Chapter 10:
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She winced as the laces were tightened once again and her breath became shallower. The elves struggled against the force before finally tying them into a neat bow at the base of her spine. She turned slowly; scrutinizing every inch of her body and assuring herself that the work was impeccably done. She finally faced the mirror again and narrowed her eyes at her reflection.
"Tighter." she said to them as she opened her small fan.
He was already sitting at the table with his newspaper covering his face. She did not wait for him; walking in and seating herself. He lowered the paper to look up at her and she ignored him; dropping cubes of sugar into her tea and stirring in milk. He cleared his throat audibly and she looked up then, placing her spoon on the china saucer.
"You look lovely today, Gi." he commented with his gentle smile. The one he reserved for women in which he was minutely interested.
"How wonderful of you to notice." she replied derisively and lifted the tea to her mouth.
If he had heard, he must have pretended not to have for he simply lifted the newspaper once again. Perhaps now she knew the true reason as to why he was kinder on certain days. She was dressed in this season's best and her hair was brushed neatly into a bun with delicate tumbling over her shoulders. She had chosen her finest powder and her lips were painted a deep red.
"Are you planning on leaving the manor?" he asked casually from the other end, only faintly aware of her appearance. She recognized the slight interest in his voice; he was leaving someplace as well.
"Yes, I am going to visit an old friend." she said looking up at him.
She floated across the burnished marble floor of the Ministry. The eyes in the room were all directed to her figure, the hourglass silhouette accentuated by a lofty pair of heels. Walking past the aged receptionist without a glance, she entered the elevator and pressed the button to his floor. She waited impatiently, her foot tapping rudely on the floor until the elevator came to a torpid halt. His office was surprisingly empty and his secretary merely nodded her in, having already been informed of her visit. She opened the door and allowed herself in before closing it with a soft click.
"I need you to help me." she said meekly, feeling a tad bit confined in his humbly proportioned office. She realized then that she had completely buried her manners and was about to apologize.
"Georgiana, its been a long time." he replied casually, his boyish smile lighting an old spark of whimsy in her.
"Hello Harry."