They had been chasing Potter and his friends all evening. Initially there had been talk that Potter would be leaving his muggle home later in the summer, but then word had caught that Potter was moving that night, and they had quickly leapt into action.

It was already a few weeks after school had been let out, and things were…different to say the least. The death of Albus Dumbledore had scared many, who could blame them? Dumbledore had always seemed so invincible, but now he was nothing.

They weren't sure where he was going, Potter that is, any number of semi-known locations or potential safe houses were on the table.

Pansy Parkinson and her long-time boyfriend, Draco Malfoy, had been tasked with patrolling the perimeter of the Weasley residence, or at least, the land surrounding it. Heavy wards were in place, and Pansy thought it was awfully simple for Potter to end up at the home of his best friend, Ron, but she wasn't exactly in the position to be asking questions. None of them were.

Draco had messed up a few weeks ago, and now they were both paying for it. To say that things were strained between the couple would be an understatement, tension and resentment piling up for months now, and only more severe as of late.

Draco was on his precious Firebolt, and she seated behind him. They circled aimlessly, using the wards as a guide, waiting for anything. A long time seemed to have gone by, and she was bored, her eyelids drooping. This was a failure.

"Look!" Draco jarred her into focus, pointing ahead of them to where they could make out figures racing through the muddy field and into the safety of the wards.

Draco took off toward them, streaking down low as fast as possible, aiming right for them. Spells began flying as he worked to dodge them. She tried to get her wand ready, but was struggling as they ducked and weaved. A stunner missed her by inches.

"Draco, we're outnumbered!" She hissed at him but he ignored her, a hell bent look of fury in his eyes.

A spell hit the back end of their broom, knocking them down several feet in the air. A rush of heat hit her back and she turned to see the broom bristles on fire. The fire was forcing the broom to lose any sense of buoyancy in the air, and they began dropping even faster.

"Draco we're going down!" She screamed as they plummeted toward the earth. Everything was happening so fast and she couldn't get her wand from her pocket as she clutched him. He was trying desperately to keep them aloft as the muddy ground loomed closer and closer.

"Fuck!" Draco shouted as they hit the ground hard, rolling over each other violently. Pansy felt something snap, blooming pain spreading across her abdomen, Draco half on top of her.

"Oh my God, Oh my God," Pansy cried out, clutching her ribs, feeling something protruding from her side. "My ribs, my ribs!"

Draco groaned and rolled off of her, a large laceration on his temple, blood oozing down the side of his face.

"Shit, Pans, you're bleeding," He put his hand on her side, "This is bad." In the distance they could hear the sounds of running feet and angry shouting.

"They're coming for us," his silver grey eyes widened and he looked back to her, trying to stop the blood from leaking from her side. "We have to get out of here."

Their eyes met, her face gray and twisted in pain and fear, his own skin sickly white and stricken. They both realized the same thing in that instant.

"You can still get away," she choked out, reaching up a shaking bloody hand to cup his face. "You're already hurt, you can't take us both. You can get away."

"I can't leave you," he insisted, holding the hand that was pressed to his face. "You know what they'll do to you."

"Obliviate me," she blurted out. Draco stared at her as if she had gone mad, but she could hear their pursuants closing in on them and she knew this was the best choice. "I mean it, Obliviate me. It'll keep everyone safe, if I don't know anything, they can't use it against me!"

They had a silent stare down.

"You're crazy," he choked out, "but I love you." He pressed his forehead to hers, squeezing her face in his hands, emotion clouding his eyes. They kissed quickly.

"Do it now, and run," she hissed. She felt him press his wand, shaking slightly, to her temple, all the while she stared up at him calmly, into those silver eyes that she would know anywhere, no matter where she was in the world or how long it had been.

"I'll find you!" He insisted, "I won't forget about you!"

She smiled despite herself.

"Obliviate."

Before:

They were standing on the platform of 9 ¾, their first year at Hogwarts starting that very day. The Parkinson's and the Malfoy's, longtime friends, were seeing off their two children.

Pansy, small for her age with inky black hair and a slightly upturned nose she hadn't yet grown into, and Draco, pale features pointed and seemingly blended in with his white blond hair. Even then, as children, she had noticed that people seemed to hurry away from the sight of their families, keeping their heads down and eyes averted.

"Be a good boy and represent the family well, Draco, and make sure you keep an eye out for Pansy, make sure no one gives her any trouble," Lucius told his son. "Protect her for her parents, that is your responsibility now...always." Their mothers positively swooned at that.

"Of course I will," Draco took her hand, her tiny eleven year old hand, and did not let go of it until they were walking up to the sorting hat at Hogwarts that evening.