Tradition

4/10/96
The arrival of the first weekend since her argument with the boys also marked the beginning of her education with Pansy, and for all she was disheartened by the teacher, nothing could stop her from learning about the tradition that had been kept from her for so long.

“First things first, you need to learn about the different types of wizards and witches and why they exist.”
“What do mean different types?”
“You know, light magic, dark magic and all the levels of grey in between.”
“What do you mean levels of grey?”
“Is it not obvious Granger or are you more stupid then you look? Not everyone is purely light and dark in fact almost no one is so obviously there are wizards and witches you sit in between.”
Hermione wasn’t sure what the feeling was that sat uncomfortably on her chest when Parkinson called her stupid- it wasn’t embarrassment or even anger. But she knew that the only way to counter-act it was to throw herself headfirst into her studies until Parkinson could no longer call her stupid for not knowing things that she’d never been taught.

Three hours flew by, with the girls barely noticing the minutes passing. Lunch long since missed and not an argument to be had since Pansy’s rather harsh comment at the start. Then in comes Astoria and the peace is broken and this odd understanding the two had reached was broken just as quickly as it was made.
“Whatcha think ‘mione, tradition all you thought it would be?”
It seemed as if the use of her old nickname sparked a remembrance in Pansy of the girl Hermione had been not two weeks before and before Hermione was even able to get a response from her lips...
“How would she know? She’s only just started trying to be a real witch three hours ago”
Hermione didn’t know how to respond, maybe she’d imagined the calm, patient Pansy that had helped her with her queries or maybe it was the way Pansy’s eyes hardened with a coldness that shielded her emotions from Hermione but it hurt. Why did this hurt?
Astoria rolled eyes almost casually as if she’d known this would be the response she’d recieve, “so it’s going well then, you going to join us for Samhain ‘mione? We could find out whereabouts on the scale you sit- dark, light wise. I assume Pansy explained a bit more about that.”
“You want me to join you?” Hermione struggled to mask the hope in her voice at the possibility.
“Yeah of course we do, right Pans?”
Pansy let out a slight sigh as if she’d lost a competition that Hermione was unaware of happening between her and Astoria, “Yeah we do want you to join.”
Her response only confused Hermione more, how could she go from hating Hermione’s guts to wanting her to join them on a night sacred to them just like that. How could one person be so utterly confusing?
“I’d love that, how... how do we find out whether I’m more light and dark? And...and you guys won’t stop being friends with me if I’m light right?”
Tori, Hermione felt it was right to start using the nickname for the girl who had offered so much to her for so little, gave her a look laden with both pity and amusement.
“Yes we’ll still be friends with you and Pans here can explain whilst we walk back to the common room so you guys can actually relax this afternoon.”

The walk consisted of Pansy giving Hermione a brief overview of what she called ‘A rite of self’. It sounded quite straightforward to Hermione; a couple drops of blood, a Celtic spell, and the energy of three willing witches. Sure it was nothing like the spells they learnt at Hogwarts but Hermione could feel it calling to her as if the magic within her had never been complete and this could help her on her way to becoming whole.
Arrival at the common room sparked an afternoon that left Hermione feeling whole in another sense of the phrase. Happiness that could only stem from time spent with those who truly get you, whose presence doesn’t drain your very being the way a dementor drains joy, seemed to seep into her. The group seemed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle with each of their quirks balancing each other out; with even Pansy seeming to let down her emotional guard that seemed to surround her when Hermione was present.

It was Pansy that Hermione’s thoughts lingered on when she reminisced of the afternoon whilst tucked away in her sheets, feeling miles away (if in reality only about 500m) from her friends later that night. The girl had well and truly captured her attention.
From the way the light caught her brown eyes and turned them into deep amber to the wind flowing through her dark hair. Hermione couldn’t deny that she was stunning. But Hermione could say that about a number of people: Cho, Ginny, hell even Lavender. No, the true part of Pansy that had enraptured her was the warring sides of Pansy that seemed to make appearances at the oddest of times. One side calm, caring and most evident when tucked away from prying eyes and the other passionate, hot-tempered; the two fighting a constant war. Pansy Parkinson truly was an enigma.