Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, merely this plot.

Warning: Fluff! I mean FLUFFY!

A/N: This is dedicated to my lovely Matty. Your my life and without you, I fear what may be. thank you for being my friend and thank you for your love. This is you and me:

Inside The Beech Tree

"When you first meet people all you notice
Are the differences between you and them.
But as time passes,
You start noticing the similarities.
I guess that's how all friendships
Begin."
-Brian Kessler

Part I
A oath unnamed
By: Isabella

When they were younger, only old enough to just start their learning, they would spend morning and afternoons together, studying in the garden. His mother, Narcissa was so fond Pansy. She treated her like her own daughter. Draco teased her at times for wearing silly bows, shiny shoes, or pigtails. But every time his mother would fuss at him and then comfort the hurt girl, very much unlike her own mother.

Pansy Parkinson's own mother wasn't as generous. No, she blamed the poor girl for all her problems, only because she wasn't a boy. Her father was always way. He worked as an international medi-wizard, traveling around the wizarding world. He called her his flower. Her mother loved her all the same, but she never cherished her like she would cherish a son.

Sometimes, during those young years, when Pansy and Draco were only of the mere age of six, they would finish their work early. Their mother's still busy having tea and catching up on the latest gossip. Pansy and Draco would use that time to play; climbing up the tree's over looking the garden. Sometimes he would take her to the stables to see the set of unicorns and horses his father owns. Pansy was in awe over them, and Draco always laughed when she would gush. Other times, Draco would take her too his secret place. Only she and Blaise Zabini knew about.

The beech tree.

It was well hidden; no one would ever notice it unless they just stumbled upon it one day. The tree was large enough to be seen even from the front view of the Malfoy manor. The radius of its trunk was almost the same size of a small, comfy little study. Pansy had seen the tree several times while studying with Draco, but it wasn't till the day Pansy's parents had left her to go on a trip to Egypt. Her tears soaked her skin raw, and Draco sought to make her feel better.

He took her by her hand and leads her behind the tree, his hand clasped around hers tightens and he looks at her with a small smirk, and he whispers softly, "This is my hiding place. You can never tell."

Pansy nods, sniffling as she stared at the tree.

He let's go and begins to follow around the tree till they are hidden well behind it and the woods have covered them with a gentle shade. She stares at him like he's insane, but sits down with her back resting on the tree and sighs. Her finger's closed around a lock of ebony tresses and she starts blowing on them, watching them move until she hears a faint snicker beside her and she looks up.

Draco is standing over her with a smirk. "Were not there yet, get up." He tells her.

Her green eyes widen slightly and she rises from the ground, following him a bit more to the side, and then she sees it. A small, hallow hole in the trunk. It's just large enough to crawl threw, but so small that it's nowhere near noticeable. Its gray bark was slowly peeling around it. Pansy could see a small trail inside as Draco stepped in. Her following close tail behind him.

Her whole face flushed slightly from excitement as she looked around. She was half expecting some wild animal to pop out and attack her, or even the whole tree to just collapse on them. But not even in her largest imagination had she expected a small living quarter.

"Father made it." Draco boosts.

Pansy grins and begins to walk around examining the room. "It's brilliant." She whispers, softly.

Draco laughs and plops down into a small chair. "It's not that big a deal." He adds. "Father thought it would be wise to have it," He starts, pausing to watch Pansy examine a chair beside him and lower herself into it. "Just incase…"

Pansy didn't want to ask, "Just incase of what". She knew that his father was an important man. Her mother talked highly about him all the time, along with his mother. Pansy hadn't a clue why she thought so highly of a man whose hair was as long as hers and never smiled. Even during those stupid birthday parties Draco or Pansy had, she had never once seen him smile.

Pansy turns and looks at him, beaming. "It's lovely, Draco." She gushes. "Thank you for showing me. For… For being my friend."

And that's when everything around them just changed. While they had always thought themselves friends before, now they realized that it was no longer because their parents forced them together. It was no longer an obligation to them. They felt the real bond form, and no longer did they see each other as just Malfoy's or Parkinson's.

For the next five years they spent hours inside the beech tree, talking and sharing secrets they would never dare to speak with anyone else. Something about the tree made her feel so safe and warm. Every time her mother would leave for a trip, leaving Pansy behind with the house elves, she would spent the nights tossing and turning writing her best friend even when there was no sun out, only the moon and stars. And she would wait for him to write back.

Then she would come to his home during the day, spending her time with his mother, drinking tea some days, but most she spent with him. She'd never felt so alive unless she was with him. Her world was never whole unless her friend was there to share it.

The summer before their first year at Hogwarts, Pansy had gone to visit his family for dinner. Their parents both immersed in a deep conversation that they didn't want either of them around for. Draco grabbed her and led her to the tree with no question asked. Pansy didn't object either. It was rather nice to get away from her their parents. She was honestly getting bored sitting there listening to them talk about the Minister of Magic and the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

Pansy sat in her normal spot; Draco had elves bring blankets, pillows, and even a small, enchanted fire inside years before. They had scattered the blankets and pillows on the floor around the large fire so on cooler nights they would have a form of warmth. She sat Indian style, her back against the wall, and Draco sat in front of her.

She sighs. "What do you think they're talking about?" She asks in a hushed tone, her voice almost inaudible.

Draco stares at her hard. "He's coming. They are."

She blinks, not quite understanding whom he's talking about. "Who—" She stopped; she knew just who he was talking about. She reached over resting her hand on his, gripping it softly under her palm. "When?"

"Soon." His tone was so mute and icy that Pansy shuddered. It burned to hear him speak like that. He can see her lip tremble slightly, as if she were trying her hardest to be strong. And he pulls his hand away. She looks hurt, but the blush covers it up and she looks away. The next thing she knows his hand his resting along her cheekbone and she has to resist the urge to snuggle closer. "Pansy—"

But before his words can come out, Pansy pulls his hand down into her own, her eyes narrowed softly. The gentle gray orbs glow and Pansy can see the pale blue color just around his iris. "Draco, promise me that no matter what, you'll never leave me?" She blushes, realizing how cliché her words sounds, and she laughs softly. "I mean- don't break our friendship, not even for him."

They both just sit there, staring at each other, words long forgotten, and their hands still clasped together. And Pansy can hear the wind pick up outside, blowing branches against the bark. The noise had once scared her, but now it sooths her. It emphasized the emotions that her mother taught her never to show.

Draco brushes a quick kiss to her cheek; his usual Malfoy smirk had disappeared, leaving a small helpless smile. "Never." He replies, and then he's pulling her into a friendly embrace. "I promise that no matter what, Pansy, I'll always be there for you. I would never let anything come between us. Not even him, or… him." They both smile and laugh.

"Forever?"

"Forever."

--Bella