Harry was bored. It was Saturday afternoon and he had no plans. Actually, he had chosen to not have plans, and now it was looking to be a bad idea. But it was just getting hard to be a third wheel everywhere. It had been two years since his engagement fell through and now everyone he knew was in a couple, so all social events he was the odd man out. Most of the time it was just fine, but recently he had been running a roaster of sorts in his head and it seems that he had run out of witches to date. He was not a pushy guy and had fallen one too many times on the trap of a date with a Chosen One fan. It got exhausting. So this weekend Harry was sitting in the drawing room of Grimmauld place, going through the sports pages of the Prophet and feeling off.

A snow owl knocked on the window. Harry did not recognize it, but it was very cute, reminded him of Hedwig, only smaller. He opened the window and pet the owl.

"You look like a bringer of good news," he said with a smile. The owl hooted and blinked in assent. He gave him a treat and took the letter from the owl, who decided to stay and rest a bit.

Harry opened the letter and felt surprised and a bit confused

Dear Potter

I know this letter may come as a surprise, so I'll go straight to the point. I'm writing to apologize. I know that what I did, what I said, was unforgivable. But even if you cannot find it in you to forgive me I want to make sure you know that I deeply regret my words. Every single day. I put your life and the whole wizarding world in danger because of my fear and my stupidity.
But I want you to know that I didn't do it out of spite or hate. I was scared, the terror seemed unending and I panicked. But I also know that before that I was an unpleasant classmate, to say the least.

Believe me, I was nasty to everyone, it was not a personal statement against you; I was immature and had a head full of awful beliefs about society and the value of people. Trust me when I tell you that the years had shown me how wrong I was. I can't even ask for your forgiveness, I do not deserve it, but I wanted you to know how much your actions have had a positive impact in my life. I wish you all the good things that life can give, and I hope that you are happy. Thank you for everything you did and still do for our world.

Sincerely

Pansy Parkinson

Harry blinked, then looked at the owl and without thinking grabbed a piece of parchment.

Have dinner with me tonight

Harry Potter

He gave the letter to the owl and pet it one last time. The owl gave him a nod and left. Then he realized what he had done. He walked into the floo and called the flat of Hermione Granger. He knew she wouldn't be alone.

"Guys, I'm coming through, are you decent?"

Hermione laughed and answered quickly yes. Her resigned boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, knew there was nothing he could do to stop him. When he started dating the curly witch he knew it was a package deal, she came with a side of Potter. At least the git usually had the decency to leave them alone if it seemed like they were having sex. They had charmed the floo to have a "tie on the doorknob" sort of sign so the ridiculously close friends wouldn't just barge into each others' houses at the wrong times. Lately, though it was one-sided, as Harry was in a dating dry spell.

"Potter, any reason you have to interrupt other people's bonding times?" Draco asked with his characteristic sneer, though by now Harry knew that the blonde wizard was more like a feisty kitten. After all, he was putty in Hermione's hands.

Hermione elbowed him softly.

"Well, today is more than me being annoying. I got an interesting owl today."

"Oh, Hermione's face light up. From who?"

He looked at Draco

"Pansy Parkinson".

Draco and Hermione looked at each other in astonishment, then looked back at Harry. He had the letter with him and read it out loud. Draco listened and then said:

"Pansy's life got very difficult after the war, because of what she said. People were very nasty to her. She left the country for a couple of years. Since she's been back she keeps a very low profile, but I know first hand that what she says is true, she really had changed her views completely, now, unfortunately, she is still on the other side of prejudice. But please believe her, I know she's been honest."

Harry answered

"Oh I believe her, I'm kind of a sap, you know that."

Draco rolled his eyes and smirked, they got to know each other quite well in the last 5 years, first as acquaintances, then as actual friends, now as brothers–in–law of sorts.

Harry took a deep breath "So I went a bit Gryffindor and sent a reply asking her to dinner tonight. Then I realized what I did and jumped through your floo. Did I overstep? Is she single? I sent that owl without thinking. I don't want her to get in trouble with some jealous husband or to make her uncomfortable."

Draco and Hermione by now had eyes like saucers. Draco was the first one to speak

"You ask her out? Like on a date? A Slytherin girl you hadn't seen since school?"

Harry nodded.

Draco burst into laughter. This was indeed the most Gryffindor thing he had heard off, and he knew about dragons and basilisks and Dark Lords. But this one took the cake.

"Well Potter, as always, you are a lucky sod. She is indeed single, completely unattached, and since you didn't think about it, let me tell you she is looking very nice. Better than in school, now that she is not a snob anymore. Kind of like me. Humbleness makes us Slytherins gorgeous."

Hermione rolled her eyes

"Oh yeah, humbleness. Like what you are displaying now." Then she turned to Harry "I agree, this was a lucky shot in the dark. I've seen Pansy a couple of times at the ministry and she's been very nice to me. And she does look very pretty, now that her features are softened. Go for it. Who knows, life works in mysterious ways" she said holding her boyfriend close, they were the best example of the world turning upside down.

At that moment the snow owl knocked on the window. Harry ran to grab the letter.

Meet me at Le Chateau in Muggle London at 7 pm.

There is a safe apparition point in the alley next to it.

Pansy

Harry smirked.

"Got me a date tonight. Better go rest, suddenly I'm not bored anymore" he grinned, waved and walked to the floo. The last thing he heard was Draco saying

"Don't forget to wank a couple of times at least. You've been in a dry spell for a while and don't want to walk in with a tent in your pants like a creep."

Hermione elbowed him again but he shrugged and picked her up to take her back to bed. No better way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.

At 6:58 pm, Pansy and Harry apparated at almost the same time on the alley, so they bumped into each other. She wobbled in her heels and he grabbed her in his arms. She blushed and look at him.

"Thank you, Potter"

"You are welcome, Pansy. And please, call me Harry". He kissed her cheeks and offered his arm. She was dumbstruck but managed a sweet smile.

"Thank you, Harry. I appreciate your invitation, that was a surprise"

"Your letter was a very pleasant surprise," he said, lifting her free hand to his lips. Wow. Draco was right. His dry spell must have been very long for him to be so bold. Lucky he took the advice and there was no visible tent down there.

She felt a shiver down her spine. She had been surprised by the invitation but thought it was going to be a polite 'let's make peace' conversation. This was looking more like a date. With Harry Potter. Who was looking damn hot. When did it happen? Not that he ever was not a cute kid, but this man was a hunk. Broad shouldered, obviously he worked out quite a bit. The messy hair now was sexy messy hair and those emerald eyes… Oh jeez. Should she really get this excited?

They walked together to the restaurant and she had put down a reservation for a private setting. She was thinking the conversation could range from emotional to humiliating, so she wanted to avoid a scene. Apparently, the setting was going to work for very different reasons.

They ordered some wine and appetizers, and he kept the conversation going, asking about her life, the years she was out of the country, what was going on now, her fashion design business, her plans for the future. She was thrilled. Usually, pureblood men were just interested in her as a commodity, interested in what she could bring to the table in the relationship as a business transaction. The real person, that was a non-issue as long as she had perfect manners and behaved demurely. This man, the kid that she had bullied for no reason, was the only man in years that had seen genuinely interested in what she had to offer as a person. She had plenty of information on the facts of his life since he was always in the public eye, but this conversation was showing her who he really was. His gestures, his manners, the seductive way he leaned towards her to listen to every word.

They clinked their glasses and took a sip. He spoke

"You seem very comfortable in the muggle world"

She smiled

"Anonymity is priceless when you have fallen from grace."

He reached for her hand.

"Well, I like the anonymity part of it, but hopefully this would be the first of many encounters, both in the muggle and the wizarding world?"

She blushed lightly at that, but it felt great.

"That sounds lovely, Harry."

He smiled in a mix of cocky and sexy that was not very much like him, but this woman made him feel daring. She was not a Chosen One fangirl, she was an independent, career-oriented woman, but she was still a Slytherin and she had a hint of that bad girl vibe to her that made him want to get out of his comfort zone.

They finished their dinner and the bottle of wine and he decided to go for broke.

"I wouldn't like the evening to be over yet. Would it be too forward to invite you to my place for another glass of wine?"

She didn't even try to look coy. This was the best time she had have in years. And in the end, it was the moment of truth. Either he was a nice guy or he wasn't. She was by now sure he was not physically dangerous, now there was not much to lose in testing if he was telling the truth when he said he wanted to keep seeing her.

"I would love that."

They went back to the alley and he side –apparate them to his place. He guided her to the drawing room that thankfully Kreacher had put together nicely enough. That elf was the only thing that kept him from living in a bachelor pad.

He conjured some great wine from the cellar and two glasses and pour them a drink. They made it through a clink of glasses and a sip before they both moved at the same time and embraced in a passionate kiss, glasses falling and spilling on the rug. Thank Merlin for elf magic and their miraculous cleaning spells. He lifted her bridal style and carried her to the bedroom while she kept kissing his neck and face. Harry was usually a shy guy in his dating life and Pansy was a prim pureblood woman, but tonight there was something in the air that made them both just want to let go and fall through the cliff of unleashed lust. He knew he held all the cards but he was the same nice guys as always. There was something that felt like fate about this encounter, and he just wanted her close.

They spent the night worshipping each other's bodies. She was mesmerized by his chiseled physique; he was fascinated with her beautiful soft curves. They kissed, licked, touched, explored, got lost in each other without inhibitions, not withholding anything. They fell asleep in each other's arms, feeling at peace, this unexpected day ending in bliss.

In the morning, the floo in the bedroom sparkled and a male voice came through

"How did it go last night?"

Pansy squealed but Harry was already waving his wand. She saw the shape of a tie on the fire. She asked

"Was that Draco?"

"Yup"

"And the tie?"

"Well, when he started dating Hermione he was quite upset because I kept coming through the floo unannounced, she and me we were used to that, until one day I walked right on to a full view of his pale ass. That day he came up with a rule that the floo was not see through and if they were busy he would conjure a tie on the fire, like a tie on the doorknob kind of thing. I'm just happy because this is the first time I'm returning the favor and rubbing a tie in his smug face. "

She laughed wholeheartedly at that. She really liked this guy. Writing that apology letter might have been one of the best ideas she ever had.