Just a quick note: Rating will go up!
Enjoy my attempt at writing...
(alongside my occasional attempt at light humour...)
A sense of authority is always the best way to brighten up your day. To Draco Malfoy, walking into the busy bank and practically smelling the fear coming off his inferiors gave him as much motivation as his first mug of coffee in the morning, if not more.
As he made his way upwards towards his office, Draco's confidence grew. From the sudden rush of people leaving the elevator as he entered, to the vast crowds of his minions moving from his path with each gentle tap of his Italian leather shoes against the polished tiled floor, everything Draco did made him the businessman he was, and kept him happy.
The upper levels of the bank were carpeted, a rich royal blue. The hallways smelt of just-polished glass, and the only sounds were those of phone calls and busy workers. The sound of Draco's industry, his empire. He made his way through his PA's office, noting the empty desk, and made his way through to his own. Everything organised perfectly, from the desk layout to the drawer filing, everything perfect. The only thing that could make it better would probably be a piping hot cup of coffee. And he knew just the person to get it for him.
Astoria Greengrass stood by the coffee machine, praying for some terrible accident that would allow the ceiling lamp to fall from its fitting and kill her, but no such miracle came. She wasn't going to complain about the pay, no. She got paid enough to keep her quiet. It was just some areas of her job description….
"Let me guess, trying to make the fridge explode and knock you into a coma?" Astoria shook from her daze to look up at the man, grinning. "Ceiling lamp, actually. But good guess, Weasley." The redhead chuckled.
"Close enough. But you really do need to stop hoping for a fatal accident to stop you from doing your job."
The girl shrugged, "Wouldn't you? I get sympathising looks on a daily basis. It's like I'm going into a war zone every morning."
Ron grinned slightly, his eyes lighting up, "are you denying that, Astoria? Anyway, how is Oh Princely One?"
Astoria's phone let out a chime to signify a new message. She grimaced before even touching her phone, knowing what to expect.
"If I didn't know any better, he's in his office, expecting his morning coffee." She turned to the drinks machine while she pulled out her phone.
"Black, two sugars, if I remember correctly." She glanced at the screen of her phone, "Oh, he wants it immediately. Princey's learning some big boy words."
Ron snorted into his own coffee as the brunette girl chuckled to herself. As he wiped away the residue from his lip, he frowned, "How do you remember how he likes his coffee? Isn't that sort of… stalkerish?"
Astoria rolled her eyes, "I have to make him coffee every morning, Ron. Do you honestly think I can afford to forget?"
Ron nodded, solemnly, as the girl made her way upstairs to her office and to the man she essentially lived to serve.
As Astoria stepped through the neatly polished door into her office, she could almost feel Malfoy's power looming off him.
She knocked on the door, awaiting his invitation, and rolled her eyes at the man's utterance of "You may Enter".
She stepped into the office, placing the cup on his desk.
"Why were you not at your desk when I arrived?" He looked up at her, his piercing grey eyes boring through her. Excellent, an interrogation. Just what I need at 8:00 in the bloody morning. Astoria sighed, bowing her head slightly, "I apologise, sir. I just wished to be ready to make you your coffee when you arrived. I thought you would prefer faster service, sir."
The blonde nodded slowly, as if attempting to decipher the credibility of Astoria's excuse. "Fine. But tomorrow I expect my coffee in front of me exactly 2 minutes after I arrive at my desk. Understood?"
Astoria took out the small tablet from her bag, and began to write on the screen. "Anything else, sir?" The Brunette gritted her teeth as Malfoy sat up, a clear sign of an upcoming rant.
"I need a speech lined up for that charity event of Friday, make sure you make me sound like I care about the annoying sick children, I don't want to seem totally heartless." Astoria held in a snort. Oh no, imagine that. A heartless Draco Malfoy, mercy me.
"Organise my files for that meeting I have at 12. I need everything in the right order so that the officials know how devastatingly professional I am." God, yes, of course. Your wonderful organisational skills.
Then I need you to book a flight for next week to New York. I need to visit a bank there to try and set up a partnership. After that, text Lavender. I'd like to meet up tonight. 8 o'clock. She's always a bit of fun." A nasty sneer spread across the blonde's face as he sat down again, and Astoria inwardly grimaced. Why am I stuck messaging his cheap shag? Isn't that, well, his job?
Malfoy leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his head as he raised a perfectly plucked, white-blonde eyebrow at her. I bet all the women cry tears of fucking joy when they see the carpets match the drapes. Why is it that women dream of having blonde kids? Does it make them look richer? Astoria gave the man a quick glance up and down. Well…
"I expect you to be done by 4pm. I need you back here so I can leave. Got that?"
Astoria's head snapped up. "You're leaving early?"
"Yes. That's what I said, isn't it? I have an architect in at 5:30 and Lavender at 8. Busy schedule, can't be helped."
Astoria felt her heart leap. That means I get to leave early, too! Oh, a night in with Delilah, a hot mug of earl grey, maybe a Disney film…
"Don't think that means a day off for you, A- Ar- Am-… Miss. You still have to do work for me."
The girl's heart dropped. Just my luck. That'll be another late-nighter. Not to mention, after all these years of serving the prick, he still can't remember my name.
"Yes, I have a special job set up for your afternoon." That can't be good.
11:30 hit, and Astoria was once again ready for the ceiling to collapse in on her. She had already re-filed every one of Malfoy's drawers, proof-read his presentation and re-written the worst parts, and started on his speech for the charity event. It's not even about children!
The woman was sat, attempting to hold in a lazy slump, at her desk, her laptop in front of her and Malfoy's presentation notes beside her.
"Are they ready? My notes?" The blonde man stepped out from his office, straightening his tie. "Yes, Mr Malfoy, sir. Proof-read and re-organised."
"Wonderful. Excellent job, uh…"
"Astoria, sir." The brunette gritted her teeth once again, "I've been your Personal Assistant for 6 Years…"
Malfoy was still attempting to straighten his tie, "Really? Hardly even noticed. Time sure flies, eh Anthea?"
"It's Ast-"
"You don't have a mirror, do you? Blasted tie…" The woman paused for a moment before sighing to herself, long and drawn out in exasperation.
"Hang on…" She stepped forward, quickly re-tying the expensive strip of blue fabric that probably cost more than her entire month's salary.
As she stepped back, she may have caught a glimmer of a smile from the taller man. "Ah. Lovely. My hair okay?" The girl glanced up, "It's tousled so pretentiously I may throw up."
"Just the reaction I was hoping for." He smirked at her, letting her straighten out the collar of his perfectly tailored jacket. She even went so far as to wipe a drop of tea from his upper lip and slick back a stray strand of soft blonde hair. The things I do for him…
"I'll be back from the meeting at 4. It's a long one and everyone's going to be making their own personal presentations. Mine is the most important, it's about how we can get more money off our customers without them knowing." He snickered, a dark glint in his eye as he checked the clock.
"11.45. Best be off. Thank you for your assistance, Annabelle." He rushed out, grabbing his briefcase.
"Its-"
The door slammed behind him as the brunette girl sighed. "-Astoria…"
"Um… Astoria?"
The girl in question looked up from her sandwich which, moments before, she had been devouring as if her life depended on it. "…Yes? Oh, hi Neville. Ron."
The two men sat next to her in the small Starbucks, where the three regularly met to share their lunch breaks. Astoria had made a run for it the moment it hit 2:30, resisting the urge to buy every piece of food available to buy.
"Um… Hungry?" The redheaded man looked somewhat afraid at the ferocity with which she was eating.
Astoria glared at him. "Ah," He said, "angry eating." The girl nodded quickly, taking a swig of her cappuccino.
Neville chuckled slightly, "Rough day?"
"Horrible. I had to straighten out his tie."
Ron gasped dramatically, "no!"
"I know! I had to touch his hair!" The two men gave her a worried look. "…It needed slicking back…"
"Ohh…"
"Is it as soft as it looks?" Ron and Astoria's heads snapped to face Neville. "What? I always wondered…"
Astoria let out a disgraced wail. "It was like baby hair… I think it's slightly curly…!"
"Oh, you poor thing…" Neville gave her a pitying look.
"No wonder all the girls fancy him…" Ron shook his head in disgust, "Blonde prat…" Astoria nodded, "Blonde babies are all the rage…"
The girl opened her phone as she heard the chime of a new text message. The time read 3:15.
"Bloody hell, he's out of his meeting early." Astoria groaned, "And he wants me in his office in 10 minutes. Brilliant." She got up, downing the last dregs of her coffee.
"I'll see you, guys." She grabbed her bag, running swiftly from the shop and leaving her pitying friends behind her.
She managed to reach the office in 8 minutes, giving her some time to catch her breath and straighten her hair and jacket.
After she had gathered herself, Astoria stepped slowly and confidently through her office and into Malfoy's, hoping to seem somewhat more professional.
Knocking on the door, she quietly walked into the room, only to find the blonde standing and facing the window, staring out across the city.
"I hope you're aware of why you're here?" He spoke with a monotone, with less flirtatious vigour than usual.
"I-I… I'm not sure I am, sir." Fuck! I stuttered!
"You mixed up the papers." Astoria frowned, "I… what-?"
"You mixed up my papers!" He turned, startling Astoria, and stepped towards her. She took a hesitant step back.
"You mixed up my papers, the presentation for my meeting. You put the papers in the wrong order and messed up my speech. Are you even aware of how stupid I look now?"
The girl trembled, "I-I… I didn't know, sir! I'm sorry!"
He glared at her, his silver eyes darkening. "You're lucky I don't fire you. You're lucky I'm lenient with you. I'm leaving earlier than expected, make sure my appointment with Lavender is made, got that?"
Astoria nodded, the rest of her body frozen, as Malfoy grabbed his coat and other belongings before walking out. When the door slammed behind him, she held in a scream of frustration.
She got an email from Malfoy at 5:00, telling her to check through his redundancy list and email those on it, then continue on his charity presentation. That's going to take hours! Astoria sighed, slumping at her desk. She was due to leave at 6:00, but that wouldn't be happening now.
She sat there, staring into blank space.
"Didn't Ron say you need to stop contemplating death as a means of avoiding work?"
Astoria's head snapped up to see Neville standing in the doorway. Grinning, she nodded sheepishly. "Maybe?"
Neville chuckled, "It's not healthy, you know. Working so hard even when Malfoy's not here to breathe down your neck." The girl sighed.
"I need to make sure he stays happy. If I work hard constantly, I may get a promotion. You know how much I need that money." The man before her bowed his head slightly before moving to sit on the edge of her desk, turning to look at her.
"Everyone respects you, you know. They all think you're brilliant for putting up with him." She chuckled slightly at that, "He can't even remember my name."
"How long has it been again?" Neville raised an eyebrow.
"6 years and…" she checked the date, "7 months."
"And he's still calling you Amelia."
Astoria made a face, "Annabelle, today actually. And Anthea." Neville rolled his eyes.
"I remember when you first started working here. You were so young and bright-eyed… You kept blushing every time Malfoy came in the room." He smirked.
"Oh, bugger off," Astoria grinned, "I was a poor little 18 year old who fancied my boss, it happened to everyone."
"I didn't fancy him!" Neville looked scandalised.
"You're speaking in the past tense, Nev!" The girl snickered, "I still haven't forgotten lunchtime…'Is his hair as soft as it looks?'" Neville's face glowed red.
"I was curious! And anyway, I'm married!"
"So was Oscar Wilde." Neville glared at her before reaching into his pocket, pulling out her phone. "You left this in Starbucks."
Astoria gasped, "Oh my god, Neville, thank you!" She grabbed it from him, cradling it like a new-born baby, "I've getting emails on my laptop and tablet, so I wasn't thinking about calls!"
He rolled his eyes again, shaking his head. "You haven't changed much in 6 years and 7 months, Astoria."
She smiled softly, brushing her hair behind her shoulder.
"Well, Malfoy certainly hasn't, that's for sure," Astoria sighed disdainfully, "and I don't think he ever will."
The redundancy list wasn't easy to get through; although she was lucky no one she was friendly with was there. Firing people was never her favourite job, and it hardly made her popular in some departments of the bank. But, she had to do it, as much as she may hate it.
It was 8:00 when Astoria finished her work and was ready to leave, but was stopped in her tracks as her phone rang, listed as an unknown number. She frowned as she looked at the screen, pressing 'Accept' and holding the phone to her ear. A few moments passed while she listened to the voice on the other end, before her face fell.
Grabbing her coat and the rest of her things, Astoria rushed from the office and through the rest of the building and managed to reach her car in 10 minutes flat.
She sat in the driver's seat and paused. Why do I care so much? It's not my job to care.
Staring at the steering wheel, the girl contemplated just going straight home, pretending she never got the call. A minute passed before she swore to herself, turning on the engine and leaving in the direction of the hospital.
Malfoy owes me big time.