She flung open the door to her bedroom and found that empty, as well. Her face fell, and she stood perfectly still listening intently for any noise, coming from downstairs, or the bathroom. There was nothing.

He left, she thought, stunned. He didn't even say, 'goodbye,' or 'happy Christmas,' or 'kiss my arse,' or anything. She sat on the couch in her dressing room, taking off her shoes, and tossed them in the direction of the closet.

"Of course," she murmured. "Holidays are a time for family. He probably went to his parents' house to celebrate with them."

She curled up on the couch, still in her evening gown from the party, and finished off her wine, sending the glass down to the kitchens with a flick of her wand. "He could have said goodbye, though," she whispered, as her eyes grew damp. Crossing her arms on the arm of the couch, she put her head down and started to sob. Fucking Snape and his potion, she thought. I've gone mental.

Cormac returned to Pansy's Manor, a huge smile on his face and a large package in his arms. "Okay, Baby," he said to the package. "Just a minute longer now, sweetheart." He took the stairs up to Pansy's room two at a time in his excitement to show Pansy her gift. He stopped suddenly at the door, however, when he heard her sobbing. He set down the box and rushed over to Pansy, kneeling by her side and placing soft kisses on her face.

"Doll? What's wrong? What happened?" he asked, worried that something truly awful had happened in his absence. He smoothed her hair away from her face and wiped at her tears with the back of his hand. "Pansy?" He climbed onto the couch with her and gathered her in his arms.

Oh, bloody hell. He's here. She wrapped her arms around him and tried to get herself together, to no avail. He's here, I'm crying for nothing, and I can't stop. I'm a bleeding idiot, she thought, letting him wrap her up in his arms. She could feel him stiffen, men didn't like hysterical women, she knew that, so she forced herself to stop. She grabbed her wand, glamoured her face, and but for the occasional hiccough, she presented a normal front.

Cormac held Pansy at arms length, trying to get a feel for exactly what was wrong. "Are you all right now? What upset you?"

"The fact that I can't seem to get control of myself, that's the biggest problem, I think. Snape and his bloody dream potion. Is a good night's sleep really worth it?" she asked, more to herself than to him. "I'm glad you came back, darling. I thought you'd left for the evening."

"You thought I'd just left? Oh, doll, I'm sorry." He smiled slyly at Pansy. "You really thought I'd leave and not claim the reward you promised for my good behavior? Never," he said, and crossed the room to where he had set down Pansy's gift. "Happy Christmas, Pansy." He placed the brightly wrapped box on her lap and smiled. "I hope you like it."

She smiled, delighted to receive anything from him, but just as her fingers touched the bow, the box quivered.

She looked up at him with wide eyes.

Cormac smiled encouragingly. "Go on."

She untied the ribbon and the package fell apart to reveal the most adorable kitten she had ever seen.

It was small and delicate, with long, white and caramel coloured fur, and clear blue eyes. It sat on Pansy's lap, looked up at her and blinked. Pansy picked her up and cuddled her to her cheek. "Oh, she's absolutely beautiful, Cormac. What a darling little thing." Cradling the kitten to her chest, who immediately started a soft purr, she reached over to give him a kiss. "You're just wonderful, did you know? First to put up with my friends all night, and then this." She realized suddenly. "Oh! This must have been where you went, then? To pick up this little angel?"

"Your friends weren't bad--tonight." Cormac leaned in towards Pansy to kiss her softly. "I didn't have the heart to wake her up earlier; she was sound asleep on my bed," he said as he scratched the kitten on the head. "I've been calling her Baby, but you can name her, of course."

"Baby, eh? We'll have to come up with a proper name, but Baby will do for now." She grinned at him. "You're just a bundle of contradictions, aren't you, Cormac? So tough. Brave exterior. And then you go all soft and bring me a kitten for Christmas. She's perfect. I love her."

Cormac breathed out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad. You're rather hard to shop for," he said with a smile. "And how could anyone not love a kitten? You'd have to be some kind of headcase." He paused, watching as the kitten snuggled up to Pansy and fell asleep on her lap. "She's part Kneazle, you know. I'm not sure why that's important, other than I wouldn't ever consider buying a Muggle pet." He smirked. "There's something else though," he said, offering up a velvet jewellery box into Pansy's hands.

"You shouldn't have," she said, flashing him a smile. She took it from him, reluctant to stop stroking the soft ball of fur in her lap. Opening the box and finding it empty, she looked at him quizzically. "No, really. You shouldn't have."

Cormac laughed. "Oops, sorry. I forgot that Miss Furball here took a liking to it." He rolled his eyes while pointing to her bejeweled collar. "It figures. Only a pet of yours would need jewellry."

Pansy nudged the sleeping kitten and discovered, amidst the soft fur, an emerald ring attached to her collar. "Oh, my," she breathed. "It's gorgeous. However, Baby here will have to do without, I think." Removing it gently from the kitten's collar, she slid it on her finger and admired it in the firelight. "Beautiful."

"You really like it?" he asked, smiling broadly. He took her hand in his, turning it slightly, enjoying the way the firelight was reflecting of the many facets of the emerald. "I loved the colour. I saw it and thought it would be perfect for you."

"It is. Absolutely. Green is my favourite colour, you know." She waved her wand in the direction of the closet and floated out two boxes that hovered in the air in front of him. She rose an eyebrow at the expression on his face. "What? You're the only one who can give presents? I was in Paris a few weeks ago and thought of you."

Cormac smiled and reached for the boxes.

Pansy smirked and said, "The last one was far too big to wrap and should have been delivered, well, by now, actually. You'll see it when you go home, I'm sure."

"Too big to wrap? Intriguing," he said as he turned his attention the the boxes, and opened the first one, pulling out a pair of platinum cufflinks. He whistled and took them out of the box and turned them over gently in his hands. "Thanks, doll. They're perfect--and if I planned on staying in my clothes for much longer, I'd put them on immediately." He reached for the second box, unwrapping it quickly. He opened the lid of the large, rectangular box and examined the silver pocket watch lying inside. He swallowed audibly and closed his eyes for a moment. He opened his eyes to see Pansy looking at him carefully. "It's gorgeous. Thank you." He paused before saying, "My father had one very similar."

"My pleasure," she murmured, and placed a kiss on his cheek. His expression troubled her. His was not a face of a man who was clearly thrilled with the gift he was holding, and she was really having to hold back the questions that begged to be asked. Your father had a watch? Where is it now? Where is he? She paused and realized that he knew much more about her than she did about him. She'd never had a man in her life before whose life had been an interest to her. I'm going to have to rectify that, she thought. "I'm glad that you like it," she finished. She wasn't altogether sure that he did, but decided not to push the issue this evening.

He put the gifts aside and pulled Pansy close to him once more, careful not to bother the sleeping mass of fur on Pansy's lap, and kissed the side of her neck softly. "I adore you. You know that, right?"

Pansy closed her eyes, choosing her words carefully. "Yes." I do now. "And you are my absolute favourite."

Cormac felt a smile tugging at his lips. "What do you say we find a place for her," he said gesturing to the Kneazle, "so I can unwrap my most favourite of presents?" He kissed his way up to her lips and settled there, running his hands up her back until they were on either side of her face.

Pansy returned his kiss sweetly and smiled. After moving the kitten, who gave a rather disgusted mew at being moved from her warm napping spot, to the couch beside her, she put her arms around Cormac. "What are your plans for tomorrow? I've told Michael that I'd spend part of the afternoon with him, but the rest of my day is completely free. Can you stay? Or are you expected at your parents' right away?"

"I've got to go to my Mum's for Midday Dinner tomorrow--and I'd invite you, but you'd be terribly bored." And Mum would send out the wedding invites. He held back his grimace, but only just. "I had planned on spending the rest of the day with you," he said smiling. "If that's acceptable?"

"I think I'd like that very much." She stood up and extended a hand to him, pulling him towards the bed. "Now that we've sorted out our schedules, I think I promised you a thing or two, didn't I?"

"Or twelve," he said, kicking off his shoes and undoing his tie with his free hand. "Speaking of schedules, you're about to be very busy, Miss Parkinson."

{Summary: After Pansy feels some of the nastier effects of Snape's potion, she and Cormac exchange Christmas gifts. Of all his gifts, Cormac likes unwrapping Pansy best of all.}