a note from me: Chapter 3 is here! Things will start to escalate here onwards. So please read and review! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
It was finally the Tuesday that he had been anticipating. When Headmistress McGonagall and Draco made their way to the Ministry, the sky was clear and the clouds were light. He had a good feeling about this meeting and the headmistress had shared his anticipation.
"Draco, this is your moment. I'm sure the head of the department, Mr Cromwell that is…I heard he is quite delighted with your proposal." McGonagall commented.
One hour into the meeting, Mr Cromwell looked like he was set to fully agree with Draco's proposal.
"I assure you Mr Cromwell that this step would help our graduates to realise what their full potential is. When I graduated from Hogwarts some of my friends and classmates weren't as lucky as I was. I already had the idea of how my future would be but most of them were stuck. They are not sure if they should be working for the Ministry or pursue a career as an Auror or become a Healer. With this institute, they will get to experience as much as possible and give them the chance or the idea on what they do best." Draco earnestly explained.
"I understand that Mr Malfoy but such a project of this scale requires a lot of funding." Mr Cromwell expressed his worries.
"Mr Cromwell that wouldn't be much of a problem. I have investors who are excited about investing in this project. They saw the potential of such an institution. They talked about nurturing the minds of young witches and wizard and they see that this institution will exert the young's potential. When this finally sets up I'm sure parents from other parts of the world would be fighting to get their kids in. But of course the priority would be graduates from Hogwarts."
"Very well then…I will need to have this discussed with some people and you can be sure to hear from me latest by tomorrow. I will pitch your proposal in a meeting I will be attending later in the evening." Mr Cromwell got up from his seat and shook Draco's hand firmly.
"Thank you sir. I appreciate you setting a time to meet the headmistress and myself."
"It's been a pleasure Mr Malfoy."
"Please…call me Draco."
"As you wish Draco. Headmistress," Mr Crowwell shook her hand. "Thank you for coming."
"My pleasure." Headmistress McGonagall said.
As Draco made his way to the Floo Netword to floo back to Hogwarts, his steps were lighter and he was happy. He was confident that his proposal would be looked upon as a new generation's idea and something the future could look forward to.
A week had passed and Ginny had finally moved into the new apartment. Her boxes of things were already in her new room and she was glad that Ron had helped although unwillingly.
"Is that all?"
"Yes Ron. Thank you so much." Ginny said.
"So I can go now right?"
"Fine…get out of my room." Ginny said. Just when Ron was about to walk out of her room, he bumped into Luna on the doorway.
"Oomph! Sorry Luna."
"Oh it's ok." Luna said and smiled serenely at Ron. "Are you hurt?"
"Oh no no. You're light as a feather. But I will be hurt if it was Hagrid standing at the doorway."
Luna laughed at the joke Ron had made.
"Well bye now. Bye Gin!" Ron said and she heard him apparate out of the house. Luna was still standing on the doorway staring at the spot where Ron had apparated.
"For Merlin's sake Luna!" Ginny startled her. "My brother is dating someone else. Get over it."
"Why is it he doesn't notice me? I've been your friend for ages and I've hanged out with you for years. Must be those Nargles…making your brother's head go fuzzy and didn't realise the signs I've been making to look my way." Luna sighed and sat on Ginny's new bed. "Finished unpacking?"
"Not yet. I think I'll do that tonight. Where is Susan?"
"She's in the office. She mentioned something about a meeting with the editor." Luna answered. "I think I have to go back there too. They need the cover page for next month's edition."
Ginny and Susan were reporters for Icon while Luna works for the art department. Susan only joined the magazine eight months ago after a stint at the Ministry, saying that it was not her cup of tea. Ginny and Luna had been working for the magazine as soon as they had graduated from Hogwarts.
"Susan said that she might be interviewing a new entrepreneur and I have a feeling that it would be him on the cover page. I'll be working with the photographer. There will be a photoshoot." Luna said.
"I've no assignment yet…hey, do you think we should invite a few friends over for a housewarming? It's been quite a while since I had a party." Ginny suggested excitedly.
"I think that's a good idea. Do you think Ron will come…without his girlfriend?"
"Luna, they stick together like glue and paper. I'm sorry. But I know someone who would be interested in this party."
Luna remained silent in thoughts, probably disappointed. "Luna are you listening to me?"
"Yeah…yeah."
"I was saying that I know someone who would be interested in coming to the party."
"Who?"
"Dean Thomas. Remember him?"
"Oh yeah…tall, dark,"
"And handsome." Ginny completed. "He said he's been trying to ask you out but you kept saying no."
"Oh I don't know. He's…nice I guess. And you dated him."
"You're barking mad…I think he's smitten with you. Since his last year in Hogwarts I reckon and so what if I've dated him before?" Ginny teased.
"When do you want to have the party?" Luna asked changing the subject.
"Let's get settle down first shall we? I got boxes to unpack. Maybe next weekend?"
"Sounds great."
The next day, Ginny and Luna went to work together and Ginny was discussing party plans excitedly. She wanted it simple with only closest friends and family invited. Before going into the office, Ginny went to see Bill, who was working at Gringotts.
"This is for William." She passed the broomstick that she bought last week to Bill.
"Oh not again Gin. You just bought him a set of trucks last month."
"He's my only nephew, at least until Charlie's born and then another one of yours. So just let me buy them gifts."
"Alright alright. He's going to love this. Fleur doesn't let him play on broomsticks until he is at least six."
"Six? Bill we were all on broomsticks when we were three!" Ginny cried out in astonishment. "Surely you can tell her it's not dangerous."
"I'll see what I can do…I love my wife too much to upset her."
Ginny pretended to choke and rolled her eyes. She walked out of the bank before Bill could say anything else that might make her puke for real. She walked into the building located on the opposite side of Gringotts and was greeted by Paul, an intern.
"Mallory needs to see both you and Susan in her office."
"Thanks Paul."
Mallory was Ginny's boss and the editor-in-chief of the magazine. She had always relied on Susan or Ginny to get front page stories and interviews because they were both the best reporters in Icon. Ginny have interviewed Quidditch superstars, and Harry was one of them, up and coming entrepreneurs with magical ideas and socialites with honest and noble causes. Icon was first and foremost not a tabloid. The centerpage was usually filled with pictures of the recent parties organised by the rich and famous and that was the only ten colourful pages in the magazine. The rest of the pages were filed with well done interviews capturing the minds of the interviewees and Icon let their thoughts and ideas be heard.
"There you are." Mallory said when Ginny walked into her office.
"Where's Susan?"
"I've already given her an assignment so she left to send and owl out. As for you, I want you to interview Ally Weston."
"No way! Ally Weston? She's like the most sincere person I've ever met!"
Mallory chuckled at Ginny's reaction. "She's the new Keeper for the Holyhead Harpies. Grown and bred in England so she's a nation pride."
"Making a name for herself isn't she…not following her parent's footsteps."
"And that's where I want the highlight of the interview to be. Next month's issue will be about wizards and witches who have made a name for themselves in their own way."
"I promise you I will conduct the best interview. Merlin, Ally Weston! Thanks Mallory."
"I know you won't upset me Ginny."
Ginny walked out to her desk and saw Susan sending out the owl. "Hey Susan!" She greeted.
"Oh hey."
"Didn't see you this morning. Luna and I woke up and found you gone."
"Oh yeah, I had to make short visit to my parent's. It's my grandma. Mum said she's terribly sick."
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thanks…anyway you won't believe who I will be interviewing."
"Oh who?" Ginny sat up straighter from her seat.
"Draco Malfoy! Can you believe it? I haven't seen him for so many years! Five I think. Eversince we graduated."
Ginny froze at the mention of that name. She felt like someone had shoved her into a giant ice chamber and she was shivering cold.
"Ginny you ok? You looked like you just saw a ghost or something."
"Oh I'm fine. Draco Malfoy huh?"
"Yeah…I wonder how I should greet him you know. Should I call him Draco….Mr Malfoy? What do you think?"
"Draco…call him Draco." Ginny said remembering him telling her that he liked it when she called him Draco.
"Nah…maybe I should address him by Mr Malfoy first."
Ginny nodded her head. "Yah, maybe you should." She could not concentrate at that moment. Her head was swarmed with his face. Eversince that day when she apparated out of his apartment she never saw him again.
Two days later Ginny walked into the office and received news that might make her live through her nightmare.
"She said that things could not wait any longer. She had to rush back to Manchester. Her mum said her grandma is not breathing well. It seemed like they are just waiting for that time you know." Mallory told Ginny.
"She didn't say anything to Luna or me."
"Maybe Susan doesn't want to bother either of you."
"We're her friends."
"Well be her friend when she comes back to London. She might bear bad news. She will need both of you then."
Ginny nodded her head. She had always appreciated Mallory's friendship. Not only was she her boss but she had always seemed like their big sister, giving them advices and guiding them at work.
"I need a favour from you. Susan might be gone long and I will need you to conduct the interview she was supposed to conduct today."
"No!"
"What?"
"Get someone else to do it Mallory. I'm already interviewing Ally Weston." Ginny protested.
"Ginny this is a very important interview. I don't have Susan and I only have you now so you have to go see Draco Malfoy today and do that interview."
Ginny bit on her fingernails nervously. "What? Do you have a problem with Draco Malfoy?"
"No I don't." Ginny replied too quickly.
"So? Meet him at The Connoisseur. 2PM sharp. He's a busy man. Mallory warned.
Ginny sulkily went back to her desk and dumped her handbag on the floor scaring a few people who was within a metre radius from her proximity. "Bollocks!" She muttered under her breath.
Draco walked into The Connoisseur, following a waiter who was showing him to his reserved table. He sat down and drank the glass of white wine which was immediately served to him. He was feeling quite nervous and was hoping that the wine would calm him down while he waited for Susan Bones. It was his first interview with the magazine and he felt quite honoured. It was 2PM exactly when he checked his watch. He looked up to the entrance of the restaurant and then his heart skipped a few beats when he saw Ginny at the doorway. It was like a dream because he saw Ginny walking towards him escorted by the same waiter that had shown him to his table. When she reached the table he stood up and the waiter left them staring at each other.
"You're not Susan." He said and then he felt like he should deserve a punch on his face. That's not how you greet an ex-girlfriend dimwit, he scolded himself. "I mean, hi. How are you?"
"Good. Susan can't make it so I have to do the interview instead. Mallory doesn't want to reschedule. She said you're a busy man." Draco noted a hint of sarcasm in her voice but it did not bother him much because now he felt like thanking this Mallory whoever she was. Ginny sat down and Draco sat after she did.
"Our issue next month is about wizards and witches who have made a name by themselves…not following footsteps of their parents. So Mr Malfoy, if I could have your permission could we start the interview?"
Draco was quite taken aback when Ginny addressed him that way and she had a professional front, something that Ginny had never been with him. They were intimate, holding hands when they talk, staring into each other's eyes and kissing into the night. At that moment, he felt like reaching out to her hand on the table and held it like he did before. When Ginny cleared her throat, he was thrown back into reality.
"Mr Malfoy…shall we start?" Ginny asked again.
"Call me Draco please." Draco offered.
"Of course…Draco."
His spirit lifted to hear his name being spoken on her lips again. It was like hope.
"I understand that the head of department, Mr Cromwell have accepted your proposal on setting up and institution for Hogwarts' graduate. Can you please explain to me what that was all about?" She asked.
"Don't you want anything to drink?"
"I'm sorry?" Draco felt the stubbornness in her creeping up again. He understood she refused to be friendly towards him and this was all strictly professional, so he put himself up professionally.
"I asked if you would like to have something to drink. We could be here for hours so I'm sure you want something to drink."
"Grape juice." She said and he knew she would say that. It was like she read her mind and a blush crept up her cheeks. He called for the waiter and ordered the juice for Ginny.
She conducted the interview at a comfortable pace and never once did she have her eyes lingered on his face for more than one second but he kept his eyes fixed on her, mesmerized by the way her lips move and how her eyes followed the lines as she wrote what he said. When she placed her finger on the tip of her nose, he knew she was thinking about what to say or ask. After about thirty minutes, she shifted her red locks to one side, placing them down her right shoulder letting him have a glimpse on her neck. He used to plant kisses on that neck because she loved it when he does that. He would trail kisses from her jawbone down to her neck and further down. He could not get out from that thought.
"I think that's about it Mr Malfoy." She said going back to address him professionally and he did not bother to correct her knowing that she would be too stubborn to call him by his first name. "This interview would be edited and I will be sending you the edited version before it will be published on Icon. If you would like me to change anything at all, you can owl me."
She stood up and Draco stood up with her and took her hand when she extended it to him for a shake. "Nice meeting you." She turned to left and he felt that pain again. The pain he felt when she turned her back on him and apparated out of his apartment. But then she turned back to face him and walked towards him.
"I brought something for you." She started. "Something that I should have returned but forgotten." She took something out from her handbag and hand it to him.
Draco took it and saw the Malfoy's heirloom in his palm; the bracelet that he had given to her five years ago. She turned again without a word and she walked out of the restaurant leaving him dazed and confused.