The Fool Part 3 and ranting!
More of The Fool is under the cut. It is unbetaed, of course.
The Fool - Part 3
Draco could feel another's presence in the library of Malfoy Manor. The click of a woman's heel on the polished marble confirmed it and the enveloping scent of Pansy's perfume identified the intruder.
"Draco?" Pansy called trying to located him.
Draco turned his blurred gaze from the leaded window as he swiveled the chair to face her. She noticed instantly by his haggard expression things had not gone well. Draco was never unkempt. For all of the years she'd known him, Draco had always appeared as if he were scheduled to pose for the cover of Witch Weekly.
"Bad night?" Pansy asked flippantly noting the decimated bottle of Ogden's Old and his rumpled robes.
Draco scratched at the blond stubble marring his aristocratic chin and arrowed his eyebrow. "Need I ask where you've been?"
"I ran into an old friend," Pansy responded busying her hands with the roles of parchment on the corner of his desk. "Where is she?"
"Ginny's gone. Your little plan failed, Pans," Draco sneered at her.
Pansy's gaze locked with her fiance's as he stood to stretch for the first time in hours. "You're a fool if you can't admit that you still love her. Do you know how much it took for her to come here? Do you? Get passed your damn Malfoy pride, Draco."
Draco sank slowly back into the chair he'd occupied the night before. Muffled through hands that were now cradling his furrowed brow,” It's not pride."
The air in the room stilled as if it had been sucked out. Pansy advanced on Draco and settled in front of him, her robes pooling dramatically on the floor. "What's not pride?"
"The reason I left. It's not pride. It's fear. Hecate knows how much I loved Ginny. So much that it scared me. I've never felt that need before. I kept thinking, what if something happens? What if she leaves me? And when she did, I couldn't take it."
Pansy pulled his hands down to rest her forehead against his offering comfort. "Draco, was Ginny Weasley the only girl you dated that didn't coo and fawn over you? You are attracted to her because of her independence. She's not like us. A society witch only needs know how to bear an heir and host an elegant party. She's not destined to be a 'trophy wife'."
"And you are?" He asked, the corners of his mouth turning up.
"No, I just contribute to Wizarding society in less noble ways."
Draco digested Pansy's diatribe while she summoned a house-elf for the breakfast tray. "Pansy, why are you so piqued on her behalf?"
"I'm not. It's on yours that I'm so irritated. You have a chance for happiness. It is your own stubbornness that is the cause of this. I know she still cares for you. Tell me what happened last night," she requested sympathetically.
"We fought mostly. I said things I shouldn't have and she left." Draco took a deep breath trying to calm the frustration he had with himself. "She said she loved me."
"And you let her leave?"
Draco nodded.
"Do you not want her back?" Pansy asked rhetorically. "Are you that thick or did you just have a Hufflepuff moment?"
Draco glared at the petite siren in front of him. "What should I have done? Held her here captive and kissed her senseless until she succumbed to my charms and accepted my apology?"
"YES!" She shouted. "Did you apologize?"
"I really don't feel that I need....," Draco paused looking at her murderous expression sheepishly.
Exasperated, Pansy gathered her wand and cloak from where she had laid them. "Fix your own problems, Malfoy. I've had my fill of your egotistical, arrogant attitude. But I swear to you, if I have to marry you, I guarantee your misery will increase tenfold." With that, Pansy swept from the room.
Realizing she spoke the truth, Draco took a blank parchment from the stack and began to write.
~~~~
Ginny entered her office after rounds to find the post just being delivered. She offered the tawny a biscuit as she removed the scroll from its leg unrolling it distractedly as she settled into her chair. Her hands shook, her heart breaking all over again as she read the missive.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
DM
Updated on my internet issues. SBC can take a flying *expletive*!!! Our DSL has been out since noon Sunday. We had thought it was hubby's fault, per usual, but last night we lost the dial tone on the phone as well. SBC says Thursday before we have either back. *sob* Work is my next best option for internet access, but that is limited because it is a place of business. Don't these people see that I have needs??
It will take a while to get caught up on my flist. I will miss you all for a day or two and may not get to comment as I'd like.
Plus side, I finally got Y!M at work!
♥ darlena
The Fool - Part 3
Draco could feel another's presence in the library of Malfoy Manor. The click of a woman's heel on the polished marble confirmed it and the enveloping scent of Pansy's perfume identified the intruder.
"Draco?" Pansy called trying to located him.
Draco turned his blurred gaze from the leaded window as he swiveled the chair to face her. She noticed instantly by his haggard expression things had not gone well. Draco was never unkempt. For all of the years she'd known him, Draco had always appeared as if he were scheduled to pose for the cover of Witch Weekly.
"Bad night?" Pansy asked flippantly noting the decimated bottle of Ogden's Old and his rumpled robes.
Draco scratched at the blond stubble marring his aristocratic chin and arrowed his eyebrow. "Need I ask where you've been?"
"I ran into an old friend," Pansy responded busying her hands with the roles of parchment on the corner of his desk. "Where is she?"
"Ginny's gone. Your little plan failed, Pans," Draco sneered at her.
Pansy's gaze locked with her fiance's as he stood to stretch for the first time in hours. "You're a fool if you can't admit that you still love her. Do you know how much it took for her to come here? Do you? Get passed your damn Malfoy pride, Draco."
Draco sank slowly back into the chair he'd occupied the night before. Muffled through hands that were now cradling his furrowed brow,” It's not pride."
The air in the room stilled as if it had been sucked out. Pansy advanced on Draco and settled in front of him, her robes pooling dramatically on the floor. "What's not pride?"
"The reason I left. It's not pride. It's fear. Hecate knows how much I loved Ginny. So much that it scared me. I've never felt that need before. I kept thinking, what if something happens? What if she leaves me? And when she did, I couldn't take it."
Pansy pulled his hands down to rest her forehead against his offering comfort. "Draco, was Ginny Weasley the only girl you dated that didn't coo and fawn over you? You are attracted to her because of her independence. She's not like us. A society witch only needs know how to bear an heir and host an elegant party. She's not destined to be a 'trophy wife'."
"And you are?" He asked, the corners of his mouth turning up.
"No, I just contribute to Wizarding society in less noble ways."
Draco digested Pansy's diatribe while she summoned a house-elf for the breakfast tray. "Pansy, why are you so piqued on her behalf?"
"I'm not. It's on yours that I'm so irritated. You have a chance for happiness. It is your own stubbornness that is the cause of this. I know she still cares for you. Tell me what happened last night," she requested sympathetically.
"We fought mostly. I said things I shouldn't have and she left." Draco took a deep breath trying to calm the frustration he had with himself. "She said she loved me."
"And you let her leave?"
Draco nodded.
"Do you not want her back?" Pansy asked rhetorically. "Are you that thick or did you just have a Hufflepuff moment?"
Draco glared at the petite siren in front of him. "What should I have done? Held her here captive and kissed her senseless until she succumbed to my charms and accepted my apology?"
"YES!" She shouted. "Did you apologize?"
"I really don't feel that I need....," Draco paused looking at her murderous expression sheepishly.
Exasperated, Pansy gathered her wand and cloak from where she had laid them. "Fix your own problems, Malfoy. I've had my fill of your egotistical, arrogant attitude. But I swear to you, if I have to marry you, I guarantee your misery will increase tenfold." With that, Pansy swept from the room.
Realizing she spoke the truth, Draco took a blank parchment from the stack and began to write.
~~~~
Ginny entered her office after rounds to find the post just being delivered. She offered the tawny a biscuit as she removed the scroll from its leg unrolling it distractedly as she settled into her chair. Her hands shook, her heart breaking all over again as she read the missive.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
DM
Updated on my internet issues. SBC can take a flying *expletive*!!! Our DSL has been out since noon Sunday. We had thought it was hubby's fault, per usual, but last night we lost the dial tone on the phone as well. SBC says Thursday before we have either back. *sob* Work is my next best option for internet access, but that is limited because it is a place of business. Don't these people see that I have needs??
It will take a while to get caught up on my flist. I will miss you all for a day or two and may not get to comment as I'd like.
Plus side, I finally got Y!M at work!
♥ darlena