Those Wrong, Yet it's Right, Things

Chapter 9

Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.

~J.R.R. Tolkien

I would love to say that our favorite Slytherin declined and turned away from the outstretched hand. To say she lived her life the devoted yet unhappy wife of Draco Malfoy. But then our tale would be over, wouldn't it?

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Harry hadn't known when he'd gone stalking the hallways, looking for her, he'd end up in this position already, no thought in his mind that tonight would be the night he laid the proposition on the table, and even though Harry couldn't imagine what choice she'd make, he knew it had to be made now, or he'd never get the chance.

Pansy's hand felt clammy in Potter's. Shocked about what she had done, only one question haunted her mind: Where was Potter taking her? Nonetheless, she walked behind him, their footsteps echoing in the empty halls, running different scenarios through her mind. When Pansy looked up they were in the last place she'd expected: standing outside Dumbledore's office, the gargoyle statue leering over them.

Harry walked into the office; glad to see the entire Order of the Phoenix present for the weekly meeting he'd almost forgotten about.

"You're late, Potter," Snape bit out, everyone turning to look at him in the doorway.

Harry smiled. "I think you'll forgive me." Pansy was still hidden on the staircase, Harry's frame successfully blocking any evidence of her. Yanking on his arm, its hand still holding hers, he pulled her ungracefully into the room, quickly releasing her hand afterwards to avoid awkward questions.

Pansy looked around her, confusion evident on her face. Having yet to figure out why she'd accepted Potter's peace offering, she definitely had never fathomed, out of all the images of bloody dungeons and dark caves, that she'd be standing in front of the secret group well known to prominent Death Eater families: The Order of the Phoenix.

It seemed everyone in the room was as shocked to see her as she was to see them. Sure, she looked radiant with her wrinkled robes and disheveled hair from that quick moment Draco attacked her to rid his lust, but they were all looking at her like she was a house elf who refused to bow for its master.

"Harry," Hermione said, braving the question they all needed to ask, not talking her eyes off Pansy, "what is she doing here?"

Pansy's mind was frantic, but even she listened intently for Harry's answer.

"Remember I mentioned a few weeks ago I thought I'd found our Slytherin recruit?" Harry didn't need to mention the obvious, it was clear he meant Pansy.

"Pansy Parkinson? Are you crazy, mate?" Ron sputtered. "We told you to find someone smart!"

Pansy snapped back to life. Despite that she was outnumbered she would not let herself be insulted, especially by a Weasley.

"I wouldn't be one to talk, Weasel," she said dangerously. Stealing a quick glance around the room, she noticed that she was the only Slytherin...Snape? What was Snape doing here? He's a Death Eater! Numerous redheads popped out and it was clear what 'Muggle-loving' family made up the majority of this group.

Slowly, she backed herself up against the wall, swearing that Harry was conveniently blocking the only exit.

"Miss Parkinson," Dumbledore said soothingly, sensing the girl's panic, "there's no need to be afraid."

Taken aback at the accusation, Pansy immediately wiped her face clean of all emotion and stood a bit taller. "Why would I be afraid?"

"Potter, are you crazy?" Snape stood, furious, a chunk of his greasy hair falling in front of his dark eyes. "Miss Parkinson belongs to one of the most inner Death Eater families and according to new rumors, which I now assume to be true judging by her left ring finger, is engaged to one of the most promising Death Eaters, who, to make matters worse, is also a Malfoy."

"She's not going to rat you out, Snape," Harry spat at his professor; glad Snape had been prohibited from handing out detentions at these meetings. "I brought her here to help us."

The words registered. "What? Help you?" Pansy uttered quickly. "You are bloody mad aren't you? A right mental case. You need help, Potter." It would've been the opportune moment to make for the door, but she knew Harry would never let her go.

"I actually agree with her," Charlie Weasley spoke from the corner. Pansy's eyes quickly found his tall, lean figure, studying the older Weasly closely. He wasn't bad looking with his short red hair and well built chest. A blush crept up her cheeks, but she disgustingly pushed it back down, crossed her arms over her chest, and listened to the rest of his statement. "I know we discussed the need for another Slytherin, Harry, but none of us actually thought we'd see the day one would turn on their own kind."

"I know, Charlie. Just hear me out." Eyes begging, Pansy was amazed at how fast some in the room sat back to listen to the wonder boy.

Arthur Weasley chimed in, "bringing her in here is absurd. Now we're going to have to modify her memory." He pulled his wand out of his trousers and started towards her.

"Wait," said Harry, unconsciously taking a step towards Pansy. "Maybe we're all jumping to conclusions too fast."

"I know you want to look for the good in everyone, Harry. But look at that ring on her finger and tell me it was wise dragging her in here," Remus Lupin said quietly from the corner, willing himself to look at James's son, now a memory of two lost friends.

"Please, Remus," Harry pleaded.

"Pipe down and let the boy speak!" shouted Fred (or was it George?) from the back of the room.

Harry sent the twin a grateful look and glanced briefly at Pansy before continuing to the group assembled before him, "we all made a choice to be here. We've all chosen our side. Why can't she? Why does she have to be doomed to some stupid will of her parents?" Harry had to make them understand, but once he got past that, he'd have to convince Pansy, and that would be a far harder task.

"Harry, she's engaged to Malfoy for Merlin's sake!" Ron said, his voice rising octaves during the sentence.

"Because it was the only choice she had left! Until now," Harry said, stressing every word to make sure they all understood his take on the situation. A strained silence passed through the room, eyes shifting from character to character, all of them resting on her at one point or another.

"So was Harry telling the truth then?" Charlie said, noticing the slight bruise on Pansy's face. "Malfoy was the one that landed you in the hospital wing?"

Pansy didn't feel the need to satisfy them all with an answer; they'd believe what they wanted to anyway. That was the thing about a room full of Gryffindors. Proudly, she spat on the floor in front of her and crossed her arms again.

Moody just laughed, his eye spinning wildly in all directions, landing on her. Freaked, Pansy backed up so she was practically molded into the wall. "You 'ave really done it this time, Potter," he said.

"Harry...." Hermione let his name float off into the air.

"What, Granger? Doubting your Wonder Boy now, eh? Thinking even if I wanted to help you by some miracle I wouldn't be suitable for the job?" Pansy stood and walked threateningly close to Hermione, sticking her face near hers, oblivious to the room full of people who'd just reached for their wands. Glancing down at the pathetic bushy-haired perfectionist, she thought of all the fitting comments she'd made to the girl in the past. It was time to terrorize Miss Know-It-All again. "I may not have Hogwarts, A History memorized from cover to cover, but I'm wearing a prefect badge the same as you and despite common knowledge I do have a mind of my own."

"The only reason you have that badge is because of your family," Hermione said through thin lips not the least intimidated by the pug-faced girl leering above her.

"Don't make presumptions about me. Don't you dare think for one second you know anything about me. You can read all the books you like, but experience is where the real knowledge comes from. You pathetic people actually think there's a definable line between good and evil? You think that because you kill a person it isn't a crime?" Pansy didn't know where the words were coming from anymore. "Somebody dies on the Light Side and they become a martyr, but somebody dies on the Dark Side and they were nothing more then deserving of it. You have no call to end a life, despite your motives. Killing them makes you just as low and evil as them."

Turning from the stunned face, Pansy headed towards the door, not stopping until she was standing almost on top of Harry. "Move, Potter."

There were nervous glances and muffled coughs exchanged throughout the room, but Pansy held Harry's gaze. Studying her, he saw the girl he had always known shining through. Perhaps he had been wrong.

"I won't tell anyone anything," she said truthfully, assuring them. "What would I gain?"

Against better judgment, Harry moved aside, letting Pansy march through the door and down the hallway, her shoe's echoes resounding in all of their minds, without even a glance back at them.