t w e n t y

*Three Weeks Later*

"Okay that's it." Maeve pouted, jumping off the bed. "I am officially writing a letter to Julia and telling her these cards are rigged."

Pansy laughed at how frustrated the Hufflepuff was. "It's just a game, Prissy." 

"'It's just a game Prissy.'" Maeve made a face, mocking the girl who barked out harder with laughter. 

"Well would you prefer I threw the match instead?" Pansy asked, raising a brow as she leaned back on her elbows, watching the brunette with an amused look. 

"I would rather eat Hippogriff Dung." Maeve snapped, glancing at her watch. "Ugh, I have Umbridge first thing in the morning."

"I like her classes." Pansy shrugged. 

"Yeah, because you just goof off and have natural D.A.D.A. knowledge. I on the other hand, have none. Merlin, even Quirell was a better professor than her." 

"Quirell hosted You-Know-Who." Pansy looked at her; even more amused. 

"Well then You-Know-Who was a better teacher than Umbridge! At least he never told us to read from the book." Maeve said crossly. "I'm totally going to fail the O.W.L.s at this point." 

"How about Blaise and I help you with Defence Against the Dark Arts?" Pansy offered. 

"That would be excellent." Maeve's eyes lit up. 

"Great. We can ask Theo and Daph to help as well." 

"And then, we can make Umbridge, eat Hippogriff Dung." Maeve clapped her hands happily. 

Pansy blinked at her before bursting out laughing again. "She'd probably go - 'Oh no, Mister Hippogriff. You must learn some proper etiquette. Here, hold my pink tea cup and collection of creepy kitten plates while I fetch you a book of all the rules I made up.'" 

Maeve fell back onto the bed, shaking with laughter.

"I lied." Pansy said abruptly and Maeve stopped laughing. 

"Huh?" she asked, sitting up so that she was facing Pansy. 

"I lied." Pansy looked away gruffly. "I'm a big, fat liar, Maeve." 

"Pansy, what are you talking about?" the brunette asked, a confused smile on her face. 

"I wasn't upset that Draco abandoned me that night. I was upset because you were dancing with someone who wasn't me. I like you, Maeve. And I'm not speaking platonically." Pansy sighed. "I don't know how, or when, or why even." she let out a watery chuckle, "I was jealous. And I'm so sorry. The things that I said that day... I didn't mean them. Not a single word." 

Maeve blinked. It was a solid minute until she said anything. "But you said them, Pansy. They came out of your mouth. I - I'm sorry. I can't.""No. Please, May." Pansy pleased, her eyes widening in panic. "You have no idea how hellish it's been all those days that we were apart. I can't go through it again. Please, don't hurt me like this.""You're the one who hurt me first, Pans. I love the idea of us being friends again, but you broke my heart, and belittled me for who I am. You want to know why I stayed at Hogwarts? Because of you! I couldn't stand the thought of leaving you. That's how much you affect me. And I'm afraid that if I fall into this again, I'll be in too deep to try and dig myself out. I can't do this to myself again Pansy... I won't." Maeve shook her head stubbornly, wiping away a few tears before they had a chance to spill down her cheeks. 

"Trust me, Maeve. You getting hurt is the absolute last thing I want. I promise. I'll never, ever, hurt you again. I won't mess this up." Pansy pleaded.

"B-But what about Draco?" Maeve asked hesitantly, stepping off the bed.

Pansy stood up and cupper her cheeks. "Don't think about that. For a second just forget everything about you and me. We are the only things that exist. Just you and me. Maeve and Pansy. So just for tonight, let's be ourselves." she said softly, making Maeve look into her eyes. 

The Hufflepuff nodded. "Okay." she whispered as she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Pansy's waist. 

These kisses were completely different than the ones Maeve had shared with Elizabeth. No, these kisses had that spark, which ignited a feeling of inferno within her. Every kiss, every sensation of Pansy's hands running down her sides... It was addictive. Once wasn't enough. 

Not letting go of Pansy, she led them to the bed.

"May... the cards..." the short-haired girl trailed off.

"I don't care about the cards." Maeve breathed. "They're rigged anyway."

Pansy let out a low chuckle, letting Maeve ease her down. "So should I take this as a yes?" she smirked as Maeve momentarily rose up, looking down at Pansy affectionately. 

"Yes, Pansy." Maeve laughed, rolling her eyes before latching her lips onto the girl's neck, making her moan. 

"I'm guessing you like that then?" Maeve asked, a smug smile on her face as she continued kissing down Pansy's neck, edging close to the valley between her breasts. 

"Yes." Pansy sighed, enjoying the feeling very much. "Merlin am I glad my parents paid for a separate dorm." 

Maeve chuckled, connecting their mouths together once again as they shared the ecstasy of their passionate moment. Pansy was the first to let go. 

"Do you mind?" she asked Maeve, her hands stopping on top of Maeve's button-up shirt. 

Maeve shook her head no and Pansy grinned, taking off the shirt slowly. "You're beautiful, May." she whispered, sliding the blouse off before kissing Maeve's shoulder. "Very very beautiful." 

Maeve blushed, her brain going point blank. "You're beautifuler Pansy." 

"Beautifuler? Is that even a word?" Pansy laughed and Maeve's ears burned an even brighter red. 

"Pretty sure it isn't." Maeve grinned, playing with Pansy's bangs. They'd grown long enough since the start of fourth year to be tucked behind her ear. "But that's what you are, Pans. Beautifuler." she smiled stupidly as Pansy rubbed smooth and slow circles onto her bare skin. Maeve suddenly wondering why she had been denying herself that amazing feeling.  

And then someone squealed. Really loudly. 

As if on in instinct, Pansy rolled over, covering Maeve's exposed torso. "Daphne?" 

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!" the blonde screamed, running away as the door shut again behind her.

"Didn't you lock the door when you came in?" Pansy asked incredulously, tossing Maeve her shirt as they both sat up. 

"Well I wasn't exactly expecting things to get hot and heavy when I came in to play a game of Exploding Snap, Pansy." Maeve replied, putting it on. 

She had just finished buttoning up when the door opened again and Daphne emerged with Theodore and Blaise behind her. 

"See? I told you I wasn't lying!" she jumped up and down excitedly as Blaise closed the door behind them. 

Pansy groaned, putting her head in her hands. "Why were you even here, Daph?" 

"You're lucky it was me and not someone else. You'd be doomed." Daphne snapped, "And for your information, I came in to join two friends for a game of Exploding Snap." 

"Wait. So you guys are together together?" Theodore asked, his face lighting up. "No way! I've been rooting for you two ever since Pans told us what happened." 

"Right??" Daphne looked at him eagerly. "I can't believe it finally happened." 

"What about Draco?" Blaise asked, inquisitively. 

Pansy's shoulders slumped as she nervously scratched the back of her neck. "I... haven't thought that far ahead yet." 

Maeve nodded quietly. "I don't want to force you to break up with him. You said you were figuring things out, right? Till you're comfortable coming out, we can keep it a secret." 

 "You will?" Pansy asked, wide-eyed as she inched to her. 

Maeve gave her a small nod. "If it means I'll have you in the end, sure."

"I love you, Maeve." Pansy sighed, her voice full of emotion. 

Maeve stopped and blinked. "You love me?"

"Yes." Pansy whispered. "And I'll say it a hundred times if I have to. I love you, I love you, I love you."

"That was three times you idiot." Maeve chuckled, cupping her face as she leant in to kiss her. "Come here." 

"Aww." Daphne pouted once they'd separated and Maeve and Pansy jumped, completely forgetting that they had company. "You two are too cute." 

"I'm not cute." Pansy blushed furiously, stubbornly folding her arms over her chest.  

"Sure you aren't." Maeve gave her a teasing glance. 

"Mansy." Theodore piped up. "I totally ship." 

Everyone else in the room cringed and Maeve stood up awkwardly. "Well look at the time here. Got to get those hours of sleep in! Goodnight every one!" she waved awkwardly, walking out the door.

"Wait!" Theodore called, "Paeve? Parkinston?" he cried and Maeve laughed quietly, heading for the Kitchens.

_____

"May!" The Hufflepuff looked to her left and almost shrieked as Cedell almost crashed into Zach and she. 

"Ced?" she hissed, alarmed, "What happened?" 

"It's Umbridge!" he cried, grabbing her hand. "And McGonagall. Come on!" he led them by the Great Hall that had suddenly gone creepily quiet. 

"So silly of me." Umbridge's pompous voice sounded, "But it sounds as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom, Minerva." the professor completed as Zach, Cedell and Maeve came to a stop. 

"Okay, she just called McGonagall, Minerva. Shit is about to go down." Zach whispered as people around them shushed him. 

"Not at all, Delores." McGonagall shot back. "Merely your medieval methods."

Umbridge gasped. "I'm sorry dear. But to question my practices is to to question the Ministry. And by extension, the Minister himself. I am a tolerant woman. But the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty." 

"She's kidding right?" Maeve sneered, just to be shushed even harder.

"Disloyalty." McGongall mused; disgust evident on her face as well as everyone else in the room.

Umbridge huffed before addressing the on-looking crowd. "Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action. 

"Cornelius this, Cornelius that. All she wants to do is get into the old man's pants." Cedell murmured. 

_____

"What the fuck is a High Inquisitor?" Theodore asked as Maeve, Blaise and he made their way to the Great Hall. 

"I have no idea." Blaise responded, his jaw dropping at the plaque that had been nailed to the wall. 

"It's a person sent by the Ministry to ensure that all unsatisfactory teachers are removed from school." Maeve blinked, looking as two taken aback faces looked back at her. "Julia works in the education department, so I may know a thing or two." Maeve shrugged. "But that doesn't matter. There's no way Dumbledore would allow this." 

"If he's even alive." Theodore rolled his eyes. "No one's seen him since the beginning-of-year feast." 

"He'll do something. He's Dumbledore. Of course he will." Maeve frowned, shaking her head absentmindedly.

_____

"This is ridiculous." Maeve gasped, watching as everyone gathered in the Clocktower Courtyard. "She's actually firing Trelawney." 

"I'll admit I'm not a fan of Sylli-billy but even I don't want her gone." Pansy said from beside her, squeezing her hand, as they watched Filch drop the teacher's bags.

Everyone was a little bit on edge, watching as the Divination professor stood being comforted by McGonagall. It wasn't a sight anyone would be particularly happy to witness. Except Umbridge, from the looks of it. 

"Where the fuck is Dumbledore?" Pansy grit her teeth, just as the doors opened again. Lo and behold, the wizard appeared. 

Maeve sighed in relief, unconsciously leaning back on Pansy as Dumbledore instructed for Trelawney to be let back inside. She felt the Slytherin's arms tighten around her waist as she looked back at her with a small smile. 

"You have the right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster." 

"For now." Umbridge said smugly. 

"What a bitch." Pansy muttered under her breath as Dumbledore dismissed them all. Maeve broke away from Pansy almost as soon as the crowd started dispersing. "Prissy? Where are you going?" the Slytherin called, pushing people aside as she tried to keep up with the Hufflepuff. 

By the time she had found the Hufflepuff, the entire Courtyard was empty. "What're you doing?" 

"Her bags." Maeve said decidedly, casting the shrinking charm on them before slipping the into her robe pockets. "The least I could do is take her her bags. Oh, Pansy I can't imagine what she's feeling right now." Maeve shook her head. 

"Hey..." Pansy frowned, rushing over to her. "Everything will be fine. It's not as if Umbridge is the Headmaster or anything." she cupped Maeve's face. "And Trelawney's still staying here isn't she?" 

Maeve sniffed and nodded before shaking her head. A small smile appeared beneath her lips. "You're right. Thanks Pans." 

"Of course, I'm right. I'm always right." the Slytherin said haughtily and Maeve laughed, pushing her away. 

Word Count: 2151