Hey all. Yes, I know. How dare I write a one-shot when I have two other DM/PP stories waiting to be updated? What nerve! But I simply had to get this down. Hope you enjoy. -Makbee


He let the front door shut gently. The house was dark and quiet and all he could hear was the pitter-patter of the rain outside. He rubbed his haggard face as he once again felt the wrongness of coming home to the empty mansion.

Because she left him. He could recall it so clearly, even now, after four months had passed. He came home tired from work, not unlike now, and there she was, standing at the bottom of their grand staircase, suitcase in tow.

They had stood in silence, just looking at each other. He really shouldn't have been surprised, he supposed. There just was never enough time for her after they settled down as man and wife. He had a lot to shoulder, what with his job in the ministry and the business he would be inheriting from his father. And they fought, constantly. Only now it wasn't the playful banter and flirtatious insults of their younger days. They were hurtful words said out of anger, irritation, and mostly frustration at their predicament.

"Darling," she had said. "I'm leaving."

Still he was speechless. His hand started to reach out to her, but he stopped it short. The words were stuck in his throat. He wanted to tell her that he would make it better, that he would make the time for her because, really, she was the woman he loved; she was and will always be the only one. But he couldn't do it. It went against his character to be so weak. He should not have to say such things, because his actions should have told her so. But then again, that was the problem wasn't it? He no longer showed he cared.

He had let his hand drop to his side and his eyes fell to the floor as she walked up to him. "We're no good at this. We should have known this adventure was too big for us." She smirked at him.

"I have never cheated on you," he said. There was so much more that he wanted to tell her but that was all he could say. His eyes met her again, and in those few seconds, they tried to convey to her everything he could not put in words.

She felt the tears. It wasn't fair, but that's how life went. No one ever really got the fairytale ending, or at least, not people of their ilk anyways. "I know. And I have only ever wanted you." She paused, trying to find the right thing to say. "But Draco, sometimes, love is not enough to keep two people together." And with one last passionate kiss, she was out the door.

That moment had been replaying in his head over and over every night. He tried to picture the outcome if he had only said what he needed to tell her. Some nights he couldn't stop thinking about it. Salazar, he loved her. He walked into his study, shedding the drenched coat off his shoulder and into one of the empty seats. As per his ritual since she had gone, he poured himself a glass of bourbon, one of many to come. It helped him to sleep because he was able to forget the emptiness he felt every night when he laid down on their bed.

On the east wall of the room, just above the fireplace, hung a large painted portrait of them on their wedding day. He looked at it now and recalled how beautiful she was. He finished off his drink, when he heard a small knock.

"What?" he cried angrily.

The door opened to reveal a timid house elf. Draco forgot his name. Only Pansy remembered all the names of the help.

"If you please, sir, madam Malfoy be asking to see you."

"My mother? She's here again?" Although she blamed Draco for Pansy's departure, she still worried about her son's state of mind and body these days.

"No, sir. The young Mrs. Malfoy."

It took him a moment before he realized who it was that was waiting for him. And in the seconds that followed, he felt his heart drop down to his stomach. He hadn't felt like this since the day he asked Pansy to marry him. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair.

"Where is she?"

"In the drawing room, master."

He strode out his study and walked down the dark hallway. He was nervous and anxious. What did she look like right now, he wondered. Was she happy now that she was no longer in his miserable company or did she miss him the way he did every day that he woke up?

As he entered, he saw her immediately. She was sitting on the green velvet sofa, with a white coat wrapped around her. Ebony locks still cascaded down her shoulders.

"Pansy." It came out hoarse. She turned around quickly but did not get up. She tried to smile but he saw the sadness in her face, the shining tears in her eyes.

"Sit down," she said, in that commanding tone he was all too familiar with, and missed. He complied and sat down next to her. He was once again speechless and not knowing what else to say, started remarking on the dullest subject man has ever talked about.

"So, the weather is rather awful . . ."

She laughed. "You are such an idiot! But I love you, damn you."

Pansy sighed, folding her hands on her lap. She was such a lady. "Can't sleep a wink without hearing you snoring at night and I honestly never thought I'd hear myself say that. Oh, and Mother is getting annoyed because I accidentally keep calling her 'Draco'. She turned to face him.

"Promise me it will be better." She softly grabbed his chin and pulled his face closer to hers. "Promise me you will try harder for us, because you love me that much." She was not asking, but demanding. Yes, he loved this woman and yes, for her he would not only try, he would make it work. He did not want to live one second longer without her than he had to.

Even now her touch paralyzed him so. She had been away for too long; he could hardly believe that she was really here. He answered her the only way he could.

He kissed her. He was never good at spouting romantic words and mumbo jumbo of the sort.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her into his embrace and continued to kiss her. He felt no unwillingness on her end, only the same longing he felt these past months.

She finally pulled away when his hands started wandering too much. "Darling, not where the help can see us," she reprimanded. He frankly did not give a damn about the stupid house elves, but he certainly wasn't about to start arguing with her. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips before rising to her feet and yelling.

"Pitty!" There was a loud pop and the elf appeared in front of her, bowing. "My luggage by the front door, take them up to our room. And I'll have your ears twisted if you drop anything!"

And then he noticed something different about her. Pansy had gained weight. Not much, but it was noticeable. She turned in his direction in time to catch him staring.

"I'm not fat," she said haughtily. She placed her hands on her hips, allowing her coat to open and reveal the growing bump on her stomach. "If anything, this is your fault." She tried to look mad, but he was smiling stupidly and could not do it.

He stood up and embraced her once again. He buried his face in her hair. "Love you," he mumbled. "Only you."