A.N: I am currently looking for some betas...I usually just read over it myself and do a quick grammar check...I’d rather have multiple views from some people I don’t know who will look at it completely critically. If you’re interested, please leave a signed review or e-mail me at the address in my profile.
Disclaimer: The song for this installment is not mine. It’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” and it belongs to Jule Stynet and Leo Robin.
Diamonds
~~~~~
Ginny sighed. At the moment, she was sitting behind her desk at the Ministry of Magic, recovering from her most recent dumping. Oh, she wasn’t the dumpee. She was the dumper. But that didn’t make it any better.
The sleeze she’d just been dating was a very sweet guy; he always showed up early, showered her with attention, paid her brilliant compliments, and charmed her parents completely. And it wasn’t even Harry. Of course, he was only sweet until it came time to pay the bill whenever they went anywhere. The moment the check was set down on the table, his beeper would go off with an ‘emergency.’ Leaving her to, of course, pay the tab.
But after this happened on four dates in a row, costing her more than a hundred Galleons due to his insistence that ‘she deserved to be taken somewhere nice,’ she decided she wasn’t going to take it anymore. No man was worth this dent in her wallet. She liked to eat the other meals besides dinner, after all. And the rate this was going, that was SO not going to happen.
She allowed her head to drop down onto her desk. Perhaps she should just give up on this whole ‘finding love’ thing. It was definitely overrated. What were the chances that she would actually be able to find the person for her?
“The French are glad to die for love
They delight in fighting duels
But I prefer a man who lives
And gives expensive jewels
A kiss on the hand may be quite continental
But diamonds are a girl's best friend
A kiss may be grand, but it won't pay the rental
On your humble flat, or help you feed your pussy cat.”
Suddenly, a knock sounded on her door.
Quickly plastering a cheery smile on her face, she promptly answered, “Come in.”
“Hello,” an extremely familiar voice said. But it was a man she barely recognized that had just walked into the room. He stood near the chair on the other side of her desk. He was...softer than he used to be. Less tough; less rough around the edges. He still held an air of aloofness, but the small difference was immensely noticeable. “I know who you are, but I don’t believe we’ve properly talked before. I’m Draco Malfoy.” He held out his hand to shake hers.
She hesitated for a moment; this was a man she had grown to despise after what he did to her brother and what his father did to her. But it had been over a year since he’d left Hogwarts. From what she knew, he’d left her family alone since then. And, after hearing that he hadn’t ended up a Death Eater, she wasn’t quite as wary of him as she would have been otherwise. Still keeping her guard up, she stood, shook his hand, and cordially replied, “Yes, I remember you. Please sit down.” Once he did so, she added, “What did you want to see me for?”
He looked up at her, and she couldn’t help but be drawn in by his eyes. Like the rest of him, they didn’t seem nearly as cold as she remembered from school. Rather, they gazed at her softly, simply making proper eye contact. But why didn’t she see any revulsion? He’d hated them all so much....She suddenly snapped out of her mind’s questioning when she heard him speak.
“I was wondering if there are any job openings in your department. I’m interested in the whole branch of law; it’s extremely important that the government has a basic control of its surroundings.”
So that was what he wanted. Control. She was damn well not going to give it to him; regardless of the fact that he wore no Dark Mark, he most certainly did not seem above manipulating the courts to rule in the favor of actual Death Eaters on occasion. There was no way she could give him the chance. The remote semblance of safety they’d all worked so hard for was much too important to her. “I’m sorry, but there is nothing available right now. Perhaps you could inquire again in several months?” Her answer was slightly colder than it needed to be, and she couldn’t help but glare at him the tiniest bit. After all he’d done, he had the nerve to come ask her for a job in which he could continue to do more damage.
“Are you absolutely positive?” The set look on her face seemed to be enough of an answer for him. “Well, then, I suppose I should be going. Thank you for your time.” He stood up and turned away; but then, as though an inspiration had struck him, he returned back to a position facing her and gently picked up her right hand with his. Slowly, he leaned down and brushed his lips on the back of her hand, followed by a tender kiss. The small gesture sent a shiver throughout her body; however, she said nothing. It had simply been a noble thing for him to do. Something about his ‘higher class’ upbringing, most likely. So she said nothing. Until he was almost out the door.
“Mal–I mean, Mr. Malfoy?”
He quickly turned around at the sound of his name with a strange look in his eyes–was it wistful? No, that didn’t make sense–and stood waiting for her to continue.
“That won’t work. I don’t bend to flattery.”
As quickly as he turned, he left the room and shut the door without responding.
Ginny returned to some of her recent paperwork as though nothing had happened. Which was actually quite true; it had just been a business discussion. But then something occurred to her, making her look up with a start. Why had he bothered to do the whole hand-kissing thing to a Weasley? Sure, he wanted the job, but not that badly, right? He thought all Weasleys were below him. It must have tortured him to befoul his mouth in such a way. It just didn’t make sense.
“Men grow cold as girls grow old
And we all lose our charms in the end
But square-cut or pear-shaped
These rocks don't lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl's best friend”
On the other side of the door, Draco stood to catch his breath. He had just kissed her. Not on the lips or anything, but he’d been practically in love with the woman for seven years. Just the one kiss on the hand was wreaking havoc on his libido. And she’d felt something too. He was sure of it. But how to get her to admit it to herself? He’d already given her over a year to distance herself from the cruel things he’d done in his past. His ridiculously stupid past.
Which he happened to be overcoming to try for this position. Because to work in Ginny’s department and have the chance to show her he was not out to kill people anymore, that meant he had to work at the Ministry. Under Harry fucking Potter, the ‘best Minister of Magic ever!’
Completely ignoring the advantage of being near her, he actually needed the job. Said ‘best Minister of Magic ever!’ had authorized a Ministry repossession of all of his family assets as a punishment for all of Lucius’ crimes. Because apparently the Kiss wasn’t enough....
But it was all worth it if she could learn to like him. Hell, even just to not hate him. He’d take that for now. If he had to.
But he wanted her. As quickly as possible. With her consent of course. He wasn’t into being that cruel. That was so his father’s thing.
So perhaps a direct approach was the best. After all, it was possible she didn’t like waiting around. It would be much easier for her to find herself attracted to one of her greatest enemies if she knew he wasn’t out to hurt her, that rejection shouldn’t be something to fear. Because he would never hurt her. He simply loved her.
And he needed to tell her that.
“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
Disclaimer: The song for this installment is not mine. It’s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” and it belongs to Jule Stynet and Leo Robin.
Diamonds
~~~~~
Ginny sighed. At the moment, she was sitting behind her desk at the Ministry of Magic, recovering from her most recent dumping. Oh, she wasn’t the dumpee. She was the dumper. But that didn’t make it any better.
The sleeze she’d just been dating was a very sweet guy; he always showed up early, showered her with attention, paid her brilliant compliments, and charmed her parents completely. And it wasn’t even Harry. Of course, he was only sweet until it came time to pay the bill whenever they went anywhere. The moment the check was set down on the table, his beeper would go off with an ‘emergency.’ Leaving her to, of course, pay the tab.
But after this happened on four dates in a row, costing her more than a hundred Galleons due to his insistence that ‘she deserved to be taken somewhere nice,’ she decided she wasn’t going to take it anymore. No man was worth this dent in her wallet. She liked to eat the other meals besides dinner, after all. And the rate this was going, that was SO not going to happen.
She allowed her head to drop down onto her desk. Perhaps she should just give up on this whole ‘finding love’ thing. It was definitely overrated. What were the chances that she would actually be able to find the person for her?
“The French are glad to die for love
They delight in fighting duels
But I prefer a man who lives
And gives expensive jewels
A kiss on the hand may be quite continental
But diamonds are a girl's best friend
A kiss may be grand, but it won't pay the rental
On your humble flat, or help you feed your pussy cat.”
Suddenly, a knock sounded on her door.
Quickly plastering a cheery smile on her face, she promptly answered, “Come in.”
“Hello,” an extremely familiar voice said. But it was a man she barely recognized that had just walked into the room. He stood near the chair on the other side of her desk. He was...softer than he used to be. Less tough; less rough around the edges. He still held an air of aloofness, but the small difference was immensely noticeable. “I know who you are, but I don’t believe we’ve properly talked before. I’m Draco Malfoy.” He held out his hand to shake hers.
She hesitated for a moment; this was a man she had grown to despise after what he did to her brother and what his father did to her. But it had been over a year since he’d left Hogwarts. From what she knew, he’d left her family alone since then. And, after hearing that he hadn’t ended up a Death Eater, she wasn’t quite as wary of him as she would have been otherwise. Still keeping her guard up, she stood, shook his hand, and cordially replied, “Yes, I remember you. Please sit down.” Once he did so, she added, “What did you want to see me for?”
He looked up at her, and she couldn’t help but be drawn in by his eyes. Like the rest of him, they didn’t seem nearly as cold as she remembered from school. Rather, they gazed at her softly, simply making proper eye contact. But why didn’t she see any revulsion? He’d hated them all so much....She suddenly snapped out of her mind’s questioning when she heard him speak.
“I was wondering if there are any job openings in your department. I’m interested in the whole branch of law; it’s extremely important that the government has a basic control of its surroundings.”
So that was what he wanted. Control. She was damn well not going to give it to him; regardless of the fact that he wore no Dark Mark, he most certainly did not seem above manipulating the courts to rule in the favor of actual Death Eaters on occasion. There was no way she could give him the chance. The remote semblance of safety they’d all worked so hard for was much too important to her. “I’m sorry, but there is nothing available right now. Perhaps you could inquire again in several months?” Her answer was slightly colder than it needed to be, and she couldn’t help but glare at him the tiniest bit. After all he’d done, he had the nerve to come ask her for a job in which he could continue to do more damage.
“Are you absolutely positive?” The set look on her face seemed to be enough of an answer for him. “Well, then, I suppose I should be going. Thank you for your time.” He stood up and turned away; but then, as though an inspiration had struck him, he returned back to a position facing her and gently picked up her right hand with his. Slowly, he leaned down and brushed his lips on the back of her hand, followed by a tender kiss. The small gesture sent a shiver throughout her body; however, she said nothing. It had simply been a noble thing for him to do. Something about his ‘higher class’ upbringing, most likely. So she said nothing. Until he was almost out the door.
“Mal–I mean, Mr. Malfoy?”
He quickly turned around at the sound of his name with a strange look in his eyes–was it wistful? No, that didn’t make sense–and stood waiting for her to continue.
“That won’t work. I don’t bend to flattery.”
As quickly as he turned, he left the room and shut the door without responding.
Ginny returned to some of her recent paperwork as though nothing had happened. Which was actually quite true; it had just been a business discussion. But then something occurred to her, making her look up with a start. Why had he bothered to do the whole hand-kissing thing to a Weasley? Sure, he wanted the job, but not that badly, right? He thought all Weasleys were below him. It must have tortured him to befoul his mouth in such a way. It just didn’t make sense.
“Men grow cold as girls grow old
And we all lose our charms in the end
But square-cut or pear-shaped
These rocks don't lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl's best friend”
On the other side of the door, Draco stood to catch his breath. He had just kissed her. Not on the lips or anything, but he’d been practically in love with the woman for seven years. Just the one kiss on the hand was wreaking havoc on his libido. And she’d felt something too. He was sure of it. But how to get her to admit it to herself? He’d already given her over a year to distance herself from the cruel things he’d done in his past. His ridiculously stupid past.
Which he happened to be overcoming to try for this position. Because to work in Ginny’s department and have the chance to show her he was not out to kill people anymore, that meant he had to work at the Ministry. Under Harry fucking Potter, the ‘best Minister of Magic ever!’
Completely ignoring the advantage of being near her, he actually needed the job. Said ‘best Minister of Magic ever!’ had authorized a Ministry repossession of all of his family assets as a punishment for all of Lucius’ crimes. Because apparently the Kiss wasn’t enough....
But it was all worth it if she could learn to like him. Hell, even just to not hate him. He’d take that for now. If he had to.
But he wanted her. As quickly as possible. With her consent of course. He wasn’t into being that cruel. That was so his father’s thing.
So perhaps a direct approach was the best. After all, it was possible she didn’t like waiting around. It would be much easier for her to find herself attracted to one of her greatest enemies if she knew he wasn’t out to hurt her, that rejection shouldn’t be something to fear. Because he would never hurt her. He simply loved her.
And he needed to tell her that.
“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”
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