Catwalker
by
The Goddess Bastet
Rated R just to be safe.
Summary : Hermione has to work undercover at a beauty pageant... while being under the watchful eye of a certain Draco Malfoy.
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror.
Chapter 2: Conditions
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
A/N: Yes, as many of you have noticed, this fic has been inspired by the Sandra Bullock movie "Miss Congeniality" However, please note that it is not a re-write. I've taken the basic ideas and done my own thing with them as far as possible.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Having unconsciously stood as Fudge opened the door, Hermione had to grip the back-rest of her chair so as to not fall back down with shock.
There he stood, in the doorway of the little room: The plague of her adolescence. After a recess of four years, he looked little different... The same platinum hair, the same steel-coloured eyes and that same radiation of raw power that seemed be emitted from his very core.
Yet something was missing...
"Mr Malfoy, this is Hermione Granger, whom I believe you are acquainted with from your school days. Am I correct?"
Draco murmured his assent, though his gaze on Hermione did not waver.
"Good, good!" beamed the Minister, "So I hope that the two of you will not be insulted if I leave you alone. I have a very important luncheon engagement. Please excuse me. You may, of course have private use of this office for as long as you need to re-acquaint yourselves with one another."
For some reason that Hermione refused to put her finger on, she thought about the bloody desk again.
"And oh, Miss Granger. I expect to know by tomorrow morning what your decision is. I trust that you'll make the right choice - this time."
Within a matter of seconds and a cheery wave, Fudge was gone. Disapparition really was a handy trick. Pity the Minister was the only one with the clearance to use it in the building. She really wanted to wave her wand and be instantly away from the Slytherin prat too.
Ah, there it was. Hermione knew exactly what had been missing from the above mentioned prat's face.
The trademark Malfoy sneer.
It unfurled itself across his features like a flag that had been tightly coiled and suddenly allowed to fly freely again.
However could she have forgotten it?
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Draco didn't think that he'd ever forget the look on Granger's face when Fudge announced that she'd be working with him.
Pure.
Utter.
Horror.
It was flattering really, that she remembered him with such strong emotions. He always liked to make an impression on those he encountered - and here was obviously an example of a job well done. Really, though... you'd think an Auror trained in undercover work would be able to keep her feelings more firmly in check. Had she forgotten everything while working in that stuffy lab of hers? Perhaps he would have to re-train her in addition to the babysitting assignment.
By Salazar Slytherin, what had he got himself into?
The least Fudge could have done was give him somebody who could pass as a model. Granger's lab robe was stained in multiple places, her hair still as alarming as the fur on a frightened cat, and her face, totally devoid of any make up was... well actually, her face was alright. That was exhaustion that was marring it. Given the right charms, who knew? Her figure... well honestly, with those robes, who COULD know? One could probably house the Russian circus comfortably in them.
It suddenly occurred to him that they had yet to verbally insult each other. In all the glaring, speaking had been forgotten.
But, alas, before he could select an appropriate taunt - and, oh, there were so many to choose from! - she whirled away and dashed out the door.
How rude.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
When Hermione crashed through his office door like a beastess on a rampage, Harry thought it safe to assume that she was not pleased.
Not pleased at all.
As she looked quite ready to inflict bodily harm, he instinctively held up his hands to ward off any attack. It didn't protect him from verbal abuse though.
"Harry James Potter, what in Azkaban do you think you're playing at? I can't believe that you put my name to Fudge for this bubble-headed assignment..." She went on and on, and Harry was starting to tune out when something she said caught his attention. "And if that wasn't enough, you just had to throw in Malfoy as well!", her voice had risen to an almost pitiful wail.
Hold up!
"Wait, Malfoy? As in Ferret-Boy Malfoy?"
Hermione gave him a look like she thought he was a bit slow.
Oh shit.
"Good Merlin, Hermione. I'm sorry - I never knew, I swear! Fudge was insisting that you be kept under surveillance and that he had the perfect agent in mind. Hell, he was practically simpering... how the Dementor's Kiss is Malfoy a Ministry agent anyway? But think, Hermione! If you can pull this off, you're back on the squad. You'll just have to endure that pathetic git for a few days..."
"Oh, the barb goes straight to the heart, Potter." Malfoy put on an injured face as he struck an imaginary dagger through his chest. The tragic-hero look soon gave way to his patented smirk as he leaned casually against the doorframe.
"What, don't trust me to look after your girlfriend, Scarface? Afraid that I'll screw her over, let her get killed? I'm sure there's no fear of that... the murderer only goes for the pretty ones. Or perhaps you think I'll be sure to tell the Fudge-packer what a lousy Auror she is and have her booted out of Potter's Camp of Heroes? Actually, that would be fun."
Draco chuckled as he saw Harry's fists clench tightly and Hermione's face pale. She turned back to Harry, suddenly tired of the whole sordid mess. "I'm busy with an important project in the lab - I can't just abandon it! Besides, Fudge said that he hoped I wouldn't refuse this assignment, but he didn't say that I couldn't refuse it. I'll just explain to him that I'll wait out my six months in the lab as previously agreed by the board."
"Oh, come on Hermione," groaned Harry, "You know as well as I do that Fudge only said that for politeness... A formality of sorts. And I daresay that refusing this will be a bad idea. Firstly, I need you on this case. Don't look at me like I'm a traitor! Secondly, if you pass it up, the board will probably count it against you. I thought you wanted to be re-instated as an Auror!"
"Of course I do! Just not now, not like this and most of all, not with HIM!" She practically yelled the last word while jabbing an accusatory finger towards the door, where a highly amused Draco still stood.
"Tsk tsk, Granger. Didn't your parents ever tell you it's rude to point?"
She then showed him an abrupt hand-sign which he strongly suspected meant nothing positive.
Turning back to Harry, she spoke in a calmer voice. "My answer is no. Find somebody else for the job. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my lab - doing the job I'm currently paid to do." With that, she turned away from him. As she was began to walk away, he said quietly, "There is nobody else. You're all we've got." She paused briefly mid-stride, and she distinctly heard Draco mutter "Merlin help us then."
"Sorry Harry," she said, "but I will not humiliate myself."
Then she brushed past Draco at the door, leaving the two men - one frustrated, the other amused - to stare after her.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Hermione glanced at the door in annoyance when the loud knock sounded. She was pretty sure that she had left a note on it stating quite clearly that she was not to be disturbed. Obviously, illiteracy was on the increase, since the pounding did not seem to be stopping anytime soon. She might as well open the door and get it over with.
With an agitated flick of her wand, she unlocked the door. She put on her best 'no-nonsense' face and hand firmly on hip, mentally prepared for battle before pulling the door wide open. Ah, Malfoy again.
"You know, you look a lot like Pansy Parkinson when you do that."
He had just told her that she looked like a pug. Her surprised indignation temporarily robbed her of her well rehearsed bitchy voice and replaced it with a spluttering "WHAT!?!?" before she had the good sense to try an intimidating scowl.
That just made him laugh.
"I really want to hex you right now," she muttered. He seemed to consider her words.
"Well, why don't you?"
Needless to say, that wasn't quite the response she'd been expecting. However if that's what he wanted, she had seven years of revenge to pay him - with interest.
"Now hold on Tiger! Let's keep this civilized," Draco said hurriedly as he saw the malicious gleam in her eye. "What I propose is a duel - You win, and Potter and I will find a way to get you off this case with no harm to your name. I win, and well... you tell Fudge that you're ready, happy and positively willing to begin "Operation Cover Girl!"
'Cover Girl,' groaned Hermione inwardly, 'as in make-up and cleavage and embarrassingly low intelligence levels?'
A duel? A chance to kick Malfoy's albino hide and get out of the nightmarish situation she found herself in?
"You're on Malfoy!"
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
"I reckon it's a tie," mused Harry as he gauged Hermione and Draco's injuries. Both scowled at him: Hermione because she thought that as her best friend, he'd judge with a more biased eye in her favour. Draco because he didn't need a reason to scowl - ever. Besides, he thought Potter was the one who wanted Granger on the case in the first place.
"So what now?" she asked, rubbing furiously on the spot on her wand-arm where Draco had hit her with the Itchiness hex. She still maintained that it was the most childish move ever used in an adult duel. From a man raised by a Death Eater, no less! However she could not fault its effectiveness.
When you've got an itch, you've got to scratch.
"Well I suppose there's nothing more we can do other than compromise." Again both parties scowled. Why did he have to be peacemaker between the two most headstrong, stubborn, bull-headed...
"Fine, Granger. If you do the job, you get the satisfaction of possibly apprehending a dangerous criminal and saving innocent lives. Doesn't that appeal to your bleeding Gryffindor heart?" Draco asked, while gingerly nursing his darkly bruised cheekbone. Didn't the girl know that in wizarding duels, physical muggle-y violence was generally frowned upon? She sure could pack a whopper of a punch, though - he'd give her that.
"Much more than I imagine it appeals to your Slytherin chunk of ice, Malfoy." Hermione shot back. "Honestly, you sound like you actually care about innocents. Whatever happened to that delightful little ambition of yours to become a first class Death Eater? Did murder and mayhem not work out for you? Were the hours too long, the pay not good enough?"
Something in his eyes flashed and Hermione bit her lip. Yet again, her mouth had shot itself off and she almost regretted it. However, ever since she'd seen him in Fudge's office she'd been nagged by questions. What had happened these past years that had resulted in Draco working for the good side? It was a rather unexpected occurrence.
"Let's keep the topic focussed, shall we? Look, we both want the killer in Azkaban. What do we have to do to get you to do this?"
Hermione sighed, and rubbed her itching arm even harder. It was becoming abundantly clear that she was going to have to do the assignment - big hair, heaving bosoms and all.
"Well, for a start, you can take this stupid hex off," she muttered in defeat. She managed to not let her sulk slip when she saw Harry's relieved grin. Draco immediately complied. She had to wonder why he was so eager to work on the case. You'd think that he'd have done everything in his power to avoid having to work with the 'Mudblood Know-it-All'. If she was off, he wouldn't have to stick around either. Some other agent who wasn't suspended would be found for the job - for Hermione could not believe that she was the best choice. Then Malfoy could go back to whatever it was he was doing before Fudge told him that he was needed to supervise a certain wayward-prone Auror.
It just didn't make sense that he'd try this hard to get her to say yes.
"Is that it?" he asked. She realized that he was talking about her conditions for doing the job. If he thought that removing a second-year hex was all it took to win her over to the land of airheads, he was most seriously mistaken!
"Hell no! Firstly, if you call me a Mudblood even once during this fiasco..."
"Have I called you one yet?" he interrupted impatiently.
"Well, no." Oddly enough, he hadn't.
"Right, proceed."
"Secondly, this is strictly business. You will not be there only to tattle- tale on me, you'll be my only back-up too. I need to know that if I need your assistance, you won't be chatting up the other contestants or something."
He pursed his lips, as if he was trying desperately not to smile. "Oh, don't worry sweetheart. You're the only "Miss Charming" in my life."
"Ha Ha Malfoy."
"And thirdly?" he prompted.
"Thirdly, if you make me look like a fool, I swear by the Founders of Hogwarts that you will live just long enough to regret it."
Draco grinned then, showing off his polished set of teeth with boyish humour.
"Oh, come on Granger! Why should I make you look like a fool when you're perfectly capable of doing that yourself? So are you done? Or should I grab a quill and parchment and get the next nine-hundred and ninety-seven down?"
"No, I think that about covers it. I suppose it's too much to ask that you judge my performance fairly. Anyhow you may inform Minister Fudge," and here she clapped her hands loudly together twice in quick succession, before striking a mock pose - complete with pouting lips and fluttering eyelashes, "that I am ready for my close up!"
Both Harry and Draco groaned.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
by
The Goddess Bastet
Rated R just to be safe.
Summary : Hermione has to work undercover at a beauty pageant... while being under the watchful eye of a certain Draco Malfoy.
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror.
Chapter 2: Conditions
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
A/N: Yes, as many of you have noticed, this fic has been inspired by the Sandra Bullock movie "Miss Congeniality" However, please note that it is not a re-write. I've taken the basic ideas and done my own thing with them as far as possible.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Having unconsciously stood as Fudge opened the door, Hermione had to grip the back-rest of her chair so as to not fall back down with shock.
There he stood, in the doorway of the little room: The plague of her adolescence. After a recess of four years, he looked little different... The same platinum hair, the same steel-coloured eyes and that same radiation of raw power that seemed be emitted from his very core.
Yet something was missing...
"Mr Malfoy, this is Hermione Granger, whom I believe you are acquainted with from your school days. Am I correct?"
Draco murmured his assent, though his gaze on Hermione did not waver.
"Good, good!" beamed the Minister, "So I hope that the two of you will not be insulted if I leave you alone. I have a very important luncheon engagement. Please excuse me. You may, of course have private use of this office for as long as you need to re-acquaint yourselves with one another."
For some reason that Hermione refused to put her finger on, she thought about the bloody desk again.
"And oh, Miss Granger. I expect to know by tomorrow morning what your decision is. I trust that you'll make the right choice - this time."
Within a matter of seconds and a cheery wave, Fudge was gone. Disapparition really was a handy trick. Pity the Minister was the only one with the clearance to use it in the building. She really wanted to wave her wand and be instantly away from the Slytherin prat too.
Ah, there it was. Hermione knew exactly what had been missing from the above mentioned prat's face.
The trademark Malfoy sneer.
It unfurled itself across his features like a flag that had been tightly coiled and suddenly allowed to fly freely again.
However could she have forgotten it?
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Draco didn't think that he'd ever forget the look on Granger's face when Fudge announced that she'd be working with him.
Pure.
Utter.
Horror.
It was flattering really, that she remembered him with such strong emotions. He always liked to make an impression on those he encountered - and here was obviously an example of a job well done. Really, though... you'd think an Auror trained in undercover work would be able to keep her feelings more firmly in check. Had she forgotten everything while working in that stuffy lab of hers? Perhaps he would have to re-train her in addition to the babysitting assignment.
By Salazar Slytherin, what had he got himself into?
The least Fudge could have done was give him somebody who could pass as a model. Granger's lab robe was stained in multiple places, her hair still as alarming as the fur on a frightened cat, and her face, totally devoid of any make up was... well actually, her face was alright. That was exhaustion that was marring it. Given the right charms, who knew? Her figure... well honestly, with those robes, who COULD know? One could probably house the Russian circus comfortably in them.
It suddenly occurred to him that they had yet to verbally insult each other. In all the glaring, speaking had been forgotten.
But, alas, before he could select an appropriate taunt - and, oh, there were so many to choose from! - she whirled away and dashed out the door.
How rude.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
When Hermione crashed through his office door like a beastess on a rampage, Harry thought it safe to assume that she was not pleased.
Not pleased at all.
As she looked quite ready to inflict bodily harm, he instinctively held up his hands to ward off any attack. It didn't protect him from verbal abuse though.
"Harry James Potter, what in Azkaban do you think you're playing at? I can't believe that you put my name to Fudge for this bubble-headed assignment..." She went on and on, and Harry was starting to tune out when something she said caught his attention. "And if that wasn't enough, you just had to throw in Malfoy as well!", her voice had risen to an almost pitiful wail.
Hold up!
"Wait, Malfoy? As in Ferret-Boy Malfoy?"
Hermione gave him a look like she thought he was a bit slow.
Oh shit.
"Good Merlin, Hermione. I'm sorry - I never knew, I swear! Fudge was insisting that you be kept under surveillance and that he had the perfect agent in mind. Hell, he was practically simpering... how the Dementor's Kiss is Malfoy a Ministry agent anyway? But think, Hermione! If you can pull this off, you're back on the squad. You'll just have to endure that pathetic git for a few days..."
"Oh, the barb goes straight to the heart, Potter." Malfoy put on an injured face as he struck an imaginary dagger through his chest. The tragic-hero look soon gave way to his patented smirk as he leaned casually against the doorframe.
"What, don't trust me to look after your girlfriend, Scarface? Afraid that I'll screw her over, let her get killed? I'm sure there's no fear of that... the murderer only goes for the pretty ones. Or perhaps you think I'll be sure to tell the Fudge-packer what a lousy Auror she is and have her booted out of Potter's Camp of Heroes? Actually, that would be fun."
Draco chuckled as he saw Harry's fists clench tightly and Hermione's face pale. She turned back to Harry, suddenly tired of the whole sordid mess. "I'm busy with an important project in the lab - I can't just abandon it! Besides, Fudge said that he hoped I wouldn't refuse this assignment, but he didn't say that I couldn't refuse it. I'll just explain to him that I'll wait out my six months in the lab as previously agreed by the board."
"Oh, come on Hermione," groaned Harry, "You know as well as I do that Fudge only said that for politeness... A formality of sorts. And I daresay that refusing this will be a bad idea. Firstly, I need you on this case. Don't look at me like I'm a traitor! Secondly, if you pass it up, the board will probably count it against you. I thought you wanted to be re-instated as an Auror!"
"Of course I do! Just not now, not like this and most of all, not with HIM!" She practically yelled the last word while jabbing an accusatory finger towards the door, where a highly amused Draco still stood.
"Tsk tsk, Granger. Didn't your parents ever tell you it's rude to point?"
She then showed him an abrupt hand-sign which he strongly suspected meant nothing positive.
Turning back to Harry, she spoke in a calmer voice. "My answer is no. Find somebody else for the job. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my lab - doing the job I'm currently paid to do." With that, she turned away from him. As she was began to walk away, he said quietly, "There is nobody else. You're all we've got." She paused briefly mid-stride, and she distinctly heard Draco mutter "Merlin help us then."
"Sorry Harry," she said, "but I will not humiliate myself."
Then she brushed past Draco at the door, leaving the two men - one frustrated, the other amused - to stare after her.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Hermione glanced at the door in annoyance when the loud knock sounded. She was pretty sure that she had left a note on it stating quite clearly that she was not to be disturbed. Obviously, illiteracy was on the increase, since the pounding did not seem to be stopping anytime soon. She might as well open the door and get it over with.
With an agitated flick of her wand, she unlocked the door. She put on her best 'no-nonsense' face and hand firmly on hip, mentally prepared for battle before pulling the door wide open. Ah, Malfoy again.
"You know, you look a lot like Pansy Parkinson when you do that."
He had just told her that she looked like a pug. Her surprised indignation temporarily robbed her of her well rehearsed bitchy voice and replaced it with a spluttering "WHAT!?!?" before she had the good sense to try an intimidating scowl.
That just made him laugh.
"I really want to hex you right now," she muttered. He seemed to consider her words.
"Well, why don't you?"
Needless to say, that wasn't quite the response she'd been expecting. However if that's what he wanted, she had seven years of revenge to pay him - with interest.
"Now hold on Tiger! Let's keep this civilized," Draco said hurriedly as he saw the malicious gleam in her eye. "What I propose is a duel - You win, and Potter and I will find a way to get you off this case with no harm to your name. I win, and well... you tell Fudge that you're ready, happy and positively willing to begin "Operation Cover Girl!"
'Cover Girl,' groaned Hermione inwardly, 'as in make-up and cleavage and embarrassingly low intelligence levels?'
A duel? A chance to kick Malfoy's albino hide and get out of the nightmarish situation she found herself in?
"You're on Malfoy!"
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
"I reckon it's a tie," mused Harry as he gauged Hermione and Draco's injuries. Both scowled at him: Hermione because she thought that as her best friend, he'd judge with a more biased eye in her favour. Draco because he didn't need a reason to scowl - ever. Besides, he thought Potter was the one who wanted Granger on the case in the first place.
"So what now?" she asked, rubbing furiously on the spot on her wand-arm where Draco had hit her with the Itchiness hex. She still maintained that it was the most childish move ever used in an adult duel. From a man raised by a Death Eater, no less! However she could not fault its effectiveness.
When you've got an itch, you've got to scratch.
"Well I suppose there's nothing more we can do other than compromise." Again both parties scowled. Why did he have to be peacemaker between the two most headstrong, stubborn, bull-headed...
"Fine, Granger. If you do the job, you get the satisfaction of possibly apprehending a dangerous criminal and saving innocent lives. Doesn't that appeal to your bleeding Gryffindor heart?" Draco asked, while gingerly nursing his darkly bruised cheekbone. Didn't the girl know that in wizarding duels, physical muggle-y violence was generally frowned upon? She sure could pack a whopper of a punch, though - he'd give her that.
"Much more than I imagine it appeals to your Slytherin chunk of ice, Malfoy." Hermione shot back. "Honestly, you sound like you actually care about innocents. Whatever happened to that delightful little ambition of yours to become a first class Death Eater? Did murder and mayhem not work out for you? Were the hours too long, the pay not good enough?"
Something in his eyes flashed and Hermione bit her lip. Yet again, her mouth had shot itself off and she almost regretted it. However, ever since she'd seen him in Fudge's office she'd been nagged by questions. What had happened these past years that had resulted in Draco working for the good side? It was a rather unexpected occurrence.
"Let's keep the topic focussed, shall we? Look, we both want the killer in Azkaban. What do we have to do to get you to do this?"
Hermione sighed, and rubbed her itching arm even harder. It was becoming abundantly clear that she was going to have to do the assignment - big hair, heaving bosoms and all.
"Well, for a start, you can take this stupid hex off," she muttered in defeat. She managed to not let her sulk slip when she saw Harry's relieved grin. Draco immediately complied. She had to wonder why he was so eager to work on the case. You'd think that he'd have done everything in his power to avoid having to work with the 'Mudblood Know-it-All'. If she was off, he wouldn't have to stick around either. Some other agent who wasn't suspended would be found for the job - for Hermione could not believe that she was the best choice. Then Malfoy could go back to whatever it was he was doing before Fudge told him that he was needed to supervise a certain wayward-prone Auror.
It just didn't make sense that he'd try this hard to get her to say yes.
"Is that it?" he asked. She realized that he was talking about her conditions for doing the job. If he thought that removing a second-year hex was all it took to win her over to the land of airheads, he was most seriously mistaken!
"Hell no! Firstly, if you call me a Mudblood even once during this fiasco..."
"Have I called you one yet?" he interrupted impatiently.
"Well, no." Oddly enough, he hadn't.
"Right, proceed."
"Secondly, this is strictly business. You will not be there only to tattle- tale on me, you'll be my only back-up too. I need to know that if I need your assistance, you won't be chatting up the other contestants or something."
He pursed his lips, as if he was trying desperately not to smile. "Oh, don't worry sweetheart. You're the only "Miss Charming" in my life."
"Ha Ha Malfoy."
"And thirdly?" he prompted.
"Thirdly, if you make me look like a fool, I swear by the Founders of Hogwarts that you will live just long enough to regret it."
Draco grinned then, showing off his polished set of teeth with boyish humour.
"Oh, come on Granger! Why should I make you look like a fool when you're perfectly capable of doing that yourself? So are you done? Or should I grab a quill and parchment and get the next nine-hundred and ninety-seven down?"
"No, I think that about covers it. I suppose it's too much to ask that you judge my performance fairly. Anyhow you may inform Minister Fudge," and here she clapped her hands loudly together twice in quick succession, before striking a mock pose - complete with pouting lips and fluttering eyelashes, "that I am ready for my close up!"
Both Harry and Draco groaned.
~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~