July 25: Venom and Firewhiskey
On a whim, I sent Hedwig to the apartment to head Ginny off in case she came back. I explained the situation and told her I'd be late. She could wait for me if she so desired, but I wouldn't ask her to. Neville and I left Ron and Hermione at the office at six and I marveled at how Neville had disappeared before we made it to the exit.
Alone, I wandered into Serpensmordre, and sat at the bar. Flint flashed his sickly teeth in what I assumed to be a smile and set a tumbler on the counter in front of me.
"Same as always, Scarhead?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. When I was a year old, my Dad's best friend dropped me into a crate of pre-adolescent blast-ended skrewts and I'd been caught in the forehead by one of their blasts. A little lightning bolt above my right eye was my souvenir from the impromptu rendezvous and I would never live it down.
"Just one tonight, Marky," I told the barman.
"It's Marcus," he growled, filling my glass.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," someone greeted from behind me.
"Lucius! Just the man I wanted to see."
"Shall tonight be the night you make your membership official? Lavender has had her eyes on you for quite some time," the older man commented, motioning vaguely at one of his employees who was making eyes at me in such a way, I thought they'd fall out of her head.
"You know me, Lucius. I just like to look."
He smirked and nodded.
"As you wish, Harry," he said, bowing away.
"Thanks," I muttered, taking a sip of my firewhiskey. It hit me a little harder than I was expecting it to and I coughed and spluttered. Or maybe it was Ginny and Draco ascending the stairway along the far wall that took me by surprise. They were heading to one of the 'suites', I could tell, though Draco didn't seem willing to wait until his got there. He had her pushed up against a wall and I took pride in the fact that she seemed rather bored with it all.
Her eyes met mine.
'What are you doing here?'
I wiggled the glass in my fingers and glanced lazily around the room at the various women.
'Working.'
Ginny smiled a little at me before frowning at whatever Draco had just whispered in her ear. She looked back to me with a pointed expression.
'You'd better be at home when I get there.'
I smiled and nodded.
'Wouldn't miss it for 5000 galleons.'
She made a face.
'Only 5000?'
I chuckled and she turned Draco around so he was against the wall, pushing herself away from him a little. He saw me and smirked as she took hold of his tie and pulled him onto the landing and out of sight.
"Hope that doesn't ruin your visit," Lucius intoned, quirking an eyebrow at me. I hadn't realized he'd came back.
"Not at all," I smiled, taking my drink and making my way to the viewing rooms, which happened to be just below the 'suites'. Finding an empty room, I handed six sickles to the attendant and he pulled the blinds up. I proceeded to drink my whiskey and stare blankly at the woman on the other side of the glass. I had no interest in her whatsoever and wasn't even paying attention. The chandelier that hung above my head began to shake and swing and my mind strayed to Ginny and Draco.
I shuddered involuntarily as the attendant shut the blinds.
I handed him another six sickles and he reopened them, the girl continuing with her show.
Voices could be heard from the room above us and the attendant shook his head.
"Stupid leprechaun couldn't keep his mouth shut if his life were on the line."
I looked at him inquisitively.
"Leprechaun?"
"Jumpy, funny-looking Irish lad. Little guy. Always got chocolate on his upper lip and whining about flobberworms. He comes in all the time."
So Lucius was taking care of Seamus.
"Does he talk to anyone? Or just get straight to it?"
The girl on the other side pounded on the glass to get focus back on her, but the attendant just responded by shutting the blinds.
"Talks to Master Malfoy sometimes, but never for long. You know, he was getting the best of the best women we got, but now he's been settling for …" The man snapped his fingers. "She's got a younger sister that looks just like her."
"Parvati?"
"That's her. I can never get their names straight."
Another thud sounded on the other side of the glass, but I ignored it, standing and starting for the door.
"Thanks again, Fudge," I said as I left.
Cornelius waved and bowed, "Anytime, Mr. Potter."
I glanced quickly around the room and was surprised to the see the bespectacled girl with the notebook on my first pass, but wasn't surprised to see that she had again vanished by the time my eyes swept the room a second time. Another face I did not see was 'Master' Malfoy's and I started for the door hoping to make a getaway without him seeing.
"Ah, Harry. Leaving so soon?"
No luck.
"The night is far from over, Lucius. I do have a job to do somewhere, I'm sure. The woes of being a private detective," I joked.
"I hope your visit was sufficient."
"It's gets better every time."
Lucius smiled and I turned to leave.
"Very well, then, Mr. Potter. Your pleasure is mine," he called as I stepped outside. It had gotten quite cold and I suddenly found myself wishing for my trench coat, despite the hassle it was. From habit, I looked up and down the street and noted the party-goers heading into the Forge. Fred and George probably thought I was dead. I didn't show up yesterday, and wasn't going to today, either.
Shivering, I pulled my jacket in tighter and started for my apartment. I had meant to walk, casual and cool, seeing as it's not the way of a private eye to run, but found that I was running. Just as I realized I was running, my feet got tangled in something and I tripped and fell.
"What the …" I muttered angrily as I reached to free myself from my captor. It was my trench coat. Grumbling, I put it on and decided not to think about it. Stranger things have happened, I supposed as I proceeded to walk casually to my building.
Luna was waiting in the doorway of her apartment, snapping her gum, when I passed by on the way to the stairwell.
"Neville will probably be late again," I told her, stopping for only a moment, I hoped.
"Yeah, I heard you've given him a desk," she said, smiling. "That means a lot to him. He really looks up to you, you know, Harry."
I was taken aback at her demeanor, but shook my head, "It should be the other way around. He's a better person than I'll ever be."
"Do you offer benefits for the families of employees? Compensation, if you will, when they have to work late?" she smirked.
There was the Luna I knew.
"Nope, sorry," I said over my shoulder as I walked away.
Luna just laughed and I heard her door shut as I reached the third floor landing. Unlocking my door, I stepped into my apartment.
And, soon, found my back pressed against the door, my mouth engaged in a kiss.
"Take it off, take it off, take it off," Ginny demanded quickly, pulling away and helping me remove my trench coat, jacket and tie. She grabbed the front of my shirt, pulling me into my room and on top of her on the bed.
I started to say something, but she kissed me again, unbuttoning my shirt.
"I don't even get a 'hello' anymore," I finally managed, when she pushed me back onto my haunches and sat up, tossing my shirt to side.
"I don't have a lot of time," she informed me, clawing at my belt. She growled in exasperation and pulled out her wand.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I exclaimed, stopping her. "I've got it from here, doll baby."
"Don't call me that. Draco calls me that. And I want you, not Draco."
"Fair enough," I mumbled, tossing my belt aside and starting to remove my hat.
"No," she interjected, placing a hand on my arm. "Leave the hat."
This was going to be interesting.
"You're leaving?" I asked, as she quickly redressed and started for the door. I took my boxers from the lamp in the corner and followed her into the living room.
"I told you I didn't have a lot of time."
"Why? What's going on?"
"Lucius called him for a meeting as soon as we got into the room. I came straight here. Had you been here like I told you to be, we could have had a little more fun."
"I told you I was working," I explained.
"And I have things to do as well," she said, turning to the door.
"Why?" I asked, and frowned for doing so.
Ginny stopped and looked at me.
"What do you mean why?"
"Why do you have to go back to him?"
"Because he's my fiancé, Harry." She tried to sound confident in her reply, but I seemed to have posed a very good question.
"Fine, Ginny," I sighed. " Do what you have to do. Will I see you tomorrow?"
"As long as you don't work late," she smirked.
On a whim, I sent Hedwig to the apartment to head Ginny off in case she came back. I explained the situation and told her I'd be late. She could wait for me if she so desired, but I wouldn't ask her to. Neville and I left Ron and Hermione at the office at six and I marveled at how Neville had disappeared before we made it to the exit.
Alone, I wandered into Serpensmordre, and sat at the bar. Flint flashed his sickly teeth in what I assumed to be a smile and set a tumbler on the counter in front of me.
"Same as always, Scarhead?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. When I was a year old, my Dad's best friend dropped me into a crate of pre-adolescent blast-ended skrewts and I'd been caught in the forehead by one of their blasts. A little lightning bolt above my right eye was my souvenir from the impromptu rendezvous and I would never live it down.
"Just one tonight, Marky," I told the barman.
"It's Marcus," he growled, filling my glass.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," someone greeted from behind me.
"Lucius! Just the man I wanted to see."
"Shall tonight be the night you make your membership official? Lavender has had her eyes on you for quite some time," the older man commented, motioning vaguely at one of his employees who was making eyes at me in such a way, I thought they'd fall out of her head.
"You know me, Lucius. I just like to look."
He smirked and nodded.
"As you wish, Harry," he said, bowing away.
"Thanks," I muttered, taking a sip of my firewhiskey. It hit me a little harder than I was expecting it to and I coughed and spluttered. Or maybe it was Ginny and Draco ascending the stairway along the far wall that took me by surprise. They were heading to one of the 'suites', I could tell, though Draco didn't seem willing to wait until his got there. He had her pushed up against a wall and I took pride in the fact that she seemed rather bored with it all.
Her eyes met mine.
'What are you doing here?'
I wiggled the glass in my fingers and glanced lazily around the room at the various women.
'Working.'
Ginny smiled a little at me before frowning at whatever Draco had just whispered in her ear. She looked back to me with a pointed expression.
'You'd better be at home when I get there.'
I smiled and nodded.
'Wouldn't miss it for 5000 galleons.'
She made a face.
'Only 5000?'
I chuckled and she turned Draco around so he was against the wall, pushing herself away from him a little. He saw me and smirked as she took hold of his tie and pulled him onto the landing and out of sight.
"Hope that doesn't ruin your visit," Lucius intoned, quirking an eyebrow at me. I hadn't realized he'd came back.
"Not at all," I smiled, taking my drink and making my way to the viewing rooms, which happened to be just below the 'suites'. Finding an empty room, I handed six sickles to the attendant and he pulled the blinds up. I proceeded to drink my whiskey and stare blankly at the woman on the other side of the glass. I had no interest in her whatsoever and wasn't even paying attention. The chandelier that hung above my head began to shake and swing and my mind strayed to Ginny and Draco.
I shuddered involuntarily as the attendant shut the blinds.
I handed him another six sickles and he reopened them, the girl continuing with her show.
Voices could be heard from the room above us and the attendant shook his head.
"Stupid leprechaun couldn't keep his mouth shut if his life were on the line."
I looked at him inquisitively.
"Leprechaun?"
"Jumpy, funny-looking Irish lad. Little guy. Always got chocolate on his upper lip and whining about flobberworms. He comes in all the time."
So Lucius was taking care of Seamus.
"Does he talk to anyone? Or just get straight to it?"
The girl on the other side pounded on the glass to get focus back on her, but the attendant just responded by shutting the blinds.
"Talks to Master Malfoy sometimes, but never for long. You know, he was getting the best of the best women we got, but now he's been settling for …" The man snapped his fingers. "She's got a younger sister that looks just like her."
"Parvati?"
"That's her. I can never get their names straight."
Another thud sounded on the other side of the glass, but I ignored it, standing and starting for the door.
"Thanks again, Fudge," I said as I left.
Cornelius waved and bowed, "Anytime, Mr. Potter."
I glanced quickly around the room and was surprised to the see the bespectacled girl with the notebook on my first pass, but wasn't surprised to see that she had again vanished by the time my eyes swept the room a second time. Another face I did not see was 'Master' Malfoy's and I started for the door hoping to make a getaway without him seeing.
"Ah, Harry. Leaving so soon?"
No luck.
"The night is far from over, Lucius. I do have a job to do somewhere, I'm sure. The woes of being a private detective," I joked.
"I hope your visit was sufficient."
"It's gets better every time."
Lucius smiled and I turned to leave.
"Very well, then, Mr. Potter. Your pleasure is mine," he called as I stepped outside. It had gotten quite cold and I suddenly found myself wishing for my trench coat, despite the hassle it was. From habit, I looked up and down the street and noted the party-goers heading into the Forge. Fred and George probably thought I was dead. I didn't show up yesterday, and wasn't going to today, either.
Shivering, I pulled my jacket in tighter and started for my apartment. I had meant to walk, casual and cool, seeing as it's not the way of a private eye to run, but found that I was running. Just as I realized I was running, my feet got tangled in something and I tripped and fell.
"What the …" I muttered angrily as I reached to free myself from my captor. It was my trench coat. Grumbling, I put it on and decided not to think about it. Stranger things have happened, I supposed as I proceeded to walk casually to my building.
Luna was waiting in the doorway of her apartment, snapping her gum, when I passed by on the way to the stairwell.
"Neville will probably be late again," I told her, stopping for only a moment, I hoped.
"Yeah, I heard you've given him a desk," she said, smiling. "That means a lot to him. He really looks up to you, you know, Harry."
I was taken aback at her demeanor, but shook my head, "It should be the other way around. He's a better person than I'll ever be."
"Do you offer benefits for the families of employees? Compensation, if you will, when they have to work late?" she smirked.
There was the Luna I knew.
"Nope, sorry," I said over my shoulder as I walked away.
Luna just laughed and I heard her door shut as I reached the third floor landing. Unlocking my door, I stepped into my apartment.
And, soon, found my back pressed against the door, my mouth engaged in a kiss.
"Take it off, take it off, take it off," Ginny demanded quickly, pulling away and helping me remove my trench coat, jacket and tie. She grabbed the front of my shirt, pulling me into my room and on top of her on the bed.
I started to say something, but she kissed me again, unbuttoning my shirt.
"I don't even get a 'hello' anymore," I finally managed, when she pushed me back onto my haunches and sat up, tossing my shirt to side.
"I don't have a lot of time," she informed me, clawing at my belt. She growled in exasperation and pulled out her wand.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I exclaimed, stopping her. "I've got it from here, doll baby."
"Don't call me that. Draco calls me that. And I want you, not Draco."
"Fair enough," I mumbled, tossing my belt aside and starting to remove my hat.
"No," she interjected, placing a hand on my arm. "Leave the hat."
This was going to be interesting.
"You're leaving?" I asked, as she quickly redressed and started for the door. I took my boxers from the lamp in the corner and followed her into the living room.
"I told you I didn't have a lot of time."
"Why? What's going on?"
"Lucius called him for a meeting as soon as we got into the room. I came straight here. Had you been here like I told you to be, we could have had a little more fun."
"I told you I was working," I explained.
"And I have things to do as well," she said, turning to the door.
"Why?" I asked, and frowned for doing so.
Ginny stopped and looked at me.
"What do you mean why?"
"Why do you have to go back to him?"
"Because he's my fiancé, Harry." She tried to sound confident in her reply, but I seemed to have posed a very good question.
"Fine, Ginny," I sighed. " Do what you have to do. Will I see you tomorrow?"
"As long as you don't work late," she smirked.
