Yay a chapter! Sorry it's a bit on the short side but I figured it would be better to just get it out. Besides, I felt if I kept what comes next as part of this chapter it would just be too long. Enjoy :)
Pansy had never dealt with boredom well. It made her fidgety and angsty. It always left her feeling like she was just asking the universe for something bad to happen because if she was bored she obviously didn't have enough to keep her busy. Boredom was an open invitation for drama and or chaos in her opinion and sitting here at phoenix HQ with a bunch of self righteous Gryffindor's with nothing to keep herself occupied was the equivalent of sitting on a box of muggle explosives and hoping you wouldn't get caught in the explosion. It had been days since the argument with Black and she had only left her room for food and bathroom runs since. Though Prewett tried to make it clear she wasn't a prisoner, she knew she wasn't welcome in the rest of the house either.
She was in the middle making bets with herself on who would be the one to break the uncomfortable calm that permeated the house when a light knock sounded at her door. At headquarters there was bound to be something exciting sooner or later. Pansy debated if it was really worth getting up to answer but decided she was too curious not too. Only a few people would bother to knock instead of just barging in and she didn't want to ostracize any potential allies in this mess.
Opening the door she was slightly surprised to see Granger standing on the other side. She thought for sure the witch would be bed ridden for a few more days at least. But she supposed that Gryffindor stubbornness wouldn't let her lie around forever. Particularly this Gryffindor. When Granger set her mind to something she was like a rabid dog with a bone and nobody could dissuade her from whatever she put her mind to. Her misguided crusade to save the house elves being a prime example.
Trying not to show any concern for Granger's wellbeing, Pansy propped her hip against the doorframe and crossed her arms in a pose her mother would have referred to as being a "despot." She took private joy in doing the little things that would surely make her mother's nose turn up in horror. Life was about enjoying the little things after all.
"Well Granger, don't you look chipper. What can I possibly do for you this fine morning." Her statement was offset by a crash of thunder. It had been storming for the last two days and the dreary weather was having a decidedly negative effect on everyone. Just this morning she heard a particular werewolf let loose a colourful string of curses she never would have suspected the charming, quiet man of knowing. Her opinion of the man only went up after that.
Granger's eyebrows shot up at her casual attitude but visibly shook off her surprise. "Um, I'm good. Still sore and I tire too easily, but if I stay in that room for one more minute I may lose what's left of my mind." Giving a most unlady like snort and small nod of understanding Pansy backed away and swung the door further open allowing Granger to enter.
"Welcome to my humble abode. I'm sure the change of scenery will really do you some good. You're looking a bit peaky." Pansy gestured widely with her arm so Granger could take in the glory that was her room/prison. Granger looked around in surprise at the bareness of the room. While hers was obviously made for comfort, this room was clearly for function having only basic necessities.
"Cozy," was all Granger said, not wanting to be rude, but it was obviously she had picked up on the disparity in their situations. Pansy gave a non-committal hum, not wanting, nor needing Granger's pity. She wasn't a project.
Once they were both settled on opposite ends of her bed Granger cleared her throat, a determined look on her face. Pansy internally sighed. So this wasn't going to be a quick conversation as she had hoped. She may be stuck in the past with the swot but that didn't mean they were suddenly bosom buddies attached at the hip and Pansy had always preferred her own company to most others.
"I think we should discuss what we can safely share with the Order and what we should keep to ourselves for now. Just because our presence here has already changed things, doesn't mean we should show all our cards just yet or make people suspicious of each other unnecessarily." Ah yes. Granger was talking about Pettigrew. She had seen the rat-man just the previous day when she had ventured out for some sustenance. Though he looked almost like a completely different person she still couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down her spine at the sight of him. Dark magic had twisted the man so much by the time she knew him, he was practically a different person. There was no love lost between her and the coward but she could understand not wanting to destroy his friendships and future without due cause. If they could change his fate they would be saving dozens of lives in the process and if they told anybody what his actions would cost in the future, the nest of Phoenix Gryffindors would mostly certainly cast him out, undoubtedly ensuring his betrayal. She hated to agree with the brunette but Granger had an excellent point. Even if Pansy would never outright admit to it.
"It's not like anybody would actually believe us anyways. Some things about the future are so ridiculous I wouldn't even believe them if I hadn't just lived through it. Have you gotten a look at Pettigrew here yet? He looks like he would be incapable of causing harm even if he had wanted to." Granger gave a hum of agreement and looked pensive. The blond boy looked more likely to trip over his own feet than to even be able to swat a fly successfully.
"Right, what else should we keep off the table for now?" And Granger was back on track. Just from watching the other girl work in the library Pansy knew how much the Gryffindor loved working from lists. And making them. And checking things off. The girl loved her lists!
Heaving a sigh, Pansy threw her arms in the arm before flopping onto her back across the bed, "Honestly, there is far too much to make sure we don't miss anything. I think we should just have some rules instead. Things like, 'Don't discuss how people die, 'most are very disturbing, 'Don't go around telling people their futures' in general I think as some people may not like the idea of Black spending twelve years in Azkaban even though he was innocent. Things like that. Let's just stick to pertinent information as we go along, though I do think we should keep Lord No-Nose' little weakness between as few people as possible and only those you can be absolutely sure can keep the information one-hundred percent safe. If they aren't accomplished in Occclumency they don't make the cut. This is too important to worry about people's feelings being hurt because they were excluded from the top secret secret."
Granger nodded along as Pansy spoke, though she could tell the other girl was slightly disappointed they weren't going to be making any lists. She knew first hand how much it grated Granger to follow a general outline and the memory of her badgering their professors for more specific instructions on certain essays made the Slytherin inwardly smirk. She missed those simple days.
Granger pushed off the bed and strode to the door, "Right, well I suppose we best find ourselves a crotchety Auror and a manipulative Headmaster. Much as I hate to admit it, we will need Dumbledore if we want to be successful, but like you said, bare minimum. I refuse to be a pawn in his games this time around."
Pansy snorted and nodded as she followed her only ally from the future out the door. She would let Granger do most of the talking unless she felt she was oversharing, only then would she participate in the conversation. Granger did tend to ramble when she was nervous, but she also had such well organized thoughts it would probably all sound more believable coming from her anyway, aside from the fact nobody would want to listen to what the "Death Eater scum" had to say anyways. Pulling her shoulders back, head held high, Pansy prepared herself for what she knew what be a gruelling and uncomfortable conversation.