Parvati Prevails

Chapter Six: Testing Truths

I've been down this lane before

A hundred thousand ways

It's the same old story

Just another phase

I'm over and done pretending

I'm better without you

But you hold my heart in your hands

And still you say

It isn't true

After a while, Parvati came to expect the threatening notes, which seemed to arrive at an incredible rate and with a different school owl each time. It was not really the smartest thing to keep on opening them all-but since when had she ever done things the smart way anyway? She was overcome with a kind of terrified but overwhelming curiosity and each letter was promptly torn open upon delivery.

She had even made a collection of her favourites.

'I've never had a stalker before, you know,' Parvati said to Lavender. 'Unless you count Ernie, which I don't.'

'You know that might not be such a good thing,' suggested Lavender gently. 'At least Ernie didn't want to kill you.'

'Yes, he did!' Parvati insisted angrily.

'Oh yeah? How?' asked Lavender dryly.

'He wanted me to die of embarrassment, the selfish bastard,' muttered Parvati, narrowing her eyes. 'He could have kept his undying love to himself. But oh, no...had to make us suffer right along with him.'

Lavender shook her head.

'Look, I love this one.'

Parvati handed a slip of paper which Lavender took and read aloud, 'Roses are red, violets are blue, flowers will die and so must you. Well that's....that's really...er, lovely.'

Parvati laughed and rolled her eyes. 'And this one...'

Lavender peered over her shoulder to have a look: ROT IN HELL YOU HO.

'Simple...but effective,' she remarked.

'Yeah, I thought so too,' grinned Parvati.

'You know, whoever is sending these to you is either weirdly funny or a complete psycho.'

'Mm. I think it's Padma.'

'What?' exclaimed Lavender. 'You're nuts. Why would the stalker be Padma?'

'She's always been jealous of me.'

'But Parvati...you're the one that hates her.'

'Yeah I know,' sighed Parvati. 'But I'd be perfectly happy if my sister was really sending the notes. It would make me the normal one.'

They entered the Great Hall, where most of the other students were already seated and eating breakfast. They sat down next to Dean, who was trying to explain football to Ginny. Parvati knew this, because Dean had spent a great deal of time in Herbology talking to her about it and the only reason Parvati had listened was that she hated gardening. All that dirt, plus the worms...just...ew...

'Sounds like a lot of running for nothing,' said Ginny doubtfully.

'It's loads of fun, though,' insisted Dean.

'Quidditch is much better.'

Dean looked like he wanted to say something but didn't quite dare. Whipped, smirked Parvati to herself. Gryffindor bravery my foot.

Owls began pouring into the hall, and one of them dropped an envelope in her lap. She opened it, expecting another nasty note.

'What is it?' asked Lavender. Ginny and Dean turned their heads towards Parvati interestedly.

'Oh, just a message from Draco. He wants me to meet him later on.'

'Joy,' drawled Ginny sarcastically. 'I really envy you.'

'It's alright, lots of people do.'

'Yeah, I think you should join the club, Gin,' joked Dean.

Ginny shot her boyfriend a look, and he turned back meekly to his eggs and toast. Honestly, the girl was a legend.

*

When Parvati reached the lakeside that afternoon, Draco was already sitting there waiting for her, erratically skimming pebbles across the water surface.

'Hey,' he greeted without turning around once.

'How did you know I was here?' asked Parvati.

'You have loud footsteps.'

'I do not!' cried Parvati, appalled. She had always secretly thought that she walked quite lightly and daintily, like a fairy princess...well, so much for that.

'Yep. Like a herd of elephants,' said Draco, deadpan.

'Shut up,' spluttered Parvati, 'at least my hair doesn't look like a mess from the back.'

'Nice try,' smirked Draco. 'But my hair is always perfect.'

Parvati was beginning to see the downside of having a boyfriend who was prettier than herself. And one who knew it, too.

'It looks even better when I stand next to Potter,' continued Draco.

'Yes, often while you're playing Quidditch I sit there and think how much lovelier your hair looks compared to Harry's.' Parvati rolled her eyes. 'Even if his is really messy, the stands are far too away to tell.'

'Well thank you for ruining that perfectly good thought. It always used to make me feel better when we lost. Now I'm just going to be utterly depressed.'

'Aw,' Parvati smiled brightly and patted Draco's arm. 'You'll beat Harry next time.'

'No I won't.'

'Yeah...I'm sorry.'

'You don't sound at all sorry,' accused Draco.

'No, I'm not really. But I'm still a Gryffindor, remember?'

Draco shuddered. 'Please don't remind me.'

Parvati smirked. 'So what did you want to talk to me about?'

'My parents' anniversary dinner. Are you still coming?'

'If you still want me to. But I've already ordered a new dress, so you'd better say yes.'

'Fine. But...you realise it's probably going to be weird for you.'

'Oh? How?'

'Well, for one thing you'll be the only Gryffindor there.'

'Technically, I'd be a Ravenclaw. Um...does that mean I'm going to have to pretend to be smart?'

'Oh no!' Draco clapped a hand to his head. 'So much for that plan...it's no good; I'll have to tell my parents that you won't be able to make it.'

'Haha,' said Parvati dryly. 'Hey, I can be clever when I want to.'

'I guess you don't want to very often, then.'

'You're an obnoxious git, Malfoy.'

'And you're too kind.'

'I know. I put up with you, after all. I'm still not sure what I've done to deserve that.'

Almost before Parvati could blink, Draco had stepped forward and now they were much closer. He moved so quickly that it unnerved her, and Parvati had the fleeting thought that even if she wanted to run she wouldn't get very far. 'You haven't done anything yet, Patil,' Draco purred in her ear, sending a series of delicious shivers down her neck.

Parvati stepped backwards so they were facing each other. 'Draco?'

'What?'

'Why...why are you with me?'

'I would have thought that was fairly obvious by now.'

'Oh yeah?'

'You are the only other person in this entire school who dresses as well as me.'

'Draco...be honest!' Parvati begged laughingly.

'Honest? I'm never honest,' answered Draco blankly. 'I think you have confused me with a Hufflepuff.'

Parvati rolled her eyes. 'Well I'm glad we cleared up that misunderstanding.'

'It's alright. I'll forgive you for thinking that if you bring me cookies.'

'I think I'll go drown myself in the lake, now,' she decided.

'You'd prefer the company of a giant sea monster to me?' asked Draco, mildly amused.

'Andrew is very friendly.'

Draco stared at her incredulously, as the surface of the lake rippled nearby. 'That is the most inappropriate name for a squid I have ever heard.'

'You haven't answered my question yet.'

'Take a hint, Patil.'

'No. Why are you with me?'

He was silent then, watching her with those piercing slate eyes that reminded Parvati of mist and smoke and rain. Or possibly ice and silver and moonbeams and starlight and...anyhow, they were grey.

'Because you let me,' Draco said simply, but before Parvati could work out the meaning of this answer he had turned and left.

*

It was a little while later that Parvati returned to Gryffindor tower, still lost in thought-which was very unusual indeed and worried her almost more than what she was worrying about in the first place. She approached the portrait hole but before she had a chance to give the password to the Fat Lady, the door swung open of its own accord.

She was momentarily excited before realising that no, the portraits had not been enchanted to recognise Gryffindors and open of their own accord when a House member approached. Sadly it was only Harry.

'Hi,' said Parvati without enthusiasm.

'Hey,' said Harry, in a strange, almost strangled sort of tone that sounded nothing like his usual voice.

'Harry,' she asked, grasping his sleeve before he could walk away. 'Are you alright?'

'Fine.' He shrugged off her grip.

'Bullshit,' said Parvati, with wide eyes. 'What is it?'

'It's none of your business!' said Harry angrily, eyes blazing dangerously. 'Why do you care?'

Parvati was at a loss for words, the best answer she could manage was, 'I...don't...know.'

Ah well, no one had ever accused her of being a quick thinker before.

'Well, that makes two of us,' muttered Harry.

'Um, yes,' she agreed, wondering desperately what they were talking about.

Harry began to walk away, but then he stopped and turned back.

'Did you know?' he asked her suddenly, and Parvati felt that she was well and truly mystified. Even worse than that time she had taken one of Hermione's Ancient Runes textbooks to Divination class by accident, and made predictions of very strange things happening to Lavender.

'What?'

'About Ron and Hermione.'

'No! Oh my god, they're not together, are they?' gasped Parvati before she could help it. Harry looked decidedly cheesed-off. 'Er, I mean...really?'

'Yes.'

'Oh. No, I hadn't heard about that...I'm guessing they told you first, though.'

Harry shrugged. Parvati would have given almost anything to learn about that kind of big gossip first hand. Obviously though, he wasn't too happy about it. Parvati wondered how she would feel if Lavender started dating...okay, so she only had one best friend, so that wasn't going to work. Alright, so how would she react to Lavender dating...Ron?

Parvati rather thought that she wouldn't care all too much anyway. Perhaps she really was completely self-involved after all...

Damn Padma! Why did she always have to be right about everything?

Well not this time, Parvati decided fiercely. No, right now she was going to prove that her smart-ass sister was only human after all and that she did not, in fact, know everything there was to know about...everything.

'Harry, wait!'

He stopped and turned back halfway down the corridor; Parvati ran to catch up.

See, she was even running after other people. Not walking quickly, but running.

Who would have thought that being considerate needed so much effort?

'Have you got a moment?'

'What for?'

'I want to show you something.'

'Where?' asked Harry, a little warily.

'Just in the grounds. It's a surprise.'

'Oh. Alright,' agreed Harry, falling into step beside her. 'Wait-this place you want to show me...it's not in the Forbidden Forest, is it?'

'Hell no!' exclaimed Parvati. 'What kind of idiots would go into there voluntarily?'

'Er...I don't know...' Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably. 'Point taken.'

*

'You know something?' Parvati asked, as they ambled up the path.

'What?' asked Harry, partially distracted by the stray bush which kept getting in his way.

'I'm surprised about Ron and Hermione.'

Harry stopped walking. 'Are you?'

'Yeah,' said Parvati brightly. 'I mean, we all knew it was going to happen sometime...sooner or later. They've liked each other for ages, right? I'm shocked that Ron finally had the guts to admit it.'

'I guess they must really love each other.'

'I think they're perfect,' said Parvati truthfully.

'Yeah...my parents met at Hogwarts.'

'Did they?'

'Yeah. Do you think things will be different now?'

'Doubt it. They'll probably just argue even more, that's all,' cringed Parvati, thinking of all the shouting matches out the dormitory windows at night.

'Probably,' replied Harry, and it was almost a sigh.

'Listen,' said Parvati seriously. 'I've seen you three together, all that stuff you've been through? Little things like this don't change the past, Harry, and it definitely won't get in the way of a friendship as strong as yours.'

'Huh,' said Harry finally, after a long pause in which Parvati realised how stupid everything she'd just said sounded. 'That was really...well, deep, actually.'

He sounded vaguely impressed. Parvati smirked. 'I think I got it from an article in Teen Witch Weekly.'

'You know sometimes,' said Harry. 'I'm not really sure whether you're acting on purpose or whether you're just naturally ditzy.'

'You know sometimes,' grinned Parvati. 'I just can't help it.'

They reached the end of the path, and Parvati pulled aside a stray branch that was blocking their vision. What they saw made her breath catch; she'd visited this place frequently in the past but every time it was still so beautiful.

This was her and Lavender's secret garden, one which they'd discovered way back in first year by accident. You had to follow up a special path in the rose garden, but it was tricky to find the right one. You sort of had to approach it edgeways, without thinking too much about where it was leading you. Parvati had found the path so many times before that she could have led Harry there in the dark with her eyes closed.

Not that that seemed like a good idea.

'Where are we?' asked Harry, in an awed voice.

The trees surrounding them were not very tall, nor did they bear any leaves or blossoms or fruit. Instead, each spreading, bare branch was draped by innumerable sparkling necklaces of dew. Each blade of grass was sprinkled with small, iridescent jewels, clear as crystals. Tiny Fairies, like the ones Harry had seen resting in the rose bushes at the Yule Ball, or on the Christmas trees each winter fluttered and twinkled from all corners of the clearing, their wings shimmering in the last rays of sunlight.

'I think this must be one of their dwellings,' said Parvati, moving to the centre of the glittering garden towards a pool of water so still that the surface appeared smooth as glass.

'The Fairies' Mirror.'

'It's pretty,' said Harry.

'Alright, your turn,' Parvati told him.

'My turn to what?'

'I showed you one of my secrets, now it's your turn.'

Harry sat down on a nearby bench glistening with dew drops and grinned. 'Are you sure you want to know?'

'Ooh, yes,' said Parvati, perching on the armrest beside him.

'Alright,' agreed Harry. 'And...thanks, Parvati.'

'For?'

'Putting things in perspective.'

'Because I'm just such a nice person, aren't I?' laughed Parvati. 'You'd never think I was Draco Malfoy's girlfriend.'

'Malfoy's a git.'

'I know. I told him that before.'

'Why are you dating him? Honestly?'

'I wish I knew,' said Parvati, remembering Draco's answer to her question earlier.

'Do you...do you really like him?'

'He's actually...a really nice guy. Okay, well maybe not nice, but he's not completely horrible either.' Parvati smiled. 'And yeah...I think I really do like him,' she paused, '...just don't tell him I said that.'