𝔖𝔢𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔡 ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (18+ ℭ𝔬𝔪𝔭𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔢)

Verdict

     Pansy Parkinson found guilty of attempted time-travel to restore Voldemort to power: By Rita Skeeter.

     Official documentation states that Pansy Parkinson planned to return to March of this year. Her intention was to make sure that Harry Potter was turned over to the Dark Lord when he was brought to Malfoy Manor. Had Parkinson succeeded, Voldemort's climb to power would have been that much easier. The effects of her decision would have been life-changing for everyone on the planet.

     The granddaughter of respected and beloved socialite Katherine Parkinson was transported to a clinic out of the country to await her sentence. Pansy remains in frail condition after being hit with a powerful curse to keep her from time-traveling by Draco Malfoy.

     When Draco Malfoy was asked how he knew about Miss Parkinson's plans to time-travel, he said, "Until my lawyer tells me otherwise, I have no comment."

     This reporter was able to find out that due to the Malfoy heir's heroics, his father, Lucius Malfoy, a former Death Eater, will be released from Azkaban Prison within the week. The details of his unshackling have not been made public knowledge at this juncture—later updates to come.

     I slammed the Daily Prophet down on the dining table and said, "That explains why I haven't seen him in days."

     "Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked.

     "Yeah, you look like you're going to be sick." Ginny rubbed my back.

     Ron nodded in agreement as he shoved food into his mouth.

     "I don't know." I bent forward, running my hands into my hair, and gave myself a moment to think. "He didn't tell me and..."

     "Maybe he couldn't."

     "I'm sure that's the case, Mione. But I'm his boyfriend and would have helped him."

     "You don't get to play the hero all the time, Harry," Ginny said.

     "Clearly, this is more complex than Skeeter would ever be able to explain in five hundred words or less," Hermione added.

     "Not that I like defending him, but you shouldn't be upset with Draco." Ron chuckled. "At least until you talk to him face to face. Then you can dump him, and I don't have to pretend to like him."

     Hermione hit his arm. "Shut up, Ronald. Draco's been helping you with potions too and has been nothing but good to Harry."

     The hairs on my neck stood up. Peeking through my hair, everyone in the large dining hall was staring at me.

     I just..." The eyes boring into me had me on my feet and flying out of the hall as fast as possible.

     "Harry, wait!" Hermione yelled as she chased after me.

     "I just need some air," I said as I pushed the door to the courtyard open. Sucking in a deep breath of the cold, I closed my eyes and leaned against the railing.

     Hermione's footfalls crunched in the snow as she drew near.

     Snow fluttered onto my face and melted. "Why didn't Draco tell me? I could have helped him."

     "It wasn't safe to tell you, Harry."

     My eyes snapped open. Shaking like a leaf, Draco was in that horrible state where he looked tired but too scared to sleep.

     "Dragon!"

     He tried to smile, but it looked exhausting.

     Without hesitation, I moved to him and pulled him into a hug. He melted onto me, and his breathing changed—he was crying.

     "Are you okay?" I asked as I nuzzled into his neck.

     He shook his head.

     "I've been worried about you."

     "I killed her right in the middle of the parlor back in March." Draco shuddered.

     I froze. "Who?"

     "Pansy."

     "But the Prophet said she was alive and being transported to—"

     "I knew she was going to time-travel because she did do it once."

     "She did?"

     "That's when I did it. I kept her from doing it a second time, so she's alive." He pulled back and shook his head.

    I wiped the tears from his face. "I...wow."

     "It was her or you, and I will always choose you, Harry."

     Shock didn't even begin to cover how I felt. Then I began to wonder and said, "After Fred Weasley's funeral, I didn't want to go back to the Burrow. I wandered around with my invisibility cloak on and saw you."

     He jerked back, shock plastered across his pale face. "I...I didn't mean to intrude, I just—"

     "You knew he was going to die if you chose me, didn't you?"

     He swallowed hard. "Yes, Pansy told me."

     My heart twisted into knots. "You were there to apologize?"

     Tears ran down his face, and he nodded.

     "That must have been hard to know his fate, and all the others, then deal with it alone."

     "Sleeping was tricky." He chuckled without any humor in it.

     "I bet."

     "Being with you has helped a lot, Harry. I just wish that there was some way I could have told you, but..." He shrugged.

     "It's alright, Dragon. I get it now, and I'm grateful—more than I can express."

     "Harry, I- I..." He touched his neck.

     I smiled. "Me too."

     Snow drifted down around us. I shivered as the chill of the air and excitement of being with someone who loved me filled my senses. Then to make it perfect, Draco leaned forward, and we kissed like we did the first...second time.