Silky Illusions

3. Epiphany

"Can I ask you a question?" Said Harry, unsure.

"Okay, but only if you accept to play a little game with me: I can ask you one in return. And if I answer, you have to answer too."

Harry sighed, dealing with Slytherins was definitely not easy.

"Do you really don't like men? Are you gay?"

"That's two questions."

"Just answer already."

"I'm gay." Answered Pansy.

"How did you know?"

"Hey. It's my turn now." She grumbled.

"Please?"

"I never felt anything for men. Never. I always thought it was what some people call aromantism. But at the Yule Ball, I realised I couldn't get my eyes off a certain girl. She was two years above ours... After that night, I kept an eye on her but soon realised she was taken. It was my first heartbreak, even if I hadn't ever talked to her."

They stayed silent for some time, then the sparks came back in Pansy's eyes and she went back to her Slytherin self: "Now that it's my turn... You're gay too, aren't you?" She asked with a devilish smile.

Harry was agape. "Gay? I'm with Ginny, what are you talking about?"

"Oh so you haven't noticed yet. You haven't noticed how your own eyes betray you? You look at men differently, Potter."

"I don't understand what your point is. I would know it if I was gay. And I'm not."

"Maybe bisexual?"

"Bisexual? I'm not interested in men!"

Pansy's expression changed and she handed him a tissue. 

"Your nose." She waited for Harry to clean himself up before concluding: "Well, now that your nose has stopped bleeding let's write this essay."

He slowly acquiesced. He was so confused, he just could not understand what the malediction was. And it frustrated him. He sighed. Pansy gave him a quill, parchment paper and his book and he started writing.

A dozen of lines later, he looked up at her. She was reading his essay with a big frown on her face.

"Is anything wrong?"

"Well, it's not about the content. I'm just struggling a bit... With your writing."

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Hermione complains about it all the time."

~~~

"Thanks mate. I can really see why you're on top of Potions class along with Hermione." Admitted Ron, yawning and leaning on the back of his chair.

"Well, er... You're welcome."

"It's the first time I really understand how a potion works! Could you help me with the essay too?"

"Under one condition: we play a game." Answered Draco with a smirk.

Ron sat straight, waiting to know more.

"You let me ask you a question and if you answer, you can ask me one too."

He furrowed his brows. There were a couple of things he wanted to know. He nodded.

"Why did your relationship with Granger end?"

Ron's blue eyes widened, surprised. He thought Malfoy would ask something about Harry, or something more confidential. "Well, after my brother..." His voice broke.