t h i r t y

Cedell and Maeve watched the sun rise. They were sitting on either side of Pansy, whose chest rose and fell rhythmically, an assuring sign that she was alive. Maeve couldn't thank Madam Pomfrey enough. Her hand lightly clasped Pansy's left, the brunette's lips twitching into a smile until her gaze fell to the the girl's side, where a huge open wound had been tightly wrapped up by the matron. It was sure to leave a scar. She gulped, choosing to stare at the Slytherin's face instead. It was full of soot and dirt and dried blood. Yet, its familiar elegant structure held strong, and Maeve was sure Pansy had grown even more beautiful in the time that had passed. She brushed one of the girl's bangs - which had made a comeback with another bob - out of her eyes as her palm rested against the girl's cheek. The only thing keeping her from overthinking it was that after the war, maybe she could have Pansy to herself again. 

"She's here!" a familiar voice pssted and Maeve looked up, noticing Theodore in the background. Blaise and Daphne were quick to follow. 

They stopped abruptly when they saw an asleep Cedell and a wide awake Maeve on either side of their friend's body. 

Daphne stared, gulping before being the first to speak. 

"Is she..." the blonde's voice strained as she asked. 

"She's alright. Suffered a wound by the torso. But Madam Pomfrey took care of it." Maeve answered quickly. 

The trio sat down around Pansy and Maeve. 

"Who brought her here?" Theodore asked, the normally happy-go-lucky boy looked sullen, just like how Maeve used to see him before she actually got to know him. 

"Ced and I." Maeve answered. 

"Did you do this to her?" Blaise's eyes widened and so did Maeve's. 

"Of course not!" she snapped. 

"Who did then?" 

"Mr. Parkinson." 

There was silence for a minute or two. 

Daphne shook her head. "That doesn't make sense... Why would he..."

And then, Maeve told them everything. Right up to Pansy killing her father. 

"I can't believe we let her go off like that." Theodore shook his head lowly. 

"I can't believe Pansy killed him." Daphne blinked.

"I do. She hated the numpty." Blaise shrugged.

Before Maeve could say anything, she heard a commotion outside, and everyone hurried off to the gates. Even Cedell woke up. 

"What's going on?" he asked, rubbing his eyes groggily. 

"I don't know. But we better go check." Daphne stood up, extending an arm out to Maeve, who took it hesitantly as she looked back at Pansy's unconscious self. 

"She'll be fine. Poppy will take care of her when she wakes up, right? She'll be here when we get back."  Daphne said encouragingly. 

"If we get back." Theodore muttered, earning a slap on the back of his head. "Ow!"

Maeve laughed lightly as they walked, but it stopped when she saw him standing there. It was the first time Maeve had seen him in the flesh. Of course, she'd heard what he looked like from people, but nothing prepared her for that horrendous sight. He looked more reptile than human. His eyes were blood red, and his pet snake swirled around his feet as he announced that Harry Potter was... well, dead. 

She had hardly registered what was going on. Harry had... gone ahead and surrendered himself? What was it all for then? Why had so many people died? Why had she almost lost Pansy? If he was going to give up in the end, why did he let so many people bite the dust for his coward self?

In that moment, although she was sure everyone must be mourning 'The Chosen One', she wanted to resurrect him just to punch him in the face - repeatedly. And that was something, coming from a Hufflepuff. 

It made no sense. It kept making no sense until she was harshly pulled down, narrowly missing a fireball a Dark Wizard had aimed at her. 

"Merlin, are you trying to get yourself killed?" Blaise hissed and Maeve noticed that the fight had begun again. And that Harry was... alive now? She shook her head, making sure it was him running through the corridors. 

It was. 

"Sorry. I think I spaced out. I thought Harry was dead."

"How do you - nevermind that, I'll explain later. Let's go inside before we're crushed under rubble." the Slytherin yanked her away just as another curse landed on the spot they'd been at. 

Maeve nodded, noticing that a few yards in front of them, Cedell, Daphne and Theodore were making their way inside as well. 

The five stayed together through the fight. Maeve, Blaise and Theodore would freeze anyone coming at them mid-air, and Daphne and Cedell would finish the job with an exploding spell, picking up any injured and living Hogwarts student to take back to the infirmary. Maeve didn't know how much time had passed, or how many wizards and witches they had killed, but one by one, as if sensing trouble, the Death Eaters started retreating into black smoke. 

And soon, the news had spread through out the castle; Hogwarts had won. 

Voldemort was dead. 

Voldemort was dead.

Maeve felt as if she could collapse to the floor in a huge mass of relief and fatigue, but she was sure Pansy must have woken by then - Madam Pomfrey had told her she would. She looked around at Daphne, Theodore and Blaise, who also seemed to have the same idea and they all raced to the Great Hall. Maeve was the first to reach, but her steps faltered as she stopped in front of an empty mattress. 

"She was right here. I remember." Maeve whispered. 

"I know. I marked the spot." Theodore said blankly. "Maybe she went to search for water?"

"No, Theo. Something tells me she didn't." Blaise murmured, and Maeve felt her legs finally give away as the adrenaline disappeared. 

Word Count: 980