I Promise, My Son

Ron sat in the comfortable chair in the Gringott’s lobby. He was watching the goblin finalize the paperwork on his account. He came home from a trip to Italy, studying art. He was lucky enough to be apprenticed to a fine portraitist. He was an artist now and his commissions kept him with a nice nest egg. He had earned a reputation for detail and had been lucky enough to be hired by very wealthy families who in turn spoke to family members. The Malfoy’s had heard of him and he had received an owl with a request to speak to them on a portrait. Life for him was good. He loved to paint and he was lucky enough to make a living doing it.

It had been five years that he had been away from England. Five years was too long and he was homesick, unable to stay away any longer. He was home now, having just purchased his own house and was almost done setting it up. He had two guest rooms that he didn’t know what to do with them, but what made him want the house was a studio with floor to ceiling glass windows. It had perfect lighting, no matter the time of day and photographed beautifully. He could capture his subjects on film in any light and transfer them to canvas at his leisure. It proved useful for anyone who didn’t have time to sit for hours at a time.

In the meantime, he wanted to start looking for subjects. He hadn’t painted in two weeks while he moved back and bought a home. He didn’t need the money at the moment, he made enough on one commission that he only had to work once every few months but his hands itch to take up a paintbrush again. That’s what made his paintings so unique, his desire to paint rather then his need to make a living. That and his use of muggle oils rather then magical paints. He liked the idea of frozen time and without movement of magic, the view was left to interpretation.

As he made his way out of Gringott’s he glanced across the street. That couldn’t be her? But he knew it was. He would know that profile anywhere. He had drawn her from memory many times, filling sketchbook after sketchbook of her from his thoughts. It was Pansy Parkinson, and she was still as gorgeous as ever.

The last night Ron was in England, he had been taking a walk on his way home from a party. He was well into his cups and came across Pansy Parkinson who was also quick drunk. They managed to assist each other in getting her to her hotel without falling over.

That night however, they found out they were both drinking for almost the same reason. Ron because of his depression at being the only one at the party without a woman of his own, Pansy because her boyfriend had left her for another woman. Both were alone and didn’t want to be, so they took solace in each other and had wild sex.

When they woke the next morning each with a thunderous headache, neither knew what to say to the other. Each apologized for their drunkenness and they parted company in an awkward silence. Ron didn’t feel any regret, and would have liked to see Pansy again, but he was leaving for Italy that day and wouldn’t be returned for several years. He didn’t want to ask her to wait for him. It seemed selfish.

Ron had owled Pansy, but his owl was returned. He never heard from her again. As he watched her now he thought of the girl he had a passionate night with. Seeing as how he was back in England, there was nothing stopping him from contacting her now. Unless of course she was married. Or had a boyfriend, but there were a few ways of finding out. As she held her newspaper though, he spotted no ring. Even if she had a boyfriend, it wouldn’t hurt to talk with her.

As he thought of something to say, a little boy came up and took her hand. He was holding a little bag of treats he had gotten from the sweet shop. He had flaming red hair! And looked almost five years old! Ron was frozen on the spot, and had no idea how to react. Any chance he had to approach her was gone when she apparated away.

A child? She had a child? It had to be his? There was no question with that hair. Well, in actually, he never knew who her boyfriend was. Maybe he was ginger also and the child was from her ex boyfriend. Maybe the man she was involved with now was the father. The boy only look a certain age, maybe he was big or small for his age. Either way, the situation warranted some fact finding questions.

“I take it you’ve just seen them?” He spun around and saw Draco Malfoy. Talk about the perfect fact finding source. “Welcome back by the way.”

“Thank you, and what do you know?” He asked knowing that as her closest friend she would have told Draco.

“Apparate to Malfoy Manor with me, we can have a drink and I’ll let you know what I know.” He said.

When they had settled in Draco’s lounge with a drink Ron spoke. “Is he mine?” He thought he might ease his way into it but Draco knew why he was here so it was pointless to waste time.

“She’s never confirmed it, but when I asked she didn’t answer. She just one day announced she was pregnant and refused to name who the father was. When he was born and I saw that hair, I thought of a Weasley but she wouldn’t name anyone.” He said. “Her boyfriend had dark black hair and he was Greek and Italian, that child is pure England. There is no way the child is his and I’ve never seen her with anyone else.”

“She didn’t say anything at all?” He asked.

“I asked her what had happened, she only said it was one night and it shouldn’t have happened. She lives alone now, she was thrown out of her house because she wasn’t married. Her parents are very traditional. She refused to give the baby up for adoption and she refused to name the father, so they told her to get out.” He said. “She left that day. I took her in here but she eventually found a way to take care of herself and she moved out. I don’t think she wanted to be supported by anyone.”

“Have they spoken to her since then?” Ron asked.

“I don’t know and when I mention them Pansy refuses to speak about them, which to me says no, they haven’t tried to write to her. I’m sure they know she had the baby, they may be a couple of gits but they aren’t stupid.”

“Did she say anything at all about the baby’s father?” He asked.

“Not a word. Only that she and him didn’t have control of themselves.”

“We were both drunk.” He said. “I guess we missed a companion more then we each wanted to admit. The night was pretty hazy, to me, it must have been to her too.”

“I thought it might be something like that. I think she might feel guilty.” Draco told him.

“Why would she feel guilty?” Ron looked at the blond boy confused.

“Because it wasn’t intentional and she made the choice to keep the child so I think she is assuming it is all her responsibility when it came to the consequences.”

“That’s not true.” Ron said shocked that she would think so. “I would have taken responsibility with her.”

“I told her she didn’t have to do it alone, she should contact the father and at least give him the option but for whatever reason she wouldn’t.” Ron was silent for a moment as he thought about what he had heard. Pansy was kicked out of her home and had to go through it all alone. Granted, she had Malfoy, but he should have been there. He was the father. “Are you going to see her?” Draco’s voice brought him back to reality.

“Yes. I have to, now that I know what happened. Where does she live?” Ron asked.

Draco gave him the address to a flat in Hogsmeade. It was just the right size for a woman and her son, and close enough to everything. Draco offered her money whenever she had to stretch the galleons but she always refused saying she has what she needed. Draco only hoped that she would need Ron too.

If Ron was the father it would be better off. The boy had a right to know his father and Pansy had a right to Ron’s support. Ron would have to make her see that, Draco had tried and failed many times over the past few years.


Pansy put the quidditch player figures in their place on shelves and slid two books back in their shelves. Ryan was finally asleep, so she put out the lights and quietly closed the door. Her son was a ball of energy and she was exhausted. She wondered how much more excited her would get if he actually got some of the things he asked for.

She smiled at the repeated requests for trips to games, a new broom, and his own set of quidditch balls. Since he had yet to learnt o fly properly she wasn’t taking chances with buying him equipment.

A knock sounded and she hurried to the door to open it, thinking maybe it was Draco. He was the only one aside from Crabbe or Goyle who would come over this late. In their case though, they were usually drunk from the pub and needed her couch and toilet.

When she opened the door, she froze and her body refused to function. “Hello Pansy.” Ron Wealsey had changed over the years. He was visibly stronger, slightly taller, and his face held a certain control that he lacked in his youth. His face was just as handsome as she remembered from the night. It was a night she never forgot. She taken the memory out and viewed it in a pensieve whenever she was lonely.

“Ron?” She whispered, unsure of what to do. She opened her mouth to ask something else but no words were form.

“I think we should talk.” He said calmly.

“Alright.” She let him in and offered him a seat. “Uh…would….. would you like some tea, it won’t take a moment to ….”

“No thank you, don’t bother with all that. Pansy I know you have a son. I saw you and him this afternoon when I came out of Gringott’s.” He said, sitting and watching her slowly sit across from him.

“Yes, I have a son.” She said. She knew what was coming and she had hoped to avoid it, but she knew it was no use. He wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t already done the math.

“Is he mine?” He wasn’t watering anything down. When she was silent, his heart sped up. “Pansy, am I the father?” He asked quietly.

“Yes, Ron you are his father.” She avoided his eyes as she breathed out the words. Her world was thrown into chaos with that answer. Nothing would be the same.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked just as calmly. He had no idea how she would react so he tried to remain calm. He wasn’t angry or accusing her of anything. He just wanted to know the answer.

She remained just as calm. They would both be able to talk if they remained calm. It was something she had learned as a mother, to remain calm no matter the circumstances. “We were both drunk Ron. I didn’t know if you would take my word for it that he was yours. Maybe you would assume that I was coming from some other man when you found me. Maybe you would assume that it was my ex boyfriends.” She said. She looked up and met his eyes, sending a wave of nostalgia through his body. “I had broken up with my boyfriend two months before. I was drinking because I saw him there with a new woman, and I was hurt at being replaced like I was nothing. He is your son, whether you believe it or not.” She said firmly.

“Pansy I’m not a monster. I would have believed you then and I believe you now.” He said.

“I had no way of knowing. I was scared so I didn’t say anything. I’m not known for my bravery.” She still hadn’t looked at him. “My first instinct was to run so I ran.”

“Can I see him?” Ron’s asked. “I could only see his hair from across the street.”

“Yes.” She rose and walked down the hall, taking hold of the doorknob. “He’s sleeping.” She whispered.

“I’ll be quiet.” He promised and she opened the door slowly, letting him creep inside.

Ron walked over and knelt, looking down at the sleeping face. He was on his side and his legs curled up to his chest. The blanket had been kicked off so Pansy lifted it back over him. He smelled clean and sweet. His face was peaceful and looked almost as if he was smiling. Ron looked back at Pansy and smiled. She gave him a small smile as he rose and backed up, not taking his face from the sleeping boy.

They walked back out in to the front room. “What have you told him?” He asked.

“Nothing. When he asked the one time I merely told him his father wasn’t around and he took it at that.” She looked guilty but she didn’t think it was right to lie to him. She didn’t know what the future held, so she just gave him vague answers.

“Did you have something planned when he asked again?” Ron knew a boy that young would not care but eventually he would demand to know.

“No, I didn’t.” She said, trying to avoid his eyes again. She felt guilty for keeping it from his son when he asked, and now she felt guilty for keeping it from Ron.

“Pansy, I would like to tell him the truth.” Ron said. “I know that I can’t make demands, but if I had known about him I would have wanted to be there, every step of the way.”

“You were on your way to Italy. It was a good opportuni…..”

“I would have traded it in to be able to see my son Pansy.” She looked away and Ron felt immediately like shit guilty. “I’m sorry, I won’t interrupt. I know you had your reasons, and I won’t challenge them, but just take my word for it that I would have wanted to be there. You can’t take that from me now. He’s going to ask sooner or later, and it’s better if we are both honest with him.”

“I know he will ask. I know he looks at other fathers and wonders but I guess I was hoping he’d be happy with his life.” She felt her eyes well up. “I think I was afraid he would hate me for keeping it a secret.”

“I’m sure he is happy, but there is no reason to keep this from him, and from me any longer. I’m here now. I would have been here before, but I’m here now. I have a right to be a father to him Pansy.” He gave her a smile. “And he wont hate you. He’s a boy, they forgive. You’re his mother, he’ll forgive you without thinking about it.”

“I know.” She gave in and her frame sank a little, wondering how she would face her son.

“What’s his name?” Ron asked quietly.

She looked up at his hopeful face and felt her heart melting. “Ryan Draco Parkinson.” She answered.

“Draco?” He said lifting an eyebrow.

“His godfather.” She said.

Ron nodded and smiled. “A good choice. Can I come over tomorrow. I’ll take you both out for lunch after we talk. It will give us all a change to relax.”

She did nothing but nod. Ron wanted to kiss her when he left but knew he would be overstepping his place. There was time enough for that much later.

Pansy let Ron out and then sank in her chair again, for the first time since her son was born, she let tears fall.