Secrets and Promises (Abandoned Story)

Chapter Number/Total: 23/?.

Chapter Title: To Protect and Serve

Chapter Authors: slashpervert and cinnamon_sins.

Beta(s):

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Words: 2635 Words

Chapter Characters: Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson.

Warnings: Language, angst.

Summary: Draco has asked Pansy to meet him. Draco tells her about the case, intending to get the news out. But things take an unexpected turn as they end up talking about how they feel about each other.







Draco was pacing. He had tea waiting in the study for Pansy and him. He hoped he was doing the right thing. It seemed harder and harder to know what was the right thing at this point.



Pansy Apparated into Draco's home with her usual crack. Kicking off her shoes, she rolled her shoulders, letting her posture go to shame for a pureblood of her standing. "I'm sore all over and everyone is too bloody high strung," she grumbled.



Draco stepped forward and put his arms around her, hugging her to him for a minute. Just happy she was alive. He pulled back, a small smile on his lips. "Let me give your coat to Beckett."



Pansy's brow rose as she handed over her coat distractedly. "What...no who...have you done and why shouldn't I know about it even though you're going to tell me anyway..."



Draco put a long thin finger at her lips, "Shh." He took her hand and led her to the study, closing and locking the doors behind them. Then he did both locking and silencing charms before turning to face her. "Have a seat," he said gesturing to the sofa where tea service was waiting.



"Umm...Draco?" she questioned, taking a seat anyway. "Is Theo going to see me again or should I just expect to wait until my next lifetime?"



Draco stood looking down at her, with his hands on his hips. "This isn't about Theo, you or me." He sat down in the chair across from her, a frown on his face.



She flicked her hands in the air with a disgruntled sigh. "It's been a long few weeks and an even longer day. Get on with it, Draco, and stop trying my patience."



Draco sighed and closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they were looking out of the "Malfoy mask" as he thought of it. "I will be fired for telling you this, but if I don't we will never catch him. Another body has been found. This one was Cho Chang."



Pansy sighed heavily, a more serious air falling around her. "She was close to Potter as I recall..."



"It is a serial killer and this was his fourth victim," he said. "The third was a squib."



"Escalating...?" she asked, quickly falling into sync between conversation and reporting.



"Yes, and I believe using the deaths to gain magical power," he said. "So the next person will be a stronger witch or wizard. And the gaps between are decreasing as well."



"Any other patterns you're aware of? Something that might narrow down who the next victim might be?"



She bit the corner of her lip, making her mental notes. The nagging words of Theo's owl were ringing in her ears and his worry seemed more logical. He still should have trusted her to take better care of herself than Chang, but...it was what it was. And his worries were obviously not unfounded.



"The most important thing to let the Wizarding public know is that if anyone goes missing, they should contact the ministry immediately. I have found that all the victims were missing several days before they were killed," Draco grimaced.



"Well that certainly puts the Ministry in a bad light," she spoke heavily. "Making all the work done seem insubstantial when there was an opportunity to save the people without effort put into their search. Not that I'm blaming you, love, but the people will think what they think and I have to be prepared for that outcry."



"That's why I am willing to loose my job over this," he sighed. "The higher ups didn't think the killer would attack Witches or Wizards. Our team did. I can't go into more detail without jeopardizing our chance of finding him. But we need to know the next time someone goes missing and as soon as possible."



Pansy nodded, standing and moving over to him to place her hands on his shoulders. "I'll take care of it, Draco. I love you; enough that I'd put my job on the line again to do this. Merlin knows I love a good story, but after that last time, we've all been treading on thin ice.'



She sighed, letting her fingers play lightly in the soft hair at the base of his neck. "It's going to be a chore in itself to get this story leaked with the way Theo's been acting today. He's resetting wards and would prefer I don't live at work anymore. I don't know how I ever managed to put up with him for this long. What was I thinking?"



Draco smiled. "You were thinking you love him. And he loves you. We both do. Which is why he is resetting the wards." He held still enjoying the feel of her touch as she played with his hair. "I will tell the Ministry this time, so you won't have to protect me," he added.



"I like protecting you, Draco," she smiled softly, fingers tangling deeper into his hair. "Always have. I was the bitch of Slytherin and no one stood in my way. Not even you. And no one dared messed with you if I was around; they knew better. Millie and I would have had their hides."



Watching Draco with soft eyes, she smiled again. "I do love Theo. He works too bloody much. I never see him anymore. Not that I can complain about hours with my own job and all. But I don't even see him when I make trips to the Ministry anymore. I've been meaning to go check his office, but everyone is bustling around so much..." she paused, shaking away her remaining thoughts. "Alas, it's why I took the rest of the night off. We needed time together. It's been ages. You too, love. I hate that I never see you."



Draco grey eyes were soft as he looked into hers. "I love you both very much and I want to spend more time together, all of us," he said. "When we have caught the monster doing this, then we would take some time." He took a deep breathe. "I have one more thing about the case to tell you but it is off the record."



"Anything," she whispered, watching him with worry.



"The killer sent us a message on Christmas day - to this townhouse," Draco said quietly. "He may be targeting people we care about. So please, listen to Theo and to me, and be extraordinarily careful."



Pansy nodded quietly, lifting up on her toes to kiss his forehead softly. "I'll be careful for you both then."



Draco smiled softly and kissed her nose. "Thank you, Pans," he whispered.



Pansy pouted prettily, making a face when he kissed her nose. Standing there quietly she felt her muscles start to ache again and arched her back and shoulders with a soft groan before leaning her forehead on his shoulder. "I hate my job," she mumbled into his shirt.



"Turn around," Draco said. "I can help a bit with that."



Pansy raised her brow and him, but did as told, turning around before him. She let her head drop forward with another groan, losing herself in the thought of actually sleeping on a bed again instead of the couch in her office.



Draco's used his long strong fingers to massage her neck and shoulders, enjoying the feeling of touching her.



Pansy bit her lip, a combination of a moan and purr escaping on heavy breath as she let her body melt into his hands. It felt good...too good even.



That combination of sounds sent a shiver down his spine and his body reacted. He stilled his hands. "Theo will worry if you stay too long," he said.



"Theo said he'd be home late," she murmured, eyes fluttering open slightly.



Draco continued his massage, working on the tight spots in her shoulder muscles.



"Merlin," she groaned, eyes falling shut again. "I knew there was a reason I missed having you around..."



"I am useful," he smirked, continuing to work down her spine. "You feel like you had a hippogriff stepping on you."



Pansy laughed, biting her lip in pleasure. "Have you met the people at my work, love? A few of them could pass for hippogriffs. I swear it."



Draco snorted, continuing down her back to the small of her back. "When this case is over, we should all go on vacation," he sighed. "I don't think Harry has ever seen France."



Pansy looked over her shoulder with an amusing snarl to her lips. "Men..." she huffed, sticking her tongue out and rolling her eyes. Everything she felt she lost was always because of another bloke.



"What did I do now?" Draco asked in exasperation.



"Nothing..." she huffed again. "As long as you're happy, it doesn't matter anymore."



"That 'we' included you, darling," he drawled, kissing the back of her neck.



"Love it was the thought of he and I in the same general vicinity that made me growl..." As he placed a kiss to the back of her neck, she bit her lip unbearably hard, body tensing up as every nerve awakened. "...y-you understand..." she stuttered to finish her though.



"Is it him? Or are you... jealous?" he asked, resting his forehead on the back of her neck as he continued to massage her back.



"I am not jealous," she said with alarm, no real certainty in her voice. "I've never liked Potter. You know that."



"We haven't talked yet, about Theo and I being involved again," Draco nearly whispered.



Pansy grabbed his wrists, turning back around and staring deep into his eyes. "I...I didn't know," she said softly, biting the inside of her lip. "I don't mind...I just...didn't know."



"He said he told you we slept together," Draco said, frowning.



"He also said that was the last time," she shrugged, clicking her tongue.



"Well, he did break up with me after he got back from seeing you," Draco said, pulling her back so that her back rested against his chest and he was stroking her hair.



"C'est la vie," she hummed against his chest. "Can't say I didn't expect it. That's why I told him I was okay with it."



"So you told him it was okay because you knew he would break up with me anyway?" Draco asked. "Does that mean you are really okay with it or not?"



"I told him it was okay because I knew he couldn't stay away from you, Draco. Even if he wanted to," she sighed, reaching up to softly move a strand of his hair. "I know what it feels like to want someone so badly and I wouldn't dream of keeping him from what he wants. Even if it means wanting us both."



"What do you want then, Pansy?" Draco asked softly against her ear.



Pansy's eyes grew bright and she ran her fingers gently down his cheek. "I already have the things I want, love."



"Do you want to know what I want?" Draco continued to whisper in her ear.



"You have two men you truly love in your life, Draco. I wasn't aware there was anything more you could want," she smirked.



"All three of the people I love getting along with each other," Draco said. He stopped, not wanting to push her too far at this point.



Pansy stuck her tongue out at him with another smirk. "And what do I get out of that, hmm?"



"Me," Draco said quietly.



Pansy parted her lips to speak, but no words came out. Closing her mouth again, she looked into his eyes, furrowing her brow. "But...I already have you, love."



"You are always complaining you don't have enough of me," Draco said. "What do you want of me? If you could have anything you wanted, what would it be?"



She glanced down to the floor. It wasn't as though she hadn't thought of this. She's thought of it too much, but it never seemed like something more than a far-fetched fantasy she didn't deserve. "The only thing I never got, I suppose," she mumbled quietly.



Draco reached around and tipped her face up and back so he could look into at her. "Me too," he said quietly.



"I...I..." she stuttered with a lose for words. "Really?"



"Only woman I have ever wanted," Draco smiled.



"I don't believe it," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I just...I didn't know you wanted me as anything more."



"You don't believe me?" he asked, smiling. He then leaned forward and gave her a kiss he hoped would help convince her.



She tasted different from Theo and Harry. And her lips were softer. He was gentler, licking at her lips and feeling how the difference in the shape of her jaw changed the kiss from that with a man.



Pansy became breathless, slipping her hands behind his neck and pulling him closer. She had missed him more than she'd ever care to admit. And it couldn't be wrong if Theo was with Draco. It would be fair. Very fair.



...at least she hoped.



She kissed him easily, tilting her head just right in their little dance. It was different from Theo. She wasn't sure how, but it just was.



Draco turned her in his arms, pulling her close and deepening the kiss, his tongue sliding against hers.



Pansy fisted his shirt tighter, pulling him back towards the desk. She rested her body against it, pulling him between her thighs and snogging him deeply with a pleased moan. This was almost perfect...almost.



Draco was lost in the feel of her lips and the taste of her. He wanted to press himself again her soft body, into her. Part of his brain seemed to wake up at that thought. He pulled back from the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "Pans, I love you," he whispered.



Pansy sighed, taking a deep breath. "I know, Draco. I love you too."



He was breathing in little gasps and very aroused, "I want you," Draco said, "but I'm not ready yet."



Pansy was breathing hard, body shaking with want. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was beating fast. "Bad timing as usual," she murmured sadly.



"Pans, I..." Draco licked his lips, looking intently at her. "I want this to be ... good, not rushed or cheating or anything we will regret later."



"Me too," she whispered, letting her hands fall from his shirt to rest softly on his chest.



She could feel his heartbeat mimicking her own as she fought her vibrating nerves. "I want to be yours," she said shakily. "Yours and Theo's..."



He smiled at her, love shining in his eyes. "Good," Draco whispered, "I believe we can find a way to be happy, Pans. I really do."



"I think so too," she sighed with a slight smile.



Moving away from the desk, she let her hands drop to her sides hesitantly and kissed him softly on the cheek. "I should probably get home and start that story while I wait for Theo. Hopefully he's not too paranoid. I could use him in a mood," she winked. "You two will be the death of me. But I love you for it."



"Good night, darling Pans," he smiled at her.



He sat back down when she had left. He had done it. He had only intended to tell her about the case. But he had crossed the other line too. Now she knew. Now they all knew what he wanted. It was farfetched and unconventional and made him smile. Well, like he said, he had never been like most people.



He would probably be fired tomorrow but that seemed a lot less important right now. He sat back, comfortable and waiting for Harry to come home.