytherins, what brings you here tonight?'' He murmured, but clearly enough so they could hear him.

''Sir,pansysbleedinganditsalloverherskirtandimprettysureshesgonnadie'' Draco blurted, too quick for anyone other than Blaise, who was standing next to him, to hear him. ''Pardon, Dragon?'' Snape tried to recall what the boy had said, but he couldn't understand him.

Blaise stepped in, ''Draco said that Pansy's bleeding, it's all over her skirt and we're pretty sure she's gonna die.''

Snape face relaxed, he tried to comfort the girl ''Can you show me, flower?''

Pansy turned around, revealing the red stain on the back of her skirt, and Snape's face let out a slight smile. ''Flower, you're blooming, so to speak''

Pansy's cheeked turned a pale shade of red and she realised what was going on, ''Oh''

Snape smiled again, ''So, by that, I'm going to take that you're mother has told you about this''

Pansy's cheeks went redder ''Yeah, she has'' her eyebrows narrowed in frustration ''Maybe I would've know that if you hadn't freaked me out about it!''

Draco started up too ''Well I'm sorry, but what if you actually were dying. Huh? What then!''

Snape stood up, ''Children, there will be no fighting in my office!''

''Sorry professor'' Pansy, Blaise and Draco apologised in unicen.

'''Right, Pansy, if you need any feminine products, just go to the lavatory over there, and there should be some right under the sink'' Snape said, gesturing to the bathroom at the other end of his office.

Pansy smiled softly at her professor ''Thank you, professor.''

''You're welcome flower''

Pansy scurried across the room, quickly making her way to the bathroom on the other side. Blaise and Draco were still in shock, knowing that their best friend was making her way into womanhood. They still couldn't believe it, Blaise felt a little bad for stressing her out before, and was going to apologise until they heard an ''Ow!'' from the other side of the room.

''Pansy!'' the boys shouted, getting up and rushing to the locked bathroom.

Snape came too, just after the boys ''Flower, whatever is the matter?''

''Uh, I don't think I'm doing this right'' Pansy broke out into gentle sobs, she couldn't help it. She was trying to act brave in front of the boys, but she was too overwhelmed.

Snape was surprisingly good at being comforting when he needed to, and so he said ''Flower, I know, it's hard. But it's normal, and I am here for you.''

''Thanks professor, I really needed that'' Pansy, thankful for her professor's unexpected help. ''Oh, look, I found the instructions!'' Pansy opened the pamphlet in her hands, scanning through it and looking for the English part. She was surprised that there wasn't a magical way to put on pads, since witches had had to deal with this for many years. Soon enough, she had slipped the pad on and emerged from the bathroom, surprised to see that the 2 boys were sitting at the table, Draco's pale cheeks turning a reddish pink colour. He placed his head against the table, hoping Pansy hadn't seen, but she definitely had. Pansy's eyes were still watery and it definitely looked like she had been crying. She went to sit down, but instead of sitting at the table with the others, had decided to lay on the sofa next to the bathroom door.

''It hurts'' Pansy said, rolling around trying to find a comfortable position to lay in. ''It hurts!''

''Calm down, Flower. It will hurt, that's just how it is.'' Snape answered, in a soft tone that nobody had heard before.

''I know, but it's horrible'' Pansy wined, she didn't like this at all.

Snape had an idea. ''Here, flower'' He took a potion out of his pouch, and gave it to the girl ''this will help with the stomach ache'' Pansy drank the potion quickly, getting back to her lying position on the sofa, still holding her stomach. ''How long will it take to set in?'' She moaned at her professor, making sure to be extra loud so he could hear her.

''Flower, let me take you to the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey will be able to help you more than I can'' Snape said, picking up Pansy and carrying her to the infirmary.

The door shut, and Draco's head came up from the table. His face was very red, and Blaise burst into laughter at the sight of it. ''I can tell you don't have any sisters'' Blaise giggled, but Draco just went redder. ''Shut up!'' Draco shouted, too embarrassed to say anything else. ''Fine, grumpy'' Blaise replied, ''Hey, I think you're going through puberty, Malfoy'' Blaise jokes, once again bursting into laughter. Draco's face went back to it's normal colour, until that sentence was said, and he replied ''So what if I am, is it any of your business?''