CONSOLATION PRIZE: PART FIVE

Eleven am Monday morning, Draco Malfoy was sitting behind his desk desperately trying to figure out how he would make payroll next month. All he had to do was make the next month and he'd be fine. His first run of Muggle technology fitted with his charms and wards would be announced in less than a week, and a month after that they would be ready for shipment. But none of that meant anything if his employees walked off the job.

He looked up at the knock on his door. He placed his quill in the ink well, and closed his ledger. 'Come in.'

Blaise Zabini sauntered into Draco's office and sat down munching on a chocolate biscuit. 'Morning, Drake.'

'How did you get that?' Draco asked pointing to the biscuit.

'Flirted with your secretary.'

Draco rolled his eyes. 'Knew I should have hired the bloke.' He waited patiently while Blaise finished off his biscuit. He leant back in his seat, enjoying the break Blaise's presence granted him.

'What's with you?' Blaise asked, eyeing him warily.

'My business is going under and someone is trying to sabotage my only way to save it,' he reminded him.

'No.' Blaise shook his head and leant forward in his seat, resting his elbow on his thighs and scratching his chin. 'You're ... pleasant.' He paused watching Draco's reaction. Draco rolled his eyes but said nothing. Suddenly, Blaise's face split into a wide grin.

'Have a good shag over the weekend, did we?' he asked. 'Please tell me it was Weasley.'

'Don't,' Draco said sternly, his eyes hard.

'Oh, it was.' Blaise said eagerly and rubbed his hands together. 'Tell me, is she a screamer? The hair makes me think she's a screamer.'

'I said, don't.' Draco growled

Blaise started and stared at Draco. 'That's gold,' He laughed heartily. 'Don't worry I won't steal her from you.'

Draco scoffed. 'Even if I cared, you couldn't.'

Blaise nodded with a wry smile. 'Of course you don't care,' he teased. 'You just don't want me to mention her or go anywhere near her, right mate?'

Draco glared at him. Blaise raised his hands in mock surrender. 'I'm just here to check your progress with your little loyalty problem. I spent all day here Friday, I think I deserve to be kept in the loop.'

'We haven't got any further on it,' Draco informed him stiffly.

'Riiiiight,' Blaise drawled. 'You were a tad busy.'

*~*

'Ginny!' Harry yelled as she tried to sneak into her cubicle. She cringed as he stormed towards her. 'Where the hell have you been?'

'My alarm didn't go off,' she apologised quickly. Merlin, he was overeating just a smidgen. Okay, she was a few hours late, but it wasn't like he'd never slept in before.

'Get into my office. Now!' he growled, pointing harshly behind him. Excited chatter filled the room, as the other watched Ginny being lead by an angry Harry to his office. She felt like she was back in school following Filch toMcGonagall's office.

'I don't mean just this morning, Ginny,' he yelled as soon as she closed the door. She slipped into the uncomfortable chair as he paced in front of his desk, his arms whirring around. He threw them in the air, to his hips and out to the side as he yelled.

'You've been A.W.O.L all week. Commiss-'

'I owled you,' she cut in. 'I told you I was going to be working out of the office.'

'Working on what?' he cried. 'You haven't been assigned anything.'

Ginny crossed her legs and then her arms defensively. Harry stared at her, imploring her for an answer. He leaned back against his desk. 'Please,' he all but whined, 'Please tell me you weren't working with Malfoy.'

'But I was right!'

Harry groaned and dug the heel of his hands into his eyes. 'I told you to drop it. I told you to pull your head in and leave it the bloody hell alone.'

'I know but, Harry, he ran the competition-'

'Fuck, Ginny. You're suspended until further notice.'

'What?' she cried jumping up from her seat. She just about went mad last time she was suspended. 'You can't do that.'

'I'm not. The Auror commissioner is. I told you he was watching you, Ginny, and you still went out of your way to make me look bad.'

'I did not go out of my way to do anything, Harry,' Ginny fumed, her face flushing red and her voice rising to Molly Weasley proportions. 'You're letting your own stupid feelings about Malfoy cloud your judgement.'

'Yeah, well, I'm not the one with a hickey on my neck so maybe I'm not the one whose judgement is clouded,' he spat venomously.

Ginny stopped. Her hand flew to her neck and traced the rather prominent mark on her neck. Harry sighed, and his voice became quiet. He reached out to her, rubbing her arms.

'Ginny, we looked into it. The wards weren't disturbed.'

Ginny shook his hand off, her face was hot. How dare he patronise her. She was right. She had figured it out. Okay, she wasn't sure exactly who was behind it all yet, but she knew someone was and that was more than Harry bloody Potter knew. 'And you didn't bother to look any further into it, did you?' she spat.

'If there was anything there we would have found it,' he bit out. Ginny shook her head, huffing angrily. 'Go home.'

'Cheers for having my back, Harry.' She turned to leave but Harry grabbed her arm, hissing into her face.

'I did have your back. I took the fall when you tried to get Malfoy's Gringotts' records. I told you the commissioner was watching you.'

Ginny ripped her arm from his grip. 'I am a good Auror.'

'Maybe you should have shown that instead of letting the Commissioner see you balancing a cup of quills on your forehead!' Harry said to her back.

She slammed the door and stormed out of the building, leaving a buzz of whispered conspiracies in her wake.

*~*

Ginny spent the next three days owling Bill and attempting to blackmail him into allowing her access to Gringotts' records once more. If she could just have a quick squiz at O'Neil's records she could find out who he was funnelling information to. There was bound to be large sums of Galleons transferred from the buyer onto his account.

After a particularly nasty Howler from Bill threatening to lock her in a tomb for the next hundred years if she didn't leave him alone, Ginny sat morosely on the couch. She stared at the empty fireplace and ran her hand through her hair. She scrunched up her face as her hand met grease. Okay, it was time to stop moping. She was suspended, Draco Malfoy was a prick and there was nothing she could do about it... But she could shower.

As the water beat down on her head, washing the shampoo down her back, Ginny decided that tomorrow would be better. She would write to Harry and see what she had to do to get back in the Commissioner's good books and she would drop the stupid Malfoy case. It didn't matter anymore, she told herself, wringing out her hair. Draco could just figure it out himself. He clearly didn't need her. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in her dressing grown.

She wandered into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. She sculled it and poured herself another. She flopped down onto the couch feeling clean and warm. She smiled. The wine might have helped.

She groaned as someone thumped on her door. She lugged herself off the couch and opened the door. She was met with the unwelcome sight of Draco Malfoy. She glared at him.

'Your hair looks brown when it's wet,' he said, oblivious to her glare and looking almost mesmerised by her head, 'like it's been burnt.'

'Gee. Thanks. Get out of my flat.' Really, that was it? She hadn't had some much as an owl dropping from him since they slept together and that was how he greeted her. What was wrong with him?

'No, wait,' he said quickly, desperately pushing his hand against the door and preventing her from slamming it in his face. 'I know who's behind the attacks on me.'

He bustled past her and settled at her kitchen table, spreading folders across the tabletop. Why did he always show up with folders?

'Please come in,' Ginny said to the now empty doorway.

'Would you get over here and take a look.'

'Since you asked so nicely...'

'You're the one who wanted to help,' he reminded her.

She tightened the knot of her dressing gown and hoisted herself up to sit on the table, resting her legs on the chair. The material fell to one side revealing a good portion of thigh. Draco scanned the line of her leg, as Ginny leaned over and picked through the folders, pulling black and white photos out. She pulled out one photo and the men captured rushed out of the frame.

'Who's in this one?' Ginny asked, waving it in front of his face to gain when he failed to answer her.

'What?'

'Who's in this one?' she repeated.

'That would be our old accounting buddy O'Neil and Blaise.'

Ginny's mouth dropped open. 'Blaise? As in Blaise Zabini Blaise?'

'Turns out I'm not the only one who's less than financially stable under the current regime.'

'Administration,' she corrected. 'But he's your friend,' she continued shocked.

Draco shrugged his shoulders and leant back into the chair. 'Guess money is more important than friendship to Blaise.' He looked up at her and smirked half heartedly. 'And stop looking at me like that,' he huffed.

'Like what?'

'All sympathetic and doe eyed,' he sneered. 'I don't need your pity.'

'Well excuse me for giving a damn about you.'

Draco stared at her before standing slowly, his hands resting on the table. 'I never asked for your help. You inserted yourself into my life like you had a right to be there, but that doesn't give you the right to judge me.' His voice was quiet and controlled.

'I'm not judging you, you idiot,' she yelled, jumping up from the table and standing on the chair so she towered over him. 'I'm judging Blaise fucking Zabini. I'm on your side.' She poked him in the chest to emphasise her point.

'I didn't ask you to be!' he yelled back.

'Merlin, you're an insufferable git,' she yelled, crossing her arms across her chest. 'All I've done is help you and now you're blowing up at me for no reason.'

'Yeah, you've helped so you get to laugh at poor, broke Malfoy. Got what he deserved.'

'That's right. I laugh at how you finally get to understand even a fraction of what it's like to suffer finically. I get such a kick out of that all I've done is help make sure that you get your billions of galleons back. I've been truly horrible to you. I don't know how you stand me.'

'Neither do I. All you do is badger me and barge into my home and make snippy little comments. And you're so damn self-righteous. Maybe Blaise has a valid reason for doing what he is. Did you ever stop to think of that?'

'Did I stop to think about what good reason your supposed friend has been trying to steal your idea and take all the credit for your hard work and almost getting you killed by hiring thugs to steal the blue prints from you? No, I didn't. Funnily enough, I was more worried about the trying to kill you part.'

'So you suddenly care about my welfare?'

'So what if I do?' she asked defiantly, glaring at him and breathing heavily.

He glowered up at her and suddenly grabbed the lapel of her dressing grown, pulling her down to him. She squealed and her hands flew to his shoulders to steady herself and he caught her lips in a bruising kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her off the chair and forcing her to wrap her legs around him to keep herself stable.

He could taste the red wine on her mouth as he kissed her, his tongue toying with hers. He plonked her down on the table and pulled at the cord of her dressing gown. The material fell away, revealing her naked body to him. He palmed her breasts, squeezing them.

Ginny unbuckled his belt, pulling it out of the loops. She pushed his trousers and pants down his legs, and tightened his legs around him. His ducked his head, taking a nipple into his mouth, before tearing himself away and thrusting into her. Ginny's head lolled back and a long moan escaped her.

He thrust hard, gripping her hips. She could hear the table scraping against the floor. Her nails dug into his back as she pulled herself closer to him, furiously bucking her hips beneath him. Every part of her seemed to respond to his touch. Draco kissed her hard, pushing her body further back onto the table.

She could feel her orgasm building and gasped when Draco reached down between their bodies to rub her clit in furious circles. She threw her head back at the added stimulation and could feel Draco watching her. One hand still gripped her hip, holding her in place and digging into her flesh, as he drove into her. He came with a grunt, spilling into her with a final hard thrust.

He stilled for a moment and then pulled out of her. His fingers continued to rub her clit. He kissed her, his tongue toying with hers. She dug her fingernails into his side and came with a cry of his name. He rubbed her lightly as she came down, breathing heavily. Draco rested his head on her shoulder, panting. He could smell the scent of apples in her hair and vanilla wafting off her skin. He chuckled.

'What's so funny?' Ginny asked pushing him back. He kissed her gently.

'Just thinking how much easier it will be to ask Potter for help when I get to tell him I've been fucking his girl.'

Ginny scowled and slammed the heel of her hand into his ribs.

'Ow!' he cried, clutching his ribs. 'Bloody hell, woman. I was joking!'

*~*

Draco left Ginny's early the next morning and went to the Ministry. He sat smugly in Potter's office as Potter had poured over the evidence he and Ginny had compiled. He should have known Potter wouldn't have just taken his word, even if it came with Weasley's and a stack of evidence. And so he found himself waiting for Blaise to meet him at the Leaky Cauldron. Potter sat a few tables over, covered by his invisibility cloak.

He looked in Potter's direction and saw two old women chatting merrily where Potter had just been sitting. Draco shrugged. He was sure Potter was floating around somewhere. He took a drink of his Butterbeer impatiently. He felt a hand clasp his shoulder and tensed.

'Potter, I don't need reassurance,' he drawled.

'I was just making sure you knew where I was,' Potter defended himself, recoiling his hand.

'I would have thought Weasley would be here,' he said, hoping that the other customers were to wrapped up in themselves to notice that he was, from their perspectives, talking to himself. 'Muttering I told you so over and over again.'

'No,' Potter growled. 'She was suspended.'

'Why?' he asked with feigned nonchalance.

'Why do you think?'

Draco's brow furrowed. Weasley had been suspended? For working with him? He supposed he should feel guilty about that but he didn't have time to dwell on it has Blaise walked through the door. Draco stiffened in his seat. He watched as Blaise carefully scanned the area before spotting Draco and making his way over.

'Sorry, I'm late, mate,' he said as he sat down. He picked up a menu and wrinkled his nose. 'Couldn't we have met at a nicer place?'

Draco raised his eyebrows. 'I would have but I'm afraid this is all that falls into my price range at this moment in time,' he drawled. 'but you know that.'

'Have you figured it out yet?' Draco asked, taking a sip of his Butterbeer. He didn't care about Potter's plan to slowly have him confess. He wanted answers and he was going to get them. His way.

Blaise looked up but just smirked. 'How long have you known?'

'Only last night. Greg's private eye was following O'Neil.'

Blaise sighed and gave a small laugh. 'I figured he might be the one to bollocks it up for me.'

'You are aware that it took me nearly a year to perfect.'

'And I have a team working around the clock on your prototype. We'll be competitive,' he told Draco, completely convinced. 'And we'll win.'

Draco tilted his head. 'What makes you so sure?'

'You think one little competition and shagging a Weasley is going to change decades of public opinion? No, we'll be the brand people choose. We're nicer.'

'Oh, yeah. You're real nice,' Draco scoffed. 'That was a friendly thug you sent after me.'

Blaise shrugged and picked at the table cloth. 'If you hadn't have been so damn secretive, I wouldn't have need to resort to petty thuggery. You've always been a good mate, Drake, I didn't want to hurt you.'

'Just destroy any chance I had of rebuilding my business,' Draco retorted with a scowl. Blaise leaned over and picked up Draco's Butterbeer and took a hearty swig. 'Why?' Draco asked. That was the part he really couldn't figure out. Blaise's family wasn't as well off as they had once been but they were by no means struggling. He would still have millions sitting gathering interest at Gringotts.

'You have always had everything handed to you,' Blaise spat, suddenly angry.

'So have you!'

'But you've always had more. Even when you had everything stripped from you, you just fell on your feet,' he hissed. 'If it wasn't for me, you never would have figured anything out. I deserve a piece of the profits.'

Draco nodded calmly and then stood. Blaise didn't deserve a goddamn thing. He sneered down at Blaise. 'You may have given me the idea, Blaise, but I did all the work. You'll get nothing.'

'That's not quite true, Malfoy,' Potter said from behind him, pulling his invisibility cloak off his head. He wasn't exactly intimidating as a floating head, but Draco supposed it would have to do. He probably would have thrown the entire cloak off for dramatic effect but Potter had never been overly bright.

'You'll be getting a cozy little cell in Azkaban,' Potter finished. He clapped a disembodied hand on Blaise's shoulder. Blasie's face fell and his head snapped up to Draco.

'Good bye, Blaise.' Draco smirked, and strode out of The Leaky Cauldron, his robes billowing behind him.

That, Potter, he thought, is how dramatics are done.

*~*

It had been two weeks since Blaise had been arrested and Ginny was frustrated. She'd had an owl a little over a week ago with the wholly inadequate message of 'I'll Floo you.' Although, he clearly didn't have ten minutes to talk to her, Ginny thought bitterly, Draco had been on every bloody radio station, given interviews to every newspaper and magazine that contacted him, and was attending parties like he only had days to live, which he might if he didn't contact her properly. And soon.

Everybody was talking about Malfoy's ingenious way of integrating Muggle technology into the Wizarding World, allowing Muggleborns to enjoy the best of both societies. Even Ron had a nice word to say about Draco. His face was splashed in front of her everywhere she looked and he was just so smug promoting himself and his brilliant idea. And they were all lapping it up! It made her sick.

Ginny was preparing herself lunch when she heard someone Apparate into her living room. Her head snapped up and she reached for her wand, before noticing it was Draco.

'How did you get past my wards?' Ginny demanded, her hands flying to her hips.

'Unexpected perk,' he answered with a smirk. He pulled a crushed water bottle from within his robes and tossed it to her. She caught it easily but looked at him baffled.

'That,' he said, walking over to Ginny and wrapping his arms around her waist. 'Is a Portkey to the destination of your choice for five days, all expenses paid.'

She pushed him away and pulled herself up to sit on the kitchen counter. She hated that her head barely brushed his shoulder.

'And you're going to pay for it?' she asked scornfully, crossing her arms across her chest.

Draco sighed and took a step closer once more. He put his hands on counter on either side of her thighs. 'Potter's little lunch time sting generated a lot of interest.'

'I've noticed,' Ginny muttered. Everyday there was a new picture shoved in front of her.

'There have been thousands of pre-orders and we're expecting it to increase by a further forty two percent when we actually launch.'

'Congratulations,' she said smiling sardonically. 'Forty two percent.'

'So what do you say?' he asked, dismissing her displeasure. 'France? Belgium? Maybe a Caribbean island?'

'I can't just take off for five days,' Ginny insisted, half-heartedly.

'But a little birdie told me that you got suspended so you have plenty of time to flit away.' He pouted at her.

'You do owe me a holiday, you cheat,' she acknowledged with a small smile. Draco wrapped his arms around her waist again and leaned forward to kiss her neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck. 'And I suppose you're not a bad consolation prize.'

He captured her lips and Ginny smiled into the kiss. Ginny was shocked when Draco ripped his lips away from her.

'What do you mean consolation prize?'

ORIGINAL REQUEST:
Briefly describe what you'd like to receive in your fic
Post-Hogwarts, post-war fic. Ginny enters a competition run by a radio station. Whether she wins or not is up to you. Draco and Ginny do not have to be in competition with each other, but I would like to see the competition bring them together.
The tone/mood of the fic: Snark with a side serving of angst. Not overwhelming angst, mind. Dark humour is love. A limit on any fluff. I also like mystery/crime fics.
An element/line of dialogue/object you would specifically like in your fic: Any or all of the following: a secret hidden in a book, a potion gone wrong, a Matryoshka doll, freshly washed hair, one or both characters in denial about how they feel, Draco in a waistcoat. Past conflict beyond what might have happened between them at school. Feel free to work in the theme of the exchange.
Preferred rating of the the fic you want: PG13 and up, please. Smut is not strictly necessary, but is always appreciated.
Canon or AU? Canon as much as possible, but EWE is also a must.
Deal Breakers (anything you don't want?): Americanisms. OOC Draco - I like my Draco touching on surly, and sarcastic at times. Small curvy Ginny is preferred. I also like Ginny to have a bit of a backbone. No character bashing - particularly in the case of Astoria. No established relationship, if possible, unless as backstory. I'm not really a fan of D/G offspring in stories either. No abusive parents or exs. No self-harm or eating disorders. No songfics. No extreme squicky things. Oh, and I don't want a Quidditch fic.

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