Author's Note: I hope that this is soon enough for you all. Thank you for all your comments, and I am really sorry that I kept you all waiting that long. I have no intention on doing that again.

Chapter Ten:

It was a couple days after the start of term before Elizabeth finally decided to confront me. I was sitting in the common room doing homework. Draco was at detention, so it didn't really matter what I was doing, or where I was doing it.

"Pansy, I would like to speak to you," Elizabeth said, liking down at me with her arms crossed.

"What?" I replied, not bothering to look up from my schoolwork.

Elizabeth sat down and sighed in exasperation. "What has been up with you lately, Pansy?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, quickly jotting down some notes for my potions essay.

"Since break, you have been weird. I mean, you spend all of your time with Daphne. You used to hate Daphne."

I finally looked up. "Well, the truth is, Elizabeth, that Daphne is more in my class then you are." As soon as those words left my mouth, I wished I could retract them.

I watched as Elizabeth's eyes went wide, and then narrowed again. She abruptly stood up, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. "I understand. Of course. I will leave you to your work now."

"No, Elizabeth…"

"Save it, Pansy," Elizabeth said, right before she turned and walked away.

My shoulder's slumped in defeat. Elizabeth had understood me. She had understood the situation that I was in with Draco. And now, she was gone.

I suddenly felt hands on my shoulders. "You did the right thing, Pans," Draco said, rubbing my shoulders.

I pulled away sharply. "Please, don't, Draco!" I quickly gathered up my books and walked calmly towards the entrance to the married and engaged couple's quarters.

Before I was half way to the tapestry, Draco had caught up with me and was pulling the books from my arms. "What did I say about manual labor?" he sneered at me.

"Just leave me alone," I growled in frustration, once again heading towards the entrance. I managed one step before Draco grabbed my arm with his free hand and began to drag me towards our quarters.

As soon as we reached our living room, Draco flung me onto the couch and threw my books down onto the coffee table. Then, before I even had time to anticipate it, I felt a stinging blow across my cheek. Then, seconds later, on my other cheek. "I have been letting you get away with far too much, recently, and it is time that we settled some things. I don't want to turn into you father, but if that is the only way that I can get through to you, then by God, I will beat the shit out of you. Understand?"

I tried to shrink further into the couch, away from his ever following grey eyes. "Yes, Draco."

"You might think that Daphne is a dull person, but she is a dull somebody, and Elizabeth is a nobody. In the life that we lead, a somebody will always come before a nobody, no matter how dull they are, and it is about time that you realized it. This is the life that was bought you, and you will learn to fit into it properly…"

"I understand, Draco. God, don't beat a dead horse!" I suddenly burst out, shocking myself.

Draco stared at me slightly startled before he hit me twice more. "It is evident that I have not stressed enough how important respect is, otherwise you would not have said that."

"I am really sorry. It just sort of came out. I didn't mean for it to happen. Honestly, Draco, I'm sorry."

"That may be so, but for everything wrong that you do, there will be consequences. For tonight, just go to bed. I don't want to see you until morning." I got up and starting walking towards my room, shocked by the turn of events tonight. My life had gone from good, to bad in just a matter of, well, who really knows how long. Just as I was about to enter the room, I heard Draco speak again. "Oh, and Pansy, I only beat dead …horses, did you say? … when I feel it is necessary. It is best if you keep that in mind in the future."

"Yes, Draco," I mumbled before going into the room and pulling on some pajamas and slipping between the covers of my bed.

The next morning I was awoken just after dawn by Draco, who still looked quiet put out. "I will see you in the living room in ten minutes. Don't be late or you will accept the consequences of your decision. Understand?"

"Yes, Draco," I mumbled, just before he tuned to leave. Just as soon as the door had closed behind him, I jumped out of bed and pulled on set of lilac robes. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and put on simple white gold hope earring. I made it into the living room with twenty-three seconds to spare.

"I have been thinking about your lack of respect for the Malfoy family, namely me, these past couple of months, and I have reasoned that it could be from you lack of knowledge about our long lineage. For your punishment, you will research the Malfoy family. I will expect a full, thirty parchment report at the end of the summer. You have seven months to complete this assignment. If you fail to complete it, or it isn't up to par, then I shall be very disappointed, and you don't want me disappointed, Pansy, do you?"

I stared at his with my jaw hanging open for a few seconds before I realized that he did actually expect an answer to that. I quickly closed my mouth before responding. "No, of course I don't want to disappoint you, Draco."

"Now I have also thought of a more immediate consequence for your actions last night. I was very disappointed in you, Pansy, and because of that, you must be punished. I forbid you to have anything to do with Elizabeth for the rest of the year."

"But, Draco…"

"No, "buts," Pansy. You brought this upon yourself, you know? If you had just done your duty and not thrown a fit then you could have had Elizabeth as a friend on the side, but I am afraid that I can't allow that after the scene you made yesterday. If she approaches you, you are to brush her off as quickly as possible. Is that understood?"

I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes and I tried to desperately blink them back. I bite my bottom lip in the hopes of regaining my composure. "Yes, Draco," I answered quietly, looking anywhere but at him.

"Good. Now it is breakfast time," he said, reaching for my arm to lead me to the Great Hall.

"I'm…I'm not really hungry," I said, trying to pull away.

Draco tightened his grip on my upper arm and sneered at me. "I said that it is time for breakfast, Pansy."

I gasped at the coldness in his voice. "I'm sorry. Of course, what you say goes."

"Damn right."

The next several months passed by slowly. Draco wasn't half as nice as he was before Christmas, but he was definitely less angry then he was after the Elizabeth issue. I began to spend a lot time with Daphne. Elizabeth tried to approach me a couple of times, but as per Draco's order, I brushed her off, and she stopped trying.

I began to research my Malfoy assignment and by the end of the year I had written three parchments, though still far away from the thirty required of me. I figured that I would make better lead way at the actual Malfoy residence then at the Hogwarts Castle.

Draco had become more possessive then ever before. He rarely smiled at me anymore, but he always seemed to be there. Finally one day at lunch I decided to risk being "punished" by Draco in some other way to figure out what was wrong with him.

"Draco…umm…what's up?"

He turned to look at me and he narrowed his eyes sharply. "What do you want?"

"Nothing, nothing, I just wanted to know why you have changed suddenly."

"I do not know what you're talking about. Now eat your asparagus." He turned back to his plate figuring that the conversation was over.

"No."

Draco turned back to me sharply and said, "I beg your pardon."

I gulped, but raised my head in defiance. "I said 'no!'"

"Eat your damn asparagus right now, or you will face the consequences."

I bit my bottom lip and picked up my fork. Just before I put it in my mouth, though, I said, "I do want to talk about this, though, Draco."

Draco put his fork down in exasperation. He stood up and grabbed my elbow, signaling that I was to do the same. "Come," was all he said before he started to walk away.

I quickly rushed to catch up with him. "Where are we going?"

"Our living room," was the only reply I got before he picked up his pace and sped off towards the common room.

As soon we reached the living room Draco sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to him. I sat down and folded my hands on my lap. "You wanted to know why I had changed, Pansy? It is because it is evident from the incident in January that being nice to you and giving you more freedom has turned you into something entirely unacceptable."

"But I liked the nice you. I liked the times we had together," I said with a mild whine in my voice.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is what you act like. If I have to be less 'nice' for you to behave properly, then that is what is going to happen."

"Please, Draco," I begged. I heard the desperation in my voice, but I was so lonely without the old Draco that I didn't even care anymore. "I will be good. I promise."

"Unfortunately, Pans, history has proved the opposite. I cannot afford to let you tarnish the Malfoy reputation by letting you get too comfortable in your position that you begin to act improperly."

At his emotionless words, the power I had to hold the tears back left. The floodgates broke open and the tears began to pour down my face. The old Draco would have wrapped me in his arms and held me until the tears subsided, but the new Draco just sat there. After sitting there crying for five minutes, my anger at being so lonely finally became too strong.

"You don't care about me, anymore! Well, two can play that game, Draco Malfoy! I HATE YOU!" I screamed before running into my room. I flung myself onto my bed and hugged a pillow to me. I fully expected Draco to follow me, yelling at me for my lack of respect, but he didn't. At that moment, I saw a small glimpse of the old Draco. The one that would have hugged me, but didn't.

Later that night, after taking a bath and having gone to bed with the intention of getting a good nights rest, I heard the door crack open. I had my back to the door but I knew that it was Draco, so I decided to pretend that I was asleep. I felt the bed dip as he sat down. Draco began to gently stroke my hair. Five minutes later, as I was about to fall asleep, Draco suddenly stopped and whispered softly, "I will always care about you, Peach Blossom. No matter what happens or what you do."

I heard him leave the room just as a single tear made its way down my cheek, unchecked.

Author's Note: Please review. I begin university in a couple of weeks, but I will try really hard to update as soon as possible.