I always swore to you that I'd never fall apart; you always thought that I was stronger; I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start -- Summer 2007

I felt tears in my eyes as he pleaded with me.  "Draco... it's gone on so much longer this time.  How can you say that?" I asked him, feeling like he was just lying to me.

"I don't know," I said to her honestly. "But I will try my damnedest to not do anything that could hurt you or Ian... I've protected you both so much already.  I don't know what I'd do if I lost you..."

I sighed.  "Maybe you shoul have thought about that before you started all of this.  Come to me to help you with Keegan's death... not this," I said to him simply.

"I know what I should have done, Pansy," I said to her, moving towards her.  I really wished she did not back away from me when I did so.  I stopped so I would not have to be hurt by her actions, either.  "I'm sorry -- I truly am.  I wish that I could take it all back.  Please, just give me a chance."

I wiped away a tear that had bee threatening to fall.  I did not like seeing Draco like this.  "I... I just don't know what to do, Draco.  I want to believe you.  I just don't know if I can," I said to him honestly.

I hated seeing her tears.  "Pansy, you still love me.  Your tears tell me that.  Just like my emotion should tell you how much I love you and Ian," I said to her, pleading.  I hate this.  But I did this to myself.  "I-I am sorry.  So sorry.  I hate that I did this to you - to us."

I could hear it in his voice, the sincerity. I just wished he had been this sincere for the past two years.  I wanted to reach out to him and hug him.  But no, I would not do that.  Not yet.  I needed more than this to know whether or not to let him back into our lives.  I had no idea what Lincoln had told him, but it clearly was working.  I just was not going to give in so easily.  I wiped away my betraying tears.  "Draco, I want to believe you -- I really do.  But you've done so much... I don't know who you are anymore," I said to him honestly.

"Let me show you who I am now," I said to her, wanting t try to find a way to get her to want me again.  I mean, I always thought that I would have her with the way she was in school... but clearly I was so wrong.

I shook my head.  "It'll take time," I said to Draco honestly.  "I'm just not sure what to even think now..."  I hated to hurt him with my words, but I could not lie to him.  He needed the brutal honest truth.

"I understand," I said to her, getting hope that she would at least give me another chance that I really did not deserve.  "I've made mistakes... just... let me try to make them up to you."  She and Dorian were all I wanted.

I bit my lip -- something I was so used to doing when I was frustrated or unsure.  It was a telltale time that I was becoming hesitant about my resolve.  "I don't even know where to begin with how you can do that," I said to him, shaking my head.

I looked at Pansy, hoping that she was truly going to give me another chance I did not deserve.  "I just... don't know what to do.  But then again, I can just try to be better than I ever was..." I suggested.  It was the best I could do anyways.

I pushed loose hair behind my ear.  "Well, that's a start," I said to him, knowing my resolve was pretty much diminished.  I loved him too much to completely give up on him.  He needed us and I knew that.  If he lost us... I was not sure if only Juniper could keep him from going dark anymore.  I could see it in his eyes that something was changing there.  I just was not entirely sure what it was.

I did not want to give into the hope that I was feeling by Pansy just saying that.  "Thank you," I said to her, moving towarsd her.  I wanted to hug her or something... but I was not sure if she would let me.

I gave him a nod and then I had to walk away.  I did not want to deal with him right then.  I turned around and looked at Draco.  "You will be in the spare room until I learn that I can trust you again," I said to him.  I was trying to be strong.  I knew that it would not last long,t hough, because I loved him so much.