"What do you want?" Draco asked, cross. He had a long day, double Care of Magical Creatures with Gryffindor, a great deal of homework to complete and he did not want to deal with Pansy Parkinson right now. Or if he wanted to be honest, and look past the charade of Slytherin loyalty, he didn't want to deal with her ever. However, the girl seemed to have attached herself to him for whatever reason. He suspected it had something to do with the Malfoy family fortune, Pansy had a keen eye for wealth and the lack of morals required to attain it. Unfortunately for him the best way for her to do this was to marry him. Oh Merlin's knickers, he thought, was this going to be her attempt at romance?

"Draco, I was wondering if you would like to go get coffee at that coffee place in Hogsmeade. You know, the one that has such pretty Valentine's Day decorations?" she asked him hesitantly, blushing, the picture of a lovestruck girl. Too bad that it happened to be an act, Draco knew that Pansy had never been like this, and probably never would be.

He reclined lazily on his chair, books and papers for the History of Magic essay spread out ahead of him. He spent a second in an exaggerated pose of contemplation then looked up at her. "How about no?" he finally said harshly. "Not interested now and most likely will never be. Close the door on your way out."

Her eyes visibly hardened, Draco saw, and the act of the giddy girl talking to her crush was gone as if it had never existed at all. "And why not?," she said softly. "You asked me to the Yule Ball, didn't you? I'm fully pureblood, from a family that is almost as noble as yours, Malfoy."

"I'll grant you all those points. I asked you to the dance because you and Greengrass were the people my family would approve of the most, and Daphne Greengrass was asked before I got to her. There was nothing in it but convenience. If our families decided we were to marry, we would do so, but I see no point in a false romance before that. Besides, I'm really not interested," he said, hoping that that would convince her to let the subject drop.

Apparently it did not, as she only moved closer. "Haven't you ever wanted to live a little outside what your parents think you should do, Draco?" Pansy said softly, trying to play on his feelings of rebelliousness.

Draco noticed the shift from the family name of Malfoy to his first name and sighed. Pansy was really going to try everything to get him to go on a date with her. He began to move the books and papers for his History of Magic essay aside. It was clear that he wasn't going to be able to get any work done tonight with her pestering.

"That's not it, I just think we would be better as friends," he replied, lying through his teeth. To tell the truth, he couldn't stand the girl and her manipulations. Not that he could tell her that, as much as he would like to. Slytherin House was a complicated network of alliances, debts owed and paid, and at the center of all things, the all-important blood purity ranking. As a Malfoy, he was high on that list of status, as almost all of his family had married purebloods, or if they had not, the scandal had been kept a secret. Still, he couldn't afford to lose Pansy Parkinson as an ally. He had little of those left, and at least she could occasionally provide some intelligent conversation, though tonight was not one of those times.

"Do you?" she asked, seeing through his lie easily. "Ok fine, let me offer you a deal. You give me a night, just one night, and after that, I'll let it be your choice." She leaned in closer to whisper in his ear. "What's the point of having your own dorm if you don't put it to use occasionally?"

Draco turned to look at her, moving his head away from hers in the process. He merely raised an eyebrow, showing that he really wasn't interested.

"At least a kiss," she begged, desperately, before her mask fell back into place. "Everyone says that I'm a very good kisser."

"Everyone?" he repeated sardonically. He doubted that she had been involved with with as many people as she claimed, from the rumors and gossip that were the backbone of Slytherin, he suspected that she hadn't even been involved with anyone at all.

"Well, you will," she claimed.

Draco looked again at his essay. It was due tomorrow and though he suspected Professor Binns never actually read the essays he assigned, he didn't want to chance it. His father had made it very clear that if his grades dropped any further, there would be consequences, and though he would never admit it, Lucius Malfoy intimidated him. "One kiss and then you'll leave?" he asked, resigned. Right now, he would do whatever it takes to get rid of Pansy.

"Just one kiss," she promised, smiling smugly. Pansy knew she had won this round.

"Alright then," he said reluctantly and turned his face towards hers.

The next morning he awoke earlier than usual to notice her slim body curled up against his, still wearing her school clothes, though they were slightly askew. He shook her awake, and she opened her eyes sleepily. "Hi Draco,"she whispered. "I told you I was a good kisser."

"Alright, I admit it," he said, getting up and holding open the door for her. "Now goodbye, Pansy."

She left his room straightening her clothes, and a smile on her face, while Draco got out his books, quill pen, and parchment to work on his essay.