I WAS BOTWP, myasia88 & hpfan addict: Can I just say you guys are fucking brilliant? Thank you so much for your intelligent, insightful and continual commentary. I look forward to reading your posts after each Chapter, and I find you occasionally popping into my mind when I'm writing a particularly shocking scene (smirks evilly) so just thank you for your words, they are beyond appreciated. So appreciated in fact, that my lover was extremely grumpy when I woke up at the crack of dawn to continue writing instead of staying in bed with him.

Oops!

Enjoy…

M. x

Pansy Parkinson was up at the crack of dawn. On a Sunday, no less. What was becoming of her life? She hadn't even gone out last night. Instead, Sirius and her had spent hours in the library playing chess and drinking wine. At some point over the course of the evening, the game had turned into "strip" chess and they found themselves retiring to his rooms. After several rounds between the sheets, Pansy had gone back to her own room to sit and brood. Ron Weasely.

As much as Sirius entertained her and made her feel light, she was now craving a different sort of connection, apparently the one Ron had given her on Friday night. She had spent the rest of the evening thinking about their wild connection and his promise to return to her prison. She had managed only three hours of sleep before waking to a feeling of unrest and anxiety. He would be returning today. And then what? Why had she not thought about the ramifications? All she knew was that she was selfish enough to not care. Pansy always got what she wanted. And that brought her to another thought. Why did she want the Weasel? What was so great about him? She sighed as she headed out of her room and upstairs.

She needed to talk to Draco. He would definitely laugh at her and mock her if she explained her feelings about the stupid redhead, but who else was she supposed to go to? And like he could even talk, with his mooning over Granger every other minute. Pansy trudged down the hall wiping the sleep from her eyes, she would force him to go down to the dungeons with her and complete the Veritiserum, that way she could discuss her new issue and distract herself at the same time. She pushed open the door to his quarters and stopped dead over the threshold. Draco was propped up slightly against the pillows, his eyes awake and alert. He was gazing down at the sleeping form, draping across him. Pansy sucked in a breath of shock and Draco's gaze snapped to hers. He smirked, holding one finger up to his lips as to shush her.

I need to speak with you, now. She mouthed at him, her eyes flickering back to Hermione's clearly naked body, barely hidden beneath his sheets. He threw her a nasty sneer before motioning to the clock.

Now. She repeated, refusing to lessen her glare. He rolled his eyes and huffed in annoyance before sliding out from under the sheets. Hermione purred in her sleep, rolling over towards the spot he had just been. He looked down at her with intense emotion, his jaw ticking slightly. Pansy watched the interaction with amazement. Oh shit, was he fucked or what?

She cleared her throat in annoyance and the look he gave her was withering. He moved away from the bed; dressing quickly and quietly as Pansy continued to stare at Hermione. Oh yes, when she awoke there was going to be a shit storm.

Draco stalked past her, exiting into the hall. With one last glance at Hermione, Pansy followed him out, shutting the door softly behind her.

She followed him down to the kitchen and sat watching him as he went about making Granger's coffee; he took his damn time before sliding into the seat across from her and placing the steaming mugs down.

"You look like shit."

"Fuck you, Draco. You know I'm the most beautiful woman alive." He smirked as she rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

"What was so important that you felt the need to irritate me at this ungodly hour?"

"Well thank Merlin I found you before someone else did." His eyes darkened but he remained silent. "What did you do, Draco?"

"I thought that would be pretty clear, Pans."

"Do you have any idea what she is going to be like when she wakes up?"

"I can hedge a guess."

"And you're prepared to deal with Potter when she undoubtedly, consumed by guilt, confides in him?" Draco snarled at her, as he reached for a cigarette.

"Since when do you fucking care? I can fight my own battles." She deadpanned him with disbelief.

"Of course I fucking care, you twat. I don't want to see Potter defeat you, one more time." He slammed his palm down in fury as he leaned across the table towards her.

"If you weren't a girl I would knock your fucking teeth out right now." She grinned, plucking the cigarette from his shaking hand and taking a deep drag.

"I need your help." He sat back, momentarily stunned. He had never heard Pansy utter those words before. "It's…about Weasely." Draco was sure he couldn't look anymore surprised. He lit another cigarette before his eyes darkened in contemplation.

"Well this should good." He quipped and Pansy narrowed her eyes at him.

"We had sex, again."

"Please spare me the details."

"It was incredible, it's like that stupid fucking redhead just gets me, you know?"

"Preaching to the choir."

"What?"

"Nothing. So what? You want to be with him?"

"I don't know."

"Wow, you're more fucked up than I am."

"Fuck you! Okay? This is serious. I'm starting to panic."

"Why? It's not like you have to see him everyday, its not like he's here to drive you insane with his constant, inane, Gryffindor antics." He frowned, his thoughts clearly on Hermione.

"I made a deal with him."

"You what? Why?"

"I want to eat cake too." She pouted.

"That's not the expression."

"Okay, Granger. Fuck, Draco. I told him to come back." He looked at her with incredulity.

"Why!?"

"I don't know!" Pansy was positively on the edge of hysterics.

"You do realize that that was the worst thing you could have possibly done?"

"No, I could have murdered you and Snape for almost killing me last week, that would have definitely been worse."

"And what exactly did you promise the Weasel for returning to our wonderfully joyous abode?"

"Sex."

"Pansy, you fucking idiot."

"Oh you are such a hypocrite! At least Weasely and I know where we stand, unlike you and Granger…are you planning on telling her anytime soon that you are in love with her?" Draco looked down at his coffee, he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Pansy's eyebrows nearly flew off her head.

"You didn't." She hissed with uncontrollable glee.

"Fuck off, Parkinson."

"And? Did she say it back? Was it while you were slamming your dick into her? Because it might not be a completely reliable statement then. Your cock does funny things to witches…" He muttered something incomprehensible and before she could taunt him further, there was a roar from the fireplace and a very disheveled Harry Potter appeared before them. He took one look at the pair, nodded once and stalked out of the kitchen, apparently in need of a shower and sleep. Pansy eyed Draco with apprehension, his body seemed to be vibrating with tension.

"Anyway," She began. "All I'm asking is that you have my back."

"When do I not?" He looked affronted.

"Just…help me keep the peace and if Weasely starts anything with you, I swear I'll throw him out myself."

"Promises, promises." Draco sighed in defeat as he nodded at her. Her eyes sparkling with gratitude and she reached out to squeeze his hand in thanks. "You owe me." She rolled her eyes.

"As if."

Sirius chose that moment to stroll into the kitchen, a grin plastered across his handsome face.

"Good Morning!" He joined them at the table for a smoke and a coffee. "How are my lovely Slytherin's on this fine day?"

"Draco's wonderful, he had the most glorious of evenings-" Draco cut her off with a snarl as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the picture he had removed from the Black Family Album last night after returning home. He unfolded it and slid it across the table towards Sirius, who looked down at it with a frown.

"Did you find this upstairs?" Draco nodded.

"Last night, Granger was attacked by this man at the Gala." Sirius' eyebrows snapped together and Pansy let out a gasp of shock.

"Why didn't you say something? Is she alright?"

"She's fine." He turned back to Sirius who was now running his fingers over the picture.

"Ronan Black." He muttered his gaze hardening. He looked up to Draco. "He was my mother's second cousin, deranged as the rest of them, if not more so."

"Why isn't his name here then?" Pansy was scanning the photo as well. "Your mum looks beautiful Draco."

"He was a squib." Sirius breathed. Both their heads shot up at that.

"And he wasn't killed?" Pansy questioned.

Sirius shook his head. "He was much too useful. His mind was polluted with Pureblood supremacy and he was willing to do anything in order to prove himself to the family. They didn't care that he couldn't do magic, the blood running through his veins was much more important, ironically enough. So instead of killing him, they did as any Black would; they took advantage of his fervor to serve and used him. He was treated much like a house elf." There was a silence. Draco was studying the picture again.

"What happened to him?"

"When my mother died, he abandoned Grimmauld place and went in search of other family." Draco followed Ronan's eyes across the picture and onto the three sisters. "Given this was years ago, Draco. I had assumed he died, not that I was one to keep in contact with my family; especially hard when you're in Azkaban for 13 years."

"But then, how is he connected to Umbridge?" Pansy frowned. They sat in silence, smoking and contemplating this new information.

"Only one way to find out…"Draco drawled as he picked up his coffee and stood.

"There's something else you should know." Sirius started. "Any servant who was or is pledged under the Black family is cursed with dark magic. Much like an elf, he or she is unable to spill the secrets that they carry. Although this magic must be repeated, cast every five years, onto the servant or it will no longer be valid. If Ronan is indeed working for Umbridge, and unable to spill her dirt, then rest assured there is a Black behind this as well."

"You mean Umbridge wasn't the one who cursed those half-breeds and snatchers?" Pansy's eyes were as round as saucers.

"It's unlikely. Spells like that are incredibly complicated and as evil as Dolores Umbridge might be, it's unlikely that she would have the knowledge or skill to execute them, by herself."

Dammit. Granger had been right, as usual. But who could it be? Draco leaned over taking the photo from Sirius's hands. He inspected it again; his mother was locked up in St. Mungo's, Bellatrix was dead and there was no way in hell Andromeda was connected. He growled in frustration as he turned on his heel and headed out of the kitchen. He heard the scraping of a chair as Pansy followed him down into the dungeons. They needed that potion. Granger's safety relied on it, and Draco was willing to sacrifice anything to protect her. Fuck. He realized in that crushing moment that she was more important to him than himself. Pansy was right. He would not be defeated again.

Sirius sat, staring at the table in silence. His thoughts lost in his dark past, the years before he had been disowned and cast out. He frowned thinking back to his cousins… his arranged marriage. He still hadn't told Harry, and he was almost sure that there was no way…that there couldn't possibly still be a connection….Facing the truth was too difficult. So instead he began to drink. And as the saying goes, ignorance, even if it is feigned and forced, is still bliss.