She spent several hours contemplating her mother's words before sleep. Apparently, Pansy wasn't the only one being dragged into this mess. But why then had Regina been so kind towards Senus, always taking his side? Was he going to kill her if she didn't?

She had so many questions to ask of her mother, but returning after being ordered to leave wasn't going to get her anywhere. She sighed, finally allowing herself to fall asleep. All she did was remind herself that this time yesterday; she'd been with Draco, in his arms… It was a comforting thought.

The next morning, she was woken by a rough shaking by a hand that felt extremely cold, even through the sheets. When her eyes opened, she saw a house elf standing there, looking jittery and frightened.

"Mistress requests your presence downstairs immediately. Mistresses' home has guests."

Guests? What guests could they have at this time? Taking a glance at her clock, she reconsidered. It was nearly eleven. She quickly changed out of her robes and into a dress, not doing anything to her hair and not at all bothering with makeup.

She descended the staircase with little grace, not seeing anyone in the foyer. She decided they were in the parlor then, as that was where most of the guests were taken. On her way, she combed her fingers through her hair, managing to make it look halfway descent. Or so she hoped.

Once she opened the door, three heads looked up. It was Regina, Senus, and Draco. Why on Earth was he here? Didn't he realize what he had gotten her into? Surely this wasn't his idea of making it up to her!

"Pansy! Good, you're awake," Regina said, her voice sounding quite relieved for Pansy to have come.

"What's this about?" Pansy asked, stepping into the room and glancing at the members of it. Senus looked stony-faced and angry, while Draco seemed rather calm.

"Sit, sit," her mother ordered, and Pansy took a seat in one of the armchairs.

She took a look towards Draco, and he smirked, the trademark Malfoy smirk, at her. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute, not to mention she felt extremely weary from lack of sleep. She hadn't slept until quite late at night, or early in the morning, and eleven o'clock simply wasn't long enough.

"Mr. Malfoy has come to ask if he may date you," Senus announced, and Pansy paled visibly. He said it with sarcasm, as if Draco was a stupid child.

"Only because I get the feeling Pansy is unhappy with you. I am seeking her best interests at heart," Draco snapped back, restraining himself. Pansy wondered if he was doing all he could not to attack the man.

"Get the feeling? Yeah, that's original," her fiancé replied, sarcasm blatantly evident in his tone.

"I've tried to tell him you're already spoken for," Regina attempted to interject.

"And I've told her I know that," Draco interrupted, looking irritated.

"But he just won't give up," Senus finished, and Pansy found her head spinning involuntarily.

"I don't see what he wants," her mother mumbled, siding with Senus. Pansy no longer had to question why she did this.

"I want to ensure your happiness," Draco directed to her. She felt a wave of warm wash over her as he said this, but attempted to brush it off.

"Pansy and I are engaged, kid," Senus snarled. "She is marrying me, and that's all there is to it. Get over it and find someone else to stalk."

Draco paled, paler than usual, and glared. His fists clenched, and his jaw tightened. Being called 'kid' would have upset any grown man.

"And I am proposing a compromise."

Senus looked only angrier. "I will hear of no such thing."

"Listen for a moment, you pompous git," Draco insulted him, which only made Senus more furious, but it quieted him. "My mother is considering engaging me to one of Pansy's cousins, Dallas I believe. I have no intention to accept the betrothment, but wondered if perhaps you would. Call it a trade, among men."

He added the last bit with a sharp tinge to his voice. Senus did not even take the time to think of it, and Pansy's glimpse of hope faded.

"No! I am going to marry Pansy, and you will do nothing about it."

Pansy couldn't mistake the expression on Regina's face, as it was the same as Pansy's. Disappointment.

"You will leave this house at once, Malfoy," Senus demanded, standing up and pointing one rough finger towards the door. "And if you choose to speak with Pansy or engage in any sort of interaction between you two, I will see to it that she pays for your choices."

Draco looked over to Pansy, and she cast him a dangerous warning look. If he didn't leave at that moment, she was paying for it. He took the hint and left with a sharp slam of the door.

Another slap across the cheek. This one stung far worse, and she clutched her cheek. Luckily, she had not lost her balance in the blow.

"This is what I get! You sleep with him, and I allow you to go by unscathed. But you simply can't let it stop there, can you? One of the house elves has reported to me that they saw an owl arrive with a letter from him. I hope you never received it."

She nodded swiftly, admitting that telling him the truth would give her an instant death wish.

"Regina, is there any way we can make this wedding come swifter?" Senus asked, and her mother turned sharply.

She seemed to contemplate for a moment before responding. "Of course. We have three months until it, but it can be downsized to perhaps, two?"

"I was thinking one," he corrected her in a snappy tone.

"One? I will see if it can be arranged."

Senus seemed satisfied for the moment. He stared at her for a moment before sighing in exasperation. "Get to it!"

Regina, looking surprised, stood up and exited the room with a gentle clasp of the door.

Senus looked at Pansy for a moment, a hard expression on his visage before he left just as swiftly as Draco had. She peered out the window, seeing him apparate from the porch. A sigh of relief left her as she stood up, hurrying upstairs to prepare for her bath.

Once she was finished, she dressed to see that Diana was waiting in her room, wand in hand.

"Afternoon, Miss," Diana began, looking up when Pansy entered. She had a comfortable expression, nothing showing sadness nor happiness.

"Afternoon," Pansy replied, seating herself and allowing Diana to get started on her hair.

"I heard about this morning."

Pansy looked to the maid, who smiled lightly. "One of the servants said they were fighting over you like wild dogs."

She felt heat rush to her cheeks. "Not quite wild dogs… I suppose they were arguing."

Diana's grin broadened. "Personally, I hope Draco wins. But I can't say who will."

"I hope he does too… Mother's scared of Senus, which is why she won't let me marry Draco. You should've seen her, she looked terrified today."

Diana performed a drying charm on her hair. "I would be too. That man is frightening."

There was a silence, while a straightening charm was performed and then Pansy spoke up.

"So you said you heard about it from a servant? Any certain one?"

Diana seemed bashful for a moment, a blush rising to her cream colored cheeks.

"Well… Perhaps."

Pansy grinned. She had always been a tomboy in school, but every girl couldn't help a bit of talking like this every so often. She couldn't say she minded it, and knew the little excitement in her was for Diana. All her life, she'd been taught to treat the maids like house elves, lowly and beneath you. But Diana seemed so normal. Someone Pansy could turn to in her imprisonment.

"What's his name?" Pansy asked curiously. Diana seemed to be performing pointless charms on Pansy's hair, distracted.

"Ryan."

She was blushing now, having stopped working on the hair to mindlessly twirl a bit of her own brown hair around her finger.

"Ryan what? I can request that he work in the same place you are."

Pansy felt the odd want to perform a nice deed towards her maid, who had delivered Draco's wand to him. Besides, she liked Diana.

"I…Er… Ryan Dwell," Diana blushed a bit more, slipping her wand into the folds of her robes.

Pansy began applying the everyday makeup to her cheeks, eyes, and lips. "I'll do a bit of rearranging with the work tables then. Where do you normally clean and such?"

"I do cleaning charms on the Owlery until you wake, when I'm to come and help you into dress and do your hair and such… Then I go down to the lower level and…" Diana explained each chore she did on different days of the week in the lower level. On Monday, she polished the trophies in the trophy room and cleaned the face of paintings that were covered by glass. She also dusted the frames and cleaned the floor. Each day, she performed different tasks in the lower level and second level.

"You'll find it all on my work table, I believe," Diana finished just as Pansy applied the last bit of makeup.

"I'll get to it," Pansy promised, standing up and straightening the gown, taking one last look in the full-length mirror before heading upstairs.

She entered the servant's quarters, which were quiet and cramped. She had to ask a young male servant where the work tables were kept, and he directed her to a room at the far right of the corridor. Once she entered, she searched through the files until she found Diana's, with a picture of her pretty young face smiling and looking around on the front.

She pulled out the papers, and then searched for Ryan Dwell's folder. Once it was found, she matched them, leaving a note on the notice board that Ryan Dwell's schedule had been changed due to lack of help in an area. It sounded innocent. She signed her name at the bottom, informing them it was important, and left.

Days were passing by quickly. Regina had managed to make the wedding in one month, and Senus was satisfied. She hadn't heard at all from Draco, not that she knew what he'd say. There wasn't anything he could do. She was doomed to marry Senus. But having not seen him for almost a week, she was in a fairly good mood.

"You seem happy today, Miss," Diana noted as she organized Pansy's hair into elegant curls.

"I am," Pansy smiled. Diana could not drop the habit of calling her 'Miss' and Pansy didn't bother with trying to get her to.

"Might I inquire as to why?"

Pansy shrugged simply. "Senus hasn't stopped by for seven days in counting. Besides, I've been formulating a way to sneak out to Millicent's wedding." It was halfway through June, and Millicent's wedding was on the 16th of August.

"Won't you be married then?" Diana asked, nearly finished with Pansy's hair.

"Yes. But I doubt that Senus will allow me to attend the wedding if I didn't have enough reasons to back it up. I plan to tell him that all the high-class people will be there and if we don't show our social status will drop. And if he doesn't buy that, I'll promise him something naughty."

Diana giggled. "For a man like him, even suggesting something naughty, he'd make you do it. I bet the first will work."

"Probably. So, about Ryan… How's his new area been working for him?" Pansy queried a half smirk on her features.

"Oh, well, he's needed lots of showing around and help. He isn't used to the lower levels. I told him I could give him a complete detailed explanation of the process over dinner sometime," Diana told her with a shrug.

"So you asked him out."

Diana looked a bit surprised at first. "What? No."

"Yep, you did," Pansy grinned. "You asked him to dinner."

"It's strictly business. I wasn't even thinking… D' you think he likes me?" the maid asked worriedly, her tug on Pansy's hair becoming a bit tighter.

Pansy winced, and the grip was released. "He said yes, didn't he?"

Diana squealed, and then covered her mouth, hoping Regina had not heard.

Once her hair was finished, Pansy thanked Diana as she did every day and headed for her mother's room.

She knocked a few times on the door before Regina's voice called her in. Pansy entered, seating herself in one of the scattered chairs.

"Pansy, you will be going to Diagon Alley with Senus today," her mother began.

Pansy's face fell. "With Senus?" she repeated, sounding downstruck.

"Yes, with Senus. He's your fiancé, after all," Regina snapped sharply, beginning to apply her makeup in the vanity mirror.

"Right…"

"Anyway, he'll be by in a few minutes. You've got to order the bouquets and pick up the shoes. I decided the last ones just won't work. I have the order for the shoes in already; all you have to do is pick them up. The flowers are specified on this paper," she reached into her drawer, brandishing a folded parchment. "And then I suppose he will take you to lunch."

Pansy nodded, taking the paper and clutching it tightly in her hand. "And why are you not doing this?"

"I have prior engagements," she snarled, quite obviously hiding something. Pansy decided not to pry and stood up.

She heard the door open from downstairs, concluding that Senus had let himself in. She hurried towards the stairs and didn't bother to be graceful as she descended them, meeting him at the bottom.

"Ready?" he asked, taking a glance over her appearance.

She nodded simply, going out to the porch. "I'll meet you outside the Leaky Cauldron," she suggested, and he nodded.

With two quiet 'pops', they arrived outside the pub and started towards the Florist Shop down the road a ways. Senus rambled on and on about some big occurrence at work that kept him from visiting all week and Pansy listened with half an ear. A part of her wished Draco was in town that day. But he wasn't.

They picked up the flowers, having them transported to home with a few galleons to a man behind the counter. Next, they headed for the shoe shop. It was there that she was a familiar face, in the shop. It wasn't Draco, but Millicent. A grin spread to her features, knowing that her engaged friend had received an invitation and she had seen her name crossed off the RSVP list, meaning she'd already agreed to come.

Millicent didn't look up when the doorbell chimed, instead surveying a pair of shoes and the price.

Senus glared at Pansy, seeing her interests quite obviously on something other than him. And he couldn't see who it was she was infatuated with.

When they passed by Millicent towards the counter, Pansy tapped her shoulder and the shopping woman turned, her face showing a toothy smile.

"Pansy!" she gasped, running over to her. She definitely was losing weight. Maybe even too much to be healthy. Pansy shrugged it off, glad for her friend. Glad she was finally losing her man-like weight problem.

"Whose this?" Senus demanded lowly, crossing his arms and looking terribly bored.

"Oh, Millicent, this is Senus Yitel, my fiancé. And Senus, this is Millicent Bullstrode. An old friend from school."

"Pleasure to meet you," Millicent greeted politely, shaking his hand. He refused to kiss it.

Millicent seemed unperturbed, perhaps a bit relieved.

Senus looked disdainfully around the shop. "I'll get the order."

He seemed glad for a chance to get away and went over towards the counter, joining the back of the line but eyeing the two girls carefully.

"So that's the one your mum tied you to, then?" Millicent asked eagerly, glancing at him as well. "He's a tad stiff, you know, but seems all right."

Pansy's gaze tightened slightly. "He's cocky, arrogant, self-centered, mean, and thinks he's Merlin's gift."

"Oh?" Millicent raised an eyebrow. "Picky little bugger, aren't you?"

"He raped me, Millie."

There was a silence, and Millicent paled rather visibly. She contemplated pulling Pansy into a giant hug, but reconsidered. If Senus saw them doing that—surely he would suspect…?

"Then how can you be so…calm? So normal?" she asked, looking to Pansy expectantly.

Pansy smiled a little. "I've seen Draco. A few times, actually. He…um…well, I slept with him. And now I'm under very strict punishment for it, since Senus caught us, but well, he came and asked my mother to date me. Attempted all these clever word tricks with him, but nothing changed."

"Draco? I never really saw you two together. I mean, it was odd when he asked you to the ball. I always thought Blaise was going to do it—you know he liked you for years."

Pansy blushed. "How come everyone else noticed but me?"

Millicent shrugged, sneaking a glance over at Senus. "I don't know. Surely Draco can do something…"

"No, there's nothing. I've been thinking about it for days. The only way is risking disownment, and well, you very well know I can't do that."

Millie nodded, seeing Crabbe tap impatiently on the window of the shop. "He won't come in here, saying he'll look like an idiot." She giggled slightly, blowing a kiss to the man at the window, which only made him more annoyed.

"I better go. You think that stiff's going to let you come to my wedding?"

"Yeah, I think so. I've been thinking of a few ways, and I'm going to trick him into it," Pansy replied, waving slightly at Crabbe who rolled his eyes.

Millicent hugged her slightly before slipping out of the shop, joining Crabbe and walking down the street.

Pansy sighed, turning towards Senus who had just picked up the shoes and was headed towards her.

"Come, let's go for lunch," Senus told her, not as a request but as a command. She ought to be used to it by now, but he was truly not a gentleman at all. She vaguely remembered her first impression of him, handsome and all right. How wrong she'd been.

He thrust the bag into her hands and led her to a completely different restaurant, hoping to avoid any more encounters with any of her friends from Hogwarts. Especially Draco.

About forty-five minutes of pretending to listen while Senus rambled, Pansy was finished eating. A stout looking man approached them, severely balding with small, rounded eyes.

"Miss Parkinson?"

She lifted her head, nodding. "Yes?"

"I 'ave a letter 'ere for your Mum. Mind giving it to 'er, for me?"

"I don't mind," She responded, accepting the letter. It had no return address, but she didn't feel much like poking around in it.

"It's rather urgent," the man insisted. "I do hope you were planning on 'eading 'ome, because that's really got to get to 'er."

"Of course," Pansy slipped the letter into an inner pocket of her dress, smiling politely at the man who waved lightly and headed back to his table, sporting a limp.

"I've got to work," Senus announced, standing up and paying for the meal. "But I'll drop you off home."

She nodded, expecting that he wanted her to be home and not go wandering around to Draco's home or something.

He apparated to the Manor with her then left her with out any goodbye. She didn't truly mind, pulling out the letter and headed for the parlor.

"Mother?" she called, opening the door. Nobody was in sight, except a scrawny house elf dusting the furniture. "Have you seen my Mother?"

"No, ma'am," the elf squeaked, looking terrified.

Pansy headed off towards her study, not finding her there either. Where could she be? Grasping the letter tightly, she checked her father's study, the library, the kitchen, the backyard, everywhere.

"Excuse me, have you seen Madam Parkinson?" Pansy asked a handsome looking servant. Actually, he was really rather gorgeous. He had speckled blue eyes and dark brown hair, tanned skin and a fairly good build.

"I saw her last in her bedroom, Miss," he responded with a low tone.

A thought came to her mind. "What's your name?"

"Ryan Dwell, Miss."

Pansy grinned to herself, hurrying away from him and towards her mother's bedroom. She heard no noises come from inside, except perhaps whispering. But whatever it was that was being said, Pansy couldn't decipher it.

She creaked open the door, peeking in. No movement. Where was she?

She leaned in, sighing exasperatedly. A figure sat up straight in the bed, looking horrified.

He had a bit of grey in his hair, though not too much, and lines under his eyes from being tired. Other than that, he looked rather young.

Wait…Didn't she recognize him? Wasn't he…

"Remus, what is it?" her mother called from in the bathroom.

Professor Lupin?