1 September, 1996

Draco was ignoring Crabbe and Goyle, his feet propped up on the seat across the compartment from him, reading a black leather bound book with red sealing wax stamped across the spine, obscuring the title and author. His face was pulled into a studious frown. Crabbe and Goyle, having no desire to bother him during his studying, shrugged at each other.

Pansy flung open the compartment door and craned her neck forward in a mechanical manner that implied that she had been opening-and-peering-in-compartments for some time now. She pulled her head back out, ready to open another compartment before her eyes focused on Draco's feet. Pansy's lips curved into a smile. "Draco!" She said loudly, shutting the compartment door behind her.

Draco shut his eyes so she wouldn't see him rolling them, then looked up at her over his book. "Hullo, Pansy," he said, sitting up properly, using his thumb to hold his place in his book. "How was your summer?"

"It was... good." Pansy kept her hands on the door, smiling at Draco in a flirtatiously shy manner and shifting slightly so that her skirt swished from side to side. "I was hoping you would answer my owl before the train, so that we could sit together."

"Things've been busy for me," he said, his words clipped.

"You could still have owled," Pansy said in a slightly petulant tone. She let go of the door and sat close to Draco, taking care to cross her legs and then demurely smooth her skirt. Pansy nudged Draco with her shoulder and then leaned on him to look at his book. "What is that?"

Draco snapped it shut with one hand. "It's a book I've been reading," he replied, setting it down beside him, away from Pansy.

Pansy nudged him again, but didn't pull away this time. She stayed pressed to his side. "I want to know what you're reading," she said.

"It's a book," he said again. "It doesn't even have pictures in it."

"So?" She shrugged. "You don't know that I won't like it. Maybe I will. I want to know." Pansy's lower lip protruded slightly and she nudged him again.

Draco shrugged as well, trying to scoot away from her a little. "You wouldn't like it. Maybe I'll lend it to you after I'm done." If I don't eat it first, he thought to himself.

"I suppose that's acceptable," Pansy smiled. "So, did you miss me?" She snaked her arm around his, resting her head against his biceps. She looked up at him in what she thought a flattering angle.

"Oh yes," he said, with a quick glance to the window. "Did you miss me?" As if he had to ask.

"Of co-urse," she drew out the word and shifted, to smush her body even closer against Draco's. Pansy's hand squeezed Draco's arm as she talked. "I had the most wonderful time in Paris, though I wish that you could have come. I know you were busy but you could have spared
some time to see me."

"My mother needed me," he said, his words clipped.

"But I need you too."

Draco very slowly turned to look at her, looking her directly in the eye, saying nothing.

Pansy's pout disappeared quickly when she met Draco's eyes. "Well... obviously not as much as your mother needed you, of course," she said quickly. "I was merely saying that I would have liked some time to spend with you this summer." Pansy words came out very rushed. "I know you were terribly busy but... but..."

She stopped and flashed Draco a hesitant smile.

Draco turned his face away from her again, still saying nothing.

"Well... I... missed you," Pansy said lamely. She turned her head away from him and exhaled quietly in frustration.

Draco reached and patted her gently on the hand. "I know. It's just been... difficult lately."

Pansy leaned her head against Draco's arm again. "You can talk to me," she said somewhat vehemently. "You could talk to me. About anything." She rubbed his arm.

Draco shrugged, not caring that he was jostling her with his arm. "I know that." But would he want to was the question.

Her head knocked abruptly against the back of the train compartment as he shrugged. Pansy withdrew her arm from the crook of Draco's arm and touched the back of her head. "That hurt," she snapped, momentarily lapsing into her usual commanding tone.

"Sorry," he said without meaning it, and brushed his hand over the back of her head.

Her face softened into a simpering smile. "It's fine." She took his arm and slung it over her shoulder, wrapping both of her arms around him and burrowing into his robes.

Draco patted her back awkwardly, shooting a glare at Crabbe and Goyle, who shrugged again and pretended not to see anything.

"So tell me about summer," Pansy continued. "You can tell me now, right?"

"I was busy with household things," he said. "Helping my mother."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Planning parties? Can't your mother do that on her own?"

"No," he said, getting that irritated tone in his voice again, "not planning parties. There haven't been any parties this summer."

"There have too been parties," Pansy shot back. "Not all of Europe is as glum as England."

"There haven't been any parties in my house," Draco replied. "Not everyone is home."

Pansy closed her mouth, though she wanted to say that the least his mother could do was keep up appearances. "I'm sorry," she said in a soft voice.

"There are more important things in the world than parties," he said, practically spitting the word out.

"Yes, Draco. I realise." Pansy tilted her head away from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I misspoke." She stiffened slightly, pulling herself a little more upright though her arms still remained locked tight around Draco's torso.

Draco sighed, relaxing his shoulders a little. "You didn't mean it," he said. "It's just not all that important to you after all, is it."

"If it matters to you, then obviously it matters to me," Pansy said obtusely, "But I just don't think that things should have to change dramatically because of..." she paused. "Appearances," she continued, "We should at least keep up appearances. Your father would agree."

"What appearances? That everything's fine? Nothing's bloody fine, and anyone who's read the bloody papers knows that. But I suppose you don't read them."

Pansy exhaled. "I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She looked up into Draco's eyes and pouted. "I didn't mean it like that?"

Draco sighed too, frustrated at her for being so stupid, and at himself for getting so worked up, especially in front of Crabbe and Goyle. "I know you didn't. You just don't think very much sometimes."

She resented him for that statement, and she frowned for a fraction of a second. "I know," she said, drawing out the word. "And I'm sorry, so don't be mad at me." Pansy's lower lip protruded so much that it threatened to take over her entire face.

Draco bent and kissed her lightly on her hairline. "I'm sorry."

"Mm..." Pansy made a contented noise, relaxing and resuming her former position. Her right arm was numb from the awkward angle but she held it there, still holding on mercilessly to Draco.

Draco sat up straight. "I'll come find you when we're back at Hogwarts," he said. "But I have to finish my reading before we get there."

Pansy didn't pull away. "You can read, I don't mind. You don't have to talk to me."

Draco patted her knee. "I can't read with you looking over my shoulder. I'll come find you when we get to Hogwarts."

Pansy thought over it. "Very well," she said brightly. "I have to go find Heather anyway. Daphne and I spent nearly all of the summer together but Heather lives so far away, and it's such a hassle to have
her over constantly. We have to catch up on things." Pansy pulled away from Draco reluctantly, trying to ignore the pins and needles in her right arm.

"I missed you," she murmured. Pansy's eyes flickered once to Crabbe and Goyle, and then she braved a kiss on Draco's cheek, quickly before he could object.

Draco gave her a little wave as she stood up. "I'll see you there," he said.