Rating: T
Pairing: Draco/Pansy
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 698
Notes: This collection will be for the 100 pairing challenge. Each chapter will be a different pairing, and this collection will end when I get to 100 chapters. It should work that each story will be under 500 words.
100 Pairing Challenge
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Transfiguration – Write an AU where a person has left the wizarding world and i. One day returns again out of the blue. / ii. or unexpectedly meets an old friend/family member after several years (min. 5). For both tasks please include the reason why they left and the reaction of their former friends/family members upon meeting again.
The Friends Challenge: TOW Rachel Quits – Write anything losing the prompt 'lost'.
Alphabet Competition: F Prompt - Feelings
The Most in a Month Competition Part II
Pansy never thought she'd return to the UK. Not willingly at least. Six years ago, she had felt so lost.
The war had just ended, and she thought her and Draco would finally be together for real. They had dated on-and-off since fifth year, but the war always seemed to get in the way of them being happy together, being able to act like a normal teenage couple.
With You-Know-Who gone, nothing stood in their way. They'd court for a while, and then they'd get engaged, get married, and have the next Malfoy heir. It seemed so simple to Pansy. And it was what she wanted. It was what she dreamed of for years.
Draco had other plans, though. Without even talking to Pansy, he began to publically court Astoria. Her heart had been broken. It would have hurt all by itself that he preferred another girl over her, but the fact that he didn't even respect her enough to talk to her about it? The fact that she had to hear about it from the Daily Prophet? It was just so much worse.
In the time she had been away from the UK, though, she had matured. Pansy had gone to America, Maine to be exact. There wasn't any Wizarding community in such a tiny state, but she didn't mind living like a Muggle. At least that way, she could heal without being burdened by other people's problems.
She found herself by herself in a foreign country, but she also found independence and happiness. For the first time, she wasn't relying on her dad or Draco to make her happy. She wasn't relying on any man. Pansy had to learn how to be happy all by herself, and she succeeded with it.
She felt empowered, like nothing would be able to knock her down. And that was why she came back to Wizarding Britain. Despite the not-so-great memories, it was her home, and she thought she was finally strong enough to see old faces.
Of course, she never thought the first familiar face she saw would be the one that originally made her leave.
As she walked down Diagon Alley, marveling at what changed and what stayed the same, she felt her steps falter as her gaze locked with steel grey eyes that used to keep her up at night. "Draco," she sighed, sounding almost resigned.
"Pansy, wow, you look well. Are you well?"
Pansy nodded. "Are you married to Astoria?" It had been leading in that direction, but part of Pansy, a small and bitter part, kind of hoped Draco realized what a mistake he was making and actually decided he wanted Pansy when she was already gone. And then he was miserable because of his missed opportunity.
She might have dealt with her emotions, but that didn't erase her memories of her heartache.
"Yes. Actually, she's pregnant."
Pansy nodded. "Congratulations. I guess you got everything you wanted, huh?"
Draco looked closely at her. "I know I never apologized to you."
"It's okay."
Draco took a step towards her. "No, it's not okay. I should have talked to you, but I hadn't been thinking clearly. Everyone was going kind of crazy after the war ended, and I just wanted to live my life."
"And you didn't want me to be a part of that life," Pansy lightly accused.
"It's not that, but my father wanted to tie our families together. And I spent so much time doing whatever he wanted that when I got the chance to live my own life, I grabbed it."
"Our families might have wanted us to be together, but Draco, I actually had feelings for."
Draco's eyes showed his remorse. "I didn't know. I'm so sorry that I hurt you."
She looked away. "Maybe you are, and maybe I'm a little glad that I left the wizarding world for a few years. I think it made me a stronger and better person."
"I hope we can find a way to be friends?" Draco said, even thought it sounded like a question.
"Maybe," Pansy muttered, but she wouldn't make any promises that she didn't know if she would be able to keep.