A Place by the Fire

[bth_georgew]

date: 08 October 1998
time: 15:22
location: The Leaky Cauldron, London
characters: Pansy Parkinson, George Weasley
summary: A strange meeting over tea.
complete

Comments

[bth_pansyp]

It had taken Pansy all day to find the courage to go ahead with the meeting. Even as she entered the Leaky Cauldron she was debating whether or not this was a wise thing to do. He was a Weasley after all, and not someone her parents would have wanted her visiting. Not someone she would have even thought of visiting before the war. Funny, how things had changed

[bth_georgew]

Surprised but not at all startled by the sudden company, George shifted in his chair until his side was to the fire and Pansy properly in his line of sight. He seemed to sit a little straighter, a little more politely.

"I'm not sure. I'm supposed to be reserving this chair for someone. Tell me, honestly now, have you followed your feet?" George couldn't help a small smile in return.

[bth_pansyp]

The former Slytherin noted the change in George's posture, and relaxed a little. At least he wasn't trying to bait or insult her right away, which she considered an excellent start.

"I have. They insisted I come here tonight, for some reason." Pansy hoped that was a good enough answer, as she wasn't sure what else to say. She wasn't going to admit that she was lonely, and wanted company, even if it was from someone she had never been particularly fond of.

[bth_georgew]

Nor was George, but misery loves company and if that was what Pansy and George could be for one another, George wasn't above at least trying to get away with it covertly.

Though he didn't stand, George did at least lean over and push the chair far enough from the table for Pansy to squeeze into her fire-warmed seat. "To be completely honest, I didn't think you would show," he commented, watching Pansy out of the corner of his eye as he dipped a piece of bread into his mashed potatoes. Her expression clearly dis-invited the topic and George immediately indulged her.

"Can I offer you some dinner or something to drink, Miss. Parkinson?"

[bth_pansyp]

"I didn't think I would, either," Pansy said dryly as she took the offered seat, glancing around at the other patrons. It was fairly busy, but the bustle was comforting, unlike the crowds in Hogsmeade. Maybe it was the murmur of pleasant conversation and the smell of food.

"Just some tea, thank you." Now that she was here she had no idea what to say. She knew asking about his well-being would seem forced. To just sit silently went against every social bone in her body, however; there had to be something, some topic that wouldn't cause an argument. The first thing that came to her mind was, hopefully, a neutral enough topic.

"How is your shop doing?"