Chapter Two
Two days later; Holland Place
"Mr. Crabbe to see you, sir." Said Reyni letting the lawyer into Malfoy's study.
"Hello, Vince. How are you?"
"Will do, Draco, but I have a good and a bad news."
"What happened? Don't tell me! The Japanese backed out. I knew there was something fishy about Yoshimoto from the very beginning. Hell, I will have to call the Koreans and maybe we'll get the Daewoo contract in Poland. Where did I put his number? I need."
"Draco, wait! It's not about the Japanese. We are to sign the contract next week. They are all happy bunnies. It's about your trial."
"What now? What has she done now? Anne Marie Malfoy, you'll feel what it means to have a strict father."
"No, Draco, it's the good news. I called a couple of places and found out who the judge is."
"Yes?"
"It's Justice Kellerman. He is a good, old man. Don't worry. You'll come out crystal clear. We'll tell him, how much you care for your daughter and what you do for her. We'll promise, it won't happen again and it will be fine. He'll acquit you."
"Fine. What's the bad news?"
"You'll need to take vacation."
"That's the bad news?"
"Yes. You see. We'll tell the judge that you have already decided to take your daughter for vacation in one of those lovely French resorts. It will be a reward for good marks and stuff. Justice Kellerman will be satisfied. You and Anne Marie will go in three months time for three weeks away. I've already booked the places in a luxurious hotel, and that will be evidence of your good will as a father in court."
"Great," said Malfoy rather without enthusiasm. The last time he had vacation in a luxurious hotel, it was during his honeymoon. He and Desiree went to the beach, she swam in the hotel swimming pool and in the evening she spent his money in the casino. He hoped that at least Anne Marie would not end her day in casino. Of course, she would not, he would keep an eye on her.
Six days later
"Draco Malfoy speaking." Said he to the receiver. Muggle mobiles were extremely comfortable devises.
"Hello, Draco. It's Markus Flint. Remember me?"
"Sure, old mate. How are you?"
"Great. Never better in fact. I'm calling to tell you that I am engaged to be married."
"Congratulations. Who is the lucky girl?"
"Virginia Weasley-Kellerman."
"Ron's sister? When will the desired event take place?"
"Yes, we've been together for sometime now and we are to be married in three months."
"Congratulations once more. To you and the bride."
"Thank you. I have a favour to ask of you."
"Shoot," replied Malfoy.
"Will you be my best man?"
"I am honoured Flint. Of course! With pleasure."
"Thank you. I'll be in London next week. Shall we have lunch together?"
"Of course. When?"
"Thursday?"
"Fine with me. Let's meet in Danesfield in Marlow. I'm on business in Slough in the morning. How about two o'clock?"
"Right. See you then."
"Bye." Malfoy hung up the receiver. Markus Flint was his roommate when he was a freshman at Cambridge and they stayed friends through the years. Two years ago, Markus took some work in Inverness and moved to Scotland where he still lived. Malfoy wondered how Virginia looked now. Malfoy wondered if she was related to Justice Kellerman. But it seemed hardly possible.
Lunch with Markus went smoothly. Although they hadn't seen each other for two years, they had lots to talk about and before they knew, they decided to have dinner at Danesfield, as well. Markus talked constantly about Virginia. How wonderful she was, how angelic, how good, how beautiful and when he produced her photo, she hasn't changed much. Maybe she was more graceful.
"This Kellerman surname, where did that come from?" asked Draco.
"She married some cad after school. Complete disaster. They got divorced."
They agreed that Markus would bring her to dinner to Holland Place when they both came to London, and it was nearly midnight when they parted.
Two weeks later
"Silence in the Court. All rise!" said the voice and everyone in the room obeyed. The door opened and a woman of thirty something walked in and took the place of the judge.
"Judge Kellerman? The good, old man?" asked Malfoy quizzically in whisper.
"Yes. No. I mean I didn't ask. It's his daughter-in-law. We are in trouble. She is the nightmare of everyone who did anything bad to their child." Replied Crabbe in the same manner.
"I haven't done anything wrong to Anne Marie. She did it. Vincent, you're dead."
"Well, Judge Kellerman does not share your point of view. She was one of the strongest supporters of the."
"Silence" said the Justice Kellerman "and the defendant should not threaten his lawyer."
Draco looked up at the woman who spoke. It was no one else but Hermione Granger.
Two days later; Holland Place
"Mr. Crabbe to see you, sir." Said Reyni letting the lawyer into Malfoy's study.
"Hello, Vince. How are you?"
"Will do, Draco, but I have a good and a bad news."
"What happened? Don't tell me! The Japanese backed out. I knew there was something fishy about Yoshimoto from the very beginning. Hell, I will have to call the Koreans and maybe we'll get the Daewoo contract in Poland. Where did I put his number? I need."
"Draco, wait! It's not about the Japanese. We are to sign the contract next week. They are all happy bunnies. It's about your trial."
"What now? What has she done now? Anne Marie Malfoy, you'll feel what it means to have a strict father."
"No, Draco, it's the good news. I called a couple of places and found out who the judge is."
"Yes?"
"It's Justice Kellerman. He is a good, old man. Don't worry. You'll come out crystal clear. We'll tell him, how much you care for your daughter and what you do for her. We'll promise, it won't happen again and it will be fine. He'll acquit you."
"Fine. What's the bad news?"
"You'll need to take vacation."
"That's the bad news?"
"Yes. You see. We'll tell the judge that you have already decided to take your daughter for vacation in one of those lovely French resorts. It will be a reward for good marks and stuff. Justice Kellerman will be satisfied. You and Anne Marie will go in three months time for three weeks away. I've already booked the places in a luxurious hotel, and that will be evidence of your good will as a father in court."
"Great," said Malfoy rather without enthusiasm. The last time he had vacation in a luxurious hotel, it was during his honeymoon. He and Desiree went to the beach, she swam in the hotel swimming pool and in the evening she spent his money in the casino. He hoped that at least Anne Marie would not end her day in casino. Of course, she would not, he would keep an eye on her.
Six days later
"Draco Malfoy speaking." Said he to the receiver. Muggle mobiles were extremely comfortable devises.
"Hello, Draco. It's Markus Flint. Remember me?"
"Sure, old mate. How are you?"
"Great. Never better in fact. I'm calling to tell you that I am engaged to be married."
"Congratulations. Who is the lucky girl?"
"Virginia Weasley-Kellerman."
"Ron's sister? When will the desired event take place?"
"Yes, we've been together for sometime now and we are to be married in three months."
"Congratulations once more. To you and the bride."
"Thank you. I have a favour to ask of you."
"Shoot," replied Malfoy.
"Will you be my best man?"
"I am honoured Flint. Of course! With pleasure."
"Thank you. I'll be in London next week. Shall we have lunch together?"
"Of course. When?"
"Thursday?"
"Fine with me. Let's meet in Danesfield in Marlow. I'm on business in Slough in the morning. How about two o'clock?"
"Right. See you then."
"Bye." Malfoy hung up the receiver. Markus Flint was his roommate when he was a freshman at Cambridge and they stayed friends through the years. Two years ago, Markus took some work in Inverness and moved to Scotland where he still lived. Malfoy wondered how Virginia looked now. Malfoy wondered if she was related to Justice Kellerman. But it seemed hardly possible.
Lunch with Markus went smoothly. Although they hadn't seen each other for two years, they had lots to talk about and before they knew, they decided to have dinner at Danesfield, as well. Markus talked constantly about Virginia. How wonderful she was, how angelic, how good, how beautiful and when he produced her photo, she hasn't changed much. Maybe she was more graceful.
"This Kellerman surname, where did that come from?" asked Draco.
"She married some cad after school. Complete disaster. They got divorced."
They agreed that Markus would bring her to dinner to Holland Place when they both came to London, and it was nearly midnight when they parted.
Two weeks later
"Silence in the Court. All rise!" said the voice and everyone in the room obeyed. The door opened and a woman of thirty something walked in and took the place of the judge.
"Judge Kellerman? The good, old man?" asked Malfoy quizzically in whisper.
"Yes. No. I mean I didn't ask. It's his daughter-in-law. We are in trouble. She is the nightmare of everyone who did anything bad to their child." Replied Crabbe in the same manner.
"I haven't done anything wrong to Anne Marie. She did it. Vincent, you're dead."
"Well, Judge Kellerman does not share your point of view. She was one of the strongest supporters of the."
"Silence" said the Justice Kellerman "and the defendant should not threaten his lawyer."
Draco looked up at the woman who spoke. It was no one else but Hermione Granger.