A sort of amusing, sweet and partly awkward (kind of) fluff-ish tale about a weekend where the Malfoy men finally find the courage and chat up the women they fancy. The timing of if all could have been better, sort of…
Rated M for language, reference to underage drinking and explicit sexual content; you know all the good things in life. Pairing: Draco/Hermione, Scorpius/Rose. So if that's not your cup of tea I suggest you don't bother with this story.
As always; I don't make money of this nor do I own the characters, just for fun.
Chapter 1 – The Pixie Problem
Friday, 9:45 AM, August 30th, 2023 – Corridor on the first floor, Ministry of Magic.
With determined steps Draco Malfoy made his way down the corridor on the first floor on his way to the Minister of Magic's office. His breathing was shallow and his hands were clammy from sweat. He tried to calm himself. It wasn't like him to get nervous, but now he certainly was. He turned a corner and bumped into a figure, causing the figure to drop a stack of parchment.
"Bullocks, sorry mate." Draco mumbled and bent down to help pick up the parchments.
"Oi, Malfoy! Watch where you're going." the figure said irritated.
Draco looked up and saw the figure he'd ran into was Harry Potter. The 42-year-old Harry Potter still looked awfully young and the years of strain as an auror and later Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement didn't really seem to have taken its toll on the wizard.
"Sorry, Potter. My head was somewhere else." Draco mumbled and handed the parchments to the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
"What are you doing here anyway?" Harry asked.
"I was actually on my way to see the Minister of Magic." Draco confessed and cursed himself for not being able to make eye contact with Potter.
"On account that you're not able to make eye contact as you said that I take it that you're not here as Head of the Ministry of Magic's research committee." Harry said.
Draco rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"You're finally asking her out, aren't you?" Harry smirked.
Draco felt his face burn and he felt how his neck turned red and spread up across his face. Mentally he cursed himself for allowing this woman to affect him so much.
"About bloody time, if you ask me! I can't stand listening to you two bickering any longer." Harry said. "You can cut the sexual tension with a knife. It's getting a bit awkward, really."
"Sod off, Potter." Draco sneered.
"I'm only saying this because you're both my dearest mates; you both need a good shag. Being single teenage parents can't be easy for neither of you." Potter continued unconcerned.
"Cheers, Potter. I'm glad to have your blessing." Draco said half serious.
"You know you do. Both Ginny and I ship Dramione." Harry smiled.
"You and your wife have a name for it? What the bloody hell is the matter with you?" Draco raised an eyebrow in inquiry.
"Of course. And we're not the only ones using it. Never mind that, though. Did you hear about the party Fred and Roxanne Weasley are throwing tonight?" asked Harry, obviously trying to change the subject.
"Well, yeah. I don't think the parties of the offspring's of George and Angelina ever go unnoticed. Scorp is going. Told me it's some kind of 'going-back-to-school-next-week-bonanza'. Although both Fred and Roxanne already graduated, so I don't see the point." Draco chuckled.
"Yeah, me neither. Guess we're getting old. Anyway, my brats are going too. Although I do think Lily still is a bit young. She's only fifteen, you know. And I hear the alcohol flows freely. Last time Ginny and I had to come and fetch James and carry him home. Straight up shit-faced, he was." Harry sighed and ran his hands through his messy, dark hair.
"What you seem to keep forgetting is that after the last party Scorp and Albus Flooed to the Manor, started making eggs and bacon in my kitchen whilst singing For He's a Jolly Good Fellow. Bloody awful way to wake up to 4.30 in the morning." Draco grimaced remembering the mess.
"I reckon we should be responsible parents tonight then and at least stay sober enough to apparate our offspring home then." Harry said with a crocked smile.
"If anything you should be a responsible Head of Magical Law Enforcement and raid the palace." Draco suggested, knowing very well it was not a job for Potter's department to break up parties where under aged wizards and witches were drinking alcohol.
Harry laughed.
"Yeah, right mate. Once we've catch all the bad wizards and witches causing actual disaster and devastation I'll be the first to break up my niece and nephew's parties." he chuckled.
"Any road, I figured Scorp is seventeen, which means he's of age and should be old enough to hold his liquor. And not to mention if the fates are on my side; I'll have a date tonight." Draco smirked.
"Well, I shan't keep you any longer then. Best of luck, mate." said Harry and gestured towards the Minister's office.
Draco nodded and resumed his walk down the corridor.
"Remember to use protection!" Harry yelled after him.
Without looking back Draco gave him two fingers.
Friday, 10:05 AM, August 30th, 2023 – Minister of Magic's Office, Ministry of Magic.
*Knock, knock*
"Come in." sounded the muffled voice behind the door.
Draco took a deep breath to calm himself and opened the door with the chestnut sign with the silver inscriptions that read Hermione Granger, Minister of Magic. Hermione was siting behind her huge mahogany desk surrounded by stacks of books and parchments. The years that had passed didn't seem to show on Hermione's face either; the only indication of the time that passed were slightly darker circles under her eyes and some crows feet around her eyes, which Draco could count on his one hand. Other than that she looked the same; brown almond shaped attentive eyes that seemed to notice more than the rest. She had long brown curls that always tangled and made her look a bit loony after a frustrating day when she'd run her fingers through it too many times. Hermione didn't look up as he entered and merely continued her writing.
"I reckoned you would have a secretary to fill in all your reports since you made the position as Minister of Magic." Draco smirked and leaned casually against the doorframe.
Hermione stopped her writing and looked up.
"Mr Malfoy, what a pleasure as always. What can I do you for?" she asked and smiled brightly at him.
Draco felt his cheeks burn, but chose to ignore it.
"Well, Minister Granger. I seem to have encountered a problem at the Manor and I seek the help of the brightest witch of our age…" he said and walked towards her desk.
She raised a curious eyebrow.
"Do you happen to know where I can find her?" he added with a smirk when he reached her desk.
"What a great way to start asking a favour, Malfoy." Hermione smirked back at him.
"We both know my wicked charm is irresistible to you and you will help me any road." Draco said in a deep, low voice, almost husky.
Draco could have sworn he saw Hermione blush faintly and he tilted his head slightly and gave her a sincere smile.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" she sighed.
"Well, it looks like the Manor have been infested with Cornish Pixies and I could rather use another wand to get rid of them. So I thought to myself; oh, if I only knew someone who with a neck for dealing with regulation and control of magical creatures. Someone with superior brains as well as superior magical skills…" Draco purred and let his hand run over his freshly trimmed beard. He knew perfectly well that appealing to Hermione's intellect would take him far. "Someone who I could ask for help and would fancy sharing a bottle of wine with me as a thank you. Preferably this very evening." he finished and smirked.
"Why don't you ask the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures? Surly you have noticed I'm no longer in that department." she said with a crooked smile.
"I could. Sure. But we both know they got nothing on your skills, Granger. This is absolutely a Minister-job. Besides; I'd much rather spend the evening with you. Especially if there is to be wine involved." he smirked.
Hermione seemed to think his proposal over in her mind before she answered.
"Oh, I won't queer your pitch. You know I could never refuse that face of yours." Hermione said calmly, tilted her head and gave Draco a sly smile. "But I expect dinner as well."
"Brilliant! I'll pop by and pick you up four o'clock sharp then." Draco smirked and left her office before she could change her mind.
Friday, 11:55 AM, August 30th, 2023 – Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Diagon Alley
"Uncle George, how much are these Extendable Ears?" Albus Potter asked whilst putting on his most irresistible puppy dog eyes.
"If you promise to never tell your mum I gave them to you then you can consider them an early birthday gift from your favourite uncle." George Weasley chuckled and ruffled his nephew's hair before walking over to the cash register to attend to other customers.
"You're best, uncle George!" Albus called after him with the biggest grin across his face.
"I'm amazed your puppy dog eyes still work even though you're seventeen years old." Scorpius Malfoy said in disbelief.
"You're my best mate, you should be happy since this benefits you too." Albus smiled mischievously.
"As long as you don't use them on me I'll be happy." Scorpius said and put back a love potion on the shelf he'd been fingering.
"Scorp, you know you don't need a love potion. The birds flock around you as it is." Albus said.
"Of course I would never use one, that would be beneath me." Scorpius scoffed. "Too bad the bird don't seem to notice me though." he added quietly.
"I'll never understand why you fancy her. She's my cousin. Isn't that incest?" Albus said absentmindedly.
"She's not my cousin, you tosser. I'm allowed to fancy her." Scorpius said. "If she only thought of me that way." he added with a sigh.
"She does, though. I reckon you just need to man up and let her know you still fancy her after all this time. You know, it's been a while since you showed her you think about her in that way." Albus said sincere.
At that moment the doors to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes opened and The Bird entered. Scorpius watched Rose Granger-Weasley make her way to say hello to her uncle behind the cash register. Her long red locks framing her round face and Scorpius thought they bounced delightfully as she walked across the room.
"Oi, Rosie! Over here!" Albus called and waved her over.
Rose's face lit up in a smile that made Scorpius swallow hard.
"All right there, lads? Good to see you." she greeted and smiled at both Albus and Scorpius.
"Hiya, Rose!" Scorpius said and smiled sheepishly.
"What brings you here?" she wondered.
"Nothing to do but wag off until the party tonight." Albus shrugged.
"I was just meeting Lily to do some last minute shopping for tonight. Would you like to join us?" Rose asked and gave Scorpius a wide smile.
Scorpius was just about to accept the best offer he'd head all day when Albus beat him to it.
"And watch the two of you go through Twilfitt and Tatting's whole line and still not be happy about it? Pass!" Albus snorted.
Scorpius gave his friend a stern look.
"Well, if you change your mind you know where to find us. If not; I'll see you tonight, fellas." Rose said and winked at Scorpius before she walked out the shop.
After Rose had disappeared out of earshot Scorpius turned to Albus.
"Why did you do that? I would have loved to go shopping with them." he said irritated.
"Should have said so then, don't you reckon?" Albus shrugged.
"You didn't give me the chance to." Scorpius complained and rolled his eyes.
"Relax, mate. You'll see her tonight. And hopefully by then you'll have regained some of that famous Malfoy-charm and you'll be able to talk to her without sounding like a complete moron." Albus smiled and swung his arm around his friend's shoulders and they, too, left the joke shop.