Draco tried to stare down the vial of blue liquid next to his mug of tea. He glared at the mug as well, the overwhelming taste of ginger didn't quite drown out the bitter potion taste beneath.

Mother gave him a look.

Draco picked up the vial between two fingers and took the nutrient potion like a shot, following it with a swallow of the digestive tea. He clenched his jaw, a shudder going down his spine as stomach clenched once then relaxed.

Pansy snickered at him.

Draco glared at her over his nice, normal tea as he tried to wash the taste of the potions out of his mouth.

"Do you two have any plans for the break?" Mother asked.

"Organizing my notes into a single comprehensive study guide," Draco said.

Pansy rolled her eyes, "Draco has boring plans to be boring."

Draco picked up his butter knife and cut the top off his egg in one clean, and terribly satisfying, whack, dipping his toast into the yolk, "As if you aren't going to steal a copy for all the classes we share."

"It would be a waste not to," Pansy said.

"Do you have any plans, Pansy?" Mother asked.

Pansy played with her spoon, "Well, some friends asked me to go out with them after boxing day."

"Jenna and Melanie?" Draco asked.

Pansy nodded, "They said we'd get mani-pedi's-"

Mother's brow furrowed, "Manipedi?"

"It's a muggle thing where they do your nails. It's supposed to be very nice. Jenna said it was anyway." Pansy went on, "And then we'll go shopping- Did you know muggles have entire shops just for beauty supplies? And a salon and then we're to have a sleepover and watch a movie."

"A movie- That's like a muggle moving photograph right?" Draco said.

Pansy shrugged one shoulder looking unsure, "Melanie said it was like a photo but with a play inside it."

"An entire play?" Mother said, looking intrigued despite herself, "You could watch Othello or La Traviata whenever you liked?"

"I think so," Pansy said.

Mother wiped her fingers primly on a napkin, "It sounds intriguing. When you come back and can tell us all about it."

Kipper shuffled into the room and placed a letter on the table, "For Miss Pansy."

Pansy stared at the sealed parchment as if it might bite her and then gingerly picked it up. She held it for a long time before standing, "Excuse me, I just-" she trailed off and hurried out the door.

Draco only hesitated for a second, "I should- I need to make sure she's-"

"Go on," Mother said mildly.

Draco pushed his chair back and hurried out into the hall, "Kipper," the old elf appeared silently at his elbow, "Do you know where she went?"

"The yellow sitting room," Kipper said, pointing to the end of the hall.

Draco went to the door, tapping on it lightly. He eased it open when he wasn't immediately told to fuck off. Pansy was sitting on one of three couches clustered in the centre of a small sitting room, its walls bare and white with fresh plaster.

Pansy silently pointed to the cushion beside her.

Draco sat next to her as directed, "From your mother?"

Pansy nodded, holding the letter by the edges, her thumb dragging back and forth over the corner.

"You don't have to open it," Draco suggested, "You could burn it."

Pansy shook her head and broke the wax seal with a snap. She slowly unfolded the thick parchment, pressing it flat with her palm, "Dearest Pansy," she read, her voice a quiet monotone, "Your father has convinced me that your decision to finish your schooling is for the best. Although Beauxbatons still would have been a better choice considering you social reputation in England, I won't hold it against you."

Pansy's voice wavered slightly and, Draco shifted closer to her on the couch so they pressed shoulder to elbow.

Pansy's mouth thinned into a line, she went on, "Lord Coucy is eager to hear confirmation of the engagement and has been very patient with your behaviour towards him. I have assured him you will agree to the marriage and are simply indulging the last of childish pursuits." She breathed in, "I can't express it to you any plainer, Pansy, you are unlikely ever to make another match as good as this. You have always been flighty and immature, but these ideas you have are just an excuse-" she blinked and tears slipped off her eyelashes, rolling down her cheeks, her voice wavering, "-we all have to do things we don't like, so I expect- I ex-pect..."

She sobbed and Draco pulled the letter from her hands, crumpling it and throwing it across the room, "Don't listen to her, Pans. Don't-"

Pansy tried to wipe her eyes with shaking hands.

Draco pulled her into a hug, smoothing her hair and rubbing her back like Mother always did for him.

Pansy buried her face in his robes and cried in great heaving sobs.

"She a cunt." he said quietly, "She doesn't deserve you, none of them do."

Pansy's breathing slowly evened out. She leaned all her weight against him; her voice was hoarse and muffled by his shirt, "Why can't she just love me?"

Draco hugged her tighter, "I don't know."

  '~*~'  

Draco stayed with Pansy for the rest of the day, and they had chocolate for lunch in her rooms with the wireless turned up loud enough to make the fixtures vibrate. Pansy dozed off at six. Once he was sure she was asleep, he went down to have dinner. His mother had already eaten most of her meal when he slumped down in his chair, a plate of food covered in warming and preservation charms waiting for him.

"Will Pansy be joining us for dinner?" Mother asked.

Draco shook his head and removed the layers of charms. He wasn't really hungry, but he ate anyway because Mother was watching him with her concerned expression.

Mother touched her chin with a thoughtful frown, "She knows she can stay here for as long as she wants?"

"Yes," Draco said, chewing a tender piece of roast.

"Good," Mother said, "I'll ask Kip to make a chocolate cake tomorrow, or maybe a tart- Do you know which Pansy prefers?"

"The sort of chocolate cake that is so dense it's nearly fudge," Draco said.

"Draco... the trouble she's having with her family-"

"It's not for me to say," Draco interrupted firmly.

Mother picked up her wine glass and swirled it idly, watching the way the dark red liquid caught the light, "Then we could talk about you instead?"

Draco's shoulders tensed.

Mother took his silence as permission and went on, "I've talked with our solicitor, Mr Asquith recently-"

Draco's head snapped up, "Is something wrong?"

"No. I told you your father wants to sign everything over to you and I?"

Draco nodded stiffly, "In case he dies in prison."

"I've been in contact with Mr Asquith to arranged all the paperwork-"

"I could have done that," Draco said.

Mother sighed, "You do enough already, dear. Your schooling should be your only priority now, not trying to manage the estate. And, shockingly enough, I do know how to do that myself."

Draco waited.

"He told me about your... efforts over the summer." Mother said.

"Yes?" Draco said cautiously.

"I have no complaints about the work itself," Mother added quickly, "Charity is very commendable-"

"But."

Mother sighed, "I don't understand why you have insisted on anonymity."

Draco shook his head, already seeing where this was headed, "No."

"If people were to know-"

"No." Draco repeated.

"-It would improve your image greatly, Draco!"

"And I said, No." Draco ground out, dropping his fork with a clatter.

Mother put her glass down, "You can't enjoy the way you are treated, the way people speak of you?"

"Of course not!"

"I- I can't stand it, Draco" Mother said, brushing her fingertips lightly over her heart.

Draco took a deep breath, "I'm sorry you feel that way."

"I don't understand," Mother said again, her tone softening so it begged him to explain.

"Because it's-" Draco stopped and dragged his fingers through his hair, "They love me -now. Right now, everyone who I've helped loves me and think I- I'm wonderful but if they knew it was me-"

"Draco-"

"If they knew I was the one who did it-" Draco raised her voice over hers, "They would hate me anyway or would think it was a trick or my potions were poisoned- They would think I did it just for the publicity!"

"Draco," Mother said softly.

Draco looked at his half-eaten dinner and pushed the plate back. He cleared his throat, "I don't care that they don't know. I know. I know they like me, that they're thankful for what I've done."

Mother's brow was still furrowed, with worry or confusion he didn't know.

"It stays anonymous," Draco said as firmly as he could manage, even as he felt like a child playing pretend at being his Father.

Mother frowned, "I won't force you to do anything you truly don't want to, you know that."

Draco felt the little sick squeezing in his stomach he always did when she said that and the wanting- Wanting her to have told him no at least once, when he'd been called to take the mark, if she had just- but he knew himself well enough that he wouldn't have listened then, back when it wasn't really real to him.

But this wasn't like that. Draco didn't want it ruined. He didn't want to share. It was his. He wanted to keep it all to himself.

"That's settled then," Draco said faintly as he stood, "I'm going to bed."

"You've hardly eaten," Mother protested.

Draco looked at the plate, then his mother and her worried frown and lied, "I ate with Pansy."

Mother hurried to her feet and hugged him tightly before he could leave, "I'm sorry I upset you, Draco."

Draco didn't have the energy to do more than brush his hands over her back before pulling away, "I'm fine," he said forcing a smile and going to his room.

  '~*~'  

Draco woke at one in the afternoon with a headache. Kipper was waiting by the side of his bed, looking dour as usual.

"Owl for you, Master Draco," Kipper said holding out a letter.

Draco didn't recognise the wax seal, the letter was very neatly folded, which was not typical of any of the Hogwarts ilk, but there wasn't a person of any actual note who was still willing to speak with him on any terms.

He patted around under his pillow for his wand and promptly gave up, "Kipper is there any magic on this?"

"No," Kipper said flatly, not even bothering to look.

Draco slid his thumbnail under the seal and popped it open, unfolding the short letter and looking to the end to see who sent it. Longbottom.

Draco raised his eyebrows and read the note. Longbottom wanted to visit tomorrow afternoon.

"Kipper?"

"Yes, Master Draco," Kipper said.

Draco tossed the letter on his sheets and looked for his wand again, "We're going to have visitors tomorrow, Miss Luna and Neville Longbottom."

"What shall I prepare?"

Draco found his wand caught in the fabric of his pillowcase, "A full tea service with all of Luna's favourites."

"Enough for all guests?"

Draco charmed the drapes open, winced, and promptly closed them again, "Yes, and Mother, in case she decides to join us. Also, I'll be needing an owl in about an hour to send a reply."

Kipper bowed stiffly, "Shall I send breakfast up?"

"Yes and...." Draco added, "I'll also need the greenhouse prepared for visitors."

"The greenhouse," Kipper's glower deepened, "That one- That one is not a proper house elf, shouldn't even be allowed to-"

"Fine! Fine." Draco interrupted, "I'll prepare the greenhouse."

Kipper looked to the door speculatively, "Kipper shall punish himself for such impertinence."

"No punishments," Draco said.

"An elf stepping out of line-"

"No punishments, Kipper," Draco said firmly.

Kipper closed his eyes thoughtfully then smiled very briefly in satisfaction, "What Kipper decides to do with his free time, is his own choice. Master Draco has made this very clear."

Draco stared at Kipper, "You-"

Kipper ignored him, "Can I be getting Master Draco anything else?"

Draco rubbed his face with a groan, "Just breakfast."

"Very good."

Kipped apparated with a crack, and Draco lay back down, pulling the comforter up over his head.