Disclaimer – Everything you recognise, belongs not to me, but the talented JK. Anything else is more than likely mine.
Authors Note – Another Pansy Draco story, our favourite couple. This is going to get quite dark and our three favourite main characters are going to be shown in quite a different light.
Crudelis Ferreus
Chapter Seven – Finale
My head was throbbing when I awoke, thoughts and nightmares swimming around its blackened depths. Moaning I pushed myself upwards, arm reaching groggily for handholds. I moaned-pain filling my limbs. Every muscle was tight, every limb heavy. My hand was torn, dried blood caking the pale skin. I put it up to my head, my hair matted with the dried blood, wincing as I touched the deep gash.
Suddenly a hand swam into my vision. I looked up at the owner and threw myself backwards, undiluted fear filling me. Harry sat there, offering me a glass of water.
"I'll heal you if you want," he said gruffly.
I took the water, its cool liquid soothing my raw throat but never took my eyes off Harry for a second.
"What happened?" I finally said. He looked at me and our eyes connected, reaching the unspoken agreement that last night would never be spoken of again.
"Your Master fell," he said flatly, "As did Hermione."
"Sorry." I said shortly.
"Draco killed her," he said in a flat tone.
So that's why he had come back and tried to…tried to… Hermione had been murdered and Harry had wanted revenge, wanted to hurt Draco. I had been the closest thing to him Harry had.
"How do you know it was him?"
"Hair, voice"
"Is he still alive?"
"Yes. Voldemort came just after he killed her, we duelled, and Dumbledore and I killed him."
"Oh. And?"
"Lucius Malfoy fell, as did Bill Weasley. Dumbledore is dying and Hagrid was killed. Blaise Zabini died, and your Father fell."
"Is he dead?" I said rather quickly.
"Yes. Sorry," he said bluntly.
The conversation was tight, forced. Both our voices were blunt, our answers short. We were holding back the awful memories.
"What's going to happen now?" I asked.
"With what?"
"The Wizarding World? The school? Me?"
"The Wizarding World, I don't know. The school, McGonagall has been announced head. And you. You can go."
"I can go?" I said, betraying the first bit of emotion in our conversation.
"Yes. Just let me clean you up first."
He stepped closer and I shrank away. He winced but carried on toward me. Pulling out his wand he healed the gash on my head. I wanted to close my eyes against the stinging pain but I couldn't, I was too afraid of Harry.
He healed my hand next.
"Anywhere else hurt?" he asked uncomfortably.
"No." I said, although that was I lie. My back was torn where the stone had pierced it and by the stinging over my chest and stomach it was scratched to hell. In-between my legs hurt too, from the forceful way of his hand last night. But I wasn't telling him that.
"Good." He reached out a steady hand and grabbed at the crystal in my forehead. A burning sensation and it was gone; it came away in his hand.
"Your free," he said.
"Finally," I muttered sarcastically. I stiffly stood up, using the wall as support. I stumbled, and with quick reflexes born of Quidditch he reached out to steady me. I yanked myself away from his grip though. He jumped away, face full of shame.
I hobbled forward, whispering the floating charm. Surprisingly it worked without my wand. Harry floated up just below me, his eye level low, never once looking up. A jolt ran through my body as my feet were banged onto the floor and I fell forward a few paces. Harry didn't try to catch me this time. I fell forward onto a plush four-poster. Rolling over I squealed as I saw the towering form of Harry standing over me. He pulled away quickly, diving into the shadows of the wall.
"Your wands there," he mumbled, pointing to a cabinet next to the bed. I snatched it up, grateful to feel the smooth wood under my fingers.
"Tell me why I shouldn't curse you," I snarled, holding it up level with his chest.
"I was hoping you would," was his reply.
"Why?" was all I needed to ask.
"I needed to hurt someone."
I got up, stumbled toward the door. I threw it open, letting it slam on the cold stone.
"If it means anything, I'm sorry," he said as I stepped over the threshold onto the staircase.
"It doesn't" I spat. I walked out, slamming the door behind me. Those were the last words I ever spoke to Potter. The person I thought I could be friends with, the person I had liked even though he had kept me prisoner through the most important months of my life. The person I loved. Loved as a brother, a close friend. I hated him now, despised him.
And I would never see him again.
I stumbled through the corridors. I had pilfered a cloak from the Gryffindor common room, which covered my missing arm and my features. I didn't want to draw attention to myself until I knew what was happening.
Students raced past me, some shouting and laughing in happiness, others crying for the loss of loved ones. I half-fell down the steps to the dungeons, knocked over by a hysterical Slytherin first year.
"What the hell's wrong," I roared at her. She let out a squeak and fell silent.
"My, my Mum died and my Dad's been sent to Azkaban."
"I'm sorry," I said stiffly, "What's happening in the Slytherin common room?"
"Owls are coming every five minutes to give news of students parents. Fourteen have already been condemned to Azkaban and twenty-five are dead. Both of Malfoy's parents are dead. Our Lord is dead and Pansy Parkinson is feared dead also."
"I am Pansy Parkinson." I revealed, pulling off the hood. The girl nearly dropped into a dead faint right in front of me.
"Oh God, Oh God," she moaned, "Miss Parkinson. Malfoy has been in a terrible state what with thinking you dead. You must go to him at once. The house has been in mourning for you since you were taken. We have never stopped our-"
"Ok I get the picture," I cut in. "You can carry on your business now. What's your name?"
"Jenny Frostina."
"I shall remember you." I told her. She beamed and then scampered off.
I carried on down the dark passageway, lit only by dull lamps. On reaching the jutting out stone in the secret wall that led to our common room I realised that after Potter and Granger's little visit my housemates would not have bee stupid enough to keep the same password.
And I had no idea of the new one.
I stood uncertain, not sure what to do. Resigning myself to having to wait until either someone from inside opened to door to go out, or someone came along wanting to go in, I began to cross to the opposite side of the passageway, to lean against the stone and sit down. I didn't have long to wait though.
There was a grinding and crunching sound and the door began to slide open. I whipped round to face it and was met with chaos. Slytherins ran everywhere, some crying, and some hurriedly packing cases, some just huddled quietly in corners.
I stepped forward, ignoring the seventh year boy who was gaping at me, his mouth open wide. I scanned the room, searching for the one face I wanted to see in this crowd.
And there he was. Platinum hair on top of pale skin shone across the room. He was facing me and looked up slowly as the room began to fall silent. No one dared breath as Draco and I stared across the room into each other's eyes. I stepped forward from the doorway, someone gasped. Draco stood, his mouth dropping open slightly in shock.
"Pansy?" he whispered. The deadly silence carried it across the room. Someone couldn't take it anymore and squealed. But our eyes stayed locked. We crossed quickly to each other, eyes not leaving each other's, dodging round furniture by feel and knowledge of the layout only.
We stopped inches away from each other, gazing into each other's eyes. And then he swept me up into his arms, holding me tight, crushing me to him. My arm entwined its way around his neck and his encircled my waist, one rubbing in soothing circles on my back. He buried his face in my hair as I buried mine in his strong chest.
"God Pansy I've missed you so much."
"Draco…"
My voice broke. I began to sob, my body shaking with each one. They echoed off the stonewalls, reverberating around the silent room.
In one swift movement Draco grabbed my legs and swung them up so he was carrying me. I buried my head again in his chest as we began to move through the staring crowds. I didn't look at them, but sobbed into his chest, relaxing into those strong arms around me, holding me close, and protecting me.
He kicked open the door to his dormitory and gently deposited me onto his soft bed. I huddled into it; it had been so long since I had been comfortable.
He crawled on next to me, pulling me to him, wrapping his arms around me. He kissed the top of my head gently, breathing in the scent of my hair, running his hands gently over me as if to check I was real.
"Are you hurt?" he asked suddenly. "Did they hurt you?"
"Most of them have been healed but…" I tailed off. That's when the understanding dawned.
"When I saw you. They didn't fix your arm did they?"
I shook my head. He jumped up, a muscle in his cheek twitching in anger.
Grabbing my hand he hoisted me to my feet, "Mungo's now." He ordered.
"But Draco," I protested.
"I want you checked over before anything else happens," he insisted.
Crossing to the fireplace he lit a roaring fire with one word and pulling out a pouch shouted the words
"Mungo's"
He pulled me into the fire with him, holding me close as the grates rushed past.
"Well my dearie you have been in the walls, haven't you?" the bustling little nurse chirped.
"Just a bit," I replied. She leant over and pulled away some of the ripped blouse. Noticing the scratches over my body she raised an eyebrow in Draco's direction.
"Don't you think you better wait outside?" she asked, her voice slightly harder.
"No I want him here." I assured her.
She raised both eyebrows but carried on pulling off the blouse. Draco gasped when he saw my battered body, the tear along my spine, the scratches that covered me. And the stump that had once been my arm.
"Dearie me," she exclaimed, "What happened?"
"She was fighting in the war of Hogwarts." Draco answered.
"You poor lamb," the nurse cooed, "We'll get you fixed up alright."
She bustled around, healing various scars, healing up my back. I bit my lip throughout and on my cheeks rose a blush as Draco stared at my naked body, my bruised flesh.
"What's this?" she said as she came to my neck. I nearly screamed out loud and quickly covered it lest Draco should see. Potter must have left bite marks.
"Out, out now," she nurse commanded, pushing him out of the cubicle and violently closing the gaudy curtains behind him.
"Dearie what happened?" she asked quietly, "Did he, did he rape you?"
"No, not Draco," I whispered, "Someone else they-"
"You'll need a pregnancy potion then, and-"
"No he, he didn't actually go all the way. He-he stopped."
She raised both eyebrows and gave me a stern look.
"Honestly. I promise you. I wouldn't want a baby at this age."
"Well I want to take a look anyway, check he hasn't hurt you in anyway."
There were scratches down there and a bruise on my thigh. They stung more when she healed them. She then moved to healing the bite marks on my neck.
"Now dearie you mustn't keep quiet about this. You must tell someone. You can't let whomever it was treat you like this or anyone else for that matter. Now was it the young man with you?"
"No he wouldn't. He would never hurt me."
"Ok then lamb. But you're going to have to stay in overnight while we heal this arm. It'll take a few hours."
She gave me six cups of different smelling and foul tasting potions and then left me alone to fall asleep, Draco by my side. He held my hand, running his thumb around my own in calming circles that sent shivers up my arm. He muttered soothing words to me as I fell into the deepest sleep I had had in months.
I awoke to a blazing pain in my arm.
"Ow." I muttered indistinctly.
Draco's head shot up from were it was resting on the bed immediately.
"What? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.
"Nothing my arm just aches. Wait my arm?"
There it was. I lifted it up, flexing my fingers, twisting it around. Good as new. I smiled.
"How are you my dearie? Got a full range of movement I hope?"
I nodded.
"Thanks." I said.
"Don't mention it dearie. Now-"
"Obliviate," Draco roared. The nurse's eyes unfocused and she swayed on her feet.
"You never saw us and you have had no patients since yesterday," Draco said,
The women repeated his words. He tossed me a spare robe and I gratefully pulled it on.
"Come on," he said, grabbing my hand. As we left the room I looked back at the nurse, folding the bedcovers and completely oblivious to Draco and I.
The only person to know of Potter and I knew no more.
Draco made me stay in bed all day, bringing me my meals himself and staying with me all the time. It was comfortable, just lying there with his arms around me, our bodies fitting perfectly together.
"I've missed you so much you know," he said, his breath rustling my hair. It felt so good to have had a bath, to have washed away all the grime and dirt of the past months. To have silky, smooth locks again.
"I've missed you too," I said, entwining my fingers with his. He raised our entwined hands to his lips and softly kissed my hand.
"You are still my fiancée, aren't you?" he asked, worry in his eyes.
"Of course I am Draco. I never, ever want to be apart from you."
He pulled me toward him, planting a delicate kiss on my lips. I grabbed the back of his head, making good use of my new arm, pulling him into a deeper kiss. He rolled on top of me and I whimpered.
"What? Did I hurt you?" he asked, pulling away.
"No," I replied, pulling him back down to me. I could cope, Harry hadn't really touched me and I wanted this. I wanted Draco to become part of me, to wash Harry away.
Our bodies knit together, firelight flickering over them as we finally became one.
A Year Later
Draco leaned down, smiling at me. I smiled back up and he caught my lips in our first kiss as man and wife. Pulling away I smiled giddily and then burst into giggles as I was swept off my feet and carried down the aisle.
People threw confetti over us as we went, beautiful, glittering white wizard confetti that stuck in your hair like glittering diamonds. No that I didn't have enough of them in it anyway.
"You are the most beautiful thing alive," Draco whispered in my ear. His breath on my neck sent shivers through me.
"Draco I love you,"
"I love you to, Pansy"
Three Years Later.
I stood alone at the dull grey lump of rock that symbolised the life of one of the most important wizards in our history. There was nothing but some crumbling letters to commemorate his bravery, his kindness, his understanding.
Not that I should be here, he did try to rape me. But I forgave him you know, only when he took his own life anyway. The most famous wizard alive and he was alone. Alone in a world of torment and shame, were he blamed and tortured himself over the lives he hadn't saved, the people he had hurt.
Me.
He never forgave himself for that night.
Ron and Hermione.
He couldn't go on without his two closest friends, the two people he cared most about in the world. He was nothing without them in his mind and he couldn't exist without them.
Ginny
He wanted to be with her again, wanted to hold her again in this heaven he believed in. He was scared deep down though, scared she would reject him for letting her die. He blamed himself for that also.
And Hagrid, Dumbledore and the rest of the Weasley losses.
He hadn't got there in time, hadn't reacted quick enough.
When in reality he was the bravest of them all.
I knelt down, laying the modest bunch of flowers on the grave. I hadn't attended the funeral; I didn't want to be noticed. Digging in my pocket I pulled out a bright purple crystal, and pushed it down into the earth
"It wasn't that bad you know," I whispered to it.
I could have sworn the wind whispered back, "I know"
Authors Note – I'd like to thank Kyra for all her reviews and encouragement and I'd also like to thank xBebExSwEeTzZx and Leuca for their reviews also.
I'm currently working on a Narnia story and also an X-Men story, both to be posted soon. The Narnian story is titled "In The Hands of the Saviour" and the X-Men story is "Melisende"
And on the Hogwarts front, there is still So Cold: The Hogwarts Years, to come. I will be starting that over the summer. I am also thinking of writing up parts of this story from other peoples povs but I'm not sure yet.
Ebony to Knighthood will also be completed over the summer.
Thanks!!!
