As far as assignments for work went, Michael had to say that the past week had been one of the most pleasant experiences he'd had in months. Maybe ever. With the exception of that very awkward moment outside of their hotel rooms the first night they'd been in Morocco, it had been great, Michael thought. They were friends. Padma was easy to talk to, very clever, and the fact that she was beautiful didn't matter at all. Much.

She'd said nothing about his birthday, and neither had he. Pansy supposed he would have just let it pass if she hadn't come upon the date when she was looking at their now defunct contract. She was terribly glad she had. She hoped he'd be pleased. She hoped he'd be more than pleased.

Having sent the elves ahead to get everything ready, she sat alone in her bedroom, waiting for Cormac to arrive home from the Ministry, twisting a black scarf between her hands. This was going to be fun.

"Hello, Darling," she said, brushing the soot off his shoulder. "I never expect you this early in the afternoon. 

Cormac watched Pansy as she refilled their glasses and thought not for the first time this evening how beautiful the witch sitting next to him was. "No idea, doll." He smiled at her, the furrow in her brow as she thought about the size of the glasses completely endeared her to him, and it was with a start that he realized he was feeling a bit tipsy. "I do know that you're the most bloody amazing witch I've ever known," he said truthfully.

Pansy sighed heavily and sank down into the lavender scented bubbles filling her oversized bathtub. She pointed her wand at the wireless, and soft music filled the room; the sound along with the warm water soothed her, and she felt the muscles in her neck and shoulders uncoil. The steam in the room caused the tendrils of hair that had escaped her sloppy bun to make damp curls at the nape of her neck. Leaning her head back on the edge of the tub, she reached up with her toes and turned off the water, and closed her eyes. This was good. This was needed. And the only thing that would make it better would be... something she didn't want to think about.

Pansy left Blaise at her doorstep. He was anxious to get back to Hannah. Even if he wouldn't admit it out loud, she could tell that he'd really missed the blonde little thing while they'd been gone. He'd kissed her cheek cursorily and been gone in a flash. Pansy smirked. Completely ensnared, she thought smugly.

She walked into her silent house and was greeted by no one, not even Beren. Frowning, she made her way to her sitting room, hoping to find Cormac there, or at the very least a note. He'd been supposed to stay and feed Beatrice, who hadn't taken a liking to Beren, for some reason. She opened the door to the sitting room and found it bare. No Beatrice, no Cormac, just a cold hearth with unswept ashes and empty chairs.

Home, she thought.

Since her return, she couldn't think of a time when he hadn't been here in the evening. It was unspoken. He just came to her house after he was finished at the Ministry. It was comfortable. It was certain.

Is it certain? she thought, a frown marring her forehead. 

Cormac sat on the sofa in Pansy's sitting room, waiting for her to finish up her daily correspondence. He loosened his tie and leaned back, settling into the deep cushions as he closed his eyes. It had been a Monday at work in every sense of the word, and if he heard the words Harry Potter and wonderful in the same sentence once more time, he was going to have to quit the Ministry and go sell camels in Saudi Arabia.

"Cormac, darling?"

"Mmm?" he answered.

"You remember your little friend that I met at the Winter Ball? Something Brocklehurst? Starts with an M, I think?"

"Mandy?"  Cormac's eyes shot open and he furrowed his brow.