Written for TGS Gobstones Championship for the prompt: Write about Gilderoy Lockhart shopping at Madame Malkins. Write about Gilderoy Lockhart shopping at Madame Malkins. Submission from Mahoutokoro, House Mizu. W.C. 515.
A/N: Writing this in narrative POV because I just can't fathom the idea of writing from the inside of Gilderoy Lockhart's head.
The Fallen Robe
Gilderoy walks down the Diagon Alley, dressed in lilac robes, winking at witches who seem to swoon at the sight of him. Walking up to Madame Malkin's, he pauses at the window to check his hair in the reflection for a minute. Seemingly satisfied, he opens the door and walks into the shop.
He bows to the owner, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. The act elicits a giggle from the blushing woman and a smile makes its way to Gilderoy's lips, showing his sparkling white teeth.
"How are you, my dear Madame," he asks, and the shop-owner's blush deepens.
"I-I'm fine Mr Lockhart. H-how can I help y-you?"
Gilderoy laughs again, putting his arm around the woman's shoulder, and winks at her. "Madame Malkin, this humble be happy to wear whatever you robe him in as long as long as it has a self-ironing and self-cleaning charm."
The woman laughs breathily, shaking her head. "Of course, Mr Lockhart."
Gilderoy tuts. "I told you to call me Gilderoy, my dear woman."
"O-okay, Gi-Gilderoy."
She leads him inside the shop and next to a rack, taking out formal robes of different one by one and matching them with his skin. All the while, Gilderoy peaks over her shoulder, trying to look at his reflection in the mirror on the other side of the shop, making various poses with an all-white smile pasted to his lips.
"What do you think of this one, Mr Loc—Gilderoy?" Madam Malkin has to call his name twice before she catches the man's attention because he's so lost staring at himself.
"Hmm?" he asks and she shows him the robe, repeating herself. "Well, no." The shop-owner's face falls but Gilderoy doesn't notice—he's too busy selecting himself a robe. He chooses a vibrant green one and slips into it. Giving an extravagant twirl, he turns to the woman and strikes a pose. "How do I look?"
Madam Malkin smiles at Gilderoy and lavishes him with compliments, her smile widening when the man leans forward to kiss her cheek and thanks her for selecting the robe. She doesn't seem to remember that this was not her pick.
"Now for the measuring part," she says, turning to the man. As they turn to walk back to the front, a burgundy robe attaches to the ring on Madam Malkin's left hand and drags along before falling to the ground with a soft sound.
Gilderoy looks over his shoulder, saying, "No problem, I'll put it back," but as he takes out his wand, the shop-owner shakes her head wildly, looking slightly crazed. Perhaps she's remembering the last time Gilderoy tried to help. It ended up with all the robes flying out of their shelves and she had to close the shop for an hour to set everything back.
"It's all right," she says, quickly leaning down to pick up the fallen garment. With a wave of her wand, it's folded itself and is back in the shelf, and even as Gilderoy says he could have done it, she breathes an audible sigh of relief.