A/N: Hi everyone! I don't know if there are still people reading or waiting for the update of this fiction. I wouldn't expect much, really, since it had been 2 years since the last time I posted. I had been very busy with school and then with work but this story never FADED in my mind. I always wanted to finish this. So, when my husband and I bought him a new lappy for his teaching, I found myself burning with want. WANT to finally continue this fic. To finally go back to my passion. And here I am. Although this chapter isn't much, it'd be a start…all over again. Because I will finish this fic. Because no matter if it's been literally 5 years in the making, I will finish this. And hopefully, there are still people who believe in this fic. Thank you

IX – Faded Longing

"It's been a long day

Without you my friend

And I'll tell you all about it

When I see you again…"

~/~

" 'Potions ingredient that is the common name for the 250 plants of genus aconitum...' what the hell?" Pansy put down the quill in slight vex. She looked down at her barely finished crossword puzzle and sighed in defeat. "I'm never gonna finish one puzzle in my entire life." She declared, shaking her head sadly.

She took a sip at her tea and looked at her surroundings. The patisserie is quite packed today, she thought. Might be because of the new star in the menu… She observed the few nearest tables to be gracing the newest addition to their product list, the Dragonberry crème brulee. Well, it was some experimental dessert using the weird magenta berries that she accidentally discovered and grew in her own apartment after a drunken spell cast on a poor raspberry seed. She was quite baffled the next morning, to find her supposed kitchen, swarming with little red, red, red oblate fruits. After confiding in to old Professor Sprout about the lost of her kitchen to cute, circle, mysterious monsters, they were able to determine that the fruit was a new kind of berry and that Pansy was lucky that the first known species of this plant grew in her apartment. She would be 'part of botanical history' according to the gullible Professor.

Well, the curious-with-all-things-plant witch, brought a specimen of the berry in her office back in Hogwarts and after a series of careful examinations, the plant was declared to be edible. Pansy was given the honor to name the new plant. She thought it was not necessary as she was only the instrument of the creation of this plant because of an embarrassing mispronunciation of what she thought was a sobering spell, but Sprout insisted.

"Whatever the circumstance was at the moment, you are still the creator of this amazing new discovery. Plus, it was your kitchen that made the first garden for them. So, the honor should all be yours." Pansy could never forget the shine in Sprout's eyes. She could just imagine the image of Sprout bent out on some table, geeking about this berry. So, she decided that Professor Sprout deserved to study a berry with a name; Hence, born the Dragonberry.

Why the name? Was it mentioned that the berry was a spicy son of a witch? After eating the berry, smoke will elicit out of the mouth as though a dragon breathing fire. The berry was literally one hot dessert.

"Wow," Pansy caught nearby. "This is awesome, man! I've never had a spicy crème brulee before. And to be honest, I never imagined one. But this is amazing. I'm definitely having more."

Pansy smiled and sipped at his tea again. Well, looked like losing his kitchen for about two months, the time it took to permanently transfer the berries to a proper soil in Sprout's botanical garden, was worth it.

"Do you want a refill on your tea, Miss Pansy?" a kind tone and a warm smile came by Pansy's table.

She rewarded the kind girl a smile of her own. "No, it's okay Mindy. I've had my share for today." Pansy reached for the waitress' hands and handed her a little bag of golden coins. "Tea was perfect, as always."

"You don't have to give me tips, Miss Pansy." Mindy tried to kindly refuse. But Pansy was having none of it.

"Oh, hush, you." She looked at the waitress a bit sternly. "You deserve it." She shook the bag again, urging her to take it.

Mindy had no choice but to accept the bag, blushing. "I don't know why you're so kind to me, Miss Pansy. I'm just doing my job."

"And I don't know why you refuse tips from me. I'm just doing my part in this as a customer, either."

Realizing it was pointless to argue with her, she relented. "Okay then, Miss Pansy. Thank you so much. I should get going," Mindy smiled once more. "Enjoy your crossword, Miss." And with that, Mindy went back to busing at other customer tables.

Well, speaking of crossword…

Pansy sighed and looked back down at her empty crossword puzzle. She'd been trying to solve this particular puzzle for an hour now and she had only gotten lucky with 6 questions. All the rest were a million galleon questions it seemed. Why she even bothered at all, she'd never know. But all she knew was if Draco were to solve this puzzle, he'd done it in a heartbeat.

Oh, Draco…

She couldn't help but think of her best friend again. There wasn't a single day since he left that she never thought of him or his whereabouts. It had been 4 long, agonizing years but he still hadn't given any hint of coming back. If he was ever coming back, that was.

Truth was, even though Draco wished on his farewell letter to never try to look for him, Pansy couldn't honor it completely. She tried asking bits of questions to possible people who might've seen Draco on the day he left, but gotten nothing. She tried calling colleagues from around the world, testing her luck if any of them had seen the blonde at all, but the answer was always the same:

"I'm sorry, but no I haven't seen him around here."

She knew it would be the same, but she was still hopeful that one day, there would be a different answer. Any information on Draco at all and she'd feel one step closer to him. That would've been enough to quench her longing for her best friend. At least, even just the verification that he was still alive. But no, even that was too much to ask. She didn't hate Draco, she never could, but she was starting to feel betrayed by the minute.

It had been 4 years and not a single 'boo'!

She shook her head to clear of her mind. He said he'd be back when he was ready. And I will be here when that day comes…whenever that may be. She sighed loudly again, picked up her crossword from the table and read aloud:

"'Potions ingredient that is the common name for the 250 plants of genus aconitum'", she paused, stared at the paper in front of her for about a minute or two then finally slumped down in surrender. "Now, it's even crappier said out loud."

"Wolfsbane,"

Time literally froze for her - everywhere around her seemed to pause but her heart was beating up so loudly inside her chest. Because she could never be wrong about that voice…no, she could never be wrong.

She whipped her head up and there he was. There was her best friend.

"Draco…"

And when he smiled his familiar smile, she couldn't stop her tears as she rushed to embrace him in her arms like she had always wanted to do for the past 4 years.