And Then He Was Gone

Smile? Yea, Right

"Nobody can make you smile...but it's really entertaining to watch them try."

~Ashley LeeAnn Fredrick

"When the sun goes down you can't force it to come back up until it's ready."

~Ashley LeeAnn Fredrick

A depressed Pansy walked into her office Wednesday and sat heavily into her chair. Sighing, she flipped open one of the several new folders on her desk. Inside was a single black rose smashed between the two sides of the folders. Rolling her eyes she glanced up at the other desk she hadn't noticed when she had come in.

"Is this how you get all those women?" she asked.

"Wondering when you were going to notice," Draco relied lazily from his desk.

"You know, the whole black rose thing is so Hogwarts," she replied tossing it into the trash bin beside her desk. "If you're going to be here, Malfoy, you can't distract me. I worked hard to get where I am, it wasn't just handed to me on a silver platter."

"You know that I've proved I can be here," he said finishing up one of his files.

"I didn't know running away and hiding was a trait we trained employees in now-a-days," she said opening up her next folder.

"Pansy, I need that Flint file on my desk by lunch," Harry Potter said bursting in through the door.

"No problem, Potter. If you would've looked I put it on there yesterday."

"Ouch; Malfoy, do you need a heater in here because the ice queen is more bitchy than usual. I bet it's you're doing."

"I've hardly said anything," he sighed tossing Harry the folder he just finished. "There's that muggle case."

"Thanks, I'll have Remus take a look at it."

"Harry," Pansy said looking at her calendar. "Harry, what are you doing here? You always take today off."

"We've fallen too far behind, the Ministry wants these reports. Besides, it's been years, Pansy. I hope you two will be able to work together," he said changing subject abruptly and shooting a look at Malfoy. "Oh, and Malfoy," he said causing the blonde boy to look up. "I found you a flat. I have movers working on it right now. I'll show you were it is when I'm done for the day." Harry backed out the door and closed it behind him with a sharp snap.

"You're moving?" Pansy asked raising one eyebrow at the man.

"Well, I figured it'd be nice to be closer to my office. Potter offered to look into it for me; seems he found one."

"First, it's not your office, Malfoy. I've been here a hell of a lot longer than you. In fact, I think it's damn foolish to have given you such a high position already."

"Well, that's why you're not the boss, Pansy," he said continuing his work.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"It means, Pansy, love, you've always had to rely on someone. It'd be idiotic to put you in charge of something."

"Oh!" she said infuriated.

"Oh stop," he said looking up at her. "It's the truth and you know it." A few minutes later he broke the tense silence. "So, what's wrong with Potter?"

"It's been nine years since Sirius died," she said looking again at the calendar. "He's never come to work on this day. I guess some things you have to get over though, huh?" she asked shuffling the papers around on her desk.

"Pansy," Draco said leaning his feet up on his desk. "I'm sorry that my leaving caused you to think you weren't good enough for me. I left because I felt there was nothing left for me."

"The day Blaise died a part of you died too," she said still staring at the papers on her desk. "I understand he was your friend, but wasn't I too?"

"Of course you were, Pansy," he scoffed.

"Was I? Or was I just this poor little pathetic girl you felt you had to watch out for? I don't know what you thought of me all those years ago, or what you think of me now," she said standing. "But when you began to change, to grow, Draco Malfoy, I changed too. I just wanted to let you know that I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for you. Perhaps I was pathetic; a stupid girl who fell into your charm. But not anymore. Don't think you can charm your way back into my life. It's been five years, Draco, and I've moved on. I know how precious life is, and I will not spend it moping because you didn't want me." Pansy grabbed her cloak and went to the door. "Tell Padfoot I'm taking an early lunch."

The slam of the door kept vibrating around in his ears long after she had gone. Draco Malfoy had never been rejected before, and he had to admit, it wasn't a pleasant feeling. But there's a difference between Pansy and all those other girls, he thought. I was screwing around with all those other girls the whole time Pansy was all I had, but I didn't realize she was also all I wanted. Draco wished he could erase the past. Every time he had kissed Pansy he had been involved with another girl. How he wished that Pansy was the only girl he had been involved with.

"Should I become accustomed to door's slamming?" Remus Lupin said popping his head into the room.

"Short fire tempers, it's a side affect of working in this office," Malfoy replied.

"Well, try to smile, Mr. Malfoy," Remus said knowing that would get him on the boy's nerves.

"Yea, right," Malfoy scoffed. "I feel like I just got pissed on the face by a dog."

Remus flinched slightly but regained himself. "I just wanted to tell you good job on that report."

"Shouldn't you be taking the day off?" Malfoy asked looking at the sickly looking man after noticing him flinch.

"Burying myself in work helps," he said and then closed the door behind him.

"That's what I said," Draco muttered turning his attention back to the papers in front of him.