Draco wrinkled his nose as he entered Gulliver's. He didn't mind meeting Pansy for lunch, but did it have to be in public? Not that he minded being with her. It's just that he minded being out. The last little love note he'd gotten delivered by anonymous owl was making him slightly paranoid. Only slightly though. He was thinking perhaps he should tell someone? But who? The ministry? Yeah right. His usefulness with them was over.


Draco spotted Pansy and hurried over, hoping he wasn't late. He knew how she hated waiting.


Pansy sat, staring out the window, thinking about the turn of events of the past few days. All in all, things were coming along nicely. She wasn't good at looking at the big picture, or making a plan, always being more reactionary than anything else. When they were in school, they'd always depended upon Draco for that. Now, though, she thought, I don't know if depending on him is a good idea or not.


She noticed the blond man winding his way through the tables, looking distinctly uncomfortable. She smiled at him as he took the seat across from her. "Hello, darling. So good of you to have lunch with me on such short notice." She waved the waiter over. "What will you have?"


"Hmmm. I think I just want some bread... and a Butterbeer." He could feel her look. "What? I like bread. You know this." Thinking of bread made him think of the one note. "On second thought... Butterbeer and chips. Yes. No bread. Not today. Chips. With loads of salt and vinegar. And scratch the Butterbeer. Firewhisky. Yes."


Draco ran a hand through his hair. His composure was cracking a bit.


"So... how've you been, Pans?"


She got a faraway look on her face momentarily, and then seemed to remember herself. She smiled, nodding. "I've been... well. Up to no good, mostly. This and that." Pansy smirked at him. "And you? Any developments in your life that you'd care to share? Or shall we stay with the safe subjects?" She put her chin in her hand and stirred her drink idly, watching him.


Draco narrowed his eyes. She was leaving something out. He wasn't sure if he should press her or not. It worried him that she might not be all right.


"You don't want to know what's going on with me. You've been well? What's that? What's going on, Pans, and do I need to hex anyone?"


Pansy bit her lip, trying not to grin. "Not yet. But I will certainly let you know if I need you to unleash your wrath on someone, darling." She thought for a moment. "But if start acting odd, you'll pay attention, won't you?"


The waiter brought their food and Pansy sighed at her salad disgustedly. "I really hate that you can eat those and stay thin. I haven't had chips since fifth year." She speared a leaf of lettuce violently.


"I can eat almost anything," Draco said snagging a chip. "And have. The trick with food is, yes, you can eat whatever you want. No arguing, yes YOU can. You just can't eat some things all the damned time. I believe you women call them cheat days? And what do you mean if you start acting weird? Like you're not you in a Polyjuice way? Or you're you... but just not in control of you? This is worrisome."


She swallowed and answered offhandedly. "Oh, you know, if I seem overly... happy. You know, for me." She screwed up her face in disgust. "Would upset the equilibrium of the world, that, if I suddenly became nice." She put her fork down and watched him for a moment. "And don't preach at me about what I eat. If my arse were the size of the side of a house you'd be the first one to point it out. Don't lie." She waved her glass at the waiter. "Do you need anything, darling?"


"Not yet," Draco said, smiling. "Yes, I'd tell you. Wouldn't change how I felt about you any though."


Draco looked down, picking at his food.This was an example of one of the things he kept doing that made people think he wasn't himself anymore. He wasn't, but just not in the way they thought.


Pansy frowned and smiled at the same time, and as a result, her face felt ridiculous. "That may be the dearest thing you've ever said to me," she said in a soft voice. I don't know that I know how to reply." She rolled her eyes and waved her hand in the air in a distracted manner. "Enough. So, darling. What've you been doing with yourself since I saw you last. Any progress on.." She nodded at his arm.


"A bit." He should have known better than to say something like that to her. Pansy didn't do emotional that well. It wasn't her favorite. It showed a weakness. Well, most Slytherins would call it a weakness. Draco thought it showed character.


"I see my healer twice a week. It's a slow process, but it's cleaning up a bit. I haven't been doing much. Trying to keep a low profile. I know... me... low profile. It doesn't seem to mesh, does it? I've seen Greg... and Trace. Greg was a bit nicer than I expected, but that might have been all the vodka. Trace was Trace. Angry that I left B holding the bag. He isn't angry... or he isn't being straight with me."


The Draco started thinking about what Ginny thought about himself and Blaise and busted out laughing. No, Blaise definitely was not being straight with Draco in Gin's eyes.


Pansy grinned. "What? What's so funny?" It was so different to see her childhood friend show emotion like he was. She marvelled at the sight. His entire countenance changed, making him much more, well, attractive, she guessed. He never let any emotion out when they'd been in school. She had to wheedle and scheme just to get him to talk to her at Hogwarts.


"Ginny..." he was snickering. "Saw that snap of Blaise and I from fifth year... you know the one, and she thought, thinks, that he and I... that we... she thinks he's my boyfriend, so no, he's definitely not being straight with me."


He was so busy snickering that he had not realized he had just told Pansy PLENTY with all of that.


Pansy giggled, and put her hand in front of her face. "You still have that photo? And you didn't tell her the story behind it?" She giggled again, remembering, until the truth of what he'd said hit her. She stopped laughing and smiled slyly at him, biting her lip.


"Ginny? Is that what we're calling Miss Weasley, now?" She tapped her fork on her plate, in thought, narrowing her eyes. "And isn't that particular snap in your bedroom, Draco?" She clucked her tongue at him in mock reproval. "Oh, my. We do have some explaining to do, don't we, Draco darling?" She put her fork down and sat back, waiting.


Draco rolled his eyes. "There's nothing. Seriously. She doesn't have her own place yet. Or she didn't when she started healing me, so we met at the Manor. I have to be lying down and it needs to be in a darkened room, so I lie on my bed while she does it to me."


Pansy's eyebrows nearly reached her hairline. "Well. That must make for a pleasant afternoon, then." She smiled and shook a finger at him. "You're very naughty, you know. Letting the poor girl think you're gay. Lulling her into a false sense of security, you are." She shook her head. "I'm not going to spoil your fun, though. Carry on, by all means. I can't wait to hear how it all works out."


"Probably with my bollocks hexed off. There's no lulling. She just made an assumption, and I didn't correct her."


He wanted to say other things to her. Like that her father was NOT one of the people he gave up. None of his friends' families were. He wouldn't have done. It was mostly Walden MacNair, Amycus Carrow, and Adrian Pucey that were rotting away because of Draco. He had not even said anything about his Aunt Bella. There was someone he could have had kissed if he started talking, but Draco did have some loyalty in him.


Pansy watched the expressions of her friend's face go darker, and decided to change the subject. Tuesday lunches were fun. There was to be no drama on Tuesdays.


"Draco, can I ask your opinion?"


"Always. Usually I give it anyhow, so let's hear it then."


"What would you think of me getting involved with politics? Hypothetically speaking, you know. I mean, more than just letting the Ministry take what it likes from my Gringott's account on a bi-annual basis. Would you think it silly?" She schooled her features, but anxiously awaited his response.


"Why would I think that silly? I'd have to hear what your stance was on the issues I care about, but more than likely you'd have my vote. Pans, don't ever let fear of what others might think stop you. If you want this, I say you take it. I'll support your choices."


Draco smiled, pleased. He was more than proud that she seemed to have an agenda.


"Oh, I'm not running for office." She wrinkled her nose. "Can you imagine the headlines?" Flipping her hair behind her shoulder, she continued. "I'm just going to be controlling some things, I think. I have a man in place that owes me a thing or two." Or three, she thought. "In any case, the next few months should prove interesting, anyway."


Why did Draco find that worrisome? Poor bloke. He smirked at her and picked at his chips.


{SUMMARY} Draco has lunch with Pansy.