Chapter 6

The last time a Slytherin student had sat down at the Gryffindor table had been in 1973, when little Severus Snape hadn't thought much of following his friend Lily Evans to lunch. He had been greeted with drawn wands from a crowd of Gryffindor boys including James Potter and Sirius Black, and things had escalated from there. Harsh words were used, and someone threw the first hex at a first-year Gryffindor student who had been literally caught in the middle. Severus Snape had been "rescued" by older Slytherin students like Donald Parkinson, and had later been told off for trying to socialize with "the enemy".

The last time a Slytherin student had sat down at the same table unmolested had been even earlier, in 1964, when Andromeda Black had started dating Ted Tonks. At that time when the fifth year Snake had sat down between the Lions there had already been some suspicion mainly on account of the rumours about the as-yet unnamed to the public at large Dark Lord, but no open hostility yet.

So the surprise when Pansy Parkinson not only walked up to the Gryffindor table alone for the second day in a row, but actually sat down next to their star Seeker Harry Potter, was only seconded by the glares of mistrust and disbelief thrown at the girl. When she then kissed Harry on the cheek before calmly reaching for a plate, you could have momentarily have heard a mouse squeak in the Great Hall. Of course, the silence would never last and it was in hindsight predictable who would break it.

"What is that snake doing here?!" exclaimed Ron Weasley, getting to his feet while fumbling for his wand, and almost simultaneously a cry came from the other side of the hall:
"Parkinson! What the hell?"

This from the mouth of Draco Malfoy, who wasted no time in stalking over, followed by his two bodyguards as well as some other students from the green House.

Pansy seemed to not have heard them as she smiled at Harry and asked, "Pass me the butter, would you, darling?"

"Malfoy! Go back to your own table and take that snake with you!" Ron had trained his wand at the arriving Slytherins now, away from Pansy.

Malfoy countered with: "Shut it, Weasel! What do you Gryffindorks think you're doing with one of us?"

"Ten points from Gryffindor for starting a fight," the dulcet tones of the most hated teacher in Hogwarts interrupted the beginning brawl. Professor Snape sneered at Ron as the boy's face turned as red with anger as his hair colour, then looked down at Pansy and Harry. "With me, Parkinson."

"No, sir," Pansy surprised everyone.

"What." Snape was lost for words, just for a moment. "Miss Parkinson. You may not have noticed this, perhaps Potter's stupidity is contagious," – Daphne Greengrass's snigger was clearly heard across the again-silent Hall –, "you are sitting at the wrong table. Follow me to my office, unless you'd like a detention?"

Pansy seemed not impressed. "On what grounds, sir? Can't a girl sit with her fian–"

"We're dating," Harry cut in, quick. He placed his arm over Pansy's shoulder before continuing, "Professor Snape, sir, I don't see what the problem is. My girlfriend just decided to join me for breakfast?"

Rumour started back up in the Great Hall at that. "Girlfriend?" "Dating?" "Is he mad?"

"Potter! Let go of my student at once!" Snape yelled, starting to reach for his wand.

"Severus, stand down," Headmaster Dumbledore was clearly heard from the teacher's dais. "Everyone, return to your seats. There is no reason to ruin this fine day, especially not with your trip to Hogsmeade coming up! And Harry, and Miss Parkinson, take five points each for inter-House cooperation." The wizened headmaster raised his glass, tipping it in their general direction, then sat back down.
Fuming, Professor Snape stalked away from the red and gold table, followed by the assembled Slytherin students sans Pansy, leaving her and Harry to face the stares of Harry's House.

"Dating, Harry? How could you?" Ron demanded.

Harry sighed and looked across the table to his long-time friend. "Look, Ron, just because she is a Slytherin –"

"Ronald, wasn't it? Pleased to meet you properly. I'm Pansy," she said, extending her hand.

Ron looked at it as if it would bit him, until Ginny, sitting next to him, nudged him with her arm. Grudgingly, he accepted it. "Pleased, I'm sure."

Pansy looked smug as she sat back down, snuggling into Harry's arm. "Charmed. Now then, may we continue our breakfast in peace, if there are no more problems?"

To say the mood at the table was tense would be an understatement, but Pansy's pointed glares together with the authority Harry still held as the House Seeker, as well as of course being the Boy-Who-Lived who had faced Voldemort at the start of the Summer, meant that they at least left them somewhat in peace until Professor McGonagall announced the carriages to Hogsmeade were ready.

–-

Lionel Parkinson had an angry expression on his face as he entered the Three Broomsticks pub in Hogsmeade. Only his wife hanging onto his arm prevented him from blowing up in a rage as he didn't see his daughter waiting for him and he walked straight to the counter.

"Greetings sir, madam, how may I help you?" Madam Rosmerta recognised Mr. Parkinson from the Daily Prophet, he was known to be in the Malfoy camp. Therefore she decided to be careful with him.

"I was lead to believe my... daughter would be waiting for me here," Mr Parkinson sat through clenched teeth.

"Miss Pansy? She's upstairs, room three, but –"

"Viola? Come," Mr. Parkinson turned and walked off towards the stairs. His wife shot Rosmerta an apologetic smile as she followed behind.

Mr. Parkinson found the door closed and knocked. Inside some stumbling could be heard and the voice of his daughter called out, "One moment!"

A minute or so later the door was opened by a flushed Pansy. "Father, mother... you're early," she said.

Mr. Parkinson critically inspected his daughter. She was dressed in a buttoned-up vest with the top two buttons undone, her Slytherin school tie – which was slightly slanted to one side – and underneath a skirt which he felt was obscenely short.
"Is this how you feel a Pureblood Lady ought to dress, daughter?" he grumbled.

Pansy looked demurely downwards. "I apologize, father. I wanted to look nice for Harry... oh! Where's my manners... please, come inside."

Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson walked past their daughter and found Harry waiting for them, standing next to a desk with his right hand extended. "Mr. Parkinson? A pleasure," he said.

Hesitating slightly, Mr. Parkinson shook Harry's hand. "Mr. Potter. My wife, Daisy," he indicated the silent woman.

"A pleasure to meet you both. Please, take a seat," Harry said. He flipped his wrist up allowing his wand to spring from an Auror-style holster into his right hand and summoned two chairs closer, allowing the Parkinsons to sit. He took a seat behind the desk and Pansy moved over to stand beside him.

"You're not sitting down, daughter?" Mr. Parkinson wondered.

"Ah... erm, no, father... I prefer to stand," Pansy said. A slight flush was present on her face.

"She's getting used to a rather large plug just now," Harry clarified, smirking. "Show them, Pants."

The blushing deepening, Pansy turned around and flipped up her skirt, revealing that she wasn't wearing any pants, and that a diamond stud was present between her butt-cheeks.

"Why you –" Mr. Parkinson could rival Harry's uncle Vernon in how red his face turned, as he was obviously struggling with the decision to jump up and strangle Harry, or take out his wand and hex him instead.

"Harry! Honestly, did you have to?" Pansy let her skirt fall back dow, then kissed Harry on the cheek. "You bad boy."

"What... what do you think you're doing to my daughter, you..."

"Oh father, do calm down," Pansy said, all smiles. "You wouldn't want to harm the father of your grandchild, now would you?"

"Grand – grandchild?" Mr. Parkinson turned even redder... and then fainted.

"Oops," Pansy said, followed by a small laugh. "Think I overdid it, mum?"

Viola Parkinson hid a giggle behind a fake cough. "Well... I'd say so, Pansy... now, why don't you tell me what this is all about? You're not... not really pregnant, are you?"

"Of course not!" Pansy walked around the desk and hugged her mother. "I'm still on the Potion, mum."

"Then why, well, this?"

"Actually, that was my idea," Harry spoke up. "Pants told me that her father was easily flustered, and to be honest, things will go better with him taking a nap, as it were. Tell me, Mrs. Parkinson, did you know your husband was Marked?"

–-

Two hours later, Lionel Parkinson stepped out of the floo in Riddle Manor. Peter Pettigrew, the guard at that moment, looked up and just nodded as he recognised the man. Mr. Parkinson paid the rat no mind as he stalked past him, into the large room that Voldemort was using as his throne room.

"What isss the meaning of thissss interruption, Parkinssson?" the Dark Lord hissed. He was standing at a table with his lieutenants, planning the next attacks.

"I bring a message, my Lord," Mr. Parkinson said in a stilted voice.

"Out with it then… letsss hear it."

Mr. Parkinson seemed to struggle a bit before he started speaking, "To the Dork Lard Voldiesnorts – you're a coward, Tom! If you're not too busy hiding behind Lestrange's skirts, I call you out for a duel next weekend, at Hogsmeade. I'd tell you to come alone, but we both know you're a snivelling coward who needs his slaves to come with him, so bring any Death Eater you can find, I'll be ready for you! Sincerely yours, Harry."

"You… you'd dare?" Voldemort's red eyes increased in intensity as he took out his wand and trained it at Mr. Parkinson. "Avada Kedavra!" The green light splashed against Mr. Parkinson's chest, killing him instantly.

"My lord… I think he was under the Imperius," Lucius Malfoy spoke up after a moment of silence during which everyone was watching both the corpse and the still fuming Dark Lord.

"I know that, you imbecccile… Ssssso Harry Potter wantsss a fight? He can have it! Ssssummon the Death Eaterssss… In one week we will kill the sssso-called Ccchossen One and then take over Hogwartssss."

"My lord… what about..." Malfoy indicated the corpse with a handwave.

"Feed it to my ssssnake… now go! Leave me!"

–-

Back in Hogsmeade, Harry grimaced as he felt Voldemort's fury through his scar. A look of pain passed over his face as he clenched his teeth.

"Is it… him?" Pansy asked, supportively taking him by the arm.

"Yes, seems the message was received," Harry affirmed. "Let's worry about that next week, though. We should be heading back to the school, it's getting close dinner time." He slapped her briefly on the bum, causing a yelp to escape her lips.

"Harry! Don't..."

"Don't what?" Harry gave her another light slap.

"Oh, Merlin, it's so good…" Pansy moaned, leaning against him for comfort.

"That's a good little pet, Pants. Keep that little plug in there until after dinner, and you'll get a reward, all right?"

"Little, he says," Pansy grumbled. "Potter, I hate you."

"I hate you very much," Harry returned, grinning.

A/N: Finally finished up a chapter.