Kitchens

With Pansy on my arms I walk towards the kitchen and tickle the pear in the painting. To my pleasure Pansy seems more than impressed. "This is brilliant, Draco," Pansy squeals. Her eyes light up in excitement. "We could go to the kitchens at night for some hot tea and some treacle tart or something. Would that not be great?" I can't help but feel Pansy looks very pretty at that moment. It makes me want to kiss her.

Then the house elves start buzzing around us, ready to help us, but I can already make Dobby's form out. "Can Dobby do anything for his old little master and his friend?"

I smile, that house elf never liked me much, but I guess things changed. "Yes, thanks, Dobby. What do you like, Panse?" I look shyly at her.

She smiles brightly. "Some treacle tart and tea would be nice, Dobby.."

Dobby reacts delighted. "OHH, missus Parkinson is so polite to Dobby. Dobby is so happy to serve his old friends at Hogwarts. Never before has Dobby been treated so well by his old masters." Dobby then flicks a tear away. Pansy looks absolutely stunned. "You like vanilla tea right? With just a little pinch of caramel.. Dobby never forgets his old masters wishes. Dobby was a good house elf."

"Yeah, that would be nice," Pansy then softly says, as if she is not quite sure what to do with the grateful house elf.

Draco smiles at the excited house elf. Maybe he should treat the house elves at home a little better, maybe father would even follow his lead. He had seemed different last time he saw him. "You were a good house elf, Dobby," I then say softly. "I'd like the same as Pansy."

We sit down at the small little table, but all the busy house elves flitting around make me nervous and uncomfortable. Maybe the kitchen was not a great place if you wanted a little bit of privacy. "We could take a walk by the lake," I then say.

Pansy smiles shyly. "I'd like that very much."

We were walking near the lake and have just settled down sitting with our back to a large willow tree and our shoulders gently rest against each other. "I've missed this," Draco then says. "I mean, we haven't been talking a lot lately."

"We haven't," Pansy agrees. "This is nice though. You did not seem surprised Dobby worked in the kitchens here at Hogwarts."

I hesitate. "Well, I couldn't look stupid in front of you, could I? I had to check if it would work."

"You wouldn't have looked stupid to me," Pansy says softly.

"Sure I would," I scoffed. "Seeing Dobby though is nice, isn't it? He seems happy."

"You really had the weirdest house elf," Pansy says shaking her head. "Did you see him wearing socks?"

I chuckle. I did notice the colourful socks on his tiny feet. "Apparently Dumbledore pays him."

"Really?" Pansy sounds amazed. "I never really thought about house elves having a real range of emotion, you know? It seemed to mean a lot to Dobby though to be kind to him."

I nod. "I though his eyes would bulge out of their sockets when I said please to him. I blurted it out by pure accident the first time."

Pansy rests her head on my shoulder. "Sorry for being preoccupied with gossiping with Daphne for the latter part of the summer. I know you don't like it."

I smile. "You should know you don't have to put others down to feel better. You are already the prettiest girl I know."

Pansy kissed me. It was short. She then softly hugged me, leaning her head on my thorax.

"I told Cho Chang she looked like a pointy needle," Pansy admits.

I frown. "What kind of insult is that?' Pansy shrugs. "Was it about DADA?" Pansy shrugs again, looking to the lake, seemingly unable to meet my eye. "You don't look like that. You never did. Forget your mother, just listen to me: you are pretty."

Pansy looks briefly at me, smiles a little and kisses me a few times softly. Still, something gives me the feeling she does not really believe me.

Then Pansy changes the subject. "So, do you know what your boggart would turn into?" As a matter in fact, I knew exactly what my boggart turned into. I felt heat flood my cheeks. "Come on, I won't laugh at you. Besides you know mine."

Pansy softly grabbed my hand and leaned back into the tree, but our shoulders still softly touched.

"Okay," I answer. "You know how my family can be kind of demanding.." Pansy rolls her eyes. "I am not some sort of god. People definitely don't fall at my feet ready to worship me." Pansy snorts. "I am just Draco, not the Malfoy heir everyone expects me to be. Even when I'm doing well, it just seems to be not good enough."

Pansy looks fiercely at me. "I think you're more than enough."

I shouldn't have felt surprised. "Well," I say after the surprise tears away. "I think you are more than stunning enough to seduce any guy at Hogwarts."

Pansy smiles. "Even you?"

"Especially me," I say, smiling back.

Pansy hesitates. "So we are doing this?"

"This?" I ask teasingly.

"Dating," Pansy shyly clarifies.

I smile at the hesitant tone. "Pansy, can I take you to the upcoming trip to hogsmead?"

Pansy smiles relieved. "You'd better, prat."

"Good." I answer with a smirk.