Breath Mints / Battle Scars

Chapter 40: XL

February 11th, 1999

When Pansy hears the word 'probation,' her steel wall falls.

Hermione watches her go slack against the side of the cage, all the fear she so resolutely refused to show now plain on her face. And then their eyes meet.

And she feels as though she's seeing Pansy Parkinson for the first time.

Because the bloodshot eyes that stare back at Hermione regard her as an equal. For the first time, Hermione has a sense of what it must be like to know Pansy Parkinson. To stand on the inside of her walled-in life.

And her words from before suddenly ring true.

She can see her.

Pansy Parkinson is more than a cold, pretty face.

As her cage starts to lower back into the holding cells, from which she'll soon be released, the silent members of the crowd begin to rustle for their things. Hermione's knees are stiff - numb. Her face is blank.

Luck. Pure luck - that's what this was.

Had one wrong word come out of her mouth, one poorly phrased question, the atmosphere of the room would've been entirely different right now.

Faith Burbage deals her a withering look from the podium before disappearing behind it. No doubt to recollect herself before the next retrial.

And as Harry appears at her side, walking Hermione from the room - still too stunned and speechless to feel relief - John Dawlish stares holes into her back.

It will only get harder from here.

"Twenty minutes was all I could secure for you," says McGonagall once they reach the atrium, handing Hermione another visitor badge. "I'm sorry, Miss Granger."

And she suddenly remembers her day isn't over.

She has to speak to Millicent Bulstrode.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Hermione deadpans. "Twenty minutes should be more than enough."

She clips on the badge with clammy hands and steps into the lift.

February 12, 1999

THE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS OF A DARK REGIME

How Love Forced Pansy Parkinson Into You Know Who's Midst

Skeeter's article is bursting with flowery, decidedly less-than-accurate details. Of Pansy wiping away "glistening tracks of tragic tears" and "lamenting the consequences of this brutal love." Of Hermione handing her handkerchiefs and urging the Wizengamot to "find their humanity" - a completely fabricated quote.

There are, however, a few truths stitched into the mess.

"And when our Golden Girl inquired as to the nature of this relationship, Parkinson - sighing wistfully - described it as 'purely one-sided.'"

"Pausing here to remind my lovely readers once more that Miss Parkinson was under the influence of Veritaserum at this time."

"'What do you think about when you think of Theodore Nott?' our War Heroine pressed her, to which Parkinson replied, starry-eyed, 'Many things. His voice, mostly. It's the most comforting sound I know. The only thing that calms me down. Makes me feel safe.'"

"'Did [(You Know Who) - our Golden Girl neglected to use this reader-friendly term] make you do things?' Miss Parkinson could only nod. 'Bad things?' asked Miss Granger. 'Terrible things,' said Parkinson. 'And why did you do these things?' To which Parkinson replied, 'For Theo.'"

"In her closing statement, the Brightest Witch of Our Age posed one final question to Miss Parkinson. 'What would you do for Theodore Nott?' An audible gasp fanned out across the courtroom - several heartbroken cries of outrage - as Parkinson revealed, 'Anything.'"