"I'm sorry, I didn't make myself clear - I'm not asking."
"Of course you aren't, no Malfoy in their right mind asks for anything. In all the years I have known you, you never have asked for anything."
The two men sit at a dark, dank bar, hidden in the corner. Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy know better than to be seen in public, yet alone an establishment of any notoriety for something of this proportions, lest it get out to the press or worse - their respective partners. The one dim light swings on it's chain, hovering just above the table so that the contents can be seen but the patrons cannot. And honestly, their partners would never believe the words of most of these patrons, they are the shadiest of people - hustlers and hookers. Neither would be seen with the likes of the women these two keep company. This is the perfect location for their newest plan, or as their partners call it their newest 'instantly rejectable half-witted scheme'.
But that is what you get when you have partners like Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson. After the war they became good friends as Pansy decided to start a fashion line and recruited Hermione for a 'fashion makeover'. Hermione reluctantly agreed, after being pressured by her own friends, and Pansy made the former Gryffindor Princess into a modern fashionista that even Kate Middleton can aspire to.
That leaves their significant others, Draco and Blaise, up a creek without a paddle much of the time. Somehow their plans seem to always make it to their ladies before they can put any aspect into motion, then the ladies sit them down and break all aspects of their plans down to a shell, and then proceed to rebuild it into something the men don't recognize. Each time this happens, Blaise gains new respect for the infinitesimal details that Hermione recognizes and that could lead the plan astray; Draco on the other hand, just gets frustrated that his Gryffindor seems much more Slytherin than he.
That isn't to say that the women aren't correct in much of their foreshadowing of possible outcomes. It has made the men look deeper and delve into their plans better, trying to cover every aspect that the women could use to disentangle it. They also have become much more affluent, as seen by their ever increasing Gringotts vaults and business associates. With the assistance of Hermione, the two men have regular lunches with each member of the hierarchy of the Ministry of Magic as needed for their ever-expanding business ventures. So far, to date, there are pieces of Zabini Holdings and Malfoy Enterprises that are in nearly all aspects of the wizarding world.
Which is why, at this meeting, the two men need to keep their clandestine plans away from their respective partners. Last thing they need to get wind of is an expansion of their holdings - in a different manner of speaking.
"So, when we enact this plan," the blond wizard begins.
"If we get to enact this plan," the darker wizard interjects, seemingly to know their partners better than his colleague.
"When we enact this plan, you are on board. Your job - you only job - is to take the ladies out for an afternoon to relax. Let them shop. Have them go to the spa. Whatever they want. I just would honestly love it if Hermione actually got a manicure. She complains all the time to Pansy that there is no way that she can maintain one, with the work she does with all the various magical creatures."
"Pansy isn't much better, she nearly sewed her nail into a garment for the Minister's wife the other week." This causes the both of them to chuckle at the vast similarities these two very different witches actually have. "The only thing that I want to know is how much of my Gringotts account will be drained by this escapade. I have that expansion into wizarding woods of Zabini Holdings to look towards in the next quarter and don't want to be strained."
"I will pay my lady's way, you know that. I am also impressed that you were able to get the grants from Hermione to remove some of the wood for wands and brooms. How did you do it?"
"Simple, I informed her that we would be thinning out the woods of dying and infected plants yet keeping a majority of the woods. After a tour and the extent that we want to infiltrate, she was on board and got some of the centaurs herds to assist in finding the best specimens and those that are making the forests more prone to fires and disease. It was a win-win."
The blond smirked, shaking his lengthening hair. Traditionally Malfoy men, when they reach head of house, style their signature blond hair long and usually tied back. Draco, tries to merge the traditional with something that is less reminiscent of his father, as a sign of respect for his witch who does not have the best history with the former patriarch of the Malfoy family.
"Now, Draco, what is the new area that Malfoy Enterprises is merging into? Last week I saw a number of witches and wizards on the ME2 cell phones. Your integration of muggle technology into the wizard world is remarkable. And thanks for the assistance with Pansy's company. If you hadn't, I don't think I would have heard the end of it."
"I am surprised that Hermione couldn't help Pansy directly. I suppose though, if it weren't for Pansy, Hermione wouldn't have her fashion sense. I can't believe that Pansy is assisting in the design of the royal family's wedding party attire."
"That was a big boost for her. Now we just have to get more information on what the bloody hell a fascinator is. All I know is Pansy is running around complaining about the abhorrent things that go on the women's heads. Now back to our plans?"
"Yes, yes," the blond concedes. All time for small talk is over. "So you take the women out, like I said I will reimburse you for anything, as long as you don't buy her a 24 karat gold leaf dress, no matter what Pansy says."
"Deal. Now you will have the villa arranged?"
The blond nods, "Yes, I will get the villa for you and Pansy and I will have the yacht of Hermione and I."
"A week away from all the stress. That sounds heavenly in its own right." the Italian gets a dreamy look on his face, as he leans back in the booth, crossing his legs.
"I will make sure everything you requested is there waiting for you. Just double check the list before you leave." The other wizard nods. "Then a week away. No communication. Nothing to bother the women. Maybe then we will can have some peace."
"I won't fully until after this wedding business with the Muggles, but that is just the way Pansy gets. She works herself into a frenzy where she can't create a potato sack."
"That is why she needs this as much as we do. Use the line of 'getting her creative juices flowing'." The two both have mimicking smirks grace their faces.
"Then the last night -"
The blond finishes for them, "We propose."
Author's Note:
House: Slytherin
Year: 5
Prompt: (Speech) "I'm sorry, I didn't make myself clear - I'm not asking."
Word Count: 1227