The Parkinson family, one of the 28 pure-blood families, might not have the Malfoys' vast network or social standing, but when it came to wealth, no other family could compete.
Simply put, the Parkinsons were brilliant at business...
"Our little princess has grown up~."
Pansy had barely stepped off the express train before she was swept into a tight embrace by her mother, who gleefully nuzzled against her.
When it came to doting on their children, it was no surprise that Pansy's mother had become close friends with the lady of the Malfoy family.
"Stop... don't do that, people are staring!"
"You really have grown up—starting to get embarrassed by your own mother."
"..."
Pansy rolled her eyes. The witch hugging her so tightly she could barely breathe was none other than her mother, Sadeley Parkinson.
Though Pansy had missed her mother and didn't actually mind the hug, what truly made her flustered were the exaggerated winks Sadeley kept throwing Draco's way, along with that repeated comment about how Pansy had "grown up." It was mortifying.
"You're doing this on purpose!"
"Hmm? I don't quite understand what our little princess is saying~."
Faced with another hug, Pansy gave up resisting. She knew if she struggled, her playful mother would only come up with something even more embarrassing to say.
Still, with her mother's refined features and enviable figure—something only Pansy could truly appreciate—it was clear that Pansy had quite the promising future herself.
And judging from how easily her mother teased her, it was obvious where Pansy had inherited her sly, sharp side from.
Just as the two were sharing this mother-daughter moment, the silent wizard beside them finally spoke, clearly growing impatient...
"Alright, let's get out of this filthy place. These Mudbloods have no business learning magic."
The speaker was, of course, Pansy's father. His disrespectful words didn't surprise her one bit.
His irritation wasn't aimed at Pansy or his wife, but at the surrounding wizards he considered of impure blood.
He looked down on half-bloods and outright despised wizards from Muggle families. This was the current head of the Parkinson family—
Karnov Parkinson.
Karnov was a staunch believer in pure-blood supremacy. In business, he was ruthless and cunning, and he carried himself with the pride and arrogance of nobility. In short, he wasn't the easiest man to get close to.
Honestly, if it hadn't been for Draco, her childhood friend, Pansy might have grown up completely shaped by her father's ideals.
But having spent so much time with Draco from a young age, she'd been subtly influenced by him. If not, Pansy might have turned into a spoiled, sharp-tongued little tyrant by now.
Even so, her father wasn't entirely without redeeming qualities.
He loved his family—his wife and daughter—and in someone with so many flaws, those rare flashes of affection stood out all the more.
At that moment, Karnov seemed to notice something. His previously impatient expression instantly brightened.
Following his gaze, the Malfoy family was approaching…
…
Although the Malfoy family wasn't well-liked by most wizards for various reasons—and those who did associate with them often did so out of mutual interest—they still had a few genuine friends.
For instance, the Greengrass family, who shared similar beliefs, and the Parkinson family, who became acquainted through their children...
With both sets of parents deep in conversation, Draco and Pansy naturally gravitated toward each other.
"Do you have any plans for the holidays, Draco?"
"Hmm... probably just working on mastering a few spells."
"I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up..."
Clearly, Pansy had been hoping to go somewhere with Draco over the break.
But whether or not he would've agreed, after everything that had happened, Draco felt the urgent need to grow stronger. The sudden surge in his magical power meant he now had to spend a great deal of time gaining control over it.
He was even considering pushing himself to the point of magical exhaustion.
Pansy eyed him curiously. Knowing him well, she immediately sensed something was off...
"I know you like staying at home, Draco, but something feels... different about you."
She was right. If the old Draco had simply thirsted for magical knowledge, the current Draco now sought to transform that knowledge into true power.
"I guess I've come to understand a few things."
"?"
Pansy was just about to ask what he meant, but Draco's next move left her completely frozen.
Seeing a few strands of hair fall across Pansy's cheek, Draco instinctively reached out and tucked them behind her ear.
"If I had to give a reason... I guess I just don't want a certain crybaby princess soaking my robes again."
"..."
Pansy's face had turned red from the unexpected intimacy, but after hearing that, she exploded and lunged at him.
What could've been a tender, romantic moment was completely ruined by Draco's teasing words—no wonder she lost it.
Just as Pansy was about to chomp down on Draco's arm, two familiar, teasing voices chimed in from behind.
"So that's it That's why our little princess has grown up."
"Our little dragon sure is popular~."
"..."
"..."
Pansy froze in place, then quietly lowered her head and stepped to the side, standing still as if nothing had happened.
Draco stood there stunned, watching her go from a rabid—cough, energetic girl to a quiet and well-mannered lady in the blink of an eye.
Unlike him, the two mothers, having seen it all before, shared a glance and smiled behind their hands in perfect sync.
Maybe, just maybe, one of the biggest reasons Draco was so determined to grow stronger... was to protect all of this.
After all, without power, you can't protect anything.
This is the world of wizards, after all...