Hey guys, I'm sorry for the delay!

I'm moving in two weeks and have my parents wedding in the end of this week so things are kind of crazy right now.
This story will not end yet and I have no intention to do that so early, but the updates will take sometime sorry :(

I hope you enjoy this new chapter, its longer and a bit emotional.

Once again sorry for any mistakes, is English is not my first language.

Hermione POV

At the top of my mind I could remember several times were I've put myself in impossible situations and still was able to overcome whatever was thrown at me, but this, this was something else.

After pulling Parkinson to the couch, all my bravery decided to leave me and I froze on the spot next to her in the couch.

I was sure that she would make some remark about it, but instead she just made herself comfortable beside me.

She levitated a coffee table that was in the corner of the room just, so she could put her feet up while she eat one of Malfoy's cookies.

Part of me wanted to say something, to tell her to keep her feet of the table, but I couldn't, my voice seemed to be trapped inside my mind, and that was starting to make me panic.

My heart was beginning to speed up, and I was trying so hard to not lose control that I barely registered that she was talking to me before her hand caught me off guard.

My mouth was so dry that was difficult to talk, so I just made a humming sound in acknowledgment.

She didn't seem to mind for my lack of words, choosing to simply repeat herself.

"Draco's mom used to bake these for us when we are little and had a hard day like this, she said that it was special and that one bite would be sufficient to make everything right." She said with a smile, while offering one to me. "I used to think that she baked them with some kind of potion, because every time they worked." She took a bite of her own cookie before finishing. "Later I've found out that the only special ingredient in these cookies had was love, and for some reason they just got better."

I smiled at her story, before I knew I was even put my own feet on the coffee table.

"Oh my, what would the people say? Hermione Granger relaxing." She said to me with amusement.

"They would probably ask why you're with me in the first place." I replied smirking at her and taking a bite of the cookie. She was right, they did make things better.

"Yeah." She paused. "Why am I here Hermione?" I didn't have a good answer for that.

I picked up my mug from the ground and took a big sip of the chocolate before answering. "I didn't want to be alone." I said as if it was that simple.

"Well I am a good company, so I can understand where are you coming from." She replied with a shrug making me giggle.

We stayed there in silence for a while, eating cookies and watching the fire. It was weird how comfortable the situation was.

Parkinson pulled her wand, and started to play with a flame, making it dance in front of us.

The whole thing was beautiful, her movements are delicate and precise, it showed how confident she was in her abilities. But all things must come to an end, the flames stopped dancing, and she used them to ask me a question.

"Have seen it?" It spelled.

First I found funny why she was choosing to ask me like that, but after a quick thought I understood.

"Not yet." I whispered.

With a swirl of her wand, the flame changed the words. "Why?"

It was my turn to shrug. "I don't know exactly." Taking a deep breath I allowed myself to say what I felt. "It doesn't feel right to be doing something like that, don't get me wrong, a great part of me wants to see, to get my answers and move forward, but the other part doesn't think is fair and is very afraid to what's comes next."

She put her cold hand on mine, and locked our eyes. "What if what's coming next is better?"

"What if is not?" I asked frowning, while I held back my tears.

Her hand went to my face. "What if it is?" She replied with a kind smile.

That simple phrase gave me the courage to take the next step.

"Accio." I said pointing my wand to the Gryffindor stair.

The vial didn't take long to reach us and I hesitated for a second before taking it in my hands.

"Will you go with me?" I asked looking at her.

She exhaled loudly and groaned, before getting up and extending her hand at me.

"You ask a lot Granger, let's get this sorted out already." I only smiled and took her hand, the cold in them surprised me once again given our proximity to the fire.

We are already far away from the dorms before I realized that I had no idea where we are going to.

"Do you know where we are going?" I whispered.

She huffed at me before replying. "Weren't you supposed to be the brights witch of our age? Why I'm the one with a plan here?"

That earned her a slap in the stomach.

"No need to be aggressive woman! We are here." She stopped in front of a wall and I could feel my face heating up from embarrassment.

The room of requirements of course, where else would we go? Not the principal office that's obvious, what would we even say if McGonagall caught us.

The door appeared and we entered the room.

A pensive lied in the middle, it's light illuminating the room softly.

"Go on them." Parkinson said.

Her hands are in her pockets, and she seemed to be looking for an excuse to leave.

"Will you stay?" I knew by now how selfish I was being, and part of me was very sorry for it.

She let out another deep breath and closed her eyes.

The room soon responded to her wishes and a big couch appeared.

She laid on it and waved me off with her hand. "Now go Granger, we don't have all night."

I nodded smiling at her, and made my way to the pensive.

I took a big breath before pouring the memory into the pensive and submerging my head on it.

The first thing that I noticed was how dark the room was, it clearly showed by the sun coming from the windows that it was day time, but that didn't seem to matter much. The whole room had seemed to block any kind of warmth.

A giggle followed by footsteps drew my attention and I saw a little girl running, Pansy looked so happy that I couldn't stop myself from smiling, she seemed to be about 4 years old and her black hair was so long that it covered her eyes.

A beautiful woman dressed in a purple dress was right behind her. Her white skin shined from the lack of sun and contrasted with the gold of her eyes.

The sound of a broken jar pulled my attention from whom I assumed was Pansy's mom.

Pansy had tears flowing from her face, she was surrounded by pieces of glass and even though her mom said calming things to her, it didn't help calm her down from her desperation, in fact she started to shiver and I couldn't understand that type of reaction.

She came from a wizard's home, broken things could be fixed with the simple wave of a wand.

A shadow behind us eclipsed the little light that dared enter the room. A tall man with sharp black eyes hovered over them, his lips tightly pressed together in a thin line.

"What are you doing?" He asked, I wasn't quite sure who he was addressing, but his voice made me shiver.

"I'm sorry husband, we got a little excited, but is no problem I-" Her words are cut with a loud and strong slap that made her fall into the pieces of glass, making Pansy jump slightly and me move forward to try to help her, but I had no power here.

"You are to speak only when I allow. Do I make myself clear?" His eyes stayed in Pansy's mom for a minute before going back to Pansy.

"I will repeat myself only one more time child. What are you doing?"

Pansy was still frozen in her spot, her big eyes fixed at his form while tears streamed down her face.

"ANSWER ME!" He screamed making her jump.

"I-I'm sorry father, I was playing with mommy and accidentally bumped into the jar. I didn't mean to, please!" She looked so desperate that it broke my heart, her eyes went to the floor and her whole frame was trembling.

His face twitched into a frown and the cold in his voice made me shiver once again.

"What have I told you about what happens to wild flowers Pansy?"

I tried to stop him once again when I saw he raise his wand at her, but I was only a passerby and could only watch idle while Pansy's father used the cruciatus curse on her.

Her screams echoed so loudly that I had to muffle my ears.

The memory changed and so did the room, to my surprise, this one I knew well.

Malfoy's manor still haunted my dreams and being here, even in a memory, did not make me feel any better.

"Ah, the Parkinson's how wonderful is to receive you at our home, please allow me to introduce you to my family Kevin." I had forgotten how irritating Lucius Malfoy voice was. "This is my wife Narcissa and my son Draco." He finished pointing to young Draco, this one didn't have a smug face like the one we meet on our first year in Hogwarts and looked much younger too.

"Thank you for welcoming us in your lovely home, a pleasure to make your acquaintances." Pansy's father, Kevin, said with a bow. "This is my wife Georgia and my daughter Pansy." He introduced them with a kind smile that almost fooled me, but I could see the lack of warmth in his actions.

"Nonsense, the pleasure is all ours!" Said Lucius. "Draco why don't you show Pansy our beautiful garden? No need to keep you children bored with our pleasantries." He gave Draco a pointed look before he could even whiny and motioned him to go.

"Of course father." Draco offered Pansy his hand, but she hesitated for a moment to look at her father for authorization, he made sure to smile back and nod.

The two of them left the room but I choose to stay behind and see their conversation.

Pansy's father dropped his kind smile and his whole demeanor changed.

"What do you want Malfoy? I'm a busy man." Kevin said with disdain, his sharp eyes fixed on Lucius.

"No need to be so stern Kevin, we are between friends after all…" Lucius replied walking them to the couch. "And as friends I believe that it would be most valuable if we are to tie our two families together, Pansy and Draco are to start Hogwarts in a couple of years and I think they would benefit of this...partnership." He finished with a smile.

"And what have you to offer me? The Nott's have already made me a similar proposition and I must admit that I feel more inclined to them." That seemed to strike a nerve on Lucius because his eyebrow twitched, and he ran a hand through his hair.

"Please, have you seen their son? The boy looks like he could break with the pass of wind. I'm offering you a son-in-law that will be able to live up to our families name! Draco has already shown proficiency in potions and mostly important, he will inherit the Malfoy's influence, something that you could benefit from." Kevin stayed in silence, and with that note Narcissa made the last argument.

"Besides, look how beautiful they look together Georgia." She said directly at Pansy's mom and pointed to the window before addressing Pansy's father. "They would make beautiful, strong children Kevin just imagine." She finished smiling.

Now that sparked Pansy's father interest, he agreed to the Malfoy's proposition, firming Pansy and Draco union.

He then called Pansy back and soon they've left Malfoy manor.

Pansy's mom broke the silence to ask for permission to speak.

"Go to your room child." Kevin said to Pansy, before allowing her.

"I know you have our best interests in mind husband, but is necessary to give the hand of our daughter so soon? She's so young." She said so quietly, so submissively that it broke my heart.

"She's mine to use as I please and you should remind yourself that. Her position in life is your own fault, your only job was to give me a male heir, but she was the best you could do!" He sneered at her face before wanking her hair and throwing her on the floor.

"STOP!" Pansy's voice came from around the corner, and I was again broken by how helpless she looked. "Please father, I will do whatever you want just don't hurt mother." She begged.

"Crucio." Was his only reply.

I had to avert my eyes from Pansy's form, I couldn't take seeing her writhing in agony on the floor.

"You will do whatever I want regardless of anything child. You are mine!"

Her next memory was at her 11th birthday, her mother surprised her with a tiny cake in the bed and the promise of a good day. They left shortly afterwards and went shopping in the Diagon Alley, it was wonderful seeing her reaction to every store they went to while picking her school supplies, she was happy and carefree.

Their last store was Ollivanders and it didn't take long for Pansy find her wand, she looked so proud of herself, swing her around giggling like the child that she was, but her mother wasn't so happy anymore, she looked more pale than normal.

It was just then that I noticed she was looking at the time.

"Pansy, I'm sorry, but we have to go little blossom, we are already late for your party." Georgia said in a hurried tone.

Pansy's demeanor changed instantly while she took hold of her mother's hand, so they could apparate home.

Georgia hushed her upstairs, so she may change herself and went the opposite side.

Pansy's father was outside overseeing the decorations of the party, and didn't even bother acknowledging Georgia when he went to report their arrival.

"I will deal with your incompetence later, our guests are about to arrive, make sure Pansy's ready." His cold tone again made me shiver, not once I saw him show any kind of love for either of them, only indifference and rage.

Pansy came downstairs in a green dress that she wasn't so comfortable in it by the look of her face.

"Sorry for my delay father." She greeted him it a bow.

He took hold of her face, analyzing it before releasing it with a frown. "It seems this will have to do, our guests have arrived." As he finished talking, their garden began to fill with pure-blood families.

Malfoy, Greengrass, Bulstrode, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle and many other families attended Pansy's birthday party.

Her father made sure to have her by his side the entire day, making her interact with every one of them, which she didn't disappoint.

She was delivering the perfect image of a pure-blood witch, she knew how to say the right things at the right times and how to say the perfect amount to inflate the ego of those present.

For a moment I thought that her father was proud of her, that this would be a good memory, one that would end with a silly birthday song and a good night kiss, but things don't go how we wish them to go.

The children began to ask Pansy to show her wand and that caught the adult's attention.

Soon enough Pansy was surrounded by the guests and pinned on the spot by her father gaze.

She was nervous, the hand tightly holding the wand, was rigid and shaking, it was nothing like the demonstration I had earlier.

"Come on Pansy try something!" Said a boy who I was not familiar with, but I could remember seeing him on the Slytherin table.

That inflated the crowd, more voices started to join him and that didn't seem to help.

"Go ahead Pansy." Her father's voice cut through the ocean of people and things took a bad turn.

She tried to swing, to shake and even tried to cast a simple Lumos, but nothing worked, I could see her chest start to rise faster each time she failed.

"Oh, it's fine sweet you are still young you're going to learn." A woman in the crowd coed at her in a pity voice.

That made some people laugh.

Her father had a dark look in his face, but made sure to disguise with a laugh of his own and diverging the crowd's attention to another topic.

"It's ok Pansy, I couldn't do anything it either, but we will get better when we go to Hogwarts!" Draco tried to cheer her up but it was no use, she was devastated.

Her night ended and the house was silent, no more decorations and happy faces, just dark rooms.

Pansy went to say goodnight to her parents, she found them in the living room by the fireplace.

I could see that Georgia had a red spot in her face, but her father had a distant look in his while he stared at the fire.

"When your mother discovered she was pregnant I was certain that we would produce a decent offspring, although she lacks finesse, she was quite the witch when I met her." He turned to face Pansy. "I was expecting a boy, I was expecting a son that would carry on the family name and everything that we represent, but I gained you and the certainty that she would never again be able to have children again." He took a step forward and held Pansy's face, digging his fingers. "An ordinary child with nothing to offer, a thing that only gives me disappointment and shame!" He screamed at her releasing her face.

"You humiliated me in front of the other families, you put our family name into the mud!" The slap that he differed at her face made her fall on the ground. "I should erase you from the family, expel you from this household before you do more harm to our image, but I can't." He composed himself and took his wand. "So I will make you better."

Once again I was swallowed by Pansy's screams while she was pinned on the ground by the Cruciatus curse, how could a father do that to his own daughter?

Pansy's memories are filled with torture between bittersweet moments, and watching her grow up showed how much of that happy little girl died every day in that home.

Her last memory took us to Hogwarts, this time she was sitting in the divination tower holding a letter.

The war was not kind to her, she looked tired and hurt, a look that I was not expecting since she was protected by the Carrow's.

Steps echoed behind her, but she didn't move and Professor Snape entered the room, it was weird seeing him again, alive and well, as his last moments were filled with pain.

"He wants me to do what Draco seems to be incapable of, he's been obsessing with rising up ranks and being the one who will deliver the victory to the Dark lord." Her hand went to her temple, and she looked so old at that moment. "He says that if I don't do his bidding, he will kill her and that will be my fault." She started to cry and Snape took a hold of her shoulders.

"We can do only as much Pansy, your mother would understand if-" She slapped his hand from her shoulder and stood abruptly.

"If I what? Leave her to die? How can you say that?" She screamed.

Professor Snape remained calm and spoke quietly.

"Because she wouldn't want you to remain prisoner of your father madness." He said before leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Long time passed after Snape left and Pansy's emotions are all over the place.

I watched while she cried so hard that her eyes got red, saw her so furious that the whole tower seemed to shake with her rage, saw her stand still looking at the window while the battle began, not knowing what to be done and I watched her leave the tower to join her classmates in the grand hall.

Seeing things from her point was hard, I would've thought that they would have better than the other houses, but they looked just as defeated.

After she screamed in the great hall, I could see how regretful she felt, it was made in an impulsive moment and I could understand why now.

I followed her as the Slytherin's are being taken to the dungeons and watched when she took that chance to sneak past professor Slughorn and head out of the school grounds.

Watching as she ran desperate for her mother just to see her die was my last straw.

I left her memories and I couldn't hold myself together, the tears started flowing and I had a hard time breathing.

A pair of arms engulfed me in a cold embrace.

"You need to calm yourself Hermione, everything is fine and you're fine." She whispered to me but how can I do that?

My vision began to tunnel, I was starting to lose conscience when Pansy put our foreheads together, holding my face in place and screamed at me.

"Bloody hell Granger, just follow my breath!" She said while breathing in and out slowly.

I grabbed the hem of her shirt and did my best to mirror her breaths.

"That's it, keep breathing Hermione!" She whispered this time. "Look at me, you're safe and everything is fine."

Her eyes held a splash of gold in a sea of darkness, while her breath smelled like mint and chocolate. The combination spread warmth through my body and I could feel myself getting back to the present.

I embraced her, letting my face take home in her shoulders while I took in her scent.

She took some time before holding me closer, probably because she was catch by surprise and part probably because she was not used to this much contact.

"I know that you are not prepared to see how good I looked in those memories, and I'm flattered, but quite frankly I'm a little upset that you don't have this type of reaction to my gorgeous self every day." She said in my ear, making me giggle and slap the back of her head.

"Shut up and hug me Parkinson."

"Rude!" She said and I slapped her again.

This time her cold arms tightened around me, and she replied softly. "Yes, ma'am."

Making me smile.