Cold Shoulder
Author's Note:I hope that all of you that are reading this story enjoy it! I've been working on a couple/few full-length fanfictions, but then I heard a song and it inspired this...and I couldn't not write it and share it with you! I try and stear clear of writing fanfcitions based off of songs, however, this just spoke to me...and I hope that you love it as well. Oh and, I'm so sorry for not updating my full-length fic's first, but I needed a little Draco Astoria writing fix.
I am sorry if there are some grammatical/spelling mistakes. I wrote this in a very short time period, and I know that it isn't perfect...but it's something; and I thought perhaps someone would enjoy it. So yeah.
*** Also, if I get enough responses, I've thought about going ahead and making a full-length fic for this couple...
Please review! Reviews are love...and my reason to continue writing. Also, I try and reply to my reviews, if applicable. ~ Luvies, Tori
Story Disclaimer:This is my disclaimer for the duration of this fanfiction. Anyways, I own absolutely nothing and I don't know a soul. All of the characters belong to the awesome J.K. Rowling. However, the story line is mine. The gorgeous song (which is in italics) belongs to none other than the loveley Adele. The song in question is "Cold Shoulder," and all of you should listen to it. It's upbeat and catchy! Thanks so much!
This is from Pansy Parkinson's point of view.
Being the love interest of someone as renowned as Draco Malfoy was hard work. I mean, did the man not realize that I had spent the better part of my young adult life being absolutely perfect for him? I dressed to impress for his benefit; and I bent to his will because that is what a good pureblood debutante does with marraige material. Essentially I had spent my days attempting to show him that I would be a wonderful fit for his family heirlooms, like that magnificent engagement ring...and his heir.
This is why after years of dating I couldn't understand why he hadn't proposed yet. I mean I am quite the catch, if I do say so myself. And I'd given him pleanty of time to 'heal' from the war, a whole whopping two years. And let's face it ladies, I wasn't getting any younger...I needed that ring. I mean what could he possibly be stalling for?
You say it's all in my head
And the things I think just don't make sense
So where you been then? Don't go all coy
Don't turn it round on me like it's my fault
See I can see that look in your eyes
The one that shoots me each and every time
"Drac-y, you've been so busy lately." I began in the saddest tone of voice I could manage, which happened to sound like pure devastation...how could he deny his angel in distress? "I feel like I never see you anymore. I mean, work couldn't possibly take up this much time." I let my lips pucker slightly as I gripped his hand across the dinner table at a new upscale restaurant.
He bristled slightly as I gripped his hand. "Well my work has been taking up most of my time." He studies my face for a moment before snatching my curiosity. "Among other things."
"What could possibly be more important to you than I am!" Shit, I think I may have sounded more demanding than I had fully intended. The idea had been to guilt him, not start another fight.
His eyes glazed over in irritation as he snatched his hand back. That's when I noticed her, a rather small brunette girl that we'd gone to school with, heading for our table all smiles. What in Merlin's name did she want! As I contemplated this, I noticed that Draco had noticed her as well, and was sitting up straighter and smiling...warmly?
"Draco, Pansy" Her voice was soft and sickeningly sweet. "It's nice to see you again." She smiled at me briefly for a moment before turning her full attention to Draco, little slag. "Thank you for visiting us the other day. Mother was so happy to see that Theo had chosen you for best man."
I couldn't help but scrunch my nose and cut off Draco...I mean I was curious as to who would ever be marrying stuffy old Theodore Nott. "Theo? Who's he marrying?" My voice was very uninterested, and slightly snotty...I mean why whould I care if someone else was getting married before me?
Her expression seemed shocked for a moment as she flicked a glance at Draco before schooling her expression to one of politeness. "I'm sorry, I wrongly assumed you'd recognize me. I'm Astoria Greengrass. My sister, Daphne, is marrying Theo in a few weeks..." She trailed off as Draco smiled.
Draco shot me a death glare before taking control of the conversation, per usual. "Well I'm glad that he asked me. It'll be my pleasure to escort you down the aisle, Miss. Greengrass." Draco smirked slightly as the little twat blushed ever so slightly and smiled. I couldn't believe it, was my Drac-y Poo flirting with...with the disgusting child in front of us!
"Oh I know it will be." She flirted (most distastefully I might add) before Draco started laughing...a real laugh. "See you then, Mr. Malfoy." She smirked before walking off, swinging her hips in an entirely too exagerated fashion.
You grace me with your cold shoulder
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
You shower me with words made of knives
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
Ever since that night at dinner I had noticed that Drac-y had even less time for me. He came up with the most tedious of excuses, business and family responsibility always at the top of his list. And I couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of my mind that the Little Greengrass (or as I liked to refer to her in my thoughts, the little hussy) had a hand in all of this. But it just didn't make sense because I was clearly the better choice out of the pair of us.
As he stared at me over dinner, his eyes darted around the restaurant...almost as if he were expecting someone else to appear. "Drac-y..." I smiled as his gaze returned to me, slightly wistful before looking completely emotionless. "Muffin-Cake, is there something wrong?"
His tone was clipped as he stiffened. "Of course not."
"You're lying to me!" It came out of my mouth as a hiss before I had even decided if I wanted to confront the issue, shit! I was really going to have to start using a filter because I can't stand when he glares at me like that.
"Oh really, Pansy?" His voice was disinterested as he paid the bill. "And what exactly do you think I'd have to lie to you about?" His voice was cold as he led me out of the restaurant. "It's not like we're married..." I think I stopped breathing as he threw the knife into my heart. "I'm not tied to you. Therefore I think I can do exactly as I please and tell you as much as I wish." He stared at me his eyes cold as he twisted the knife farther into my heart. He couldn't really possibly feel this way...could he!
I started off calmly as I softly rubbed his arm, trying to keep my tears at bay. "Listen, I think you've had a bad day and a bit much to drink. And I just know you can't mean what you said. So, you can go home and get some sleep...and I'll be ready to talk when you feel better." I smiled as I pressed a kiss to his cheek and watched him turn and walk off from me.
These days when I see you
You make it look like see-through
Do tell me why you waste our time
When your heart ain't admitting you're not satisfied
You know I know just how you feel
I'm starting to find myself feeling that way too
It'd been a grand total of two weeks...two sodding weeks! And I haven't heard a word from him, not even a fucking owl to say, 'Hello Pansy, My dear sweet heart! I'm so sorry for my poor behavior. Please forgive me Dearest, for I can't live without you.' Or, you know something along those lines...
So imagine my horror when I show up at Daphne kiss-my-arse Greengrass' engagement party to Theo Nott and see him, across the room, looking like he's just spotted the most wonderful prize in all the world. Except the not-so-funny thing is, he's looking straight past me...and that's when I notice her. She's wearing an indigo colored dress and her dark curls are piled atop her head...and I have to begrudginly admit that the little hussy actually looks decent. And then he's gliding across the room to her, straight past me. (Yes, gliding. Drac-y's too elegant to simply walk.) And I can't help my urge to hide behind a pillar and listen to them.
Draco is smiling genuinely as he moves much too close to the little hussy. "You look absolutely stunning, Astoria." Stunning! He's never once given me such a compliment. That little hussy must be playing dirty...by doing the dirty. Bloody bitch!
"Thank you, Draco. You don't look completely terrible I suppose." She smiles as he laughs and leans in towards her, his lips practically against her ear. And it's all making me feel as if I'm going to be terribly sick...or faint...or want to rip out her fucking perfect hair. And I'm leaning more towards attacking the little hussy as Drac-y's voice draws me back in.
"Not completely terrible, huh?" He's smiling as he presses a hand to her lower back, drawing her near him. Oh Merlin, I can feel the world swaying around me. "I think I look better than that. But you're right I do seem to be lacking something..." And she's staring up at him now, entranced and amused. "You, on my arm."
I don't even know what happened from there because I may have sort of burst out of the room in a screaming fury, where I escaped to the garden that happened to be freezing. Apparently the Greengrass' weren't smart enough to enchant their fucking garden warm... And when I reached a bench I couldn't stop my tears. My Drac-y was off flirting with that insipid bitch. She was practically a baby! How could he do this to me, his Pansy, of all people!
When you grace me with your cold shoulder
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
You shower me with words made of knives
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
"Pansy?" He sounds shocked as we run into eachother at a dinner for the Slytherins in our year. As if I wouldn't come? I was, I mean I am, the most popular girl from our year. Everyone has always wanted to be me...except that al of my friends seem to be drooling over eachother's engagement rings, even that troll, Milicent Bullstrode has some guady ring on.
"Drac-y." I smile tightly as I slip my arm through his. I mean we may be having a bit of a rough patch, but we must keep up appearances. It just wouldn't do to have all of our friends knowing our business. "How are you?" He stiffens slightly at my touch, but I plow on because he is mine and this is my role. "You seemed busy at the Greengrass party the other night..." I gave him a masked glare, digging my fingernails into his skin ever so slightly.
He pointedly untangles his arm from mine, and leads me by the elbow out into the hall. "We need to talk about that, Pansy." Oh fuck, suddenly I feel my stomach hitting the ground. because he's either: A. About to propose. Please let it be Merlin! or B. ... Well, I'd rather not think about 'B.' "I'll make this simple. Things aren't working out for me. I really can't have you trailing after me acting like you did at that party."
My throat is constricting, I think my lungs have stopped working. What the fuck is wrong with me! All I can do is whimper out a response, that is actually quite incredulous for a whimper. "Are you...breaking up with me?"
His grey eyes study mine for a moment before he crosses his arms and nods curtly. "Exactly. I'm so glad that you understand. I'd like to be with someone I'm in love with, you see." And then he leaves me standing there in the hallway like a complete and utter moron.
Time and time again, I play the role of fool
(Just for you)
Even in the daylight when you think that
(I don't see you)
Try to look for things I hear but our eyes never find
'Though I do know how you play
The next time I see him is at the Greengrass-Nott wedding; and it's clear to everyone that he's dating (the idea of it makes me cringe) the little hussy. And all of the matron's are giving me sympathetic looks and whispering as I walk past. He's made me the fucking laughing stock of pureblood society! Draco Malfoy is a bleeding wanker!
So to maintain some dignity for the both of us, I say that we're just 'taking some time out to rediscover ourselves.' Which just earns me even more pittying looks, which is quite possibly even more humiliating than the fact that he's following the Greengrass bitch around like a lust-sick puppy. (Because it couldn't possibly be love...)
And I decide then and there that I have the will-power and grace to wait for the day when he gets bored with her; because he will. And inevitably he will come grovelling back to me because we're meant to be. So I wait and listen to gossip, looking for signs that my reign as his is looming in the near future...
You grace me with your cold shoulder
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
You shower me with words made of knives
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
Except the day never comes. I wait and wait and wait...And I mean, sure I've gone out on a few dates with Adrian Pucey because Merlin helps those who help themselves. And I'm sure that letting Adrian flaunt me on his arm will make Draco jealous...because we go together.
Then I feel my world start to shatter as I get a large creamy envelope in the mail with perfect calligraphy handwriting; and the Malfoy crest. I clamp my eyes shut before reading the perfect card that lay inside. 'You are cordially invited to the engagement party of our son, Draco Lucius Malfoy to Astoria Clarisse Greengrass...'
I refuse to cry. The only problem is, my tear ducts seem to be ignoring my command as huge unsightly tears (sobs, really) shake my body as I melt to the floor. And my heart feels as if it's melting...and being trampled on all at once. Bceause I was the one that was supposed to wear his ring, and redecorate his ghastly mansion, and spend his money, and have his stupid squalling babies. And now I won't get to do any of that because some little girl came in and ripped away my life.
You grace me with your cold shoulder
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
You shower me with words made of knives
Whenever you look at me and wish I was her
I make sure to take a sedating potion before I go to their wedding because I really won't be able to take it any other way. But, like everything else this stupid potion just seems to have made me into a deliriously happy moron, not the effect I was looking for. And people keep staring at me like I'm drunk, which I'm not.
At the reception I waltz my way over to the new Mrs. Malfoy, my face schooled into a perfect smile. "You look absolutely beautiful, Astoria." (Personally, I think her dress is last season...and her jewelry is too simple.) But, I smile as Draco eyes me wryily, and wraps an arm around his...his thing. She smiles innocently, full of happiness.
"Thank you, Pansy. I'm so happy you decided to come." She smiles up at Draco before facing me, offering me one of her small hands. "No hard feelings, I hope? I'd really like us to be cordial."
Cordial...right...there is no possible way that this girl was sorted into Slytherin for any reason beyond her blood status. She's simply too...sweet and trusting and it's quite disconcerting. "Of course. I'd like that too." I find myself saying without full knowledge of what I'm saying. Stupid, fucking potion not even allowing me to say what I want.
"That's big of you, Pansy." Draco relaxes as he presses a kiss to the little hussy's temple. "The Pansy I knew would be acting quite differently..."
I feel my face burning pink. There is no reason for him to act like I'm the ludicrous one. "Yes, well, apparently everyone has grown up, Draco." I say his name like a disease as Astoria starts guiding them away to speak to other guests. And he doesn't even look back to me...instead, he keeps her close, whispering in her ear. And I know my reign is over forever. She snuck into my life; and got Draco to do what I could never get him to do...propose to and marry her. The worst part is, I think they're actually in-love...Not even, I, the perfect catch can compete with that.
Reviews are love! I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot. I purely wrote it for funsies. I've never actually written a Draco/Astoria before this...or anything that involved Pansy. So, I was a bit out of my comfort zone. Thanks for reading!