Liege: loyal; faithful

March 3, 2006

"Hey, stranger."

She hung in the doorway, her honey-blonde hair coiling around her face in elegant swirls she thought made her look classy. It didn't work. Her face was too broad, her nose too squished, her eyes too bulgy, and her makeup too thick to have class. But all the same, he couldn't stop something from leaping inside of him when her familiar voice broke the dusty silence of the library.

She sashayed her way into the dim, muffled room, and even though he knew her jewelry was too big to be real and her robes were too tight in that unflattering way, and her nails reeked of cheap polish, his mind went back to the folds of silver and green silk ten years before when, for just a moment, he had felt on top of the world. Before everything came crashing down.

She slid sideways into a leather chair and shook her hair out unnecessarily, then peered around at him, trying to flutter her eyelashes. "How long has it been, Draco? At least a year since we've seen each other."

"Yes, my wedding," he nodded, and even though he meant it as a hint for her, he found it sounded more like a reminder to him. She knew he was married; Astoria was probably the one to let her in.

"We shouldn't let it get so long," she said and flashed him a simpering smile she seemed to think was seductive.

She wasn't pretty. She never had been. But that wasn't why he had sneaked her into his dormitory ten years ago, and it wasn't why he had to keep twisting his wedding ring on his finger now. It had never had anything to do with Pansy Parkinson herself. Then it had been her reputation as the leader of the Slytherin girls; it wasn't just catching a big fish, it was catching the biggest. Now it was the memories. He hadn't really liked her, but when he'd been with her, he'd felt like he was a king, like he was destined for power and glory. And he missed that feeling more than he liked to admit.

He knew why she was here, why she had always gravitated towards him. It had nothing to do with who he was, he knew that. It was money and prestige – though now it was mostly money. She didn't come from old money like he did. In fact, the fact that she was here right now probably meant she was hard-up for cash. But the thing was, a part of him didn't really care. She'd get her money and he'd feel on top of the world again. It had always felt like they were destined for each other.

Pansy ran a hand through her hair. "How is Astoria these days, anyway? She said she didn't feel up for company today, so it'll just be me and you." She reached over and ran a finger down the side of his cheek. "I have to say, I don't mind."

"She's pregnant," Darco said. He stood up and paced to the other side of the library. Their wedding portrait hung on the wall, and he studied Astoria Greengrass's – now Malfoy's – face. She was the girl that nobody noticed. He hadn't noticed her until three years ago. She was the sort to be happy fading into the background. It wasn't a life he had dreamed of back in those folds of silver and green, but now it was the only peaceful life he could lead.

He was very tempted. No one would know. He might have the best of both worlds. What wouldn't he give to relive some of those glory days he'd been robbed of? Didn't he deserve them?

He turned back to her. "I'm sorry, Pansy, but you should go. It isn't a good time for company if Astoria isn't feeling well."

"What?" Her jaw dropped in shock.

He strode across the room to hold the door open for her. If he had learned anything from those brief glory days, it was that he would rather have an untainted reality than a grand delusion.

A/N: Apparently the Malfoys weren't quite out of my system, but now they are! Okay, so this is late and it is inexcusable. So sorry! I spent all weekend writing one of my big climactic chapters for my story 'Timing is Everything' (about Albus Severus Potter and how he arrived in the world) and it kind of drained me writing-wise. Trying to catch up!

As a note for this chapter, I figured Pansy was kind of a wash-out, doing maybe some frowned-upon things to get cash, and she came around Draco and his family because she always felt like it should have been her and she wanted to feel like she was part of that upper circle of society. I don't think Draco really liked her buzzing around, but he felt just bad enough for her to tolerate it.

Anyway, of course reviews are always wonderful!