Pansy is struggling with the distance between herself and Sam. Can she find a way to keep both her business and her boyfriend?


Pansy: HELP!
Ginny: What is it now?
Pansy: The clothes aren't here yet
Ginny: We won't be there until Friday
Pansy: If Blaise doesn't get me something tomorrow…
Ginny: It will be just fine
Pansy: I promised you and the girls something new and amazing
Ginny: I have faith in you
Pansy: Thanks, Gin ... WTH?
Ginny: Everything okay?
Pansy: Sam's calling?!
Ginny: Go … answer it

Ginny: What is that?
Pansy: Lunch
Ginny: Flying Pies?
Pansy: Hand delivered by AM
Ginny: Did you order pizza?
Pansy: No … he did
Ginny: He who?!
Pansy: That bloody irritating, beautiful FlyBoy from across the pond
Ginny: And this is a problem how?
Pansy: Did you miss the across the pond part?
Ginny: No
Pansy: That's the problem. I never get to see him
Ginny: That is not true. I have seen your mobile
Pansy: There is seeing and then there is seeing
Ginny: ?
Pansy: Pictures and video only do so much
Ginny: So, what are you going to do?
Pansy: Eat pizza for dinner

Pansy waved her wand to put her leftover pizza in the refrigerator as she collapsed on the sofa. Today had been a nightmare of a day. Orders did not arrive when they were supposed to and a howler from Madame Malfada over clients were only the tip of the troubles for the day. The single bright spot had been the call with Sam and the surprise delivery. She still had pizza left and she needed to decide if it was dinner or breakfast.

She also needed to decide what to do about Sam. Their phone call had been a curse and a blessing this afternoon. He had helped her calm down about the missing delivery from Blaise but it has also made her chest ache. He sounded so tired and there was nothing she could do to make it any better. She worried that he had been pushing himself too hard since he had been cleared to fly again. There had to be a better way to make all of this work without one of them giving up everything to be with the other.

"Why do I feel like a dragon chasing its tail right now?" Pansy let the question leave her as she stared at the ceiling. "There are no answers that don't require one of us to give up something we love. How the bloody hell are we supposed to make this work?"

Scratching at her window brought Pansy out of her circling thoughts. An owl she did not recognize was at her window with a letter and packet.

"Might as well get this over with." Pansy waived her wand at the window and let the owl in. With a ruffle of feathers, the owl dropped the package and parchment in her lap and took off again. "I get packages I am not looking for and none of the things I am. This had better be good, Mr. Zabini or I will figure out how to hex you across an ocean or two."

Pansy waved her wand to close the window before she broke the seal on the letter. "This had better be good…"

Pansy darling,

The collection samples should be to you tomorrow. Something about trouble between MACUSA and the Ministry when it comes to getting things across the pond that are not letters. Accept this scarf and tickets as an apology. I will not tell you what I had to do to secure your seats. Tell your FlyBoy to find a way to be in New York for the week of the tickets. The hotel and a few more surprises have already been arranged.

Ever yours,
Blaise

Pansy's hands shook as she unwrapped the packet the owl had dropped in her lap. Two all access passes to Fashion Week in New York City laid on top of the Hermes scarf she had lusted after the last time she had shopped in DC with Blaise. "Bloody Italian. Thinks he can bribe me with tickets and a scarf. Merlin's beard, what is it with the men in my life?"

FlyBoy: Sweetness, why are you crying?
Baby Girl: Blaise sent me something
FlyBoy: Do I need to take him for a flight?
BabyGirl: No. Can you be in New York in two weeks?
FlyBoy: Why?
BabyGirl: Because, I will be there
FlyBoy: I thought you couldn't get tickets
BabyGirl: Blaise sent a package along with his apology for the delay in the arrival of the collection
FlyBoy: Are those tickets to Fashion Week?
BabyGirl: It is plus a suite at the Ritz Carlton for the week. That he paid for.
FlyBoy: That is quite an apology
BabyGirl: Can you be there?
FlyBoy: Try to keep me away
BabyGirl: Get some sleep
FlyBoy: I'll talk to you soon

Pansy rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stretched to meet the new day. She felt almost ready to face the room full of Harpies that was coming this afternoon. The shipment from Blaise had arrived yesterday and she had managed to rearrange clients and vendors to free up time to travel to and attend Fashion Week. For as bad as the week had started, it was ending on a great note.

"Off your lazy arse, Pansy." She muttered to herself as she watched the sun creep into her room. "Get through the visit from the Harpies and then figure out how you are going to make this business work in the same space as him. Time to wrangle some Harpies and take names."

By the time Pansy opened the doors to her shop, Ginny and her teammates were waiting with coffee and scones. "We are here to bribe you with caffeine and sugar." Ginny grinned as she held out a cup to Pansy. "We need to be beautiful for Angelina's retirement party this weekend. We need you!"

"Harpies, you lot definitely are." Pansy smiled as she opened the door and took the coffee from Ginny. "I have a new shipment of beautiful things from your favorite Italian waiting for you to see. You are all beautiful ladies but I will try to make you magnificent."

The shop was filled with laughter and light as Ginny and her teammates tried on clothes and acted like they were in their quidditch locker room instead of the changing rooms at Pansy's shop. By the time lunch arrived, Pansy was happy and exhausted.

"Pizza is here." Ginny shouted as she let a familiar face into the shop's backroom. "Anna Maria, what has your father sent us this time?"

"Nothing but the best for his favorite group of ladies." The daughter of the owner of their favorite pizzeria. Flying Pies, waved her wand over the box she had been carrying. "Two Maneater Specials, one Vegitarian Delight and three Buddist Specials. Papa says to stop by the shop after you finish tormenting Bella Donna to settle up the bill."

"It is a good thing I brought something special for his display in the dining room." Angelina Johnson waved the scarf she was holding at Anna Maria. "Tell your Papa I will give him a quidditch exclusive when we finish with our favorite wardrobe mistress. How exclusive may depend on how good this pizza actually is."

"Only the best for his favorite ladies," Anna Maria bowed as she watched the last of the pizza boxes float to Pansy's large work table. "He is hoping for a little inside information on when your last match will be and why you are leaving the pitch. He and Mama cried for days when you announced your retirement."

Angelina grinned around the slice of pizza she was biting into and looked at Ginny. "Tell your Papa that we will all share tidbits with him after we finish with Pansy. Patience is a virtue …"

"That never met a nosy Italian." Anna Marie finished Ginny's sentence as she walked out of Pansy's back room. "I would tell you ladies to behave but I have known most of you for too long. Don't keep Papa waiting too long."

Pansy took her slices of pizza to her small drafting desk in the back corner of the room. Settling onto the stool that Sam had gotten her the last time he had come to London, Pansy bit into her first slice and looked over the sketches pinned to the table.

"Watcha looking at, Pans?" Ginny's curious voice startled Pansy. "That does not look like designs for new dresses. That looks like designs for …"

Pansy dropped her pizza on her plate and slapped her hand over Ginny's mouth. "Don't you say it, Red. It is just an idea that I started playing around with the other day. I need to do some more research and have a conversation or two before anything is decided. Don't you bloody dare say a word about what you think you see."

"But, that looks like you are making some BIG changes." Ginny's whisper caught the attention of the rest of the women in the room. "What exactly are you thinking about? Just how soon do you plan on trying out these designs?"

"It's just a little dream." Pansy shoved the sketches Ginny had seen under her other designs that were scattered on the desk. "I promise you will be the first to know more about them as soon as I know what I am doing. Other than FlyBoy, that is."

"Does this have anything to do with the conversation we had earlier this week?" Ginny touched the back of Pansy's hand. "Are you going to trade us in for your FlyBoy? What will we do without you?"

"If I can work it out right, no." Pansy said with a quiet sigh. "I'm headed to New York for Fashion Week in a couple of weeks and I am going to make a stop in DC before I come back. Hopefully, I will have answers and a better plan by the time I get back. I won't leave you hanging, I promise."

"You bet your arse you won't," Ginny whisper screamed in Pasny's ear. "I have plans for your ability to find clothes that make Harry drool and my opponents cry for years to come."

Ginny: Are you giving up your London shop?
Pansy: Not if I can help it
Ginny: Is he giving up his job in the US?
Pansy: Not if I can figure this out
Ginny: Are you giving up him?
Pansy: Nope. What is with all the bloody questions tonight?
Ginny: I saw what you tried to hide.
Pansy: It's just a little dream
Ginny: That was not a little dream I saw on your drafting table
Pansy: Just some silly doodles and notes
Ginny: It's not silly if it is what you want
Pansy: It will take a miracle to pull it off
Ginny: Says to witch that managed to find outfits for an entire team of Harpies on more than one occasion
Pansy: You girls are different
GInny: No, we are difficult
Pansy: Shut up and get your arse to bed.
Ginny: Harry is already in bed and so am I
Pansy: I did not need to know that
Ginny: Night Pans … call him
Pansy: Night, Gin … mind your own bloody business

Pansy took one last look at the file before she stuffed it in her bag. Depending on how the next two weeks went, she was either filling it with more information and dreams or she was burning it. She and Sam need to have a few conversations as well. He had been too quiet over the last few weeks. He had been talking about possible changes in the direction his life was taking, but she did not want him to give up everything for her.

"FlyBoy, be patient," She muttered as she picked up her bags and headed for the Floo. "I have a plan if you can hang on. Don't do the stupid thing and bloody rush into a decision we can't take back. Please."

"Heathrow Airport. Gate Nine and three quarters."

Baby Girl: On the ground
FlyBoy: I'm at baggage claim
Baby Girl: I can't wait to see you
FlyBoy: I have news
Baby Girl: Me too
FlyBoy: What have you done?
Baby Girl: Nothing … yet
FlyBoy: Sweetness
Baby Girl: Patience
FlyBoy: Hurry up