"Pansy." She was sitting on his bed, curled up in a ball. Her hair was messed up and her tights laddered, yet somehow, even in this ragged state she still exuded the steelyness that Draco loved. At her name she looked up, her eyes wide with terror and glistening with the remnants of tears.

"What happened?", she asked in a quiet, monotone. Draco wanted to reply but it felt as though his brain was blocking the words from forming so he merely shook his head. "Fine then, I'll tell you what happened to me." With the anger brought on by Draco's silence, her voice gained some of the swagger that had been lost through the fear wracking her body. "Potter was flouncing around as usual, then The Dark Lord's voice started inside our heads. He told us no-one had to die if we gave up Potter, which I thought was a perfectly acceptable trade, so I said so. Then they took us to the dungeons, you know the big one, and locked us in. There was a lot of pushing and shouting and Goyle got angry and started punching the door, before the blundering fool remembered he was a wizard and blew it out. By then the enchantments had broken, so I apparated here."

Draco, although slightly thawed by the comfort brought on by Pansy's bitter ramblings which had always consoled him, still couldn't talk. All he could do was sit next to her, staring at his emerald sheets. After several long moments, Pansy's patience was weaning. She wanted information. Needed it. She had no idea what had happened. To the Dark Lord, to Potter, to her family, to Draco. Her world could either be broken or stronger than ever and not knowing was driving her insane. She wanted to be angry at him for his muteness but she was finding it extremely weary. She could tell he was in pain by the way he was holding his shoulders and Draco's pain always seem to radiate from him and seep into her veins like smoke, burning them. However she needed to know what had gone on. "Draco, please tell me what happened."

He breathed in deep and turned his head. The desperation in her voice had broken down the barrier in his mind. "He's gone. The Dark Lord. Potter killed him. It's over." The impact of these words hit her hard like a hammer and the consequences of this outcome, which had always lurked in the back of her mind, haunting her dreams, overtook her, becoming all she could see.

"Draco…" her voice shook. "We're going there aren't we. Azka-"

"Don't say it."

"What else happened. Tell me everything."

"I can't, Pansy. Not yet."

"You have to!" Pansy was on her feet now, her voice raised, her frozen blood starting to heat up. "You can't not tell me Draco. I need to know. Stop being so selfish for once in your life. How bad was the battle?"

"Bad." Draco forced himself to respond.

"Who died?"

"On our side?"

"Yes."

"My aunt, Crabbe, Thicknesse, Nott's father, Rowle, Greyback." he paused before adding, "Snape."

"Oh." she swallowed. "My parents?"

"They're alive. My mother was with them, until after the fighting stopped. They apparated home just before we did."

"Good."

"The other side had more casualties than us. One of the Weasleys, that wretched -"

"I don't care." She sat back down. They sat in silence for a bit, just as they always had when one of them was upset. Both Pansy and Draco didn't like to talk about their feelings. The silence was broken by Draco's sobs. Pansy reached up, putting her arms around his neck and pulling him down, so they were lying next to each other, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. He smelled of smoke mingled with his clean yet manly smell and his warmth comforted her more than anything else ever could. After several minutes, or was it hours, Draco's tears started to stop.

"Draco, I should go home." Pansy's voice was quiet again, which concerned Draco more than the prospect of the future could. He nodded knowing that it would be better for her if she left but he wanted to stay enveloped in her spicy, sweet smell for as long as he could. Pansy stood up and picked her wand up off the floor. She walked away from the bed, her muscles stiff and her head heavy. She closed her eyes as she prepared to apparate, aware of how hot they were.

"Pans?"

"Yes?"

"We'll be okay, won't we?" She opened her eyes and he was standing in front of her, his hand outstretched. She wrapped her fingers in his and he pulled her close, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"I hope so.", was all she could say.

"I love you." His voice was stronger, more sure than it had been all night. He felt as if his love for her was all he could be certain of anymore.

"I love you, too. I'll see you soon." She dropped his hand and apparated back to her home.