Chapter 1(b): Beginnings

[desdiamonds]

Who: Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson
What: Bellatrix has Draco right where she wants him. Draco has nowhere to run.
When: October 2000
Where: The Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix has Draco and Pansy in one of the top rooms.
Why: Bellatrix is crazy, but we knew that already :P

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[empathapathique]

It was afternoon when Pansy arrived in Malfoy Manor. A House-elf received her at the grand fireplace in the foyer, and Pansy could vaguely remember the creature from trips she’d made to the massive home with her mother as child. Her mother had been a particular friend of Narcissa Malfoy in the past-Hogwarts girlfriends and all that-and they’d thought it perfectly fine to have their children play together, regardless of their difference in gender, and, most-assuredly, temperament.

As a child, Draco had the same exact nasty disposition that he had when he and Pansy entered Hogwarts when they were eleven, and though Pansy had been raised with the same upper-classed mannerisms that Draco had exuded so obnoxiously, she’d hardly been about to allow a sniveling little boy lord over her. Pansy and Draco had spent more time tussling with each other in the upstairs rooms-breaking vases and ruining wallpaper when someone’s head hit a wall-than playing quietly as their mothers thought.

But with the death of Pansy’s mother when she was nine and her father’s influence taking a primary role in how she saw the world-and, consequently, Draco Malfoy-her opinion of him had changed. According to her father, Draco Malfoy was high-quality goods-goods Pansy should do her damnedest to procure. Pansy had never been one to go against her father’s wishes, and she’d been becoming a little lady then; the prospect of marrying into a family like the Malfoys appealed to the pureblooded girl in more ways than imaginable, and she’d gone after Draco as her father had wished.

Pansy smiled ruefully. Funny how all that had worked out. She’d gone after Draco like a girl possessed, and even though they’d dated and all that, he’d had no interest in marrying Pansy. It’d been a tough pill to swallow; she was still quite sure the damned thing was still stuck in the middle of her bloody throat, actually. And even though her father reminded her repeatedly that there were many ways to skin a cat-i.e. get Draco Malfoy wrapped around her tiny pinky finger-Pansy was quite sure that Draco was done with her. And Pansy had known the man for too long to continue to thrust her cleavage in his face, hoping that he’d suddenly realize she was the best thing since Pepper-Up and cart her off to the Ministry for a quick and dirty ceremony.

Yes, she was a little bitter, and she’d spent the last five months lying on a beach in Aruba trying to get over it. But Draco had been the only constant thing in her life since her mother had died. She had her father, but he was always off around the world on business, and the people she knew in Slytherin weren’t exactly what one would call friends. Sleeping snakes, maybe, but Pansy likened herself to being a bit of a snake as well; she was simply the biggest one. Things between she and Draco were different though-they had always been different-and regardless of their failed relationship and how desperately she’d thrown herself at his feet begging him to take her back five months ago-hence the much needed holiday in Aruba-she hoped they could be friends. After all, he was all she had.