Disowned (Drarry/Pansmione)

Chapter Twenty Five

Pansy always liked Christmas when she was younger. She got to stay in her pyjamas all day, and she always got expensive presents. Now, she liked Christmas because her parents would mostly ignore her after present opening, so she could do whatever she wanted. This year, that would involve staying in her bathtub all day.

The separation had gotten so bad that she could only get through half an hour before her skin started peeling. This would have been awfully inconvenient, but her mother had told her father that she was sick and needed to stay in bed. Pansy's father believed strongly in letting sickness cure itself instead of using magic remedies, so he would not oppose. If he ever came in to visit her, she could call through the door that she was soaking and letting the steam clear her head.

Her mother had Pinka bring all of Pansy's gifts into the bathroom for her so Pansy could open them. Pansy got a necklace with rubies from her mother, a ring with the symbol of the Sacred Twenty Eight on it from her father, and Pinka even brought her a bunch of pansies from the garden. She got plenty of expensive gifts from relatives she barely even knew as well as the Malfoys, but she didn't pay them much attention.

From Blaise Pansy got a muggle book series - hardcover of course - that he had been demanding that she read for ages. Millicent got her a pair of golden hoop earrings that Pansy had shown her in a magazine. Tracey got her a cute matching hat, scarf, and gloves set in lavender, Pansy's favorite color. After opening presents Pansy asked Pinka for her list of what she got for her friends. It's not that she couldn't remember, it's just that she just wanted to compare the worth of what she got for her friends and what they got for her, and the list had the prices on it.

It was a pureblood habit to leave the price tag on gifts so that the recipient would know how much they were worth to any specific person. Her gift from Blaise was about one hundred muggle dollars, and try as though she may to remember exchange rates she had no idea what that amounted to in wizard money. Other than that, the prices lined up nicely and Pansy felt confident that her friends would feel like they were worth as much to her as she was worth to them.

"Pinka?"

Pinka appeared in the bathroom. "Yes, Young Mistress?"

"Can you read to me? I'm afraid I'll get the book wet."

Pinka seemed ecstatic to be asked to read aloud. House Elves were actually very intelligent (most of them at least) and enjoyed being asked to prove it.

Pinka picked up the first book in the series and flipped it open. "The book is Italian. Does Young Mistress wish for Pinka to translate?"

Pansy sank lower in the water. "Yes, please."

Pinka began to read. The story was about a young half-dragon boy who was on a quest to find his father the dragon king. It was... interesting. Pansy certainly wouldn't have picked it out herself, but it was nicer than complete silence and by the second book Pansy was invested in the characters. Her favorite was the warrior girl that the half-dragon teamed up with. His dad had apparently stolen her girlfriend. Pansy liked hearing about the two girls in love, since that was apparently what was going to happen to her. Rainey hadn't given up anymore information on Pansy's soulmate, but she knew it was a girl and she knew it was a mudblood, neither of which she had expected.

When Pansy awoke from a nap she didn't realize she had taken she found the water warmer than she remembered it being. Pinka must have heated it up a bit when she fell asleep. Pinka was probably the best House Elf in existence. Many House Elves did what they were told but never really bonded with their owners very much despite being physically bonded, but Pinka had been assigned to Pansy since she was a baby, so she had seen Pansy grow and develop. Pinka must consider Pansy her child. Pansy sometimes wondered how old Pinka was. She didn't know how long House Elves tended to live. She should ask at some point.

Pansy reached for her hand towel so she wouldn't get her gifts wet. She then reached for her book to see where Pinka had left off, but she noticed a new box sitting with the pile of gifts. Pansy picked it up and looked for a tag. There didn't seem to be one.

She tore open the wrapping paper and opened the expensive looking wood box. It was a new jewelry box, with a bracelet inside. The bracelet was white gold with diamonds embedded in it. So the gift must have come from someone with money. But who?

"Pinka?"

Pinka appeared and smiled to see Pansy holding the box.

"Who is this from?"

"A familiar owl dropped it off. She is still here if Young Mistress would like to see her."

"Yes, I would."

Pinka opened the door and hooted. A very familiar owl flew through the door and landed on the edge of the tub.

"Aphrodite?" Pansy exclaimed. "The box is from Draco?"

"Hoot."

Pansy smiled in relief. "Pinka, get the box from under the bed."

Pinka danced excitedly and ran to get the box. She returned with a box wrapped in silver paper. Pansy took it and looked it over before offering it to Aphrodite.

"Hoot."

Pansy scratched Aphrodite's feathers and asked Pinka to get her a treat before sending her off.

Once the owl was gone Pansy asked Pinka for some food. Pinka returned with a tray with ham and an apple.

"Pinka?"

"Young Mistress?"

"How long do House Elves tend to live?"

Pinka shook her head. "Pinka does not know. Pinka was separated from her family and not allowed to ask anyone."

"Oh. Well, how old are you?"

"Pinka is roughly twenty years old."

Pansy sighed. She hoped Pinka would be alive at least until Pansy and her mate had to drown themselves. Or, maybe not. Pinka would be devastated.

"Pinka, do you know what is happening to me?"

Pinka nodded sadly. "Young Mistress is cursed with mermaid blood. Young Mistress and her chosen mate will drown themselves to embrace the water life."

Pansy frowned. "Did Mother tell you that?"

"Pinka did not need to be told. Pinka was there when Pansy was cursed."

Pansy blinked in shock. Not that Pinka was there, but that she called her by her name.

"You never call me Pansy, Pinka."

"Is Pinka in trouble?"

"No, no!" Pansy said before Pinka could find a way to punish herself. "I like that better, actually. I was just surprised. Call me Pansy from now on."

Pinka smiled in relief. "Pinka will do that, Pansy."

Pansy decided that she didn't want to hear the story of how she was cursed today. She invited Pinka to bring up her own dinner so they could eat together. All in all, despite being stuck in a bathtub, Christmas wasn't bad this year. It was actually kind of nice. Pansy just hoped that by next year she would be able to spend it with her mate, whoever that was. She'd find out tomorrow. Rainey had been silent all day. Pansy hoped that would change tomorrow.