The Most Impossible Soulbond

The First Outing

For the whole morning, Pansy listened to Harry's mutterings and grumblings to himself. She could tell that he 'really didn't want to' and that he just 'did not understand why this was even necessary'. To his credit, she had to admit that, for all his griping, Harry did not once complain to her directly and hardly bothered to weasel his way out of it.

Dressed in a gently flowing, pale lavender robe with golden highlights, Pansy sat down in front of her mirror and applied the finishing touches of her make-up and cosmetic charms with a quick swish of her wand. Today would mark her first outing since that newspaper article. It felt like ages ago, but it had only been yesterday morning.

She'd be seen in public with Harry Potter, whom everyone knew she was soulbonded to. Her heart was pounding painfully in her chest and the palms of her hands felt clammy with sweat. Wrinkling her nose at that, she grabbed a napkin from her table and hastily wiped them dry. Heaving a sigh, Pansy stood up, then left her bedroom and made her way towards the guest room. If Harry chose to apparate, her parents didn't want him to do so into her bedroom again. Pansy certainly didn't either, so she readily agreed to wait in the guest room instead.

Upon entering, she saw her parents suitably dressed and waiting already. She joined them and sat down on the sofa they were sitting on, crossed her ankles and placed her hands on her lap.

"I do hope he will at least wear a robe to cover his rags," her mother commented with a sniff.

Pansy nodded with a small smile. "He did promise to wear the very best he owns."

Granted, she knew that that didn't mean all that much if all he owned was several sizes too large. She could appreciate the sentiment, however. Harry was trying; she'd have to give him that.

A loud, sudden bang in front of her startled Pansy, making her jump and clutch her heart in surprise. Harry had just arrived and – she glanced at the clock – did so two minutes early.

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes. You didn't make us wait and you didn't arrive too early to be intrusive." Pansy then did as her parents and stood up from the sofa, giving Harry a once-over.

He wore a simple, basic, closed black robe, much like their Hogwarts robes. His worn and dirty muggle shoes peeked out beneath the hem and she couldn't stop herself from twisting her lips in a grimace and exhaling in displeasure. Harry fidgeted under her mother's and her piercing and judging gazes, but he'd find no mercy with them.

"Welcome to Abaty Gwyn, Harry," her father greeted him. "I assume you are aware of your plans with my wife and daughter today?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Very well, then." Her father gave both her and her mother a quick kiss on the cheek, before excusing himself. "I still have a lot of work ahead of me. Many business associates of mine are not particularly happy with this union coming to light, you understand. That being said, I wish all of you a pleasant day."

While she and her mother were thanking her father with smiles on their faces, Harry was...well, himself.

"Thanks. Uh, likewise." He gave a lazy wave as her father left the room, making her wince.

"Your etiquette is abysmal," Pansy complained with a huff. "You don't do this –," she mimicked his wave with exaggeration and a roll of her eyes, "– when the head of a family takes leave."

Harry, his arms crossed over his chest and a glare on his face, clearly took offence. "How am I supposed to know?"

Before Pansy could snap and tell him just how exactly he was supposed to know, her mother placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.