A/N: This is pretty short (only 2000 words), but it's taken so long because I got carried away and accidentally wrote most of the next chapter already! So the next one should be up in the next couple of days. :) As usual, thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing!

Chapter 21: The Flaw in the Plan Part Two

"As you can see by the figures, the chances of us having the capacity for that many vendors is…"

As the voice of some super-important-official droned on and on at the front of the room, conjuring pictures that floated in the air, I sat with my head facing in his direction, diligently pretending to take notes. Luckily, the room was so large and crowded that no one paid much attention to what I was doing. Except Ed, who was sitting beside me, but he was scarcely paying more attention than I was.

And Darcy, who sat across from me.

It was Thursday, now day four of my internship at the Ministry, and I found myself in an interdepartmental meeting between the sports department and magical cooperation. Interns were included, so we could ~learn~, which I suppose the other interns probably actually cared about. I wonder if Darcy cared.

We sat at the back end of one of the three long tables in the room, and had been there for two hours. It was no wonder my attention kept turning to Darcy, really. He sat directly across from me, and I couldn't help but study his profile as I dipped my quill in ink for longer than was probably necessary. He had turned his chair forward to face the front of the room, and his hands were clasped in his lap, almost perfectly motionless except for one finger that would occasionally twitch. I fought the urge to reach over and still it.

Distracted by my thoughts, I pulled my quill out of the inkpot too quickly, knocking it over onto the table.

"Fuck," I swore quietly. Those nearest to me turned to look at what had cause the noise. I blushed, keeping my eyes trained on the ink spill as I siphoned it off with my wand. I could feel Darcy's eyes on me, but kept my face bent down to hide my flaming cheeks. By the time I looked up, he was facing the front again.

….

Two days earlier, at lunchtime, I had walked into the cafeteria at the Ministry somewhat nervously, wondering if I was expected to meet Darcy and his sister there or if he would bring her to my department after. I clutched by bagged lunch in my hand and stood still in the middle of the room, looking around.

Darcy spotted me first. Sitting at a table against the far wall, he lifted his hand and waved. As I began walking over, blushing for no reason, he nudged the girl sitting next to him, and she turned and gave a shy wave as well.

So this was the famous Georgiana Darcy. She didn't look much like her brother at first glance. Her hair was blonde, even lighter than Jane's, and she was small in stature, emphasized by the way she held herself – bent inward, shoulders hunched forward, making her look even smaller. Her tall, dark haired and broad-shouldered brother was a huge contrast.

But once I got to the table, and she gave me a shy grin and another small wave, I could see the family resemblance. Same straight nose, same slight wave to the hair. Same eye shape, though hers were lighter in color. And the same small, close-lipped smile that bespoke, I thought, of shyness.

"Georgiana," Darcy began, after I had seated myself across from them. "This is Elizabeth – er, sorry –Lizzy Bennet. Lizzy, this is my sister, Georgiana."

"Call me Georgy," she insisted quietly. "Everyone but William does."

William.

Sometimes I forget Darcy has a first name.

"Nice to meet you, Georgy."

Wickham's description of her came unwittingly back to me as I sat there, watching brother and sister interact.

"Same way as her brother, personality wise. Very proud, stubborn, self-interested."

They sat very close together, and when Georgy spoke, Darcy looked down at her with fondness and attentiveness, and Georgy looked up at him like he was giving the most important speech in the world, even when he was only asking me how my day was.

I had to concur with Wickham that they were extremely similar, though not at all like he'd painted her. She wasn't proud or stubborn or self-interested; just shy and quiet and a little awkward, certainly not unlike her brother.

She said very little at first, and I carried the conversation, talking about mostly nothing. Partly in an attempt to draw Georgy out, and partly because I had no idea what to say to Darcy and wanted to avoid looking at him as much as possible, I tried to think of something that would get her to speak more. Then, I remembered something Darcy said the day before.

"So, Georgy, do you like Quidditch?"

Her face lit up at the word, and her posture became more upright. I resolutely refused to look at Darcy, but I thought I detected a smile out of the corner of my eye.

"I love Quidditch!" She pronounced. "And you're so good at it! I wish I could play like you."

I flushed slightly. "Well, thanks. It's just a lot of practice."

"Oh, yes, William told me how dedicated you are. Always practicing or thinking about plays and stuff."

I looked at him in surprise before I could stop myself, and he averted his eyes.

"Have you ever played?" I asked Georgy.

"Er, well, not for years. I used to play just for fun in our yard before I went to Hogwarts."

"She used to love dragging me outside and making me throw acorns in the air for her to catch on her broom," Darcy told me with a fond smile.

"So you're a Seeker?"

"Well, it was always the position I was drawn too," Geogy said, smiling but avoiding eye contact, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Have you tried out for your house team?"

"Oh, no! I could never be good enough to play for a team. Plus, I have to focus on my studies."

She said this last part like it was a statement she had heard and said many times, like she rehearsed it and played it constantly in her mind. Darcy looked at her sort of curiously, but she quickly changed the subject.

…

Harrington from our department was up now, talking about a different boring set of facts and figures.

I was sketching a plan for a Quidditch play, which I figured counted as paying attention because we were talking about the World Cup after all.

Looking up suddenly, I caught Darcy's eye, and without thinking I made a stupid, goofy face, crossing my eyes and sticking my tongue out. Darcy looked at me with such shock – happy shock I think– that I snorted softly.

I felt Ed move next to me, and saw that he was smirking at me and Darcy.

I quickly returned to my Quidditch play.

….

I was surprised at how well the three of us managed to get along. After a slow beginning, we had managed to shift into mutually safe territory, and I was graced with the Darcy smile twice over, being fundamentally identical in both brother and sister.

We were, at the moment, on the topic of upcoming exams .

"I've been paying even less attention than usual this year," I confessed. "So I actually have to study."

"William has been studying a lot too," Georgy said, a sly lilt in her voice. "Maybe you two should study together sometime."

I almost chocked on my sandwich, and Darcy's eyes widened.

"We did used to study together earlier in the year," I said, for lack of anything better to say, though I quickly regretted it when I remembered this was because of Jane and Bingley.

Darcy cleared his throat awkwardly, and Georgy affected an innocent expression, pretending to be fascinated with the ceiling tiles, but her lips were upturned in amusement. I got the feeling that this kind of teasing was common between them.

"Maybe, Georgy," he said in a placating manner. "Studying for N.E.W.T.S. is a little different than normal exams, though, as Lizzy will have the delight of discovering next year."

"Joy."

…

Despite my personal opinion of the woman, I had to admit that Catherine DeBourgh knew how to command a room's attention.

Sure, maybe it was because everyone was afraid she'd personally lecture them for half an hour about their inattention, but it was impressive how silent the room became. Even I stopped doodling and feigned attention.

"There are representatives from over 56 countries expected to attend, and at least 30 of these countries are expected to send very high level officials. The kind of reception…"

I say feigned attention because who could actually pay attention to this kind of talk? Well, Darcy sure seemed like he was.

And I only looked at Darcy once every couple minutes, honest. I swear to Merlin, it's just because he was sitting right across from me, and the dude is nice to me even after I rudely and vehemently rejected him a few months back. It was natural to occasionally glance at such a person when they're in the same room as you.

Especially considering what was gonna happen tomorrow…

...

"So, uh, Lizzy… are you doing anything on Friday night?" Georgy asked out of the blue.

I paused with a French fry half way to my mouth. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

I looked back and forth between Georgy and Darcy. Georgy was looking shy again, but Darcy nodded at her encouragingly.

"Well, William and I were wondering… if you wanted to come over to our house for a dinner party?"

My eyes widened, and she went on quickly before I could answer. "It's not a huge deal, it's just a couple of friends, but we always do this the Friday before Easter! You know, because our father is out of town most of the time, and we know everyone has stuff to do on Easter so we do it the Friday before, just because you know we have this big house and a huge dining room it seems like we should use it for something –"

"Georgy! Relax, I'd love to come."

I smiled reassuringly, and she finally took a breath and blushed, realizing she'd been rambling.

"If it's okay with your brother, anyway."

"Oh, he told me to –"

"I'd be honored if you would attend, Lizzy," he said quickly. His eyes looked solemnly into mine. I still hadn't quite gotten down the ability to correctly read his expression, but he looked hopeful. Maybe shy.

"Then I will definitely attend."

Double Darcy smiles.

…

"Let's break for lunch, shall we? We'll reconvene in half an hour."

Break for lunch? It seemed like we had easily passed over a week in that room, or at least an entire day. But looking at the clock, I realized it had only been three hours.

The room was filled with the noise and scuffle of fifty or so people leaving, and my eyes naturally found Darcy as he circumvented the table to walk out of the room with me.

"What an… interest meeting," he said dryly.

"Oh, yeah." It was a struggle to keep the sarcasm to a minimum, as we were closely surrounded by people milling out the single exit, and I didn't want to be heard being disparaging by anyone who had been presenting. "I especially enjoyed the briefing on sky traffic violations."

We didn't speak again until we made it out of the meeting room, and followed a slightly dispersed crowd down towards the cafeteria, when I finally brought up something I had been wondering about.

"So, this dinner tomorrow," I began. "Is it formal? I mean, should I dress in fancy people clothes for this?"

"No, it's completely casual. Just close friends. Just Charles and Caroline, actually. And you." He cleared his throat.

Oh fuck.

My enthusiasm must have shown on my face.

"Charles is looking forward to seeing you again."

And I bet Caroline is looking forward to setting fire to my hair when I'm not looking.

At the risk of saying that out loud, I changed the subject.