The Art of Betrayal by katehathaway

Playing Tetris

- NOT MY STORY!! ALL CREDITS TO @katehathaway ON A03!!

24 December 1924

BELOVED BACHELOR MISSING: A REFLECTION OF HIS LIFE AND LEGACY

By Rita Skeeter

While the rest of us wait patiently for news on Mr. Draco Malfoy's whereabouts and wellbeing, we cannot help but theorize what may have happened to the young, successful, and cherished man of our society. The shock of Mr. Malfoy's failure to show at the Christmas Charity Gala, specifically to claim his Man of the Year award and grant those in attendance the pleasure of listening to one of his expertly written and dictated speeches, reverberated among all of Great Britain ominously.

Several eyewitnesses – guests of the Gala – assert that Miss Pansy Parkinson and Miss Daphne Greengrass were both seen fleeing the palace under Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy's arms. "They were clearly very distraught," says Miss Fleur Delacour. "I do hope that the two of them work it out and feel better soon." By that, we can only presume that Fleur – who attended at the bequest of Mr. Hartnell and Mr. Malfoy himself – means that she hopes that the two women work out a row that may have occurred between Mr. Malfoy and either of themselves.

Miss Delacour elaborated that she was pleased to see "the little brunette" on Mr. Malfoy's arm at another, private event which, although upsetting many fans of her pairing with Mr. Malfoy herself, leads us to believe that it is in fact Miss Parkinson that holds Mr. Draco Malfoy's favor and heart.

Either way, we do agree with the beautiful French woman in that the wellbeing of both women – no matter who is the intended wife-to-be! – along with Mr. Draco Malfoy is of the utmost importance.

This part is actually a bit painful to read.

It's hard to go back and think about that gala without panicking, and right now I need to keep a level head. As best as I can with the circumstances, I suppose. Which, predictably, include me facing my own death (among many other fun things) which was a making of my own doing.

I set the bed and now I must lie in it.

As for Pansy holding Draco's favor and heart, that was quite comedic genius and did make me feel better for a second. I mean, seriously? I know for a fact that Pansy and Daphne were not crying over Draco because I don't even think they knew he was missing when Narcissa ushered them out of the palace and back to the Manor. They were too absorbed in their own problems to notice anyone else's that day.

Then again, I'm shouldn't be one to talk.

Perhaps, if I had been paying even an ounce more attention to anyone other than myself in the past twenty-four hours, then I would have noticed how absurd and unusual Draco's absence was, and I wouldn't be scrambling, willing to die if necessary, to save him.

At least, on the bright side, Fleur didn't name me to that Rita woman. Dodged that bullet.

Would it be wishful thinking to presume that would be a good sign that I would dodge this bullet staring at me, too?

29 August 1923

Hermione stepped out of the second car with Theo and Harry, watching as Draco mesmerized the few reporters that had been tipped off about the event that they were all attending. Originally, only Draco and Theo had been granted invitations – and Hermione presumed it would be Pansy and Daphne that accompanied them, naturally – but as it turns out it was her and the other newbie in the Manor.

She laughed as Theo pushed Harry forcefully through the glass doors and into the small cocktail room, evading the guards' inspection with a simple nod. This was his event, after all, and who were they to deny him a free pass.