If there was ever a questio Pansy had served her peransgressions past, the answer would be a firm and resounding NO. She hahe gres a, not aloise and dignity, but she gehstood it without losi shred of omposure.
&er apparating smeade, Pa like she was losihe pair ued . Only it wasn’t quite arguing. Sazar, it was almost like a lover’s quarrel. First, Drao ihey ght to ter wao send ahem. “I’ve seen you at the owlery, Potter. Sers faster.”
Potter huffed as they made their way dowhe hotel. “Oh, you mean wheo my fae?”
“As I reall, it atually wasn’t your fae, and I o you,” Drao drawled. He turo Pa his arm. “Sidealong, dear?” Pansy took the offered arm and wathed Drao quirk a Potter. “If you’ve got an owl to send, I suppose we will see you when we see you.” Ahey disapparated.
& up to them less thaer. “If we hurry,” he panted, “maybe we an ath him before dinner.”
They walked in silene for a few mihem probably reaquaintih the se had been ages sine Pansy had ome to Hogsmeade, let alos, in fat, it might have been years. A part of her ahed with the good memories she had there, while other parts of her raked at the thought of all the pain that followed those woimes.
Finally, Drao broke the sileo suggest they try the gree. Potter ou Neville usually took his afterhe astle after lessons. Pansy sensed an affront oom oip ue, so she deided to ha.
&hought I w bak to Hogwarts so soon.”
Drao let h. “It’s a bit too soon for my liking.”
“No one is making you ome along, Malfoy,” Potter muttered under his breath.
That arked her boots in the ground aer by the sleeve. “What is your problem, Potter?” The ation made him jerk bakward and his gsses pratially flew off his fae.
“Piss off, Parkinson.”
“No, you piss off, Potter!” she yelled. Pansy stuk a fio his hest aed to Drao. “’t you see that I’m here for Bertrie? Would I trust Drao with this if for one seond I believed he’d had something to do with it?” Paween them, shaking her head. “Your stupid, infted shoolboy rivalry, your ridiulous stoleauhe misped assumptions—an you put the idioy aside as so we an save a hild’s life? This is serious!”
&er gulp and heard Drao sigh.
“If I hear another—” she shook her head a it go. “Throw you to the squid myself,” she grumbled ahe path.
If Drao felt a little bit guilty after Pansy’s outburst, he bmed Potter. Drao had been baiting him all afternoon, so for that, he was at fault. But it was almost as if the very presene of Drao set Potter off. Maybe it was their lose proximity and the ndsape hanging from the wet streets h to the traveled paths of Hogwarts. With eah for, Drao ould feel the weight of his oulling him inside himself to the pes he had ome to fear the most. For every level of Hell he’d experiened during the posed Potter went levels above him.
&hree of them fell in step and walked i of the way to the astle. With Pahem, Drao briefly imagined a world where he ould ommiserate with Potter on the shared wrath of her silver to a se would be, he thought. But that ery road, imagining anything to do with Potter.
&ish air around him should have given him hills, but ihe pull of a greater purpose left Drao feeli was as if the threads of Fate were bekoning him forward. He had a oion to it s si with the urse.
At the ehe astle, Potter ast his Patre, majesti stag, learer ahan Drao’s white stoat had ever beehed it rush off ile auro Drao and Pansy. “Just lettiress know we’re here.”
Drao didn’t doubt Potter maintaiionship with Minerva MGohat was a major differewo of them. Where Pht seek to maintain his bo held both good and terrible memories, Drao doubted he possessed the strength to rise above the darkness. Or maybe he still let the fear of its power over him prevent him fr.
“Drao, are you oming?” Pansy stood ihe do at him. She didn’t say anything else as he omposed himself and for that he was grateful. They followed Potter inside ahe staff lounge.
& got far before someoed, “Harry!” There in the hallway stood om, tall and leah a bright smile. Drao had barely blier pratially disappeared in Longbottom’s arms for ahe familiarity betweewo Gryffi Drao with a warm seality taiwi. “I haven’t seen you in months.” After they’d separated, Longbottom looked over Potter’s shoulder, his happy demeahe sight of Pansy and Drao. “What are they doing here?”
“We’re w a ase, er expined, his fae shifted from obvious joy to aion. “And we have some questions for you.”
& sure ho you.”
A thoughtful expressioer’s fae, a his lower lip. Drao