Yay next chapter. I think this update schedule might be Sundays and Wednesdays since it's summertime, and I'll try and update pretty consistently. I'm not sure what will happen in the fall when I get to college. Also, I made some somewhat major revisions to Ch. 1, and a couple to Ch.2. It isn't necessary you reread them, however some characterization may be confusing later. Please read the bottom.

After shopping and meeting a younger Harry Potter, Pansy wasn't quite sure what to do with herself for the month leading up to school.

She could read her textbooks, but she had already mastered all of the material. They were pretty basic, simply laying the groundwork for all of the amazing magic they would learn. She could train to fight the Dark Lord, she guessed, but she wouldn't be able to do that until she went through the Parkinson library to see if there was anything she could learn.

Purebloods all usually lived far from each other, and she didn't know any mug-

Wait.

Pansy grabbed a piece of parchment and began writing.

Dear Hermione Granger,

Hello, my name is Pansy Parkinson. You don't know me, but I'm going to be in your year at Hogwarts. I was raised by a wizarding family. I'm a pureblood, which means that my parents are both wizards and both of their parents are pureblood wizards, and so on and so forth.

Anyway, just know that I'm here and am free and open to any communication. I know a lot about magic and magical history.

I hope this letter finds you in good health.

Yours, Pansy Parkinson

Pansy looked at the letter and bit her lip. She knew it was inevitable that she'd tell a couple people her secret during her upcoming years at Hogwarts, and Granger was brilliant. She'd make a good ally, plus Potter seemed to like her. So, if she was close with at least two out of the three, then her job to save her friends would be made that much easier. She then thought for another moment, and then pulled out another piece of parchment and started on another letter.


TOF


Dear Pansy Parkinson,

I would've asked if you were actually a witch like you said, however the letter was delivered by an owl, so I believe that you're a credible enough source.

Despite that, how do you know who I am? As far as I've read, the school does not supply a ready list of all of the students bound to attend that year due to safety concerns.

-Hermione Granger

Dear Granger,

I overheard Professor McGonagall in Diagon. She was talking to another Muggleborn by the name of Justin something I believe, and she was listing off to him the others of his kind. She mentioned that you were bright, so I decided to write to you. Bright people tend to be hungry for knowledge, and there isn't a lot of introductory material to our world.

Have you thought about what house you would like to be in?

-Parkinson

Dear Parkinson,

That sounds reasonable. I have thought, and I believe I would like to be in Gryffindor, though Ravenclaw would be alright as well. Besides the fact I think I would like the general atmosphere, they're both in towers. I would love a room with a view. Both Slytherin and Hufflepuff are located underground, though apparently Hufflepuff is rumored to be located right next to the kitchens.

-Granger

Dear Granger,

I think I would be in Slytherin. It's a bit of a family tradition in many of the noble pureblood families, so it would be a good fit for me. Plus, those in Slytherin are supposed to be cunning, clever, shrewd, and ambitious, and I know that I am all of those things. Not to mention the positions of success they usually achieve.

Have you began reading your textbooks yet? I would have to say that my favorite so far is my Charms book. Though it's mainly theory right now, how charms are made in themselves are so fascinating.

-Parkinson

Dear Parkinson,

Really, Slytherin? I've read that it has a sort of disreputable sort of air about it, and that it's turned out many Dark witches and wizards.

Yes I have began reading my textbooks, and they're all so interesting I just can't pick a favorite. Charms, of course, looks great. So does Transfiguration. I feel as though Potions is incredible. How can something require so little magic yet be so powerful? It requires more cleverness and common sense than anything, and I appreciate that a lot.

-Hermione

Dear Hermione,

Honestly, I wouldn't have thought that you of all people wouldn't have participated in such ignorance to believe that your house or your magic would make you innately evil. Here in wizarding society there is a stigma about you as well as a Muggleborn. That you're less powerful, less intelligent, less "worthy" of wizarding by virtue of who your parents are.

Quite honestly, I would prefer to judge someone not because of their House, or their blood, but by their actions. It would be well for you to do the same, considering the many assumptions that will be made about you. For some people, you'll have to do a lot in order to prove yourself as more than someone with dirty blood or as their token muggleborn friend.

-Pansy

Dear Pansy,

I am genuinely sorry to have offended you and to have had judged your house. Or well, I guess not quite your house, but the house of your parents whom I'm sure are lovely people.

Also, I'd like to thank you for telling me about the discrimination of muggleborns. I've read about it in my books, however, they all seem to gloss over the subject.

I'm sorry I made you mad, because you're my friend, and my first friend from the magical world. I don't exactly have a lot of people to talk to here at home. Everyone thinks I'm weird because I like to read a lot. I would hate to lose you.

-Hermione

Dear Hermione,

Would you like to get some ice cream? There this great little place in Diagon Alley.

-Pansy

Dear Pansy

I would love to! How does August 20th sound? Around noon?

-Hermione

Dear Hermione

Great. I'll see you there.

-Pansy


TOF


August 20th was a balmy sort of day. For a moment Pansy dreamed of the short sleeved t shirts and jean shorts she so favored in the future. They would certainly be more comfortable than the robes she wore now. She couldn't wait to go to Hogwarts and take full advantage of the blouses and skirts the teachers had them wear under their robes.

She stepped into Fortescue's with relief apparent on her face. The significantly cooler air made the place feel like pure paradise. Looking around, she quickly spotted a young girl around her age.

Granger looked different than when she had last saw her. She was used to the hardened lines that carved her face. Her bushy hair had long ago been cropped off, and her body was lean and toned from years of hard fighting on the font lines.

This little girl was...little. There was an air of all too familiar meekness that seemed to settle around her shoulders like a heavy shawl. Her bushy hair was wild and loose, and Pansy had forgotten about those horrid buckteeth the girl used to sport.

She set her shoulders, and with a flick of her hair strode over to where the other girl was sitting.

"Hello, you must be Hermione. I'm Pansy Parkinson." She declared, sticking out her hand imperiously. Hermione jumped a bit at her sudden introduction, but she shook her hand with a pathetically weak grip. She'd work on that, Pansy thought.

"Yes, hello." the bushy haired girl replied eagerly. She nervously smoothed out her shirt and gestured to the seat for Pansy to sit down. Pansy bit back a smile and sat down in the cushy seat, primly folding her hands on her lap. Hermione looked back nervously, and for a moment they sat looking at each other in an awkward silence.

"So," Pansy began, "Read any good books lately?"

The girl lit up, and Pansy knew this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.


TOF


"Ready, Pansy dear?" Her mother asked, her hand warm and strong on her shoulder. She unconsciously leaned into her. Pansy had been doing a lot of that recently. She couldn't help but crave the presence of her mom, especially after experiencing the weak shell of a woman she would become. She was cold, she could be ruthless, but her mother had not stopped loving her yet.

"I'm ready Mother."

Her father smiled and led them all through the barrier separating them from Platform 9 3/4.

Pansy was almost knocked over by the abundance of young, positive magic present on the platform. Faces, some of which she hadn't seen for years, some of which died incredibly painful deaths right in front of her, now passed her full of life and exuberance.

A spike of terror lodged itself in her heart. For perhaps the first time, she truly appreciated the magnitude of the task she had undertaken. She was trying to change Time, arguably the most powerful force in all of existence. Some of the faces she saw, she knew, would die. A million decisions went into what had eventually happened in her timeline, and all she could hope to do was save as many as she could.

Her mother nudged her onward, and her father lifted her trunk with all of her belongings into the trains luggage section. Hoping to avoid others for just a moment to collect her thoughts, she hugged her parents goodbye and got onto the train to find an empty compartment.

Pansy knew she would not be alone for long, as the other future Slytherin first years would be looking for her and she had told Hermione how to get onto the Platform and to come find her as soon as she could.

Pansy decided to spend her time reading a book on brain structure and development. In the future during her NEWT year she had been studying to become a Healer before everything had gone to hell. If all went well, maybe in ten years or so she'd be working in Mungo's, perhaps with a boyfriend and a lot of friends, wine in her fridge and a soft pillow on her bed.

It was the simple things she wished for the most.

A knock came at the compartment door, and it slid open to reveal a little pale face with a spattering of freckles and bushy hair.

"Hermione." Pansy said, a small smile crossing her face. Hermione seemed to sigh and relief, and the door opened further to reveal an all too familiar face. Neville Longbottom.

Pansy felt her smile slip, then replaced it in full force. She could do this, she could. All she had to do was replace the image of his dead eyes with how he was now; chubby, afraid, and very, very alive.

"Scion Longbottom, it's a pleasure to see you. I trust your grandmother is doing well?" Pansy asked. She took the time to stand from her seat, bookmark her book, and sink into a low curtsy. Longbottom seemed surprised, but fell into the same pleasantries.

"It is nice to see you as well, Scion Parkinson. Yes, she's doing great. I wish your parents many blessings." He replied, sinking into a deep bow. Pansy smiled prettily at him, and he seemed to relax somewhat.

"Please, sit down." Pansy said, picking up her book and shifting over to the window. Hermione sat across from her, and Neville sat down next to Pansy, nervously folding his hands in his lap.

Pansy frowned, and slid her hand over to Longbottoms to give him a squeeze. The last bit of nervousness seemed to leech away, and he leaned back into his seat. Hermione gave her a confused look, which Pansy ignored in favor of resolving to explain it to the girl later.

Before Hermione could say anything, the door was knocked on again, then slid open to reveal another familiar face.

"Hello, Theodore." Pansy greeted. It was a shock to see him as well, but int the original timeline Theo had been dead a couple years already. It was more of a relief to see him. Theodore nodded once at her and kissed her knuckles in respect to her position. He nodded at Longbottom, then tilted his head questioningly at Hermione.

"This is my friend, Hermione Granger." Pansy explained, crossing over to put her hand on the girls shoulder. No further explanation was needed, at least for the moment. Theodore sat next to Hermione, then pulled out a book without saying a word.

There was a moment of complete silence while Pansy tried to stifle her laughs and Hermione looked confused.

"Pansy." Theodore finally said in a slightly inquiring tone.

"I already thought of that Theo." Pansy said. She arranged her face into that of a first year trying their hardest to do a complicated spell. However, to be fair, it was a very complicated spell.

"Expando." She murmured. The bench shook for a moment, then the compartment seemed to grow several feet in all directions. Theo seemed to have a look of satisfaction.

"That was amazing." Hermione exclaimed. "I've barely had the chance to see any real magic."

"Well, you'll get a million once we get to school," Pansy said, barely able to keep a snooty tone out of her voice.

The door opened again, this time with Greg, Vince, Millie, and Daphne. At a single look from Theo and Pansy, they all seemed content to ignore Hermione, though everyone extended their respects to Longbottom.

Tracey Davis. Blaise.

"Pansy." Blaise said. She rose to give him a hug, then handed him his journal.

"You seemed to have left this at my house the last time you visited." She said innocently. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but took it with no hesitation.

Draco.

"I heard Harry Potter was on the train. Someone even thinks they know the compartment." Draco said, his face flush with excitement.

"We should go look for him. He's in so many of my books." Hermione said innocently. Draco's eyes lit up while Daphne tittered meanly behind her hand. Pansy shot her a look and Daphne stopped immediately.

"We'll go with you." Pansy declared. Neville rose with her, as well as Hernione, Vince, and Greg. The others stayed behind, either too uninterested or too cowed by Pansy's abrupt shut down of Daphne.

They walked outside their compartment and Draco began eagerly leading them to where he heard Harry Potter was staying. The small entourage made their way down the car, Pansy or Draco occasionally extending their greeting to those whom they knew. A special smile was given towards a confused Hannah Abbott, who nevertheless smiled back.

Her pigtails are absolutely ridiculous, a small petty piece of Pansy whispered in her ear.

Eventually, they reached the fabled compartment, and Pansy could actually see Draco compose himself into the image of pureblood nobility before they opened the door.

They slid the door open, and there sat Ron Weasley and Harry, talking over a mountain of sweets.

"Harry!" Draco exclaimed, surprised, "You're Harry Potter?" Then his expression of surprise turned into one of petulance. "You didn't reply to my owls."

"Sorry Draco," Harry said, looking a bit sheepish. "My family isn't quite comfortable with magic."

Draco seemed to accept this, then smiled a little bit. "Well then I guess we should properly introduce ourselves then. I'm Draco Malfoy." He said, shameless pride oozing out of every pore.

Weasley snickered, and Draco's expression darkened.

"Think my names funny do you-" Draco's tirade was stopped by Pansy's cautioned hand on his shoulder.

"I bet Harry just didn't write you back because he didn't want to be associated with Death Eater scum!" Weasley retorted with obvious pleasure.

"Apologize," a quiet voice came from the back of the group. Hermione powered her way through the purebloods surrounding her to stand by Draco's side and fixed Weasley with a glare that Pansy was very impressed by.

"And who are you?" Weasley demanded. Hermione tilted her head up and responded with a sniff worthy of any pureblood.

"I'm Hermione Granger."

Weasley burst out laughing. "A muggleborn? Hanging out with the Death Eaters like a little pet? I'm surprised they haven't torn you apart yet."

Hermione just smirked, and Pansy took a spot sitting next to a stricken Harry, interested to see where this was going to go.

"I'm surprised you haven't. I know who you are. You're a Weasley, aren't you? I read about your family in my books about pureblood lines. Signature red hair, millions of freckles, hand me down clothes from all of the money you lost during Grindelwalds war."

"You don't know anything about me or my family!" Weasley said, rising from his seat.

"Oh, I don't?" Hermione retorted, not backing down an inch. "You're one of theSacred Twenty Eight. You weren't pro muggleborns until after Grindelwalds war. Do you know just how long you have to stay pure in order to make it to that list? The Potters, the Crabbes, the Prince's, and the Lovegoods didn't make it onto that list just because they had indisputable proof of at least one family member having a dalliance with a muggle.

"You are the worst sort of hypocrite, trying to condemn Draco for sins of the family, when yours used to be known as The Red Death."

Pansy blinked. Well damn. That was almost equal to any take down she could manage.

Everyone else in the compartment was silent until Hermione spoke up again.

"Now apologize, for making fun of his name, and blaming him for the sins of his family."

Weasley's face was bright red, his freckles almost disappearing. He cleared his throat and smacked his dry lips, then muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" Hermione demanded, leaning over to hear him better.

"I'm sorry." He said, a bite to his words that didn't go without notice. Hermione didn't push him any further, seeming satisfied with his response. Pansy was satisfied as well, as well as a little amused. She had forgotten how irritating Weasley was when he was younger.

Harry was still sitting by her side, completely silent, and Draco seemed awestruck.

"Well." Pansy said, smiling brightly at everyone. Draco raised a brow at he lack of a sneer. "Greg, Vince, you two can go back to the compartment. We'll stay in here and catch up with Harry. Oh Hermione, I've been dying to introduce you to him."

The other children eagerly followed her demands, grateful to have someone take charge after the shattering change of events. Neville slid into the seat next to her, and Hermione sat next to a shamefaced Weasley, who looked eager to put his embarrassment behind him.

Oh, wizards. Always so ashamed to have been bested by a witch.

"So," Weasley said, "Anyone enjoy Quidditch? Harry barely knows anythingabout it."

The others boys automatically perked up, and Pansy smiled.


TOF


Though she didn't quite know how, Pansy ended up in a boat with Millie, Weasley, and Longbottom. Draco had disappeared with Hermione and Harry, and Pansy couldn't help the little ping of jealousy that went through her. Shewas Draco's best friend, after all.

The others on the boat didn't quite know what to do. Millie was staring at Weasley with a calculating look in her eye, and Longbottom seemed to have decided Pansy was his island of safety with how close he stayed to her. Not that Pansy minded too much. The man saved her life in the future, the least she could do was take care of him.

As the bus floated along, Millie caught Pansy's eye. Pansy knew Millie was asking her permission to speak candidly to someone Pansy had, willingly or not, claimed as her own. Pansy nodded slightly, enough so that Weasley caught it and braced himself. Interesting. His family, blood traitors they were, still taught their children some of the pureblood customs.

"Weasley, I noticed that you've managed to come into the association of the Scion Parkinson despite the fact you're from a family of notorious blood traitors. How did this come to be?"

Pansy pasted a bland smile onto her face. Millicent's tone was entirely innocent, however Pansy couldn't miss the cold, calculating look in her eye. Millicent didn't much like outsiders, and there wasn't much more outside than a Weasley. He stiffened a bit.

"Yes, we were introduced when she came by to speak with the Scion Potter." Pansy didn't let the surprise show on her face, but she did tip her head inquiringly. He had spat the words out. There were teeth behind his words.

"And what are your intentions? Your family has had nothing but negative relations with the rest of proper society since Grindelwald's war when you lost all of your money."

Pansy saw Weasley's hand grip the bench tightly, but he responded in a polite, quiet voice.

"I hope that we can once again build up an alliance in this new world and new order."

A huge smile blossomed across Pansy's face. A perfect pureblood response, meaning that that he was open to a new friendship, as long as they realized that things wouldn't be like how they were before. Namely, blood discrimination was out of fashion. As long as he could get over that attitude, maybe they would be fine.

Millie gave a small nod, and went back into a silence that only lasted until their boat crossed under the bridge and Hogwarts came into sight.

"Wow." Neville breathed.

The castle was nothing like it was in the future. Whole and glorious, she could see the magic that swirled over it's ancient bricks. Inside would be danger and adventure, along with a healthy dose of discrimination. However there was also home. Warm fires in the common room and good food on the table. Libraries full of knowledge, and time to change things for the better.

The boats pulled up to the shore and the students clambered out, nervous and shaking in anticipation of the upcoming Sorting. Pansy squinted and looked around for a familiar head of platinum blonde. She couldn't spot him anywhere, and was beginning to get a bit worried. What if he had fallen into the lake?

A warm pair of skinny arms hugged her from the behind, and she whirled around to smack Draco lightly on the shoulder.

"You idiot, you had me worried you had been eaten by the Giant Squid."

Draco just grinned, and she saw behind him he had towed along Harry, Hermione, and Blaise.

Blaise caught her eye and gave her a knowing look. She gifted him with a light smile before returning her attention to the others. Pansy could deal with his inevitable questions later.

McGonagall appeared to lead them all to the Sorting, and Pansy led her friends with a spring in her step.

So that's chapter three, just a little shorter than chapter two. As of this moment, I have it entirely made up in my mind TWO people who aren't going into their original houses. One I know you will guess, however the other is fairly unexpected. I'll give you one hint; they are not a character that we hear about very often. Whoever can guess will get a sneak peak to the next chapter. Also, I'd like to hear in the reviews who you believe the pairings are. Pertaining to this, nothing in my mind is quite set in stone. Perhaps your review will be the deciding factor :D. Plus, shout out to my readers in Hong Kong. I've always wanted to go there!

KodeV - Yeah I like stories about someone outside the Golden Trio time traveling as well. However, I don't think I've read anything with Ron the one time traveling, and with Hermione they usually like just sticking her with the Marauders because they want a more age appropriate Snape/Hermione or Sirius/Hermione

Morganna12 - Pansy is definitely one of my favorite characters in fanfiction when she's well written. I love her fierce protective streak and her sometime unrelenting sarcasm and comebacks. I also love murkybluematter's portrayal of a sweet, innocent Pansy with a hidden bite

Monnbeam - Are those hard preferences? Haha I've read stories with both. My favorite PansyxHarry story at the moment is a modern AU written by provocative envy

HopeWithinDarkness - Even while I'm not sure if they'll end up together, I plan on them being best friends

Guest - Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy