TRAINING WHEELS—
PANSY PARKINSON.

025

Amora clenched her eyes shut from where she was lying on the couch in the Hufflepuff Common Room, a pillow clutched to her stomach and small winces crossing her delicate features every now and then. It was unusually quiet inside the yellow house's hangout, but all Amora wanted to listen to anyway was the crackling of the fire nearby. It made her feel warm, heating up her body.

"Ill again?" Cedric's voice questioned from above.

Amora peeked her eyes open, a soft frown on her face. "No. Period cramps," she muttered, watching her older cousin immediately grow flustered.

He moved to sit beside her and pulled out his wand from his cloak, waving it over the pillow that Amora was holding. The golden material suddenly grew warm beneath her fingertips and she smiled gratefully, pressing it closer to her abdomen which continued to ache with sharp, piercing stabs. It felt like she could be sick any moment, her body weak.

"Better?" Cedric questioned softly.

"Mhm," Amora murmured, sitting up slightly and shifting to lean her head against his shoulder instead. "Thanks, Cedric."

"Of course."

There's a few moments of silence between them before Cedric lifts his arm and wraps it around Amora, pulling her even closer. He could tell that something had been off with her all weekend, ever since Thursday night when she came storming through the Common Room and refused to look at him as she marched straight to her bedroom. However, Cedric didn't want to push it out of her-- he knew how snappy she could get when people tried to make her confess to things she wasn't ready to talk about.

Despite their playful relationship, like any pair of cousins, they had had their ups and downs. Normally, it was Amora being angry with Cedric for whatever reason, he rarely ever grew angry with her. She never did anything to annoy him really, it was always him that would start things that he may have accidentally taken too far sometimes.

"Are you all right, other than the... menstrual stuff?" Cedric asked awkwardly.

Amora released a small breath through her nose, the corners of her lips twitching up slightly. "I'm..." She thought for a moment, wondering if getting it off of her chest would help. "I'm fine, Cedric."

Even if she and Draco had now officially finished whatever it was they had had, it wouldn't stop how angry her cousin and friends would be if they ever found out it had happened in the first place. Especially considering she was still so hung up on him. Even when he had said all that awful stuff to her that Thursday night.

By Monday morning, tomorrow, Amora planned on being as good as new. She'd wake early, take a shower and do her hair nicely, rid every crease from her school robe, and head down to the Great Hall to show Draco exactly how much she didn't miss him. Even if it was the fattest facade ever.

"Are you sure?" Cedric attempted to pry out of her. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I know that I've even rather mixed up with the Triwizard Tournament and whatnot... but I'm always here if you need me."

Amora felt her heart swell slightly as she grabbed her cousin's hand in front of them and gave it a soft squeeze.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"Sooo... Are you going to tell me what's swirling around that big brain of yours?" Cedric prodded her arm teasingly. "Or will I have to wait until I hear it from Leon first?"

Amora gave a sort of half-smile. "Invested in the fourth year drama, hmm, Cedric?"

"Fourth year is the year to be. It's the last year before O.W.L.s, then sixth year is just revising for N.E.W.T.s..." Cedric droned on. "Trust me, take advantage of how stress-free your life is right now."

Amora could have scoffed at his words. Her life certainly didn't feel stress-free.

"Now spill," Cedric muttered, "Before dinner's ready and I leave you here to go stuff my face."

The brunette sighed, seriously contemplating telling him. She trusted Cedric, she really did. She believed that he would listen to her before making any judgements. Her heart was pounding roughly against her rib cage, her skin on fire as she took a deep breath.

"I like someone," Amora blurted, taken by surprise to hear her own voice out loud.

Cedric smirked. "Ah, so that's what it's?" He hummed, "Amora has her first real crush, aye?"

Draco wasn't her first real crush, but he was definitely... something. Whatever she felt for him was definitely bigger than what she had felt for Blaise. Although that was a given considering the fact that she'd never really spoken to the Zabini boy before this year.

"Cedric," she whispered a small warning, telling him she was being deadly serious.

The brunet frowned, his square jaw shifting as he glanced down at his cousin, seemingly confused and concerned now. They never really spoke about serious topics with one another, not any serious topics regarding their feelings anyway.

"Okay, you like someone," Cedric repeated with a small nod. "How is that a problem? Do they not like you back?"

Amora chewed her lip. "I think he does. He gives all these mixed signals. He's not... good at expressing emotion, and he seems to get angry whenever he feels vulnerable, I suppose. He's not ready to admit much yet and... I don't know. I feel like he's no good for me."

"He sounds no good for you," Cedric huffed, making her heart sink a little.

Perhaps all she would have needed was for someone to tell her that she was in her own head about the entire situation and she would force it all behind her and go to Draco and ask how they could fix their shitty excuse of a... well, not even relationship, in Draco's opinion. She knew deep down Cedric was right and she was sort of glad he said it. It kept her anchored down to the couch.

"I just feel like I'm too far gone," Amora murmured, fiddling with her fingers on top of her lap. "I can't stop thinking about him."

"Who is he?" Cedric asked the dreaded question.

"I can't tell you," the brunette replied.

"Why not?" Cedric demanded, frowning protectively. "Is he an older boy? It's not that creep Montague, is it? I thought I kicked his arse hard enough to make sure he didn't try—"

"Cedric!" Amora whined, embarrassed. "You didn't."

"What?" Cedric exclaimed defensively. "He shouldn't be asking fourth-year girls to the Yule Ball and getting pissed when they say no. A couple of Slytherins told me he said some... less than polite things about you in the Common Room. I just set him straight."

Amora wondered how she hadn't heard a glimpse of Montague getting beaten up, but then again, the Slytherin was most likely too proud to let anyone know that it had actually happened. Either way, Cedric's tactic had clearly proven itself efficient. He hadn't so much as glanced at her since, not that Amora had even thought about him once.

"Now why can't you tell me?"

"Because even my friends don't know," Amora lowered her voice. "Not Leon, Kathy, Hermione. You'll all judge me."

"Oh Merlin," Cedric's face scrunched up. "He's not that ugly, is he?"

Amora couldn't even bring herself to chuckle at Cedric's joke. The entire situation was raining down on her, and between the immense cramps in her stomach and this, a joke wasn't exactly what she felt like was in order.

Cedric noticed and sighed. "Look, does this guy make you happy, Amora?"

She thought for a second. "Sometimes."

"Sometimes isn't good enough," Cedric answered finally, no longer joking around. "I don't know who he is, but if he's not making you happy a majority of the time, then he's not good enough for you. He's only going to drag you down, Amora."

The brunette sighed, clutching her magically-heated pillow closer to her abdomen as a particularly harsh wave of pain crashed into her. She peeled her head from Cedric's shoulder and glared at the fireplace in front of her. 

Cedric's words were not what she wanted to hear. However, maybe they were what she needed to hear.

D.M + A.B

Amora stayed true to her word and turned up to the Great Hall the next morning looking the best she could. She was freshly showered, not a hair out of place and not a single piece of acne for show on her face, everything covered delicately by her sheer tinted moisturiser. To put it lightly, Amora felt like she was glowing. 

Her dark eyes never lifted from the Hufflepuff table to wander over to the house of snakes, but rather she stayed focused on her friends and her honey-infested porridge, laughing along with Justin's story. She was glad her housemates were able to unknowingly distract her.

Deep down, she hoped he was watching her. She hoped Draco saw how little his words had played a toll on her— even if it was all she could think about all weekend. But Amora refused to feel or be embarrassed by Draco, and she wouldn't let him feel superior to her. She was taking back her dignity without a shred of sympathy.

Pansy would probably be proud.

She hadn't spoken to the ebony-haired Slytherin since that Thursday night, but that was because Amora had barely left her dormitory or, at the most, her Common Room. Luckily, she'd been able to blame her cramps, and so her ever-so-thoughtful roommates had been taking her some lunch and dinner.

Amora wouldn't call Pansy a friend just yet, but she definitely couldn't bring herself to dislike Pansy either. She was pretty sure the other girl felt the same.

Breakfast passed rather quickly and Amora was chucked into her first lesson of the day— Divination with Trelawney. Whilst Hermione had hated it so much that she had dropped the lesson, Amora was quite entranced by it all, even if some of it she was sceptical of.

She sat at her pouffe with Leon, Ron, and Harry, the four of them scribbling over the exact placement of the stars on the nights that they were born on. Overall, Trelawney's lessons were quite relaxing whenever she wasn't predicting Harry's death or glaring at Ron for rude remarks.

Amora sat silently sketching out the stars from her night of birth, listening to Lavender Brown distract Professor Trelawney at the front of the room, asking question after question. The scent in the room was thick and it was quite dim, making Amora feel sleepy.

"This lesson's so boring even 'Mora's about to doze off," Ron huffed, "Look at her."

Amora said nothing but smiled sheepishly as she caught her eyes from shutting. She took her cheek off her chin and her elbow off of the table, rolling her wrist.

"Bad night sleep, Amora?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, kind of," Amora muttered, "You wouldn't wanna hear about it."

All three boys frowned in confusion and Harry puffed his chest slightly, sitting up straighter as if he was trying to step up and prove a point to the sleepy brunette girl.

"Of course we want to hear," Harry said sincerely.

Amora raised a sceptical brow before she smirked. "In that case, I've been having the worst period pains of my life, even Madam Pomfrey's potions barely help—"

Ron looked horrified. "What the hell, Amora?"

"You asked," she chuckled.

"Well at least it's over now," Leon offered her a small smile.

Amora's face scrunched up. "Pardon?"

"Your... you know, period," Leon muttered, lowering his voice. "At least it's over. Don't have to wait until next month now."

The brown-eyed girl stared at him for a few seconds. "Leon, tell me how long periods last?"

"Once a month," he said smugly.

Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

Amora nearly lost faith in all teenage boys right there and then. She could perhaps forgive Harry and Leon who didn't have sisters nor mothers at home, but Ron baffled her-- he had both!

"Ron, you have a sister, for goodness sake!" Amora huffed, "periods last once a month for an entire week. Not one day a month."

"What?" Leon and Ron both blurted whilst Harry looked horrified.

She chuckled at them all. "The education system has failed you, boys."

"Whatever," Ron grumbled, grabbing his quill and getting back to work. "This is a bloody Divination lesson, not a female body lesson."

Amora shook her head in amusement, a small smile gracing her features. Upon feeling a tickling on the side of her face, the brunette turned her head to the side, meeting a pair of silver eyes automatically. She nearly winced as Draco stared her down, nearly whirled back to face her friends immediately, but if Amora was going to establish this new confidence she apparently had, she was going to stare right back.

Draco was sat with Blaise, Pansy, and Theo, the other three doing their work. Perhaps their laughter had caught Draco's attention, but he refused to back down his gaze, his lip slightly curled as he stared. Amora furrowed her brows to give him a short glare, but before their staring contest got ridiculous, she rolled her eyes at him and turned back.

"What was that?" Harry raised his brows. "Is Malfoy bothering you?"

"Yes," Amora snapped, huffing as she gripped her quill angrily. "He's just being his usual-dickish self. Nothing new."

Harry frowned, concerned. "I'm sorry, Amora. I can talk to him if you'd like?"

I'm sorry, Amora. Harry definitely still believed that Draco only acknowledged her existence because she was associated with him. He blamed himself for Draco irritating Amora when in reality, this had nothing to do with Harry Potter for once. Amora didn't grow irritated at his insinuation this time.

"No, don't waste your breath on him, Harry," Amora said softly, "Malfoy's just pathetic."

It surprised her how bitter the words tasted in her mouth-- like she was still lying a little bit. It frustrated her to no end. It had only been a few days, but Amora was ready to go back to hating him again now. Her heart didn't want to seem to allow her to.

Walking through the corridors to her next lesson, Amora was lost in her own thoughts. For once this weekend, not because of Draco, but because of all of the homework she was starting to get set in preparation for O.W.Ls next year. Amora didn't think she wanted to carry on with Divination at N.E.W.T level anyway, so that class would probably be the one she sacrificed revision time for in order to do better in others.

"You did well." Pansy held a smirk on her pale face as she appeared beside Amora, the two of them walking down the corridor filled to the brim with students together. "Malfoy heard everything you said. He's pissed about it. Especially since you said it to Potter of all people! Quite genius, actually, Buckley."

Amora frowned a little. She didn't actually plan for Draco to hear what she had to say about him.

"What did he say?" Amora questioned, slightly concerned.

"He started to snap about how useless the class was, and how Potter was going to lose the next task," Pansy huffed, "All typical Malfoy things to go on about. Only he was gripping his quill so hard whilst you spoke to Harry, you'd have to be an idiot not to recognise that he was jealous. Of course, Zabini and Nott are idiots, so they didn't."

Amora was genuinely surprised that Pansy was trying to help her. She grew worried that there was a different motive behind Pansy's seemingly kind actions, a frown taking place on her face.

"What now?" Pansy rolled her eyes when she saw the look on the brunette's face. "You don't feel bad, do you? Come on, he deserves it after what I heard him say to you."

"No, I don't...." Amora admitted.

"Atta girl," Pansy grinned, teeth and all as she patted Amora's back. "So what is it?"

"I..." Amora blushed a little. "Don't take this the wrong way, Pansy, but why are you helping me? I always thought that you had a... you know, crush on Draco."

Pansy grimaced. "No. My parents want us together since he's a Pure-blood and a Malfoy, of course, but I don't really like people that are like Malfoy if you know what I mean."

Amora frowned in confusion. "You don't like Slytherins?"

"No, stupid," Pansy scowled, "I don't like things with dicks."

"Things with..." Amora's eyes widened when she realised, a rosy tint coating her cheeks as she turned to Pansy. "Oh! Oh, I'm sorry for just assuming, Pansy."

"It's whatever," Pansy huffed, "Lots of people think it."

Something settled inside the shorter girl's heart. Hearing Pansy's confession felt strange. She never thought she would be on this sort of basis with the Parkinson girl to hear things that Amora assumed not many people knew about. Also, Pansy knew Amora's biggest secret too. She felt more comfortable now as she walked alongside the girl, feeling like Pansy's help was actually genuine.

"Thanks, Pansy," Amora said softly as they neared her next classroom. "You're.. Not what I expected at all."

"'Cause I fancy girls?" Pansy grimaced.

"No, you're just... I don't know, you're nice to me."

"Yeah, yeah, don't drone on about it, Hufflepuff. I could still tell the whole school about your rendezvous with Malfoy," the Slytherin replied bitterly.

Something told Amora that Pansy wouldn't though. Her lips quirked up into a small smile, much to Pansy's dismay since she had meant to appear threatening, and Amora gave her a small salute before leaving into her Charms class.

...

not sure how you guys are feeling about this amora and pansy friendship but I'm really liking it! also i read this draco tumblr fic a few months ago and pansy was gay in it, and ever since i haven't been able to get that out of my head sooo i thought i'd make it canon in this fic as well :)

i'm going to be REALLY busy up until December 10 bc i have lots of exams and deadlines AND it's my 18th bday on the 7th (yay) but i will TRY to post a chapter at some point.  i have been posting lots of Draco smut to my tumblr (malfoysstilinski) if you wanna check that out :)) im aiming to write more fluff but i only get smut requests lmao

anyways, hope you enjoyed <333

dyiansobrien.