'Cause mirror you've always told me who I am

[Tabitha Selwyn]

[[Closed to Cupcake]]

A pair of petite hands could be seen wrapping around the edge of the door, the horribly old hinges squeeking in a way that proved they hadn't been oiled in Merlin knew how long. Next came a head, popping in the room to reveal a head of dark curls falling down just past her shoulders, and a pair of emerald eyes that almost glowed in the darkness that could only belong to one person; Pansy Parkinson. It was late, she knew, but she just couldn't help it. It seemed she had been getting less and less sleep at night now a days, and more and more sleep during the day. She just couldn't seem to get to sleep anymore, or even when she managed, she never stayed that way. Staying in the common room got boring night after night.

So, she had recently started taking up exploring, which in Hogwarts probably wasn't the best idea. She hadn't realized there were so many rooms, so many things, that normally you just didn't see. She had continuously visited the Room of Requirements, and for the most part each time was different. She had yet to check this place out, and as her eyes gazed in to the nearly empty room, she felt a little bit of disappointment tug at her. She had gotten so used to finding random, awesome things, that seeing only a large mirror didn't please her much. That was until, of course, her gaze locked into her reflection staring back at her.

It was her, but at the same time...it really wasn't. She was quite a bit older, early twenties, mid twenties at most, her hair falling to the middle of her back instead of just past her shoulders like it was now. Her eyes were the same, dark emerald green, the silver specks floating around in a joyous manner. Her clothes, instead of the green tank top and black shorts she wore to bed, were a long, ivory wedding dress. The bodace was a snug fit, covered in a design of diamond gems. Her stomach seemed flat from the way the fabric fell, overlapping each other in a way to make it seem like a V shape. The skirt was full, coming down all the way to the floor, a long train hidden but, then again, shown enough to be sure it was there. In her clasped hands she held a beautiful boquet (sp?) of white Calla Lillies, the green of the stems adding quite a nice touch to the white surrounding them. There, on her ring finger, was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. It was a silver wedding ring, which was different from the usual gold, the diamond surrounded by many emeralds, matching the color of her eyes.

But, she wasn't the only one there. Standing next to her, his arm around her in a loving way, was a older but still unquestionably Draco Malfoy. His blond hair was a little shaggier then it was now, but still neatly kept in a way that made him look unbelievably handsome. He wore a black tux, his vest inside a soft green color, most likely to match the bridesmaid dresses that weren't shown. On the other side of Pansy was a boy around six in a little tux, his hair a dark color brown, but his eyes a soft blueish silver that matched Draco's perfectly, and on the other side of Draco was a girl around three in a small white dress, her soft, blond curls coming down to her shoulders, her eyes a striking green that could rival Pansy's.

The whole time she had been taking in every detail of the mirror, she had been walking more into the room, closer to the mirror itself. Tears sprung to her eyes, and her hand flew up to cover her mouth as she gasped. It wasn't the children that shocked her, nor was it the wedding attire they all wore, it was how undeniably happy they looked. The little girl giggled gently, while the boy just looked at his sister with a brotherly affection. The older Pansy looked down at her children, the most brilliant smile on her face, while Draco looked at his bride. The look was soft, loving even, not the cool leveled gaze that always seemed to come from those silver orbs. The young Pansy's hand reached out to touch Draco's face, only to touch the cool glass of the mirror. But, at the same time, the older Pansy's hand reached out, doing what the younger one could not by stroking his face in a gentle way. What was this place?

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco couldn't sleep. His dreams lately were met either by horrible flashbacks from last spring or of horrible things that had occured at Malfoy manor this summer as the Death Eaters had moved in to occupy it. As much as it should have been an honor for the malfoy family to welcome the Dark Lord into their home, Draco couldn't help but see it as a burden. Though of course he would never admit it, not even to himself. Tossing and turning in his bed Draco tried to sleep, tried to defy his body and mind. However, after a few hours of this his eyes shot open violently with a frustrated and sleepy look in them. Recognizing defeat, Draco decided to get out of the stuffy dungeon room and take up residence in the common room. Sure the couches weren't as comfotable as his cozy bed, but it was something.

So, Draco wandered down to the common room only to find a group of fifth years girls sitting by the fire and giggling enthusiastically. Draco was aquainted with all of them and new a few of them a bit more intimately as it were. Now, Draco was faced with a decision. He could sit down comfortably then be forced to listen to the girls talk about how her house on the English Channel or how he should come visit her over Christmas holiday and how much he would love this or that and blah blah blah. Sure, he found them pretty, but he only put up with this kind of torture from a few people (like Pansy) and even then he sometimes wouldn't stand for it. His second option was to venture farther, out into the empty corridors of the castle. Seeing as there was no real threat of being caught or recieving detention (Ha! As if.) since Snape was Headmaster, Draco settled for this second option. Maybe a stroll around the castle would exhaust him to the point of sleep. He crossed the common room and threw the girls a cranky look that warned them that he was currently not in the mood, before any of them could waste a greeting on the insomniac.

Walking around the corridors at night like this reminded him of when he had been a prefect in the previous years. In all truthfulness, he wasn't that dissapointed to be rid of the extra duties. The only thing that peeved him was the disappointment to his father and family name that might have occured by him losing the title. Oh well he thought with a sigh. His family had more pressing matters to concern itself with than Draco's grades or status at school. Draco wandered around the halls not meeting anyone or anything, which was good, but also didn't help to amuse the blonde. After all, being left alone with his thoughts while he was awake was hardly any better than seeing them in his dreams. He was however, getting more tired. As he was walking down the stairs from the fifth floor to the fourth he yawned. With this indication he decided to continue on back towards the dungeons with high hopes of sleep. However, he paused at moonlight shining through an open door on the fourth floor. At this moment he was torn by two different equally strong urges. The first was his exhaustion and the calling of his bed. The second being his malicious nature, desire to reprimand his inferiors, and not wanting to let someone get away with mischief under his nose despite how tired he was.

Eventually, the latter of the two urges won out and he headed in the direction of the door. He figured he could quickly hex the person and then continue down to his dorm. When he reached the door, he pushed it open further to allow entrance into the room and it let out a loud creak. As he was opening the door the thought struck him that he wasn't sure what was in this particular room. Was it possible that in all his years at Hogwarts, there was a room that was still foreign to him? Well, he was about to find out. What met his eyes on the other side of the door was... well, nothing really. The room was practically empty. His blurry vision squinted at the that moonlight spilled through a window into a pool on the floor.

Scanning the rest of the room, which stood shrouded in darkness, he caught sight of another person. His first impulse was to reach for his wand, which he did. However, his hand moved there slowly, not rapidly in a need for defense. It was Pansy. He sighed again. He considered just leaving the room and Pansy to continue whatever it was she was doing in the nearly empty room. However, he supposed he could use some company he told himself and maybe he just wanted to be with her when they weren't around the rest of his friends his subconcious hinted (which he promptly ignored). So he took a few steps further into the room then stopped. He didn't want to invade if he wasn't wanted so he stayed a few feetg from the door for a quick exit if it were needed. It wasn't until now that Draco noticed the other thing in the room, that Pansy was occupied with. A mirror... go figure he thought with a smirk. However, the mirror was quite exquisite now that he looked at it, even from a distance. I mean, it was huge first of all. And it also seemed to have a sort of subtle glow about it that was mesmerizing... His focus had shifted from the girl to this magnificent object, Draco was certain he would have remembered if he had been in this room before...

[Tabitha Selwyn]

This..mirror..had to have been bewitched, that much was more then obvious. But Pansy couldn't tell what it was showing. Was it showing he what she wanted to see, or was it predicting the future? Neither one seemed all that appealing. She couldn't let her hopes get high enough to think that it was showing the future, that was one way to set herself up for a heartbreak. But at the same time, she couldn't see it as that was what she wanted. Surely she was just what everyone assumed of her, a gold digger. All she wanted was the money and the power that practically rolled off the blond boy, or maybe it was just that he was good in bed, or some reason equally as emotionally unattached then actually caring for him. Of course, she could keep telling herself all this, but it didn't make it any less farther from the truth.

It was all so easy in the beginning, when they were kids. They didn't hate each other, of course, but they didn't like each other either. When they were forced into play dates by their parents, they ended up, usually, in a down right fist fight. Of course, Pansy always bettered Draco. He never was that much of a physical person, she figured that was what he kept Crabbe and Goyle around for. If it came down to it, she was sure he could hold his own in a magical duel, but if wands were thrown to the side...well, she didn't even want to think about it. It was fine still when they got older, and they stopped fighting as much. Around the age of ten, before the whole Hogwarts business, is when it started to turn into more then just friends. Of course, it wasn't too hard core back then, how many ten year olds actually like the opposite sex? At any rate, seemed Draco matured faster, and ended up kissing Pansy. She promptly knocked him one, and that was the end of that.

Of course, it only seemed the end of that. She couldn't stop thinking about him after that, and it drove her bloody crazy. What made it worse was they finally got to the school, and all she heard her friends talk about was how amazing Draco was, how bloody good looking Draco was. It wasn't that she was jealous, or at least, jealous of him. She just hated how he gave all the attention she saw rightfully hers to other girls. It only got worse as they got older, and holding hands wasn't enough for anyone anymore. Fourth year came around, and he asked her to the ball. She pretended non chalant about it at the time, but in all honesty, she was ecstatic. She took no time at all to start shoving it in her dorm mates faces that he had picked her. Though, not even a week after that, she found him in an abandoned classroom snogging some girl senseless. After that, she stopped kidding herself. He wasn't just hers.

Not for her lack of trying, mind you. She had tried more times then she cared to count to get Draco to commit. He just wouldn't have it. She could understand that he liked having his fun, she liked having a little of her own from time to time, but they were getting older. They were in their last year of school, getting closer to being in the 'real world' if you will. Pansy wasn't ready to be an adult, to be out on her own. Since most pureblooded children were engaged by now, she was half wondering if it was going to happen at all. Everyone just automatically assumed her and Draco were getting married. In fact, Narcissa herself approved greatly of her, and she took pride in that. But, she knew, when it came down to it, Draco could refuse anyone he didn't seem fit. Lately she didn't seem fit for anything at all, not even a good snog, as he had barely spoken two words to her in the past two weeks.

This thought brought fresh tears to her eyes, and she stifled a quiet sob. Pansy didn't fall apart very often, it wasn't good for the girl's reputation or image. But, every so often, it was just needed. It seemed tonight was going to be one of those nights, one she hadn't had in a good few months. At least, until she heard the door behind her creak open. Startled, she gasped and whirled around. Her emerald eyes were wide and glassy, and there were a few streaks on her pale face were the tears had overflowed her eyelids. Once she caught site of a head of blond hair, and a pair of grey eyes, she turned back to face the mirror. With her hand she quickly wiped away any signs of tears, her mind racing. Draco hated to see her cry, and she would like to say because he felt bad, but she knew better. He just didn't like any sign of weakness, is all, and crying was the top of the list. Wiping her wet hands on her dark jeans, she sniffled and cleared her throat at the same time, as if trying to cover up the first sound. "Hello, Draco." She said, her voice thick. She crossed her arms over her chest, the white material of her tank top bunching up. Slowly, she was getting her composure back. Thank goodness for innate calm demeanor.

[Draco Malfoy]

Draco was so enraptured by the mirror's power, that he didn't notice Pansy wiping her eyes or tryingg to regain her composure. However, hearing his own name in Pansy's uncharacteristically shaky voice shook him out of his reverie and broke the spell that the mirror seemed to have briefly held over him. He pulled his eyes from the mesmerizing mirror and instead focused on the other thing of beauty in the room, the girl in front of him. She looked tense as she crossed her arms, in what seemed to Draco like anger. Great he thought. Even though Draco was sure he could stand his own against anyone, even he didn't want to be faced with a pissed off Pansy. He just didn't think he could deal with that right now. However, he couldn't just leave her there, for some reason he felt even more drawn in. Whether it was some trick of the mirror or the girl, he didn't know. "Pansy" he said softly in reply to her greeting. He sighed. Why did things have to seem so complicated with Pansy? I mean he spent night and day in confused thought over this among other thinggs like the war of course. Still, if he could just figure out their 'relationship' as she called it, that would be a huge load off of his back.

So what was so complicated about it? Draco couldn't exactly put his finger on it. She had asked him a million times why they couldn't just go out. Why he couldn't be happy with only her. Draco's relations with Pansy was so different from with other girls. He didn't know why. It seemed to be some deep seeded thing that was there since childhood. Though he was of course attracted to all the other girls, but whereas they tended to be all over him and made it easy to get what he wanted. However, when he found pursuing them to be too easy to be any fun, he knew that there was something else tp be had when he was with Pansy. He didn't know what it was but it was comforting and that was a strange feeling for him. There were also times when Draco found Pansy to be interesting and exciting company, though this was usually when they were alone. Truth was, the other girls were good for some amusement, but that was about it. So, why wasn't Pansy enough for him. Well, he didn't have a good answer. It always seemed more complicated than just a simple answer could explain. But right now, in the middle of the night, in this empty room together and in the presence of this strange, hypnotizing magigcal mirror, things seemed... simpler? How could that be? Before Draco could get his mind started once again on this neverending question he stopped himself. He didn't want to think about it and right now it didn't matter. He didn't care. For the first time in weeks, months maybe, he was able to forget about it and just focus on what was in front of him. Both of which, both Pansy and the mirror, fascinated him and yet, he didn't understand them.

Seeing as she hadn't yet snapped at him or told him to leave, Draco decided to risk taking steps further into the room. "So..." he paused, "what are you doing here?" he asked with an almost friendly tone in his voice. He kept walking toward her, tenatively, until he was standing almost right behind her. He was looking at her now and not at the mirror. Though he couldn't see her face, his eyes grazed her figure up to her flowing brown hair. It wasn't until now, that he took another glance at the mirror. He could see fully into it now and what he saw confused him immensely at first. He didn't see Pansy, he didn't see the empty room at all. Instead he saw himself standing in front of his home, in front of Malfoy Manor. However, it wasn't as it looked today, gloomy and dark and robbed of its beauty by the destruction of the uncivilized Death Eaters. No, it was pristine. Grand and elegant and perfect as he remembered it from his childhood before the second war had begun. Behind him were his mother and father, holding each other and looking lovingly at each other and at himself. They looked proud and happy and like people to be envied. Draco had always dreamed of a future that gave him what his parents had. He had never worked out the specifics, but he hoped to be like his father, important and respected with a perfect, loving wife and superb child, living in Malfoy Manor and enjoying the high society life of a pureblood family. On his hand he saw a thick silver ring around his wedding finder, but there was no woman in sight. What did that mean?

However, despite the picture of a happy family standing before him, the most significant change was one that most people would have overlooked. Though his sleeves as he stood there were still touching his wrists, in the mirror they were rolled up and showing clear pale forearms. No Dark Mark. On Draco or his father. This sight almost brought a smile to his face, the thought of his family free from the troubles and strife they had been dragged into over the past half decade. However, it also scared him. What was this that he saw and even more importantly, could the Dark Lord see it too? He couldn't be sure and that was a terrifying thought. The subtle smile that had been on his lips had melted now. His face was blank and his eyes were vulnerable. He leaned down so that his lips were right next to her ear. "What is this thing?" he asked in a whisper with confusion and wonder in his voice.

[Tabitha Selwyn]

"What are you doing here?"

It was such a simple question, sure, and at any other time, or rather any other place, Pansy could have easily answered him. Something along the lines of 'I couldn't sleep' or 'I felt like walking' would have sufficed for the both of them. As it were, right now, she didn't know why she was still standing there. In fact, she had just asked the same question herself, in her mind of course. If she had any sense, any sense at all, the minute she saw what the mirror held in store for her she should have promptly turned on her heel and left it all behind her. But, then again, no one ever blamed her for having too much sense. With a sigh, she turned her bright eyes from the bewitched mirror to the floor. She couldn't handle looking at it any longer, especially when the younger version of what it held was right behind her. Pursing her lips, she did her best to answer him. "I couldn't sleep." It sounded flat even as she said it, and she wondered where her natural ability to make everything sound like the truth had went. It would have made this encounter so much easier, and she wasn't in the mood for a bad run in with Draco.

He went quiet, and she fought the urge to turn and look at him. Her eyes were still glassy wet with tears, and though she had stopped the sobs from returning, he still would have easily guess that she had been crying if he saw her face. She sat there, trying to guess without actually knowing what he was up to, when a terrifying thought hit her. Maybe he was looking at the mirror. In front of any normal mirror she wouldn't of cared, wouldn't of even been surprised, but this one...she wasn't sure if she liked it. Could he see what she saw? The thought was scary, and down right embarrassing. He always hated the way she clung to him, as if her life depending on being with him. She could only imagine how well he'd take knowing she was already planning what their children would look like, even if it was subconsciously. The more she thought about it, the less she liked thinking about his reaction. This all could end very badly if she wasn't careful.

He had come up to stand completely behind her now, his face so close to the side of hers. She bit her lip to stop from crying out, startled he had gotten so close without her noticing. When he spoke, he confirmed her fears, but then again, it didn't seem Ike he knew what she was seeing because he didn't sound upset, merely confused. How was she to answer him? Sh didn't know, she had just found it herself, and was wondering the same thing not too long ago. She bit her lip once more, taking in the loving scene in front of her all over again. Like before, warm tears swarmed into her emerald eyes, and she had to blink rapidly to keep them from coming. What was the matter with her? This wasn't like her at all. She was a girl, sure, but she was Pansy Parkinson. She didn't have breakdowns, and she did not cry in front of Draco. "I don't know.." She said quietly, this time sounding like she was telling the truth, because it was the truth.

Her body subconsciously angled toward his like it always did when he was so close, and her head had tilted to touch the side of his gently. When she got to the point where she couldn't handle the scene in the mirror, she turned from it. Her hands touched the fabric of his shirt that covered his stomach, the fingers clenching it up slightly. She stepped toward him then, the front of her body being pressed against the front of his, her face leaning against the side of his slender neck. Normally this position would have been sexual, a way of showing him she was ready for a go, but not tonight. Tonight, the way she leaned against him, the way her body needed his for support, showed nothing but vulnerability. She needed him tonight, but it wasn't in a physical way.

How could she tell him this without sounding like one of those clingy girls? Not that she wasn't one anyways, but lately she had done good in giving him his space. She breathed deeply, not really meaning to, but taking in his scent anyways. He always smelled so good, and so different from anyone else. It was an outdoorsy smell, sandalwood maybe? Which made no sense because Draco was anything but an outdoorsy type person. Maybe it was his cologne, or the laundry soap he used. She didn't know, and to be honesty, she didn't really care. She loved the way he smelled, and right now, it calmed her the way her will could not. Breathing deeply once more, she spoke, but did not pull away. Her words were slightly muffled against his skin, but her tone was just as vulnerable sounding as her body language seemed. "What do you see, Draco?"

[Draco Malfoy]

The mirror was truly hypnotizing and Draco continued to stare intensely into it's depths until the sound of pansy's voice brought him back to reality once again. He hadn't realized that he had literally been holding his breath the whole time he was gazing at it until he let out a sigh. He turned to look at Pansy, or what he could see of her... her head was hung towards the floor and she seemed to be hiding her face. "I couldn't sleep." Her words seemed to come from some far away place instead of from the person standing right in front of him. Draco could tell something was definitely wrong, though he couldn't imagine what it was and he wasn't exactly sure that he wanted to know. After all, he had enough problems of his own to deal with. Still, he could relate to what she said. "Yeah, I know the feeling" he said in almost a joking manner, a friendly tone that was rarely heard by anyone. He didn’t tell anyone, and I mean anyone at all, that he hadn’t been sleeping at night. It was a personal thing. He almost didn't hear her answer to his second question, it was said so quietly. So, she didn't know either. Well, whatever it was or did or showed, Draco quickly decided that he didn't like it. It confused him and at the same time made him sad, two emotions that Draco Malfoy never admitted to feeling.

He was about to say something, when she turned around towards him. She quickly closed any gap between the two of them and leaned her body against his. She clutched onto his shirt and rested her head in the crook of his neck. Truthfully, it felt good to have her there, so close to him. Draco seemed to act subconsciously, something he rarely did, always calculating every move and show of emotion. His strong arms seemed to act of their own accord, wrapping around her back and holding her near in an almost… comforting way. It was a strange feeling to be honest, Draco didn’t think that he had ever really been the one to… well people didn’t… I mean, he wasn’t the first one anyone thought of when they needed someone to comfort them. It was slightly disconcerting, but he didn’t let it bother him too much. There wasn’t anything wrong with it and he kinda liked how he felt at the moment, whatever that meant. Anyways, being this close to Pansy also reminded Draco how attracted to her he was and how long it had been since they had been together. Sure, he had recently told her that he couldn’t, no… wouldn’t be with anyone, including her. He had known that he was being harsh at the time that he had said it. And, sure, it had worked… she seemed to have gotten the idea and wasn’t hanging around so possessively. But now, standing here with her seeming so torn down, he kinda regretted his words… regretted the icy tone that he always seemed to use.

He sighed. Feeling the shape of her slender shape and curves against his body, her delicate fingers a his chest, and the ends of her smooth hair brushing against his fingers made him want her… really badly, but he figured that this wasn’t exactly the right time. Oh well. He could be alright with this too, whatever this was. Draco could feel every intake of breath that she took, and from this he guessed that she was calming down a bit from whatever had upset her. Good thing… Draco certainly didn’t know how to deal with crying. With his height he towered over a bit and so he looked down at her, in his arms, and was only met with a view of the top of her head. Since there was little risk of it being seen by anyone, Draco let a little smile grace his lips, a slight smile… but a genuine one nonetheless. However, the smile didn’t last. With her last question, it gradually faded back into neutral sneer territory. What did he see? The future? He wasn’t exactly sure what it was, so how could he explain it to someone else. “I- I don’t know” he said hesitantly. “It’s…” he paused, thinking carefully. “It doesn’t matter” he finished dejectedly. “It’s impossible” he finished, resting his head lightly against her own.

[Tabitha Selwyn]

She felt like such a girl, standing there, clutching onto him like he was her lifeline. Not that she wasn't anything but female, of course, but the whole idea that she had resorted into one of those sniveling females didn't do anything for her nerves. It was true she had always been so clingy, but only when it came to Draco. She couldn't honestly pinpoint what it was about him that made her love him, and it was true that she loved him fully, but it wasn't what everyone expected from her. Sure, the fact that the young Slytherin had money and power appealed to her, who wouldn't be attracted to that? But it was more then that. Much more. There was something underneath all that that made her attracted to him, the way he was when he was alone with her, or even the way he was when he thought no one else was looking. Now, don't get her wrong, she wouldn't necessarily call him a 'scared little boy' to his face, though that was exactly what she saw sometimes. But, he knew that she saw him differently then anyone else. At least, she thought he did.

His arms seemed to automatically close around her, and her whole body posture relaxed a little bit into his touch. It wasn't very often you saw Draco Malfoy comforting someone, especially if that someone was the ice queen herself. Once more she gave a deep breath, the smell of sandalwood overloading her senses. It wasn't that this had never happened before, him just holding her, but it wasn't really a tradition between the two. You have to understand that, though she loved him, she could only put up with all the crap he through at her if there were times like these. Times where he just held her, wanted nothing more then that, when, if for even an hour or so, he was just hers. It, once more, reminded her long it had been since they had been alone together. It used to be an almost-nightly occurrence, if you could believe it. Though it was true Draco could have almost any female he wanted, especially in the Slytheirn house, it seemed she was really the only one he came back to repeatedly. She didn't know if it was because she was her first, or so he says, or it was because he generally liked her better. She didn't care, to be quite frank, it made her feel good.

But as of late, he hadn't been coming to her at all, let alone coming back for more. She had told him straight to his face that she couldn't handle things the way they were, and that was completely the truth. She was sick of him acting like she was the only girl in the world while he was with her, and then the next day finding out he had gotten with someone else not too long after he had left her. He had told her that he couldn't settle down just yet, that he wasn't ready. Know what she had to say to that? Bullshit. It wasn't that he couldn't, it was just because he plan didn't want to. The way he had said it to her had struck a deep chord, though you would think by now she'd be used the icy way he talked. But, generally, he didn't talk to her like that. She figured, fine, she'd give him his bloody space, and not too long after he'd miss her enough to come back. But each day that passed with no word from him dug a little deeper into her, shredding away her patience and self confidence. She told people that he loved her the way she loved him, but really, was she not only trying to convince them, but herself too? Was it really just her that felt this way?

"I- I don't know. It's....It doesn't matter. It's impossible."

Though he had meant nothing by them, the words were the last twist of the knife for her. She had been kidding herself, hoping for the thing in the mirror to come true. There were to be no little blond girl with curls and green eyes, nor would there be any little brown haired boys with Draco's eyes. At least, not for her. With a soft sigh, she pulled herself from his comforting hug, sticking her small hands into her jean pocket.s "Yeah..that's what I thought, too." The voice that radiated from her was quiet, and sounded as if she finally resigned to something she knew had been true all along, but just didn't want to admit it. Without looking him fully in the face, she bit her lip and turned, heading to wards the open window. It was dark outside, though the grounds were lit up beautifully with the light of the full moon. It spilled through the window, raining down on her features, making her glow. Leaning forward, she pressed her hands flat onto the cool cement, her green eyes flickering across the vast grounds. "Too bad, hm?"

[Draco Malfoy]

This certainly was turning into a strange night for Draco; not at all what he would have expected from a harmless midnight walk through the castle. And not just strange because of the discovery of that bloody awful mirror, a thing that he wouldn’t mind never seeing again after his evening or so he thought. No, it was also strangely… enlightening? Ask anyone at Hogwarts and they would tell you that Draco never talked about anything very personal, let alone his feelings or problems. No, those were private things. Things that made him vulnerable. Things that were best kept between family. Hell, he could barely admit his own feelings to himself let alone to anyone else. So why then, did he find such emotions emerging clearly at the front of his mind now? What was it about this evening, this room, this… person… that had put a crack in his guard? Maybe he shouldn't be giving all that much credit for finally breaking him down. After all, it was probably a long time coming. What with all the stress and pressure he had been under as one of the dark lord's servants, worrying about his father life and his mother's welfare. Not to mention things like school and relationships, which seemed increasingly insignificant next to the other things weighing on his shoulders. Maybe he was losing it. Maybe being faced with his deepest desires only to know they were not possible was just the last straw... he had to let it all out.

No he thought. As many problems as he had, it would still take a lot more than that to get Draco to go crying on anyone's shoulders. But still, that didn't mean he couldn't give in a little. I mean, take tonight for example. Just thinking about it and accepting it, in the presence on someone whom he knew cared for him, had already made him feel loads better. More comfortable, more relaxed, more calm than he had since returning to Hogwarts this year. Maybe that was it. The true realization. Pansy. She cared for him. He was pretty sure that she did. Maybe even loved him. Money and power and reputation had made many girls care for him, but could he honestly say that he believed that any of them really loved him like they claimed to? Maybe one. The questions and puzzles that had tumbled around in his brain as he sat up awake late into the night had seemed so confusing then. But now, he hardly had to think about it cause the answer was right in front of him. How could he have been so in control of everything else in his life and yet messed this up so badly? Throughout his entire six years at hogwarts, pansy had always been there, to the point of being obnoxious some of the time. But still, he had always been drawn to her. Knew he could trust her. Wanted her to be his. So why had he always pushed her away then? Simple. Draco was incredibly stubborn. He had always gotten everything he wanted, always had his way.

It was no different with Pansy. He wanted her and she wanted him. But he also wanted everyone else he could get his hands on. He had manipulated and used her for the past six years, and been fully aware of what he was doing the whole time. Even just a few weeks ago he had refused her yet again. Toying with the deal. Knowing full well that no matter what, she was still his... but that he would never give in to being hers. I didn't belong to anyone he had always thought vehemenently. But that just wasn't true anymore. He belonged to the dark lord now. And whatever part of himself was still left was slowly being crushed under the weight of the war. Why fight it any longer? He had been toiling over a problem that could be easily solved. Just to continue being a stubborn arse? He had only been adding to his problems by refusing to get engaged, by ignoring his mother and thinking the he was indecisive about what he wanted. When you got to the bottom of it, there was never any indecision in his mind. He knew that it was Pansy, just as everyone else seemed to know it too. I mean, his options had been before him for the past six years. He had had plenty of time to test drive future wives so to speak. And he had always been drawn to Pansy. Sure, part of that may be due to her persistence and determination to be the winner of his affections. Butt even that was kind of endearing to him. After all, these were traits they shared in common. Yes, Draco had been stubbornly denying himself something that he now realized he needed desperately. He needed someone. Someone to help him through this, even if that meant just being there with him... like right now.

So it was slowly, in this mysterious room, that Draco came to these long conclusions. He didn't have the strength to fight it anymore... and he didn't want to. But now that he had made that decision, what was he to do? He had her here... now.... He should say something. Something not typical Draco. Something romantic? Or maybe just 'sorry.' That would definately be a first for him. His lips didn't even have the chance to begin to move though before she subtly pushed him away and blocked him out. "Yeah..that's what I thought, too." And now if the hands in the pockets hadn't clued him in, the sound of her voice and the biting of her lips were a dead giveaway. She only bit her lip either when she was about to try and seduce him or when he had done something wrong. The fact the she wouldn't even look at him now pointed toward the latter of the two. He looked at her back as she walked to the window. "Too bad, hm?" This sudden change of mood and atmosphere in the room, not to mention the hostile vibes that now radiated from her through him off track. To put it bluntly... he was flat out confused. If he had been at a loss for what to say before, he was certainly more lost now. “Wha- well, yeah, I guess” he said, not bothering to hide the confusion obvious in his voice. “I mean... sure, I wish it could be like that" he offered, hoping that she might at least look at him again. When she didn't, he added "but I’ve never been so delusional as to think that my future looked so… happy." Draco knew that that was only partially true. After all, he had been a naive first year once too; thoughts of endless childish happiness on the horizon. But that didn't last. "Well... definitely not after last year…” he finished. That was definately a step forward for him, a willingness to share something with her.

But, why the hell did she want to keep talking about that bloody mirror anyways? Did she want to break him down completely? Cause if she was seeing what he was seeing... than she knew him well enough to know that its effect was heart-wrenching. But was she? It hadn't occured to him before that they may be looking at different futures dreams. But, that suddenly made so much more sense. And could explain why she was upset, if Draco only knew what dream of hers he had deemed impossible. Draco didn't like feeling confused and not in control. It disoriented him, made him vulnerable. But now that he thought he had a bit of the mirror figured out, Draco was feeling quite a bit more confident and like his normal self again. He took the steps toward the window and towards Pansy in stride and was next to her once again. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him, not roughly, but firmly enough so that she had no choice but to look at him. He also knew full well that, facing him, she had a full view once again of the mirror's reflective surface over his shoulder. "What's in the mirror Pansy?" he asked looking into her eyes, searching for any trace of an answer or a lie.

[Tabitha Selwyn]

Oh, it was true, Draco was never one to talk about his feelings, or even his thoughts, unless it was to put someone else down. Even as a small child he had been like that, taking so fully after his cold hearted father. It nearly broke Narcissa's heart sometimes, Pansy knew, as she had had many conversations with the older woman concerning her only child. She worried about him, the way Pansy herself did, only worse, only the way a mother could worry about her baby. Not that Draco had let the woman call her 'baby' since...well, since he was able to tell her not to, but that's what he was to her, her only child, her son, her baby. Narcissa had seen to it that Pansy and Draco grew up together, getting together as often as they could, other events allowing, but Pansy was well set on the thought that even if his mother hadn't of set them up, she would know Draco as fully as she did now. And she did know him fully. Though as stated before he didn't normally speak his feelings, Pansy hadn't gotten good at reading his eyes, and it was almost like he was a open book. Well, most the time. Unless it concerned her, then she couldn't tell you what he was thinking if her bloody life depended on it.

Not that she hadn't tried to figure it out, of course. She was a girl, after all, and a girl well raised, so she never backed down from a challenge. And boy, was Draco a challenge. She hated it, but at the same time, she loved it. It was true sometimes she wished that he would be less stubborn about things, and that he would be more open and tell her exactly what he thought. But, truth was, she wouldn't of had it any other way. If he were to abruptly change in attitude, even if he ever did eventually give into her wanting of him to be hers, and hers alone, she would ask him to be carted straight off to St. Mungo's. She didn't think she was being too unrealistic when she asked him to stop messing around with girls, really. She understood he well deserved the reputation of a womanizer that he currently held, but, as far as she knew, they hardly mattered much to him except to have a new piece of flesh every so often. But, he was getting older, and with that is the need to grow up, and get over whatever childish things you clung to. This included sleeping with any fairly attractive girl he could get his little hands on. She didn't expect him to start opening up to her once they started...'dating'...if you will, but she expected him to keep his hands to himself. Not that difficult, right?

Or so she thought. She had been trying for this to happen since she was in...what? Fourth year? Really, that had been unrealistic, thinking the boy was going to settle down, settle with one girl, at the age of fourteen. She saw that now, of course, looking back at their relationship had progressed over the years. She didn't blame him for not wanting to be with only her back then, and even for the year and a half after that, though they spent massive amounts of time together. She thought she had lost him forever at the end of sixth year, with the mess with Dumbledore and such. She owled him every day for the first two weeks with no reply, not even an 'I'm okay'. Not that she expected him to be okay, of course. But she needed him to be alive, if nothing else. Finally, she had given in to the idea that he had gone into hiding or something, leaving her to fend for herself. She was a big girl, she could do it, but the fact of the matter was, she didn't want to. Not without him. Finally, a full month after the incident happened, he just randomly showed up at her door. She nearly tackled him right then and there, settling in for a hug, something he didn't like to do around the 'adults', or anyone else for that matter. But then, she hadn't really cared what he was comfortable doing. He was alive, he was there, and she was going to hug him if she damn well liked to. She had realized then that she loved him. I'm not talking fourteen year old puppy love that everyone just thought was going on, no. Pansy had totally fallen in 'grown up love', if you will.

She tried showing him after that that she loved him, without out right saying the words. That was the easiest way to scare off a teenage boy, she had realized from her friends mistakes, saying those three words. She was there for him whenever he needed her, and I'm not just talking in a sexual way, either. There was plenty of that, of course, and it seemed there always had been. But she could tell by the look in his eyes when he just needed a friend, and she understood the need. It was lonely, really, being at the top of the food chain. Especially in Slytherin. Gryffindors, though she'd hate to admit it, had it good. When you were the most popular, the most respected, people still were friends with you, in every sense of the word. They didn't constantly try to push you down the social ladder, looking for new ways to blackmail you and such. Draco had Goyle and Crabbe, but they were more body guards then anything, as Draco was never much of a physical person. Besides that, he had her and, rather she'd like to admit it or not, Daphne too. She didn't show it, but sometimes she worried about Daphne. Not about her, exactly, but about losing him to her. She wouldn't be surprised, really, Daphne wasn't half bad, but she'd be shattered. It may sound dramatic, but Pansy didn't think she could love anyone besides him, and she didn't want to have to try.

But it seemed she would have to. Draco hadn't meant much by saying what was in the mirror was impossible, as he wasn't really looking at the same thing that she was, but that didn't matter to her. The words hit her just the same, and it seemed the last straw in her dwindling hope for being anything more then friends-with-benefits. As stated before, it was right after the end of last school year that she had realized she had loved him, and had done everything short of telling him so for him to get the picture. All through this year it had been hard for her, and each new girl that added sleeping with Draco under their accomplishments were just one more thing to pick at her already fraying nerves. The past summer had been wonderful, he had spent most of his time with her, rather it be at his mansion or hers. She had lulled herself into a false security of thinking that he had finally figured out that he should be hers, only to have a reality check once school started. Add that to the fact that he was getting steadily colder as the days went by, and it was enough to make her heart want to break. Pansy was a strong girl, there was no doubt about that, and damn stubborn too. But the truth was, even a strong girl could only take so much before she broke. And Pansy? Yeah, she was at her breaking point.

"Wha-well, yeah, I guess. I mean... sure, I wish it could be like that. But, I've never been so delusional as to think that my future looked so... happy."

And there it was. That final sentence, said with such the innocent of intentions, that had finally broke her down. Wincing, she didn't turn to look back at him. She didn't cry, like she thought she would, but what happened seemed much worse. She had turned cool, bitter, maybe even a little cynical. While Draco was on one side of the room trying to figure out how to tell her that he did, indeed, need her, that he was sorry for being such a prat, and everything like that, Pansy was on the other trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces and put herself back together again. It would be weird, being without Draco in her life. She had never tried to picture it, never bothered to. Even as a child, before she thought of marriage and such, she always figured she'd be friends with him...well, forever. Her small fingers dug into the cement windowsill, while her green eyes steadily searched the ground, but not actually seeing a damn thing. She had been strong enough to deal with his shit for so long, she could deal without him, couldn't she? Well, she supposed she'd had to, as he had made it clear many times over that he didn't want only her, and she refused to settle for anything less. She was torn from her pathetic musings, because they were, indeed, pathetic, by his hands grasping at her shoulders. He whirled her, by not roughly so, to face him, asking a question.

"What's in the mirror, Pansy?"

He asked as if he didn't know! But then...did he really? Her green eyes searched his, taking in his serious expression. Even when joking, he held a serious expression, but she had become accustom to him, as said before, usually knowing his thoughts by his eyes. And right now, his eyes were telling her that the question was serious, that he didn't know what she was looking at. A look of conferment washed over her, what small batch of her pale forehead that peaked out from between the thick, dark curtains of her curly hair wrinkling slightly, and her mouth dipping down into a frown. Through all this, she automatically assumed that he saw what she saw, nothing different. But, now, it was quite obvious that he was looking at something totally different. But what was it he saw? Better yet, how could she say what it was she saw without looking rather pathetic? Not that she shouldn't be used to looking that, she had deemed herself publically pathetic a few times, chasing after him when she shouldn't have. But, this was different, somehow. It was like giving up her deepest secret, as poorly kept as it may have been.

Her eyes strayed from his face to the mirror once more, taking a long look into the reflective surface. It hadn't changed since she had walked in the room, she was still wearing that dress, the kids were still on either side of their parents, and he was still looking at her like he truly loved her. And then it hit her, what it was about it that made it seem so unrealistic. The way he looked at her. Even if he did choose to take her as a wife, she didn't think that he could ever look at her like that, like he loved her, and completely trusted her. Now, don't get me wrong, she knew he trusted her...to a certain extent. He still didn't trust her enough to let her know what was going on in his family, though she knew it was best to talk about things, get them out in the open. It made you feel better, really. He still didn't trust her enough to tell her what he really thought about her, rather it be good or bad. And, of course, he still didn't trust her enough to be only hers, as that was just a step he was not willing to take.

It was then she realized, so suddenly, that it didn't matter if what they saw in the mirror was two different things. Her dream was just as impossible as his was, whatever it may be. She couldn't see him ever loving her enough to be totally open with her, and she needed that to be happy. "I love you, did you know that?" She said finally, after what seemed like an hour, when only it had been a grand total of five minutes. Her eyes didn't stray from the mirror when she spoke, and her voice didn't quiver the way she thought it would have once she finally had the courage to flat out tell him how she felt, instead it was strong, determined, like she had to get that out of the way before she said anything else. She cleared her throat, building up more courage, her emerald eyes finally coming to lock into his. "What do I see?" She said softly, her gaze not wavering. "I see me. And I see you. And I see kids that look just like us. I see you happy with me, and only me...Most of all?" She said quietly, her voice cracking suddenly, her eyes going glassy. "I see you truly loving me, and trusting me. But I'm done being so delusional as to think my future looked so happy." It was funny, really, how the same room could have such drastically different effects on two people. This one room, seeming so normal until you stepped in, had Draco Malfoy ready to give in, while it had Pansy Parkinson ready to give up.