RP: All things come to an end

[rar_pansy]

Date: Tuesday, 13 December 1998
Characters: Pansy Parkinson, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom
Location: Ministry of Magic
Status: Semi-public
Summary: Pansy sits outside the courtroom after her parents' trial.
Completion: complete

Pansy stumbled out of the courtroom, too shocked to make sense of what just happened. The trial was quick; her parents

Comments

[rar_hermione]

Hornby had said that the sentence had been announced. The trial hadn't taken very long, which meant the Parkinsons must have given a guilty plea. After Hornby whispered the news to her, Hermione asked to take her break and left the conference room to head downstairs. She didn't know if Pansy would have anyone there or not, but she wanted to at least stop by to make sure she was doing okay. Well, as okay as anyone could after their parents were sent away to prison.

When she exited the stairwell, she saw Pansy sitting on a bench outside the courtroom. People were still leaving the room, which meant Hornby's contact was very fast. She was glad that she'd asked him to let her know when it was done instead of finding someone else. Now that she was here, she felt awkward and wondered if Pansy would even want her here. It was too late now.

"I brought you tea," she said, walking up and holding out a cup of tea.

[rar_pansy]

Pansy recognized Hermione's voice right away and sent her a small smile. "Thanks," she said, taking the cup from her and scooting over on the bench.

"News travels fast around here," she said after taking a sip.

[rar_hermione]

"Not necessarily," she said. "I asked to be told when it was over, whether that was today or tomorrow or later in the week. I thought you might need tea after. Tea doesn't make everything alright, but it helps."

[rar_pansy]

"You wanted to know?" she whispered. "I'm not used to people caring."

"You brought me tea," she suddenly realized, looking up at Hermione. "You brought me tea, and Neville changed his work schedule to be here. Not because I asked, but because he wanted to be," she said softly, shaking her head. Pansy struggled to find anything else to say. The idea that people who used to loathe her, and visa versa, now actually cared about her was dizzying.

[rar_neville]

Neville had dressed in his dark blue business suit and over robe for the trial. He'd been surprised when a reporter had tried to speak to him in the atrium. Neville had thought all of that snake and Order of Merlin business had died away. He certainly wasn't news worthy, so he could only assume that the reporter was one of those that hung about places like the Ministry looking for anything even remotely interesting. He saw them on occasion in the lobby of St. Mungo's too, but thankfully they'd learned not to bother him after Gran knocked one senseless with her handbag on their visit to his parents the afternoon after the Autumn Ball

[rar_pansy]

After Hermione went back upstairs to work, Pansy stared into her teacup, thinking about everything and nothing. Neville must have approached quietly, because she didn't even notice his presence until he was suddenly sitting next to her.

She looked over at him and smiled a little. "Thanks," she said softly. "I'm not really sure how to thank you enough."

[rar_neville]

Neville looked at her quizzically. "You're welcome. I haven't really done anything but show up," he said truthfully. "I understand though. Maybe more than you might know. My own parents are locked away too," he started. "I'm not sure if you knew, but they're both under long term care at St. Mungo's." Neville never really talked about his parents. It wasn't that he felt he had to hide them, only that there really wasn't any point to talking about them. Talking wouldn't change anything in most cases, other than bringing pity he didn't want or need. Now, though, he thought it might help Pansy to know that while their circumstances weren't the same, he was someone who understood what it meant to have parents who couldn't really be there for you. "So if you ever need someone to talk to about how it feels to have parents, but not really have them there for you, I suppose I might do for that," she'd probably rather talk to one of her girlfriends or aunt but he'd offered.

[rar_pansy]

She looked over, startled to hear that his parents weren't dead, she had always assumed they were.

"I'm sorry," she said, reaching for his hand. "My parents deserve to be locked up, yours don't," she said.

"You really mean that, don't you?" she asked, startled once again. She shook her head, realizing she had a lot to learn about friends and 'sort of friends' a like.