A low droning buzz signaled that it was six forty and time for Ayn to drag herself out from underneath the warm duvet. She rolled on her back and let the alarm buzz for a few more minutes before getting up to turn the obnoxious noise off. The screen lodged in the refrigerator door flashed the morning news. A light haired wizard announced the latest information about food and clothing stamps as Ayn sipped on a tepid cup of coffee.
"Availability of Wizarding sweets will increase two hundred percent in the Magical quarter this season. Fall clothing stamps will be distributed tomorrow. All petitions to transfer stamps to family members must be received by the Ministry of Food and Health no later than midnight next Monday." There was no real point to watching the news. It was all a bunch hocus pocus. Chocolate frogs and the like would still only found in specialty shops, where they were grossly overpriced, or on the black market. Only Deatheaters and those in Voldemort's inner circle would be allowed to transfer their clothing stamps to other people; the remaining petitions would be rejected.
The remaining coffee in Ayn's mug sloshed out of the sides as a large ginger cat hopped up on the kitchen counter. It swayed it's thick voluminous tail through the coffee and dregs on the counter before jumping into Ayn's arms.
"Are you hungry G?" G nuzzled his flattened face into Ayn's shoulder and purred contently. "You'll just have to wait until I get out of the shower."
Draco would be awake soon. He had somehow figured out how to block out the buzzing alarm. The flat was always too quiet when he was still asleep. Even G was quiet as he splashed the coffee on the counter with his paw. Rather than take a shower, Ayn walked out to the balcony again. That's when she noticed the light pat-pattering of rain on the roof. The balcony floor was damp and a heavy mist was thrown into Ayn's face. It was naturally raining already, the weather would be lousy the rest of the day.
Without taking a shower, she wanted to save the hot water for Draco, Ayn tossed a cashmere heather gray shift dress on over a charcoal and white stripped turtleneck. Everything Ayn owned was either gray, black, white, or green. Green, the color of associated with Slytherin was now the only color allowed to be worn on a daily basis.
Ayn closed her eyes and listened to the running water in the bathroom. Draco was awake. The wheat flake cereal Ayn munched on tasted stale. She was too tired to get up and cook something. Her dream last night had shaken her up. Ayn had not had any dreams relating to the trio's execution in at least three months. Not since they had gotten the permit.
Everything required a permit. If you had to go to another county you needed a permit. If you wanted glasses to read you needed a permit. If you wanted to brew a certain potion or stay out later than dusk you needed a permit. You even needed a permit if you wanted to have a child. Only purebloods and select half-bloods were given these permits. Magical Muggles were forbidden to have children. If anyone who didn't have a permit became pregnant, they either had to hope they miscarried or enter Muggle London and have an abortion.
Draco and Ayn had gotten their permit three months before. After being married for six years they decided they were ready to be parents. They had celebrated for the first week after receiving the parchment signed by Lord Voldemort himself. Ayn and Draco expected Ayn to become pregnant right away and in less then a year have a beautiful baby to take care of. Ayn had stayed up late at night talking to Draco about taking their child to the country and the zoo and teach them how to swim and walk. But that had not happened. After three months Ayn was showing no signs of being pregnant and Draco had almost lost any inkling of hope that he would be a father.
"Good morning." Draco leaned in and kissed Ayn gently. She was always quiet after one of her dreams.
"Morning." Draco was dressed in all black, which matched his hair. His cloak had a few holes in it and the hem was ragged. "You need a new cloak. I'll pick one up after work."
"You don't have to. I can go during my lunch break." Draco finished off his coffee and began to gather his things for work. He was expected to be in his office at seven o' clock sharp. As one of the Dark Lord's inner circle, Draco was allowed to Apparate. Even though he was no longer a Deatheater.
"You are not very good at bargaining. I'll go. I have to go to Diagon Alley any way. My wand needs a good cleaning." Draco shrugged his shoulders. If Ayn wanted to go he would let her.
"Just make sure you're caught out after dusk. The patrols are getter stricter. Especially after the Parliament building burnt down and the riots in the Muggle quarter." Ayn nodded. Another alarm from the kitchen screen buzzed to signal that Draco had to leave for work. Even the Dark Lord's favorite had to be on time.
"We will talk about the petitions when I get home. I think we should ask for some time off. Maybe go to Brighton for a weekend. You need to get away from London, love. We can use my mental health as an excuse. It worked last time. I need a break from filing all those reports and petitions."
"It's better than what you were doing before." Draco's features became clouded as Ayn brought up a touchy subject.
"You know what I think about what I did. I hated it. I will never forgive myself. But let's not talk about that now. We'll talk about going somewhere over dinner."
"How about Paris?" Ayn's ocean eyes glinted with hope.
"I don't think I'm ready for that. We have to make sure we will be safe." Ayn nodded slowly. "It will be okay. I promise." With a final kiss and a whisper of 'I love you' in Ayn's ear, Draco Apparated to the Ministry of Magic.