A/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters

Word Count: 393

Warning: abusive relationship, murder

Bruises on his face,

bruises on his hands

from fighting.

She's worried about him,

he's sulking at work,

he's lying.

She can see it in his

grey blue eyes.

Someone's hurting him,

someone he's protecting.

She's seen this before,

battered wives,

punching bags for their

husbands rage.

She's seen the defeated look

on his face.

She's heard the rumors about

him logging less hours than usual.

Just talk to me, talk to someone,

she begs, knowing he won't.

They're friends now,

but she doubts he trusts her enough

to confide in her yet.

To outside eyes,

the Malfoys are perfect.

Draco and Pansy,

the king and queen of the court.

She sees the truth,

the way Draco refers to his wife,

letting her control his every move.

He'd changed after the war,

beaten and defeated,

but he was growing,

becoming his own man

before Pansy sank her talons

into him.

His arm's broken,

she knows he could have healed it

himself, but he's come to her.

Please, he whispers,

not meeting her eyes.

You need to get out,

you need to get help.

I can't.

Those words break her heart.

She wants nothing more than

to save him, but she knows

she can't...

or can she?

It's dark, the wards are down.

It helps having friends in the

aurors department.

It helps when you're the

brightest witch of your age.

She knows he won't be there.

He's working the night shift tonight.

He hasn't stopped working yet,

he's one of the best healers they have,

at least when he's not fighting for

his life against a woman

who's supposed to love him.

It's dark,

and Pansy's alone.

The Malfoys have enemies,

old enemies from the war,

new enemies just because,

no one's going to look too deeply,

money speaks and she knows

Draco will silence it.

One little spell,

perfectly cast and lined up,

one whispered word and

she watches Pansy crumble.

There'll be no trace when

the investigators get here.

She knows that for certain,

there are spells that aren't

dark,

spells for healing,

that can be perverted,

twisted and this one just like

that.

It looks like a heart attack,

it'll be believed to be just that.

She sneaks away,

hoping Draco won't realize

what she's done for him,

all she ever wanted was for

him to be happy and

safe.