"One of your charges is espionage. They think your place in the Auction and your staged death were part of some collusion with Draco and Blaise…" Hermione cut off, waving her hand in the air. "The charge is ridiculous. The Provisional Government is still wading through the mess of indictments from the Justice Tribunal. But give me your memory of why you were there, and I'll get you out."

Pansy snorted. "How, exactly? By stomping your foot and making demands?"

"Because they've seen what happens when Hermione Granger writes an exposé in the New York Ghost."

Pansy was silent for a moment, looking straight ahead at the blank stone wall. "You just can't help yourself, can you? You have to save everyone."

Hermione frowned. "When they're innocent, yes. Pansy, you don't deserve to be in here—"

"Save your charity for someone who wants it." Pansy dropped her head back, closing her eyes. "I have nowhere to go. No family. My friends are—" She broke off, her chest rising and falling sharply.

"Pansy." Hermione took a small step forward. "There are places for you. You still have friends."

She saw Pansy swallow.

"Tell me where you want to go. The Malfoys have properties in several countries, and they're— still under Narcissa's control. Name one and it's yours." Pansy crossed her arms tightly. "If you want to stay in the country, you can go back to Grimmauld Place—"

"And live alone with that insufferable house-elf?" Pansy lifted her head and leveled a glare at her. "Thanks, Granger, but I think I'll pass."

"It's empty. Kreacher is with D—" Hermione froze, glancing to the door. "He's away."

Pansy sat up straight again. Hermione counted her heartbeats.

"I don't know where he is, or how he is. But I'm going to see to it that Kreacher feels safe to come home." She looked at the tabletop. "I'm sure he'll feel much better if he knows that you're safe as well."

Her gaze lifted to see a flicker of something in Pansy's eyes.

"What about Blaise and Daph?"

"Daphne is in Canada with her family. As for Blaise, well—" Hermione cleared her throat. "I'm working on him."

Pansy tilted her head, her bobbed hair falling at an angle. "Fine. If you are able to pull this off, I'll go to Grimmauld."

Hermione nodded, spinning to the door before Pansy could change her mind. She knocked twice, and when the guard opened for her, she told him, "Miss Parkinson has agreed to provide memories as evidence."

The guard glanced at Pansy. She dipped her chin with a roll of her eyes.

The guard followed her inside and conjured a vial, looking at Hermione with a disinterested expression. Hermione stood in front of Pansy and instructed her to pull forward the memory, assuring her it was possible without magic.

When the guard stepped forward, Pansy lifted a hand to pause him.

"Please don't be here when they release me," she said, not meeting Hermione's eyes. "Set me up with a wand if you can, and let me take the Floo."