Chapter 15: Designs
-Wednesday 27th April-
-Mid-afternoon-
Catching a glimpse of a copy of Witch Weekly lying on the dining room table, Draco suddenly remembered Pansy and the task he had set her to do, quickly picking up the glossy magazine, he ventured back towards his office- having been in need of a stretch of his legs.
Leaning back in the high-backed chair he opened the magazine and flicked through the pages until he rested on the double page spread at the centre that Pansy always wrote. Skimming across the page his eyes sought the undoubted words that would be splashed across the page, but when he realised there was not one mention of either the name Hermione, or Weasley, he furrowed his eyebrows. Folding the magazine so he could read the front he checked to see if it was the right date and when he noted it was indeed right the furrow became even more pronounced, and he quickly flicked through the pages looking for a stand out headline but none appeared.
So lost in thought about the article that seemed missing he didn't even realise that when a shallow knock hit the wooden door he had called his guest in. Only when he lifted his eyes catching movement in the top of his vision did he realise someone had entered. He was even more surprised that it was his mother.
"Is everything alright Mother?" he questioned noting she was slightly paler than usual, he stood and was by her side in seconds watching intently as she made her way across the room to the seat opposite his desk, having buffet his hand away from helping her.
"I'm fine Son," she replied as she lowered her suddenly fragile frame into the seat, "Things are just catching up with me it seems" she placed the folder she held in her hands onto the top of his desk. "I have some new designs I thought you might want to take a look at, tell me what you think.
"Is this a side-effect of the potions I've been getting you from Saint Mungo's?" he questioned, ignoring the folder she had put on his desk.
She shook her dainty hand as he checked her temperature with the back of his hand. "I said I'm fine Draco, just a little flustered, a lot has been going on recently, and well you know the Annual Ministry Ball is this weekend, and I'm on the planning committee, it's been a hectic week."
Draco could tell from her tone, that he should end his questioning, and succumbed to her wishes as he sat again in his desk chair. "So what can I do for you?" he tactically changed the subject.
Narcissa slowly opened her portfolio, "I've designed these new kits, I was hoping you would take a look and see what you thought."
Draco glanced at the parchments in front of him, noting no smudges on the parchment he looked up to his mother "How long have you been sketching these?"
"The past day" she looked curiously at him, "Why?"
He bit the inside of his mouth as he scanned the parchments, "There not the usual rush with smudges that occurs" he noted, before he realised the slight tremor that was often in her hands was absent. "The potions working isn't it" it sounded much like a question but was clearly a statement.
She nodded, "I went to the hospital yesterday, and my prescription was changed" she stated shaking her hand at the end of the sentence. "What do you think of the designs?" she queried eying the parchment her son held.
Draco continued to stare at his mother for a few moments, before nodding his head, training his eyes back to the parchment. "Well..." he started carefully examining the sketch, "You know I like to see a prototype before I make a judgement call, but it looks good, is it a form fitting one?" he queried, strictly down to business.
Glad that he was back on a safe topic, Narcissa brought her cobalt blue eyes to her son's steel grey, nodding her head she straightened up where she sat, "Yes, I was thinking it may enhance the flight? Especially under harsher conditions, and would be a protective and insulation for other conditions?"
He nodded understanding her logic, "Well I'm heading to Pansy's soon, when we're finished here, if you want to accompany me, and show these to Pansy, see if she can help?" Narcissa gave a quick nod, as she slowly stood from the chair and gracefully plucked the parchments out of his hands, before gliding to the door.
"I'll meet you downstairs in five minutes," he called before his office door was shut. Grabbing a few stacks of parchment off of his desk he sorted them into his brief case, before leaving his office, grabbing his overcoat on his way out.
Once downstairs he found his mother at the bottom of the stairs her hair pristine, holding the portfolio in hand, and her usual green coat wrapped around her body. Quickly donning his overcoat he walked over to his Mother before they exited the Manor together walking down the path before passing the wards and singularly appariting to Charing Cross Road, London, and outside the Leaky Cauldron.
Walking into the old pub, the Malfoy pair immediately garnered the attentions of most of the occupants who eyed them curiously, as well as the landlady; Hannah Longbottom née Abbott, who simply offered the pair a small smile as they walked through to the back door and the courtyard with the gateway to Diagon Alley.
-Diagon Alley-
Since the end of the war Diagon Alley had be refurbished to its original glory, housing as many shops as its heyday, the main shopping complex of Wizarding London housed up and coming brands, as well as established shops. One such one is Pansy's Robes. After Madam Tatting retired- not long after the war- the shop, Twilfitt and Tatting's became a ghost shop. Blaise Zabini's mother later bought it in order to sell her designs, and soon passed it to Pansy, who had a knack for fitting spells and general designs of clothing. The shop was renamed "Pansy's Robes." Though the name wouldn't mean much in Muggle world terms, Pansy's Robes' outfits were highly sought after in the Wizarding World. This shop specialised in the more formal clothing attire. A cash injection from Malfoy's and Son saw another store open up in the old Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions shop, helped run by Narcissa Malfoy. The shop sold more of the general dresses, school robes and Quidditch supplies, but only Malfoy's and Son equipment.
With it being late April Pansy herself would be in Pansy's Robe design many of the gowns for all those planning to go to the Annual Ministry Ball. Making their way down one of the side streets of Diagon Alley, the Malfoy's soon came face to face with the shop in question. Opening the door for his Mother to walk ahead of him the pair entered, both searching the shop for the owner.
"Mrs Malfoy, Mr Malfoy, welcome" the woman at the desk stuttered when she realised who had entered the shop.
"Close your mouth Rosemary, it really is an unattractive thing when you stand there with your mouth open like that." Pansy chastised as she walked into the main room from the back, shoving a piece of hair behind her hair as she came through. The aforementioned Rosemary quickly snapped her chops shut, before busying herself with papers on the desk. "Rosemary, Mrs Morganstat, is looking for some material to match her dress for a shawl, go help her." The young girl nodded her head and ran off into the backroom Pansy had previously entered from. "Now Narcissa, Draco how may I help you today? Business or pleasure?"
"Business" Draco answered immediately, but his tone caused Pansy to raise a slight brow at him. "My mother wishes to discuss designs with you, and I wish to discuss other business with you." Pansy simply nodded when she realised what he wanted to speak about, for once in his life Draco wasn't hiding away his emotions, they were lay out for Pansy to see, before he locked them away. "I'll leave you two to talk about designs I won't interrupt," with that he began walking away.
-20 minutes later-
Twenty minutes later while Draco was sat down waiting for his mother and Pansy to finish he spotted something that caught his eye on one of the racks the other side of the room to wear he was sat. Rosemary, who he had been watching intently interact with Mrs Morganstat, was beginning to feel nervous under his watchful eye and her mannerism began to show this and she jumped when he got up and walked over to near where she was stood.
Sieving through the racks Draco stopped at the one thing that managed to catch his eye. "Rosemary?" the girl in question looked up at the Malfoy heir, "Sorry Mrs Morganstat, may I just borrow Rosemary" the aging woman simply smiled nodding her head as she pulled out an ivory coloured piece of material.
"Yes Mr Malfoy?" Rosemary nervously glanced between Draco and the rack he was examining.
"Is this one of Pansy's original designs?" he pulled out an emerald coloured dress.
"Yes Mr Malfoy, it's the only one of its kind, Pansy made it just the other day."
Could you do me a favour Rosemary" the young Malfoy asked looking her figure up and down.
"Yes Mr Malfoy"
"Could you try it on?" apart from furrowing her eyebrows the young girl nodded, taking the dress out of Draco's hand and heading to the changing area to change.
When the girl walked back out wearing the dress, Draco gave a contemplating look, at how the dress hung before making his decision. "That'll do Rosemary you can get back into your own clothes."
After Rosemary placed the dress in Draco's outstretched hand, Pansy appeared; "Rosemary, could you till up Mrs Morganstat's items please" the girl nodded, and as she walked away Pansy spoke again to her "Oh and Rosemary, Mrs Malfoy has some designs she would like a prototype for, perhaps this would be a good time for you to practice, making the design come off of the parchment?" The young girl's eyes lit up at the chance Pansy was giving her. Once the girl was out of sight Pansy turned to the blond who was busy looking at the green dress. "Green is definitely your colour Drake, but a dress?" she began laughing but when Draco turned his eyes towards her she stopped. Swallowing audibly she said, "So what can I do for you?"
In this kind of situation she preferred to allow Draco to say what was on his mind instead of acting as if she knew. Because more often than not she was completely and utterly wrong.
"The article?" he queried, "I couldn't find it." He looked expectantly at Pansy.
She rubbed the back of her neck, "About that..." she paused, "I wrote it but, I didn't print it"
Draco narrowed his eyes, "And why not? It's not like you to pass up this kind of opportunity."
"I saw it Drake..." his eyes narrowed even more, "You looked content, happy, with her in your arms, I knew my article would hinder your relationship"
"We don't have a relationship Pans. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"You may not but you want to... I can see it in your eyes, the way you talk about her, the way you are pushing everything to the side to aid her. And my article wouldn't have aided her, it would have just put more pressure, more media attention onto her, and she doesn't want nor need that at the moment, she wants someone to be there for her." Pansy slowed her monologue, "You want to be that person, but if I had published the story she would have known you had said something to me, she's too smart to not connect us in it, no matter what we said, and then she wouldn't trust you. She trusts you at the moment don't let anything come between that."
Draco carefully put the dress he was still holding back into the racks; "Pansy? When did you see us together?"
Her eyes searched the floor before she finally brought them back to his, "I came by last night to ask you a few questions about the article and saw the pair of you, I didn't want to disturb so I left." She paused for a few minutes before she focused on Draco again, "I understand she stayed the night again?"
Draco's cool stone grey eyes slid over to her brown orbs, "And, how would you find out this?"
"You're not denying it?" she queried a slight furrowing of her eyebrows.
"Why would I? Yes she stayed the night, nothing happened. But that doesn't tell me how you know; I know my mother wouldn't have said anything, so exactly how do you know Pans?"
Examining her nails Pansy calmly said, "I overheard her talking earlier..."
-Hermione-
-Wednesday: Noon-
"Gin, why have you dragged me away from my office? I'm already behind as it is."
Ginny raised a brow at the curly haired brunette, "Knowing you you're probably already weeks ahead with your work. And we need to find you a dress for the Ministry ball this weekend"
"Why here though?" Hermione whined as they stopped outside Pansy's Robes.
"We both know she is the best, and we want the best don't we? So hush and get inside" Ginny replied giving Hermione a slight push towards the door.
"Mrs Weasley, Mrs Potter" the brunette behind the counter smiled brightly at the two new customers, and only continued when the pair each returned her smile "Are you looking for anything in particular this afternoon?"
"Were looking for dresses for the Annual Ministry Ball" Ginny replied, while Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Honestly Ginny I have a fair few dresses at home that would all be suitable for the occasion."
Ginny shook her head as the assistant led them into the back with a quick "Follow me."
"Yes you say this every year, and my reply every year is people have already seen them, you need something new, exciting, and that will get the media especially the fashion media talking."
"I've got some"
"Yes I did notice your wardrobe seemed to have acquired a fair few new dresses, where exactly did they come from?" Ginny was ever so inquisitive.
"Gin, can we not talk about it?"
"They were from him weren't they? Is that where you spent the night again last night?"Ginny fired off the questions, as she flicked through the racks looking for something for the Ball.
Hermione looked towards the ground, "Yes and yes, how do you think I learnt about..." she trailed as she leant into Ginny's ear, whispering, "The pregnancy?"
Ginny seemed to ignore some of Hermione's speech, "So you spent last night there again, anything happen?"
Hermione's mouth opened in surprise, "Ginny I'm married... to your brother no less!"
Ginny flapped her hand about, "Soon to be divorced, and in a way I'm glad, it's pretty obvious that things weren't going too well for you and Ron. And well Draco Malfoy, he is very attractive, are you sure nothing has happened between the two of you?" Ginny fished three different dresses out of the rack, each of different colours and passed them over to Hermione.
Hermione thought back to the kisses her and Draco had shared, but didn't want to divulge that information to Ginny, "No nothing has happened between the two of us"
"So nothing has happened between the two of you? You've just spent the night at his house how many times now?"
Hermione rolled her eyes at the red head, "Can we change subject? How are my three favourite miniature Potters?"
"Fine, we'll change the subject, you go try those on. As for the kids their all fine and dandy Lily and James can't wait for their first year at Hogwarts to start." Ginny answered as Hermione walked into the changing room section and behind one of the curtains.
The pair continued to chat as Hermione tried each of the dresses on, and when it came to the final dress an emerald green coloured one, Ginny was shocked to see how well it fit Hermione- it looked as if it had been made for the brunette.
"I bet Draco would love you in that, Slytherin green, and fitted in all the right places" Ginny noted as Hermione looked into the mirror outside the changing room.
"Gin, I already said there's nothing going on between us"
"Yes well I for one know that he finds you attractive, I've heard him say so" she held up a finger as Hermione tried interrupting, "And he's allowed you to stay over at his house, I didn't think you were on such friendly terms with the man. There's something going on between the pair of you- but I won't nag if you don't want to tell your nearest and dearest friend the details."
Hermione gave a tight lipped smile, "Thank you for that, to be honest I'm not sure what's going on with him at the moment, it's like walking on egg shells"
"So there is some form of sexual charge between the two of you?"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not sure what it is, he's just there for me and I really appreciate it, but I think something has changed between the myself and Malfoy, in fact I think it happened last night."
At that moment Pansy appeared out of nowhere, "Do you ladies need any help?"
The former Gryffindors exchanged a look, sending a silent message to stop what they'd been talking about, and Ginny diverted to another topic, "How much is this emerald dress?"
"That one? That's two-hundred galleons"
Hermione's eyes widened, "Gin I can't afford that!"
"The others are between forty and one-hundred galleons, that emerald one is a limited edition one, I've only made one."
Hermione contemplated splashing a bit but her brain couldn't allow her to so she opted to buy the second dress she had tried on a purple strapless one. After buying their purchases Ginny having bought one without trying it on the pair left Pansy's Robes in search of something for lunch.
-Draco-
"... And she said that she'd been at yours last night and spent the night" Draco nodded his head as he took all of Pansy's story in, but Pansy interrupted his thought process, "It's interesting that you should pick out that particular dress, because that is the one she tried on earlier, and I've got to admit she looked radiant in it, as if it was made for her" she signalled to the dress he had replaced back into the racks.
Draco nodded as he looked to Pansy once more, "Thank you Pans" he said, for what he wasn't a hundred percentage sure but she seemed to know because she smiled a few cogs working in her head, she signalled to the dress in silent question and he nodded, "You read my mind" he leant over to give the raven haired girl a parting kiss on each cheek, before he finally said, "Tell that husband of yours I have some plotting to do and I was wondering if he would help me do so, and to Owl me his reply." He gave one final wink in Pansy's direction before walking to the front of the store where his mother was calmly waiting.
The two Malfoy's soon disappeared into the throes of shoppers, each with a self satisfied smirk on their faces.
A/N: Right that is Chapter 15 done and dusted, I made it longer than some of the others because, well you deserve a longer chapter update for being so loyal to me. I did previously mention that no new chapters would go up before I'd completely finished the whole story but well that hasn't happened so please do bare with me. I've recently got a job and well, blah blah blah, I get very tired and hardly time for writing. I thank you again for getting thus far, and to all those that have previously review thanks.
Please do leave a review they make all the difference. :)
An important question, in the next chapter do you want: A.) Hermione/ Draco to each look at their feelings? Or B.) Draco's plan of action?
Scorpio219 -x-