Pansy sighed in exhaustion at the end of the work day. It was always a difficult day when Astoria stopped by but the sales made up for it. But what had made this day particularly stressful was the appearance of Draco Malfoy in her storage room. And he had refused to leave until she talked to him.

"Am I allowed to ask why Draco Malfoy is sitting in our back room?" Rachel whispered to Pansy during closing.

"No." Pansy said firmly and Rachel shrunk away fearfully.

Pansy gripped her keys tightly as she stared out of the front door's window. The sky was still bright with the summer sun but Pansy could see the oranges of the sunset creeping over the horizon. She had been so sure Draco would leave her alone after last night. But the guy just wouldn't give up!

She felt a large hand on her shoulder and her heart sped up, knowing it couldn't belong to either of the small girls she employed. She turned around slowly to face him, her lips pursed. That's when she noticed his outfit for the first time. He wasn't dressed in his usual formal attire. He had ditched the black dress pants for jeans and only a tight green t-shirt covered his chest. Pansy couldn't help but notice the bulging muscles underneath and she gulped when she noticed how close they were.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Draco asked in a whisper so that Rachel couldn't hear.

"Like where?" Pansy said, feeling guilty for even asking.

"Your place?" he suggested and Pansy immediately shook her head. Inviting Draco Malfoy to her apartment at night did not sound like a brilliant idea.

"Well we can't go to my house now can we?" Draco complained at her resistance.

"Just wait until Rachel leaves. Then we'll have the place to ourselves." Pansy said without realizing how suggestive that might have sounded.

So Draco grabbed a chair and waited until Rachel gathered her things and left. It only took about 10 minutes. Rachel looked at the two of them in utter confusion before she closed the front door behind her and walked down the darkening street.

"She won't blab will she?" Draco asked nervously.

"Rachel? I hope not." Pansy said seriously. She sat down in the chair next to him but kept a good distance in mind. "So…" she said awkwardly.

Draco cleared his throat, "Where to start?" he said quietly to himself and Pansy stared at the wall ahead to avoid looking at him.

"Pansy," he started, his voice sounding on edge, "I've never told you this…I should have…I just…" he let out a long sigh, "My family has this tradition. If you can even call it that. It's horrible in my opinion."

She watched him put his hand to his forehead like just thinking about whatever he was thinking about gave him a headache. He groaned before he continued.

"It's like this. Every Malfoy is allowed to marry whoever they want. As long as they find that person by the age of 18 and they're suitable. Otherwise…they're chosen for you."

Pansy arched an eyebrow. "Like…arranged? Your family still does that?"

"Lots do, actually. Keeps the blood pure."

Pansy stared at Draco in disbelief. Was he saying what she thought he was saying?

"So…you and Astoria?" Pansy asked gently.

"Were arranged, yes." Draco grumbled. "My parents were sure you and I were going to marry. They hadn't even made arrangements. So when we broke up, they rushed to find someone. Astoria was only 16 so she was available." Draco said the last sentence in a sickened tone.

"So you don't even love her? At all?" Pansy asked, hoping that he would say 'no'.

"Not one bit." Draco said. Pansy had not been expecting this at all. Things were suddenly starting to make sense.

"That day you came to my house," he continued, "I had to push you away. I was already engaged. It was the last thing I wanted to do believe me! But…I'd given up hope on us anyway. I'm sorry."

Pansy tried to digest everything she was hearing. All these years, she had believed he didn't love her anymore. And for the last few months she had been dealing with him being in love with someone else. And now, he didn't seem like such a creep anymore. Pansy could see the boy next door she had met so many years ago.

"Pansy?" he said, snapping her back to the present, "I never wanted to hurt you. I should've told you the truth."

Pansy's breath caught in her throat. She should have told Draco something too. But every time she thought she had the courage, she backed out. Pansy immediately felt horrible about the secret she was keeping from him. Especially since he was now revealing something to her.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked with concern, "You look pale." He added and reached over to feel her cold cheek with the back of his hand.

"I'm fine." she said shakily, not bothering to brush him away. She wanted to burst out and tell him so badly but fear gripped her too tightly. She had kept the secret from him for so long. What would he think of her when she told him? He'd probably hate her.

"Maybe I should leave." Draco stood up slowly and looked down at her. "I wish things had been different."

Then he put his hands in his pockets and turned to leave. Pansy's eyes fixated on his back as he walked further away from her. She wanted to stop him so badly. What if this was it? What if he never came back after this?

"Draco, wait." she managed to choke out. "I-I…" she trembled as she struggled to get any words out. Draco spun around and stared at her anxiously. Pansy pressed her lips together and shut her eyes, unable to say any more to him. Draco sighed and walked back towards her. Taking both of her hands, he spoke.

"It's okay. Don't say anything." He smiled weakly. "I understand."

Pansy bowed her head. No, he didn't understand. He didn't have a clue what she was trying to tell him. Maybe it was better that way.

His hands slid up her arms until they reached just above her elbows. He pulled her into him and she didn't resist. She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in deeply. His arms curled around her waist and his mouth moved down to her ear.

"I missed you." Draco whispered.

Pansy looked up into his eyes with uncertainty, "I think you should go home." Pansy winced when she saw his reaction. He was hurt. "I mean, is this…is this right?" she asked him timidly.

Draco licked his lips as he searched for an answer, "It's complicated."

"You don't belong to me." Pansy said sadly.

"Yes I do." he said and put both hands on her shoulders.

"You know what I mean." Pansy frowned and backed away from him. "I don't want to cross the line." Pansy could tell from Draco's face that he wanted to cross the line more than anything. But she needed more time to think about the situation. He was right, it was complicated. The lines between right and wrong were blurring rapidly.

"Won't she be angry? If she finds out? If we…" Pansy trailed off, too embarrassed to continue. Draco smiled.

"I won't tell her if you won't" he smirked.

"Draco!" she said in a reprimanding tone.

"Pansy, I'm begging here. I need you." Draco got down on his knees in front of her and squeezed her hands tightly.

He needed her? Pansy's head was spinning. This was all going way too fast. How was she supposed to make a decision right now? She could feel the familiar dip in her stomach that came with a dumb idea. This was a very dumb idea. How could she go gallivanting around with a married man? It was something she had learned not to do as a young girl. Never marry a man below your class and never be anyone's mistress. Pansy suddenly felt sick. That's what he was proposing: for her to become his mistress.

But she couldn't bite back the immense attraction she felt for him. It wasn't just his looks. It was everything. He really cared about her. It was clear now that he was still in love with her even after 6 years and that this wasn't some kind of sick joke.

"I've found you again. I don't want to lose you." Draco continued to plead with her, "We could take it slow. Just talk. Get to know each other again."

"Just talk?" Pansy repeated and bit her lip, "I guess." Though she knew neither of them would be able to 'just talk' for long. She couldn't decide if she wanted him or not. Well, no, of course she wanted him. It was the circumstances surrounding it that she didn't like.

Draco stood up and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was nearly 10.

"It's late." Pansy said dumbly and touched her hair nervously.

"Can I see you next week?" he asked.

"Sure." Pansy said without thinking. The words had just popped out of her mouth. And before she knew what was happening, Draco's lips were on her cheek again like they had been the night before. He kissed her face once and then twice like he was trying to say goodbye but couldn't.

"Bye." he whispered and she said the same to him before he opened the front door and walked down the stone street.

Draco's heart still thumped forcefully inside his chest as he entered his home. Astoria wasn't back yet. Relieved that he didn't have to make up an excuse about where he'd been, he slumped against the door and shut his eyes. He smiled when he remembered he'd got to kiss her again. It was only on the cheek but it still meant so much to him. And she hadn't pushed him away. He was getting closer to really being with her again.

As he entered the kitchen, he heard the front door swing open and close, marking the return of Astoria. He grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and leaned on the marble counter trying to look casual. Astoria came into the room swishing her hair behind her. Draco stood still against the counter. She hadn't noticed he was there. She yawned as she tied her hair up into a very messy bun and stretched forwards. She leaned on the kitchen's island and let out a great sigh. Draco stared at her through the dim light. Though he couldn't see her face very well, she looked very deep in thought. Then quite suddenly, she turned around to face him and screamed.

"Sweet Merlin!" she yelled and grabbed a fistful of fabric over her heart in alarm, "Have you been standing there the entire time?"

"Yeah, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." Draco said as he stifled a laugh.

"I thought you weren't home." Astoria confessed, "The upstairs lights weren't on so I thought you'd…" her sentence faded away before its finish.

Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I've been down here the whole time. In the study. Came to get a snack." He fibbed, holding up the banana to back up his story.

Astoria looked relieved to hear this. Draco felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He hadn't been out cheating on her like she thought but he certainly had wanted to. Draco looked at his feet and frowned. It wasn't as though she loved him or anything. She was just worried about her reputation. What would the world think of her if she had an unfaithful husband or, God forbid, a divorce? She'd be the family embarrassment: the woman who couldn't hold on to her man. The failure. Of course Draco was strapped with the same expectations and now that he was running for a high position in the Ministry, his reputation was precious. An infidelity scandal would ruin them both. That was why Astoria had made him promise to stop seeing other women when they got married. Draco, focused on his career then, obliged. But things were different now. This wasn't some chick he met at a bar. This was Pansy.

Draco snapped his head back up when she brushed past him to take a cookie from the jar to his left. She smelled like expensive wine and sweet perfume that stung his nose. She wore that perfume every time she went somewhere fancy. He hated it. It reminded him of his deceased grandma. Her whole house used to smell of perfumes and potpourri.

Astoria paused at Draco's screwed up facial expression. "What?" she asked.

"I hate that perfume." Draco said honestly. Astoria's face fell into a frown.

"The one I'm wearing?" she said and Draco nodded. She sniffed her shirt and shrugged at him, "Sorry. I won't wear it again."

Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You-you don't have to." he stammered.

"If you don't like it, I won't wear it. It's not big deal." Astoria smiled and took a bite out of her cookie.

Draco opened his mouth to protest again but thought best not to. It would be ridiculous to try to convince her to keep something he hated. Now he was finally rid of it.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" she asked him with skepticism in her voice.

"Of course." he said confidently. It wasn't a lie. He knew he would run circles around Pladstone tomorrow morning.

"You should get some sleep. I've got to get up around 6 am to prepare." she said, stepping closer to him and putting a hand on his forearm.

"I hate these early morning things." Draco groaned as they walked out of the kitchen and towards the staircase together.

"Well, get used to it. It's part of the job." Draco heard a teasing smile in her voice that made him grin. When they reached the bedroom, she went on ahead of him and locked herself in the bathroom to change. Although Draco had seen her naked almost every night since they had been married, she still changed behind the closed bathroom door, away from his eyes.

Draco searched the closet for his favorite pair of plaid pajamas and sunk into them. They were extremely comfortable and warm. That's what he needed right now. After tying the bottom drawstring, he slid into the bed and closed his eyes.

Shortly after he had fallen into bed, Astoria emerged from the bathroom in a long, floral nightgown and crawled in next to him. With a flick of his wand, Draco turned off the lights in the room and then laid back to stare up at the dark ceiling.

As he stared, he wondered what Pansy was doing at that very moment. She probably wasn't in bed. It was much too early for that. Maybe she was reading a book or watching television. Or maybe, he hoped, she was sitting around thinking of him. It was possible she was daydreaming about being with him. Draco smiled as he imagined her sitting cross-legged on her bed in a pair of sweats while she envisioned them kissing. Draco squeezed his eyes shut. He should have kissed her tonight. But she hadn't looked ready. He didn't want to push it.

Draco's thoughts were interrupted when Astoria rolled over onto her side away from him causing the bed to move. He stared at the back of her head for a while, thinking. He was confident he would be able to keep any relationship with Pansy a secret. He was good at sneaking around and Astoria didn't have the slightest clue where he had been going recently. A lot of times she didn't care, unless he came home too late. He would just have to be more careful about that. But he was positive he could pull it off without her finding out. He had, after all, juggled many girls in the past.

Draco winced slightly. He wasn't too proud of the way he had acted towards women in previous years. And what he was thinking of doing now, he admitted, wasn't much different. But the circumstances had changed. He couldn't pass up Pansy again, even if that meant tarnishing the blossoming comradery between Astoria and himself. Shaking himself of guilt again, he turned away from her like she had done to him moments before and let his mind wander into thoughts of Pansy.