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Title: Worked Like a Charm
Author: Vesica
Word Count: 798
Challenge: Persuasion
Rating: Not Naughty
Warnings: None
It had taken her beloved husband a mere three days to get wind that she and his Mother had been plotting to throw him a surprise birthday party.
Only they hadn’t been planning anything of the sort. He had spent all of dinner ranting about the snippets of gossip he’d heard – all of which had only gotten better and more outlandish as they’d been passed along. Her plan was going wonderfully.
“Absolutely not!” Draco’s tone left no room for argument. “I hated those parties when I still lived at the Manor and I am certainly not spending my birthday yawning through another one. Trained swans in the garden fountain? Trained dancing gnomes??”
“I understand, dear,” Ginny was careful not to smile. “But your Mother is going to be so disappointed. I think she already had a string quartet hired.”
“She’ll get over it. Besides, it’s my birthday and I say we don’t have a party at all.”
“Draco, be serious.”
“I was being serious. I don’t want a party.”
“What if…” Ginny paused, as if deep in thought, before presenting the idea she’d had in mind from the start. “What if we just had a small party here? Just a few friends and family – no fuss, no big event.”
He sighed and poured himself a fresh cup of tea. “Fine. But you are not inviting the damned Gryffindor Three.”
Ginny quickly gathered up the dishes from dinner, the clatter of china covering her laughter. “You make them sound like a gang of bank robbers. Anyway, Ron and Hermione are away visiting her family that weekend. But Harry…”
“POTTER?!” He slammed his cup down. “They are bad enough as a group, but you want to invite just Potter? Are you mad, woman?!”
It was going perfectly so far. Now to add some tears. “I just wanted to do something nice for your birthday and it’s been ages since I’ve seen everyone and your Mother has done so much work already…This really seemed to cheer her up; it’s been such a hard year for her with Lucius and the Trials and all…It’s just one night. And just Harry…”
Draco rose and patted his wife’s shoulder. “Well…I suppose a very small party would be alright.”
Ginny looked up, hope shining in her tear-filled eyes. “Really?”
“Really. Besides, it’s been too long since I have seen the old gang. I am sure Blaise and Pansy wouldn’t miss my birthday…”
“Blaise and Pansy? But -”
“You were going to invite my two oldest and dearest friends? You of all people wouldn’t listen to those silly rumors about them serving the Dark Lord. Besides, I think it’s only fair if you’re inviting Potter.”
Ginny tried to come up with some excuse, but he was being such a good sport about the whole thing. “Well, of course we’ll invite them.”
“Good. Does the birthday boy get one other request?”
“Anything, dearest.”
“I’d like an open bar.”
Was that all? This had been easier than she’d thought. Now she just had to wait patiently until Draco made his nightly trip to the local pub.
The moment the door closed, she quickly threw some floo powder on the fire.
Narcissa’s face appeared. “Well?”
Ginny laughed, “It worked like a charm.”
“Well?” Pansy asked, holding Draco’s glass of firewhiskey hostage until she got an answer.
He glared at her and pried his glass from her hand. “Worked like a charm. She thinks she talked me into having a party.”
Pansy snorted. “Unbelievable. I can’t believe you pulled it off.”
“If you’re going to be like that, maybe I won’t give you your belated birthday present after all…” he waited, knowing she’d be unable to resist.
“Okay, okay – you are the one, the only Prince of Slytherin and I bow to your superior persuasion skills. Now what’s this about a present…”
“I snagged you an invite and the Weasel King and his Queen are going to be out of town,” Draco drained his glass and waited until Pansy had taken a large sip of her cocktail before continuing. “So it will be just you, Potter, and an all-night open bar.”
He tried not to laugh as Pansy eyes bulged and she choked on her drink.
“Don’t go dying now and undo all my hard work.” He handed her the glass of water he’d ordered for this exact moment. “And Pansy, don’t say I never gave you a decent birthday present.”
Pansy coughed once more and drained her cocktail before answering in a hoarse but solemn voice. “Best. Present. Ever.”
Draco smirked. No, the best present ever was going to be watching a drunken Potter deal with the most persistent girl in all of England.
He loved a good party and this one promised to be one of the best.
END.
Author: Vesica
Word Count: 798
Challenge: Persuasion
Rating: Not Naughty
Warnings: None
It had taken her beloved husband a mere three days to get wind that she and his Mother had been plotting to throw him a surprise birthday party.
Only they hadn’t been planning anything of the sort. He had spent all of dinner ranting about the snippets of gossip he’d heard – all of which had only gotten better and more outlandish as they’d been passed along. Her plan was going wonderfully.
“Absolutely not!” Draco’s tone left no room for argument. “I hated those parties when I still lived at the Manor and I am certainly not spending my birthday yawning through another one. Trained swans in the garden fountain? Trained dancing gnomes??”
“I understand, dear,” Ginny was careful not to smile. “But your Mother is going to be so disappointed. I think she already had a string quartet hired.”
“She’ll get over it. Besides, it’s my birthday and I say we don’t have a party at all.”
“Draco, be serious.”
“I was being serious. I don’t want a party.”
“What if…” Ginny paused, as if deep in thought, before presenting the idea she’d had in mind from the start. “What if we just had a small party here? Just a few friends and family – no fuss, no big event.”
He sighed and poured himself a fresh cup of tea. “Fine. But you are not inviting the damned Gryffindor Three.”
Ginny quickly gathered up the dishes from dinner, the clatter of china covering her laughter. “You make them sound like a gang of bank robbers. Anyway, Ron and Hermione are away visiting her family that weekend. But Harry…”
“POTTER?!” He slammed his cup down. “They are bad enough as a group, but you want to invite just Potter? Are you mad, woman?!”
It was going perfectly so far. Now to add some tears. “I just wanted to do something nice for your birthday and it’s been ages since I’ve seen everyone and your Mother has done so much work already…This really seemed to cheer her up; it’s been such a hard year for her with Lucius and the Trials and all…It’s just one night. And just Harry…”
Draco rose and patted his wife’s shoulder. “Well…I suppose a very small party would be alright.”
Ginny looked up, hope shining in her tear-filled eyes. “Really?”
“Really. Besides, it’s been too long since I have seen the old gang. I am sure Blaise and Pansy wouldn’t miss my birthday…”
“Blaise and Pansy? But -”
“You were going to invite my two oldest and dearest friends? You of all people wouldn’t listen to those silly rumors about them serving the Dark Lord. Besides, I think it’s only fair if you’re inviting Potter.”
Ginny tried to come up with some excuse, but he was being such a good sport about the whole thing. “Well, of course we’ll invite them.”
“Good. Does the birthday boy get one other request?”
“Anything, dearest.”
“I’d like an open bar.”
Was that all? This had been easier than she’d thought. Now she just had to wait patiently until Draco made his nightly trip to the local pub.
The moment the door closed, she quickly threw some floo powder on the fire.
Narcissa’s face appeared. “Well?”
Ginny laughed, “It worked like a charm.”
“Well?” Pansy asked, holding Draco’s glass of firewhiskey hostage until she got an answer.
He glared at her and pried his glass from her hand. “Worked like a charm. She thinks she talked me into having a party.”
Pansy snorted. “Unbelievable. I can’t believe you pulled it off.”
“If you’re going to be like that, maybe I won’t give you your belated birthday present after all…” he waited, knowing she’d be unable to resist.
“Okay, okay – you are the one, the only Prince of Slytherin and I bow to your superior persuasion skills. Now what’s this about a present…”
“I snagged you an invite and the Weasel King and his Queen are going to be out of town,” Draco drained his glass and waited until Pansy had taken a large sip of her cocktail before continuing. “So it will be just you, Potter, and an all-night open bar.”
He tried not to laugh as Pansy eyes bulged and she choked on her drink.
“Don’t go dying now and undo all my hard work.” He handed her the glass of water he’d ordered for this exact moment. “And Pansy, don’t say I never gave you a decent birthday present.”
Pansy coughed once more and drained her cocktail before answering in a hoarse but solemn voice. “Best. Present. Ever.”
Draco smirked. No, the best present ever was going to be watching a drunken Potter deal with the most persistent girl in all of England.
He loved a good party and this one promised to be one of the best.
END.
The End.
Vesica is the author of 4 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 7 members. Members who liked Worked Like a Charm also liked 1165 other stories.
This story is a favorite of 7 members. Members who liked Worked Like a Charm also liked 1165 other stories.
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