Project 137.43.M.D.

XXXV. | DELICTUM SUI GENERIS

XXXV.
DELICTUM SUI GENERIS
(offense of its own kind)

"You can't be serious!"

Ginny sat next to Hermione at the Burrow's kitchen table, angrily rocking little Albus in her lap.

Since Hermione had already told Ginny more than she was supposed to, she had been confident that this one piece of information about Thomas Parkinson wouldn't make things worse. So she had flooed to the Potter family home as soon as she had left the Ministry - knowing full well that it would be quite a while before Harry himself would call it a day.

What had been written all over Ginny's face after Hermione had told her what she had found out and what conclusions she had drawn from it had been very similar to her own feelings. By the time Hermione had finished her monologue, she could also have sworn she was able to see her friend's carotid artery throbbing violently with the naked eye.

Among all the other good qualities that Ginny possessed by nature, one stood out in particular: her sense of justice. And since she was also a typical Gryffindor, who all possessed this quality to a comparatively high degree, she reacted correspondingly intensely whenever she heard that someone had been wronged. That was exactly the case now.

"This is an absolute insolence. No wait, you can't call something like that an insolence, the thing is far too big. For fuck's sake!" Ginny put Albus (who luckily was to young to understand her) down and let him belly crawl away while she ruffled her red hair. "I swear to you, if I wasn't on parental leave and you hadn't signed that stupid non-disclosure agreement, I'd be writing an article for the Daily Prophet right now for the whole world to know about it by tomorrow!"

Hermione gave a wry smile and patted Ginny's forearm. She could very well empathize with what her friend was feeling, but she had already calmed down herself.

"I can't believe nobody noticed," Ginny finally complained, perplexed, leaning back in her chair. "For every shit, there's a double and triple check. Everything in the Ministry works according to the four-eye-principle. But the biggest criminal cases Wizarding World has seen in the last century are handled so sloppily? Merlin, how should I respond when Harry tells me that you were in his office today and asked him strange questions about Parkinson?"

"I don't think he'll tell you," Hermione murmured, sipping the Butterbeer she had wheedled out of Ginny right after taking her first step into the Burrow's little kitchen.

Ginny cocked an eyebrow and gave her a dubious look.

"You know very well that he always wants to discuss everything with me immediately. He can't keep anything to himself!" She snorted, but Hermione shook her head.

"Not this time. Harry is not stupid. He'll put two and two together when he has a few minutes to think about it. After all, he brought Draco to me after Nott punched him in the face in Diagon Alley. He knows that Nott and Pansy are married and that I requested Draco's file and the memory. You know Harry. He's probably investigating by now, and since he runs the Auror Office and isn't constantly emotionally confused like me, he'll be able to draw conclusions more quickly."

Ginny was silent for a while, but finally looked convinced and nodded slowly.

"Maybe you are right. He's been suspicious ever since he realized something was wrong between you and Malfoy in the elevator. But speaking of our new favorite subject, it's Draco now, huh?"

Of course, Ginny had noticed, and Hermione could have kicked herself in the ass for that blunder. If she had to explain that now, she might as well bury her dignity for good.