Cormac looked up from his paperwork, startled, but obviously happy. "Hey, doll." He rose from his chair and made his way over to her and placed a kiss on her lips. "What a wonderful surprise."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him, kissing him back. When she pulled away, she bit her lip and said, "I have brought you dinner. At his confused expression, she said, "I'm trying something new. Go with it."

At a snap of her fingers, Oscar appeared in Cormac's office and laid out dinner on the desk, after filing all the paperwork magically away. He stayed clear of Cormac, who was glaring at him, bowed to Pansy, and disappeared with a pop.

Pansy took Cormac by the hand and led him over to the food. "Veal chops," she said, gesturing. "And baby carrots, roasted potatoes, endive salad."

Speechless, Cormac could only smile broadly.

"Chocolate mousse for dessert."

"You are phenomenal." He wrapped his arms around her and trailed kisses down her neck. "And far too good to me. Thank you." He resumed his exploration of Pansy's neck but was betrayed by the growling of his stomach. With a laugh he asked, "And will you be joining me, love?"

"If you like."

"I would very much like it if you joined me." He pulled up another chair to the desk and offered it to her.

She sat and followed him with her eyes as he took a seat and started placing food on her plate. "So, darling. What have you been up to here at the Ministry? Anything interesting?"

Cormac began serving himself very generous portions of Oscar's cooking. "As much as I loathe the little spaz, Oscar's cooking is unbeatable."

He thought on Pansy's question. "Interesting? I wouldn't call what I'm doing right now interesting, doll. Basically I'm doing anything in my power to make Madame LeGrot's life easier," he said and then took a huge bite of the veal chop with a look Pansy had previously only seen him wear in the bedroom. "She's the new minister, you know, and when it comes time for restructuring the department I want to be the person she thinks of to take her place."

"What a cunning idea. Although, I think you should have run for Minister. Is there a reason why you didn't?"

He tried not to choke and concentrated on swallowing his bite of food. "I just wasn't ready, doll. I'm more aware of my shortcomings than I used to be, and I know the political climate at this moment." His brow furrowed slightly. "With everything that's happening, the murders and whatnot, I just don't think people would have been very willing to elect a twenty-three-year-old Minister of Magic." He smiled his toothiest grin. "Although, I am flattered you think that. Would you have voted for me then?"

"Of course I would," she replied easily. "I have a vested interest in you, after all," she said smiling as she touched the back of his hand. "But when you put it all that way, I suppose I understand."

She paused for a moment, taking in the picture of him, the perfectly knotted tie, the pristine starched shirt, his hair a little mussed only because he'd run a hand through it, and a smile on his face that she was pretty sure was there just for her. Smiling fondly at him, she said, "Shortcomings? I wasn't aware that you had any. Propensity for working too much notwithstanding."

Cormac laughed, and it was in that moment, he decided he was quite happy with his life at the present. Sitting in his own spacious office, artificial sunlight streaming in through the magic window behind his desk, casting light and shadow across his girl's beautiful face--yes, life was good. My girl? he thought, his face split between a grimace and a goofy grin.

"Shortcomings? Yes, I do have two or three, you know," he said with a wink. "And working nonstop is simply something I need to do right now. I know what I want--and you and I both know it's not going to be accomplished by sitting on my arse and leaving before sundown."

"So you want to be head of the MLE, then? Do you have any competition?"

"I see it as the next step--progression and all. There's never been a Minister who wasn't Head of one of the major departments." He paused, trying to remember his manners and not shovel in his food no matter how hungry he was. "Gods, this is so good," he murmured around a mouth full of baby carrots. "There are quite a few people who have been in the department longer than I have, of course, but they're too proud to do what it takes to become the right-hand-man to the person in charge. I'm not too proud to do whatever it requires to make Madame LeGrot happy and aware that if she ever needs anything done, I'm her man."

Nodding and forcing a smile, Pansy was torn between pride in the fact that he'd do what he needed to for advancement, no matter the cost, and feeling a pout coming on because he was always at the Ministry, and that fact wasn't going to change anytime soon. She mentally rolled her eyes at herself. Since when do I need anyone around? Or anything else from a man besides the obvious, for that matter? Chin up girl. He doesn't owe you anything. She pushed the salad on her plate around with a fork. "She keeps you busy, I'm sure. And will continue to, no doubt."

"Only if I continue to do things correctly." He searched Pansy's face, noticing that her smile seemed a bit strained and that she was eating even less than her usual. "Does that bother you?" he asked.

Pansy's smile stayed fixed on her face. "No, not at all. Of course not. Why should it?" Why should it, indeed. Stupid girl.

"I should have known it wouldn't. You're different than most women, Pansy Parkinson--and in a very good way," he said while reaching across his desk to squeeze her hand. "Some women are just so clingy." He shuddered dramatically for effect. "You just might be perfect--and not just perfect-looking," he assured as his eyes ran over her long legs ending in elegant black stilettos.

"Clingy." Her smile faltered a bit as she surveyed the lunch that she'd arranged for. "Who could abide that?" she asked lightly, shaking her head. She was horrified with herself. Gone unchecked, she seemed to have been going down the path of a clingy girlfriend. Girlfriend? Where the hell did that word come from? she thought.

Pansy made sure her mask was in place, but internally, she was doing some major damage control. Have become clingy, needy mess, apparently. Have become girl who doesn't go home with fabulously wealthy and fit Quidditch players when given the opportunity. Have become girl who bothers her boyfriend -Buggering fuck! Another strange word- at work.

Pansy looked at the man seated across from her and wondered, idly, when it had happened. When exactly did he become so important to me? When did I evidently lose myself in him? Pansy put down her fork and took a sip of water. There was nothing else for it. He needed space and she'd give it to him. She'd give him exactly what he wanted and needed. He definitely did not need to know just how imperfect she was. And it just reinforced her decision not to bother him with Gregory's nonsense about Vincent. She flashed him a smile.

Cormac finished with his dinner, carefully wiping his mouth on the ivory-coloured linen napkin with the embroidered 'P' on it. He eyed the chocolate mousse and then looked at Pansy with a slight leer on his face. He rolled his chair away from his desk and said, "Now, why don't you come have a seat on my lap here, and we'll see what we can do about dessert."

Pansy found it incredible, yet again, that she was really unable to say 'no' to this man. She didn't even want to. Most of the time, the thought never even occurred to her. She rose from her chair and took the proffered seat, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're sure you've time for this?" she asked, pressing her body into his and kissing him lightly. "I'm not sure that this is a Ministry approved activity."

He returned Pansy's soft kiss, and it became more urgent as he threaded his fingers through her silky hair. He finally, reluctantly pulled away. "Time for you? For this?" He made a show of looking at the clock. "I'll gladly make the time," he said. "And what the Ministry doesn't know keeps me in a job."

She nodded and closed her eyes as he kissed along the column of her neck. No matter how much she loved this, she'd let him do the chasing from now on. However, chances were it'd be awhile before she saw him again, so she figured she'd enjoy the attention while she could. Turning her attention back to his mouth, she kissed him passionately, leaving them both breathless. She leaned back from him briefly and said, "Then I won't tell the Ministry a thing."


{Summary: Pansy's quite proud of herself for bringing Cormac dinner until she realizes she's turned into someone that she doesn't recognize. Cormac's just happy to be fed.}