Chapter Nine

Ginny couldn't keep the small smile from cropping up on her face. Every time she turned to see Draco, it appeared, and her cheeks turned a rosy pink. Draco himself couldn't remember feeling so good in his life. It was like he had shed years of trials off his back, and now he didn't have much to worry about. Molly also noticed the new connection between her daughter and son-in-law. "Well, Draco," Arthur stood up from the table, wiping his mouth with a napkin, "are you ready for your first day in the Muggle Department?" Draco tore his gaze from Ginny's face and nodded his head. He quickly stood up from the table, kissed Ginny on the lips, then followed Arthur out the door onto the front porch, and apparated into a small building. "This is where I do my office work." Arthur pointed to a desk littered with family pictures and work papers. "I'm mostly in the field, but I do have to write up reports and all the legal stuff." Arthur continued explaining the different jobs and functions that went on in the building. He was introduced to Arthur's co-workers, and they all had a good laugh about some joke about a Muggle crossing the road. Draco hadn't expected to be accepted so quickly. Everyone here seemed down to earth, not worried about wearing the latest fashions are saying the right thing. They just thought of him as Arthur Weasley's son-in-law. "Arthur, you've got an owl," some office assistant said, handing Arthur a piece of parchment. Arthur read it, then crinkled his eye brows. "It's a code blue." Arthur scrunched his nose. "What's a code blue?" Draco asked, trying to sneak a peek at the parchment. "There are three codes: code red is when we need to send Obliverators, immediately; code blue is a two man job; code yellow is when they send in the greenie." Arthur smiled. "Looks like we've got our first job." They both left the building and showed up on what looked to be a neighborhood sidewalk. They were standing in front of a two story house and in the front yard there was a woman in a yellow dress being dragged across the lawn by a rake. Arthur pulled out his wand and stopped the rake. The woman fell to the ground in a heap. Arthur walked up to her and asked what happened. "I don't know! I had just bought this rake at a garage sale down the street and when I tried to rake my yard it started moving!" The woman exhaled deeply. "Right." Arthur pulled his wand and put a memory charm on the woman, then confiscated the wand. "Mikel Davenport." Arthur mumbled. "Who?" Draco was still very confused as to what was going on. "Mikell Davenport is a wizard that lives down the street. I've had a few calls in this area due to some enchanted household appliances he's sold or let to his neighbors. Looks like we've got to give him a warning...again." Arthur motioned for Draco to follow him down the sidewalk. He looked a little odd, in his robes and a rake in one hand. They came to a small house on the corner with a very high gate surrounding the lawn. Arthur pulled at a bell in the front, but nothing seemed to happen. "Mikell! I know you're in there!" Arthur yelled, but there was still no reply. "Alohamora!" The lock on the door loosened, and fell to the ground. The hinges squeaked against the opening of the gate door. Arthur walked right up to the front door, followed by Draco. Not bothering to knock, Arthur barged right in, and standing in the kitchen, was a middle aged man in a tweed suit pouring a cup of tea. "Arthur! Just in time for tea." The man smiled brightly, but Arthur just shoved the rake in the man's face. "Mikell, this rake was dragging a woman across her yard...know anything about that?" Arthur asked very slowly. Mikell squinted his eyes at the rake, then pulled a pair of glasses from his breast pocket and placed them on. After taking another look at the rake, he shrugged his shoulders. "Haven't seen it before in my life." He smiled, then took the glasses off. Arthur looked back at Draco as if to say, "Yeah, right." Then turned on Mikell once more. "You know we've developed ways to detect which wand placed spells on objects." Mikell smiled weakly, then took one last look at the rake. "Oh, yes, I remember! I lost it just last week. Thank you for bringing it back, Arthur, true gentleman." Mikell made a grab for it, but Arthur pulled it back. "Mikell, the woman down the block...how did she get her hands on it?" Mikell looked a little sheepish while replying, "Well, I needed the extra money so I sold a few things." He then straightened up. "But I thought I had taken all the spells off of 'em, I swear!" "Mikell, I'm giving you one more warning, but remember, after this you'll have to pay a heavy fine." Arthur handed back the rake, and walked Draco out of the house. Once they were back at the building, and Arthur was sitting at his desk, filling out paper work, Draco spoke up. "Why did you just give him a warning? If he's a repeat offender, he deserves what he gets." Draco said as if it was only logical. Arthur continued writing while replying, "Mikell's wife died last year, and his only son was killed while fighting the Dark Lord. He hasn't been able to work because of his own injuries during the war, and the only thing he lives off of is a small penchant." At this point Arthur looked up into Draco's eyes. "Now after knowing all the facts...would you still ticket him?" Draco felt like crawling under a rock and staying there for the rest of the day. What did Arthur think of him? Probably some heartless spoiled rich boy. Draco felt like he had already locked the old man away and thrown away the key. He dropped into a chair, hoping he'd just disappear. "Finished," Arthur said, looking over his work. "It's pretty slow around here. Not much happens." Arthur smiled at Draco. "I wouldn't have done it," Draco blurted out, staring at his hands. "Excuse me? Done what?" Arthur asked, completely confused. "Mikell. If I'd had known about Mikell I wouldn't have ticketed him." Draco looked up at Arthur. "Draco, do you think I think that?" Arthur looked surprised. "Of course you wouldn't have done it. I was just explaining the situation, that's all." Arthur changed the subject, but it was still deeply embedded in Draco's mind.

~*~*~

Ginny had spent the day helping her mother clean house. Thoughts of the previous night kept floating into her head, and she'd get a silly grin on her face and begin to giggle. Ginny didn't think Draco would be so gentle. She'd always thought he would be demanding, and rough, but he was so sweet and his skin was so soft and welcoming. "Ginny, stop day dreaming and finish folding those clothes." Molly laughed. She remembered all too well her honeymoon days. The day went by uneventful. Draco and Arthur arrived home just as dinner was being set on the table. The guys sat at the table and began to spill what had happend at work that day. Ginny looked up from her plate only to find Draco staring at her. They both smiled at each other, then returned to their meal. The conversation turned to house hunting, and Draco explained about some flats he heard were for sale. It was agreed that the next day they'd go check them out. That night Ginny crept out of the bathroom into her room. Draco was already in bed, watching her cross the room. She placed her dirty clothes in a hamper, then climbed into bed. Draco draped his arm around her, and pulled her close. "I never thought I'd be staying in this house, sharing a bed with you." Draco smiled, causing Ginny to laugh. "I think it came as a surprise to everyone." Draco switched the lights off and--need I say more...