La Vie En Rose [Draco Malfoy]

🌠 Chapter Eight 🌠

If Melantha had warmed a bit on their trip back to the St. Mungo's, the coolness came back ten-fold the moment they had settled into Appleton's office where the Director chose to spend the first thirty minutes to talk about his day. Draco was suddenly starting to understand why Melantha had not been thrilled with this, and he himself found himself dozing off.

Melantha held back her sigh as she sat, listening to Appleton talk about his home life and how it he wished his nephew good luck for his upcoming wedding and the life with a wife. She wanted to roll her eyes at the 'jokes' but instead, crossed her leg over the other.

And it was then that Melantha's eyes fell upon the blond sitting next to her – Draco's slack body was still sitting upright, thank Merlin, but his head was starting to fall.

Since Appleton was still going on about marriage, Melantha swung her foot lightly and pushed at Draco's leg, causing him to jerk back awake.

Draco quickly looked to this leg, fearing something to be wrong but saw Melantha's heel-ed shoe moving away, and as he looked toward her face, he found his grey eyes meeting with her sharp blue eyes, looking not very happy with him falling asleep like this.

"But you're both still kids so you don't have to be worried about anything," Appleton went on, and Melantha and Draco looked at him. "Marriage's a double-edged sword,"

"I'm sure it is," Melantha said, and Draco was surprised she didn't actually stab Appleton with her bare wand for wasting their time with this.

"I'm not married," Draco blurted out when Appleton looked at him, causing Melantha to raise her eyebrows at him and Appleton to laugh.

"Of course, you aren't," Appleton replied. "I do background checks on all our employees. Just make sure to concentrate more on the research and less on our Melantha,"

While Draco only shifted uncomfortably, Melantha looked up.

"I'm sure Mr. Malfoy realises the importance of the position he's been given," Melantha spoke softly but still firmly. "And on the mention of that, if you allow us, we'd like to head and get started on our work – there's plenty to be introduced to Mr. Malfoy,"

"Of course, of course," Appleton replied. "Of course, it's important to work hard from the first day!" He looked to Draco. "Have you met Damien Sutherland yet?"

"Yes," Draco answered, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the thought of the dirty-blond male.

"That's wonderful, Damien's our star employee, I'm sure you'd get along well with him," Appleton went on happily. "Of course, Melantha wants you to slowly take up the position of the Head of your department, and it'll only make sense to learn from the best,"

"I understand," Draco replied stiffly, glancing toward Melantha, who didn't look very much pleased with where Appleton was going but couldn't disagree with him.

"I will make sure that when I leave, Mr. Malfoy will be capable of handling his office," Melantha assured Appleton. "Now, if you would excuse us, thank you..."

Melantha got to her feet and reached to gather her belongings, nodding toward Draco to follow with her. Appleton stood after Draco, too, and made sure to walk them to his office door. Not wanting to get into another long, meaningless conversation. Draco hurried to follow after her, fully understand why every sane person did not want to go into this office.

"Not to sound intrusive," Draco spoke up as they walked up the stairs together, and Melantha hummed in response. "But is Sutherland related to Appleton?"

"No, they're not," Melantha responded calmly. "I suspect that Appleton's just fond of him – he was the same with my brother. Besides, I'm not very fond of workplace gossip," She glanced over her shoulder at him. "It's hard to get into St. Mungo's on basis of familial influence,"