Author's Note: This story was written for Final Round of the Slytherin Cabal's Death by Quill Writing Challenge. It took 3rd place during the fourth round but I am still thrilled to have made it that far. I totally adore this story, and hope you do too! Enjoy! xxDustNight
Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, and information belong to J.K. Rowling. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. The cover photo is made from pictures I found on Google. I do not write for profit. Thank you to starrnobella, my beta/alpha, for helping me not only with my editing, but the summary as well. You have helped me so much through this competition!
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Reap What You Sow
Rated: M
Pairing: Draco/Pansy
Summary: Vengeance is best served as a cold, dead bride.
Trigger Warnings: Character Death, Blood, Implied Relationships, Arranged Marriage, Explicit Language
Prompt: Vengeance
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Reap What You Sow
Tugging at the end of a stand of her short, dark hair, Pansy contemplated if she was about to make a huge mistake. She wanted to knock on the door in front of her and have a good old scream fest with the woman on the other side, but at the same time, she wondered if it was even worth it. After all, Draco had chosen the woman, casting her aside like yesterday's Daily Prophet. Scrunching her face up in anger, she decided even if it did no good, she was still going to at least try and rattle Astoria into leaving Draco at the altar. If the irritating Greengrass Princess disappeared, then maybe Draco would choose to marry her instead…
Clenching her hand into a fist, Pansy pounded on the bedroom door before stepping back and waiting for the bride-to-be to answer. Glancing back and forth, Pansy determined that she was alone, so there would be no one to witness her threatening the future Mrs. Malfoy. Good. She didn't need any witnesses. She was glad that everyone seemed to be downstairs or outside, ready to watch what was promised to be the wedding of the decade.
Finally, there was a rustling along with a gentle call of 'Be right there' from beyond the door. The clicking of high-heeled shoes could be heard, followed by the unmistakable sound of tearing fabric. Something strange happened then as Pansy stood waiting for the door to open. The tearing sound garnered a squeal of panic and then a sickening thud. Breathing heavily, Pansy frowned and strained to hear anything more, but there was nothing. A sick sense of foreboding trickled down her spine as she wet her lips with the tip of her tongue.
"Astoria," she asked tentatively, taking a few steps toward the door and placing her palm flat against its surface. "Are—are you alright?"
When there was no response, she used her other hand to turn the doorknob and pushed the door open, revealing the bridal chamber beyond. She peered around the door, quietly stepping inside as she tried looking for her former friend. A strangled sound escaped gurgled out of her throat, her hands flying to the base at the sight that greeted her inside. There, on the floor, lay Astoria in her elegant wedding gown. Only, it appeared she'd tripped over her dress and fallen, hitting her head on the corner of the vanity on the way down. Blood flowed thickly from the wound at her temple, marring her beautiful features and coating the floor around her in its sticky crimson horror.
"Oh—" Pansy took a hesitant step closer, and then another, until she was hovering over the mess. "What the— What did— Fuck!" She hissed, whirling about to flee. She'd never intended to murder Astoria, only ruffle her prissy feathers a bit. Oh, but things had taken a terrible turn! She needed to get away from here before anyone caught her. If the Malfoys or the Greengrass family found her standing over the dead body of one of the most cherished Purebloods in the Wizarding world, she'd be carted off the Azkaban quicker than you could say 'Mudblood'!
Turning, poised to run, Pansy couldn't help but scream this time, her hands barely muffling the sound in fear that someone might hear. Leaning in the doorway, with crossed arms and a raised eyebrow that gave a look of indifference to his face, was Draco. His silver eyes met her dark ones slowly, his face showing no emotion as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his dress robes and strode into the room.
"Is she dead?" He asked, his voice sounding almost bored as he kicked the door shut with the heel of his shoe. When she didn't reply, he cleared his throat. "Well? Is she dead, Pansy, or are we going to have to call for a Healer?"
Floundering for something to say, Pansy found herself at a loss. Draco told her he was choosing Astoria, and yet here he was, not even batting an eyelid at the fact the girl could be dead! Still unsure what to do, she shrugged, ignoring his sigh of irritation as he moved closer to his fiancée in order to inspect the situation more closely. With a quiet fascination, Pansy watched Draco check for a pulse on Astoria's neck, and then her wrist as well. When he returned to full height, she finally found her voice.
"I think she tripped. I—I wasn't in the room when it happened."
"It was those damn heels she always insists on wearing. Looks like they got caught in the abundance of lace on her gown," Draco explained, sounding irritated as he flicked his hand towards where her pale blue heels had ripped the lace that lined the bottom of her wedding dress. "Always clicking about precariously. She was bound to have an accident sooner or later with the way the house elves polish these floors."
"What are we going to do," Pansy asked in a harsh whisper, her stomach in knots as she tried to keep herself from panicking. She attempted to swallow her trepidations, but it was difficult. The sight of so much blood was making her uneasy, and she suddenly realized that she never would have been able to harm Astoria. Not really. "She was our friend, Draco…your fiancée! How are you not affected by this?! Look at all the blood!" Grabbing hold of his arm, she squeezed tightly as if needing something concrete to keep her tethered to the here and now.
"Hah!" His sharp bark of laughter caught her entirely off guard, and she retracted her hand as if burned. Noticing her discomfort, Draco placed a hand on her shoulder before answering. "You think this bothers me? This was an accident, Pansy—nothing in comparison to the terror I was forced to witness during the war. After seeing people tortured and then murdered right in this very Manor, an accidental death is nothing."
"Okay," Pansy breathed, understanding leaking through her frantic thoughts. "Okay, but she was your fiancée…what are you going to do now? I can leave—I shouldn't have been here to begin with."
"No."
He spoke firmly, his hand shooting out to grab her wrist as she pulled away to leave. Pansy stared at the pale hand holding her briefly before meeting the cool gaze of its owner. Draco was staring at her like he used to, before he picked Astoria and began planning a life without her. It almost made her forget the fact that her former friend was lying on the floor at their feet in a pool of congealing blood.
"What do you mean by 'no', Draco?" She asked cautiously, unsure where he was mentally. She'd never taken him for unstable, but this situation was currently getting to a place she would much rather it did not. "You chose Astoria over me, and now she's dead…This won't look good if I'm caught here. Please, let me go."
"I didn't choose her, Pansy," he all but growled, a scowl replacing the calm façade he'd had until then. "I was forced into this relationship. My doting father had the betrothal contract drawn up without my knowledge and decided I was better suited for a Greengrass than a Parkinson. The vindictive twat." Spittle flew out from between Draco's teeth as he hissed his explanation.
Pansy's eyebrows shot so high they disappeared behind her fringe. So that was what happened. Things were starting to make sense now that Draco was being honest with her. "My family has always been so close to yours, so why would he choose to bind you to Astoria over me?" His answer was quick and to the point.
"She was fucking my father."
Pansy did a double take, glancing first at the dead girl before returning her gaze to Draco's eerily calm face. "Excuse me? Astoria was sleeping with Lucius!?" She couldn't believe it— "How do you know and why would that even matter?"
"Astoria's father found out and blackmailed him into the agreement, from what I understand. Once again, because of my father, my life became collateral damage." Stepping around Pansy to face the wall, Draco ran both hands through his pale hair. "All my life, my father put his needs and wants before that of my own, and I'm sick and tired of it. Astoria got what she deserved, and now, so will my father." Draco laughed again as he turned to face her once more. It was a cold, dark sound that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. "He's already paid a hefty dowry for little Miss Greengrass, and it's not refundable."
Understanding lit up Pansy's dark eyes as she deciphered the meaning of Draco's words. "How much was the dowry?" She had to know. It had to be an obscenely large amount or it wouldn't matter so much.
"Let's just say, without my help, father will be forced to live his remaining days lacking the luxuries he's always been accustomed to," Draco enumerated, his trademark smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.
"What about your mother, Draco," Pansy whispered, glancing toward the exit. "Surely, you wouldn't let her fall to ruin along with Lucius." Narcissa was like a second mother to Pansy; she didn't want her to suffer.
"Mother? She knows everything. She's helped me purchase an estate in France where I can disappear if needed. In fact, I think now would be the perfect time to take my leave, she can join me once this mess has been resolved as planned." Moving briskly, Draco headed for the door, only stopping when he realized Pansy was not following. With a confused expression, he asked, "Are you not coming with me?"
"I…don't understand… Why do you want me to go with you?" Standing there, Pansy frowned at the wizard she'd previously hoped to spend forever with, only to have those fantasies dashed away. She felt stupid, like she was missing something important. Hope sparked inside her chest when he smiled as if he finally realized her confusion. Her heart sped up as he marched right back over to her and took hold of her hands with his own.
"Don't you see, Pansy? Mine and Astoria's engagement was nothing but a betrothal contract drawn up in order for the bint to be closer to my father. She couldn't openly be with him with my mother still alive, so the two orchestrated this whole affair to be together behind closed doors."
"Yes, I can see how they thought that might work," she began, ignoring the way his hands felt holding hers. "But, where do I come into play?" She frowned when he laughed again, only this time the sound was gentle, reassuring almost.
"Pansy, I'm free to be with you as I've always wanted. You are the one I love. I choose you with every beat of my heart." When she gasped, realization dawning, Draco took the opportunity to kiss her. His lips crashed over hers, sending waves of pleasure down her spine and warming her from within. He moaned as she returned the kiss, her hands snaking into his hair to tug him closer. After a moment he pulled away gently, leaning his forehead against hers to stare into her dark eyes. "What do you say, love—shall we disappear and leave my father to atone for his sins once and for all?"
"I love you too, Draco," Pansy replied, intertwining her hand with his and holding on tightly. "I want nothing more than to be with you forever. Let's go." Smirking, Draco guided Pansy to the door, throwing it open so they could run off together. Pansy didn't even look back at the dead girl they were leaving behind; Lucius and Astoria had certainly managed to end up on the wrong side of karma this time. What was that old saying, Pansy wondered as Draco whisked her off through the floo… Ah, yes. You reap what you sow.