Ten Years Ago
"I'll kill that Malfoy prat if it's the last thing I do!" Brighid O'Connell muttered as she opened up her office door and stormed out to find him. In her rage, she didn't notice the lanky redhead in her way until she ran straight into him. "Watch where yer goin', will ye?"
"Hey, why don't you watch where you're going!" Ron spat back at her. He was in a foul mood after his lunch date.
"Look, Mr. Weasley, I don't have the time to discuss who was in the wrong here, so, if ye'll excuse me, I've got some hexin' to do."
"How did you know my name?"
"You look like my assistant, Ginny. I'm guessin' she's yer sister only because she said she had two brithers workin' here at the Ministry, and yer not Percy. If ye'll excuse me." Brighid tried to squeeze past him, but he put his arm on the wall and she stopped again, the rage building in her.
"And just whom are we hexing? If I'm correct, you work as a liaison in the International Wizarding department. Not a lot of call for hexing there, I'm afraid." It was one of the things Ron had heard from Ginny about her job. She also had said that this O'Connell was a tough boss. Ginny had never said, however, that O'Connell was this beautiful.
"Look, I really don't think it's any of yer business, but if ye must know, it is a personal matter. Actually, it's involving yer sister. Her boyfriend has been distracting her so much that none of the things I've asked her to do have gotten done." She hastily pushed back an auburn ringlet that refused to stay behind her ear. She then moved her hands to her hips and placed them there, knowing full well that Ron would not allow her to get by. Brighid contemplated an escape route, but nothing cunning was coming to mind.
"Ginny doesn't have a boyfriend." Ron said. He knew full well that Ginny was single, because if she weren't, this boyfriend would have hell to pay.
"Tell that to Draco Malfoy, who hangs around her all day." Brighid stepped to the right, and Ron stepped to his left, following her, still standing in her way.
"You have to be kidding me. Draco Malfoy? If he so much laid one hand on her."
"He's probably laid a whole lot more than a hand on her. Excuse me!"
"I'll kill that wanker!"
"Get in line!" She said as she stepped around him. He hastily turned around and followed her.
"Oh, no, Miss O'Connell, I've known him longer, I get to kill him first." Ron stated, fast on her heels as they headed towards the Department of Finance, where Draco worked as a liaison between Gringott's and the Ministry of Magic.
"Miss O'Connell is my old spinster aunt, my name is Brighid, or Dr. O'Connell."
"Doctor?" Ron asked, surprised. Not many witches or wizards held muggle titles like "doctor." He decided to press only because it was a long walk to the Department of Finance, and he thought she was rather impressive. Maybe after he killed Malfoy, he could have a drink with this Brighid O'Connell.
"Yes, I went to Oxford and got my degree in Political Science, it really comes in handy when ye're dealin' with seven different continents full of wizards."
"Ah. I thought it took a rather long time to acquire a p-h-e."
"Ph D. Doctorate of Philosophy." She shook her head. Obviously, Ron did not work with Muggles enough to know their degrees. "And yes, it normally takes a while, but it all came so easily to me that I had my doctorate a year before I turned 22." Ron was reminded of his friend Hermione. Everything always came easy to her. Hermione and Brighid would get along fabulously, he thought. Before he had time to ponder it, they were at Malfoy's office. Sure enough, Ginny was inside, obviously flirting with him, flipping her hair every so often as she laughed at a, most likely, horrible joke. Ron opened the door and motioned for Brighid to go first. "Miss Weasley!" She said, as though surprised to find Ginny there. "Did ye happen to deliver that report to Mr. Longbottom that I asked ye to?" Ginny's eyes widened, realizing that she was in trouble now. Little did she know what else was waiting for her.
"Virginia Weasley! What do you think you're doing in Malfoy's office? Did you not think that I wouldn't find out about this?"
"Now, hang on Weasel. Your sister is a grown woman and if she wants to see me, I think that's her decision." Malfoy said as he stood up to his full 6'. Of course, he was no Ron, who stood at least five inches taller.
"Listen, ferret, if you so much as laid one hand on my baby sister, I'll kill you, I swear to it!" Ron was getting redder and redder. Meanwhile, O'Connell was laying into Ginny about not getting her work done. The whole room was full of red faces. Ginny's was the only one of embarrassment, however. The office was utter pandemonium, until the Boy- Who-Lived walked in.
"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?" He shouted; everyone stopped to look at Harry. Everyone started talking at once.
"I'm tryin' to get my assistant."
"Harry, Malfoy is trying to pick up Ginny."
"Harry, Ron's being an absolute prat."
"Potty, this doesn't concern you."
"BE QUIET!" Everyone fell silent. "This isn't a shouting match, people! Now, let's all calm down and tell me what happened, one at a time. Malfoy, since it's you're office, you first."
"Well, I was just talking to Ginny here" Brighid snorted. Malfoy sent her a glare. "And then Weasel and his girlfriend show up and start yelling."
"I am not his girlfriend, I just met the man!" Brighid said, almost jumping at him, but Harry held her back.
"Now Miss.?"
"Dr. O'Connell."
"Doctor, what happened?"
"I was lookin' for my assistant, Ginny, here, when I ran into Mr. Weasley, and he came with me. I simply wanted to know why Miss Weasley was not doin' her job!"
"That's not fair, I did what you asked me to!"
"No ye did not!" The two started bickering.
"QUIET!" Harry roared. Peace came back to the room. "Ron, you're pretty easy to figure out. Malfoy, your sister, you're over protective, got it." Ron started to object but Harry glared at him. "Look, Ron, Ginny's not 12 years old anymore, and you cannot protect her. If she wants to date an idiot like Malfoy, that's her decision." Draco glared at Harry's comment. "Dr. O'Connell, if Ginny is not doing her job, simply suggest that she be transferred to a different position, because you obviously cannot work together. Now, I suggest that we all depart Malfoy's office, so we can all get back to work. Got it?" Everyone nodded. Harry sighed, another crisis averted. And he left the room.
"Ginny, would you care to take a walk?" Draco asked her. Ginny nodded and threw a look of sheer "you can't do anything about it" to her brother. Ron started to follow them out of the office, but Brighid held him back.
"Let them go, Ron." He huffed, but stayed behind. Ron looked at her, and decided that it was Friday afternoon, after all.
"Want to skip out early today and go get a drink?"
"I think I need one."
"Excellent. Shall we?" He gestured towards the door, and she smiled.
A/N So, maybe it's short. I WANT REVIEWS, please?
"I'll kill that Malfoy prat if it's the last thing I do!" Brighid O'Connell muttered as she opened up her office door and stormed out to find him. In her rage, she didn't notice the lanky redhead in her way until she ran straight into him. "Watch where yer goin', will ye?"
"Hey, why don't you watch where you're going!" Ron spat back at her. He was in a foul mood after his lunch date.
"Look, Mr. Weasley, I don't have the time to discuss who was in the wrong here, so, if ye'll excuse me, I've got some hexin' to do."
"How did you know my name?"
"You look like my assistant, Ginny. I'm guessin' she's yer sister only because she said she had two brithers workin' here at the Ministry, and yer not Percy. If ye'll excuse me." Brighid tried to squeeze past him, but he put his arm on the wall and she stopped again, the rage building in her.
"And just whom are we hexing? If I'm correct, you work as a liaison in the International Wizarding department. Not a lot of call for hexing there, I'm afraid." It was one of the things Ron had heard from Ginny about her job. She also had said that this O'Connell was a tough boss. Ginny had never said, however, that O'Connell was this beautiful.
"Look, I really don't think it's any of yer business, but if ye must know, it is a personal matter. Actually, it's involving yer sister. Her boyfriend has been distracting her so much that none of the things I've asked her to do have gotten done." She hastily pushed back an auburn ringlet that refused to stay behind her ear. She then moved her hands to her hips and placed them there, knowing full well that Ron would not allow her to get by. Brighid contemplated an escape route, but nothing cunning was coming to mind.
"Ginny doesn't have a boyfriend." Ron said. He knew full well that Ginny was single, because if she weren't, this boyfriend would have hell to pay.
"Tell that to Draco Malfoy, who hangs around her all day." Brighid stepped to the right, and Ron stepped to his left, following her, still standing in her way.
"You have to be kidding me. Draco Malfoy? If he so much laid one hand on her."
"He's probably laid a whole lot more than a hand on her. Excuse me!"
"I'll kill that wanker!"
"Get in line!" She said as she stepped around him. He hastily turned around and followed her.
"Oh, no, Miss O'Connell, I've known him longer, I get to kill him first." Ron stated, fast on her heels as they headed towards the Department of Finance, where Draco worked as a liaison between Gringott's and the Ministry of Magic.
"Miss O'Connell is my old spinster aunt, my name is Brighid, or Dr. O'Connell."
"Doctor?" Ron asked, surprised. Not many witches or wizards held muggle titles like "doctor." He decided to press only because it was a long walk to the Department of Finance, and he thought she was rather impressive. Maybe after he killed Malfoy, he could have a drink with this Brighid O'Connell.
"Yes, I went to Oxford and got my degree in Political Science, it really comes in handy when ye're dealin' with seven different continents full of wizards."
"Ah. I thought it took a rather long time to acquire a p-h-e."
"Ph D. Doctorate of Philosophy." She shook her head. Obviously, Ron did not work with Muggles enough to know their degrees. "And yes, it normally takes a while, but it all came so easily to me that I had my doctorate a year before I turned 22." Ron was reminded of his friend Hermione. Everything always came easy to her. Hermione and Brighid would get along fabulously, he thought. Before he had time to ponder it, they were at Malfoy's office. Sure enough, Ginny was inside, obviously flirting with him, flipping her hair every so often as she laughed at a, most likely, horrible joke. Ron opened the door and motioned for Brighid to go first. "Miss Weasley!" She said, as though surprised to find Ginny there. "Did ye happen to deliver that report to Mr. Longbottom that I asked ye to?" Ginny's eyes widened, realizing that she was in trouble now. Little did she know what else was waiting for her.
"Virginia Weasley! What do you think you're doing in Malfoy's office? Did you not think that I wouldn't find out about this?"
"Now, hang on Weasel. Your sister is a grown woman and if she wants to see me, I think that's her decision." Malfoy said as he stood up to his full 6'. Of course, he was no Ron, who stood at least five inches taller.
"Listen, ferret, if you so much as laid one hand on my baby sister, I'll kill you, I swear to it!" Ron was getting redder and redder. Meanwhile, O'Connell was laying into Ginny about not getting her work done. The whole room was full of red faces. Ginny's was the only one of embarrassment, however. The office was utter pandemonium, until the Boy- Who-Lived walked in.
"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?" He shouted; everyone stopped to look at Harry. Everyone started talking at once.
"I'm tryin' to get my assistant."
"Harry, Malfoy is trying to pick up Ginny."
"Harry, Ron's being an absolute prat."
"Potty, this doesn't concern you."
"BE QUIET!" Everyone fell silent. "This isn't a shouting match, people! Now, let's all calm down and tell me what happened, one at a time. Malfoy, since it's you're office, you first."
"Well, I was just talking to Ginny here" Brighid snorted. Malfoy sent her a glare. "And then Weasel and his girlfriend show up and start yelling."
"I am not his girlfriend, I just met the man!" Brighid said, almost jumping at him, but Harry held her back.
"Now Miss.?"
"Dr. O'Connell."
"Doctor, what happened?"
"I was lookin' for my assistant, Ginny, here, when I ran into Mr. Weasley, and he came with me. I simply wanted to know why Miss Weasley was not doin' her job!"
"That's not fair, I did what you asked me to!"
"No ye did not!" The two started bickering.
"QUIET!" Harry roared. Peace came back to the room. "Ron, you're pretty easy to figure out. Malfoy, your sister, you're over protective, got it." Ron started to object but Harry glared at him. "Look, Ron, Ginny's not 12 years old anymore, and you cannot protect her. If she wants to date an idiot like Malfoy, that's her decision." Draco glared at Harry's comment. "Dr. O'Connell, if Ginny is not doing her job, simply suggest that she be transferred to a different position, because you obviously cannot work together. Now, I suggest that we all depart Malfoy's office, so we can all get back to work. Got it?" Everyone nodded. Harry sighed, another crisis averted. And he left the room.
"Ginny, would you care to take a walk?" Draco asked her. Ginny nodded and threw a look of sheer "you can't do anything about it" to her brother. Ron started to follow them out of the office, but Brighid held him back.
"Let them go, Ron." He huffed, but stayed behind. Ron looked at her, and decided that it was Friday afternoon, after all.
"Want to skip out early today and go get a drink?"
"I think I need one."
"Excellent. Shall we?" He gestured towards the door, and she smiled.
A/N So, maybe it's short. I WANT REVIEWS, please?