Rain. Heavy, miserable and always anticipated in cold and dreary England. Despite the 100% bad weather expected by locals, today seemed to somehow eclipse the miserable expectations of heavy sheets of blistering cold rain and harsh, unforgiving winds. A blonde haired man, dripping and wrapped in a thoroughly drenched cloak stepped in a dimly lit tavern.
Pulling the cloak tighter around himself, the young man repressed the curl of his lip at the state of the environment he had just stepped in. Old, grimy and covered with an excessive use of wood. Despite his initial and lingering disgust, the matter is not as great as it would usually be.
He knows he will not be recognized here. Striding to the bar, he immediately feels curious; hungry eyes observe him from afar. He doesn't mind, he knows he is attractive and of course, cocky. It's the very two things that make him who he knows himself to be.
Arriving at the bar, he asks for, "two shots of whiskey," and settles on to a dusty stool that he doesn't bother to pat before sitting down on.
Under the penetration of the shabby lighting the young man's features are more clearly pronounced. For instance it is now more noticeable that his hair is plastered to his face in thanks to the weather and his grey eyes, hollow from horrors not understood by passersby, haunt any pair that connects with them.
The soft murmuring, which had fallen from raucous and obnoxious chatting when he first entered, had begun to increase in sound since he had taken his seat, filtered through with dreadful muggle music chosen by someone with incredibly poor taste, obviously. The young man sneered and roughly grabbed his drinks that had been placed before him.
He thought of knocking them straight back but remembered they were yet to be paid for and slammed the crumpled bills from his pocket on the counter in anticipation of the burn of alcohol. "Don't take your anger out on the counter; what has it ever done to you?"
He recognizes the voice and the teasing tone, understanding it to be the very person he was planning to meet at this awful dive. "Potter." The blonde haired man raised his glass in mock salute and forced it down his throat. He reveled in the searing fire sliding through his veins like a shock of electricity to his blood stream.
Green eyes board him with judgment. "If you drink too much Malfoy, I'm not going to be the one to be holding back your ridiculously bright hair."
"I didn't come here to be scolded, wonder boy. What the bloody hell does the Ministry want? They better not be interfering with my mission. Let me remind you that you need me. Therefore things have to go my way, understood?" He threatened with underlying dark intent, despite his calm tone and the soft cradling of his drink between his hands.
Potter laughed dryly. "I promise it won't be too bad, ferret. It appears that the Ministry still doesn't trust you fully and finds it necessary to send someone else in as well." He spoke with an undertone of bitterness. The green eyed man began to fiddle with his own hands, rough and worn out.
Draco's face twisted at his words. Of course. The Ministry still didn't trust him. After such a long time of fighting the good fight, they still couldn't get over the history attached to his family and him. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater, isn't that right? Merlin, he even became an Auror trying to get people to look past his name.
How ridiculously funny was that? That a name could hold so much power. Such presence. Malfoy. Potter. Voldemort. Even without knowing who they were, you knew their character. Why do I even try? Draco thought.
"The Ministry wishes to send someone else with me? Just in case I really am working with them and deceiving you. Is that correct?"
The messy haired man furrowed his eyebrows and frowned deeply, like it truly bothered him. Draco knew that he had learned to respect Potter and that Potter had in turn, grown to respect him, despite their past. They both knew that the Ministry was the mere definition of corruption. Lies upon lies.
They taught the public to think that the world was in its prime state since Voldemort's demise and that they themselves could return to their previous glory. Draco laughed bitterly to himself at the thought. Rebuild itself? More like they become so desperate to gain control that they fall victim to lies, rumors and cheapen themselves by accepting bribes.
The only good Draco could gleam from that acidic pool of corruption and dirty money was the Auror Department, run of course by Potter himself and improving the wizarding community immensely. Despite all the executive orders having to come from upstairs and not the head of the department.
"Yes," Potter answered finally, pressing his lips together in a thin line. "They wish to send a woman. That is all I can tell you at this current moment."
Draco tutted patronizingly. "What ever happened to 'I must not tell lies'? Come on Potter, tell me. You know that I'll just find out myself, no matter your attempts of secrecy. I am a Slytherin, you forget." Draco completed this snide comment with his silent smirk and silvery gaze, completing the challenge.
Wonder boy sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "They wish to send a woman who will be posing as your fiancée in order to gather information from the families of the suspected."
"And to keep an eye on me."
"Considering your history, there is no doubt that she will keep an eye on you. Even if it isn't necessary."
Draco's smirk widened considerably. "Ah, so you know who she is then?" He marveled at Potter's uneasiness. The green eyes man began to squirm in his seat with a clear expression of mixed feelings etched upon his war weary face.
"I have yet to tell her but I'm sure I'll be able to wear her down enough to say yes."
Who exactly does Potter have in mind? Draco thought to himself. He had not been down at the office in close to a year. In face the only time he had been there for longer than a month was during his training resulting in a lack of mingling time. Not that he would want to anyway. Not that anyone would want to mingle with him either.
Of course he had, had friends and girlfriends since then. Many of them had fled to other countries after the war but they had kept in contact. Others were so horrified when the war was discussed amongst them that they left too. It wasn't like he needed them anyway; he had his mother and his job, and that was enough.
Draco looked at Potter expectedly. "So?"
"So, what? I'm not going to tell you who it is. That'll take all the fun out of it," Potter answered rather smugly. Damn Potter and his ridicously games. They clinked glasses and took another swig of their drinks, both hoping to numb their emotions just a little tonight.
"You always did like to pick on me," he began with mock innocence. "I must be off, Potter. You know how it is. I just can't bear the thought of being noticed with you any longer than I need to be. I hope to find out who this woman is by the ball. Either way, I'll just make my Malfoy magic and find out myself."
The blonde haired man slid his empty glass across the bar and wrapped his dark cloak around him to disappear into the rain once more, becoming another faceless figure roaming the night.
He felt a tug on his arm and spun around, alert. "You better make sure you're alive for our next meeting."
Recognizing the threat to be no threat at all, just Potter, Draco nodded, smiling grimly. He spoke as he left through the door blowing in the dreadful cold wind. "Always the sentimental one, eh, Potter?" And with that, he vanished into the night, leaving no trace, as if he wasn't even there to begin with.
Almost like a shadow.
Here we go again, ladies and gents! Once again the writing wheels are rolling and we're back in business. First off I would like to say none of this belongs to me and there is an additional general disclaimer on my profile. Secondly feel free to leave a piece of criticism or perhaps a comment about my new story. I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter: we meet Hermione!
Thank you to my beta, LeighJ11. She's an excellent editor and I highly recommend her you're considering getting a beta.
xoxo GeekAttack [re-posted Oct.29.15.]