Tears of the Ice Princess

"Crying...How strange..." Said Harry Potter as he appeared out of the shadows. Letting out a small gasp, Pansy Parkinson stun with her wand at the ready with a curse already on her lips. Harry, after months of training, was faster then she and wrapped his hand around her wrist and pointed the wand away just in the nick of time. They both watched as a dark purple curse bounced down the hallway before fading into nothing. Yanking her hand free from Harry she wiped her eyes and turned away from the Boy-Who-Lived.

"What the hell do you want, Potter!?" She all but yelled. Harry moved himself to stand beside her never taking his sight from her. Saying nothing they stood there in complete silence. Finally, a low growl escaped her lips as she turned to yell at Potter. "What!? What is it Potter!?"

"I was just wondering how...or rather what could be so bad that it would make the Ice Princess of Slytherin cry." Said Harry in open wonder. Growling she turned away once more to glare out the window at the snow covered grounds.

"Go to hell, Potter." She muttered. Harry sighed and stared the opposite way. The halls were empty at this time of night and in a few day's time the whole castle would be the same. There was only a week left before the term would end and everyone would be returning home for the holidays. Harry had elected to spend the holiday safe guarding the school. His friend's of course begged him to return with them for the holiday but it simply didn't feel right so he politely declined.

"I've been, can't say that I didn't mind the warmer climate but the little devils and demons really put me off..." He said a tone that reminded Pansy of that knows it all Granger.

"Will you just shut up!?" She shrieked. Her anger, mixed with her annoyance, was the final straw as she felt her tear's return in full once more. Crying, sobbing, weeping she turned away from Potter in order to better hide her shame. "I...I...I hate yo-you Potter! I hate you!" Pansy said as she slapped her palm against the cold stone wall. Harry watched her with mild interest, an interest that only made Pansy more furious.

"Is there something that I've done...?" He offered trying to at least understand what he could have possibly done in the last few weeks to make her this upset. This angry.

"You...You wouldn't understand..." She whispered, her sobbing finally starting to slow.

"To be fare, you haven't given me the chance." Harry said looking at her from the corner's of his eyes. She let out a cold laugh. Shaking her head she turned to meet his sideway's gaze.

"Why do you even care Potter? I've treat you and your friend's like shit for the last six year's! And yet you stand here trying to make me feel better? Why do you care so much?"

"Because it's just who I am. I...I can't just walk past a girl that's crying because..."

"Of that people saving thing you have..." She muttered. Harry offered a small smile and nodded. Sighing she turned herself so she was facing the same way he was. She was silent again as she carefully picked her word's. Sighing she continued, "...Potter, Have you ever been in love?"

"I...well...No...I guess I haven't."

"Neither have I. In fact, if you asked me, I couldn't even tell you what love is...I just...I just have feeling's...and they normally led me down the wrong path...but now...I've found someone...and I just don't know..." She whispered. Harry ran his hand though his hair as he tried to look anywhere but in the direction of Pansy.

"Well...I...I don't know what to tell you Parkinson..."

"Of course you don't!" She said with a harsh tone. Harry was remotely surprised but then logic over same that sense. He should have expected reactions such as those from Pansy Parkinson. Sighing, Pansy silently cursed at herself knowing that she was slipping into her old self. "Alright...Alright...Let me ask you another question Potter."

"Hopefully this one is a little easier to answer." Harry said in a lame attempt to make a joke. Pansy glared at him before continuing.

"Could you ever love someone that wasn't from your own house?" She asked, her tone was soft and gentle. Harry thought about it and then nodded. Giving him a small smile, Pansy continued. "What is the person in question was in Slytherin, could you ever love them?"

"Oh...That makes it different...I mean, no offence but most of your house hate's me or their parent's want me dead...So that makes it tricky..."

"Yes or no, Potter." She said flatly.

"Yeah, ok! Ummm...Yeah I guess it's possible...I'm assuming this hypothec person has the same feelings for me of course..."

"Of course." She said biting her lip looking nervous.

"Then yes, I guess I could bring myself to love and care about a Slytherin..." Harry said with a small laugh.

"Why is this funny, Potter?" Pansy said in a stern tone, her hands on her hips glaring at Harry.

"This is the most awkward set of question's I've ever been asked!" He said laughing just a little harder.

"You know what! That's what's wrong with you Gryffindor boys! Your all laughs and goofing off that you don't even see when a girl is trying to say she loves you!"

Silence is a funny thing. When your alone it can be comforting and nice. A great time to collect one's thought's on topics like life. But between two people, silence is more often than not, a bad thing. As was the silence that fell between Pansy and Harry. Wide eyed with shock Pansy and Harry watched each other. It was then that color flooded into Pansy pale skin as she turned to make her escape. She had said too much. Far too much. After taking her first step she was stopped as Potter grabbed her wrist once more and spun her around to face him.

"Let me go." She said only inches from Harry's face.

"Not until you explain what you just said..." Harry said, his eye's full of emotion.

"You can't make me..." She said, her defiance was weakening as she stared into those bright green eyes that she longed to call hers.

"Your right...I can't. But I know you want to..." He said as he let her go but still she didn't move.

"I'm afraid..." She whispered. It was now or never. She was just going to lay it all out there. She was going to bare her soul and just accept the shame of it all. "I'm afraid Harry. I care for you and I know, I know you'll never return those feeling but I have to say it. I love or I think I do. Everything you do, from your stupid way of walking to that uneducated way of talking. I even love the fact that your risk everything for people you've just meet. People who you even hate! I love it all. And it burn's me every day to see you laughing with that know it all Granger or that Weasley girl! Do you know how many night's I've spent wishing that it was me! It was me that you were laughing with or teaching to ride a broom or just trying to get me to share my notes or dinner or something! That's why I was here tonight crying! That's why you wouldn't understand! That's what's wrong with me!" She yelled. Harry watched her with a strange and confused look in his eyes. The silence returned once more. With each passing second Pansy felt the tears grow larger in her eyes. "Say something please..." She whispered.

"Well...I...Wow, Pansy, I'm...shocked..." Harry said as he leaned back against the window. Pansy moved a little closer.

"It's a lot...I know...and...I'm sorry..." She whispered. Harry waved her apologies away as he turned his head and looked out the window at the snow covered grounds. And then, his head turned, faster than Pansy could have thought and kissed her softy on the lips. It was unlike any kiss she had ever felt. It was gentle, warming and full of...love. Closing her eye's she leaned into him as the passion behind the kiss grew. His arm's slowly wrapped around her waist as her encircled his back. Slowly his hands traveled down towards her bottom and then back up. She giggled into the kiss as his hand tickled her rear.

"Your bum is ticklish?" He asked with a small laugh.

"What gave me away?" She whispered in a playfully coy tone. But then the fun left her voice as she realized that this was her dream.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Are you...Are you only doing this because of how I feel? Are you doing this to make me feel better?" She muttered darkly, crossing her arms over her chest. Laughing Harry stood and placed his hands on her upper arms.

"I normally don't snog every girl I meet. Now I'm not sure if these feeling's I have for you...Yes I have feeling's for you...Are as deep as yours for me but I...I'm willing to try and find out..."

"But...I..." The rest of her sentence was cut short as Harry's lips once more pressed against hers. Sinking into the moment, she leaned in once more enjoying the kiss. Sighing she pulled away from him. "Ok...But if we do this it..."

"Has to be secret?" Taking a guess at what she was about to say, "Sorry Pansy, I don't deal in secrets and double lives. You either are with me or not. And believe me when I say, I want you with me."

"Why must everything with you be so difficult…" She whispered hopelessly. Smiling, Harry grabbed her hand.

"Comes with the package…Well?"

"Alright…I'm yours Mr. Potter…I'm yours…"