Just a short canon one-shot about my darling Draco and Pansy. I wrote this late at night so it may be dreadful when I look at it again tomorrow morning... but oh well, fingers crossed.
Disclaimer: I own none of jk's characters/place/etc. nor do i own the song itself; Where I Stood, the music, the lyrics or the singer (Missy Higgins)
Draco sat on a bench at the side of the lake, gazing out over the calm expanse. He felt rather than saw Pansy's approach through the park; shoulder's back, head held high, not one dark tendril blowing around her face. She did not look at only him as she walked, nor look aimlessly around herself, instead she held a steady gaze on a point just beyond Draco, occasionally giving a nonchalant look across the green. Draco gazed at her oncoming figure, wondering how Pansy would react to his next words. Slowly he turned his head back to look out over the water, thinking of the younger girl who awaited his presence at the manor.
Astoria was innocently, gracefully, coyly beautiful, with long blond hair which curled around her waist in luscious waves. There was forever a soft, secretive smile gracing her perfect features and sometimes when she would hold her little finger between her teeth, she would look up at Draco and her pearly blue eyes would twinkle, causing desire to pool inside him. There were times when she would lift her hair and knot it and Draco would drown in the delicious scent of roses and cinnamon. She would turn her head and see him gazing at the unveiled expanse of creamy skin upon her neck and she would raise an eyebrow and mock-admonish him for being so shallow. When she was saddened, she would cry. Real, true tears leaving tracks upon her cheeks. He would capture them in kisses and tell her to be happy, and she would be, as long as he was with her.
Contrasted to Pansy, she was the light to Pansy's dark. Pansy was startlingly, elegantly, confidently stunning, velvet dark hair, once short, now falling sleek and smooth on her shoulders. When she was incredulous, one of her angular eyebrows would rise in disbelief, when she was happy a slow mocking smirk would lick its way across her face, and when she was displeased, or upset, her face would not release a single drop of emotion; her eyes would gaze unseeingly with tears never to be shed. Sometimes, when he and Pansy were alone, she would run a hand carelessly through her hair from her brow to the tips of her strands. At times, when she sat beside him, one long, slim leg crossing over the other smoothly, a careful smile on her lips, he could hardly bare to look upon her beauty. And other times when she would dance with him, his blond locks clashing with her black, and her dark, musky perfume would swirl around him, so much so that it could be smelt by others for the rest of the night. There were times when she would look up at him through dark, luscious eyelashes and her cool, violet-flecked black eyes would meet his lust-filled, molten mercury ones and they both knew what was coming next. He would come home to Astoria when they were courting, and she would smell the hot sweat on her boyfriend mixed with her fragrance, and she would know where he had been. For there was only ever one other, only ever Pansy.
Pansy reached the bench and took her seat beside him, crossing her legs. Draco turned to look at her and was struck once again by how beautiful she was.
"Pansy," He said by way of greeting, unable to remember what it was he had intended to say. Slowly, she turned her own face to meet his gaze, a careful expression on her face. She knew then. That much was obvious.
"I know, Draco. I know that you are engaged. Blaise told me not three days ago," She said deliberately, turning away once again. Draco figured he should have guessed so. Blaise was Draco's best friend, but then he was also Pansy's. Blaise spent much time with Draco- and therefore with Astoria- but he always found time for Pansy. Theo had started from the opposing side; Astoria's. Theo was- and always had been- a sworn brother to her and her elder sister and he spent near all of his time with either of them or Draco.
"I see." He told her. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to say now.
"There's… there's just one thing I need to know Draco."
"Of course. Anything."
"Do you love her?" Her head turned towards him once more, her gaze piercing. Draco froze for a moment, unable to answer; thinking of Astoria, thinking of Pansy.
Astoria accepted the unjustness of the affair without complaint; it was an arranged marriage within the pureblood families and it was not her place to make a scene. Instead, she revelled in the knowledge that she was the only one who could openly take him to bed each night, the only one who could accompany him to dinner parties, with their arms around each others waist, and be introduced as his girlfriend. When they attended parties, she conversed smoothly with Draco's acquaintances- now hers also- flirting with the men and complimenting the women. She would laugh demurely in all the right places, laying a hand on the jesters arm when this happened. All the while, her arm slipped snugly around Draco's waist and when he excused himself, she held herself tall, offering a dazzling smile to any who looked at her with something resembling pity. When, and at times it did happen, she would feel more broken than usual, more hurt, by her boyfriend's disappearance, she always knew her sister was never far, always close enough to break her fall. When it looked like she might not make it, Daphne would come swiftly and stand beside her, a casual, innocent arm around her sister's waist which was really offering the younger girl a rope. Daphne would smile sweetly, laugh daintily, and speak in a proper manner whilst her sister coped silently and invisibly with the pain of rejection. She would drag herself from the edge of the abyss, and with a stunning smile, request a dance with Theo- who generally appeared when Daphne did- and secure in his strong arms, she would spin slowly to the music, a care-free smile upon her innocently beautiful face.
"Yes," He told her slowly, "yes I do."
Pansy was silent for a few moments and Draco desperately wanted to know what she was thinking about. Then she fixed him with that look- one he knew so well- which told him she would know if he lied.
"Do you love her more than me?" It was not a question asked in order to boost her ego, or strengthen her arrogance or even shame his fiancée. He thought about it; about her. About everything that she meant to him and he sighed in remembrance.
Pansy was entirely different in her approach. When she was in a room full of older, more important figures, she would walk confidently through the congregation, forming a pathway for herself through the crowds of males in their best robes and women in their most attractive dresses, knowing as she did when she walked through them that each would take a hit to their ego. She would pause at those most well-associated and talk amiably and confidently to them. Flirting came to her as easily as her own arrogance and men and women alike were left enthralled, gazing at her with desire after she had succeeded in smoothly seducing them. Occasionally, she would be preyed on to dance and, on most occasions, she accepted, swirling in elegant circles with men far older and some a little younger than herself. When at last she left the general crowds, she made her way pointedly to the one person who could make her successes even grander. Gazes trailed her across the room until she would come to a stop before the most important guest at the dinner party, perhaps the one it was hosted for. They would be watching her with either an appraising gaze or one undeterred, waiting to be impressed. Whatever the primary reaction, with either a witty remark or a well-aimed compliment, she soon had them on her side. She would remain close to this guest for the duration of the evening or else, if she knew Draco were in the room- and she always knew- her head would turn to the side, creating a sharp silhouette which was elegance personified, and she would fix Draco with a sly smile she reserved just for him and, making their excuses, they would both leave the party in favour for a quieter, secluded area where they could be alone together.
"No. Not more, Pansy, that would be impossible," he raised a cautious hand and, after ensuring nobody was watching, stroked her cheek bone with his thumb. She looked up at him through her thick eyelashes, her gaze unfaltering.
"I'm glad for you Draco, I truly am. She doesn't deserve you, nobody ever could. But I guess if I had to choose someone, it would be someone who loves you. Someone who loves you like I never did." She paused, "I'm no good for you, Draco."
He shook his head, refusing to accept her words.
"Pansy, you are anything but bad for me," he told her imploringly.
She shook her head gradually, a soft smile gracing her features. "You are blinded, my love. I could never stay with just one person, you know that," She chose not to mention the fact that she had thought constantly of whether Draco could have been the one to entice her into commitment. She tried not to even think on this as she looked away from his stunning profile and her smile slowly faded.
"She will love you more than I could," Pansy murmured, not turning her head to look at him. "She who dares to stand where I stood," She finished in a volume not far off a breath and Draco had to wonder if he'd even heard her right. With not a murmur more of sound, she stood gracefully and walked away from him. He was left staring after her retreating figure, wondering when he would next see her. Swallowing the tears which threatened to choke him, he stood and walked in the opposite direction to the dark beauty, towards his parents home where his darling blond remained, waiting for him.
So... what do we think?
Review and I'll love you ridiculous amounts ;]
Author's Note:
I made a mistake when submitting this and accidently put it down as draco/harry, which it obviously isn't, so sorry for any inconvenience that has caused. It has now been changed.
Secondly, although this fic is canon- as in everything ends up how jk planned for it to- this is still a piece of ficiton and, yes, maybe my characters, especially Pansy, are different to how they're meant to be, but I've twisted them to fit my story. Plus, this is based a good few years after the war; for all we know, Pansy could be a gorgeous model by then. And personally I like to think she cared about Draco all along, but her care was not returned. But that's just my take.