"Simplicated: Chapter One, Part Two
Title: "Simplicated"
Ship: Blaise Zabini/Su Li
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The Mission is revealed and Draco scares himself.
(Part One can be found here.)
It was complicated.
Celia Li was an up and coming violinist. She was very quickly rising to the top of the firmament of classical music. She was also currently unsigned. And amongst the many companies and businesses of the vast Malfoy empire, there happened to be a production company.
Blaise, a diligent chief of staff, was updated on every aspect of Malfoy Industries, and he knew Hoodwinked Records was doing quite nicely. Its biggest signed artist was The Sirens, a side project of the famous Weird Sisters. The other bands and musicians ranged from different levels of popular.
However, classical music was making a stunning and overwhelmingly lucrative resurgence in the wizarding world, and Celia Li was riding the crest of the wave. A month ago, it had become known that she was searching for a record label. Several companies had pounced at once.
So began a long, dragged out courtship of the violinist. Along the way, other competitors had dropped out and now, Wolfgang & Company and Hoodwinked Records were the only noteworthy ones left in the race.
Even so, Hoodwinked Records didn’t really need Celia Li. Malfoy Industries did. Malfoy Industries had invested heavily in the Wireless Wizarding Corporation, the overseer of the Wireless Wizarding Network. Around the same time Celia Li had gone public with her desire for a record label, the president and owner of WWC had just finished concluding a very messy and widely publicized divorce. Sebastian Pembroke had remarried exactly fourteen hours afterwards. His second wife was a much-too-young witch with fine physical assets, and he was intent on setting off on his honeymoon immediately. Under pressure from his new and lovely wife, Sebastian agreed to sell the WWC. His step down was a catalyst for a change in power, and Malfoy Industries was determined to come out on top. Blaise knew that when the news had hit the front pages, Draco had sent an elaborate and expensive bouquet to Sebastian’s wife.
Representatives and inside sources at the WWC building had all reported the same thing: sign Celia Li and Malfoy Industries will own the WWC.
Lucius Malfoy had often told Draco, and now Draco often told Blaise, that power lay in many things but depended on communication.
“Control the lines and means of communication, and you control power,” Lucius had told Draco.
“I’d rather live as a ferret for the duration of my life than have someone else control the WWC,” Draco had told Blaise flatly. “No, wait, I’d rather shag boy Weasel,” Draco had continued, warming up to the subject, seeming entertained by horrifying himself. “I’d rather eat my own puke! I’d rather - ” Draco trailed off, searching for something properly horrifying.
“You mean you’d rather have Harry Potter marry Ginny Weasley,” supplied Blaise helpfully.
“Yeah! No - wait! Well, like that’d ever happen.”
It was very simple.
His mission: charm Celia Li.
oooOOOooo
Blaise sighed, trudging out down the hallway away from the conference room and pulling halfheartedly at his tie. Draco had several bankers, but it was the company banker that Blaise hated. Jared Parington was a genius when it came to numbers, and he officially made his living off that talent. Unofficially, his second job was making Blaise’s life hell.
“I understand you’re the representative Malfoy Industries is sending for the talks with Celia Lia,” Jared had said, snapping shut his briefcase at the conclusion of their meeting.
“Yes,” Blaise had said warily, wanting to clutch his head. He had a bloody headache.
Jared had smirked. “Well. I hope Draco Malfoy is prepared to cut his losses.”
“Why?” Blaise had snapped. “He’s going to sign Celia Li.”
“Of course,” Jared had said graciously. “I meant, just in case. I did some risk analysis, you see, and the numbers all say - ”
“Save it, Parington,” Blaise had snarled, stomping away.
He swung by Draco’s office, which was more a penthouse suite than anything else, only to discover the Malfoy heir had already gone home.
Blaise supposed he had some research to do. He stopped on his way out and asked his secretary to pull up a file of Celia Li for him. She did so, with great speed, and a short while later sent Blaise on his way home.
oooOOOooo
There were few things in his life that he found no fault with, and Blaise considered his London flat as one of them.
The floor was a combination of white carpet and polished wood. He had stayed away from a kitchen and instead left his living room, dining area, and kitchenette as one. One wall of his living room was complete glass - spelled, of course, so one could look at the magnificent cityscape but no one could see in. The fireplace was brick and, Blaise felt, gave his apartment a homier feel. He had once confided this to Draco, who had said, “You have a fireplace?”
His saxophone, brass and gleaming, leaned against the wall. Blaise considered himself very adept at the saxophone. If he ever quit his job - very likely given the state of things, Blaise thought to himself - he could go into jazz clubs and play for money.
Now, Blaise collapsed on his cushy sofa and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to sleep and forget about Draco Malfoy and Malfoy Industries and the fact that it was a Friday night and he was alone. When was the last time he had been out on a date, anyway? Never mind that, when was the last time he’d had a good shag?
Blaise cracked an eye open. The dossier on Celia Li lay on his cherrywood coffee table, a gleaming cream folder at least five centimeters thick. Not cool, Malfoy.
Blaise was several parapraphs into the reading when he discovered that Celia Li was married to an Augustus Brandon.
He flooed Draco at the Manor and informed him of this fact.
“Who gives a fuck,” a very frazzled Draco had exploded, his shirt unbuttoned and a smear of lipstick very obvious against his pale throat. “Do whatever you have to do, Zabini, and don’t bother me again, damn you.”
“I just think it’ll be hard to charm a married - ”
But Draco had cut off the Floo, and Blaise reluctantly had to accept that the plan was still on. Rats.
Ship: Blaise Zabini/Su Li
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The Mission is revealed and Draco scares himself.
(Part One can be found here.)
It was complicated.
Celia Li was an up and coming violinist. She was very quickly rising to the top of the firmament of classical music. She was also currently unsigned. And amongst the many companies and businesses of the vast Malfoy empire, there happened to be a production company.
Blaise, a diligent chief of staff, was updated on every aspect of Malfoy Industries, and he knew Hoodwinked Records was doing quite nicely. Its biggest signed artist was The Sirens, a side project of the famous Weird Sisters. The other bands and musicians ranged from different levels of popular.
However, classical music was making a stunning and overwhelmingly lucrative resurgence in the wizarding world, and Celia Li was riding the crest of the wave. A month ago, it had become known that she was searching for a record label. Several companies had pounced at once.
So began a long, dragged out courtship of the violinist. Along the way, other competitors had dropped out and now, Wolfgang & Company and Hoodwinked Records were the only noteworthy ones left in the race.
Even so, Hoodwinked Records didn’t really need Celia Li. Malfoy Industries did. Malfoy Industries had invested heavily in the Wireless Wizarding Corporation, the overseer of the Wireless Wizarding Network. Around the same time Celia Li had gone public with her desire for a record label, the president and owner of WWC had just finished concluding a very messy and widely publicized divorce. Sebastian Pembroke had remarried exactly fourteen hours afterwards. His second wife was a much-too-young witch with fine physical assets, and he was intent on setting off on his honeymoon immediately. Under pressure from his new and lovely wife, Sebastian agreed to sell the WWC. His step down was a catalyst for a change in power, and Malfoy Industries was determined to come out on top. Blaise knew that when the news had hit the front pages, Draco had sent an elaborate and expensive bouquet to Sebastian’s wife.
Representatives and inside sources at the WWC building had all reported the same thing: sign Celia Li and Malfoy Industries will own the WWC.
Lucius Malfoy had often told Draco, and now Draco often told Blaise, that power lay in many things but depended on communication.
“Control the lines and means of communication, and you control power,” Lucius had told Draco.
“I’d rather live as a ferret for the duration of my life than have someone else control the WWC,” Draco had told Blaise flatly. “No, wait, I’d rather shag boy Weasel,” Draco had continued, warming up to the subject, seeming entertained by horrifying himself. “I’d rather eat my own puke! I’d rather - ” Draco trailed off, searching for something properly horrifying.
“You mean you’d rather have Harry Potter marry Ginny Weasley,” supplied Blaise helpfully.
“Yeah! No - wait! Well, like that’d ever happen.”
It was very simple.
His mission: charm Celia Li.
oooOOOooo
Blaise sighed, trudging out down the hallway away from the conference room and pulling halfheartedly at his tie. Draco had several bankers, but it was the company banker that Blaise hated. Jared Parington was a genius when it came to numbers, and he officially made his living off that talent. Unofficially, his second job was making Blaise’s life hell.
“I understand you’re the representative Malfoy Industries is sending for the talks with Celia Lia,” Jared had said, snapping shut his briefcase at the conclusion of their meeting.
“Yes,” Blaise had said warily, wanting to clutch his head. He had a bloody headache.
Jared had smirked. “Well. I hope Draco Malfoy is prepared to cut his losses.”
“Why?” Blaise had snapped. “He’s going to sign Celia Li.”
“Of course,” Jared had said graciously. “I meant, just in case. I did some risk analysis, you see, and the numbers all say - ”
“Save it, Parington,” Blaise had snarled, stomping away.
He swung by Draco’s office, which was more a penthouse suite than anything else, only to discover the Malfoy heir had already gone home.
Blaise supposed he had some research to do. He stopped on his way out and asked his secretary to pull up a file of Celia Li for him. She did so, with great speed, and a short while later sent Blaise on his way home.
oooOOOooo
There were few things in his life that he found no fault with, and Blaise considered his London flat as one of them.
The floor was a combination of white carpet and polished wood. He had stayed away from a kitchen and instead left his living room, dining area, and kitchenette as one. One wall of his living room was complete glass - spelled, of course, so one could look at the magnificent cityscape but no one could see in. The fireplace was brick and, Blaise felt, gave his apartment a homier feel. He had once confided this to Draco, who had said, “You have a fireplace?”
His saxophone, brass and gleaming, leaned against the wall. Blaise considered himself very adept at the saxophone. If he ever quit his job - very likely given the state of things, Blaise thought to himself - he could go into jazz clubs and play for money.
Now, Blaise collapsed on his cushy sofa and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to sleep and forget about Draco Malfoy and Malfoy Industries and the fact that it was a Friday night and he was alone. When was the last time he had been out on a date, anyway? Never mind that, when was the last time he’d had a good shag?
Blaise cracked an eye open. The dossier on Celia Li lay on his cherrywood coffee table, a gleaming cream folder at least five centimeters thick. Not cool, Malfoy.
Blaise was several parapraphs into the reading when he discovered that Celia Li was married to an Augustus Brandon.
He flooed Draco at the Manor and informed him of this fact.
“Who gives a fuck,” a very frazzled Draco had exploded, his shirt unbuttoned and a smear of lipstick very obvious against his pale throat. “Do whatever you have to do, Zabini, and don’t bother me again, damn you.”
“I just think it’ll be hard to charm a married - ”
But Draco had cut off the Floo, and Blaise reluctantly had to accept that the plan was still on. Rats.