Marketing Malfoy's. Chapter 2
Title: Marketing Malfoy's, Chapter 2
Author/Artist: digthewriter
Word Count: 1860 - this chapter
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Modern!Au/Muggle Au - Non magic.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: READ CHAPTER ONE
Also written for: for gameofcards/card_writing / Prompt by dance_thrulife - Could this day get any worse? / Prompt by kitty_fic - Playing with fire
Summary: Draco's company makes the presentation, and Neville finds out.
Draco and Neville arrived at Potter Industries headquarters twenty minutes before their appointed meeting time. Draco had one hell of a night trying to sleep, and he'd eventually given it up. After dodging questions about Harry from his mother during dinner, Draco had only re-lived their hot encounter alone in bed.
He considered Harry's proposition, since the man had seen so hell bent on it, but when they were face to face again, Harry looked right through him. Maybe it was just an act, or maybe he'd lost interested; Draco decided not to dwell on it.
Harry had looked so different that Draco had almost not recognised him at first. His hair was slicked back, he wore a three piece navy blue suit, which sort of made his green eyes pop even more, and he wore glasses. Glasses! Draco reckoned the evening before he was either wearing contacts or these glasses were low prescription. Draco didn't think the man could have looked hotter than yesterday, but he'd been undoubtedly mistaken.
It wasn't news to anyone that the Weasleys had started their business up from scratch. That was why Draco had targeted them as his first high end profile client for Marketing Malfoy's. His father's PR firm from before, Lucius Malfoy Public Relations, had clients who all came from "old money," and that's where he'd gone all wrong. His father had been so deeply involved in all the scandal-it'd destroyed his career, eventually, driving him to alcohol, depression and the worst, suicide.
Draco wasn't going to make the same mistake again. He’d got into advertising for the glory, sure, but also because he liked the creativity behind it. He only wanted to market products he believed in, and sought out the right company, the right approach, rather than where the money was. Draco could have lived off his grandfather's inheritance moderately and comfortably for the rest of his life, but he wanted to make something of himself, and Potter and Friends was the first step.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Draco said, as Neville shut off the lights and pressed the "full screen" button on the laptop. Their presentation was on the overhead project, and it was time to start the show.
-*-*-
After the presentation was over, the lights were back on, and the laptop was closed, Draco looked around the room. Harry smiled at him, looking impressed, or so Draco thought. Or maybe he was just thinking about sex again, it wouldn't have surprised Draco, at all. The Weasley twins sat on either side of Harry; they looked at each other and seemed to be communicating telepathically.
"I'm impressed," the Weasley on the left said. "What do you think, George?"
Ah, Fred on the left, George on the right, then. Fred wore a red tie, and George was wearing a dark blue one. This was going to be just a bit easier now.
"It seemed a bit targeted towards our product," George said, sounding smug, which Draco thought was totally weird.
"It is," Neville jumped in. "We cater to our clients one hundred percent. We made this presentation based on our research for World Wide Weasleys, and from your merger with your new name, Potter and Friends. Fun, education, and toddler proof, we believe in the product and we want to help you launch your new merchandise. Draco worked especially hard on this and-"
"Why aren't you continuing the work of Lucius Malfoy Public Relations?" George asked, cutting Neville off.
Draco had expected this. This wasn't surprising at all. The fact that Fred looked surprised, was interesting to watch. It was almost as if they'd discussed this earlier, and George was breaking some sort of a rule. Potter, Harry, looked displeased, as well.
Of course, Lucius, Draco's late father, had been kind of an arse to Arthur Weasley, former Chief Inspector; assuredly, everyone in the room but George had forgotten that.
"If I must be frank?" Draco asked, and everyone nodded, Neville looked nervous.
"My father liked money. He supported campaigns that were financially profitable, and nothing more. I don't believe in that. That's why I didn't pick up where he left off. I like my head attached to my body, thank you very much," Draco teased. "I wanted to get into non-profit PR and I can't do that now because of who my father was. I'm good-we're good at what we do..." Draco gestured between him and Neville, "and we have new and refreshing approaches, a young team that works well, and works hard."
Of course, ‘new approaches’ meant, winging it; a ‘young team that works well’ meant, interns that needed experience and were cheap; and ‘works hard’ meant, they hadn't quit yet. But the Weasleys didn't need to know that.
"Why aren't you called Longbottom and Malfoy Marketing - or something to that effect, instead of just Marketing Malfoy's?" Fred Weasley asked, he didn't sound as judgemental as George, but curious.
Neville sighed, and Draco chuckled slightly. They had long argued about this, and Neville had finally understood why Draco had been against joining their names together. "Because if this all fails, and I fall flat on my face, I'd like Neville to still be able to get a job. He has a family to support."
"Well, at least you're honest," Harry said, and Draco couldn't place the tone.
"Given it's been a while since a Malfoy has been called that," Draco said, chuckling, "I'll take that as a compliment, Mr Potter."
Draco watched as Harry bit his lower lip and shook his head. Draco immediately looked away as he didn't want anyone else to notice the moment between him and Harry. When he looked at Neville, he realised he'd failed.
After no one said anything for a few moments, Neville started to pack up. "Any more questions?" Draco asked the room. Fred and George got up simultaneously and walked up to the head of the room. They shook hands with both Neville and Draco, and George patted Draco on the shoulder as if everything was forgotten.
"What other projects are you lot working on?" Fred asked, casually.
"Not much, just here and there," Draco replied evasively. They hadn't signed any big contracts yet, but the smaller ones also had confidentiality clauses both he and Neville had to be mindful of.
"We like to take our would-be associates out to dinner usually after a successful meeting," Fred said, and Draco internally sighed with relief; at least, they'd had a successful meeting. "Unfortunately, both Fred and I are on babysitting duty tonight, so would you two mind going out alone with Harry?"
"I'm sorry?" Draco asked, confused.
"Harry is the CEO of the company, and it might do him some good to have a sit down with the two of you," George said, pointing at Draco and Neville. "Would you gentlemen be interested in a business dinner? Are you free tonight?"
Draco looked at Neville who nodded reluctantly and then busied himself with the packing again. He surely knew something was up between Draco and Harry, otherwise, he wouldn't have been so reluctant.
"Sounds great!" Draco said and tried to smile. "Where should Neville and I meet you, then?"
"We have your contact information, so I'll just message you later, after my PA, Zach has made a reservation," Harry said, and still, Draco couldn't place his tone.
"Brilliant," Draco said, and they all left the conference room.
When they were out in the parking lot and had placed all the presentation equipment in the truck of Neville's car, Neville finally rounded up on Draco. "Draco, what was that all about?"
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, pretending as if his heart hadn't been thumping so loudly, he was sure the entire neighbourhood had heard him.
"How do you know Harry?" Neville asked. No pretence, which was just like him, but Harry? Not, Mr Potter, or Potter, or the CEO of Potter Industries...
"How do you know Harry?" Draco countered.
Neville shrugged. "I dated Ginny for a bit," he said. Draco had no idea what he was talking about. "Ginny Weasley? The twins' younger sister? Harry Potter's last girlfriend before he came out?"
"I met him at a party," Draco said, equally unperturbed. Draco tried to put all the pieces together in his head. Neville had dated a Weasley, who had dated Potter, who had slept with Draco. Fucking fantastic. He was part of some convoluted dating web, without even trying for it. Still, he had no idea how Harry had ended up at Daphne's party.
"What party?"
"Saturday, at Daphne's," Draco said. Neville and Hannah were going to be there initially, but the baby had got sick and Hannah decided to stay home, and of course, being a good husband that he was, Neville had stayed in, too.
"Did you have sex with him?" Neville asked, opened the driver's door of his car and getting in.
Draco followed suit and entered the passenger side. "I didn't know who he was," he said.
"Draco..."
"Hey, the moment I found out, I told him it had to stop. It was just one night, okay? And maybe a bit yesterday, but I told him. That we were going to work for his company and there couldn't be any...personal conflicts of interest."
"What was his reply?" Neville asked, almost sounding like he already knew the answer to that question.
Draco shrugged, and waited until Neville had pulled out of the driveway and they were on the motorway, well on their way home. "He told me pleasure and business are not mutually exclusive...or something to that effect."
"Draco..."
"I told him no, okay? I really did. I told you, I'm in this business. I'm not my father, I'm not going to involve myself in a scandal..."
"Are you sure about this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you sure we can handle their business?" Neville said. "I mean, I don't want to get in too over our heads. Maybe they're too big for us and we should find someone or something smaller. If you really like Harry-"
"Neville, I'm not going to lose such a big contract over a shag. Seriously. He knows it and I know it. I told him that it wasn't a good idea. I know it isn't a good idea. Okay? I'm not going to fuck this up. I promise you that."
Neville seemed to be okay with it after that. He dropped Draco off back at the office, and headed home to check on the baby. He told Draco that he'd pick him up around six for the dinner with Harry. They still needed to know where the dinner was going to take place.
At half past four, Draco received a text from a number he didn't know. Given that it was time and place for a restaurant, he figured it belonged to Harry.
Seven o'clock reservation at Maharaja of India, I hope you're okay with curry.
Draco forwarded the message to Neville, who, Draco knew, loved curry so they would be all set. Now, he just waited for the night to be over, before it would even begin. CHAPTER THREE HERE
Author/Artist: digthewriter
Word Count: 1860 - this chapter
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Modern!Au/Muggle Au - Non magic.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: READ CHAPTER ONE
Also written for: for gameofcards/card_writing / Prompt by dance_thrulife - Could this day get any worse? / Prompt by kitty_fic - Playing with fire
Summary: Draco's company makes the presentation, and Neville finds out.
Draco and Neville arrived at Potter Industries headquarters twenty minutes before their appointed meeting time. Draco had one hell of a night trying to sleep, and he'd eventually given it up. After dodging questions about Harry from his mother during dinner, Draco had only re-lived their hot encounter alone in bed.
He considered Harry's proposition, since the man had seen so hell bent on it, but when they were face to face again, Harry looked right through him. Maybe it was just an act, or maybe he'd lost interested; Draco decided not to dwell on it.
Harry had looked so different that Draco had almost not recognised him at first. His hair was slicked back, he wore a three piece navy blue suit, which sort of made his green eyes pop even more, and he wore glasses. Glasses! Draco reckoned the evening before he was either wearing contacts or these glasses were low prescription. Draco didn't think the man could have looked hotter than yesterday, but he'd been undoubtedly mistaken.
It wasn't news to anyone that the Weasleys had started their business up from scratch. That was why Draco had targeted them as his first high end profile client for Marketing Malfoy's. His father's PR firm from before, Lucius Malfoy Public Relations, had clients who all came from "old money," and that's where he'd gone all wrong. His father had been so deeply involved in all the scandal-it'd destroyed his career, eventually, driving him to alcohol, depression and the worst, suicide.
Draco wasn't going to make the same mistake again. He’d got into advertising for the glory, sure, but also because he liked the creativity behind it. He only wanted to market products he believed in, and sought out the right company, the right approach, rather than where the money was. Draco could have lived off his grandfather's inheritance moderately and comfortably for the rest of his life, but he wanted to make something of himself, and Potter and Friends was the first step.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Draco said, as Neville shut off the lights and pressed the "full screen" button on the laptop. Their presentation was on the overhead project, and it was time to start the show.
-*-*-
After the presentation was over, the lights were back on, and the laptop was closed, Draco looked around the room. Harry smiled at him, looking impressed, or so Draco thought. Or maybe he was just thinking about sex again, it wouldn't have surprised Draco, at all. The Weasley twins sat on either side of Harry; they looked at each other and seemed to be communicating telepathically.
"I'm impressed," the Weasley on the left said. "What do you think, George?"
Ah, Fred on the left, George on the right, then. Fred wore a red tie, and George was wearing a dark blue one. This was going to be just a bit easier now.
"It seemed a bit targeted towards our product," George said, sounding smug, which Draco thought was totally weird.
"It is," Neville jumped in. "We cater to our clients one hundred percent. We made this presentation based on our research for World Wide Weasleys, and from your merger with your new name, Potter and Friends. Fun, education, and toddler proof, we believe in the product and we want to help you launch your new merchandise. Draco worked especially hard on this and-"
"Why aren't you continuing the work of Lucius Malfoy Public Relations?" George asked, cutting Neville off.
Draco had expected this. This wasn't surprising at all. The fact that Fred looked surprised, was interesting to watch. It was almost as if they'd discussed this earlier, and George was breaking some sort of a rule. Potter, Harry, looked displeased, as well.
Of course, Lucius, Draco's late father, had been kind of an arse to Arthur Weasley, former Chief Inspector; assuredly, everyone in the room but George had forgotten that.
"If I must be frank?" Draco asked, and everyone nodded, Neville looked nervous.
"My father liked money. He supported campaigns that were financially profitable, and nothing more. I don't believe in that. That's why I didn't pick up where he left off. I like my head attached to my body, thank you very much," Draco teased. "I wanted to get into non-profit PR and I can't do that now because of who my father was. I'm good-we're good at what we do..." Draco gestured between him and Neville, "and we have new and refreshing approaches, a young team that works well, and works hard."
Of course, ‘new approaches’ meant, winging it; a ‘young team that works well’ meant, interns that needed experience and were cheap; and ‘works hard’ meant, they hadn't quit yet. But the Weasleys didn't need to know that.
"Why aren't you called Longbottom and Malfoy Marketing - or something to that effect, instead of just Marketing Malfoy's?" Fred Weasley asked, he didn't sound as judgemental as George, but curious.
Neville sighed, and Draco chuckled slightly. They had long argued about this, and Neville had finally understood why Draco had been against joining their names together. "Because if this all fails, and I fall flat on my face, I'd like Neville to still be able to get a job. He has a family to support."
"Well, at least you're honest," Harry said, and Draco couldn't place the tone.
"Given it's been a while since a Malfoy has been called that," Draco said, chuckling, "I'll take that as a compliment, Mr Potter."
Draco watched as Harry bit his lower lip and shook his head. Draco immediately looked away as he didn't want anyone else to notice the moment between him and Harry. When he looked at Neville, he realised he'd failed.
After no one said anything for a few moments, Neville started to pack up. "Any more questions?" Draco asked the room. Fred and George got up simultaneously and walked up to the head of the room. They shook hands with both Neville and Draco, and George patted Draco on the shoulder as if everything was forgotten.
"What other projects are you lot working on?" Fred asked, casually.
"Not much, just here and there," Draco replied evasively. They hadn't signed any big contracts yet, but the smaller ones also had confidentiality clauses both he and Neville had to be mindful of.
"We like to take our would-be associates out to dinner usually after a successful meeting," Fred said, and Draco internally sighed with relief; at least, they'd had a successful meeting. "Unfortunately, both Fred and I are on babysitting duty tonight, so would you two mind going out alone with Harry?"
"I'm sorry?" Draco asked, confused.
"Harry is the CEO of the company, and it might do him some good to have a sit down with the two of you," George said, pointing at Draco and Neville. "Would you gentlemen be interested in a business dinner? Are you free tonight?"
Draco looked at Neville who nodded reluctantly and then busied himself with the packing again. He surely knew something was up between Draco and Harry, otherwise, he wouldn't have been so reluctant.
"Sounds great!" Draco said and tried to smile. "Where should Neville and I meet you, then?"
"We have your contact information, so I'll just message you later, after my PA, Zach has made a reservation," Harry said, and still, Draco couldn't place his tone.
"Brilliant," Draco said, and they all left the conference room.
When they were out in the parking lot and had placed all the presentation equipment in the truck of Neville's car, Neville finally rounded up on Draco. "Draco, what was that all about?"
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, pretending as if his heart hadn't been thumping so loudly, he was sure the entire neighbourhood had heard him.
"How do you know Harry?" Neville asked. No pretence, which was just like him, but Harry? Not, Mr Potter, or Potter, or the CEO of Potter Industries...
"How do you know Harry?" Draco countered.
Neville shrugged. "I dated Ginny for a bit," he said. Draco had no idea what he was talking about. "Ginny Weasley? The twins' younger sister? Harry Potter's last girlfriend before he came out?"
"I met him at a party," Draco said, equally unperturbed. Draco tried to put all the pieces together in his head. Neville had dated a Weasley, who had dated Potter, who had slept with Draco. Fucking fantastic. He was part of some convoluted dating web, without even trying for it. Still, he had no idea how Harry had ended up at Daphne's party.
"What party?"
"Saturday, at Daphne's," Draco said. Neville and Hannah were going to be there initially, but the baby had got sick and Hannah decided to stay home, and of course, being a good husband that he was, Neville had stayed in, too.
"Did you have sex with him?" Neville asked, opened the driver's door of his car and getting in.
Draco followed suit and entered the passenger side. "I didn't know who he was," he said.
"Draco..."
"Hey, the moment I found out, I told him it had to stop. It was just one night, okay? And maybe a bit yesterday, but I told him. That we were going to work for his company and there couldn't be any...personal conflicts of interest."
"What was his reply?" Neville asked, almost sounding like he already knew the answer to that question.
Draco shrugged, and waited until Neville had pulled out of the driveway and they were on the motorway, well on their way home. "He told me pleasure and business are not mutually exclusive...or something to that effect."
"Draco..."
"I told him no, okay? I really did. I told you, I'm in this business. I'm not my father, I'm not going to involve myself in a scandal..."
"Are you sure about this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Are you sure we can handle their business?" Neville said. "I mean, I don't want to get in too over our heads. Maybe they're too big for us and we should find someone or something smaller. If you really like Harry-"
"Neville, I'm not going to lose such a big contract over a shag. Seriously. He knows it and I know it. I told him that it wasn't a good idea. I know it isn't a good idea. Okay? I'm not going to fuck this up. I promise you that."
Neville seemed to be okay with it after that. He dropped Draco off back at the office, and headed home to check on the baby. He told Draco that he'd pick him up around six for the dinner with Harry. They still needed to know where the dinner was going to take place.
At half past four, Draco received a text from a number he didn't know. Given that it was time and place for a restaurant, he figured it belonged to Harry.
Seven o'clock reservation at Maharaja of India, I hope you're okay with curry.
Draco forwarded the message to Neville, who, Draco knew, loved curry so they would be all set. Now, he just waited for the night to be over, before it would even begin. CHAPTER THREE HERE