Bab 372: Matter of heart - 9
"What are you doing out here, Pansy?" he called, stopping in his tracks and gripping his wand. He wasn't about to allow the Slytherin girl to lead him into the forest.
Pansy whipped around quickly, the hood of her silver cloak falling back off her head. Harry was startled to realize she was crying. She had thick black smudges beneath her eyes, and she didn't bother to wipe them when she saw Harry. Crying girls had always made him uncomfortable, and he suddenly felt very wrong-footed.
"Pansy," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Er… Are you all right?"
"No," she said, sniffling. "Have you seen?"
"Draco?" Harry asked, perplexed. Thinking back, he realized that the blonde hadn't been in the Great Hall that evening. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen Dudley, either.
"He was supposed to meet me for supper, and he wasn't there," Pansy said, turning around to stare at the trees. She began walking toward them again, but Harry remained rooted to where he stood.
"Dudley wasn't there, either. Maybe they just got involved in a card game or something," Harry said. "Why do you think he'd be in the forest?"
Pansy froze, keeping her back turned from him. "You might be right," she said hastily. "He's been spending a lot of time with that Mudblood buffoon lately."
Harry knew that Pansy didn't share Draco's affinity for Dudley. She frequently appeared put-out whenever she found the two blondes together. Of course, she also appeared to detest her sister's new attachment to Fred. Pansy hadn't given the impression she cared for any of them very much.
As if realizing she'd just insulted Harry's cousin, she turned around, glancing at him warily.
"Er… I mean," she said, faltering.
Harry scowled, feeling certain she was trying to hide something. "You didn't answer my question. Why do you think he'd be in the forest if he didn't meet you for supper?"
Pansy bit her lip, apparently struggling with something. "Why should I tell you?" she demanded, as if finally deciding that being obstinate was her best bet. Her eyes kept drifting toward the trees, as if she was debating making a run for it.
"Because I'm the only one here who might possibly help you," Harry replied, knowing that none of the Weasleys had warmed up to Draco.
Pansy's face faltered, and she began wringing her hands. Harry thought she was carrying the melodrama a bit far but kept that to himself.
"Draco's been feeling a bit desperate lately," she wailed, burying her face in her hands and sniffling. "I'm afraid he's done something reckless."
"What do you mean 'reckless'?" Harry asked, his stomach lurching.
Pansy swiped her nose with the back of her hand. "He's been strange since that stupid Welcome Back party for the Weaslette. He keeps talking about his father and his choices. I have to find him," she moaned.
"What about his choices?" Harry asked.
"For Merlin's sake, will you quit with the questions and help me look for him? He can't be far," Pansy said. "Come on. I haven't looked over here yet," she said, pointing deeper into the forest.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, Pansy, until you tell me exactly what's going on," Harry said, crossing his arms across his chest.
Pansy harrumphed indignantly. "Oh, some hero you are! You'd better hope nothing has happened to him since it's your fault if he's in trouble," she said.
"How do you figure it's my fault this time?" Harry asked, exasperated.
"You're the one who's supposed to end this, right? Draco is trapped until you get around to doing it, and he's too proud to sit back and do nothing for long," Pansy said, scowling.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone