There isn't any Voldemort at all in this AU. When he tried to kill Harry, he ended up actually killing himself. Also, I'm keeping the name that I originally used in my story The Royals for Pansy's mother, and making something up for her father. And I have her some siblings. You care lol.

Thought you ought to know.


Chapter 16: Christmas With The Parkinsons

Harry woke up around 5 Christmas morning. He hated himself for being up this early for no reason, but no matter what he did, he couldn't go back to sleep. His brain decided it wanted to have a million thoughts. Most of them about the girl that slept in the room across from him.

When Pansy had came to him asking if he wanted to spend the holidays with her, he was very much surprised. He had been planning on spending them with his godfather Sirius since Ron was going with Hermione and he wouldn't dare spend a dull holiday with the Dursleys. It was no secret that he and Pansy were getting closer to each other, which is what he wanted.

Pansy was a shameless flirt, something that Harry really loved about her. She would string him along as if he were her puppy dog, and he knew it. He liked it. It was actually fun to him when she took charge the way she did. Pansy was complicated. The most complicated girl he had ever dealt with. She was mean, she was arrogant, she was a right bitch at times, but she was also kind, and sweet, and patient, and generous of her time. And she was a great listener.

He found himself being able to open up to Pansy in a way he never could Ron or any of his other friends. His friends knew that after his parents were killed, he went to live with the Dursleys as there weren't any papers made for Sirius to take custody as a godfather. However, they didn't know the extent of abuse Harry had endured during the time he lived with them. Pansy knew. He felt like he could tell all his secrets to her. A fact that made him nervous. She was only supposed to be a shag, so why did he allow her so deeply in?

He looked over at the end table next to his bed. A picture of Pansy making various faces was in a frame facing him. It had been in the guest room since the day after he arrived, and it always amused him. She went from a smile, to being silly, to blowing kisses to trying to look innocent and sexy at the same time and then played over again. Something made him feel like it had been placed there purposely by her, so he wouldn't forget what she looked like while she was 15 feet away in the next room.

There was no denying that she was gorgeous to look at, but her beauty ran much deeper than physical.

He hadn't realized he had went back to sleep until he felt himself being shaken. He opened his eyes to Pansy's mother Arainia Parkinson, a woman who could have easily passed for Pansy's older sister instead of a mother. Minus the hair that she got from her father (Pansy's was black, her mother's was brown), Pansy was a spitting image of Arainia, only a bit shorter. She had to be in her late 30s, as she had attended Hogwarts with Harry's mother and father. Personality wise, Harry could tell that Pansy's attitude had come from her.

"Wake up dear, and Happy Christmas." she said in a sweet and motherly voice.

Harry sat up and stretched. "Happy Christmas, Ms. Parkinson."

"Pansy was worried about you. It is almost 9:30 and you still hadn't been downstairs."

Harry looked over at the clock on the wall. Site enough, it said 9:28. He has overslept an hour, as Pansy had said they would be up at 8:30.

"So sorry." said Harry, quickly apologizing. " I woke up really early and couldn't sleep and I guess when I finally did, I overslept. I didn't delay your Christmas, did I?"

Arainia smiled warmly. "No dear, not at all. Pansy herself didn't wait for us to wake. She was already finished unwrapping gifts by the time we got up."

Arainia left Harry to get himself ready. He showered and got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, knowing that there was a nicely knitted Weasley jumper waiting for him when he got downstairs.

Sure enough, he had unwrapped his new Gryffindor colored sweater, along with the latest broom the Lightning Strike, specially made for seekers from Sirius, a Honeydukes assorted treats box from Ron, a homework planner from Hermione, and Hedwig must have went by and bugged the Dursleys because they had sent him a piece of strong and a letter double checking that he wouldn't be coming back.

Pansy was absolutely disgusted. "Of all the rotten deeds! They should have sent nothing at all! I have half a mind to sent them a hex!"

Harry laughed. "It's fine. I'm used to it."

Pansy huffed. "Just because you're used to it darling, doesn't mean it's okay."

Harry found himself blushing, something that was starting to irritate him. Pansy seemed to always make him do that. Some man he was.


After present and breakfast, the Parkinson's left Harry and Pansy to their own devices, something that the parents often did as Horace Parkinson's job as an accountant was demanding and Arainia was busy looking after Pansy's younger siblings whom were nine ( Zinnia), five (Ren), and three (Asher).

They sat in Pansy's pink and green painted room, watching Christmas specials on her telly. Though a lot of wizarding families didn't have a lot to do with muggle things, seeing as Horace worked with both muggles as well as witches and wizards, the family had a lot of muggle devices around the house, tellys being the kids favorite.

Pansy was propped up against Harry as they sat on Pansy's soft floor, with Harry's back against the foot of her bed. They were watching A Charlie Brown Christmas, something that even though Harry lived solely in the muggle world for 11 years, had never seen due to his greedy cousin hogging the telly and not letting him watch anything.

"Having a nice Christmas?" asked Pansy. "Sorry there isn't much to do until the party tonight."

"I'm having fun, don't worry." said Harry as he twisted strands of b Pansy's hair around his finger. "How could I not when I. have a pretty witch leaning against me?"

"You're a shameless flatterer." said Pansy trying not to let Harry know that she was indeed flattered by his words.

Suddenly, Zinnia came through Pansy's closed door. She resembled Pansy, only her eyes were a light shade of blue instead of the smoky green of her sister's and her hair was more of a brownish tint to it. The girl was a typical child, full of mischief, fun, and questions. Lots and lots of questions.

"Pans, I want to watch Charlie Brown with you and Harry." she said stepping in the front of the telly.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever, but Daddy wasn't a glassmaker so sit down somewhere!"

Zinnia looked smug as she sat down on the other side of Harry, leaning onto him as well. The child had a puppy love crush on him that Harry found adorable, but Pansy found annoying. She wouldn't leave Harry alone when she got to be around him.

"Harry, do you like being here?" asked Zinnia. "You could live here if you want. You could share my brothers room."

Harry laughed. "I like it here, but I have my own home with my godfather. He would miss me if I didn't come home, don't you think?"

"Well, where would you live if you and Pansy got married? I asked Mummy if I could marry you, but she said I was too young. But Pansy is old enough, aren't you Pans?"

Pansy shot up and glared at her sister. "What are you going on about?"

"Well, you fancy Harry." said Zinnia ad if the matter shouldn't be questioned. "Mummy and Daddy said so and I know. You always look at him and play with him and you were just leaning on him."

"So were you."

"I'm nine. I'm just a cute little girl." said Zinnia, fake smile plastered on her face.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle. She would make a fine Slytherin one day.

"I think a certain nine year old should stay in her place if she wants to remain a cute little girl." growled Pansy.

Zinnia ignored her. "Harry, do you fancy my sister?"

"ZINNIA LORAINE!"

Harry found himself genuinely shocked of the question. Not because of it coming from a child, but because he really was starting to question if he liked Pansy for more than just a shag.

"Harry, she's a baby, you don't have to answer-"

"Yeah." said Harry, finally admitting it to himself as he looked at Pansy directly in the eyes. "I do actually."

Pansy eyed Harry suspiciously. "You...do?"

Zinnia giggled in the background.

"Yeah. I really do. How could I not?"

Pansy glared at Harry, her jaw had dropped and she felt as if she wanted to hide.

"I knew it!' yelled Zinnia, happily. "Now you two can get married and Harry can live with us, and he can play with me every day! I can't wait to tell Mummy and Daddy!"

She jumped up and ran out of Pansy's room, singing a unknowing of the proper words version of 'Here Comes The Bride'.


Pansy stood up, and looked down at Harry, gave scrunched up, purely flustered.

"What the hell she you playing at?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

Harry stood up too, staring back at the bemused witch.

"I'm not playing at anything."

"Yes you are. Playing around with a little girl's emotions like that's, its deceitfulness, Harry!"

"How am I being deceitful when I'm telling the bloody truth?!" said Harry, irritation starting to set it.

Pansy searched Harry's eyes and face for the the lie. Surely he didn't mean it. It was all for the dare.

There was neither.

"So, you actually like me?" she asked slowly, almost in a whisper.

Harry took her shaking hands into his. "I was going to say something tonight at the Christmas party after I thought things through better, but your sister kind of forced the perspective onto me a bit earlier."

For the first time during this whole charade, Pansy didn't know what to think. She had heard him say it. She remembered his exact words. 'And even I'm being stupid by sitting back thinking Pansy will just fall into my lap. In order to win this bet and get what we want, we have to actually be sincere'. That's what he had said. But as she looked at him, she saw genuine sincerity, rather than a cheap trick.

Could they really, like seriously have an honest relationship?

Pansy quickly gathered her thoughts together. What the hell was she thinking? This is what she wanted to happen. For Harry to legitimately fall for her so she could crush his soul on Valentine's Day. She was going to do it. And it was going to be wonderful.

"I fancy you too Harry." she said in the sweetest most believable voice . "I just didn't want to say anything because I didn't know how you truly felt about me."

"Come here." said Harry as he put his hand gently on her chin, bringing her face closer to his. The next thing Pansy knew, Harry's lips were pressed against his.

She closed her eyes and took it all in. The kiss was gentle, sweet, compassionate, three things that she thought Harry couldn't genuinely be if he tried. She pushed her lips together, missing him back, ignoring the spark that she knew the both of them felt.

That kiss had sealed the deal. She had him right where she wanted him.