rarepair_shorts | "Coming To Terms," for fiery

Author: ???
Recipient:

fiery_flamingo
Title: Coming To Terms
Pairing: Harry/Pansy, past Harry/Ginny and Lucius/Pansy
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,068
Summary: It's been many years since Pansy has seen Harry Potter, but when her daughter makes friends with one of his sons, she is thrust into his presence once more.
Author's Notes:

fiery_flamingo, this fic is based off your prompt "I knew you when our common goal was waiting for the world to end", which really spoke to me. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to base my story off it, because it just fits these two so well. I really hope you enjoy this. Merry Christmas!

"Mummy! Mummy!"

I turn my head to see what my daughter is shouting and pointing at, and struggle to suppress a gasp. I should really have known he'd be here; he is every year. I've just never bumped into him before. Mind, that doesn't stop me from bumping into him every time I open the Prophet.

"Come, darling," I try to say quickly, before he notices her. "We need to get you on the train."

"But I want to sit with Al, Mum, and he's right there!" Flora has always been as insistent and stubborn as I am.

I can't help but roll my eyes. I knew she'd made friends with one of Potter's children recently, for she'd been on about him all over Christmas, but at least that allowed me to remain at a distance. This... this is too close. She starts to drag me towards him and his son, and I allow myself to be led there. Why, I'll never know.

"Al!" My daughter shouts excitedly, and he greets her with a warm smile. Potter turns at the sound of his son's name, and then looks from my daughter to me. It's as if he doesn't know what to do or say, so he opts for smiling at Flora and ignoring me. "Oh, Mr Potter..." Flora's blushing, and I can't help but think this makes the situation so much worse. She either fancies him, or she's in awe of him, and neither of those is good.

"Hello there." Potter squats down so he's at our children's height and holds out his hand. Flora takes it, giggling now. "And who are you?"

"Flora Parkinson," Flora announces proudly, unaware of the past that I share with Potter.

"What a lovely name. Are you a friend of Al's?"

Flora nods enthusiastically. I feel like a right idiot, standing here, towering above them all. "Flora, it's time to get you on the train now."

"But I told you, Mum, I want to sit next to Al! Can I?" She looks up at me expectantly, as do Potter and his son, so there's nothing to do but nod. "We can discuss our flying lessons. I'm getting good but mum doesn't believe me. She's awful at flying."

"Yes, I remember that," Potter chimes in as he begins to stand up. The kids are talking amongst themselves now. I lock my gaze firmly on his.

He remembers?

"If I recall correctly, you nearly flew into a tree once. Madam Hooch had to race after you to make sure you were okay." He's chuckling, and I'm blushing. I don't know how he remembers that; even I'd managed to forget the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to me at Hogwarts.

"Er, yes." I shuffle my feet awkwardly. "That's something I'd actually managed to forget until now."

"Apologies." Potter smirks, but not in a cruel way. It's almost as if he's trying to make me laugh, or giggle, or blush like my daughter. "I think we'd better get the kids on the train now. If you'll watch Al for a second I'll just go round up James and Lily."

"Certainly." I watch him go, struggling to get through the crowd to find his other two children. It makes me wonder why his ex-wife isn't here. I know they've split up, months ago, but I thought she would have wanted to be here to see her children off. Flora and Al are talking animatedly while I watch him in the distance, eventually finding his children and coaxing them over. They look at me strangely until I gesture towards Flora.

"Thanks, Park—" He stops in his tracks, probably thinking it's rude to call me by my last name now we're adults. "Thank you."

I smile brightly, trying to reassure him that he hasn't offended me, and he smiles back. Albeit, I do see a bit of surprise in his eyes, probably because he's never seen me smile before. "Don't mention it. Shall we get them on the train then?"

"Yes, come on, kids," he says, ushering them all towards the train we had boarded so many years before. They're all talking to each other, completely ignoring us, and just letting themselves be guided. I make sure to give Flora a hug and a kiss before she gets on, but she, like Potter's children, is embarrassed and pulls away. I envy the days when she used to run to me for a cuddle. "Have a good term! And James, look after Lily and Al, please," Harry says sternly.

"Yes, Dad," James groans, rolling his eyes as he and the rest wander down the train to find a seat.

Soon they're out of sight, and it's just me and Potter, standing here awkwardly and waiting for the train to leave so we can wave goodbye. As the doors shut I find myself feeling nostalgic and wishing it was me going to Hogwarts again, but I know those days are long gone. I'm a grown woman now, with my own child at Hogwarts. It's ever so strange; I don't feel so different in spite of everything that's happened. It's as though I've spent my life living in a bubble, and not really experiencing it. I'm sure Potter's never had that problem.

"Can you see them?" Potter asks as the train starts to leave, and I scour through the kids quickly to find ours. Eventually I see them, right at the back, and they're not paying any attention to us.

"There," I say, pointing at them, and we both begin to wave. They all put their heads on their elbows and face away, as though we're the most embarrassing parents ever. "Kids, eh."

Potter laughs. "Yeah. It's a shame they're such terrors when they're teenagers. The early years were such fun. Now they don't even want to know us."

Your children are lucky, I want to say, though I don't, not wanting to cause offence or create any awkwardness. I can't imagine anyone not wanting to know you. Apart from Draco, of course.

Potter turns to me when the train has gone and holds out his hand. "I'm Harry."

I smile and can't help but blush at the same time. "Pansy," I say as I take his hand.

"Do you want to go for a drink?"

I'm taken aback, but he seems to be genuine. "I'd love to." He gestures towards the cafe in the corner and we set off towards it. "It's been a long time."

"It has. We're different people now. We have different lives. Our children will never feel the fear that we did growing up. Can you imagine that?" It's obvious he wishes You Know Who had never existed. I have to agree with him there. Our lives would have been so much easier.

"Not really. Only from the moments life ran away with us and we were able to forget, and they were few and far between." I sigh heavily as he opens the cafe door for me. We sit down at the table nearest the fire; it's far too cold these days. "I'm sorry," I blurt out, and then look away awkwardly. "About—"

He puts a hand up to stop me and I brace myself for the insult, but it never comes. "Don't be. You were just a kid. I understand why you did it."

I manage a half-smile. "Thanks, but I really am sorry. I've never been able to get over it, you know. What I said; what I tried to do." I busy myself with the menu, but he's still looking at me and I have to put it down. "If I could go back—"

"I wouldn't have had it any other way," he says. "Things ended as they did. Had you not done that, things could have been very different. I've learnt to live with what happened. I don't want to think about what could have happened if things went another way."

I nod. He's got a point, though I'm not sure I've come to terms with what's happened yet, which is stupid, really, because he lost so much more in that War than I did. "Your children are lovely," I say, trying to change the subject. It's been so long, but the War is still raw, for both of us, I can tell. "Do they know?"

"Thank you," he says, smiling. "And yes. Well, sort of. I've skirted around anything too dark, but I suppose they'll learn about it in History of Magic. I hear I'm being taught about now. How strange is that?"

"Not strange at all," I reply. "I always assumed you would be. You are the Chosen One, after all."

"Were," he corrects me. The waitress comes over and I order a pumpkin juice. Flora's been obsessed with it lately and she's got me hooked. He orders a Firewhiskey, and I can't help but think it's a little early in the day for that. "Your daughter is adorable." I blush, ever the proud mother. "Is she... Malfoy's?"

I see why he hesitated now. I suppose if Draco and I had ever seriously gone out it would be a touchy subject, but we never did. We only fooled around as kids. "No. Though she looks like him, doesn't she?" I know why that is. I wonder if he does.

Potter—No, Harry—nods, then frowns, and then realisation hits him. "Oh. She's Lucius'?" I bite my lip in embarrassment as I nod. "Does Draco know? I'm sorry, I'm being awfully nosy. You don't have to answer that."

"Yes," I say quietly. "They all know. That's why we're not friends anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he says. I know what he's really thinking, but it's not like that. It was a stupid, accidental, drunk moment of passion. Never to be repeated. "Though I must say, with him as a father, you've brought up a lovely little girl."

I smirk and thank him once more. "People are looking at us, you know," I say quietly, and watch him look round the room.

"They probably wonder why we're together the nosy buggers." Harry seems annoyed, but I can't blame him. He must face people staring at him all the time. "Forget them. I like this. It's nice. Simple. Uncomplicated. Even now, so many things aren't."

"True," I agree, as the waitress comes over with our drinks. I resist the temptation to ask about his ex-wife, even though he asked about Draco.

"We should do it again sometime."

I can barely believe my luck. So many years I've harboured a crush on this man, watching from the sidelines as he married, had kids, divorced, and now he's asking me out again. I know he's not asking me out asking me out, but it's as close as I'll get, I'm sure. "I'd like that."

"Unfortunately, I must dash, though," he says as he hears the clock strike twelve. I can't believe we've been here an hour already. It doesn't feel like it. "I've a meeting with Ginny regarding the children. She wants full custody."

"Oh." I'm not sure I know what to say to that. I'd be devastated if Lucius tried to stake claim over Flora, but I suppose his situation is different. Suddenly the Firewhiskey at this hour makes sense. "I'm sorry. Good luck." It's not much, but it's the best I can do.

"How about Thursday?" He's standing up now, looking flustered. "I'm free in the afternoon."

"Sounds good." I join him and stand up, and he downs the rest of his drink.

"I'll Owl you. Thanks for this." Suddenly it's awkward. He doesn't know whether to hug me, kiss me on the cheek or offer his hand. He opts for a smile and a nod, and I know that it's genuine, which means all the more to me.

"You're welcome. Anytime," I call after him as he hurries out. I sit down with my drink and think about the many times I've wished for this to happen over the years and never thought it would. I can't believe my luck, and I realise I'm beaming from ear to ear like a schoolgirl. People are still watching, but screw them.

When I gets into bed later that night, I feel truly happy for the first time in a very long while. Maybe I can come to terms with this War after all.