The following Tuesday, after Pansy's father had left for work, she received a letter from Astoria asking her to accompany her to Grimmauld Manor to see Ron. Sirius and Remus had left two days prior for their honeymoon, but Harry and Ron intended to reside at the Manor for the remainder of the summer. Pansy could think of several ways she would rather spend her day than in the presence of Lord Potter, but after she had upset Astoria the previous Saturday, she was willing to do almost anything to make it up to her, and she sent an agreement back with the same messenger who had brought Astoria's letter.

Astoria herself arrived a little over an hour later, and Pansy had been expecting them to take a carriage to the manor, but Astoria arrived seated daintily on horseback.

"The weather is so lovely today –" Astoria explained as she slipped from her mount's back, with the help of a footman, to greet Pansy, "– that I thought we could ride over."

"Of course," Pansy agreed, and it was true, for it was a beautiful day.

Unfortunately for the two girls, the good weather didn't hold as they rode over to Grimmauld Manor. The sky darkened and not ten minutes into their journey, with an immense clap of thunder, it began to pour with rain. Pansy urged her horse from a gentle trot to a canter, but to no avail. Both girls were soaked through in a matter of minutes.

Ron and Harry had been awaiting Astoria and Pansy's arrival and the former was appropriately concerned by the girls' rain-soaked state.

"I'm not sure if we have anything for you to change into!" Ron worried as he fussed over Pansy and Astoria, ushering them into the house. Harry hung back, seeming indifferent to the girls' condition.

"Pardon me, Sir." A maid curtsied as she addressed Ron, "I'm sure me and one of the other girls could lend the Ladies something. Nothing fancy like, but at least it would be dry and we can clean their gowns for them."

"Really?" Astoria asked through her chattering teeth. "That would be wonderful, thank you."

Both girls were hurried off and baths were drawn for them. The maid who had spoken, Daisy, brought up a dress for Pansy down from her quarters.

It was modest, made of cotton and coloured a pale, cornflower blue and it occurred to Pansy that this was probably the nicest summer dress that Daisy owned. In polite society there was an unwritten rule that unmarried women wore muted pastel shades, whilst bright, jewel tones were reserved for those who were married. Luckily for Pansy, her father did not know of this practice, as she favoured darker colours over pastels. Consequently, the combination of the pale cotton, and the fact that Pansy's hair was down, where she usually wore it up made her look far younger than her nineteen years.

Ron greeted both Pansy and Astoria cheerfully when they returned to the sitting room and even Harry seemed to be on his best behaviour.

He glanced at Ron and Astoria, who were sitting a little too close together for Pansy's taste, and offered Pansy his arm. "Miss Parkinson, would you care for a tour?" Harry asked her.

Pansy tried not to frown, she wasn't sure she was comfortable leaving Astoria alone with Ron. "I'm not sure that's entirely appro –"

"Daisy will keep an eye on them, won't you Daisy?" he assured her, turning to the maid in question.

"Of course, My Lord," she confirmed with a quick curtsy. "Don't worry Madam, we'll make sure they're chaperoned properly."

"Well, I suppose." Pansy worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "Just a quick tour then."

She took Harry's proffered arm, and he led her from the sitting room. Pansy was determined not to enjoy his company, but, to her chagrin, found that he wasn't so intolerable when he wasn't insulting her.

"So, where did you grow up?" Pansy asked as they exited the portrait gallery. She could have sworn that the portrait of Sirius' mother had glared at them as they insulted her jowls.

"In Surrey, with my aunt and uncle," Harry told her. "Sirius is my godfather, but it would have been improper for me to grow up with a bachelor."

"Were they nice?" Pansy asked. "Your aunt and uncle, I mean."

He smiled wryly. "No," he told her. "They weren't very nice to me at all. They are middle class, well off but not part of society. My mother did very well in marrying my father and my aunt resented her for it and so, in turn, she resented me, as I inherited all of my father's fortune."

"I'm sorry," Pansy said, unsure of how to respond to this.

"It's quite alright, I left as soon as I was old enough to; and now that I am of age, and Sirius is married, I can live with him until I marry."

"I'm sure you are not starved for choice," Pansy commented. "There was much gossip surrounding your arrival. Every girl in the village is vying for your attention."

Harry looked uncomfortable at the thought of the young unmarried women of Guilleton fighting over him but made no comment on the matter. They continued their tour in relative silence until he spoke up again.

"Pansy, uh, Miss Parkinson. I wanted to apologise for how I treated you on Saturday evening."

"Oh?" Pansy frowned; he couldn't possibly know that she had overheard his conversation with Ron.

"I judged you prematurely, I made an assumption about your character, about the type of woman you are, and, I must be entirely honest; I overheard you talking with Astoria about Ron. I do not entirely understand why you are here if you disapprove of him so much."

"Oh," Pansy repeated. "It's not that I disprove of Ron, he seems lovely and I'm sure he would treat Astoria well, it's just that he is not set to inherit anything from his family. I was simply trying to be practical, Astoria has always been so idealistic."

"Astoria is a second daughter, is she not? Surely they could reside at her family home?"

It took Pansy a moment to reply, she was shocked at Harry's lack of knowledge of inheritance laws.

"Astoria won't inherit her family's estate," she told him, feeling as though she were breaking a piece of bad news to a small child.

"Why ever not?" He asked her.

Pansy might have laughed if the situation had been different.

"Because the estate is entailed, as most are, and she's female." She told him.

"Oh. Of course, I had completely forgotten," he replied.

It struck Pansy as a very male thing, to be able to forget that women could not own property.

"Daphne and Astoria have a cousin who is heir to the estate," she told Harry.

"What about you?" he asked her.

"What about me?" she replied, knowing what he had meant.

"Who will inherit your family estate?"

"I have a third cousin twice removed, I have never met him but he will inherit the estate, and my father's company, I imagine."

"I'm sorry," he told her.

She tried to smile. "That's just how it is," she replied ruefully.

"I'm sorry," Harry said again, before moving the conversation to more pleasant matters and offering to show her the library.

When the pair finally returned to Ron and Astoria they were met with bad news.

"Astoria's sick." Ron told them, "Most likely due to the downpour."

"Is she alright?" Pansy asked, worried.

"She doesn't seem that bad," Ron told her, "Just a bit of a chill. But I sent for the doctor nevertheless."


"It's just a head cold." The doctor told them, "She shouldn't travel though, is it possible for her to stay here until she is well?"

"Of course," Harry said, "Miss Parkinson, are you able to stay and chaperone her?"

"Yes." Pansy replied, caught off guard by the question, "I'll need to send a message to my father."

"Of course," Harry said again, "Ron why don't you and Doctor Hartfield tell Lady Astoria of the plan, I'll take Miss Parkinson to send a message to her father."

Ron agreed and he and the doctor re-entered the bedroom that the doctor had just come from and Harry led Pansy to the drawing room, where she wrote her father a letter explaining that she was stuck at Grimmauld Manor for the next few days and requested some dresses be sent over for her, she then penned a similar letter for Astoria's parents. Harry took the letters, promising to get them delivered immediately, and Pansy returned to the bedroom that Astoria was situated in.

She ran into Ron just outside the bedroom.

"How is she?" she asked him, glancing at the door he had just closed behind him.

"More worried that she's imposing on us than she seems to be about her health."

Pansy laughed, "That sounds like her."

"What about you?" Ron asked her, shooting her a look she didn't quite understand.

"What about me?" She asked, furrowing her brow.

"How do you feel about being stuck here with me and Harry? I know you don't really like either of us."

Pansy spluttered at his bluntness before composing herself. "I like you just fine." She replied, smoothing down her skirt.

"But you don't approve of me."

"No," Pansy said, there was little point in lying, "I don't, but that's not personal. If you make Astoria happy then I can put my disapproval aside."

Ron grinned, "We'll be the closest of friends by the time you and Astoria leave, mark my words."

Pansy laughed, "I admire your certainty." She told him, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Astoria." She motioned to the door behind him and he stepped aside without protestation.

"Of course."

Pansy knocked softly at the door and let herself in when she heard Astoria call out.

"How are you?" She asked by way of greeting, "It looks like we're in for a bit of a holiday."

"You, maybe," Astoria grumbled. "I feel rotten."

"I'm sorry for getting you stuck here," she added once Pansy had settled herself in the chair next to her bed. "I know you don't particularly enjoy our present company."

"It's no bother." Pansy replied, waving an airy hand, "Besides, Lord Potter and I have put aside our differences, for now, and Mr Weasley swears we'll be the best of friends in no time."

Astoria let out a laugh that turned into a cough, when she righted herself she replied. "I'm glad that you are getting along with him."

"I am sorry that I did not trust your judgement from the get go," Pansy replied, squeezing Astoria's hand.

Astoria waved off Pansy's concern. "You were just looking out for me," she replied with a smile.

Pansy heard the faint sound of Harry and Ron's voices from the other side of the bedroom door and, a moment later, the door opened quietly and the two men stepped inside.

"Harry and I are going up to the study before luncheon," Ron told the two girls. "Is there anything that you need?"

Pansy found that she had enjoyed Lord Potter's company that morning and was, surprisingly, disappointed that she would not get to spend more time with him that morning.

"No, thank you," Astoria replied for them both. "I am rather tired, however, I think I should like a rest."

"Of course." Pansy squeezed Astoria's hand. "I think I will head to the library for a bit."

"Do you remember the way?" Harry asked her, his gaze moving from Astoria to her.

"Yes, thank you."

Harry and Ron left in the direction of the study and Pansy bid goodbye to Astoria before making her way to the library where she settled on a comfortable sofa to read until luncheon.

A little over an hour later, a maid came to fetch Pansy for the meal and delivered a letter from her father telling her that he would send some clothes over with a maid later that day.

"Will Lady Astoria be joining us?" She asked the maid who showed her to the dining room.

"Lady Astoria is still tired, Madam, she will take her meal in her room."

Pansy thanked the maid and entered the dining room; Ron and Harry stood to greet her.

"I hope your morning was pleasant?" Ron asked her as they sat and were served.

"It was, thank you," Pansy replied, taking a sip of water, "I spent it in the library. I trust yours was fruitful?"

"Indeed," Harry replied, as he helped himself to a cut of ham from the platter the footman was holding for him. "Ron is most helpful with the business, if only he would let me give him a full time job."

"You do not work for Lord Potter?" Pansy asked, turning to Ron; she has assumed that he did.

"I help out," Ron said, "but it is not a long term plan."

Pansy frowned as she noticed the putout expression on Harry's face.

"My role in the business is not so prominent now, whilst I am at university." Harry explained, "Mostly I let my business manager, Perry, set his own steam for now, but I should like Ron to come and work for me once we have graduated."

"I see." Pansy replied as she helped herself to her own slice of ham. "And will you have an estate to run once your education is complete?"

"The family seat is in Dorset." Harry replied, "I think I should like to live a little closer to London, however."

Ron asked Pansy what she had been reading in the library and the conversation was effectively changed. They moved to the drawing room after they had eaten where they continued their conversation easily.

When Pansy and Harry were locked in an amiable debate about the pros and cons of reading Chaucer in the original Middle English over a translation, Ron excused himself to check on Astoria. A maid bobbed a curtsey to him as they passed in the doorway.

"Excuse me, Madam." She curtsied again. "Your things have arrived. I thought you might like to change."

"Oh!" Pansy replied, glancing down at her current attire. "Yes, I suppose I should."

"I don't suppose," Harry interrupted, "that Lord Parkinson thought to send over Miss Parkinson's riding clothes?"

"I believe so, My Lord," the maid replied. "Do you wish to ride?"

"How about it?" Harry turned to her.

"I shouldn't like to make Daisy run me two baths in one day," Pansy replied.

"Nothing strenuous, I promise," Harry replied with a grin. "Just a tour of the estate."

"I suppose," Pansy agreed, "as long as the weather holds up." She added with a glance to the window.

"Wonderful!" Harry clapped his hands together. "Daisy, could you help Miss Parkinson get changed please? I'll send word to the stables to ready the horses and meet you on the lawn in half an hour or so."

"I'll ride Noir," Pansy told him as she stood to leave. "So long as he's okay to go out again after the ride over this morning."

"Of course," Harry replied with a nod, and gestured for her to exit the drawing room ahead of him.

Daisy showed Pansy back to the same room she had bathed in that morning where the clothes her father had sent over had been brought up and a couple of housemaids were unpacking them.

"Could you dig out Miss Parkinson's riding habit please Ethel?" Daisy asked one of them.

"Of course," Ethel replied.

Daisy helped Pansy out of the pale blue dress and into her white blouse, dark green skirt and matching buttoned jacket. She then braided Pansy's dark hair, pinning it in coils around her head and tied the ribbons on her hat under her hair to hide them.

"Thank you, Daisy." Pansy said, admiring her reflection in the dressing table mirror.

"Is there anything else that you need, Madam?" Daisy asked with a curtsy, retrieving Pansy's riding boots and gloves for her when she told her that there wasn't.

Pansy met Harry on the front lawn where he stood chatting amiably with a stable hand.

"Ah, finally!" He greeted her as the stable hand passed her Noir's reins.

"I'm not that late." Pansy rolled her eyes at him.

"No, I suppose not," Harry replied, swinging up into his saddle. "Just the right amount." Pansy could've sworn he'd winked at her.

She followed suit, seating herself securely on Noir's back.

Once he was sure they were safely mounted, the stable hand bowed respectfully and headed back to the stables.

"So," Pansy rounded on Harry, "where to?"

Noir was skittish beneath her, eager to get going. Harry eyed the horse uneasily.

"Are you sure he's safe?" He asked, his brow furrowing, "He looks ready to throw you off any second."

"Noir wouldn't," Pansy reassured him, giving the horse's neck a pat. "He's perfectly safe."

This wasn't strictly true; when her father had bought Noir a little over a year and a half ago he had thrown her off countless times whilst he was being broken in. Her father had tried to insist that she let a stable hand do the job but, if possible, Pansy had been even more stubborn at seventeen than she was now at nineteen. Her actions had paid off, however. Pansy had sustained no worse injury than a sprained ankle and several bruises, and Noir hadn't thrown her since. He could be a handful, but not for Pansy.

They headed away from the house at a walk, letting their horses warm up and enjoying the sunlight that the heavy rain had given way to. When Pansy thought Noir was about to burst with excitement, she urged him into a trot and Harry followed suit moments later.

For a while they rode in silence but eventually slowed as they skirted the trees and Harry spoke.

"I hope we didn't bore you today," he said, "leaving you stranded alone so that we could go and work."

"Oh not at all," Pansy replied. "I am intruding, after all."

"A welcome intrusion I assure you."

Pansy laughed, "That's not what you would've said this morning."

"I suppose I am wiser in my old age." Harry said with a grin, the corners of his bright green eyes creased in a rather lovely manner when he smiled, Pansy thought.

Pansy laughed, "I admire your ability to admit your faults, My Lord."

"That's good to know." Harry returned, "I thought you rather stuck-up when I met you on Saturday evening."

Pansy considered her response but eventually chose to stay quiet.

"What were you reading this morning?" Harry continued.

"Jane Eyre," she replied, tugging Noir away from where he threatened to stray into the forest. "It's my favourite."

"I haven't read it, what is it about?" Harry asked.

"My father gave me a copy a while ago. Although, he wasn't sure it was appropriate for me to read such a controversial novel."

Harry laughed in response, spurring his horse on with his heels.

"It's about a woman trying to figure out what she should do, what the correct path for her is." Pansy paused, "Jane finds love in someone who is not suitable for her. When she does find someone suitable, whom she does not love, she's not sure what she should do." She paused again. "It's about responsibility; Jane has to decide whether to follow her heart or her duty."

"That sounds rather disheartening." Harry replied with a frown.

"There are worse things than duty," Pansy mused, glancing over at Harry, realising she'd put a damper on the mood she continued. "It's a wonderful book," she assured him, "and quite funny, I promise."

"I suppose I shall have to take your word for it," Harry replied, giving his horse another small kick.


They had separated upon their return to Grimmauld Manor until they met again in the drawing room before dinner. Astoria had felt strong enough to come down, but they were all dressed more casually than was usual, at least for Pansy and Astoria.

"Pardon me, Sir," the butler interrupted as Pansy and Harry told Astoria and Ron about their ride.

"A letter for you." The butler offered Ron the letter and letter opener he held on a small tray, Ron took them, opened the letter and replaced the opener and the butler retreated.

"It's from Ginny!" Ron exclaimed; Pansy didn't miss how Harry's gaze shot to him.

"What does she say?" he asked.

"She, Fred and George shall be visiting for a while. They'll arrive tomorrow morning."

Pansy concealed her shock that this girl was informing Ron that she would be visiting rather than asking Harry, the closest relation to the Lord of the house currently residing there, for permission and instead asked, "Who is this?"

"Ginny is my younger sister," Ron replied with a smile, "and Fred and George are two of my older brothers."

"Oh, how lovely!" Astoria exclaimed. "I hope I won't be too ill to meet them."

Ron reached across and squeezed her hand, "They'll love you." he reassured her, "Ill or not."

After dinner and a few games of cards in the drawing room Astoria excused herself, blaming tiredness, and Pansy followed suit.

"What time will the Miss Weasley and Mr Weasley be arriving tomorrow?" Pansy asked, dusting off her skirts.

"Before luncheon," Ron replied as he bid Astoria goodnight.

"I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow." Pansy bid the boys farewell and she and Astoria left the drawing room and headed toward their rooms.

"Did you find it rather odd that Miss Weasley told Ron she was coming instead of asking Harry?" Pansy asked cautiously.

"I suppose so," Astoria agreed before saying, "but it doesn't seem to have struck them as rude, they seem a lot less formal than us."

Pansy considered pointing out that this may be because the Weasley family only held a baronetcy, but thought better of it; Astoria wouldn't appreciate the snobbery.

"Well," she started, "I hope you at least asked Harry if we could visit."

"Of course!" Astoria replied.

"I'm sure he wasn't too pleased that I would be your chaperone," Pansy joked.

"On the contrary," Astoria replied, as they reached her bedroom door. "He was the one who suggested it. Goodnight." She smiled and then was gone, leaving Pansy utterly confused in the corridor.

Shaking off her confusion, Pansy continued down the corridor to the room she would be sleeping in, Daisy was waiting for her when she arrived and helped her get ready for bed in near silence.

"I hear some of Mr Weasley's siblings will be coming to stay?" Daisy asked Pansy as she plaited her hair before continuing, "Is that true, Madam?"

"Yes," Pansy replied, massaging cream onto her hands. "They'll be arriving tomorrow morning."

"Oh, how lovely!" Daisy smiled and said, "Mr. Weasley's brothers and sister are all so kind."

"I'm sure they are." Pansy smiled as Daisy finished tying her braid. "That will be all Daisy, thank you."

"Goodnight Madam."

After Daisy had left, Pansy sat at the dressing table for a few more minutes, lost in her thoughts. She came to her senses a few minutes later, blew out the candle placed on the dressing table, and clambered silently into the large double bed. She snuffed the candle on the bedside table as well before laying down, for she supposed she had better get a good night's rest if Ron's brothers and sister were arriving the next morning.


AN: So I know I said I was only posting the first chapter on here but I guess I'm a thot for attention. I definitely don't have any plans of keeping this up to date, however, so if you do enjoy you should head over to my ao3 with the same username to read chapter three, which is already posted.

archiveofourown /works/11627697