"We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger." Tad Williams (1957-present)
30/06/2010 18:21, Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
Draco sat in his study going over the papers he'd just received from his disowned great aunt's lawyer. He had merely glanced over the papers on the cottage and as for the paintings; well he had no use for them. He planned on selling them as soon as he could get them valued. It was the money he was interested in. The lawyer had told him that as soon as he signed the handover papers, all the deeds and money would be transferred into his Gringotts account. Draco hadn't trusted the man's word and as soon as his signature was inked, he was stepping into the bank to check everything was there for himself.
For a moment, he had just stood inside his vault and looked around. Over the last few years he had visited it less and less. Staring at an empty room that plagued you with memories on what it once contained was not high on Draco's list of things to do. He had always been one for action. Whilst his father was the kind of man who roamed around aimlessly thinking of his past life, Draco was the kind of man who took steps in order to get that old life back.
Correction, he had taken the steps and it had worked. 50,000 Galleons sat in the corner of the room and even though the vault wasn't bursting at the seams with money as it previously did, once Draco took a few more steps it soon would be.
Draco heard the dinner chime and he made his way to the dining room, making sure that the papers were safely locked in his chest. He entered the room and saw that his parents, as always, were already seated on opposite ends of the table.
"I trust all is well?" Lucius asked Draco, referring to the Gringotts trip he had made.
"Everything is as it should be." Draco replied as he cut into his bread roll.
"That is good." Lucius said.
Draco deemed it unnecessary to reply.
"What do you plan to do with the paintings and cottage in France?" Narcissa asked him curiously.
Draco turned to his mother, "I have decided to sell the paintings but have not come to a decision on the cottage yet." He replied.
He had been to see the cottage in France and even though it was fairly small in Malfoy standards, he initially thought it would make a nice gift for his mother. He had dismissed the idea when he realised that his father would easily persuade his mother to sell the place. Draco now thought it might make a nice quiet place for him to go when he needed to get away.
"If I may make a suggestion?" Narcissa said. Draco nodded quickly. "The economy in France hasn't suffered in the way Britain has due to the war. It might be best to keep a hold of it for a few years and let its value rise before you consider selling it."
Draco was surprised at his mother's words but quickly admonished himself. He often seemed to forget that his mother had been in Slytherin too. "That is a wise plan mother."
Narcissa smiled and dinner was served. For the next half an hour there was silence at the Malfoy dinner table.
ooo
30/06/2010 21:47, The Burrow, Devon
Harry forced the wince not to show on his face as Molly gave him another rib crushing hug goodbye.
"Oh Harry, do pop over if you get time during the weekend. Seeing you once a weak just isn't enough to make sure your eating properly." Molly clucked.
Harry smiled at the older woman. "I'll try." He said.
Molly patted him on the cheek before quickly realising his hands were empty, "Harry dear, where's your doggy bag. Wait two minutes and I'll just grab you one from the kitchen." She bustled off before Harry could tell her there was no need. He was so stuffed his stomach was digging uncomfortably into the jeans he was wearing; he didn't think he could stomach the sight of anymore of Molly's delicious food.
True to her word, Molly appeared two minutes later, a large bag of food floating next to her head. He took it in his hands whilst thanking her.
"Oh don't be silly dear. You are family after all and if you don't take some, Ron will probably plough through it all and make himself even sicker that he apparently is already."
Harry laughed nervously before stepping outside the front door. Ron had decided not to attend tonight on account of him still being angry at Hermione from Blaise and Padma's party. Harry was unsure if this dislike extended to him but seeing how he'd had no contact with Ron since the incident as well, it seemed likely.
"Remember what I said won't you dear, about Ginny." whispered Molly.
Harry's smile faltered slightly on the sides but he found himself merely nodding his head at the woman he had come to look at as a mother. He didn't want to break her heart by telling her the truth.
"Good boy." Molly said before her attention turned to Hermione who was coming towards them with her own doggy bag floating beside her.
Once her and Molly had said their goodbye's (causing Harry to laugh at the look on Hermione's breathless face when Molly hugged her) the two of them started to make the short walk to the Burrow's boundary from where they could apparate.
"So I saw Molly talking to you earlier. She seemed to change the subject as soon as I came next to you. What was all that about?" Hermione asked.
Harry sighed and to put off answering for a few more seconds, he took hold of the bag that was floating next to Hermione. "She told me that she got another letter from Ginny this morning. She's been asking about me."
"And what's Molly been telling her?" Hermione cautiously asked.
Harry scoffed, "The truth as far as she knows it. That I haven't been in a serious relationship with a witch in years and I've been waiting with baited breath for Ginny to come back from Romania."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, "Well, that is partially true." She said although Harry found it to be particularly unhelpful. "Did you tell her about your date with Pansy?"
Harry snorted in disbelief. "And break her heart by telling her that not only am I not interested in the happily ever after she has planned out for me with her daughter, I've instead decided to date a Slytherin whom she hates? Yeah right."
"You need to tell her." Hermione said as she reached to take her bag out of Harry's hands.
"You're being especially unhelpful today." Harry grumbled, voicing his thoughts.
Hermione laughed and bumped into his shoulder playfully. Harry resisted the urge to do the same back to her, knowing she would probably go flying off into the sunset at the small push.
"Your date with Pansy is soon. Don't you think that she would want to find out from you rather than read about it in the gossip pages of the Prophet?" Hermione reasoned.
As much as Harry hated to admit it, he knew she was right. "I'll tell her." He said.
"Okay, well I'll see you later." Hermione said, giving him a one hand hug and kiss before apparating away.
Harry was left standing alone in the green field. He turned back to face the way he and Hermione had just come and his eyes fell on the Burrow. Something in his chest panged slightly and he felt the first stirrings of guilt beginning to churn inside his stomach. His date with Pansy was in a few days time and as much as he wanted to make out that it was a normal date, he couldn't cover up the bare facts.
Either he went out on the date with Pansy, a witch who he was attracted to which in itself was something of a small miracle, at the cost of hurting the people he loved or he didn't go on the date with Pansy and he made himself miserable whilst he forcefully tried to make another go of it with Ginny and this time there wasn't any hurting his family.
Where was the win/win situation? Whatever he decided he would end up hurting someone. Harry shook his head in an effort to strengthen his resolve. He would go on this date with Pansy and he just wouldn't tell the Weasley's anything. After all, it was still early days in his and Pansy's relationship, there was no point in hurting them for no reason was there? Keeping quiet was the best thing for them.
Harry smiled before apparating away. There was the win/win situation he'd been looking for.
ooo
02/07/2010 19:14, Diagon Alley, London
Pansy walked through Diagon Alley, moving through the crowds that had been drawn out by the late evening sunshine. She kept her head down, hoping that nobody would recognise her, although it seemed everyone had more important things to be concerned about as she hadn't received one funny look yet. As she quickly walked down the streets, her legs unsteady in the stilettos that had once been her number one footwear, her eyes darted from name to name of the restaurants she was passing.
When Harry had asked her if dinner on Saturday night was okay for their date, she had immediately agreed. When he had told her that he planned to take her out to a restaurant called Juniper, he had said it in a tone that implied the restaurant was fancy and that she would hopefully be suitably impressed. Gearing herself up to tell him embarrassingly that she didn't have a clue that such a restaurant existed or where it was located, the questioning words had died on her mouth when he'd informed her that he would pick her up. The thought of Harry seeing the apartment she was living in caused a greater surge of embarrassment to flow through her and she had stupidly told him that she would meet him at the restaurant at the designated time. Only she didn't have a bloody clue where the bloody restaurant was.
She had been walking down Diagon Alley for the last ten minutes and her feet were killing her. She had forgotten just how long Diagon Alley was and just how unused to her feet were to wearing stilettos. Thank Merlin she had left early so she had plenty of time to search for the restaurant.
Her eyes were drawn from their position of looking at restaurant names when she felt herself bang into someone. Oh Merlin, please no, she thought to herself. Hoping that a simple mumble of I'm sorry would suffice, she made to walk around the woman but stopped when her name was called out.
Pansy turned around and her heart dropped to her stomach as her gaze landed on ex housemate and ex bully target Millicent Bulstrode.
"Merlin, it is you. Pansy Parkinson, I never thought I'd see you back in England." Millicent said.
"Millicent, how are you?" Pansy asked politely, desperately hoping Millicent wouldn't cause some sort of scene in revenge for her past actions.
"I'm good darling. And you?" Pansy saw the fake smile on Millicent's face as she spoke and her apprehension grew.
"I'm good too. A little lost but I'm sure I'll get used to Diagon Alley again soon."
Millicent smiled "sympathetically", "Oh I'm sure you will. Where are you going? I could point you in the right direction." She offered.
Pansy hesitated. She didn't want Millicent to find out about her date with Harry but telling her the name of the restaurant would raise her suspicions. Realising she had no choice Pansy answered.
Millicent's eyebrows rose, "Juniper?" she asked, making no effort to mask her incredulity.
"Yes, Juniper. Have you heard of it?" Pansy asked uncomfortably.
"Of course I have darling. Everyone has! They have a waiting list that's months long." She said, clearly expecting Pansy to divulge how she had managed to get a table.
When Pansy didn't speak she continued, "Well you must be doing more than good if you're eating in that establishment," she said cattily. Pansy felt the insult hit but forced herself not to rise. With another fake smile, Millicent informed her that the restaurant was two roads back from where Pansy had just been wandering.
"Thank You." Pansy said.
"Oh it was my pleasure darling." Millicent replied but she made no move to leave.
Pansy glanced at her watch, "I'm sorry but I really must be off."
Millicent lips twisted into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "Oh of course darling. Now that you're back we must do lunch. Owl me." She said.
Pansy smiled, knowing full well that they both knew there was never going to be a lunch occurring between them.
"I will." Pansy said before she gave one last smile and walked past Millicent in the direction she had just come from. She felt herself starting to sweat at the encounter she had just had.
During Hogwarts, Pansy had teased and bullied Millicent ruthlessly. At the time, Pansy had thought that it was the only way she could make it seem like she really belonged in Slytherin and not in Ravenclaw as the Sorting Hat had initially suggested. Millicent made the perfect target. She wasn't well endowed in the looks department, she was already teased by the boys in their house and she trailed after Pansy like a puppy dog regardless of how cruel Pansy was to her.
With a startle, Pansy realised that she had never actually apologised to Millicent for her actions. She stopped in her path and turned around, eyes scanning the crowd. Millicent it appeared was long gone and Pansy sighed. Maybe she should owl Millicent for that lunch. Yes that was the right thing to do- she would owl Millicent tomorrow and they could meet up for coffee. She didn't think her budget could stretch to lunch, especially since Millicent was likely to choose a restaurant in the same price band as Juniper. Tomorrow, Pansy vowed. Now however, she had to worry about dinner first.
ooo
02/07/2010 19:33, Diagon Alley, London
Pansy turned the corner and she didn't need to guess which restaurant out of the many on the road was Juniper. A gold leaf sign and the gaggle of reporters hanging around the entrance did that for her. She desperately looked around, hoping that Harry wasn't already waiting for her inside the restaurant. Merlin, did he know that the reporters would be present. Did he want to let the world know that the two of them had a date? Did he want her to get hate mail from fans telling her how she wasn't good enough for him?
A wild idea of turning around and running back to safety drifted into Pansy's mind but she quickly pushed it away. Her whole life she'd been running away from things when they got too tough. She liked Harry and she refused to stand him up. However, when her eyes landed on the reporters flashing away she hesitated. How in Merlin's beard was she supposed to get into the restaurant? She couldn't walk through them. They would rip her to shreds.
She looked at her watch and saw it was thirty-five minutes past the hour. She was already five minutes late; she needed to make up her mind and quickly.
ooo
Harry walked out of the back entrance to the restaurant. Pansy was five minutes late and instead of listening to the dark side of his mind that was telling him she had stood him up; he listened to the light side telling him that she might be stuck in the crowd of reporters. He hoped she wasn't, otherwise his plan of keeping their date a secret would be blown wide open. He walked down the street and turned the corner, his eyes landing on Pansy. She was standing seven steps up the road, staring at the entrance. Walking up behind her he smiled at the fact she hadn't stood him up.
"Having second thoughts?" he asked as he came to a stop behind her.
She immediately gasped and turned around to face him. "You scared me." She said.
Harry had the grace to look ashamed, "Sorry." He said not quite keeping the trace of laughter out of his voice.
Pansy narrowed her eyes at his tone causing him to chuckle.
"Where did you come from? Are you just arriving too?" she asked him.
He shook his head, "I've been sitting in there for the last fifteen minutes waiting for you to turn up." He joked.
"I'm only five minutes late." She replied.
"What are you standing out here for?" he asked her.
He watched a frown come across her face before she glanced behind her shoulder to look at the reporters and he saw her problem. Taking her arm and looping it through his, he started leading her to the back entrance.
"Aren't we eating there anymore?" she asked confused.
He looked at her in amusement. "We are. I just thought you might appreciate going through the well kept secret that is the back entrance." He said.
He saw her eyes widen slightly and she smiled.
ooo
As they entered the restaurant, Pansy had to force the gasp of amazement from escaping her mouth. It was beautiful and literally screamed money although everything was decorated tastefully. It had been so long since she'd been in such opulent surroundings that she felt quite nervous and embarrassed.
A waiter led the two of them to their table and if he or anyone else in the restaurant noticed who she was, they didn't show it for which she was extremely grateful. She smiled in thanks to the waiter who seated her before taking the menu he handed to her. Her hands absentmindedly rubbed against the leather cover as she looked around.
Her eyes fell on the front entrance and saw that the glass had been charmed so no-one could look in although the diners could look out. At that moment, a young couple rose from their seats and Pansy watched them walk not out of the back entrance but the front. The door opened and immediately there was a blast of light as cameras started flashing away. Pansy turned to look at Harry confused.
"If there's a back entrance that the reporters don't know about then why do people still walk through the front entrance?" she asked.
Harry's eyes crinkled as he smiled, "Well there are two reasons. Either they don't know about the back entrance which I doubt or they're looking for the reporters to take pictures of them so they can find fame in the tabloids."
Pansy's confusion deepened and she turned back to the entrance where the couple were now happily posing for the cameras. Her eyebrows rose at their actions. After being on the wrong side of the papers in this country she knew just how quickly they could turn on you. She couldn't believe people actually wanted that risk, simply for a few minutes of passing fame.
She turned back to Harry to see him looking at her. "What?" she smiled uncomfortably.
"Nothing. I'm just glad you accepted my invitation. You look beautiful." He said.
Pansy felt the blush on her cheeks and her smile unconsciously widened until she felt the pain in her cheeks. "Thank you. I'm glad I accepted too." As for the dress she was wearing, it was the only alternate one she still owned that he hadn't seen before. The other she had worn at Blaise and Padma's party and she was too embarrassed to wear the same thing again. The rest of her clothes she had painstakingly sold or were still at her uncle's house in France. That is, if her mother hadn't already burned them after she had left.
The fact that she had such little left made her feel as if she wasn't worthy to be sitting here. The thought dampened her mood slightly but she tried not to show it.
ooo
Harry saw Pansy's smile taper off in the corners. "Is everything okay?" he asked her cautiously.
Pansy looked at him like a deer in the headlights before she shook her head and her old smile returned, "Yes sorry. Everything's great, really. This restaurant is amazing." She said.
"You know I just realised that I don't actually know a thing about you other than where you work of course. How come you moved back from France?" he asked curiously.
He saw a look of alarm cross Pansy's features and mentally hit himself. He was just about to open his mouth to tell her that she didn't need to tell him when she started speaking.
"My mother and I moved to France straight after the War was won. You probably know why." She said tightly and Harry nodded his head, "I hated it. My mother and I were never that close and after the death of my father, even less so. We lived in my uncle's house which was unbearable. I finally had enough and decided to leave and come back to England."
Harry noticed that she didn't mention what had finally caused her to break but he didn't ask, merely filed away the information for later use.
"What about you? I would have thought you would have had enough of fighting You-Know-Who to become an Auror?"
Harry registered the fact she didn't say Voldemort's name but let it go. Even today, there were still people who didn't like to say his name. Instead he focused on the fact that she had been thinking about him. "And what did you think I would become?" he asked her teasingly.
He revelled in the blush that coloured her cheeks, "I don't know. You were a pretty good Seeker. Draco always used to whine about your skills in the common room after Quidditch games."
Harry laughed at the image that popped into his head. "I love Quidditch but I don't think I could handle anymore publicity than I already get. My ego would probably become insufferable." He laughed.
Pansy laughed too and he continued, "No, I still play. We often have frequent games at the Burrow."
Pansy's face glanced behind him and her expression fell. "Weasley."
Harry's eyebrows furrowed at the way she was suddenly acting and the expression on her face. "Yes, Ron's the Quidditch player. He's a good keeper."
Pansy shook her head. "No Weasley. He's here." She said her eyes fixed on something behind him.
Harry stiffened and begged her be mistaken. He turned around to face where she was looking. Damn, Ron's orange hair was unmistakable as he came through the door, a witch Harry didn't recognise on his arm. Harry watched Ron's eyes sweep over the restaurant floor and they finally landed on him before flicking to Pansy.
Angry wasn't the word to describe the look on Ron's face. He looked downright furious as he stalked towards their table. He heard Pansy taking in a deep breath and Harry braced himself.
"Harry, what the fuck are you doing?" Ron spat.
Harry grew instantly angry. "Ron, keep your voice down."
"Are you on a date with her?" Ron demanded. On the word her he sneered and jabbed a finger in Pansy's direction.
Harry sighed. It seemed the cat was out of the bag so he might as well tell the truth. "Not that it's any of your business but yes, I am on a date with Pansy."
"You bitch." He said loudly to Pansy.
"Hey!" Harry yelled.
"What are you up to? Huh? I hope you realise that nothing you have planned will break Harry and Ginny up." He said.
Harry shut his eyes at the words, desperately wishing he had chosen another restaurant to have dinner.
ooo
Pansy was frozen. Her body seemed to be stuck in her seat and her mind was completely muddled as if she was being held under water and everything she was seeing was in slow motion.
Harry…and Ginny?
She didn't understand. The buzzing in her mind showed no indication of stopping. Harry and Ginny. They'd been the golden couple in Hogwarts but she didn't have a clue they were still together. Why in Merlin's name had Harry asked her out? Oh Merlin, was this really a game of revenge?
Pansy's ears seemed to pop open unexpectedly. Shouting from both Harry and Ron hit her ears. She didn't need to glance around to see the entire restaurant looking at her. Waiters were moving over to their table quickly, hoping to put an end to the commotion.
Ron's harsh words still rung in her mind and the voice inside her head was getting louder and louder. What are you still doing here Pansy? Run. Run. Run.
So she stood and ran.
Ignoring Harry's cry of her name, telling her to stop and ignoring the various people that she bumped into on the way, she ran out of the back entrance and didn't stop until she was back on the main street of Diagon Alley. She drew comfort from the crowd in which she was losing herself in. Or so she thought.
A tanned hand grabbed her arm and twirled her around. Her eyes shut when they saw Harry's face and she turned her head to the side, taking in a deep breath before re-opening her eyes.
"Yes?" She asked him icily.
"Pansy. What Ron said isn't true." Harry said quickly.
Pansy looked him in the eye. "Then why did he say it?" she asked.
Harry shook his head. "I-It's complicated."
Pansy sighed, "Look, my life is complicated enough without getting involved in some on/off relationship with you and your ex-girlfriend. Maybe this wasn't a good idea."
"No, please. Look, how about we go to the Leaky Cauldron and have dinner there. Tom won't let any reporters in so we'll be alone. I can explain things to you."
Pansy hesitated. They'd only been ten minutes into their first date and she had already been accused of being a home wrecker not to mention a bitch. How was this ever supposed to work?
"I don't know." She said, shaking her head.
Harry kept his hand wrapped firmly around her own. "Please. If you don't want to meet up after this then fine. I-I just need to explain. Please."
He was looking at her imploringly and she felt herself giving in. Oh Merlin Pansy, you need to stay away from things that aren't good for you she thought.
She ignored the voice. "Okay." She said slowly.
Harry's eyes lit up before he held out his hand for her to take it. She did so uncertainly and as if Harry knew this, he tucked her hand tightly against his body so she couldn't move.
"Ginny and I used to go out in Hogwarts. I broke up with her in our seventh year. It was too dangerous for me to be with her regardless of how much I wanted to. If Voldemort found out about us, he would definitely use her to get to me and I couldn't put her at risk."
Pansy nodded her head understandingly when he turned to look at her to see if she followed him so far.
He continued. "After the war was won, our relationship carried on from where we had left off. It was different though. We were both grieving." He paused before carrying on, "One day she packed up and left."
"Without telling you?" Pansy asked curiously. From what she remembered of the girl from her seventh year at Hogwarts she was fiercely, to the point of stupidity, courageous. Leaving out of the blue instead of staying and facing her demons wasn't a very Gryffindor thing to do.
Pansy ignored the fact that she herself had repeatedly run away from her demons. She was a Slytherin and they were known for their cowardliness so it was okay.
"Without telling me. I found a note where she'd explained that she couldn't stay in England anymore. She couldn't stay at the Burrow because everywhere she looked she was reminded of Fred."
"Where did she go?"
"Romania. Her brother Charlie works with dragons over there."
"Did you keep in contact?"
Harry gave a wry smile. "That's where it gets complicated. We've never written to each other but she didn't say whether she considered our relationship to be over or not. Even after she left I still loved her. I thought she'd be back in a few months so I waited. Then months turned into years and I don't know. You probably think it's stupid to wait around for someone who you haven't spoken to for years."
"No. You love her so you're waiting." The words caused her heart to beat painfully.
"Loved. Past tense. I've given up waiting for her." The pain eased slightly.
Pansy held off asking the question she desperately wanted the answer to when she saw they'd reached the Leaky Cauldron. Harry held the door open for her and she stepped inside. The old barkeeper looked up before catching sight of Harry and a smile graced his features.
"I'll be two minutes." Harry said to her before she watched him walk over to Tom and shake his hand. She couldn't make out their conversation but she saw Tom's eyes fall on her a few times during their discussion. Finally, Harry walked back to her and led her to a table in the back of the pub. When they were seated, Pansy couldn't control her mouth for any longer.
"What happens if she comes back?" she said nervously.
Harry smiled at her. "That's where it gets even more complicated."
Pansy's eyes widened at his words but she patiently waited for him to continue.
"Molly received a letter from her over a week ago. She's coming back. I haven't dated anyone in a long time, not seriously anyway. The Weasley's think I'm still in love with her and that when she comes back we'll just magically fall back into a relationship and live happily ever after."
"Why don't you just tell them how you feel?" Pansy asked.
"It's not that simple. They've wanted Ginny and I to get together for a long time. They already see me as part of their family but if I married Ginny it would make it official. Telling them would break their hearts."
"So what are you going to do when she comes back? Date her against your will?" she asked bewilderingly. She was struggling to understand where she fell into the equation. She liked Harry but she had no intentions of sharing him with another witch.
"I don't know. Now that Ron knows I think they'll pretty much know where I stand." He said quietly.
There was silence as Harry worried over his family's reaction and Pansy worried over whether she was making a mistake.
"This is depressing talk for a first date. Let's promise to not mention it for the rest of dinner." Harry said.
Pansy nodded her head in agreement. If he wanted to brush the problem away then she would let him. For now. She vaguely wondered if all Gryffindor's secretly belonged in Slytherin.
ooo
02/07/2010 20:00, Daily Prophet Headquarters, Level 2, London
A witch with a cat got the cream smile on her face made her way to the office of the one reporter she wanted to see.
"Is she in?" she asked the secretary sitting outside her door.
"Yes. If you take a seat I'll see if she's free to see you."
The witch sneered at the young girl. "You do that. And make sure you tell her that not seeing me would be a big mistake."
The secretary gave her a rude look which she ignored as she sat down in one of the chairs outside the office. Not a minute later she was given the invitation to enter.
The office stunk of perfume and tobacco smoke and the reporter behind the large desk watched her enter beadily.
"What can I do for you?" she asked haughtily.
The witch smiled before removing an envelope from her bag and throwing it on the reporter's desk. "It's more of a case of what I can do for you."
She watched as the reporter opened it and withdrew the photos before her eyes flew up to meet hers in disbelief. "They're real. All the details are there."
She moved closer to the desk. When the reporter made to gather the pictures she slammed her hands on them.
"I want more than my usual fee." She demanded.
The reporter sneered. "You'll get what you always get."
She smiled cruelly. "Not for this. This time you need me. Not the other way around. I want triple."
"You've already shown me the pictures, I can write the story easily." The reporter said.
The witch smiled before gathering up the photos herself and stuffing them back into the envelope. "I suppose I'll go elsewhere then. You know what they say. A picture's worth a thousand words." She turned to walk out of the office.
"Fine." Came the voice.
She smiled before once again throwing the envelope down. She watched as the reporter fumbled around her purse and took out her cheque book.
"Is a cheque alright?" she asked sarcastically.
"As long it doesn't bounce it doesn't matter to me. Money's money whether it's in the form of Galleons or paper."
The reporter looked at her in scorn before furiously writing out the amount. She ripped the cheque out of her hands as soon as the reporter had signed it. Folding it, she slipped it into her pocket. "I look forward to Monday's paper." She said before walking out of the office.
One down, one to go.
Author's Note: Thank you to those who took the time to review the last chapter! I appreciated all of your kind and helpful words! Until next time, Curiositykils