Gravity

Chapter 8

"Hey, kid."

"Draco!" Pansy stood from her chair and flung her arms around him tightly.

He hugged her back, and then pulled away, pushing her chair in for her when she sat. He took the place opposite her.

"Hi, Pansy."

They met in Diagon Alley at an upscale café for lunch. Pansy had recently 'been moved to give England another try,' and had taken a room with the Potters until she found somewhere suitable to live. It was the first chance he'd had to see her.

She gave him a giant smile. "I've missed you."

He smirked. "Can't get enough of me. I knew my incredible wit and these stunning good looks were really a curse."

"Oh, stop it. You're terrible. And quite full of yourself." She gave him a heartfelt smile. "It's good to see that some things don't change."

"How are you?"

"I'm wonderful," she said happily. "I simply must tell you. I'm crazy for someone."

He rolled his eyes. "Already? I haven't even opened the menu. Can't this wait until we've got our food?"

She dismissed his comments with a flourish of her hand. "Of course not. This could take a while."

"Naturally," he said with a grin.

The waiter came then and took their orders.

"So, who is he? Who am I going to have to beat to a pulp now?"

"Draco! Be nice! With any luck you won't have to feel violent thoughts toward this one."

"Okay, you're right. Go on, please."

She looked at him nervously, fidgeting with her napkin. "Ron Weasley."

He arched an eyebrow. "Weasley? Really? I mean, I knew you two saw each other here and there, but you really like him?"

"Oh, Draco, I do!" she said. And it was just the way she said it, but it reminded him of Pansy as a little girl, when she'd gotten her first 'grown-up' party dress. She was ten, and innocent, and her eyes full of wonder at the world. The years full of blood and death and hate had taken it away from her, but he saw it again, then.

"He's unlike anyone else I've ever known," she continued. "He's sweet, and kind, and everything I've never had."

Draco took a sip of water and looked at her pointedly. "And does he feel the same?"

She squirmed in her seat. "I don't actually know."

He smiled. "Pansy, my dear, this will be a good thing for you."

She smiled like a million Galleons and then proceeded to talk about Ron for the entiremeal. Draco listened, laughed, and smiled as he was supposed to, but very little of her news was actually new. He'd heard a lot of it from Ron, but enjoyed hearing her side too. She provided infinitely more details-a drawback offset by her glowing smile. It was nice to know she was enjoying being with Ron just as much as Ron was enjoying being with her.

When the waiter cleared their plates, Draco thought he was free, that Pansy had somehow, miraculously, forgotten to ask anything about him. Then she wanted dessert. He should have known.

Halfway through, she looked about to burst.

"What is it?" Draco asked with a resigned sigh.

"How are you?"

"I'm good, Pansy."

"What are you up to these days?"

"Oh, business as usual."