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Chapter Thirty Seven: Catching Up.
Immediately after Hermione had returned to the infirmary bed, Harry and Ron had hurried to inform the Order of Hermione's recovery. It sparked several discussions between the higher members, while the younger members rushed to visit Hermione and see the proof for themselves. Draco thought they looked as if they had invented sliced bread with all their excitement and wonder. As the Gryffindors fussed around Hermione, Draco slipped out to find Blaise and Pansy. He found them in the male dormitory, muttering over a textbook.
"So, Granger can walk?" Blaise greeted him plainly.
"Barely." Draco rolled his eyes, "But she's out of bed."
"That's good news." Pansy smiled hopefully.
"Bloody hell, Pans, with a grin like that, you'll be turning Gryffindor next." He teased her lightly, dropping onto the bunk they were perched on.
"Just remember who has your baby pictures Malfoy, from the private albums." She smirked in response, ever the Slytherin.
"And how will you get them? Walk straight into Death Eater Headquarters and steal them?" Pulling the textbook from their hands, he flicked through a few pages before pushing it aside. He'd studied that text months ago.
"Obviously not, I'm not that reckless, unlike these Gryffindors." Pansy sniffled in disdain, "I've had them hidden away for years in my personal vaults, ready to use for blackmailing you."
"Is that a threat?" His brows lowered into a darker expression and he leaned closer to Pansy.
"It's a promise." She smiled back and he cracked a smirk.
"You're not subtle enough to be a Slytherin." Draco wrapped an arm around her and poked her side with his fingers, "You're too soft." He pointed out when she giggled in reaction.
"No, you merely haven't been on my bad side yet."
"If seeing too many of your infamous tantrums isn't seeing your bad side, I'd dread to think what it would be." Blaise drawled. Pansy shot him a playful scowl and slapped Draco's hand away.
"Anyway, what have you learned about the Order in my absence?" Draco inquired, curious about the world outside of the Infirmary. While he did not mind caring for Granger, he couldn't help feeling isolated from everyone else. None of the Order members discussed the war or business in the Infirmary when he was present and Blaise and Pansy rarely visited. In the occasional breaks from the white walled prison he got, he needed to remain informed of the war's progression. It drove him crazy at times to think he was oblivious to the outside world, a warrior ignorant to the fight. It was unforgiveable for him to be ignorant anymore.
"We don't know much." Pansy frowned, "The Order still doesn't trust us. They'll never trust us."
"We made their lives hell; of course, they'll never trust us." Malfoy pointed out.
"I know that." She snapped back, "But they don't tell us anything. They won't even talk about anything to do with the war around us. I know it's an awkward subject, we were on the 'Dark Side', after all, but we don't know anything about the outside world. It's like being in prison."
"Come on Pans, it's not that bad." Blaise smirked, "If you were more subtle, you would hear more."
"Then what have you heard, Blaise?" Pansy demanded.
"Several Order members went on a raid three nights ago for supplies. There was a run in with a few Death Eaters, but no one was injured, though they didn't gather the supplies they needed. They're planning to go again soon, but it's getting harder for them to get supplies. The Death Eaters are trying to cut us off, force us to act."
"We should be acting. Why is the Order hiding? Their numbers are decreasing by the day; soon there'll be no one to fight." Draco pointed out.
"They're trying to gather support and retake the Ministry." Blaise shook his head, "If they had any sense, they would focus on Hogwarts. It holds more power and worth in our World than the Ministry."
"Is there no plan to attack?" Unconsciously, his fists clenched, "Are we supposed to just hide forever?"
"I think they do plan to attack eventually, but none of the adults are saying anything. I overheard Potter and Lupin arguing earlier about no one telling him about their plans. Apparently, the adults are trying to 'protect' us."
"Protect us?" Malfoy scoffed, "We're at war. There is no protecting us."
"Potter will have a plan." Pansy nodded to herself, "He won't be side-lined. He and Weasley will have their own plan."
"Not without Granger." He looked at Blaise and Pansy with certainty, "They always consult with Granger, and she's the brains of their operation. Potter and Weasley would be long dead if Granger hadn't always accompanied them."
"They'd be stupid enough to try without her. They're not going to involve her with a plan she won't be in."
"No, they need her intelligence. Even they're not thick enough to not at least speak with her."
"Then you'll be more suited to gaining information than we are." Blaise stated plainly, "You're always with Granger."
"No one's been telling her anything either, I've been listening to be sure." Draco nodded, "If she knows anything, I will too."
"Good." Blaise nodded back, "We need to know everything."
"We can't be excluded from a war we risked everything to switch sides for." Pansy scowled.
"Just keep playing sweet with them. They may not trust us, but if we give them information, they'll be indebted to us." The three Slytherins looked at each other in agreement. They had risked too much, left with too little, to merely claim sanctuary. Their whole defection was to be on the winning side and end the mindless murder. It would be preferable to break their wands than to be pitted as useless. They were not cowards, hiding behind others any longer; they were here to fight for their freedom and they would not be left behind by those who did not believe they were worth fighting for.