A/N: So FOLKS. Here is what's up… I was just going about my daily business online yesterday and ran across an article on TheMarySue; kind of an intro-to/in-defense-of fan fiction. Which, of course reminded me of my youth and THIS story. You know, with our beloved hero Harry and our mischievous Pansy. So I went snooping around, and found the lovely Gwinna's live journal where she recc'd my fic! And I know absolutely dozens of you have given me awesome reviews… It was just one of those "life happens" things. So I did some digging on my computer (give thanks to the external hard drive gods) and found all my original files for this story. And this is what I have for you today. X's and O's… -tahwekilelohcin

When I wake in the morning, Harry is already gone from the room. I glance at the clock and see it's well after ten. It all seems perfectly normal.

Until it isn't.

I hear scuffling in the hall as I move across the room and open the door.

I catch a glimpse of platinum blonde hair, and then...

"Pansy! Shit, Pans, where are you at?"

Stunned, my body moves on it's own volition, coming face to face with him. "Dra-Draco? What are you-?"

He cuts me off, "What the fuck happened to you?"

"What?"

"Where have you been? I've been going out of my mind-" He pauses, giving me a scrutinizing look, "Wait, what's up with your hair?"

This is unreal. "Never mind, why are you here?"

"We need to go. Now."

"What? No!"

"No? What do you mean, no?"

"I'm not going. With you, that is."

"What?"

"I'm not going."

"Since when?"

"Since I just said so."

"Okay, so is it that you "can't" or that you "won't"?"

"It's not a matter of "can't" or "won't". I'm just not."

"What does that even mean? It doesn't make any sense."

"It does if you think about it."

"What is this? You go missing for what seems like forever and I finally find you and now you aren't coming with me? I've been fucking going out of my mind-"

"I highly doubt that. You're far too self-involved."

"Pansy, I don't have time for this-"

"What? This conversation or for me?"

"This conversation. Fuck, give me some credit. I'm here, isn't that enough? I'm here to get you."

"Newsflash, I don't need saving."

"No! That's what they want you to think."

"Harry's not like them."

"Oh my god, you are so far gone. What is it? Imperious? Just plain brainwashing? Or, wait, better yet, is he fucking you?"

I take a step back from him, "Draco-"

"Shit, he is. Wonderboy is fucking my fiancée."

"It's not like that..."

"What's it like then, hm? Tell me he's not only keeping you around until you're useful for something and that he's not screwing you just to keep himself entertained until that time comes."

Finally our conversation has slipped into blinding clarity. I am not about to stand around letting myself become victimized. "Don't you-"

"Don't what? I'll do whatever the hell I want to do. And right now that's get you the fuck out of this place."

"You don't get to be the hero, Draco."

"I don't want to be the fucking hero. How's that for you?"

"Ugh, Then why are you here?"

"I'm getting back what's rightfully mine."

"I was never yours, don't you understand? ...They're going to be here in a matter of minutes, you know."

I tell myself I'm telling him whatever it takes to get him to leave. To keep him safe. For now.

He looks genuinely hurt, "...You ratted me out?"

"Of course not. But they're on to you. You're going to have to leave now if you want to get away."

"Not without you."

"Don't be stubborn, I'm not coming."

"Pans..." Draco rakes a hand through his unusually mussed hair. His eyes pleading with me.

I purse my lips together; I won't be able to hold back the tears if he doesn't go soon, "Go. Now."

He makes a pained face at the fireplace, then the door. "I'll be back."

"I hope not. For your sake as much as mine."

"I'm coming back for you."

Then he apparates out.

o o o

Now it is just a matter of getting myself out of here as well. I... I don't know why I didn't go with Draco. It really is just like I tried to explain to him. I had every capability to go with him. It's not even like I didn't want to go with him. I just knew I wasn't going to. Like it'd been predetermined what I should do.

Now that he's gone, though, I don't know what I'm going to do at all. They will be here soon, I know it. I can't count on Harry getting here in time, he's got to save face in front of the other members of the Order. I know I'm just a blip on his Hero radar screen. Insignificant, you know? And that's totally okay. Everything that's going on is just so much bigger than me. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'm just on my own. And I'm strangely okay with that. Independent woman thing, I guess. I'm gonna persevere. And, like, afterwards, when I've escaped, I'll be so empowered I'll burn my bra or something. But probably not, 'cause there isn't time to pack the few clothes I have here, so I'll be wearing the ones on my back for awhile.

And I'm just considering all of that, still standing in my bedroom, not more than a moment after Draco left, when I hear the front door quite literally burst open.

Oh, fuck.

Fight or flight? Fight or flight? God, fight or flight?

Flight. So totally and completely flight.

But where?

Window? Shit, a wand would've been handy in this situation. Like, a lot.

But I guess none of that is, as they say, neither here nor there. You know, the whole 'If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, we'd all have a very nice Christmas." That kind of thing.

So I open the window and punch out the screen as the door to my bedroom flies open.

And thank Merlin! It's Potter! I'm saved!

Never mind the fact I didn't think I needed saving ten minutes ago.

I'm frozen, arms brought halfway up to my face, ready to be balled into fists; my eyes fixed on him. And all I can think about is how I have truly never been so happy to see him and his stupid hair and even more stupid glasses.

Then I realize I don't think either are so stupid very much anymore. And that they haven't been since he first kissed me daysago.

I watch him move quickly across the room to me, hands gently sweeping over my face and coming to rest at the nape of my neck.

His thumbs move in small circles as he searches my face, "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"We have to get out of here."

"I know."

"Okay."

"You're going to have to come up with a better game plan than that."

"We'll apparate."

And then I know. Like, truly and one hundred percent KNOW that this situation is serious shit. We're involving magic. This is war.

Damn.

"Potter, I can't-"

"I know. You'll apparate along side me."

"I don't know-"

"Look, we're doing this."

"Okay."

And oddly enough he pulls his wand out of his inner coat pocket. I didn't know he kept it there; I always imagined it in a box hidden away somewhere.

And then his flat is gone. The rice is gone. And we are gone.