A/N : we have some terrible rain torrents in my hometown this week, so I might not be able to update everyday due to unstable internet connection. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience and hope that you bear with me. Enjoy the story.

Chapter 15

In which, Draco and Daphne go undercover.

The Malfoy's annual Yule Ball was a raging success, provided that all of the Death Eaters attended the party, all curious about their new Lady that had brought change to their lives. Gone was the apprehension normally associated with being a (ex) Death Eater, replaced by grudging respectability of the recent works as contractors and asset managers. This year's ball also had more attendance as Harriet had ordered Lucius to send invitations to all the Gaunts and Slytherin's business partners, in a package of hampers that she, Narcissa and Petunia organized,

"It's not bribery, per say," she had said. "More a token of appreciation for their cooperation with us."

Harriet herself sent Christmas Hampers to her clients and bankers. It had proven to promote good work relations and prevent them from running to another accountant when she started school and could only do work on holidays. Her clients were very accommodating, and she was very thankful for them.

The Dark Lord attended the ball as Professor Quirrell, along with Severus and Albus Dumbledore, who was invited because he was still teaching them. The material had actually evolved but none of the wizards involved had been willing to discuss what was being taught. On a completely unrelated note, all the attendees of The Malfoy's Annual Yule Ball showed cheer and happiness that had normally never been a part of the families attending the ball.

In contrast, Harriet looked rather stiff as she held court between her peers from school. None had been resolved after the last quarrel between her and Thomas at the end of their date, (if one could call it a quarrel, that is.) and both her husband and her were hardheaded and prideful enough to not be the first to apologize to the others. There is also the fact that Charlie Weasley's interview is in two days, and Harriet had expressly forbidden Thomas to come or send one of minions to observe (read: intimidate) Charlie Weasley.

So, the two were currently ignoring each other, to the point that Harriet actually didn't acknowledge him at all. Oh, She greeted Professor Quirrell alright, but she didn't acknowledge or say anything about Thomas. Said man now eyed the young girl talking to her friends forlornly from the gaps between Quirinus's specially designed turban while Quirinus was forced to talk with Severus while he watched Harriet enjoying the Party.

Severus sighed in exasperation. After all the effort he'd exerted to wheedle Professor Dumbledore to teach the Dark Lord to prevent this, the Dark Lord didn't even try to use it to solve his problem.

"Why didn't you just talk to her, My Lord?" he asked discreetly while pulling Theodore Nott, Sr. to talk to Quirinus.

"She's the one who ignored me." the Dark Lord said despondently.

"Err…actually, My Lord, you ignored her first." Severus said and a sudden unknown curse from the Dark Lord.

"That's because she said I'm too old for her. Speaking of which, Severus, have you found a way for me to return to a 14 years old body?" The Dark Lord said.

Severus' left eyebrow twitched. "Somehow, I didn't think that it would solve the problem, My Lord."

The Dark Lord had become rather obsessed with age and save for possessing a younger body (of which, none of the Hogwarts student population made the cut due to weakness, blood purity and other problems), the Death Eaters didn't really have an answer.

They resumed their watch silently.

In Harriet's side, Draco looked at his cousin thoughtfully and asked her.

"Harriet, did you send your Christmas Gift for the Dark Lord?"

"Hmm? You mean Quasimodo? I gave him to your Father to be given to Thomas. Oh, that reminded me, I may have gotten overboard buying Quasimodo's supplies and forgotten to write a card." Harriet said, taking out a card from her purse.

Draco read the card and sweat dropped.

"Err, Harriet, you want to make up with the Dark Lord, right?"

"Of course. I told you I don't like fighting." she said with a frown. "Is there something wrong with the card?"

Draco coughed and handed the card to Daphne who choked on her fruit punch and had to hide behind her handkerchief to regain composure.

"My Lady," Daphne tried to say calmly. "Let's just rewrite the card. I don't think the Dark Lord would appreciate this. In fact, he might have become angrier."

Harriet sighed tiredly and pulled out another empty card. "What should i write?"

Draco and Daphne looked at each other, silently telling the other to answer their Lady's question. Finally, Daphne gave up and said,

"Let's start with Dear Thomas." she blushed red at saying the Dark Lord's (unused) given name. "He's older than you after all, and saying just Thomas is inappropriate."

Harriet obediently wrote 'Dear Thomas' in her cursive calligraphy.

"Happy Yule, I hope that Quasimodo could accompany you and help you alleviate your loneliness?" she turned to Draco. "What do you think?"

"Maybe don't say anything about loneliness? I remember that the Dark Lord's birthday is on the 26th, so maybe add a Happy Birthday?" He bounced the idea back.

Harriet frowned in thought. "Wishing you a Happy Yule and Happy Birthday. May you always be surrounded with love and happiness. Here is Quasimodo. He is one of my recent batch of puppies. I hope that he can give you much love and happiness in the coming years." she said.

"That is better, my Lady." the two of them said in relief.

Harriet shrugged and wrote the card, entrusting it to Draco who swore to guard it with his life, making Harriet roll her eyes to him. She turned to see some people milling around them. Daphne elbowed her friend to the matter that their Fathers entrusted to them.

"My Lady, I was thinking," Draco said to Harriet who turned her attention back at him. "Daphne and I were rather interested in the working of your business. I mean, building a conservatory must be a lot of work."

Harriet nodded her assent.

"How did you keep your schedules with that much work that you do?" he asked politely, knowing that she was inundated with work these days.

"Hmm, I used a planner, but I do plan to find a secretary or an assistant to work with all of my business and studies. A social secretary, at the very least."

Daphne cleared her throat. "My Lady, would you allow me to be your social secretary? I'm interested in the work and you know that I can do note taking and secretarial work."

Harriet wasn't sure if Daphne knew any secretarial work, or Draco's genuine interest in muggle business, but shrugged as she did need a secretary urgently.

"Alright, I have three interviews scheduled on the 27th and another three on the 29th. So, if your parents gave you permission, you could come to the scheduled interviews and spend your holiday with me. I don't know if you can use a computer, but I'll have it set up in my office anyways. I hope it's not too crowded…" she trailed off, thinking about her room.

Behind her back, the two of them shot an ok sign to their Fathers who watched them with bated breath to the signals. Upon seeing them, they drew collective relieved breaths and talked with each other more comfortably.

Harriet and Thomas didn't speak at all, but the party still ended in a positive note for all of them.

Daphne went home with a contented smile as her father promised her a new broom for her part in going to chaperone their Lady in her interviews, and preventing a major curse fest the Dark Lord sure to hand to his followers if the card in her pocket ever be found. She resolved to burn it in her room for the sake of safety and leaned to her mum happily as she told them of her holiday plans.

Before destroying the card, she reread the note and shook her head in exasperation, reminding herself that her Lady is an eleven years old girl just like her, and is allowed to make this kind of mistake from time to time. But really, she should have more tact than this.

Harriet's original note that Daphne brought home to be destroyed.

Thomas,

This is Quasimodo. He is a Pug, one of my new batch of puppies. He is a reminder of what your face will become if you keep getting angry about your age and having these bouts of irrational jealousy for anyone younger than you. Honestly, Thomas.

Happy Yule and Happy Birthday.

Love,

Harriet