Two Years Ago

Pansy stood with Daphne, wine glass in hand, watching the various couples litter the ministry floor.

"Can you actually believe that Draco is with Granger?" Daphne asked as she took a delicate sip from her own wine glass, her gaze zeroing in on one of their best friends in the middle of the dance floor, his arms wrapped protectively around the wild-haired witch.

Pansy scoffed. She still found the pair unbelievable. Draco had invited all of his friends out to dinner Saturday past to tell them that he and the Brains of the Golden Trio were bumping uglies and that he wouldn't stand with anyone making fun of her. Okay, maybe he didn't exactly say it in those terms, but Pansy shot back that snakes can't change their nature and while she will tolerate Granger, there was no way she could guarantee that she wouldn't make fun of her. There was too much material there for Pansy to pass up on. Draco had sent her a glare, but Pansy brushed him off and went back to her delicious sushi roll.

But she knew that he was serious. He never took them all out to dinner before to inform them about the latest romantic venture in his life. Normally, by the time they found out, the slag would be gone and Draco would be on the hunt for a new one.

"I don't know what's going on in his head, but I trust him," she responded as she watched Draco dip his head to whisper something in Granger's ear that made her blush.

Daphne nodded.

"I am already dreading the group get-togethers with her friends that Draco's going to force us to go to."

Pansy laughed as her eyes scanned the dance floor again, hiding the fact that she was searching desperately for the familiarity of jet-black.

"Speaking of her friends," Daphne said nodding in the direction of black and red hair. "Looks like Potter and She-Weasel are fighting."

Pansy looked over sharply and saw that her friend was right. Potter's face was bright red as he seemed to be arguing in hushed whispers with the little Weasley whose face was matching her hair. She looked to have said something that really upset Potter as he abruptly stopped dancing, left her on the dance floor and walked out onto the balcony of the ballroom. Pansy raised an eyebrow at Daphne in surprise.

"Damn, I wonder what they were fighting about," Daphne said as she raised her wine glass once more.

"Let me go find out," Pansy said. She threw her wine back to finish it and placed the empty glass on a floating tray that was passing in front of her.

"Pansy, I'm not sure that's a good idea," Daphne said sternly. "I know you love riling up the Gryffindors, especially Potter since you've started working in the Auror Department, but he might be in a very bad mood."

Pansy smirked. "Don't worry about me, Daph. I can handle Potter."

She smoothed her tight fitting black gown of inexistent wrinkles as she made her way out onto the balcony to Potter. She actually hadn't seen Potter in about two months. He was away on a mission to round up some rogue Death Eaters in Siberia. Daphne had been right: Pansy loved messing with Potter, especially now that she worked as an assistant to the Head Auror.

She got the job right out of Hogwarts with the help of McGonagall. When Pansy went back for her Eighth Year, she no longer hid her intelligence. She excelled in her subjects. She knew she was no Granger or hell, no Draco, but she held her own. McGonagall had told her in her graduation interview that she had all the skills to become an Auror. Pansy never thought of herself as the hero type, but agreed to take the assistant job to learn the ropes. It also helped that her boss, Bladric Doggins, was a close friend to her father.

The first day that Pansy started at the Ministry, she learned that Doggins was getting ready to retire and was already grooming Potter to take over as Head. Potter, along with Ron Weasley, had opted out on returning to Hogwarts to do their Eighth Year and instead went into Auror Training.

Pansy realized that she had taken a liking to Potter. She found that the man was easily embarrassed and she enjoyed ruffling his feathers a bit. During the past year of working in the Auror Department, Pansy had spent more time with Potter than she cared to admit. Through late nights, coffee runs, and meetings, she and Potter were almost constantly together unless he was sent out on a mission. During those times, she kept herself even busier so that she didn't have to think about if he was dead or alive.

Pansy Parkinson isn't stupid… despite what everyone thought of her. She was actually quite intelligent hence why McGonagall took a liking to her during her Eighth Year, when she got over her prejudices, humbled down, and took her education seriously. She knew that Potter had a girlfriend in Ginny Weasley, but that didn't stop her from being halfway in love with the Golden Boy.

She refused to admit it. She was very protective of her heart and she knew she put herself in a compromising position because of who she fell for. She also knew that by the way Potter's hands shook whenever she brushed hers against his that he was affected by her as well.

However, Pansy was a moral person. She never made a move. She never did anything more than harmless flirting with the Golden Boy that fit within the person that everyone thought her to be. No one else had to know that Pansy actually meant all of the flirtatious comments that she made in his direction.

Pansy walked out on the balcony and saw Potter standing with his back to her, knuckles white as he gripped the bannister. He looked more muscular than she remembered.

"Bad day in paradise?" Pansy asked slyly as she approached him. Harry stiffened as he heard her voice.

"It's none of your business, Parkinson," his voice came out strained, as if he were recently yelling.

"What's the matter, Potter?" She moved to stand beside him and looked at his face, which was getting back to its normal color. She also noticed that he now sported a new scar above his right eye. She resisted the urge to let her fingers graze it. "A party in your honor isn't enough for you?"

He took a deep breath, knowing that she was just trying once more to rile him up.

"Ginny and I broke up," he said softly. Pansy ignored the soaring leap that her heart took.

"Why?" Pansy asked feigning interest.

"She thinks that I am too caught up in work and that I don't spend enough time with her."

"Well there's no arguing that," Pansy replied. He looked down at her then, locking his eyes with hers. "What?"

"There's something else."

Pansy rolled her eyes. Merlin bless this man and his dramatics.

"Stop being so cryptic, Potter. Why else is Weasley mad?"

He turned his body so that he was facing her. "She thinks that I spend too much time with you."

"Oh." Pansy said dumbly before regaining her composure. When she was sure that her voice wouldn't make her sound vulnerable, she spoke again.

"Geez, doesn't Weasley know that our positions require us to spend time together? How else are you supposed to do your job as the Junior Head of the department and not talk to the assistant to the head? You sure know how to choose them."

"I guess so," Harry said cryptically.

Pansy nodded and was about to respond when Harry put his hand over hers. She froze.

"Pansy," His voice came out soft and hesitant. "Don't hex me. I just…I just need to try something."

He brought his hands up to her face and forced Pansy to look up into his green eyes. They were searching hers before they fluttered closed and he bent down towards her. Her hands started shaking. Her heart was beating so loudly that she was sure he could hear it. But then Pansy did something that made her entire body protest. She put her hands on his chest to stop him.

"Harry," her voice was soft and pained. "We-we can't."

Potter looked shocked. "Why? He asked.

"You just broke up with your girlfriend. Anyone can see us out here on the balcony. Daphne was right…I shouldn't have come out here."

Harry leaned back a bit, his face softened.

"I should have clarified…Ginny and I broke up two months ago, Pansy," Harry said holding on to her hand. "She asked me to dance today because it was the first time we saw each other since the breakup."

Pansy could feel herself holding her breath. She didn't know what to make of this information.

"It was an innocent dance. But then she started talking about us getting back together and I told her that I didn't want to and she blew up on me."

Pansy let out the breath that she was holding and looked up at this infuriating man. He was still talking but she wasn't listening. She found herself staring at his full lips. Making her mind up, Pansy put her hands on both sides of his face and brought his lips down to hers. She let hers linger on his for a moment before she started moving. He was unresponsive for a moment and Pansy stopped, dread filling through her. She must have read him wrong…

Then he brought his hand to the small of her back and the other one on the back of her head. He took control of the kiss and Pansy instantly melted. She forgot where she was. She swore she even forgot who she was for a moment as Harry's lips danced over her own. All too soon, Harry pulled back. He rested his head on her forehead as he steadied his breath.

"Do you want to leave?" he asked her in that same soft voice.

"Hell yes," was her response as she grabbed his hand and apparated them to his house.

They landed with a soft thud in the middle of the living room at Grimmauld Place. Pansy turned to face Potter. He smiled at her as he grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him.

"I've waited so long to do this," he whispered. He ran his hand through his silky dark hair and placed small kisses on the side of her face trailing down to her neck. Pansy moaned lightly as he found a sensitive spot below her ear.

"Oh me too Potter," she said as she gripped his muscular arms. "But right now, I need less talking and more action."

He laughed huskily but proceeded to do just as she said.