Author's Note: Hello all! I am so sorry for the delay on this chapter. I wrote and rewrote it no less than four times. That being said, take this as a big heads up. This chapter is the reason this fic is rated M. If you don't like that sort of thing, be warned. Also, there will be more.
parkastoria: I have another parkweasel story brewing in the back of my mind, but I want to get this one finished first.
Muffin'sback: I missed you too :x
cellogirl: I'm pumped for the Weasley visit. Going to be a fun little excursion. I needed Pansy to understand how she could have found her way to Percy and for him to realize all was not lost.
Chapter 12 – No Rest For The Wicked
Harry stared blindly into the flames dancing in the hearth, the events of the past year rolling endlessly through his mind. As much as it pained him, he couldn't negate the contribution he'd made to the colossal shitshow that was currently his relationship with Draco Malfoy. Harry's feelings for the man hadn't diminished by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, the whole situation might have been easier to navigate had he not been so madly in love with him.
He would have been able to examine the incidents that lead up to Pansy's accident with a clear and rational mind or at least a willingness to explore all possibilities. He could have viewed Draco's gradual emotional withdrawal and the way he and Pansy had subsequently grown thick as thieves for what it was. A friend supporting another friend through an emotional crisis.
Instead, the green-eyed monster writhing in Harry's chest and blinding him for months had been all too happy to latch onto the notion that Draco and Pansy were secretly rekindling a romance when she'd almost blown herself to bits. In all fairness, Draco's hairbrained scheme to manipulate Pansy into being a surrogate for them by encouraging her misguided affections didn't really allay Harry's raging jealousy.
Harry was now supremely pissed with himself for not seeing what was plainly right in front of him the whole time. His husband had been struggling with depression but trying desperately to shield him from it. It stung that Draco hadn't trusted him enough to confide in him and turned instead to Pansy for support. Slumping more heavily into the soft leather of the couch, Harry let his head fall back and his eyes slipped closed. They needed to talk this out… all of it, but he had absolutely no idea where to begin. There was so much ground to cover. Their inability to have children was only the tip of the iceberg.
Harry felt a chaste peck placed upon his lips and he popped his eyes open as he righted his head.
"All good?" he blurted out as if waking from a deep sleep.
Lowering himself down beside Harry, Draco smirked at him, amused and enamored by his bedraggled state. "All is quiet. Bobbie is finally asleep," he reported, stifling the beginnings of a yawn.
"Sweet Merlin, how do they manage that mini dervish?" Harry mumbled, fatigue plaguing every part of him.
Draco could only give an airy laugh and sigh in response. He hesitated momentarily before weaving his hand with Harry's and poured an exorbitant amount of attention into their intertwined fingers. Harry shifted his gaze to Draco's downturned face and as he drank in the quiet trepidation that lingered there, he felt a resurgence of his previous guilt clawing its way up his spine.
"What happened?" Harry asked, unable to fully conceal the hurt in his tone. "I mean, I know what happened. But why didn't you talk to me about any of it?"
An almost imperceptible bob of his head was the only indication Draco gave that he'd even heard Harry's question.
"I just… I couldn't. It was such a long-shot and I didn't want you to get your hopes up," he finally managed. "Then all of a sudden it went from impossible to probable." Draco paused seemingly to consider his words before drawing a tight, tense breath. "I'm sorry. You have no idea how much. I got carried away. I see that now."
Harry fell silent, allowing Draco's words to sink in. "Do you still want… I mean, if we could…"
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't. There isn't much chance of that happening now though. I don't see Pansy miraculously regaining her memory anytime soon. And even if she did, her relationship with Percy is…" Draco paused and gave a disgruntled shake of his head. "They weren't in a good place. He was away for work a lot and she didn't know how to talk to him about how she was feeling. I know it's morbid to say, but the accident was really a second chance for them. Beyond her, we don't have many other options. Trust me, I've looked."
"But if we could," Harry interjected, quelling Draco's pessimism.
Before he could respond, the hearth sprang to life and Percy and Pansy stepped out.
The first thing Harry and Draco noted were the grim expressions etched on the couple's faces and the notable chasm of space between them.
"Have fun?" Draco chirped, trying to infuse some lightness into the charged atmosphere that invaded the room with the newcomers' arrival.
"Loads," Pansy muttered, a sardonic, mocking tone scarring her monosyllabic response.
For his part, Percy could not even meet their questioning gaze.
"Grand," Draco offered, his uneasiness with their obvious dissension clear. "Chicklets are all tucked in and in slumberland. Harry, you ready to head home?"
Realizing belatedly that they hadn't yet come to any kind understanding or resolution, Draco held his breath and hoped beyond hope Harry wouldn't rebuff him.
"Absolutely," Harry stood quickly. As anxious as he was about his impending heart to heart with Draco, it would be a stroll in the park compared to what seemed to be brewing between the pair before them.
"Thank you for watching the children!" Percy finally interposed, joining the fray.
The four regarded each other in a strained silence for a gaping stretch of time, before Harry set off for the fireplace in a bid to escape the conflict and prepare himself for a long night.
"Night all," he quipped, as he stepped into the hearth without a backward glance.
Draco stared at Pansy pointedly, trying to catch her eye and gather what had gone wrong, but she seemed to be markedly avoiding his gaze. With a deep sigh, Draco stepped into the hearth and gave a half-hearted wave as he disappeared from view.
A deafening stillness engulfed the study, as the weight of their argument from the restaurant and their newfound solitude awkwardly hung over them. Summoning his courage, Percy stiffly turned toward Pansy, but she unceremoniously shifted away from him still not fully over her anger.
"I'm going to check on the children and kiss them goodnight. I'll… I'll be right back," she murmured before making a dash for the door.
Remaining motionless as she made her escape, Percy watched her leave in utter defeat. He had suspected she wasn't going to be happy about him having to go away for work so soon, but he had no idea she would take it so poorly. Lethargically, he made his way to the liquor cart, divesting himself of his blazer and loosening his tie on his way. He undid his cufflinks and deposited them onto the cart before pouring himself a generous shot of Ogdens Finest. As he meandered his way to the large, comfy leather couch, he took a sizeable gulp and savoured the burn of the amber liquid as it made its way down his throat.
He laid himself down, stretching out his long legs, and rested the tumbler on his stomach, placing his free arm over his eyes. He was kidding himself if he thought she was going to make a reappearance in the mood she was in and there was no way he was going to show up in their bedroom and make matters worse. Percy was so deeply entrenched in his pity party that he failed to hear the soft click of the door. It wasn't until he was relieved of his tumbler that he realized he was not alone. He stared up in surprise as Pansy brought the glass to her lips and took a small sip.
"What are you doing here?" he asked dumbly.
"I did say I would be back," she answered him haughtily, but her eyes skittered about to avoid making any kind of meaningful eye contact with him.
Pansy moved to the opposite end of the couch and gingerly took a seat while Percy cautiously sat up and leaned his side into the back of the couch, regarding her with thinly veiled skepticism.
"Is my father accompanying you?" Pansy questioned him with a deceiving amount of nonchalance to her voice, her eyes focused on the swirl of the Firewhiskey dancing in the glass.
"He is," Percy confirmed warily.
"Why can't I go with you as well then?" she rejoined, doing her utmost to mask the quaver in her voice.
"It's Nicaragua. It wouldn't be entirely safe for you and the children."
"But you're going?! How is that supposed to put me at ease?" she challenged, putting the tumbler down on the end table none too gently.
"I will be fine, Pansy," he tried to reassure her.
"What if the nightmares come back? I don't think I'm ready for an extended separation yet." Although Pansy was deeply mortified by this needy, simpering version of herself, she was doubtful she'd make it the week without him.
Percy blinked back at her gobsmacked. It hadn't even occurred to him that she would struggle in his absence. After a brief moment's consideration, he cautiously stood and shifted to beside her. Pansy visibly tensed as he invaded her space but made no other move to flee. With no fair shortage of apprehension, Percy wrapped his right arm around her and coaxed her to lean into his side.
"Get off me," she mumbled feebly, making a weak attempt to pull away. But he held her fast and she ultimately relented to the lure of his warm energy, opting instead to rest her cheek against his chest with a sigh.
"Pansy, you know I love you and the children more than anything. If I thought for a second you'd… I mean, there's no way I'd leave you. I can stay. We can postpone the meeting again if you're not ready."
As he rambled, Pansy began to idly play with the buttons of his dress shirt, distracted by the maelstrom of conflicting emotions churning inside her. On the one hand, she knew this meeting was integral and rescheduling would be extremely detrimental to the company's negotiating position. Her father would most definitely pitch a fit if Percy rescheduled again, not to mention the fact she really should be able to make it a measly five days without her husband. On the other hand, she had an overwhelming fear of the possible mental break down that could ensue in his absence. There was no guarantee her magical core was stable enough to withstand it.
She glanced up to him when he'd stopped talking to gauge the sincerity of his words. Easily spotting his willingness to appease her despite the consequences, Pansy knew she couldn't instigate another delay of the meeting and she flat out refused to allow him to leave on bad terms. Moving swiftly, she lifted her right leg over him and kneeled on the couch, effectively capturing him between her thighs. She then cupped his face gently in her hands and brushed her thumbs over the fine stubble of his five o'clock shadow. Percy could only gape up at her baffled by the unanticipated change in position and the sudden intimacy.
"Pansy, what… I mean…" Percy stammered, his hands falling instinctively to her waist.
Pansy's eyes roamed over his face as if searching for some kind of answer but after only a moment, she closed the gap and claimed his lips. As she slowly laced her arms around his neck and pressed herself more firmly against him, Percy moaned lightly, giving her the perfect opportunity to deepen the kiss. Revelling in the languid pleasure, Percy slid his arms around her and urged her closer still. He ran his hands up and down her body, savouring the dips and curves of her figure, then moved them to cradle her face and ease her back until she settled into her straddle of his lap.
Breaking the kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers and tried to catch his breath. "Thank you?" he panted. "May I ask what brought that on?"
Pansy sighed out a soft giggle at his rattled state. "What Weasley? Can't I show my appreciation for your concern? Did you want me to move?" she murmured, as she began to kiss and taste the constellation of freckles scattered over his neck and collarbone.
"I didn't say that. It's just…" he started, but she ground herself intimately against him to stay his argument. "Fuck," he grunted, his hands flying to her hips to grip her tightly.
"Sorry," she purred. "Didn't quite catch that. Did you want me to move?" she mumbled as she moved to devour the other side of his neck and grinded into him again.
"Shit. Yes, please," he gasped. "I mean no. Don't you dare."
She pulled away to regard him, the predatory smile blooming over her swollen lips sending a shot of arousal straight to his core. Percy reeled her back in, claiming her lips in a bruising kiss. Pansy was not ready for its intensity and went momentarily limp, enjoying the supple play of his lips and how his tongue laced with hers. Percy slid his hands down her slight frame and over the swell of her hips in a bid to feel the skin of her bare thighs under his palms. Pushing the hem of her skirt up to her waist, he gripped her arse firmly and pulled her roughly against him. Pansy groaned into his mouth at the sensation of his hands on her and the welcome friction.
As their kisses gained urgency, Percy skimmed his hands up her sides and then began to fumble momentarily with the zipper at the back of her dress. He slid the zipper down, then traced his hands along her body to the pooled hem of her skirt. With ease, he buried his hands under the fabric with the end goal of relieving her of her dress, leaving her in nothing but her knickers and bralette.
Vexed by how quickly he'd divested her of her clothing, Pansy folded her arms over her chest in dismay and pouted, "This is entirely unfair. You are still fully clothed and I'm almost completely starkers."
Percy's eyes had been drawn down to the welcome sight Pansy had inadvertently created by crossing her arms so tightly over her chest. "Pardon, what?" he stammered, reluctantly pulling his eyes up to meet hers.
"Enjoying the view, are we?" she levelled at him, enjoying the storm of lust darkening his blue irises.
"Immensely," he responded, his eyes sliding back down to her breasts of their own volition.
Pansy growled at his distraction and subsequent inaction, and decided removing his shirt and tie was the next order of business. She could not, however, resist the urge to snog him senseless in the process. Her hands worked blindly to undo the buttons of his shirt and he aggressively pulled his tie out of its knot. As they battled to keep their lips connected, she wrenched open his shirt and he launched the remnants of his tie to the side.
The physical entanglement was neither sweet nor gentle. As they pulled and clawed at the other to be as close as possible, any space between them was almost nonexistent. Growing impatient for the thrill of her writhing beneath him as he brought them both to the pinnacle of pleasure, Percy folded his left arm possessively around her waist, cinching her closer and drew his wand from his ankle holster.
"Hold on," he whispered against her lips and then they disappeared with a soft pop, leaving the study empty.
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They reappeared on the bed in their darkened chamber breathless and eyes transfixed on the other. Percy carelessly tossed his wand to the side as Pansy took his face in her small hands and drew him back to her. As they continued to consume one another, Percy wrestled himself out of his shirt as Pansy impatiently helped by pushing it off and down his shoulders.
Running her hands over his lean, yet lithe arms, Pansy savoured the sensation of being so entirely enthralled in the essence of another. In her distraction, she failed to notice how Percy deftly relieved her of her bra. She tore her lips away in shock to regard him with open wonder.
"Where, the devil, did you learn to do that?" she panted.
In wordless response, Percy rolled them over and raked his eyes up and down her body, revelling in how he would be able to ravish and taste every part of her unimpeded.
"I've had lots of practice," he grinned boyishly, the sight of which sent a deep pulse of desire straight to Pansy's nether regions.
Not waiting for a glib response that she was undoubtedly about to spout, Percy began to lick, suck, bite and tease his way down her body, relieving her of her knickers in his ministrations. As he stood, Percy began to clumsily scuffle with his belt buckle while trying to simultaneously kick off his shoes. Suddenly he stilled completely, an odd expression blanketing his features.
"You're not on the potion right now, are you? What with your experiment and prepping to be a surrogate," he asked, a strong dose of agitation and consternation clouding his voice.
Pansy blinked back at him bewildered. "I… I honestly don't know. I haven't been taking one lately to my knowledge."
"Fuck," Percy cursed, driving his eyes blindly toward the window to his left. He propped his left hand on his hip and swiped his right over his mouth before bringing it around to rub the back of his neck.
"What about the contraception charm?" Pansy offered, sitting up slightly only to lean back invitingly on her elbows.
"I can't. Its been ages since I cast it. More importantly though, I have no idea how that spell might affect you. I'm not willing to risk hurting you."
"Are you saying you're refuse to shag me? You have got to be fucking kidding me," Pansy snapped angrily, sitting up and slapping her palms against the mattress in frustration. "Do I have to beg?"
"Unless you want to be pregnant by tomorrow morning, I dare say we need to abstain."
The notion of falling pregnant that easily sobered Pansy quickly. "For Pete's sake," she muttered softly to herself, falling back and hitting the bed with her clenched fists.
Percy stopped altogether and simply stared at her laid out splendid and completely naked before him. With unwavering focus, he slowly crawled up to join her on the bed, stretching out fully beside her. His intense gaze sent a thrill of anticipation through her like electricity.
"What? What is it?" Pansy asked, feeling a wave of uncharacteristic shyness wash over her under his intense scrutiny.
He burrowed his arm under her head and cupped her cheek with his other hand. The unfettered love shining in his eyes as his gaze danced over her face made her feel breathless. If he was trying to convince her to not have sex with him, he was doing a piss poor job of it. Suddenly, he leaned in and captured her lips in a searching kiss that made her toes curl and her head spin. As the kiss deepened and intensified, the hand cupping her face tenderly travelled down her neck, across her collarbone and stopped briefly to massage her breast.
She moaned lightly in appreciation but became disgruntled when he left off from there too quickly for her liking. Her dismay was short lived though as his hand came to rest at the apex of her thighs and his middle finger gave a teasing swipe to the lips of her sex. Pansy gasped loudly into his mouth and he smiled like the cat that got the cream at her delicious reaction. Coursing his finger up through her wet folds he landed on her clit and gave it a gentle massage. She whimpered in response but bit her bottom lip to stay her vocalizations.
"Like that?" he whispered hoarsely, his eyes hooded with want.
Pansy could only swallow hard and nod, her voice having escaped her. He slipped his middle finger past the lips of her sex and sheathed it fully within her, pressing the heel of his palm firmly against her sensitive nub. Pansy arched in response, pressing herself harder against his hand desperate for more contact. He began a circuit of pumping his finger into her and kneading the heel of his palm against her clit. Then pulling his finger out to roughly massage the sensitive nub before thrusting it back into her.
Pansy felt herself very quickly hurtling toward the lovely white abyss of her climax as her breath caught and held tightly in her chest and her heart hammered wildly in her chest. Without warning, he inserted three fingers and curled them slightly as he retracted them, and she began to pant and plead for release. She gripped at the sheets as the coil of pleasure within her twisted even tighter. As he began to pump into her faster, the final straw came as he latched his lips over her nipple and swirled his tongue around its areola. In the moment, Pansy completely lost any battle she'd been waging for control and felt a hot wash of pleasure engulf her. Gulping for air and eyes lightly closed, Pansy reeled at the sheer body bliss coursing its way through her veins. She marvelled at how that level of pleasure could actually exist.
For his part, Percy fell onto his back and turned his gaze to the goddess laying beside him, satiated and possibly already half asleep. He chuckled softly to himself, his affection for her climbing to new heights. She was notorious for passing out once she'd finished. Watching his wife come completely undone under the manipulation of three fingers was far and away the most erotic experience he'd ever had. He'd always been caught up in his own pleasure to truly appreciate her in the midst of an orgasm. It was glorious to behold. He placed his hands over his eyes and scrubbed them down his face, groaning quietly. He'd never been so hard in his entire life.
Quietly, he climbed out of bed and softly padded his way to the ensuite bathroom. Nothing a hot shower and a good wank couldn't solve he resigned. Once he'd stripped himself of his trousers and climbed in under the hot spray, he let his mind wander back to the image of her begging him for release and coming undo dancing behind his eyelids. Closing his eyes, he placed one arm against the wall of the shower stall and wrapped his hand around his hard length. He wouldn't last long with those visions frolicking past his mind's eye.
Suddenly, he felt cool air waft over his back, but before he could turn to look, small, delicate hands began to run the course of his body and soft lips pressed luxuriously on the skin between his shoulder blades. Pansy coaxed him to turn to face her and pressed her sweet body to his under the hot spray, kissing him with such a deep and abiding passion that Percy had only the presence of mind to cling to her helplessly. She pulled back enough to regard him, their breath still dancing and mingling in the steam of the hot shower.
"We may not be shagging tonight, Weasley, but I am in no way done with you yet. And you better believe I'm going to find a way to fuck you sideways when you get back," she panted, before capturing his lips in another searing kiss.
In the end, they came dangerously close to shagging no less than three times and finally passed out at half past three in the morning.