Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy (POV)
Oh no. No way. I did not just see that. I cannot possibly have seen my husband sneaking off with my old school friend, Blaise Zabini, and I definitely did not see them kissing.
My head is spinning as I replay the scene in my head. I know I must've seen them at it, otherwise why would I be able to see them in such sharp focus?
I can feel disgust, rage, insecurity and uncertainty rise up like bile in my throat. I feel physically sick at the thought of it. I don't know whether to confront the pair of them now, or wait until Draco gets home then accost him about it.
I know that it's got to be Draco's fault. I have, after all, spent a great deal of my life in a relationship with him. He can be very persuasive when he wants to be. And from the look of him while he was kissing Blaise, it looked like he wanted to very much.
Oh God, am I living in Hell, or am I just destined to be unlucky in life, love and everything else?
The way he was running his hands all over her makes me want to puke. I feel the insecurity take pride of place in my mind and I begin to ask myself why he would have an affair with another woman. Did I make him unhappy in any way? Did I push him away all those times I questioned him about where he'd been and who with?
And here comes the rage. It is most definitely not my fault. I tried to make him happy. I tried to do all that I could to make his life comfortable. I went along with every stupid plan of his, because I loved him. I refused to go out with other guys when we split up those times at school. I saved myself for him and this is how he repays me? I don't bloody think so.
So now here I am. Sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, in the warm sun, but all I can feel is a cold numbness spread through my body, freezing my heart so that I can no longer love anyone as much as I loved Draco.
Okay, that was a bit dramatic, but you know what I mean.
Florean Fortescue himself comes over and asks me what's wrong. I feel like telling him, in the most cheerful voice I can manage that my husband is conducting a torrid affair behind my back and that I've just seen them almost on their way to rampant sex.
But I can hardly just blurt out my private life to any old person can I?
So instead I smile my hardest and tell him everything's fine. Ha, I wish.
"Pansy?" A voice disturbs me from my tortured reverie. "Pansy Parkinson?"
I turn, about to tell whoever it is to go away and leave me alone – politely of course – when I find myself staring into the hazel eyes of none other than Neville Longbottom.
Now, at Hogwarts I never really gave much thought to Longbottom. Why on earth would I? He was forgetful, accident-prone, chubby and a Gryffindor. Now excuse me if that isn't the biggest turn off.
But now? Whoa has he changed. Let's just say that Draco had never ever wanted to get all big and muscled, he'd always been lean and sinewy. The Neville that I saw before me, was hot!
He was lean, but he had the nicest abs it was possible to have. His sandy blond hair fell over his eyes.
He was, in short, absolutely gorgeous.
"Or is it Pansy Malfoy now?" he smiled.
"Huh ... if I had my way, it would be Parkinson now" I muttered darkly.
He gave me the strangest look and I remembered how devoted I'd been to Draco in Hogwarts. Was I really that naïve? Then again, I suppose nothing had really changed.
"Marital problems?" Neville asked knowingly.
"You could say that" I said.
For some strange reason I was ready to pour my heart and soul out to this man, yet I knew him only slightly better than Florean Fortescue.
He sat down in the chair opposite me and looked at me with those amazing eyes again.
"Why don't you tell me about it?" he suggested.
So I did. Every single detail about my marriage to Draco.
And you know something? I didn't once feel like I was talking to a stranger.
We parted on the best of terms, and by then he knew everything about me. I don't regret telling him all of my problems; Neville is something that Draco, as wonderful as he was, can never be: a good listener.
I didn't forget that Draco had cheated on me; how could I? But Neville had helped me to deal with it.
When Draco got home that night, he probably found the house empty. That was because I'd left Rhiannon and Draco Jr to Narcissa's, so they wouldn't witness the latest fight in our lives.
He came into the living room, where I was sat on the sofa reading a book. I looked up and gave him a beaming smile.
"Evening sweetie" I said and kissed him on the cheek.
He smiled uncertainly back; "Evening Pansy" he said and came and sat next to me on the sofa.
"Have a nice day?" I asked, putting my book down and facing him.
"It was okay" he said evasively, and even if I hadn't known about his affair I would've guessed something was up.
"What did you do?" I persisted.
"Oh, I ... er ... went to Knockturn Alley" he stammered, "to see if some stuff had arrived in the shop"
Oh he went to Knockturn Alley alright ...
I never realised it before, but Draco is a superb liar. He told part of the truth without actually revealing what he did. It was easy to see how I fell for his lies.
"I went to Diagon Alley" I said conversationally, wondering if I'd get a reaction out of him.
Sure enough, his left eye twitched slightly as I said it.
"What did you do?" he asked, asking my own question.
"Not much," I said, "I went to the Ice-Cream Parlour, then to buy some new robes for Rhiannon. That was pretty much it. How boring eh?"
He laughed nervously.
"Oh give it up Draco" I said in a bored voice.
"Give what up darling?" he asked, trying to play it cool, but I could see the beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"You know what. I saw you today. In Knockturn Alley, like you said. But you weren't doing any shopping" I added disgustedly, "You're having an affair, and you weren't even going to tell me. Oh don't try and worm your way out of it Draco, darling, I know the truth" I finished triumphantly.
Draco looked down at his feet and was silent. How irritating.
"For God's sake! Did you really think I wouldn't find out?" I asked furiously, shaking with rage. "Do really think I'm so stupid that I wouldn't guess? When you come in here, acting like you've just been caught with your hand in the cookie jar? I may be stupid, I may be foolish and I may be an idiot, but I am not blind!"
Now Draco stood up.
"I never wanted to cheat on you in the first place" he protested, "but I did and that's that. I can't change it. Believe me, if I could I most definitely would."
"But that still doesn't change the fact that you've slept with another woman. Oh, and not just any other woman, but Blaise Zabini. My best friend. Although she can't have been much of a friend if she's so easily tempted into bed with you!"
"Hey, she came onto me!" Draco said in outrage, "I swear to God she did!"
"It's always someone else's fault isn't it!" I shouted, "It's never yours, never Golden Boy's, but everyone else is to blame!"
Draco whirled around and looked at me for a split second before he slapped me, hard, across the face.
My head jerked back, tears streamed down my flaming cheek, but I looked at him, hate burning in every part of my body.
"Careful Draco," I said dangerously, "For a moment there I almost thought you were Lucius"
That was when I punched him; hard on his left temple.
He sank to the floor and I walked out of the room, not once did I glance back. I went upstairs and began packing.
There was no way in hell I was going to stay there after this.