The Dubious Redemption of Slinkback Malcontent

by Grey L. Bloom

Draco Malfoy, coward and nothingperson, missing in action and presumed dead. There are those who would see him hang, and there are those who would have him on their side. Rated Kplus for minimal swearing. [FINISHED.]

6. In Which Our Story Ends

Chapter Six
In Which Our Story Ends

Feet on the table. Shoulders back, head back, elbows in the air and balanced, balanced on two of the four chair legs. Slinkback Malcontent sits in silence and hatred and drinks his whiskey like water. It's been years now, and still the shadows lick at his heels. But the venom doesn't burn quite so badly, the memories don't sting quite so much.

Glass on the table.

"I still don't trust you, Malfoy," says the young man in front of him, and Slinkback meets his eyes.

Smile, the right side caught in a lopsided scowl. "Malfoy?" Slinkback says. "I wouldn't trust that son of a bitch either. Traitor. Turncoat. Lily-livered pansy. Coward."

In the following silence they toast to some unknown gratitude and stare down the bottoms of their whiskey glasses.

"I still don't trust you, and don't think whiskey will change that."

Slinkback sits back and stares up at the ceiling. "Then I suppose we have more in common than you know, Potter. More than you could ever know."