(A/N) HIYA PEOPLE!! I'm glad to be back and finally able to put my ideas on the computer. I'm using a new Microsoft Works thing, so, if this looks different or something, that's why. Maybe it'll actually let me italicize. Okay, anyways…ENJOY!!
Disclaimers: I don't own HP or the series. If I did, I think I'd buy a Jacuzzi…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry poked his head out of the compartment, to see Hermione and Ginny giggling in the hallway, Hermione's Head Girl badge flashing.
"Hey!" He yelled, calling for attention. They stopped talking. "What?" Ginny asked, poking Hermione's side, to keep the Head Girl from laughing out loud.
"Where's Kittie?"
They exchanged looks. "Celebrating her last year of Hogwarts?" Hermione said, fighting to keep the smile off her face. Harry paled.
"What is she doing?!"
The girls were saved from answering, as a pink-faced Kittie tore down the hall, Pansy at her heels.
"YOU LITTLE SNIPE! TURN MY HAIR BACK!" Pansy screeched. Kittie slid behind Harry, who had just noticed that the Slytherin girl's hair was a bright purple.
Harry glared over his shoulder at Kittie, as she crouched behind him, her wand out, and laughing so hard, that she was gasping for breath.
"Parkinson! What are you doing?!" A deep voice demanded from behind Ginny. She screamed and spun around. "Draco! Don't do that!"
Arching a blonde eyebrow he turned to Pansy. She scowled. "What does it look like I'm doing?! LOOK AT MY HAIR!!" She wailed. Hermione pretended to be interested in her shoes. As Head Girl, it was her duty to punish Kittie for pulling this, but she didn't have to do anything if she didn't see it…
Harry sighed, pulled out his wand and muttered the counter curse. Pansy glared over his shoulder at Kittie, and chased her around him. Kittie squealed and ran into the compartment, slamming the door behind her, making it crash on Pansy's nose.
"SILCIA!!" She wailed again, holding her nose to try to keep the blood from spilling on her robes. Pansy ran down the hallway, her nose tilted up, to the bathrooms. Ginny and Hermione burst into laughter. Draco gave an amused chuckle.
"What's the matter, Potter?" He smirked.
Harry glared. "That was completely uncalled for…"
"Oh, come off it, Harry." Ron said, coming out of the compartment Kittie had run into. Harry could still hear her laughing insanely inside. "We're going home…for good. Let her have her fun."
Harry grumbled, walked in the compartment and flopped in the seat in front of her. She stopped laughing. "What's wrong with you?"
"You're a disgrace to all seventh years. And you're a Prefect!"
Kittie broke into a large grin, already used to his complaints.
"Oh come on, Harry. It's not like I can get points taken off…"
Harry snorted. Ron walked back in, Hermione following, rolling her eyes as the Weasley strutted. Ginny hooked her foot around her brothers' ankle and pulled it out from under him, sending him sprawling on the floor.
"GINNY!"
"Whoa, Ron." She smirked, reminding Harry of Draco. "You're pretty uncoordinated for a Head Boy…"
Ron stood up, adjusting his badge. How the Weasley made Head Boy was a mystery to Harry.
Kittie snickered and exchanged a high five with Ginny. Hermione brushed off Ron's shoulder and gave him a small peck on the tip of his nose.
They had somehow gotten together again, after the two of them were named Head Boy and Girl. Though they still constantly fought, Harry was already planning on writing his best man's speech.
Draco flopped boredly in the seat next to Ginny. She gave him a small poke and he leaned his head on her shoulder. Harry sighed and stood up. "I'm going to change. I don't think Vernon will be too happy to see me in my school robes…"
Kittie gave him a wink, as he left and he felt his face heat. He hated when she did that. As he finished getting dressed in an empty compartment, he stepped out and collided with Ananda, who was going into her fourth year.
"Harry! I was just looking for you!"
Harry blinked. "You were? Why?"
Her heart-shaped face heated up. "My-my cousin is coming to Hogwarts for her first year next semester. She's terribly angry that you'll have graduated by the time she gets here…I was wondering. Could you…er…could you sign this for her?" She asked, thrusting a picture in his hands. Harry looked down at it and a small smile twitched.
The photogenic Harry was shifting nervously, obviously fighting his shy urge to run. He looked back down to Ananda, who was shyly waiting his answer.
"Um…I guess I can…"
Ananda had just happily handed him a quill when Kittie stepped out of the compartment she narrowed her eyes as Harry signed the photo.
"What are you doing?" She demanded.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kittie stepped out of the compartment as Ron and Hermione began squabbling, and Draco fell asleep on Ginny's shoulder. She looked down the hall and stopped, watching Harry sign Ananda's picture.
"What are you doing?" She growled, standing in front of him.
"Oh, this, I was just signing it for Ananda's cousin…"
Kittie glared. "Really? That's not what it looks like. It sort of looks like you were giving her an autograph, taking advantage of the 'Boy Who Saved' name. I thought you said you weren't!"
Harry forgot about Ananda for the time being. "I'm not! I'm just…"
Kittie waited for him to go on. This fight wasn't new. Kittie was usually the one to start it, mainly because she always caught him doing something that reminded her of Lockhart. Or, what Ron always complained about when Kittie asked. Harry obviously didn't see the point of going through it again.
She turned on her heel and headed to the front of the train. Harry ran after her, dropping the photo and something fell out of his pocket.
Ananda stooped to pick up the photo and the small blue box. She opened it and dropped it again in surprise, sending the golden ring scattering down the hall. She chased after it, picked it up, and ran her finger over the beautiful diamond in the center.
Embarrassed and shocked, she put the ring back in the box and gaped at Harry's retreating back.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Kittie, listen to me!"
Kittie stopped. "Fine."
"Why'd you run?"
"I didn't need to drag poor Ananda in it…Now, what was that all about?!"
Harry clutched the stitch in his side. "I told you!"
Kittie sighed. "I know you told me, but Harry, you were signing a picture of you! What was I supposed to think?"
"You were supposed to believe me."
"Harry-"
"Kittie?" He cut her off. She blinked. "Wha-" She started as he fell to his knees. For a split second of panic, she thought he fractured something running or something, and fell to her knees in front of him.
"Harry! Are you alright?"
Harry shook his head, roughly. "No. Kittie, stand up. It's not that."
She frowned. "Then, what is it?" She asked, standing up again.
Harry felt around in his pocket, his face rapidly going red. He cursed. "Where is it?"
"Where's what?" She asked.
Ananda ran up, and leaned on the wall. "Harry! You dropped something." She pressed a lumpy cloth in his hands. Giving him a wink, she turned and fled.
Kittie frowned again. "What's that?"
"I don't-" He stopped as his finger brushed a velvet box. "Oh."
" 'Oh' ?"
Sliding the cloth from the box, Harry held it up to Kittie. She froze.
"Marry me."
"All students please put on your muggle clothing…We are arriving at Kings Cross. Thank you." A magical voice echoed through the corridor and compartments.
Kittie sank down in front of him. "M-marry you? Harry, I can't!"
Harry felt his stomach fall. "Why?"
She gave him a wiry smile. "I'm sorry. I'm not ready. I kind of guessed that you were going to ask, but…"
She trailed off and Harry looked down. "You read the stars."
"No. Sometimes I do know how to use my common sense, Harry."
He looked up. "So, do you know when-"
"That's another thing…Harry, we should stop."
"Stop?"
"Stop seeing each other. We're going to get jobs, we're going to chase our dreams, and we can't go to out potential if we worry about ea-"
"But, Kittie, my dreams involve you!"
She sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Harry."
~~~~~~~~~~~Four years later…
Harry yelped in surprise as someone jabbed him with their wand, levitating him in midair. Shaking away the last of his dream, he glared at Ron.
" 'Morning, pal. You're late for work…I told them you were sick."
Ron stood angrily, with his arms crossed over his work robes. Green, heavy robes with his hat tilted sideways on his head. "Get up!"
"I'm up! Literally!" Harry yelled, still floating. He reached for his wand and got himself down. "…Is your dad terribly mad?"
"No. Harry, he can never be mad at his best Auror. You know that. He even sent me over with Mum's chicken broth." He motioned to a bowl on the night stand.
"So, I have the rest of the day off?"
"Harry, you don't live with muggles anymore. Dad expects you as soon as you put the healing charm on you, or drink the potion in the broth."
Harry groaned. "Fine, fine. I'm going."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kittie glared at the boy who was gaping at her in surprise. "What are you doing?"
She sighed, and continued to rub the oil on her feet. "I'm sliding down the banister. What does it look like?"
"But-but, Ladies don't do that!"
Kittie rolled her eyes and stood upright on the banister, clutching the gargoyle at the top of the stairs to keep her feet from sliding out from under her. She ignored the blonde boy and slid down the banisters, still standing. He ran down the stairs after her, as she hit the ground and slid on the polished floors, still standing.
"Who are you?!" She asked, annoyed.
"Aren't you that woman who works for me?"
She stopped. This wasn't a boy. This was her boss. She straightened up, and tried to keep on her oily feet.
"I'm sorry Sir! I didn't recognize you!"
David Bennington looked her over. "You have more spirit now than when I first hired you."
Kittie felt her face heat up. Not sure what to say, she stammered, "I'm-I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You're the only person who worked for me in five years who didn't stammer when they first saw me. I've even had a few secretaries bow to me. What did you say your name was?"
Kittie stared at David for a few seconds, surprised that he didn't even know who he hired. "Kittie Silcia."
"Ah, yes. The elfish girl with the blue eyes. I hear the servants talking about you." He smirked.
Kittie stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"Never mind. I'm assuming that you have nothing to do first thing in the morning, since the expedition doesn't leave for Egypt until next week? You're Raven Mortar's assistant, are you not?"
Kittie nodded, mutely. David didn't seem surprised.
"Then, do you care to accompany me to breakfast?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry waited until Hermione finished chewing him out before sliding behind his desk. She glared at him. "Well? What did I miss?"
"You've been hit with a very important assignment and you tried to play sick! You're going to Egypt, Harry!"
Harry snorted into his coffee. "Excuse me?!"
"David Bennington has asked the Ministry to send in the best Aurors to anti-curse the tombs they're uncovering."
Harry stared at her. "Who else is going?"
"Ron, me, you, and Neville."
"Why you?"
"Even us secretaries are allowed to go to Egypt!" Hermione pouted. "Besides, I don't think Arthur wants his youngest son to go to a foreign country without his wife."
"True. Why Neville?"
"Neville's the only Auror who knows his plants. May I remind you that you couldn't tell the difference between poison ivy and paper?!"
"Well, the paper was old! It looked like a leaf!"
Hermione shook her head. "Harry, you're going."
Harry grumbled as the door crashed open and a breathless red head stumbled in. "Harry! I just heard Dad telling Ron he was going to Egypt! Are you too?"
"Yes, Ginny, I am." He muttered, kneading his temples. Ginny broke into an enormous grin. "I'm going with you."
Hermione frowned. "But-"
"Daddy said so. I'm knowledgeable in agriculture! I work in the Department of Ancient Ruins!"
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "Well, I suggest you pack. They're throwing a ball tomorrow night, in Bennington's mansion. To celebrate the finding of the tomb."
"Did they say which tomb it was?" Ginny questioned, ecstatic. Hermione scanned a piece of parchment on her desk. "No…but it's obviously worth millions."
"Of course." Harry scowled. "Would Bennington waste his valuable time with something that only cost a few thousand?"
"You don't like him too much, do you?" Hermione chuckled.
"Of course not. The man's an insufferable idiot."
Ginny giggled and took the parchment. She stopped. "True. But, this insufferable idiot is offering you a nice chunk of the reward."
Harry snorted into his coffee for the second time. "You're joking. He's actually going to pay us?"
"Obviously."
Hermione sank down in a chair. "Wow. Secretaries too?"
"Secretaries too."
Harry frowned. "So, what's the background on the tomb?"
Hermione snatched the parchment from Ginny. "Doesn't say. Just that it's very valuable. Never been touched before."
Harry rolled his eyes. Ginny squealed. "Draco's going to flip!"
Hermione shook her head. "Of course he is. I suspect that he'll even pull strings to get into going too."
Ginny squealed again and bolted out of the office. Harry groaned. "I don't need Ginny's boyfriend following us around, 'Mione."
Hermione sighed. "I know. But, Harry, there's little you can do about it. Draco has the Ministry in his hands. I give the credit to his father. If he wasn't in Azkaban."
Harry shook his head. "I think he's trying to be the new Ministry of Magic."
"Arthur won't let that happen. I think he plans on holding that title until he dies."
"As would I. But, Draco-"
"Is only a Headmaster."
Harry groaned again. "He'll find a way, Hermione."
"Of course he will, but suck it up, Harry. At least he's tolerable."
He scowled. "Send Bennington back an answer. I'm going to accept."
She gave an enormous grin, and grabbed her quill.
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MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah, I'm still not sure if the italized parts will show up. And I got the red squiggly marks under just about everything I typed! AARRGHHH. Yeah, it's annoying. How people use this without feeling stupid when it underlines 'het' when you meant to type 'the' is beyond me…Anyways, I hope that was satisfactory for the first chapter…REVIEW!
Disclaimers: I don't own HP or the series. If I did, I think I'd buy a Jacuzzi…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry poked his head out of the compartment, to see Hermione and Ginny giggling in the hallway, Hermione's Head Girl badge flashing.
"Hey!" He yelled, calling for attention. They stopped talking. "What?" Ginny asked, poking Hermione's side, to keep the Head Girl from laughing out loud.
"Where's Kittie?"
They exchanged looks. "Celebrating her last year of Hogwarts?" Hermione said, fighting to keep the smile off her face. Harry paled.
"What is she doing?!"
The girls were saved from answering, as a pink-faced Kittie tore down the hall, Pansy at her heels.
"YOU LITTLE SNIPE! TURN MY HAIR BACK!" Pansy screeched. Kittie slid behind Harry, who had just noticed that the Slytherin girl's hair was a bright purple.
Harry glared over his shoulder at Kittie, as she crouched behind him, her wand out, and laughing so hard, that she was gasping for breath.
"Parkinson! What are you doing?!" A deep voice demanded from behind Ginny. She screamed and spun around. "Draco! Don't do that!"
Arching a blonde eyebrow he turned to Pansy. She scowled. "What does it look like I'm doing?! LOOK AT MY HAIR!!" She wailed. Hermione pretended to be interested in her shoes. As Head Girl, it was her duty to punish Kittie for pulling this, but she didn't have to do anything if she didn't see it…
Harry sighed, pulled out his wand and muttered the counter curse. Pansy glared over his shoulder at Kittie, and chased her around him. Kittie squealed and ran into the compartment, slamming the door behind her, making it crash on Pansy's nose.
"SILCIA!!" She wailed again, holding her nose to try to keep the blood from spilling on her robes. Pansy ran down the hallway, her nose tilted up, to the bathrooms. Ginny and Hermione burst into laughter. Draco gave an amused chuckle.
"What's the matter, Potter?" He smirked.
Harry glared. "That was completely uncalled for…"
"Oh, come off it, Harry." Ron said, coming out of the compartment Kittie had run into. Harry could still hear her laughing insanely inside. "We're going home…for good. Let her have her fun."
Harry grumbled, walked in the compartment and flopped in the seat in front of her. She stopped laughing. "What's wrong with you?"
"You're a disgrace to all seventh years. And you're a Prefect!"
Kittie broke into a large grin, already used to his complaints.
"Oh come on, Harry. It's not like I can get points taken off…"
Harry snorted. Ron walked back in, Hermione following, rolling her eyes as the Weasley strutted. Ginny hooked her foot around her brothers' ankle and pulled it out from under him, sending him sprawling on the floor.
"GINNY!"
"Whoa, Ron." She smirked, reminding Harry of Draco. "You're pretty uncoordinated for a Head Boy…"
Ron stood up, adjusting his badge. How the Weasley made Head Boy was a mystery to Harry.
Kittie snickered and exchanged a high five with Ginny. Hermione brushed off Ron's shoulder and gave him a small peck on the tip of his nose.
They had somehow gotten together again, after the two of them were named Head Boy and Girl. Though they still constantly fought, Harry was already planning on writing his best man's speech.
Draco flopped boredly in the seat next to Ginny. She gave him a small poke and he leaned his head on her shoulder. Harry sighed and stood up. "I'm going to change. I don't think Vernon will be too happy to see me in my school robes…"
Kittie gave him a wink, as he left and he felt his face heat. He hated when she did that. As he finished getting dressed in an empty compartment, he stepped out and collided with Ananda, who was going into her fourth year.
"Harry! I was just looking for you!"
Harry blinked. "You were? Why?"
Her heart-shaped face heated up. "My-my cousin is coming to Hogwarts for her first year next semester. She's terribly angry that you'll have graduated by the time she gets here…I was wondering. Could you…er…could you sign this for her?" She asked, thrusting a picture in his hands. Harry looked down at it and a small smile twitched.
The photogenic Harry was shifting nervously, obviously fighting his shy urge to run. He looked back down to Ananda, who was shyly waiting his answer.
"Um…I guess I can…"
Ananda had just happily handed him a quill when Kittie stepped out of the compartment she narrowed her eyes as Harry signed the photo.
"What are you doing?" She demanded.
~~~~~~~~~~
Kittie stepped out of the compartment as Ron and Hermione began squabbling, and Draco fell asleep on Ginny's shoulder. She looked down the hall and stopped, watching Harry sign Ananda's picture.
"What are you doing?" She growled, standing in front of him.
"Oh, this, I was just signing it for Ananda's cousin…"
Kittie glared. "Really? That's not what it looks like. It sort of looks like you were giving her an autograph, taking advantage of the 'Boy Who Saved' name. I thought you said you weren't!"
Harry forgot about Ananda for the time being. "I'm not! I'm just…"
Kittie waited for him to go on. This fight wasn't new. Kittie was usually the one to start it, mainly because she always caught him doing something that reminded her of Lockhart. Or, what Ron always complained about when Kittie asked. Harry obviously didn't see the point of going through it again.
She turned on her heel and headed to the front of the train. Harry ran after her, dropping the photo and something fell out of his pocket.
Ananda stooped to pick up the photo and the small blue box. She opened it and dropped it again in surprise, sending the golden ring scattering down the hall. She chased after it, picked it up, and ran her finger over the beautiful diamond in the center.
Embarrassed and shocked, she put the ring back in the box and gaped at Harry's retreating back.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Kittie, listen to me!"
Kittie stopped. "Fine."
"Why'd you run?"
"I didn't need to drag poor Ananda in it…Now, what was that all about?!"
Harry clutched the stitch in his side. "I told you!"
Kittie sighed. "I know you told me, but Harry, you were signing a picture of you! What was I supposed to think?"
"You were supposed to believe me."
"Harry-"
"Kittie?" He cut her off. She blinked. "Wha-" She started as he fell to his knees. For a split second of panic, she thought he fractured something running or something, and fell to her knees in front of him.
"Harry! Are you alright?"
Harry shook his head, roughly. "No. Kittie, stand up. It's not that."
She frowned. "Then, what is it?" She asked, standing up again.
Harry felt around in his pocket, his face rapidly going red. He cursed. "Where is it?"
"Where's what?" She asked.
Ananda ran up, and leaned on the wall. "Harry! You dropped something." She pressed a lumpy cloth in his hands. Giving him a wink, she turned and fled.
Kittie frowned again. "What's that?"
"I don't-" He stopped as his finger brushed a velvet box. "Oh."
" 'Oh' ?"
Sliding the cloth from the box, Harry held it up to Kittie. She froze.
"Marry me."
"All students please put on your muggle clothing…We are arriving at Kings Cross. Thank you." A magical voice echoed through the corridor and compartments.
Kittie sank down in front of him. "M-marry you? Harry, I can't!"
Harry felt his stomach fall. "Why?"
She gave him a wiry smile. "I'm sorry. I'm not ready. I kind of guessed that you were going to ask, but…"
She trailed off and Harry looked down. "You read the stars."
"No. Sometimes I do know how to use my common sense, Harry."
He looked up. "So, do you know when-"
"That's another thing…Harry, we should stop."
"Stop?"
"Stop seeing each other. We're going to get jobs, we're going to chase our dreams, and we can't go to out potential if we worry about ea-"
"But, Kittie, my dreams involve you!"
She sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry, Harry."
~~~~~~~~~~~Four years later…
Harry yelped in surprise as someone jabbed him with their wand, levitating him in midair. Shaking away the last of his dream, he glared at Ron.
" 'Morning, pal. You're late for work…I told them you were sick."
Ron stood angrily, with his arms crossed over his work robes. Green, heavy robes with his hat tilted sideways on his head. "Get up!"
"I'm up! Literally!" Harry yelled, still floating. He reached for his wand and got himself down. "…Is your dad terribly mad?"
"No. Harry, he can never be mad at his best Auror. You know that. He even sent me over with Mum's chicken broth." He motioned to a bowl on the night stand.
"So, I have the rest of the day off?"
"Harry, you don't live with muggles anymore. Dad expects you as soon as you put the healing charm on you, or drink the potion in the broth."
Harry groaned. "Fine, fine. I'm going."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kittie glared at the boy who was gaping at her in surprise. "What are you doing?"
She sighed, and continued to rub the oil on her feet. "I'm sliding down the banister. What does it look like?"
"But-but, Ladies don't do that!"
Kittie rolled her eyes and stood upright on the banister, clutching the gargoyle at the top of the stairs to keep her feet from sliding out from under her. She ignored the blonde boy and slid down the banisters, still standing. He ran down the stairs after her, as she hit the ground and slid on the polished floors, still standing.
"Who are you?!" She asked, annoyed.
"Aren't you that woman who works for me?"
She stopped. This wasn't a boy. This was her boss. She straightened up, and tried to keep on her oily feet.
"I'm sorry Sir! I didn't recognize you!"
David Bennington looked her over. "You have more spirit now than when I first hired you."
Kittie felt her face heat up. Not sure what to say, she stammered, "I'm-I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You're the only person who worked for me in five years who didn't stammer when they first saw me. I've even had a few secretaries bow to me. What did you say your name was?"
Kittie stared at David for a few seconds, surprised that he didn't even know who he hired. "Kittie Silcia."
"Ah, yes. The elfish girl with the blue eyes. I hear the servants talking about you." He smirked.
Kittie stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"Never mind. I'm assuming that you have nothing to do first thing in the morning, since the expedition doesn't leave for Egypt until next week? You're Raven Mortar's assistant, are you not?"
Kittie nodded, mutely. David didn't seem surprised.
"Then, do you care to accompany me to breakfast?"
~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry waited until Hermione finished chewing him out before sliding behind his desk. She glared at him. "Well? What did I miss?"
"You've been hit with a very important assignment and you tried to play sick! You're going to Egypt, Harry!"
Harry snorted into his coffee. "Excuse me?!"
"David Bennington has asked the Ministry to send in the best Aurors to anti-curse the tombs they're uncovering."
Harry stared at her. "Who else is going?"
"Ron, me, you, and Neville."
"Why you?"
"Even us secretaries are allowed to go to Egypt!" Hermione pouted. "Besides, I don't think Arthur wants his youngest son to go to a foreign country without his wife."
"True. Why Neville?"
"Neville's the only Auror who knows his plants. May I remind you that you couldn't tell the difference between poison ivy and paper?!"
"Well, the paper was old! It looked like a leaf!"
Hermione shook her head. "Harry, you're going."
Harry grumbled as the door crashed open and a breathless red head stumbled in. "Harry! I just heard Dad telling Ron he was going to Egypt! Are you too?"
"Yes, Ginny, I am." He muttered, kneading his temples. Ginny broke into an enormous grin. "I'm going with you."
Hermione frowned. "But-"
"Daddy said so. I'm knowledgeable in agriculture! I work in the Department of Ancient Ruins!"
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "Well, I suggest you pack. They're throwing a ball tomorrow night, in Bennington's mansion. To celebrate the finding of the tomb."
"Did they say which tomb it was?" Ginny questioned, ecstatic. Hermione scanned a piece of parchment on her desk. "No…but it's obviously worth millions."
"Of course." Harry scowled. "Would Bennington waste his valuable time with something that only cost a few thousand?"
"You don't like him too much, do you?" Hermione chuckled.
"Of course not. The man's an insufferable idiot."
Ginny giggled and took the parchment. She stopped. "True. But, this insufferable idiot is offering you a nice chunk of the reward."
Harry snorted into his coffee for the second time. "You're joking. He's actually going to pay us?"
"Obviously."
Hermione sank down in a chair. "Wow. Secretaries too?"
"Secretaries too."
Harry frowned. "So, what's the background on the tomb?"
Hermione snatched the parchment from Ginny. "Doesn't say. Just that it's very valuable. Never been touched before."
Harry rolled his eyes. Ginny squealed. "Draco's going to flip!"
Hermione shook her head. "Of course he is. I suspect that he'll even pull strings to get into going too."
Ginny squealed again and bolted out of the office. Harry groaned. "I don't need Ginny's boyfriend following us around, 'Mione."
Hermione sighed. "I know. But, Harry, there's little you can do about it. Draco has the Ministry in his hands. I give the credit to his father. If he wasn't in Azkaban."
Harry shook his head. "I think he's trying to be the new Ministry of Magic."
"Arthur won't let that happen. I think he plans on holding that title until he dies."
"As would I. But, Draco-"
"Is only a Headmaster."
Harry groaned again. "He'll find a way, Hermione."
"Of course he will, but suck it up, Harry. At least he's tolerable."
He scowled. "Send Bennington back an answer. I'm going to accept."
She gave an enormous grin, and grabbed her quill.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah, I'm still not sure if the italized parts will show up. And I got the red squiggly marks under just about everything I typed! AARRGHHH. Yeah, it's annoying. How people use this without feeling stupid when it underlines 'het' when you meant to type 'the' is beyond me…Anyways, I hope that was satisfactory for the first chapter…REVIEW!
