Sacrifices

"How do I look?" Draco asked, as he spun around and looked at Harry expectantly.

"You look wonderful, Draco," Harry replied, with a smile. "Now calm down, you have nothing to worry about."

Draco raised an eyebrow and reached for the bouquet of daisies on his desk. "Are you sure I look okay?" he asked again, as he moved to study himself in the mirror.

Draco was wearing a finely cut suit in charcoal grey, with a cream coloured shirt and an emerald tie. He looked delicious. Harry stepped up behind him and put one hand on his shoulder.

"Draco," he warned, catching his eye in the mirror. "Stop it."

Draco held his gaze for a moment before his eyes dropped to his shiny leather shoes. He nodded slightly.

"It's almost seven," Harry reminded him, glancing at the clock. "You had better go."

Draco nodded again, his mouth pursed into a tight line. He stepped around Harry, towards the door, when Harry reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Look at me," Harry demanded.

Draco raised his head.

"Everything will be okay, Draco," Harry continued, dropping a kiss onto his forehead.

************************

Pansy was waiting in the corridor, when Draco rounded the corner. She didn't notice him at first, and he took the opportunity to study her.

She had dressed up for the occasion; her outfit obviously new. Unlike the monstrosity she wore to the Yule Ball, Draco decided he quite liked this dress - a simple silk creation in rose that skimmed the floor.

A tissue was bunched up in her hand, and she nervously shredded it between her fingers as she shifted from foot to foot. Suddenly she looked up, and upon spotting Draco her face split into a wide grin.

"Draco!" she gushed. "You're here!"

"Of course I'm here," Draco replied, handing her the daisies. "You didn't think I would stand you up, did you?"

Pansy blushed slightly in reply, launching into a monologue about the difficulties in finding a suitable dress at a moments notice. Draco tuned her out as he scanned the corridor behind her, his eyes briefly flitting over the door of the infirmary, the lights shining from the crack under the door.

He looked back down at Pansy and offered her his arm.

"Shall we?" he asked.

***************************

Draco pushed open the door of the Great Hall and held it while Pansy slipped inside. The Hall looked gorgeous, filled with soft light from the floating candles. The ceiling showed a grand display of the night sky; millions of stars winked down at them from their shrine around the moon. At the end of the Hall stood the Professor's table. It had been draped with a crisp white tablecloth and laid with a selection of cold foods.

Pansy beamed up at Draco and practically skipped through the Hall and up to the table. She gracefully positioned herself in what was usually the Headmaster's chair, and began piling her plate.

Draco laughed at her obvious enthusiasm and sat himself down at her side. "Champagne, Madame?" he asked, reaching for the bottle.

Pansy nodded.

"I'm surprised you asked me, Draco," she said, inbetween bites of chicken. "I've heard the rumours."

"What rumours?"

"About Potter. People are saying that you are dating him. I didn't believe them for one second, of course."

Draco swallowed thickly. "Of course."

"When you asked me out on this date, I knew you and Harry had to be a lie," she finished happily.

To avoid having to answer, Draco gulped down his glass of champagne.

"Planning on getting drunk?" Pansy teased.

Draco shrugged in reply.

"We may as well," Pansy continued. "I have no idea when I will get the chance again."

Her face darkened for a second, but as quickly as it had descended, it vanished, leaving Draco wondering if he had imagined it in the first place.

"So, what are you doing after school?" Pansy said, offering Draco a sidelong glance. "You've never really talked about it."

"I guess that's because I'm not really sure. I don't actually have to work; I'm rich enough just to wander around the Manor all day long."

"It's not really you though, is it?" Pansy replied, wrinkling her nose at the bubbles from her champagne.

Draco shook his head. "No, not really. I want to do something, but I want to make sure it's something I really enjoy. I don't want to spend my life pushing paper around on a desk."

"I don't blame you. I really wouldn't want to do that either," Pansy confided.

************************

As the evening wore on, Draco found himself relaxing in Pansy's company, and to his surprise he found he rather enjoyed it. The pair had quickly abandoned their formal meal at the head table in favour of a blanket on the floor, and that is where they currently sat, becoming increasingly tipsy.

"Do you have your wand with you?" Pansy asked, giggling as Draco popped the cork on another bottle of champagne.

"I always have it with me," he replied, sticking his hand inside his jacket and pulling it out. "Why?"

"I just fancy some music, that's all," Pansy replied quietly.

Draco stared at her for a moment, and then with a swish of his wand, the opening notes of a piece of classical music filled the air. Draco returned his wand to his pocket and stood up, brushing down the knees of his trousers. Giving a dramatic bow, he reached down and pulled a shocked looking Pansy to her feet.

"Dance with me," he said.

Taking one of her hands in his, and wrapping the other around her waist, Draco began to lead Pansy in a waltz around the room. Pansy sighed and let her head drop onto Draco's shoulder.

"This is nice," she whispered against him. "I wish it could have happened sooner."

The hitch in her voice cut through Draco like a knife, and he stopped dancing. He reached down and tilted Pansy's face up towards his.

"Shhhh!" he whispered. "Lets not talk about that."

Draco lowered his head and brushed his lips against Pansy's in a feather-light kiss. She sighed into his open mouth.

****************************

A while later, Draco found himself back in the corridor he first met Pansy in; this time bidding her goodnight.

"I had a wonderful time, Draco," she said sincerely. "I'm not sure you realise how much this means to me."

"I think I do, Pans."

Pansy tilted her head to one side and searched Draco's face. "Yes," she said. "Perhaps you do."

She stood up on her tiptoes and gently kissed his cheek.

"Goodnight, Draco," she whispered, before slipping away.

******************************

Draco slammed the door to his room and threw himself face down on his bed, burying his head in his pillow.

"Shit!" he ground out. "Shit, shit, shit!"

"Draco?"

Draco stilled at the sound of his name. "I didn't realise you were still here," came the muffled reply.

"I told you I would be."

"I know, but I didn't expect it."

Draco felt the mattress dip as Harry sat down next to him, and sudden warmth as a hand was placed on the small of his back.

"So, how was it?" Harry asked tentatively.

Draco sat up in a rush, and before Harry could stop him, he slammed his fist into the wall.

"It was awful! She was all sweetness and light, but I knew! She didn't know that I knew, Harry, but I think she had her suspicions. The Hall looked lovely and the food was wonderful. You would have loved it all. Then she had to go and ask for bloody music. I asked her to dance, and the next thing I knew, I was fucking kissing her!"

Harry, remaining silent throughout Draco's tirade, started rubbing his back in soothing little circles.

"Did you not hear me?!" Draco screamed, shrugging Harry's hand off and rounding on him. "I fucking kissed Pansy!"

"I heard you," Harry replied, his voice even. "I'm not angry."

"Why the hell not?! You should be angry! I would be angry. Hell, I am angry, and I'm the one who bloody kissed her!"

"Draco?"

"I can't believe I did that! The flowers...fine. The meal...fine. Even the dancing...fine..."

"Draco?"

"But NOT the kissing!"

"Draco!" Harry shouted. "You did the right thing!"

Draco was shocked into silence, and he looked up at Harry, his eyes wide.

Harry smiled slightly. "You did the right thing."

Draco crumpled. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed openly. Tears leaked out through his fingers and dripped onto the bed.

"She's dying," he whimpered, his voice breaking. "Pansy's god damn dying and there is nothing I can do about it! It's just not fair!"

Harry looked on helplessly, and did the only thing he could possibly do: he reached out for Draco and pulled him against his chest.

"I know, Draco," he murmured, as he rubbed his hair and began rocking him gently back and forth. "I know."