elaby | Candy is Dandy drabble (Reply)

For

scribbulus_ink's Candy is Dandy challenge. Takes place before HBP, so no spoilers.

Character: Pansy Parkinson
Candy: Blood-flavored lollipops

A Taste for Blood

It was raining, and the glassless window in which Pansy Parkinson sat opened out onto the courtyard about six feet below. She had one buckle-shoed foot propped up on the sill, and the other dangled down inside the window so she wouldn't get wet. She was currently amusing herself by waiting until a group of first-years walked by, and then pushing down the edge of one of their umbrellas so rainwater would run down their backs.

She also had a blood-flavored lollipop, which she had gotten from Honeydukes last weekend. Initially, the idea had repulsed her, but only last Thursday Draco had made a snide comment to her about wishing she would grow a spine when it came to squeamishness, and she wanted to prove to him that she could be just as tough as he was. She'd found the lollipops to be surprisingly enjoyable, after you got used to the metallic taste.

The lollipop was spherical and a vibrant, wet red. She twirled it in her mouth as she waited for more first-years to pass.

She heard footsteps in the deserted corridor beside her and then Draco was there, arms folded, for once slightly shorter than she because of her seat in the window. "There you are. Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

Pansy gave him a slight smile and twirled the lollipop in her mouth before answering. "Oh, it's you, is it?" Giving Draco the cold shoulder had never really worked in the past, but it was worth a try.

"Yes, it's me," he said, and his voice betrayed a hint of annoyance. "Are you just sitting here wasting your time, looking out at the bloody boring rain, or what?" Pansy didn't answer, but put her hand on her knee and continued to twirl the lollipop. Draco frowned at her, and took a different tack. "What's that? Cinnamon?"

Pansy smiled wider, showing teeth. "Blood."

Draco's eyebrows went up, but the surprised (and maybe even impressed, Pansy thought with a small thrill) look was masked within moments. He tilted his head to one side, eyes narrowed. "I didn't know you had the constitution for that sort of thing."

"There's probably a lot you don't know about me," Pansy replied airily. She thought about some of the things he'd said recently, hints he'd been dropping, the way he spoke of his father and what his father did. She pulled the lollipop from her mouth and gave him what she hoped was her most mysterious smile. "Do you have a taste for blood, Draco?"

Draco seemed to freeze, his eyes on hers, gray and expressionless. Then he moved forward. He wrapped his fingers around her hand and pulled the lollipop to him. With head bent and eyes closed, he put his mouth around it.

Pansy didn't dare move.

Draco straightened after a moment and licked his lips, but did not release her hand. "You know, I think I do."