Author note: So yes, cliffhanger last week and I almost-ALMOST-forgot to post this chapter. It was not until I was writing a reply back to Jacy and posting something that I remembered. I'm staying up extra for you guys to post this (just kidding—I have so much crap to do for Thanksgiving that it's stupid) so be grateful!

I will try to get to comment replies, but I'm just too exhausted right now. If I don't fall asleep somewhere that's not my bed tonight I will be surprised.

NaNo is still chugging along. Passed 40,000 words, which still puts me behind but I'm a lot closer than I was earlier. After I hit 50,000 words I'm immediately switching gears into writing Burning Bright, the sequel for this fic for Draco Big Bang. Next July you'll get the sequel in one big chunk. Exciting, right?

As always, reviews and comments are welcome. This chapter is one of the first things I wrote back in 2006 and I also came back to re-write the hell out of it a few months ago. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but not too bad. I hope too many people aren't disappointed with my Harry. I explain why he is what he is in the next chapter. Um, and don't kill me when you get to a ia certain spot/i where Buffy kinda sort meets Pansy in a round a bout way. Things fix themselves I promise! Remember—this was written back when this was firmly Draco/Pansy in my head. *offhand glare at Jacy*

And for those of you who just about had a ifrickin' fit/i over Fudge, read, be happy, and ileave me the hell alone/i.

……………………….

"Hello, Rupert," Pansy grinned when she saw the older man's expression. He was clearly surprised. She liked to keep people on their toes.

"Pansy, Harry. You're early," he said lamely. "Draco told me this morning you weren't due for another week."

Pansy rolled her eyes and stepped inside the house, with Harry following behind her. Once they were inside, Giles closed the door and turned to face them with a curious look on his face.

"Yeah, well, Potter here was starting to get twitchy," she grinned when Harry got a sheepish look on his face.

He crossed his arms as his face heated, finally putting some distance between himself and Pansy. "I told you I could have waited a few more days," Harry said with an exasperated look. "You didn't have to rush us here."

"And have you fully slip into withdrawal? You're already shaking, love, let's not push it too far," Pansy put a hand on his forehead and looked into his dilated eyes with concern. His body was radiating heat. He pushed her hands away and took a step back, irritated. She glared at him.

"Really, Pansy, I'm fine."

Dawn had been peering at the two people in the foyer. She had been very excited when Draco mentioned two of his friends were coming, but that was supposed to be in the future. If they were anything like his cousin, they were going to be super fun. Dawn stood and walked to the edge of the living room, looking over the new guests as quickly as she could.

"You're Pansy?"

Pansy turned and saw a teenage girl in the living room with a smile on her face. She raised her eyebrows at the teen, who walked toward her. This must be Dawn. Draco kept mentioning in his letters and their floo conversations that she was one of the most irritating teens he had ever met, but Pansy was willing to bet she could knock her down a peg or two.

"I'm Dawn," she said, holding out her hand, confirming Pansy's suspicions. "Draco's been talking about you a lot. Mostly how he knew you'd really get onto him if you found he did certain stuff, but he talks about you."

"And thank you, so much, Dawn, for telling her that bit of information," Draco sighed as he walked down the stairs.

Honestly, he hadn't been surprised to hear Pansy's voice downstairs. She'd told him that Potter was hanging on best he could, but they were pushing it by staying away from each other for so long. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he pulled Pansy into his arms and gave her a slow kiss. "I've missed you," he said with a mild pout.

Dawn's eyes widened and her jaw slowly opened. The English version of friend must be very different than her own.

Pansy just laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I've missed you as well. I had to, really, with no one but Potter and Blaise to keep me company."

"Speaking of Potter," Draco turned his eyes from the woman in his arms to the man behind her. "Lasted all we could, ay?"

Harry rolled his eyes again. "I was doing fine. We still would have had to come earlier, but the shaking isn't so bad now."

"His sweats are, though," Pansy said, glaring at him. "His body temperature is going up quicker than normal. Narcissa tried to calm him as best she could, but—"

"It's not ithat bad/i," he interrupted, gritting his teeth. Harry crossed his arms and kept his hands locked against his ribs to control the shakes.

"I can feel your body heat from here, Potter, and your shaking iis/i bad." Draco silenced Harry with a look. "This is the best you've done in a while, and it's a major mark in improvement." Draco motioned upstairs with a nod of his head. "Go upstairs, and take a right. The room has a large bed. I'll be there in a minute."

"You really think I'll need a bed?" Harry asked skeptically. "I haven't needed a bed in a while. If it's such a mark of improvement, why are we going back to step one? And can't I visit a bit before we start in with all the serious talk? Can't this be like a vacation?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "This iisn't/i a vacation, Potter, or did you forget about the rules we had to break to leave? You don't break rules to leave on vacation."

Pansy smirked at him. "You know that they were itching to kick you out. The Ministry only wishes you would take vacations. And besides, we were good little citizens. No rule breaking to get us out of the country."

"What do you mean you didn't break any rules?" Draco asked.

She just smiled at Draco and patted his cheek. "We're not all deviants." He glared at her and she continued. "I mean that Fudge's law came back to bite him on the arse rather quickly. The Wizengamot disbanded it a few days after you left, but not before a few officials were fired from office because of illicit activities. Remind me to give you the juicy details on the reason Fudge himself might be put on trial."

Draco's eyebrows shot up. "Screw that, tell me now. Any dirt on Fudge is welcome news to my ears."

Giles cleared his throat and Draco sighed. "Right. Other priorities before Ministry gossip. You've been gone a long time, Potter. Let's get you squared away and then you cam bloody well flutter around like a social butterfly."

"Oh darling, let him talk to Rupert a bit. We have catching up of our own to do," Pansy said, running a finger down the front of Draco's shirt with a small grin on her face. When she looked up at Draco from under her long lashes, his grin matched her own.

"Fine. You have five minutes, Potter, then head up the stairs and go to the right like I told you."

Harry rolled his eyes and waved Draco and Pansy on. Draco put his arm around Pansy's shoulders and led her through the dining room and into the kitchen. After a moment, they heard the back door open and close. Harry turned towards Giles and Dawn with a small grin. "Hi."

Giles pulled him into a tight hug. "How are you, Harry? Faring well since we last spoke? You haven't been overcome by the Slytherins, have you?"

They slowly made their way into the living room and sat down on the couches. "It's been tough, but I've managed to hold my own. Pansy isn't that bad when Malfoy's not around. I've gotten to see Hermione and Ron more often since he's been gone."

Giles sent him a sympathetic look and opened his mouth when the front door slammed open and Buffy blew by.

"Forgot the stupid grocery list!" she yelled in explanation, not even looking over at them.

Harry turned to Giles with a raised eyebrow. "That's Buffy. I'm not even going to bother with telling her you're here, because if I get her sidetracked, poor Willow and Xander will be stranded not knowing where she went. You can meet them afterwards."

The three resumed talking and didn't notice Willow slip in quietly through the front door and run upstairs to grab her purse. She didn't pay any attention to the voices coming from the living room, assuming the television was on.

Buffy quickly sped into the kitchen and found the list where she had left it. She picked it up and was about to turn to leave when movement outside caught her eye. Buffy slowly moved towards the door to get a better look at who was outside. Her eyes widened.

Draco and another woman were out on the deck. Buffy's stomach dropped when she saw what she originally thought to be the two sharing secrets turned out to be a passionate make out session against the side of her house. When Draco pulled back, she saw the woman smirk up at Draco. Buffy knew that look. Whoever this was, she had a history with Draco, and judging by the way they continued to go at it, he rather liked having a history with her.

Forcing herself to turn away from the sight out the window, Buffy went into the living room. "Giles who is—" She stopped when she saw a stranger on her couch. "That? Who are these people?"

Harry quickly stood and nervously offered his hand to Buffy as she slowly came near. "I'm Harry Potter, an acquaintance of Draco's. I thought he would have informed you we were coming."

"I was under the impression it would be another week before you arrived."

So that's who it was. The woman outside was Pansy, Draco's "friend". More like friends with benefits. Buffy tried to not grind her teeth into a pulp as she thought about it. There was no point in getting jealous. They had only flirted, and Draco staked no claim on her or made a move to continue into a relationship.

Harry must have sensed the tension, because he nervously looked between the occupants of the room. "I'll just be going upstairs and waiting for Draco. Even though his mood has probably improved, I don't want to push my luck."

It wasn't his fault, but Harry's choice of words made Buffy want to punch something. "I guess we'll do introductions after I get back." Harry made his way upstairs and Buffy was silent until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore. Buffy turned accusing eyes to Giles. "Surprise?"

Giles merely gave her a stern look. "I was as surprised as you were. They arrived early but they had a good reason. When we introduce everyone, we'll explain."

The back door opened and Buffy almost ripped a piece of the couch off when she heard a female voice giggling and male whispers. Draco and Pansy came around the corner, his arm around her waist and was leaning down talking softly into her ear. Pansy stopped them when she spotted Buffy.

Buffy expected Pansy to at least divert her eyes from the slayer's icy stare, but Pansy just cocked her eyebrow in amusement as a smirk curled onto her lips. Why wasn't she surprised? Trust Draco to get the queen bitch to rival Cordelia as a girlfriend.

"You must be Buffy, yes?" Her voice was smooth and cultured, like Draco's was, and her tone was part amused and part condescending. "Pansy Parkinson. Draco's told me so much about you."

"Funny," Buffy replied, crossing her arms. "Draco didn't deem you important enough to mention."

"Buffy!" Giles hissed.

But Pansy didn't take offense. She found it more amusing and her grin widened. That just pissed off Buffy more. She turned to Giles in a huff. "Has Willow gotten her purse yet?"

Giles went from irritated to confused. "Willow? I didn't see her come in."

"She forgot her purse in her room and went to get it."

Draco quickly stiffened and looked around. "Where's Potter?"

No one answered him, because Pansy's eyes quickly rolled back in her head and she dropped like a dead weight. Draco caught her and laid her down on the floor. "Pans? What's going on?"

"Get up there," she said breathily. "Go!"

Draco disappeared and Giles was instantly by the dark haired witch's side. "What did you see, Pansy?" he asked gently. Buffy took a step back when Pansy opened her eyes and they were milky white.

"What the hell?" she asked, but no one answered her. Dawn came around and grabbed onto Buffy's arm.

"You don't think she's possessed, do you? Like I was and like Xander?"

Giles sent them both an irritated glance. "Hush, the both of you. She's a Seer." He turned back to Pansy and helped her sit up. "Now what happened that you had send Draco upstairs."

A shockwave of power tangible to everyone in the house went out and rocked them on their feet. Pansy only stayed standing with Giles' help.

"That's what happened. Harry and Willow just met. I think the words are 'instant attraction.'"

Giles winced. "Oh, dear Lord."

…………………………….

Harry walked up the stairs and took a right like Draco told him. As he looked through the halls and peered in through some of the rooms with open doors, he wondered how long Draco and Pansy would be snogging outside. If Draco had been half as irritating at Pansy had been about the other being gone, he felt very sorry for Giles.

He found the room that Draco had talked about and went in. The room seemed colder, but he ignored it and sat down on the large bed.

Ever since his own magical burst, Harry was more aware of deep emotions and places of magical bursts, and this room had both the emotional and magical residue painted all over the walls. If he closed his eyes…he could almost see the scene that had played out. All he could see now was red…was that blood?

"Who are you?"

Harry opened his eyes and shot off the bed, turning around to look at the woman who had just walked through the door he hadn't seen that connected to another room. She was young, and was poised defensively, like she expected him to attack her. He held up his hands in a sign of surrender.

"I'm sorry if I intruded. Draco told me to come up here to this room."

The woman furrowed her brows and looked at him closer. He, in turn, looked at her more closely. She had red hair that was cut to her shoulders, and looked as if it had seen brighter days. Her eyes were haunted, and she carried a tension on her shoulders that seemed to make her hunch.

"Who are you? What are you doing to me?" she asked again, with a sharper tone. Her magic rose around her and Harry's eyes widened. She didn't even move a muscle and yet she had so much ipower/i.

Harry backed up, his hands still raised, until his back hit the wall. His senses were on overload from all the magical power rolling off the witch in front of him. She looked as scared as he was. He wasn't expected her to scream for Draco's help, though.

Now that his barriers were lowered because of the power, he didn't have to close his eyes to see the scene of magical power from the past in the room.

iYour shirt…

Tara?

Red eyes…

Eyes like Voldemort's when he had taken over Ginny…/i

Harry arched his back and shouted as her magic weaved over him, and took some of his own magic at the same time. He soon felt his power come back at him ten-fold, and he took a shuddering breath. He knew who she was now. Willow. The Dark One. The witch who caused him to nearly lose it again after he had worked so hard to build his barriers up. Of course, that was when he was thousands of miles away. Now, she was standing in front of him, and her power was rolling off of her and filling him up with so much amazing power.

"Willow, stop!"

When the power suddenly stopped flowing, Harry gasped and fell to the floor. He stared ahead with unseeing eyes and didn't notice when Pansy fell to the ground in front of him.

"Oh, no you don't, Potter. Not after all the hard work we've put into you." She grabbed his face and put her index fingers on his temples. "Come on, Potter. Build up those barriers. Calm down!"

………………………………

She didn't know why she lost control so easily. She was in Dawn's room searching for her purse, because that was the last place she could remember putting it, and suddenly felt like she was back in time, on the day Tara had died. She could see the blood…

She turned to her right and quickly walked through the door to the master bedroom. Instead of finding her dead lover, she saw a man sitting on the bed facing away from her. He was the reason she was remembering.

"Who are you?" she asked. When he got up and turned around, she noticed how he raised his hands up so as to not seem threatening. She took a deep breath and took in his essence. He was strong, magically, but his barriers were very weak. His magical senses were extended, as if sensing something magically.

He said something, but she couldn't hear him. She looked at him closer, trying to decide if she had seen him somewhere before, but didn't recognize him. He was breathing quicker than normal, looked like an animal about to dart.

"Who are you?" she asked again, and suddenly her power roared up around her, and she felt like she had just run a marathon. She noticed his reaction and her power grew around her. He backed up against the wall and his pupils were dilated now. He was like a sponge—soaking up her power and sending it back in small bursts. She suddenly felt as if the scene was horrifyingly familiar.

She couldn't believe his reaction. She had never seen someone react this strongly to her power, and it was almost intoxicating. She vaguely thought that she knew why Rack had been a magic dealer. Her magic was reaching for his, and Willow had no idea what to do. She wasn't in control of her magic.

He then screamed and she pushed back the magic she had been seeping from him, tainted with her own. She took some more of his power and mixed it with her essence, before sending it back to him in a strong shock. She couldn't believe she was doing this—willingly distributing and receiving tainted power, when she knew how wrong it was. But, she knew by the reactions of the man in front of her, he had been to a dealer before. He knew how to heighten the power at the right moments and send it back. She was about to send another powerful wave back to him, when someone rushed in front of her and grabbed her.

"Willow, stop!"

It was Draco, and he was pushing her power back into her with amazing force. With his hands wrapped around her torso, she suddenly felt tired and fell back against Draco's back. He lowered them to the floor and she leaned forward and took deep gulps of breath. She started shaking. Oh, Goddess, she had dealt out power like some experienced dark dealer.

Willow felt the arms hold her tighten from behind and she clutched at the arms and started sobbing.