AUTHORS NOTE- I wanted to thank everyone for their support for my last chapter. It was wonderful to hear that people are enjoying it. I have the next chapter completely edited, so I will probably update over the next couple of days. No pressure to review. I'll update regardless.

P.s. Please remember that I own Harry potter about as much as I am Queen of the Universe...

Hogwarts Express, January 1992

Have you ever planned out your life? I don't mean the casual; I think I want to eat ice-cream in an hour kind of planning. I mean the detailed; this is my purpose in life, it is the reason I exist kind of planning. I didn't think so. Most people haven't spent that much time on introspection. Pansy had. Pansy knew even as a small child exactly what her life would look like. She would be the perfect daughter by fulfilling her parent's expectations and the traditions of wizarding culture. When she was older, she would make friends with the right people, date the right wizard, and have the right aspirations. Eventually, she would settle into the role of socialite wife to an esteemed wizard. She would have perfect children, who she would raise to be heirs of her family dynasty. Pansy's life plan was to live up to the expectations placed on her. It was her destiny. It was her responsibility. It was everything.

But things weren't working out like Pansy planned. She had disappointed her father, shamed her mother, lost the acceptable friends, made enemies of those who should protect her, and lost opportunities perfect wizard. All before her 12th birthday. Pansy wasn't living up to expectations, she was crumbling underneath them.

She was failing.

So Pansy did what she had always been taught to do when life wasn't cooperating with destiny. She planned, she schemed, and she plotted. If life wasn't going to fall into order by itself, then it was a Parkinson's responsibility to make it fit the mold. She would make her life meet the expectations of her peers.

By the time January had rolled around, Pansy had a new plan. Step one would be to fix her relationship with Theodore and Blaise. Things with the Patil twins were complicated. It was best to avoid that challenge until she had some momentum. After her previous friendships were fixed, Pansy would expand her network. She would befriend the Slytherin girls, even Daphne Greengrass. As much as she disliked the girl, the Greengrass' could prove to be valuable allies. Once she had a network backing her, she would enchant Draco. He was her destiny. She just needed to make him realize that fact. Pansy would push herself academically. While she had always been taught that it was good to let your future spouse think they were smarter than you, she knew that Draco would respect her more if she achieved greatness. He was a true Slytherin; they were drawn to greatness. Finally, once she had those pieces in place, Pansy would ensure that Slytherin lead it's way to victory in the House Cup. They had won it for the last seven years and pansy certainly wasn't about to lose the prestige during her first year at Hogwarts.

Once she had boarded the Hogwarts Express and tucked her trunk into one of the wall compartments, Pansy went in search of Theodore and Blaise. It was time to start the first phase of her plan, and for that she may need to apologize. Strictly for strategic purposes, of course. Parkinson's never genuinely apologized, it was beneath them.

Slytherins tended to sit in one section of the train. No need to sully themselves with the mudblood germs which must have accumulated in the other compartments. Knowing this, Pansy quickly scanned the compartments in that section. All of the rooms were full of older students comparing Christmas presents or cavorting behind closed curtains. It seemed that none of the first year Slytherins had managed to get the private compartments. Pansy decided to try the next section of the train. Hopefully she wouldn't have to venture far.

It didn't take long to find them.

Theodore and Blaise were tucked into a compartment only a few doors down from Slytherin territory. The boys weren't paying attention to each other and seemed to be busy with their separate tasks. Based on what she could tell peeking through the door, it looked like Blaise was finishing up his holiday homework, or possibly writing a letter. Theodore seemed immersed in a novel. The precise novel, in fact, that Pansy had been planning to give him for yule before their disagreement.

Pansy took a minute to compose her face into a suitably apologetic façade before she pushed open the compartment.

As the door slid open, both boys looked up from their tasks. Upon seeing her face, Theodore quickly darted his eyes back to the novel in front of him. Blaise raised a questioning eyebrow but didn't directly address her.

"Theodore. Blaise. Can I speak with you for a moment?"

"You do not have permission to use my given name. That right is reserved for those who are worthy." Theodore didn't look up from his book as he spoke. He made no other movement to acknowledge Pansy's attempt at interaction.

Blaise's eyes darted between the pair, but he did not speak. Not yet.

"Mr. Nott, my apologies," Pansy tried again, "I beg for just a moment of your time."

"I didn't know Parkinson's knew how to beg." Blaise said with a smirk, "I think this has to be the first time it's ever happened."

Pansy glared at the boy before turning to look directly at Theodore, "I need to speak with you."

"Go away." He still refused to look up from his book.

"But-"

Theodore's eyes snapped up to look at Pansy directly.

"There is nothing you could possibly say that I would want to hear. It is time for you to leave. You are not welcome here."

Pansy was shocked. Theodore really knew how to hold a grudge.

"Can you at least listen to what I have to say before you ban me from your compartment?"

"No."

Theodore once again picked up his book and ignored Pansy. Pansycoul feel the tears burning behind her eyes, yearning to come out. Why did this hurt so much? Did she actually care what Theodore thought of her? No. It was much more likely she was so upset because she was being denied something she wanted. She was a Parkinson. This wasn't supposed to happen to her. Parkinson's got what they wanted, regardless of whether or not they actually deserved it.

Pansy opened her mouth to try to persuade Theodore again, but quickly shut it. He obviously wasn't going to listen to her. Why should she waste her time?

Pansy took a step back into the hallway and slammed the door shut behind her. If Theodore and Blaise couldn't see her worth, then it was their loss. It wasn't Pansy's job to make Theodore Nott successful. She was going to be somebody! He either had to get onboard with her plans or they were going to fall behind. She would just have to skip part one of her plan and move on to the next phase: making other friends.

As she was making her way down the hall to find an empty seat Pansy heard a voice call out her name behind her. Maybe Theodore had realized his mistake…

She quickly turned towards the voice.

It was Blaise. He stood lightly leaning on the doorframe of one of the compartments.

"Blaise." She stated sarcastically, "Or should I call you Mr. Zabini?"

He merely raised his eyebrow again.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Pansy took a few steps towards the dark skinned boy.

"Are you going to abandon me too?" She asked. "I have done nothing to insult you."

"You have to understand, Parkinson." Blaise drawled, "That it's just the way things are."

"Pardon?"

"Theodore and I have known each other for a long time. Since we were children. He will always have my support." Blaise examined his nails while he spoke, "He's like a brother to me."

Blaise watched her a moment before continuing, "And with the talks that are happening, I may eventually be his brother in name. He does have a sister, after all."

So, Blaise and Theodore's little sister were being encouraged towards marriage. That would certainly explain why the two boys were so close. It would be quite a match. The Nott girl would bring respectability to a family which had built its fortune on advantageous marriages and subsequent death. Pansy could see why Blaise would not want to threaten that opportunity.

"And that trumps anything you could possibly offer. If Theodore wants to shun you, then it shall be as if we never met. I will have nothing to do with you."

"Why are you bothering to tell me this?" She asked.

"So that you would understand."

"Understand?"

"That you have a place. And that place is not one I consider above mine. You need to learn it."

"Excuse me?" How dare he! Was he really insulating that a Zabini deserved more respect than a Parkinson? Her family was much more respectable than his would ever be, even if he married the Nott girl.

"Face it, Parkinson, I'm destined for greatness. You're destined for, well…" He looked her up and down.

Pansy had never felt more insulted in her entire life. Even considering the cruel words Draco had spoken to her in the Great hall earlier in the year. Who did he think he was? What made Blaise Zabini better than her? If anything he should be begging her for her attention.

"And you certainly aren't pretty enough to tempt me away from greatness."

It felt as though she had been slapped. "Not pretty enough. Me?"

Zabini merely looked at her impassively.

"I'm a Parkinson! One day I am going to be Lady Malfoy!" Zabini chuckled at her comment but Pansy continued unperturbed, "How dare you insinuate that I am less than you! You're the one that needs to learn-"

"Tell me, Miss Parkinson," Zabini interjected, "If you are going to be the next Lady Malfoy, then why weren't you the one who spent the holidays at Malfoy manor?"

Pansy scoffed at the boy. What was he talking about? Nobody was invited as a guest at Malfoy manor for the holidays. They were just invited for the Christmas Eve ball.

"You don't know, do you?" he seemed quite amused for some reason.

"You're trying to manipulate me." She speculated.

"Am I? I have no personal stake in the matter. Why would I care that the Greengrass family spent the entire yule break in the guest wing at Malfoy manor?"

What? What?! That conniving little… there was no way it was actually true. Mrs. Malfoy had all but told her she would be the future Lady Malfoy. Hadn't she? Pansy suddenly wasn't quite so sure. Looking back, Mrs. Malfoy had never actually explicitly said that she approved of the match. In fact, she had just said that introductions should be made! Perhaps the Malfoys' only thought Pansy was worthy of Draco's friendship, not his devotion and eventual marriage proposal.

Pansy knew she was showing far too much emotion on her face. She had always been taught the importance of wearing an emotionless mask during moments like this. She was letting too much escape. She was showing her weaknesses. Pansy struggled, but slowly she shuttered the emotion from her face. Unfortunately, the damage was likely already done. Surely Zabini noticed her loss of composure.

"Now that things have been made clear, I shall depart." Zabini returned to his compartment without another word.

Pansy didn't want to believe the words that Zabini had spoken, but somehow she knew they were true. Daphne Greengrass had slowly sunk her talons into Pansy's predestined husband. She and Greengrass would be having words about this.

Dungeons, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, February 1992

It took a month for Pansy to find an appropriate moment to approach Daphne Greengrass. Or it might have taken her a month to work up the courage. Either way, by the time she pulled the girl aside for their conversation it was early February.

The hall was nearly empty. Greengrass was only accompanied by Tracy Davis and Millicent Bullstrode, both of whom Pansy liked to think she was on amicable terms with. They wouldn't attack her or take Greengrass' side in a dispute without provocation. It was the perfect opportunity to strike. Pansy knew she needed to make her position clear to the blond girl.

"Greengrass." Pansy spat to attract the girl's attention.

All three girls turned at the sound of her voice. Pansy was greeted with welcoming nods by Tracy and Millicent but received a cold glare from Parkinson. It seems they understood each other.

"Parkinson." Greengrass replied evenly. She didn't betray any emotion in her voice.

"You and I need to have a little chat." Pansy said, "You've been making yourself at home where you're not welcome."

"Whatever could she mean?" Greengrass addressed her two friends rather than Pansy. It was, frankly, a little insulting.

"You know exactly what I mean Greengrass."

"Care to enlighten me." Greengrass snidely remarked.

"Draco. Malfoy."

"What about Drakie." Pansy felt like she was going to be sick from the combination of Greengrass's demeaning nickname and the innocent expression of her face.

"He's mine. You need to back off."

"You own him? He's your property? Ridiculous. A Malfoy is nobody's property. You should know that." The girl looked rather smug at her statement. Pansy felt like hitting her.

"I said, BACK OFF!"

The two girls were inches apart. They were both glaring menacingly at each other. The tension in the hall was palpable.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't done anything to him. What he's done to me, well, that's none of your business."

"Listen here, Greengrass," Pansy was seething. What Greengrass was implying was unacceptable. Draco would never associate himself with a Greengrass willingly. The girl was obviously forcing him to be in her presence. "If you knew anything about anything you would know that Draco and I are destined for each other."

Greengrass outright laughed, "How do you reckon that?"

"I'm a Parkinson. He's a Malfoy. Do the runework. We're destined for each other. I am everything that will complete him. I'm the fire to his dragon egg, the hand to his wand the light to his life-"

"More like the Nox to his Lumos." Greengrass muttered.

"-The Princess to the Perfect Prince."

"You're quoting fairy tales? What are you, five years old?"

"I am the Princess in this tale! Not you. Never you!"

"If you say so Parkinson. I've never really been a fan of fairy tales myself. I've always put much more confidence in reality." Greengrass's smile seemed condescending rather than agreeable.

This conversation was not going as well as Pansy had hoped it would. Why wasn't Greengrass willing to bow out gracefully? It was the proper thing to do.

"Don't you get it Greengrass? You can't compare to us. You might win him for a while, but Draco will see. They always see. I am his match. In everything."

Greengrass scoffed.

"If you were half the woman a pureblood Greengrass should be, you would concede respectably. There are other wizards available who might be better fitting to your stature." Pansy added.

"My stature. My stature? You do realize that I am the Greengrass heir. And what are you? A measly Parkinson. You don't deserve my Draco; you never will deserve him."

"I am his equal. We will marry and we will preside together. Draco would never choose you, Greengrass. Why would he when he is destined for me? Learn to play your part." Pansy knew she was getting a bit ridiculous in her statement, but Greengrass refused to see sense. It was obvious that pansy and Draco were perfect for one another. She couldn't lose him. She promised mother.

"I've had enough of this nonsense." Greengrass stated, "I challenge you to a dual. Here. Now."

"Fine."

"First to concede loses."

It went without saying that nobody present would alert a teacher of the dual. Slytherins had to protect one another, even if they hated each other enough to dual in the corridor.

Pansy nodded her acquiescence, "Magical means only"

"Shall we have seconds, Parkinson?"

Pansy looked at Millicent and Tracy to gauge whether one of them would stand up for her should she fall. Neither of the girls seemed willing to look her in the eye. So much for amicable terms…

"Does poor little Pansy not have any friends?" Greengrass taunted.

"I can beat you without a second." Pansy's chin jutted out in determination.

"Better watch yourself, Parkinson. That sounded almost Gryffindor."

Pansy reeled at the insult.

"Why don't you back up your words with your wand, Greengrass?"

The two girls moved into dueling positions. They faced each other stiffly, neither willing to concede bowing to the other first. Pansy had never been in a dual before, but this was one she needed to win. Draco was hers, and hers alone. Daphne Greengrass certainly couldn't be allowed to claim him. Thankfully, Pansy had a tutor as a child who was specifically responsible for teaching her how to dual. Unfortunately, it was likely that Greengrass had exposure to the same advantages.

"Get on with it." Came Tracey's bored voice from the sidelines, "are you just going to stand there all day?"

Reluctantly, Pansy cast her eyes downwards and tilted her head. It was a semblance of a bow: or at least as close to a bow as she was willing to concede to Greengrass. For a moment, Pansy thought Greengrass wasn't going to reciprocate the gesture, but the blond girl tilted her head a fraction of an inch. Both Pansy and her nemesis slipped their wands from their sleeves. They took a step away from each other and struck customary dueling statures.

Neither girl made the move to attack.

"You can still concede, Greengrass. You know I'm going to win."

Instead of answering her, Greengrass muttered a curse and waved her wand. The flash of blue light spun towards Pansy without warning, but Pansy managed to step quickly to the side. She was certain that whatever the spell had been, it would have disfigured her.

Pansy responded with a hex that was quickly avoided by her opponent.

Cracks of magic filtered through the hallway gathering a larger crowd to witness the dual. It sounded like fireworks in the corridor. Slytherins of all ages circled the girls and watched in amusement as they battled.

Pansy sent a tripping hex in Greengrass's direction causing the other girl to trip. She heard a crack as the girl hit the ground. Hopefully the girl had broken her wrist.

Greengrass pushed herself hesitantly to her feet, cradling one hand against her body.

"That the best you've got, Princess?" she asked before she sent a tripping hex back in Pansy's direction with her other hand.

Pansy barely managed to dart out the way. The battle continued.

For what felt like ages, but was likely mere minutes, the girls battled back and forth. Each curse they sent across the corridor was deftly dodged. Neither of the girls were proficient in shielding spells or complex curses; they were only first years, after all. But they sent all of the words, hexes, and spells they knew at one another.

It seemed like neither had the advantage.

Pansy felt a spell hit her ankle, but she ignored the pain. It wasn't going to stop her from winning. The stakes were much larger now that her peers had arrived to watch. She couldn't disgrace herself in front of the others.

Perspiration dripped from Pansy's forehead; she wasn't used to exertion that came with duals. Most of her magical knowledge was theoretical rather than practical. Greengrass didn't seem to be struggling, but she was likely hiding her exhaustion behind a mask of indifference. Her wrist had to be painful.

Finally, Pansy darted out from under a spell sent in her direction and let loose a volley of spells at Greengrass. Flashes of light lit up the corridor in quick succession. It was blinding.

But Greengrass managed to dodge the attack. She waited for the barrage to end and then sent a single hex in Pansy's direction. A crushing hex.

The spell flew in Pansy's direction. Because she was still recovering her stance from the barrage of spells she had just unleashed, Pansy wasn't able to move out of its path in time. It hit her.

If the curse had landed an inch to the left, Pansy would have been able to fight through the pain. But it didn't. The curse landed on her shoulder. It landed on the shoulder that was still recovering from her punishment over the holidays.

Pansy collapsed to the floor. She cradled her arm as a blinding pain swept through her body. The sensation was all too familiar. Pansy felt as though she was going to die.

Greengrass walked over to Pansy casually. "Do you concede little Princess?"

Pansy felt the trickle of tears fall down her cheek.

Daphne Greengrass knelt down beside her, twirling her wand between her fingers nonchalantly. She brushed her hair away from her face ad leaned in towards Pansy's ear.

"Remember Pansy dear, you may be the Slytherin Princess, but I'm the Queen."

It was over