CHAPTER ELEVEN

The Ministry of Magic
London, England
November 3, 2003 – Monday Afternoon

"Wow, you look healthy!" Gin appreciated my glowing tan with some measure of surprise. "Australia was good to you, then?"

I hummed and nodded, flashing through some of my favorite parts of the trip in my mind again. "It was amazing fun!"

After the weekend I'd had after my confrontation with Draco, I'd decided last Monday on the spur of the moment to take the entire week off of work and travel. I wanted out of England – as far away from the source of my hurt as possible. I ended up in Melbourne, Australia, borrowing the second home my mum and dad had decided to purchase there after the war for their annual holidays. Apparition had its merits, allowing me to completely by-pass airports, customs, and a very long flight. I spent the first day adjusting to the eleven hour time difference and orienting myself. By Tuesday, I'd hit the beach (November was the beginning of summer in the land down under) and later that night, trolled the local restaurant and bar scene. On Wednesday, I met a nice American Muggle named Daniel while sunbathing, and we spontaneously decided to spend the next three days doing the tourist thing together. We talked, laughed and had a marvelous time. The night before I was to come home - Saturday, he introduced me to the bed in his hotel room. We had wild monkey sex all over the room and it didn't involve domination or submission, but an equal desire for fulfillment (it was definitely within the 'rebound' territory, though, and I recognized it as such). I enjoyed a couple of nice orgasms that didn't leave my heart tangled up in concerns about my worth or what tomorrow would bring, and overall, it had been a gloriously freeing experience. At least, it made me realize that there was a chance for me to find happiness again someday.

Gin flashed me a good-natured leer. "So, does Amazing Fun have a name, then?"

I threw her a mysterious smile, and kept my lips clamped tightly shut. Picking up a file from my desk that needed delivering to the Auror Office (a joint-case involving dark magic rituals performed by murdering dragons for their teeth), I made my way past my BFF and out the door. I got to the Aurors' main entrance when Gin all but tackled me to the floor. "So, there was a man! What was his name? Was he a Muggle or a wizard? Are you going to see him again?"

I shushed her, not wanting the gossips around this place to get a hold of the details of my triumphant holiday. "Daniel Travers, a Muggle, and I'm not sure. He's an American, but he has a lot of business with both the British and Australian Muggle governments. He said he'd be back in London in a couple of weeks for a few days, though, and he did ask me in advance to have dinner with him."

Ginny was practically bouncing with happiness for me. "Well, are you going to meet him?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I don't know, honestly. He was nice and we had some in common when we talked, but…" I wasn't sure I wanted to commit to anything with Daniel. He was a good man, but I was still hung-up on Draco, despite everything. It would take time to sort that out.

My best friend pinched my arm and I yelped, rubbing it and making a face at her in disapproval. "Don't let what happened with Malfoy ruin this chance for you, 'Mione. If Daniel's a good match, you should go for it, Muggle or not."

I sighed, hugging the file folder to my chest. "I'll think about it," I noncommittally replied. That was the safe route, since I didn't even know if Daniel was going to call on me again – or if I wanted him to. It was a fabulous time, but I got the impression that it was one of those holiday flings that tries to push the boundaries of fantasy into real life. And how would it work between us, exactly, if we did pursue something? He lived in Washington D.C., and I didn't think I wanted to move State-side and give up my career at the Ministry to do so.

I rounded the doorway and entered the Aurors Office, handing the file over to Demhelza, the Department Secretary. "Please make sure the Auror in charge of cult activities gets this." She took it from me with a, 'can do,' smile, and focused her attention on someone behind me, even as I stepped back and began to turn towards my office.

"Auror Potter will be right with you, Mr. Malfoy. Please have a seat."

I stopped on a knut.

Draco was leaning against the wall behind the partially inwardly-swung door. Clearly, he'd heard everything Ginny and I said just on the other side of the wall because his eyes were storm clouds of disapproval as he unblinkingly stared at me.

He had no room to cast any form of aspersion however, because next to him, holding onto his hand in the manner of the insecure possessive, was the model-gorgeous Astoria Greengrass. I remembered her briefly from school, and she immediately recognized me as a rival, spitefully sneering at me and pressing her body suggestively closer to Malfoy's long frame to make her point that he was her property now. My eyes strayed to the waspish brunette, down to where she'd intimately linked hands with her bed partner, and then back to his face, ignoring her otherwise.

Nothing needed to be said. It was clear how both my former lover and I felt by the tightening around our mouths.

Jealousy really was an ugly expression all around, wasn't it?

Stepping away before I could open my mouth and tell Greengrass that it was clear that Malfoy would never love her either, I walked out the door and back to my office, shoulders straight and chin up, heart slamming an aching, taunting rhythm in my chest that didn't go away the rest of the day. Ginny scrambled to catch up to my quick stride, cooing compassionate, encouraging words along the way to try to soothe my temper, reminding me of all the reasons I shouldn't care, asking me more questions about Daniel. She was the perfect best girl friend then, supporting me, trying to rally my interest elsewhere, but no matter her best, most loyal efforts, my earlier good mood had been irreversibly soured. She left to return to her office when that became much too evident through my clipped tone.

After she'd gone, I spelled the lock on my door and put my head down on my desk. Bloody buggering hell, wild monkey sex with a hot American in a hotel overlooking the beach in Australia definitely hadn't cured me of my seriously ill-advised affliction for one damnably wicked British aristocrat, had it? No, sir, not in the least.

I banged my forehead and then swore because I'd hit too hard.

Dummy, dummy, triple-scoop-on-top dummy!

Right, then I'd just have to try harder to move on, it seemed.

TO BE CONTINUED…