Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Summary: This chapter takes place the summer before fourth year; Draco and Pansy finally acknowledge their attraction, but to what extent are they willing to go?

Author's Note: solace—comfort in sorrow, misfortune, or distress.

Chapter Six

Sweet Solace

"Millicent, Bludger!" Draco yelled. Millicent tore out of the way just in time to escape the ball, glaring Marcus down from across the field. She flew up to him.

"Marcus!" she growled. "You nealy knocked me off my broom!"

"Way of the game, sweetheart," he purred, his lips curling into a vicious smile. Draco gazed over at Pansy and Snape, who were sitting on the back porch; he zoomed a little closer, pretending to be looking for the Snitch. He caught sight of Pansy's light blue eyes as she looked up at him and smiled. Pansy, along with the rest of his guests, had arrived two weeks ago. Draco thought about last summer, about the way he and Pansy had touched each other, the heat that pulsed through her as though she enoyed it, and the aching longing he felt when she pulled away. That ache was still there, and he hoped to get her alone soon, but it was difficult with so many of his friends around all the time.

"Draco, get your head in the game," Marcus shouted. Draco scowled and looked around lazily for the Snitch. He caught it within two minutes and the game ended.

"Having fun, Professor?" Draco asked as they headed inside.

"Frustratingly so."

"What did you think of the plays?"

But Severus didn't answer—he was too busy looking at Narcissa, who smiled when everyone walked in, but Draco could see the strained expression on her face, and her eyes were red as if she had been crying. Severus swept forward and draped a long arm around her shoulders.

"I'm fine, Severus," Narissa said, but she allowed herself to be lead into the dining room, and the door was shut and locked behind them.

Draco stood staring at the closed door, ignoring the voices of his friends behind him.

"Draco?" Pansy said, placing a hand on his arm. "Are you all right?"

"Mhmm."

He turned around and looked at her; she looked so innocent, so true. Paying no mind to the other people in the kitchen, he took Pansy's hand and lead her to the living area, sitting her down onto a sofa beside him. Without hesitation, he leaned his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, and she ran her delicate hand through his hair.

"Draco, where's Lucius?"

"What?" he asked, startled by the sudden question.

"Your father. I haven't seen him the entire time I've been here."

Draco took a deep breath.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Pansy."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Marcus and the others came strolling into the living room—Draco sat up immediately and scooted away from Pansy, who cleared her throat and placed her hands in her lap.

"The lake tonight?" Millicent proposed, casting a hopeful look at Marcus. "Draco, do you have any firewhiskey?"

Draco scowled and crossed his arms. "I'm not much in the mood for that tonight," he declared soundly. The others stared at him for a moment before Millicent spoke.

"Well that's okay. Do you mind if we go without you?"

"Go on," Draco said, though there was an edge in his tone.

"What about you, Pansy?" Millicent said, raising her eyebrows.

"Don't you lot have enough parties?" she said.

Marcus laughed. "Enough parties! Merlin's Beard, Parkinson, you're losing your touch."

Pansy forced a smile and stood up, excusing herself from the room.

---

Pansy was lying in bed at eleven when her door squeaked open. She peered over at Millicent.

"You sure you don't want to go?" she asked.

"Don't you want to be alone with Marcus?"

Millicent hesitated. "Yeah. But we have to get Crabbe and Goyle drunk enough to pass out first."

"Oh, don't worry," Pansy said. "It doesn't take much."

Millicent sighed. "Okay then, good night, Pansy."

Pansy crawled back beneath her covers. "Night."

Some time later, Pansy was still wide awake. She wasn't tired at all, and although she was tempted to join the party, she knew that if she drank too much, the temptation to act on her attraction toward Draco would be too much for her to withhold. It was already hard enough to deal with it while she was sober. Every time Draco touched her, whether it was a brush of his fingers or a grab of her hand, Pansy wanted to scream in frustration.

"Pansy?"

His voice made her jump, and she rolled over to see that Draco was moving over to her bed. She sat up and made room for him. He was wearing a long sleeved black t-shirt the hung loose on his thin frame, and a pair of jeans. In a funny way, he looked a bit like Potter, the way his clothes were so baggy.

"Going somewhere?" she asked, nodding at his clothing.

"Well, that all depends," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking sideways at her. He looked like a beautiful ghost in the moonlight, his pale skin illuminating in the bask of it, his hair falling over his eyes.

"On what?"

"On you," he said. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Can't sleep either?" Pansy said, smirking a little. "Okay then. I'll be out in a minute."

Draco left while Pansy threw on a long skirt and a blouse, not bothering with shoes. He was leaning against the wall, waiting for her, and he smiled when she came out into the hall.

"Got dressed up for me, did you?" he asked.

Pansy snorted. "I hope you brought your fags with you," she said as they descended the staircase.

"Of course." He pulled out two cigarettes, lit both, and handed her one. "Sorry. Forgot you don't like it to taste like me."

Pansy could feel herself turning pink, and was thankful for the darkness of the night.

"Nice out," Pansy said as they began their stroll.

"Mhmm."

"Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Are you quite open to interrogation?"

He took a drag. "Interrogation? What is it that you need to ask me?"

Pansy shrugged. "I'm just curious…why didn't you go tonight?"

"Exactly why I said. I wasn't up for it."

"Oh," Pansy said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She was hoping he'd say something like "because I wanted to spend time with you", but no such answer came.

They crossed over a small hill and sat down together, staring through the smoke.

"Mother's not doing well," Draco said.

"I know."

"I'm thankful for Severus."

"He's like a father to you, isn't he?"

Draco looked at her. "Yeah, actually. He's my Godfather."

Pansy started. "Oh—wow, really."

"Like I said, he and my mother are very close." He put out his fag and lay back. Pansy did the same, and their fingers touched. Neither of them made to move them.

---

School would resume in two days and Pansy would be returning home to see her parents before she left. Everyone else had already gone home, and she was gathering some things she had left around The Malfoy Manor when she heard it—low, angry voices emerging from the other side of the door that lead to the dining room. Pansy leaned her head against it, straining to listen. She recognized Draco's voice immediately, followed by another that was unmistakable—Lucius.

All of a sudden, she heard a loud popping noise.

"Lucius!" a third man roared—Snape?

Snape and Lucius were shouting at each other now. Pansy was knocked back into the cupboards as Draco stormed through the door.

"Draco—your eye," Pansy gasped. He turned to look at her, breathing heavily, his left eye was red and he had a feral look about him that Pansy had never witnessed before.

She stepped forward and he grabbed her hand. "Come on."

They went out the back door. Rain was pelting down on them.

"What happened?"

"My father."

"He's a bastard," Pansy growled, trying her best to catch up with him. He stopped by a tree and leaned against it, closing his eyes as if in pain, his chest heaving.

"I love my mum, Pan," Draco said. He sat down and Pansy did so as well, placing her fingers on the sore eye; Draco flinched.

"The only mistake she ever made was marrying my father. She deserved better than that."

He took Pansy's hand. "You can't leave me," he said, quite suddenly, looking at her, his eyes wild. He squeezed her hand.

"No…I'm afraid I can't," Pansy said in a soft voice.

"Promise."

Pansy winced as his grip tightened, but she answered him all the same. "I promise."

"Good," Draco nodded, letting go. He shivered in the cold. "Good."