All the Wrong Things

Chapter 14

Wednesday, December 8, 1999

I'm dropping off a portkey request for Robards on Level 6 when I find her in the elevators.

I feel myself grin before I can stop it.

"Granger."

She mumbles a hello, her eyes shifting away from me like a nervous child. We're alone in the lift, and I don't bother standing far from her. Our bodies touch when the box takes off.

"I heard back from Quentin Margolis," I say, and that catches her attention. She turns up to me, eyes bright.

"And?"

"He's agreed to meet with me next week."

Her face breaks into a smile. "That's wonderful news. I'm ... I'm so happy for you."

And again, I imagine this look on her with every success, with every signed contract, with every case won against the Wizengamot.

"I can't thank you enough, Granger." I let my eyes relax over her face, drinking her in. The lift slows for Level 5 and I tear my eyes from her.

"I'm just glad you asked me. I'm very impressed by the whole proposal."

I wonder if I ask her now. If I say, You know, Granger, you would be a valuable asset to Malfoy Consulting. We could affect true change together.

Granger, do you really want to work at the D.M.L.E.?

Tell me what you want and I'll give it to you.

A portly man in yellow joins the lift. I'll have to refine this a bit before speaking with her next.

"I hear there's a party for me at a pub on Friday night." I pout and look to her.

"Is there?" She lifts her brows. "Perhaps it's more of a celebration of you leaving."

"That must be it."

I wish it had been like this all the time. This casual flirting, letting our hips touch in tight spaces, waiting to see her eyes darken.

I'm looking down but I can feel her eyes on me. The lift slows for Level 4 just as I look up, catching her. She swallows, and her gaze moves away. She brushes a curl back and says, "Have a good day, Malfoy."

I nod as she darts off the lift. I grin at my shoes.

On Friday, Katie Bell, Potter, Goldstein and I head over to the same pub we went to that first time, where she'd gotten a bit sloshed and had let me talk to her, let me look at her. Where I'd called her golden.

Potter buys the first round, and I take my Firewhisky quickly, enjoying the burn.

Robards stops by, thanking me for my time and expertise, and I almost remind him that it was a court ordered assignment, but I just shake his hand.

A few of the Aurors show up, the ones who didn't give me any trouble in the office. I'm on my second Firewhisky, keeping a careful eye on the door.

I'll get her to talk to me about the consulting firm, mention the possibility of working with giants next, and drop hints to my five-year plan for the house elves. Tell her I'm looking for someone to bounce ideas off of, and would it be alright if I invited her to lunch once in a while. And we might even have a whole branch for magical creature rights, do you know anyone who might be interested?

It's getting closer to seven, and several people head out to their Friday night plans. Goldstein buys me another drink, clearly in it for the long haul tonight. I look toward the door again.