Soon the year finished and the new one began. Draco's coolness towards me extended to Daphne's ball where we danced a few dances and then he'd promptly left to talk business with other people; leaving me without his company. Daphne, Millicent and Tracey were more than happy to chat to me, seemingly so caught up in the idea of the love story between Draco and I they were completely blind to any dislike or coolness he had towards me, and I was whisked away in a bubbly giggling world of their company - but yet feeling so distant and cold all at the same time at the ball. It was not an enjoyable affair.

A few summer balls, parties, events, and then it was my second year out of Hogwarts. My parents were proud of my investments and happy that I was growing into a wise Parkinson with investing the family fortune. They were happy if I were to spend several more years getting into the hang of investments, something I might be doing a fair amount in adult life because the fortune was so big and we were constantly met with business proposals for our money, and perhaps after several more years to start thinking more seriously of marriage. They didn't say it but I could feel the unspoken expectation there.

In my second year out of Hogwarts I somehow found myself working with Theo more and more. We had to for we shared a business project together. We weren't able to get our capital back until several more years so it would be a while before I saw the profits Theo promised, but he was able to reexplain everything in full depth everytime I got anxious and gave lots of updates about the project that I wasn't concerned after talking to him. He just had this way of explaining things. I could understand why people wanted to do business with him. He just had this air about himself. Like he knew the world or knew things deeper than anyone else. Lived a deeper existence.

To my surprise I found myself enjoying his company on all the business meetings we'd had, sometimes at either one of our houses, sometimes at the headquarters of the business together; receiving updates on how things were going.

He spoke little about himself. He was still a mystery to me. I barely knew anything more about him then than I did at Hogwarts. But yet I was able to get a deeper sense of him just from working together with him. He didn't like small talk but when he spoke it was with purpose and ambition. He was definitely intelligent, he was every bit as polite and smooth as he ought to be. He was arrogant and smirked and snorted a lot, but since I was a Sacred 27 wealthy socialite it was directed at others. He was just...easy to get along well with. He didn't cause me any pain or annoyance.

He was easy-going. Smooth. Simple. Easy to talk to.

I did not like him. I barely knew anything about him. But I did not mind him, and it was a very solid sense of 'didn't mind him' that I knew of. It surprised me a bit to know I had liked the little of him I knew of from our business talks so much.

I did not think too much of it though.

Things changed though. Firstly, Draco grew more short-tempered, irritable, bitter and stressed. He sometimes ignored me for long periods at a time when we did keep each other company; preferring to stare of in the distance somewhere instead of talking to me and when he realised I had been trying to start conversation with him, he looked like he was jolted out of another world entirely.

"What's up? You can tell me anything if it'll help you," I broached with him one day because I was unsure of what else to say. Draco did not like anybody making decisions with him or inquiring about his personal business and I was not let in yet. Though I felt a small spark of success at the fact that Draco had not talked or been with any girl besides me all this time since Hogwarts graduation.

"It's nothing," he said with a foreigned smile at me as if he preferred not to have me worry about his issues. Draco both preferred to work through things alone and also to not dump his problems onto anyone else, so I was spared from having to listen to his troubles in this manner. "I've just increased my business dealings because I want to earn back the money we lost after the war. I had hopes I would be able to earn that back and more but...it's not there yet so I'm just a bit stressed."

He looked it. There were dark shadows under his eyes again. I hadn't even known he'd intended to increase his business decisions this way. Remembering to Nott's comments about how the Malfoy's didn't have a lot of cash on hand afterwards I could understand a portion of the reason why it wouldn't have been so easy. He must've had to do a lot of work to earn what he had so far in this current position.

"Anything I could do to help?" I asked.

"No," Draco got up from where he was beside me and stared into the fireplace for a bit, before pacing around his living room some more, seemingly lost in his thoughts, "I guess I shall have no choice but to try harder and I expect I shall be busy for the next few years of my life."

He turned sharply to look at me, "I shall look forward to the next ball we go to. It'll be a change from what my lifestyle is now."

"Of course," I smiled.

We made a few more bits of light-hearted chatter on that occasion but true to his word, I saw Draco less and less after that, and when I did he always seemed pained somehow, and stressed.

I put it out of my mind as I focused more on my personal investments. I had my own life to be busy with and I suppose I could've seen this coming. Why did I overlook the fact that Draco was probably going to struggle with money or at least try to earn back his losses during the war afterwards? Why hadn't I foreseen this part of his life? It wasn't like there wasn't enough evidence of how he handled the war - which was poorly. The Malfoys were one of the family's not in Azkaban who'd lost the most after the war. They suffered the most. How foolish of me to not have foreseen Draco's state and how it might affect him.

So much for a charming Draco and what could've been a beautiful love story for us. Instead he's off busy trying to get back his money and tired and stressed and shutting me out so much.

The second thing was an offer by Witch Weekly for an exclusive interview on my romantic life because apparently it was of interest enough to generate a huge amount of money, to which a decent amount would be pocketed by me. I could see how good the deal was for me, but also the caution. Because there is no romance in my life is there? Although unfortunately the amount I would make from this Witch Weekly interview would be on par with from my other business investments, and at far less time and effort. They assured me it would only take one day at the most.

Witch Weekly was one of the biggest magazines in the wizarding world. I felt unsure about all of this. On the one hand my reputation allowed businesses to practically come running to me for investment, on the other hand, I felt like my reputation meant I was like an actress, celebrity, of a sort in the world, simply because of the family I was born into and who my parents were, and I always felt an edge of caution when it came to interviews or things like this. Celebrities had to be careful with how they spoke to media - I shouldn't be so idiotic.

I hesitated and gave a neutral response for now but found myself bothered again at the next horse racing event - held by Pucey this time instead of Draco.

There were some reporters from Witch Weekly who'd managed to snag an invite somehow and had crowded around Draco and I, as well as some other Slytherins towards the end of the day.

"What a beautiful day, the horse's are running magnificently. Do you want to make a comment?" asked a reporter as her self-writing quill stopped fidgeting and poised ready to start writing a landslide at her request, all eyes and ears of her on me.

"Splendid day," I said stiffly.

"Are the two of you dating?" asked another reporter shyly, "the wizarding world has been speculating on who the first couple of the latest Sacred 27 generation would be. We hear it's you..."

I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice as I struggled to keep my face expressionless, my composure. All the memories of desperately yearning for Draco to give me the sign he truly loved me, of wishing to go back to a closeness that we had at Hogwarts somehow, or feeling like I was in pain from Draco but unable to do anything about it all came back. Of course, he was his usually cold but polite and charming in public self however...

"Pansy is a dear friend of mine for many years. I take great comfort in her company for public events," Draco said stiffly, sternly, arrogantly and so sure of himself, like he always did. He grabbed my hand in his and held it tightly, as if making some sort of stand, not letting go.

It was all I could do to pull up the nicest and happiest smile as possible and just keep smiling through all of this. Even though I felt like I was slowly suffocating inside.

"But are you two dating? Because we all had bets that you'd be the first couple in the staff room actually," admitted the first reporter with a bit of a giggle, "I mean, I had a bet against a friend. I want to see who's right..."

It's complicated. These things take time. Why are you putting so much pressure on us? How about you take a photo, say it's a beautiful day with some shining stars from Hogwarts and leave it at that? Don't dig deeper.

A lot of replies came to my head but died on my lips. I had been more blunt and sharp with my words at Hogwarts and with my friends but to media and polite society it was like there was a blockade, I just could not bring myself to say any of the protective remarks I might've otherwise.

"It's none of your business and whilst the wizarding law isn't developed enough to persecute reporters like yourself I can recommend new reporters for Witch Weekly to hire and foot the salary bonus for it," said Theo with a bit of a handsome smirk at them that was both intimidating but yet a little warm, like it was some inside joke he was letting them in on. As if saying that if they followed his implication and left us alone he wouldn't see them as more than a casual nuisance for the day and wouldn't seek any further action, but he was also revealing his hand of power over them.

"Of course," said the first reporter.

"We didn't mean to offend, we're very sorry," said the second.

Looks of horror, fright, surprise, sludged over their faces and froze for a few more moments before they hastily backed away. Theo gave them a light wave. Since he hadn't done it much I supposed threatening them would work for this time. If he did it too often our name and reputations would fall.

"Stay out. We didn't want your help," Draco glowered at Theo but he otherwise still seemed preoccupied in the same thoughts that took his attention all day. The shadows returned under his eyes in recent days, he looked like he needed to sleep for several more days and he'd came towards the middle of the pack that day despite having one of the fittest horse's of the group that had the most potential. I didn't think he really rode Nutmeg around much and if he used to ride more before he decided to fully dedicate himself to regaining back his fortune I didn't get the impression he did it much anymore.

"You two were both irritated out of your ass," said Theo.

"Didn't mean you had to butt into my own business," said Draco, but he felt off-centre. He looked sleepy and like he would've appreciated a nap right there and then.

"You could've thought of a light threat yourself," said Theo with testy arrogance.

"I'm thinking up one now," retorted Draco with a glare in his direction.

"Let us check out Chocolate - the winner of this horse's race," I said before slipping my arm around Draco's and pulling him away. I would've done more to comfort him except I wasn't sure Draco wanted to be asked more about what was on his mind, or to have me consoling him about the wrong thing or anything.

"You look tired, anything I can do to make things better?" I tried.

"Nope," he said before glancing away.

We patted and complimented Chocolate in muted spirits. How was it that I could be surrounded by such luxury on an extravagent day like this, petting the winning horse, and yet feel so suffocated and trapped inside a box running out of air? Draco just felt impossible to know, impossible to understand, impossible to work with, but yet he gave me just enough to continue this...whatever in frequent communication relationship we had with each other now. A stab of irritancy rose up inside of me. I had to choke it down. For the first time in a while I was imagining breaking up with Draco, calling the quits, telling him I didn't want to be in frequent communication anymore until he made it clear I was his girlfriend or he had feelings for me or...

That day came tomorrow. He had wanted to see me for a loan. He had discovered a good business to invest in, not as good as the one Nott found, but a very good one nonetheless but didn't have enough capital for it. He thought our combined capital would be enough to meet the amount of funding the business needed to start on that project and so he proposed the idea to me.

"That sounds like a good idea. It's a good business, sure profit, I get benefits too," I said as I signed. Draco looked like he slept a little better but like he was still behind on sleep. I don't know why but I felt tense that day as well. Even though I'd slept well the night before I just felt uneasy.

"Anything the matter? You seem unhappy lately," Draco glowered at me. It didn't help that we were in one of the sitting rooms of my house and I usually checked on the tabloids and newspapers about what was written about us in the next few days after big events. Many recently published tabloids and newspapers about the horse race of the glorious wealthy family's were splashed out on the table before us. It hadn't been my intention, I was simply reading them when Draco arrived and I hadn't the time to put them away, but now that we were both looking at them but not talking about it, it was a sore reminder of what happened yesterday.

"I'm not...happy lately-" I said. I felt like I had more to say, it was almost all going to come pouring out. How I felt about everything. How I would almost sink to my knees right there and then and beg Draco to marry me or give me some sort of sign he liked or loved me. How I couldn't take it anymore. Everything...

"Yeah well you know what? Neither am I," Draco fully snapped now, his cold grey-blue eyes darting all over the sitting room and me as he said his next words, "I'm sick of all of this pressure. Ever since I was born my parents have always been harping at me about the next girl to marry, Hogwarts classmates too. Everyone. Everytime I look at you I feel expectation and pressure and it's immensely hard to keep ahold of with everything else going on and sometimes I don't even want to think about everything anymore. You know what? I'm done. I'm done feeling suffocated and pushed and pulled whilst I'm trying to regain my family's fortune. I'm done pretending. I'm...done feeling like this is anything but a lighthearted way to get in touch with people of the same status as me more. I think I'm done with this."

He had gotten up and walked away, he always preferred to pace a little when he was agitated, he stared out of the large glass windows facing the lush green lawns for a few seconds more before he turned around and looked at me again.

"Pansy. I think I'm happier out of this frequent contact than I am in. I think it's time I do what's best for me and stop engaging in frequent contact and company with people that are making me worse.

I'm sorry. You're a great pureblood wealthy socialite lady, really, you are. I'm pleasantly surprised to have met you and all that you've stood for. For all these years at Hogwarts. The hierarchy you tried to create among the Slytherin girls and Hogwarts students of our year. Thank you. And I will always think of you as a great lady. One that I am happy to have known in my younger years. But I do not think it is better or any happier for us to continue on in the future, and I hope you will build a great life without me. Goodbye Pansy. I expect I shall still see you as we are in the same social circles, and I hope that you do well..."

"I..." I didn't know what came over me. Part of me felt like I was breaking down, like a dream was slowly breaking, then shattering. A wave filled of mosaics of our memories crashing down on me, the eve of us riding on our horses together in the sunset on lush expansive grounds as we talked of refurbishing the Manor for future generations come crashing down and then disappearing into the blackness of faded memories like it was never so real in the first place. Like the ghosts of foggy daydreams created out of a black ether I couldn't touch nor glimpse anymore.

Another part of me felt like it was final. Set. All said. All done. Like Draco had said what was on my mind as well, like the tension was deflated out of a burst balloon. Like he had taken the words out of my mouth and spewed them out into this space, for us to both hear, loud, ugly and clear. A part of me felt like whatever confusions I had about how he felt about the relationship or where it was going was perfectly answered, made crystal clear. Like there was no mystery left wondering what he thought anymore.

Another part of me still ached with the deep sadness that could only come from mourning a relationship long gone. A relationship one started in their first year at Hogwarts in a sense and tried to hold onto even now. The sort of hurt you still felt at a broken heart or broken relationship even if you knew it would never be there in the first place.

"I...think it's better for me too," I forced myself to say. These were true words, how I was really feeling at the current time, but it was just hard getting them out. "I'd be happier too. My own path..."

"Good luck," he said, and he put a lot of tender into it, as he nodded at me, before he turned around sharply and walked away.

There was a light in his eyes that went out before he left. I didn't realise it until now but a light, however dim, that Draco held for me, even during the brief year or so we'd spent after Hogwarts finished, had fully died and dissipated, and now there was nothing but politeness. If I had felt he was polite before, it was nothing compared to the robotic, blank, perfectly socially polite person he was to me then.

I didn't feel awkward around him, not even in the brief few moments after. But I didn't feel like he was a real person to me, like I had known him one fraction as much as I did then during the brief year or so we'd "dated" without either of us using the word after Hogwarts.

That had changed.

After that I went to my room and cried and sobbed briefly before suddenly remembering I had a business meeting with Nott this afternoon. Draco's proposal for a loan had been an unexpected visit that turned sour afterall...

Feeling panicked I put on my best make-up and magical pepper up potions to hide the scars of tears and pain on my face before I let mother know I was out (she hadn't particularly known about this business meeting and she'd mentioned wanting to know when I would be around home to help out with a particular business project of hers lately) and then appariated to the gazebo outside of Nott's Manor as I always did before walking up to it when I didn't arrive by floo.

Author's Note: Thanks for the review, this is PansyxTheo by the way so she's not getting back with Draco but they both find peace with each other and move on.