Project 137.43.M.D.

XLVI. | AFFIRMANTI INCUMBIT PROBATIO

XLVI.
AFFIRMANTI INCUMBIT PROBATIO
(the burden of proof lies upon him who asserts)

„No way!"

Granger looked at him with wide eyes. Disbelief was literally written all over her face. Draco was immediately certain that telling her had been a mistake, but her tender touch on his cheek had made him confide in her. That one last piece of information. The only trump he had against Parkinson and which, by the way, he didn't want to play out at all.

Draco glanced at Granger's hands and noticed that they were trembling. He sighed softly and sat up, looking at her intently.

"At least I suspect that's why he did it, but it doesn't matter, Granger. I have no intention of snitching on him after all these years. Besides, it wouldn't change anything if I did so," he said, giving her a firm look.

"Of course it would change something! It would redeem you completely, and Parkinson would have to atone for what he did, maybe even pay a large amount of gold in compensation. In fact, there are many reasons not to let him get away with it. What if he's done it more often? What if you were not the only one?"

Granger grabbed his hands, but he yanked them away.

„As I already said: I don't want anything to do with it anymore."

"But it's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, Granger!"

"You are innocent."

"I'm not innocent."

She had tears in her eyes and Draco's heart sank. He quickly rose from the bed, walked to the bedroom window and looked out at the sunny morning.

„Thomas Parkinson got you in prison for ten sodding years with his schemes. It's already unbearable that you didn't defend yourself when the Gamot sentenced you back then, but that you now also want to keep it to yourself that he only did it to get you out of the way as a witness is just..." She took a deep breath. Draco clenched his hands into fists. Merlin, Granger was actually talking herself into a rage. „... not acceptable! Just because he never got the Mark doesn't mean he wasn't a Death Eater at heart. He helped them. He fooled the Auror Office although it should have been his goddamn job to prevent all this horrible things. I can't believe you want to keep covering up for him."

"Are you finally done?" Draco sneered when she shut up for a few seconds.

"I'm far from done," she snorted immediately, and he moaned quietly. "You were just a child. What did he have to fear from you, anyway? He could have asked you not to say anything, and you probably would have agreed, right? Besides, he could have been betrayed by anyone who knew. By every single Death Eater who was tried back then. But he was worried about you of all people? What about your mother, for example? Why didn't he try to get her out of the way as well?"

Draco spun around. He had been patient enough to let her rant at him for his alleged misconducts, but now she was overdoing it.

"You're not quite as smart as you think you are," he snapped at her.

He took a few steps back in her direction and glared at her warningly. But the days when she had winced at one of his frosty looks were undoubtedly over. She looked at him with eyes no less sparkling, and the blush that crept up her neck to her cheeks must be evidence of her anger – there was no sign of fear or embarrassment.

"Enlighten me then!" she spat back.

"To put it at its simplest: My mother neither fought nor used an Unforgivable Curse. Not before and not during the Battle. Don't you read your own oh-so-great laws?" he provoked her, raising his eyebrows. „Parkinson simply had no basis to pin anything on her."