What a Vacation Can Do

It wasn’t that Draco didn’t like Pansy.

No, they had had their fun in Hogwarts. They enjoyed each other’s company and really were great friends despite everybody’s belief that Draco couldn’t stand the girl. Draco even found himself attracted to her when they were in their young teenage years, and this only helped to make their friendship grow even more. He always said that if he hadn’t had Crabbe and Goyle in Hogwarts, he would always have Pansy. She was a true friend, and the only one he was friends with in Hogwarts that he still talked to, unless you counted Blaise.

But Draco didn’t consider Blaise his friend in Hogwarts. They were just acquaintances. They just happened to both be sorted in Slytherin, both be in the same year which put them in the same classes and dorm room, both seemed to have a hatred for Potter, both purebloods with a high wizarding last name, and not to mention the fact that Blaise was his way in on what had happened in Slughorn’s little gatherings, or what other people called them: The Slug Club, in his sixth year.

But Blaise landed himself a job in the Ministry, the same department Draco worked for, and the two seemed to hit it off straight away. They both had nobody but their families and were desperate for somebody they could compare their lives to. Sure, Draco’s past was a little darker then Blaise’s, but they soon realized that they had a lot in common. Draco now considered Blaise his best mate, and Blaise did the same for Draco.

The war had changed them both, and in doing so, molded them into each other’s lives for good.

But the war hadn’t just changed Draco and Blaise… it had changed everybody. And Pansy wasn’t any different. Draco hadn’t decided to give Pansy the money to open up her shop just because it would benefit him in the end or because Pansy had brought up his past. He had done it because he wanted to. He did it because he knew that Pansy really was different and that she needed a chance just like he was given one. And he was the way for her to get that chance. By giving her the money she needed to open her business, he opened up a new world of possibilities for her.

And apparently, he had made a good deal for Pansy and himself.

He didn’t know how it happened, because it all happened so fast, but it did. Pansy had bought the shop she wanted and the next day she was at Draco’s doorstep begging him to come and help her fix it up. A week later, both completely exhausted with plenty of scratches, scrapes, and bruises to prove their hard work, a beautiful shop stood before them.

They both stood outside of the shop with their arms crossed over their chest and smiles on their faces as they glanced up at it. The outside was painted a teal color that made her store stand out from all the others, with bright purple window frames covering the bay windows on the bottom and top floor. Over the top of the front door was the name of her shop painted in the same purple as the window frames: The Purple Pansy. And sitting on the left side of the name was a huge pansy, charmed to move slowly to make it look like it was fluttering in a small breeze.

Pansy looked up at Draco and smiled at him. He turned, looked at her, and couldn’t help but smile back. He had never seen her so happy. “It looks great.” He said as Pansy enveloped him in a huge hug, almost knocking him to the ground.

With a help wanted sign out front, Pansy in her office designing outfits and charming her supplies to make them for her, and an advertisement out in The Daily Prophet (thanks to Draco), Pansy had the shop open a week later.

Two months later, business was booming. Pansy’s shop had started to attract a lot of attention and she was bringing in more money then she had ever hoped for in the first two months of opening. Plenty of people were stopping by, and not just shoppers, but reporters who were hoping to get the scoop and business men as well, all hoping to invest in her shop or have her sell some of their products for them.

And now, seven months later, the same was still happening.

That was why Draco wasn’t surprised as he walked down Diagon Alley on the cold spring morning, his hands kept warm inside of his cloak, to see a bustle of people heading straight for the familiar teal building. He quickly made his way over towards Pansy’s shop and opened the door, holding it open for a lady as she left, and then walked in. He pulled his hands out of his pocket and quickly removed his gloves from them, then placing them inside his cloak for safe keeping. He approached the front counter where one of Pansy’s employees was leaning over the counter, biting her lower lip and looking down a long list of what Draco guessed was Pansy’s new ideas for outfits.

“Hello Amanda.” He said in a cheerful voice as he unbuttoned the first couple of buttons of his cloak and loosened his scarf.

Amanda looked up suddenly, a surprised look on her face that changed to a smile the second she saw who had called her. “Oh… hello Mr. Malfoy.” She said standing up properly. “How are you this morning?”

“I am good.” Draco said as he turned his head sideways to look at the paper Amanda had previously been looking at. “Pansy’s new ideas?” He asked, getting a nod from Amanda. He turned the paper over so it was right side up for him and gave it a quick look. His eyes were immediately drawn to a lime green, tea length dress. He pushed the paper back to Amanda and put the tip of his index finger on the one he liked. “That one.”

Amanda smiled back. “I like that one to.”

“Then I guess we have a winner.” Draco said back kindly with a small laugh. “Is Pansy in her office?” Amanda nodded her response as Draco thanked her, and then went back to reviewing the paper. Draco made his way up the spiral staircase, nodding politely at all the customers he passed, before walking through the curtain that led to the stock room, then eventually making his way towards Pansy’s office. He knocked two times and then opened the door without waiting for a response.

Pansy looked up to see who had entered her office, but when she noticed it was Draco, she quickly lowered her head back to her work. “What, no hello?” Draco asked, closing the door behind him.

“I’m really busy right now Draco.” Pansy said with her nose still buried in the paper work. “I’m not in the mood for your sarcasm.”

“Who said it was sarcasm? You didn’t say hello to me. I was simply pointing that out.” Pansy just shook her head and continued on working. “Why are you so busy anyway? You usually leave the business end to me and tend to your customers and their questions. That,” Draco pointed to the papers in front of Pansy. “looks like stuff from the business end.”

Pansy suddenly dropped her quill and looked up at Draco, a pissed off expression painted on her face. “Do you know why I’m doing the business end of the work? Do you, Draco?” Draco looked down at Pansy, trying to keep a serious face as he could sense a lecture coming on. “I’m doing it because you’re not!”

Draco rolled his eyes and plopped down on one of the seats in front of Pansy’s desk before groaning. “Oh my God.”

“Don’t ‘oh my God’ me Draco Malfoy.” Pansy snapped, picking up her quill and continuing to write again. “You said you would help me manage the place, and you were doing a good job at the beginning, but now you’re never here.”

“Things have happened in the ministry. There’s nothing I can do about that Pansy. That’s my immediate job.”

“Well things have been happening around here to. I have really needed your help and you haven’t been here. You haven’t been sticking to your end of the bargain.” Draco let out a little laugh, causing Pansy to look up and shoot him a glare before she turned back to her work. “I’m stressed, Draco.” She was suddenly calm. “I need a vacation.”

Draco really laughed this time. “A vacation? Pansy you haven’t even been at this business for a year yet and you already want a vacation?”

“Yes.” Pansy put down her quill. “Most people take vacations after six months of working.”

“Well good thing you’re not most people.” Draco snapped suddenly. “Most people don’t have a business to run.”

“You’re right. But most people who have a business, have a business partner that sticks by them and actually does what he said he would do from the beginning.” Pansy snapped back.

Draco shook his head and gave Pansy a little smile. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Finally.” Pansy said under her breath.

“So tell me, why are you so stressed?” Draco asked, picking up a paper weight that was sitting on Pansy’s desk and studying it in his hand.

“Because,” Pansy reached over the desk and quickly snatched the paper weight back from Draco’s hand before putting it back where it was in the first place. “I just found out today that the Australian Wizarding Magazine: The Magic Down Under, is sending one of their best reporters to my shop. They want to interview me and get pictures of my shop and clothes so they can put me in as their article of the month.”

“And… that’s bad how?” Draco asked slowly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Pansy rolled her eyes. “The fact that one of Australia’s best wizarding magazines is coming to interview me is amazing.”

“But….”

Pansy sighed, looking up at Draco with a warning in her eyes. “You won’t believe who the reporter is.” Pansy said quietly.

“Who?” Draco was truly curious.

“I’ll give you some hints.” Pansy straightened up in her chair and cleared her throat. “She was in our year at Hogwarts, fought against Voldemort, was part of the D.A., was a Gryffindor, was one of Potter’s best friends-“

“No!” Draco stood up right away, practically knocking the chair to the ground. “Not...-“

Pansy quickly picked up what looked like a letter and began reading from it. “To Ms. Pansy Parkinson. I am delighted to hear that you will allow my reporter, Ms. Hermione Granger, to come and get an interview from you as well as some pictures. I can guarantee that you will be satisfied when you see the article, seeing as Ms. Granger is the best I have ever seen in my newspaper.” Pansy stopped and put the letter back down on her desk, still looking up at Draco. Draco stared back at Pansy, mouth open from shock and at a complete loss for words. “Say something, Draco!” Pansy yelled, slapping her desk dramatically.

“This is bullshit!”

“Yup. That’s the Draco I know.” Pansy said under her breath, returning back to her work.

“Granger is… Granger! I mean, come on, ‘best he’s ever seen’? The girl has some intelligence up in that bushy head of hers, but I wouldn’t call her the best!”

Pansy laughed slightly. “As much as I hate her myself, you have to give her credit.” Pansy put her quill down and looked up at Draco who was shaking his head, obviously trying to think of a way out of this. “And she has more than some intelligence Draco. She was the best in our year and some people even call her the brightest witch in London.”

“Well, apparently not anymore if she’s a reporter for an Australian wizarding newspaper?” Draco suddenly sank back into the chair he had previously occupied. “What’s that about anyway? When did she go to Australia?”

“I don’t know.” Pansy snapped. “How would I know?”

Draco smirked at Pansy and she rolled her eyes at him, already knowing what was coming. “You’re Pansy Parkinson. Gossiper of the year.”

“Yes, well that was back in Hogwarts. And Granger never concerned me then so why should she concern me now?” Draco rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair even more, sighing and muttering something under his breath that sounded to Pansy like a lot of complaining. “And I don’t see why you’re so worried about her coming. It’s not like you’ll have to see her. She’s giving me the bloody interview!”

“Yeah, and all I’ll hear after she’s done is you complaining.”

Pansy glared at Draco for a fraction of a second before she smirked at him. “Then how about you do the interview and I’ll listen to you complain after it’s done.” She retorted.

“No!” Draco yelled instantly, getting a good snicker from Pansy. “It’s not funny.” Draco said seriously, only causing Pansy to laugh even harder. “I hate that bushy haired, buck tooth, bookworm more then I hate my own father, and that’s saying something.”

“Stop it.” Pansy said, still laughing slightly but turning back to her work all the same. “You don’t hate you’re father and you don’t actually hate her. You changed, remember?”

“I do to hate her!” Draco snapped back at Pansy, but when she looked up at him and rolled her eyes before going back to her work, Draco sighed. “Fine. I don’t hate her, but I dislike her to the point of hexing her into oblivion. The only good thing about Granger is the fact that she helped kill off Voldemort. Without her, Potter, and the Weasel I would still be in that hell hole I was in about eight months ago.”

Draco sighed and watched as Pansy continued to write. After a few moments of silence, Pansy spoke. “So what are you doing here anyway?”

“I was on lunch and thought I would stop by. I should probably get going though.” Draco stood up and buttoned up his cloak. “I have a meeting and Blaise will kill me if I’m late and he has to cover for me.”

Pansy let out a sarcastic laugh. “You know, for a moment there, I almost thought you came here to help me. I almost thought that you actually came to do what you said you would do.”

“Just for a moment?” Draco asked with fake seriousness.

“Just one millisecond of a moment.”

“Well,” Draco smirked at her as he put his gloves back on and tightened his scarf around his neck. “The good news is you can’t say I never show up anymore, because I just did.” Draco grabbed the doorknob and got ready to leave the room.

“You’re really not going to help me?” Pansy whined back.

Draco rolled his eyes and turned back to Pansy. “I’ll stop by when I’m done work and I’ll take care of the financial stuff, alright?” Pansy’s face lit up as she smiled back at Draco. “Just promise me you won’t involve me when it comes to Granger getting here? If I can help it, I never want to see that beaver ever again.”

Pansy laughed. “You help me and I’ll keep Granger far away from you.”