Disclaimer: Am I middle aged, smart and called Joanne? No. Then I don't own Potter.
Pansy trudged rather wearily after Slughorn making sure she complained loud enough for him to hear. She wanted to fight, she wanted to see Draco and she wanted to help the Death Eaters. It was expected of her. They were on the last corner when she saw a familiar figure floating past. She turned around and sprinted the full length of the corridor ignoring Daphne, Millicent, Blaise and Nott. She followed the pale figure up a set of stairs unsure of whether to call out to him or not. As they reached the top she spoke afraid that she would lose him otherwise.
"Mr Malfoy?" she called.
He turned slowly to face her and she let out an involuntary gasp. Azkaban had not been kind to Lucius Malfoy. He looked tired and his once perfect hair contained knots and a grey hair.
"Miss Parkinson, how lovely to see you. But may I enquire as to why you are here?"
"I was hoping to fight and to see Draco. Is he here?"
Lucius face fell dramatically. "Yes but I have not seen him. Narcissa…."
"Narcissa is here?" Pansy asked.
"Yes, perhaps you would like to see her." Lucius said. Pansy agreed. Narcissa Malfoy had basically become her mother after Mrs. Parkinson died. Lucius led her through the doors and out onto a rooftop. It took Pansy a moment to adjust to the darkness but once she did she made out 4 figures. 2 men and 2 women. She only recognised the slender blonde woman and immediately ran to her. She kissed Narcissa Malfoy's cheek and embraced her. The blonde smiled and embraced her own husband.
"Pansy, I don't believe you have met my sister yet. This is Bellatrix and her husband Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange."
Pansy curtsied towards them. The Lestranges were heroes in the Slytherin Common Room.
"Who is this?" Bellatrix drawled.
"This is Pansy Parkinson. Iris' daughter and Draco's girlfriend.
"Pureblood?" Bellatrix asked.
"Of course." Pansy said with as much dignity as she could summon.
"What are you doing here?" Rabastan Lestrange asked.
It was an impertinent question but Pansy decided to answer it anyway.
"I was hoping for news of Draco." She said.
Narcissa smiled. "He's in the castle."
"You think. Baby Draco may not be alive." Bellatrix said laughing a little.
Narcissa swayed but Lucius supported her and took her hand. Pansy bit her lip.
"Are you going to cry Pansy?" Bellatrix mocked.
"I never cry." Pansy snapped.
Bellatrix cackled but sat back slightly. "A bit of bite this one. It'd be good for the boy." Pansy smirked. The infamous Bellatrix Lestrange had just praised her. There was a silence.
"I hate waiting here." Rabastan said.
"We have to." Rodolphus said wearily.
"But the Mudbloods." Bellatrix moaned.
"There will be plenty left for you darling." Rodolphus said and leant over to kiss his wife's cheek. Lucius turned to Pansy again.
"Can you duel?" he asked.
"Of course. I am In Slytherin." Pansy reminded him. It was common knowledge that Slytherins learnt to duel in their common room. A tradition that had been started by the people sitting on the rooftop although Pansy was unaware of this.
"You will need to fight if the Dark Lord says you are to come with us." Narcissa said.
"When will the Dark Lord know?" Pansy asked wondering why on earth they were all dropping to their knees.
"Now." A voice hissed. Pansy turned and looked into a pair of red eyes. "Miss Parkinson I presume?" the voice asked coldly and Pansy realised why Draco had been so scared of this creature. "Yes, Draco talked about you."
"I'd hope so." Pansy said momentarily forgetting who she was talking to.
The Lord laughed, it was not a pleasant sound. "A little bite in this one, a bit like you Bella. But later will be the time for talking, now we fight. You will accompany us Miss Parkinson. To the forest Bella, follow on."
The Lord was gone followed by his most loyal servants. Narcissa walked with Pansy.
"We'll find Draco together." Narcissa said holding loosely onto Lucius.
As the group walked on there were signs the battle was still raging. Screams and cries could be heard, light reflected around corridors and straggler death eaters often strayed into their path. Pansy could see Bella reaching for her wand but she was constantly reminded by her Lord that nobody must know they were there. They crept out the castle and towards the forest. Pansy hesitated on the edge, there was a reason it was out of bounds after all. She entered after some reassurance from Narcissa and because she thought perhaps Draco would be there. She was wrong. The forest was dark and figures moved between the trees. The group entered a clearing, men in masks surrounded them. Bellatrix, Narcissa and Pansy appeared to be the only women. Narcissa, Rodolphus, Rabastan and Lucius took their place in the inner circle with a man called Nott. Bellatrix followed her Lord and sat on his right hand side, like a Queen. Pansy hovered around but the Lord motioned to a seat on his left and she took it trying to copy Bellatrix.
"There is a battle still in the castle my loyal followers. You must join those inside. Outer circles, go."
Around 70 men left the clearing checking their masks were still in place and drawing wands. Pansy saw one of her father's friends Dolohov and wondered if she would ever see him again. She saw MacNair. He appeared to be crying but he had been doing that a lot since the death of his wife 9 years ago. Many said that was why he had joined the cause; a stupid muggle had run her over in one of those wretched cars. A figure moved out of the forest. Pansy held her breath hoping for Draco but was instead met by somebody she had not seen in a little less than a year.
Severus Snape looked the same as he had done when he was a teacher but more worn.
"Miss Parkinson." He did not seem surprised that she was there. He bowed.
"My Lord, the battle is going well and I must rejoin it soon but I have come to tell the Malfoys and Miss Parkinson that Draco is inside the school."
Narcissa smiled. The Dark Lord nodded and Severus Snape turned to leave. Pansy ran after him.
"Professor, thank you."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "For what Miss Parkinson?"
"Everything. What you've done for Draco and for Slytherin." She said and ran back again. The remaining death eaters were leaving. Bellatrix was whispering to Narcissa as the group left. Pansy had to run to keep up. They entered the castle stunning everything as they went. Bellatrix waved over her shoulder to Narcissa and ran off with Rodolphus and Rabastan after Professor Lupin and a pink haired girl. Narcissa waved back and concentrated on duelling with a Hufflepuff girl. Lucius had already stunned a couple of children and was moving up the staircase. He looked back and signalled to Pansy and Narcissa to follow him. They left and made their way to the Slytherin common Room. It was deserted. Pansy ran up the steps and down to the dormitory labelled: Black-Malfoy, Black-Lestrange.
"What's the password?" Pansy asked. Lucius looked blank.
"Easy. Tojours Pur." Narcissa said. The door swung open to reveal three double beds. Draco's clothes from the 6th year lay on the middle bed labelled B. Nacissa grinned at the pictures of three girls on the wall and a group of people Pansy recognised as death eaters. They left but instead of returning to the common room Lucius dragged them down to the end of the corridor and knocked on the wall. A door appeared.
"What's this?" Narcissa asked.
"The Malfoy Suite." Lucius murmured.
"You never told me there was a Malfoy Suite." Narcissa said.
"Where do you think I slept?" Lucius said rather sarcastically.
"With any girl stupid enough to have you." Narcissa snapped. Pansy recognised it as a conversation she and Draco had often. Lucius leaned towards the door and whispered to it. It opened and revealed the largest room by far. Lucius strode over to a door at the far end and wrenched it open. It looked like somebody had been there recently but it was deserted now. He glanced at a clock.
"We have to leave." He said and they headed back down the stairs meeting the Lestranges on the way. Pansy stopped on the staircase. A student fell to Bellatrix's crucio. It was one of the Patil girls but she survived and ran off with the other twin while Bella embraced her sister. The group left the castle and it took them a moment to realise Pansy wasn't following.
"I'll find Draco." She said. Narcissa smiled and Lucius nodded grimly as though she had just made a bad decision. Perhaps it was but it felt right.
"We'll see you at the victory celebrations." Bella shouted and they disappeared into the darkness. Pansy drew her wand and moved on back up the stairs. She came to a corridor where people from her own year were fighting dementors.
"Move Bones. Boot. Expecto Patronum." She shouted and the black cloaked beasts flew away chased by a ferret.
"Whose side are you on Parkinson?" Terry Boot called helping Susan up.
"My side." She called and moved off after her patronus. Nobody followed her.
Where would Draco be? Common room. No. Kitchens. No. Dungeons. No. Towers. No. Then it struck her. He had been holed up in the room of requirements all last year. Pansy ran full pelt to the 5th floor trampling over bodies of friends, death eaters and teachers to reach the room. She rounded the last corridor and saw a blonde figure slouched against the far wall with a familiar smirk on his face. He hadn't seen her yet. Good, she'd be able to surprise him. She was halfway down the corridor when something hit her squarely in the chest. She staggered further on but by the time she reached the wall where he'd been leaning he had already gone. She cried and fell. It was over.
XXXXX
Draco sat between his parents. Both had tears running down their cheeks. Narcissa had lost another family member and 2 best friends and Lucius had lost his best friends since childhood. The Lestranges were dead and the Lord was gone. It was over. He wondered how Goyle was. His father was dead as was Crabbe. What of Pansy?
"Mother, father. I have to see Parkinson." Draco said.
"She found you?" Narcissa said.
"What?" Draco asked a little sharply. Lucius glared at him reproachfully.
"Well she was looking for you." Lucius said.
Draco sprinted from the hall not bothering to see who was looking.
"Pansy? Pansy?" He screeched.
Nobody answered. He searched avery floor unaware he was retracing her footsteps. Eventually he reached the 5th floor. Lying in the corridor was a girl with unruly brown hair and an emerald bracelet. He had bought that for her on her 16th birthday. He had to pull a suit of armour of her. She looked tired. There was a pulse though so he shook her hard unsure of how else to wake her.
She opened her eyes to reveal brandy depths.
"Draco, you're here. Am I dead?"
"No." Draco said smiling for the first time since he'd left Hogwarts.
"Is it over then?" she said.
"Yes."
"Don't leave me then. Not again."
"I'm sorry Pansy. I'm sorry."
"I really hate you Draco."
"I know, but I love you. And I promise that we'll get through this."
"Promise?" She asked innocently letting her eyes close again.
"Yes and Malfoys never break a promise." He said and let her lie in his arms until Madama Pomfrey appeared with his parents. They'd be alright now. It was over.
Author's Note: It's over. Are you sad? Well don't be. Review to lift spirits!