DUET 2: jaynedlm and PierreJ92
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Bros. All fics posted at this community were written entirely for fun, not for profit, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Title: Be Careful What You Wish For
Author: JayneDLM
Rating: K
Word Count: 3678
Summary: Hermione's words are more powerful than she realises, and it is her work colleague Draco who suffers.
Warnings: None
Author's Note(s): Just a fun piece.
It was another Monday morning at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and I felt refreshed, all things considered….
As I walked through the corridor I glanced sideways at the mirrored wall beside me to ensure that I looked decent. I’d dressed in black pants, a simple white blouse, and flat black shoes. My unruly hair was pulled back into a bun and charmed to stay in place. Happy with my appearance, I continued down the corridor into the Auror Annex of the Department.
As I entered the Annex I was greeted by silence. I smiled in satisfaction at being the first person in, and most importantly, arriving before my new partner Malfoy. It was a good start to the day, as it gave me time to read through my cases and grab some much-needed coffee.
I walked into my small dingy office with a spring in my step. Granted it wasn’t the plush corner office held by the senior Aurors, but it was still better than the open floor-planned desks reserved for the new recruits.
Once I was seated behind my desk, the tray marked ‘IN’ magically filled up with files of cases I was charged with working on. With a sense of purpose and determination, I grabbed the folder from the top of the pile and got straight to work.
I do not know how long I had been reading through files when there was a knock at my door and I was summoned into a meeting.
Senior Auror Sherwood was about to brief us all on a suspected serial killer. I scanned the room and noted that there was no Malfoy. He was late…again. It was no surprise considering what I had observed the previous week. I immediately had the mental image of him recovering from a playboy type bender and assumed he was probably in the process of hauling his hungover arse into work.
I sat attentively as Auror Sherwood entered the room. He was the top ranking Auror. He was a short stout man, with salt and pepper hair and a stern manner. He commanded respect as he was practically a legend in these halls. In short, everyone wanted to work with him and earn his favour.
He stood in front of the group and proceeded to brief us on the case.
This was the type of case I had wanted to work on for ages. It was the kind that could make my career if I played my cards right. I had long wanted to introduce the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to Muggle investigative techniques and this could be my chance. If I could prove these techniques helpful in catching a killer, perhaps people would start to see their value.
I listened intently and furiously took notes.
It was only when Auror Sherwood stopped speaking that I looked up at him and then across to what, or whom he was looking at.
“Nice of you to join us Auror Malfoy,” Auror Sherwood said dryly.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and shake my head. Trust Malfoy to be late to this meeting.
“Sorry sir,” Malfoy uttered quietly as he made his way towards me and Auror Sherwood continued his briefing.
For once Malfoy didn’t strut nor did he seem to welcome the attention he was getting from the room.
I tried to remain impassive as he sat in the spare seat next to me, but I still found myself shifting away from him in my seat. It felt like a cruel joke being partnered with him.
The lights were dimmed so I had to squint to see him, however even in this light Malfoy did not look like his normally polished self. His hair seemed dishevelled, his robes did not appear to have been pressed, and he had a 5 o’clock shadow.
“You look like shit Malfoy,” I whispered to him and got no response.
I again imagined that his present state was due to a weekend-long bender at the Malfoy mansion with his own personal entourage of scantily clad girls, with little clothes and even less self-respect.
I immediately chastised myself, and focused on Auror Sherwood’s briefing.
“So do I have any volunteers?” Auror Sherwood asked the room.
On reflex I found myself raising my hand up quicker than Hagrid could eat a pie. I was desperate to work with Auror Sherwood and was eager to prove my worth to him.
I looked around the room and saw that most of the room also had their hands raised.
“Very well then. Auror Jolt and Auror Donahue, I want you to take statements and look for any inconsistencies; Auror Ryan and Auror Gruen, I want you to look into the victim’s history, if they peed on a tree I expect you to know about it; Auror Granger and Auror Malfoy, I want a full evaluation of the evidence found at the scene.”
I couldn’t believe my luck. This could be a perfect opportunity to showcase what Muggle technology could do.
With that, Auror Sherwood briskly left the room.
Once Sherwood had made his exit I practically jumped out of my chair to follow. I started heading for the doorway with Malfoy following behind. I grabbed some strong coffee before heading straight to the Department’s evidence chamber.
“Malfoy, you really do look like shit. What is wrong with you?” I snarled.
“Nothing,” he replied, but everything else about him screamed at me that something was not right.
I paid no further attention to him and walked to the box marked Evidence Case #100567. I withdrew my wand and levitated the items out. First came out the victim's wand, secondly there was a package of crime scene images, and thirdly there were vials which contained the extracted memories from the person who found the body.
I carefully levitated the items to the table.
Last week, Malfoy would have shoved me aside and taken prime position in front of the evidence. Today, he seemed content to let me have first look at everything. This would normally suit me perfectly, however I could tell that something was not right.
“Malfoy can you please run a full analysis on this wand?”
I expected a snarky comment about me being bossy, but I was met by silence. Not being one to mince words, I turned on my heel to face Malfoy.
“Malfoy are you hard of hearing? I said can you please run a full analysis on this wand?” I said through gritted teeth. I momentarily closed my eyes and inhaled the sweet aroma of coffee in an attempt to sooth myself.
Upon opening my eyes, I could have sworn I saw a hint of embarrassment as his normally haughty gaze seemed to now burn holes in his shoes.
“Malfoy?” I stepped closer to him, scrutinising him closely.
“I can’t,” he stated flatly, still looking down.
“What do you mean you can’t?” I huffed at him, crossing my arms. I was in no mood for his games.
“I can’t run an analysis on the wand.” His grey eyes slowly moved from the floor to look straight in mine.
My mouth was suddenly dry. I sensed the seriousness in his tone.
“Why not?”
“I seem to have lost my magical ability.”
I spluttered out the remaining contents of my coffee into the Styrofoam cup.
“What do you mean? Since when?”
“Since Friday evening.”
My mind immediately went back to the last time I had seen Malfoy on Friday.
*****
It was Friday evening and I was exhausted. Despite it being a long day, I was determined to complete my paperwork before going home.
Working as an Auror was always challenging, with long hours, consuming cases, and confronting situations. However this week in particular had been tiresome. I could only attribute this to my newly assigned partner, the one and only Draco Malfoy.
It had been years since I had seen him and couldn’t deny that he had changed. He was no longer a stringy teenager but instead a tall man with a broad chest and shoulders to match. His skin had lost its sick, translucent ‘I am surrounded by death-eater’ paleness and instead was a healthy tanned colour. And of course his jawline had become more defined and masculine.
But despite appearances of change, Malfoy had proven to be just as much of a pain in the arse as he was in school. He treated the Auror Code of Conduct as if it were scrap paper and procedures as if they were optional. He operated by using his ‘instincts’ rather than following evidence and seemed to thumb his nose at the chain of command. On top of this, he always acted as if he were superior to me, and despite never having uttered the word Mudblood, I felt certain he still held onto some pure-blood prejudice.
In general, Malfoy made me seriously reconsider whether violence could be the answer. All in all, he was an annoying blond ferret, and working with him was a nightmare.
With a deep breath I allowed myself one more moment of self-pity, wondering who I had screwed over to be partnered with such a career limiting loose cannon, before returning to my work.
I was in the middle of typing away at my laptop when I heard a familiar laugh from the doorway.
I looked up to see Malfoy resting on the door frame with a smug expression on his face.
“I should have known you would use a primitive Muggle contraption over magic.” He shook his head, clearly amused before continuing, “See you next week Granger..”
With that he smirked, turned on his heel and strutted down the corridor. Trailing him was a floating parchment and enchanted quill which was writing notes.
I wanted to throw a hex his way so badly; however, if I stood any chance of getting a promotion I had to show I could play nice, even with Malfoy. Instead I opted for the lesser of two evils, jumped to my feet and ran to my door shouting after him.
“You wouldn’t survive without magic for one week Malfoy!”
*****
Crap
I was certain I could feel the colour drain out of my face.
Malfoy took out his wand from its holster and held it out above one of the crime scene photos.
“Wingardium Leviosa,” he said perfectly, as he moved his wrist with a perfect swish and flick, yet there was nothing.
In that moment Malfoy looked so dejected he changed from looking like a washed up playboy ferret to a lost scruffy kitten needing a cuddle.
“How did this happen?” I asked, even though I knew full well I must have accidentally cast a spell over Malfoy on Friday. Guilt should have inhabited every pore of my being, and yes I did feel bad, however I couldn’t help but feel the tiniest twinge of amusement.
“I have no idea really. I left the Department on Friday evening feeling fine. However the moment I got home I was unable to perform any magic.”
I decided to not tell him what I knew at this stage as I needed to do some research. However that would have to wait as I could not push aside the case.
With a deep breath I calmed my guilt and jutted out my jaw.
“It’s okay Malfoy, we will figure this out I promise. But first we need to analyse the evidence… here.”
I passed my laptop over to him.
“If you cannot do magic, you can take notes.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the look of horror in his eyes at the prospect of having to use Muggle technology...
****
Later that evening, I was curled up on my couch, a woollen blanket covering my legs, reviewing the evidence.
I looked at Malfoy who sat at my table in front of my laptop. I couldn’t help but feel this was the universe punishing me.
Throughout the course of the day Malfoy had explained how he did not know how to function without magic. That he had spent the whole weekend hiding in his room, too ashamed to leave and would prefer not return to his parents' Manor until he could explain himself. Out of guilt and pity I offered that he stay at my apartment in the spare bedroom.
Once we had arrived at my apartment I had had to teach Malfoy the basics of… well…life. It was strange showing a grown man how to shave, utterly bizarre showing a grown man how to wash his clothes or how to iron his own clothes or brush his teeth, and embarrassing explaining the functions of a Muggle toilet.
Also, as it turns out, giving Malfoy access to my laptop was possibly my worst decision that day.
“Granger, what is the internet and what does it catch?”
“Granger - what is a Facebook? How do you even read a book of faces?”
“Hey Granger, why do Muggles make bird noises so much? They talk about tweeting a lot.”
“Hey Granger, what are wingdings and how do I change the writing back to normal?”
“Hey Granger, check out this video of a cat dressed as a shark!”
It was like watching a child in a candy shop. Previously he had seemed so arrogant and dismissive of Muggle technology, but watching him throughout the day, he had become increasingly fascinated.
I slyly observed Malfoy from across my room and I couldn’t help but admire how attractive he looked. His blonde hair was still a bit wet from his shower, his form was relaxed and he had a spark in his eyes that I couldn’t identify. His cheeks also seemed to look rather flushed and I instantly grew curious.
“What are you looking at Malfoy?” I asked as I noticed him looking at the screen and then peering over at me, and then looking back at the screen.
“Oh nothing, Granger,” he said a little too quickly.
Instantly suspicious I stood up from my comfortable position on the couch and walked over to him.
“Here.” Malfoy pointed with a mischievous look to photos that were taken with a group of Muggle friends in Ibiza. There were photos of me in clubs wearing promiscuous clothes and doing some rather promiscuous looking things by wizarding standards. In these photos I was licking the salt off a chiselled man’s chest with a shot of tequila in one hand and a slice of lemon in another; I was dancing and swirling on a stripper pole; and of course I was having a shot glass placed in my cleavage ready to be taken out by the man in question.
I shook my head and sighed.
“Those were from a few years ago, Malfoy,” I said as I tried to pry the laptop away from him.
“Who knew bookworm Granger knew how to party?”
I knew I should have been embarrassed yet I couldn’t help but find the challenge in his words.
“I’ll have you know I definitely know how to have a good time.”
“I bet you do,” Malfoy responded with a teasing waggle of his eyebrows.
“Shut up,” I growled as I managed to wrench the laptop away from him. I didn’t look back at him as I climbed the staircase towards my room. “I am off to bed Malfoy, I’ll see you in the morning.”
*****
The next morning, I made a simple breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast with a good brew of strong coffee. I needed a decent breakfast to keep me going as I was tired from researching the inadvertent spell I had cast onto Malfoy.
Malfoy’s chipper disposition from the previous evening seemed to be replaced by worry.
“I still do not understand how this could have happened,” Malfoy muttered, head in his hands at the breakfast table.
I twisted the edge of the tablecloth in my hands, riddled with guilt.
“Malfoy, I have a confession,” I blurted out.
He looked at me through his hands, still not showing his face. “What?”
“I … errr… I think I am responsible for your lack of magic.”
At these words, Malfoy’s hands dropped to his sides and if his eyes were daggers I would surely be dead.
“What do you mean?” he said slowly, pronouncing every syllable with emphasis.
“Last Friday when you made fun of Muggle technology, do you remember what I said?”
“Umm, you said something about...” He paused and then his eyes widened at the realisation.
“I’m sorry Malfoy, honestly I didn’t mean to do this. This has never happened to me before.”
“Well fix it!” he demanded, arms now in the air gesturing around his person.
“I do not know how. Trust me, I have been up all night going over ways to reverse it. But as far as I can tell, you just have to ride this out until Friday.”
“You better be right,” he snarled, before allowing his attention to be taken by his breakfast.
******
The next few days were a combination of tireless work on the serial killer case, concealing Malfoy’s inability to practice magic from everyone at work, and teaching Malfoy how to function without magic.
I felt especially accomplished that I had taught Malfoy how make a good breakfast and coffee. I noted that by the third day he seemed to even enjoy the process.
“This Muggle food isn’t too bad,” he even said at one point.
Much to Malfoy's admonishment and surprise, we were able to use Muggle technology to test the victim’s wand which was found at the crime scene. Using Muggle techniques and technology, we were able to get multiple sets of finger prints and traces of DNA that did not belong to the victim from the wand. We were also able to ascertain the approximate height of the perpetrator, going by the height that the spell hit the victim’s body.
Now this was all well and good, however there was still no smoking gun.
It was Thursday when we finally had the breakthrough we were hoping for. Our colleagues were interviewing anyone who had a connection with the victim and Malfoy happened to walk through the corridor passing the people about to be questioned.
He quickly bailed me up in my office and told me he smelled a rat, and that he would bet his fortune that the killer was sitting out in the corridor. Normally Malfoy would have gone ahead and used his magic on the guy, however he recognised the need for reinforcements. I peeked out of my office and saw who he was talking about. The man, who was now standing, seemed to fit our estimated height as well. Perhaps Malfoy was right.
We quickly devised a plan to get the individual’s finger prints and hopefully DNA which would either prove or disprove Malfoy’s theory. It was a simple, ‘offer them a drink while they were waiting to be interviewed and then take the cup back once they had finished’ scenario.
It worked a treat and using Muggle technology we were able to prove that this person had been at the crime scene with matching finger prints and DNA.
We straight away told our colleagues everything we had done, and as a team were able to arrest him. At this point he confessed everything, and was soon locked up and awaiting trial.
All in all, this was perfect. Auror Sherwood read Malfoy’s notes about the methodology we used to collect finger prints, the DNA from the wand, and then how we matched them to the perpetrator.
To celebrate, our entire team went to the Five Broomsticks for drinks after work. We ate, drank, and cheered to our success. Throughout the course of the night, I noticed that Malfoy seemed to have totally lost the wand that had been shoved firmly up his arse the previous week. He was laughing lightly with the team, and even engaged at some self-deprecating humour.
It gave me hope that perhaps our partnership was not entirely doomed to failure. If only I could ensure he wouldn’t veer away from protocol...
******
It was Friday evening, and by my calculations Malfoy’s magic would return at any time.
Strangely, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss for I had become accustomed to his presence in my apartment.
Dare I say it, I would even miss his commentary while watching my favourite shows on Netflix.
I shook my head at such nonsense, and tried to focus on the book in my hands.
I heard Malfoy enter the lounge from behind me, and the next moment I heard his voice say, “Wingardium Leviosa.”
The book levitated out of my hands and hovered steadily in the air, then into his hands.
Malfoy who seemed to regain some of his trademark strut, walked around the couch and handed me back my book with the biggest smile I had ever seen him wear.
As he placed the book gently into my hands, our fingers touched for the tiniest of moments, and it was like a spark of electricity shot through my entire being.
Our eyes locked and in that moment I knew he had felt it too.
I cleared my throat, and tried to ignore the heat I could feel burning on my cheeks.
“You err must be so glad to have your magic back,” I said.
“I am definitely happy to have my magic back,” Malfoy said as he spun the wand in his fingers once before placing it expertly in its holster.
“However I have learnt a few things this week,” Malfoy continued, still standing before me.
“Oh really? Like what?” I replied sarcastically without making eye contact.
“Muggle things are no so bad after all,” Malfoy whispered as he leant down and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek.
With that, he Apparated on the spot, and I sat dumbstruck on the couch.
Crap! I really need to be careful for what I wish for.
THE END
Title: Be Careful What You Wish For
Author: JayneDLM
Rating: K
Word Count: 3678
Summary: Hermione's words are more powerful than she realises, and it is her work colleague Draco who suffers.
Warnings: None
Author's Note(s): Just a fun piece.
It was another Monday morning at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and I felt refreshed, all things considered….
As I walked through the corridor I glanced sideways at the mirrored wall beside me to ensure that I looked decent. I’d dressed in black pants, a simple white blouse, and flat black shoes. My unruly hair was pulled back into a bun and charmed to stay in place. Happy with my appearance, I continued down the corridor into the Auror Annex of the Department.
As I entered the Annex I was greeted by silence. I smiled in satisfaction at being the first person in, and most importantly, arriving before my new partner Malfoy. It was a good start to the day, as it gave me time to read through my cases and grab some much-needed coffee.
I walked into my small dingy office with a spring in my step. Granted it wasn’t the plush corner office held by the senior Aurors, but it was still better than the open floor-planned desks reserved for the new recruits.
Once I was seated behind my desk, the tray marked ‘IN’ magically filled up with files of cases I was charged with working on. With a sense of purpose and determination, I grabbed the folder from the top of the pile and got straight to work.
I do not know how long I had been reading through files when there was a knock at my door and I was summoned into a meeting.
Senior Auror Sherwood was about to brief us all on a suspected serial killer. I scanned the room and noted that there was no Malfoy. He was late…again. It was no surprise considering what I had observed the previous week. I immediately had the mental image of him recovering from a playboy type bender and assumed he was probably in the process of hauling his hungover arse into work.
I sat attentively as Auror Sherwood entered the room. He was the top ranking Auror. He was a short stout man, with salt and pepper hair and a stern manner. He commanded respect as he was practically a legend in these halls. In short, everyone wanted to work with him and earn his favour.
He stood in front of the group and proceeded to brief us on the case.
This was the type of case I had wanted to work on for ages. It was the kind that could make my career if I played my cards right. I had long wanted to introduce the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to Muggle investigative techniques and this could be my chance. If I could prove these techniques helpful in catching a killer, perhaps people would start to see their value.
I listened intently and furiously took notes.
It was only when Auror Sherwood stopped speaking that I looked up at him and then across to what, or whom he was looking at.
“Nice of you to join us Auror Malfoy,” Auror Sherwood said dryly.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and shake my head. Trust Malfoy to be late to this meeting.
“Sorry sir,” Malfoy uttered quietly as he made his way towards me and Auror Sherwood continued his briefing.
For once Malfoy didn’t strut nor did he seem to welcome the attention he was getting from the room.
I tried to remain impassive as he sat in the spare seat next to me, but I still found myself shifting away from him in my seat. It felt like a cruel joke being partnered with him.
The lights were dimmed so I had to squint to see him, however even in this light Malfoy did not look like his normally polished self. His hair seemed dishevelled, his robes did not appear to have been pressed, and he had a 5 o’clock shadow.
“You look like shit Malfoy,” I whispered to him and got no response.
I again imagined that his present state was due to a weekend-long bender at the Malfoy mansion with his own personal entourage of scantily clad girls, with little clothes and even less self-respect.
I immediately chastised myself, and focused on Auror Sherwood’s briefing.
“So do I have any volunteers?” Auror Sherwood asked the room.
On reflex I found myself raising my hand up quicker than Hagrid could eat a pie. I was desperate to work with Auror Sherwood and was eager to prove my worth to him.
I looked around the room and saw that most of the room also had their hands raised.
“Very well then. Auror Jolt and Auror Donahue, I want you to take statements and look for any inconsistencies; Auror Ryan and Auror Gruen, I want you to look into the victim’s history, if they peed on a tree I expect you to know about it; Auror Granger and Auror Malfoy, I want a full evaluation of the evidence found at the scene.”
I couldn’t believe my luck. This could be a perfect opportunity to showcase what Muggle technology could do.
With that, Auror Sherwood briskly left the room.
Once Sherwood had made his exit I practically jumped out of my chair to follow. I started heading for the doorway with Malfoy following behind. I grabbed some strong coffee before heading straight to the Department’s evidence chamber.
“Malfoy, you really do look like shit. What is wrong with you?” I snarled.
“Nothing,” he replied, but everything else about him screamed at me that something was not right.
I paid no further attention to him and walked to the box marked Evidence Case #100567. I withdrew my wand and levitated the items out. First came out the victim's wand, secondly there was a package of crime scene images, and thirdly there were vials which contained the extracted memories from the person who found the body.
I carefully levitated the items to the table.
Last week, Malfoy would have shoved me aside and taken prime position in front of the evidence. Today, he seemed content to let me have first look at everything. This would normally suit me perfectly, however I could tell that something was not right.
“Malfoy can you please run a full analysis on this wand?”
I expected a snarky comment about me being bossy, but I was met by silence. Not being one to mince words, I turned on my heel to face Malfoy.
“Malfoy are you hard of hearing? I said can you please run a full analysis on this wand?” I said through gritted teeth. I momentarily closed my eyes and inhaled the sweet aroma of coffee in an attempt to sooth myself.
Upon opening my eyes, I could have sworn I saw a hint of embarrassment as his normally haughty gaze seemed to now burn holes in his shoes.
“Malfoy?” I stepped closer to him, scrutinising him closely.
“I can’t,” he stated flatly, still looking down.
“What do you mean you can’t?” I huffed at him, crossing my arms. I was in no mood for his games.
“I can’t run an analysis on the wand.” His grey eyes slowly moved from the floor to look straight in mine.
My mouth was suddenly dry. I sensed the seriousness in his tone.
“Why not?”
“I seem to have lost my magical ability.”
I spluttered out the remaining contents of my coffee into the Styrofoam cup.
“What do you mean? Since when?”
“Since Friday evening.”
My mind immediately went back to the last time I had seen Malfoy on Friday.
*****
It was Friday evening and I was exhausted. Despite it being a long day, I was determined to complete my paperwork before going home.
Working as an Auror was always challenging, with long hours, consuming cases, and confronting situations. However this week in particular had been tiresome. I could only attribute this to my newly assigned partner, the one and only Draco Malfoy.
It had been years since I had seen him and couldn’t deny that he had changed. He was no longer a stringy teenager but instead a tall man with a broad chest and shoulders to match. His skin had lost its sick, translucent ‘I am surrounded by death-eater’ paleness and instead was a healthy tanned colour. And of course his jawline had become more defined and masculine.
But despite appearances of change, Malfoy had proven to be just as much of a pain in the arse as he was in school. He treated the Auror Code of Conduct as if it were scrap paper and procedures as if they were optional. He operated by using his ‘instincts’ rather than following evidence and seemed to thumb his nose at the chain of command. On top of this, he always acted as if he were superior to me, and despite never having uttered the word Mudblood, I felt certain he still held onto some pure-blood prejudice.
In general, Malfoy made me seriously reconsider whether violence could be the answer. All in all, he was an annoying blond ferret, and working with him was a nightmare.
With a deep breath I allowed myself one more moment of self-pity, wondering who I had screwed over to be partnered with such a career limiting loose cannon, before returning to my work.
I was in the middle of typing away at my laptop when I heard a familiar laugh from the doorway.
I looked up to see Malfoy resting on the door frame with a smug expression on his face.
“I should have known you would use a primitive Muggle contraption over magic.” He shook his head, clearly amused before continuing, “See you next week Granger..”
With that he smirked, turned on his heel and strutted down the corridor. Trailing him was a floating parchment and enchanted quill which was writing notes.
I wanted to throw a hex his way so badly; however, if I stood any chance of getting a promotion I had to show I could play nice, even with Malfoy. Instead I opted for the lesser of two evils, jumped to my feet and ran to my door shouting after him.
“You wouldn’t survive without magic for one week Malfoy!”
*****
Crap
I was certain I could feel the colour drain out of my face.
Malfoy took out his wand from its holster and held it out above one of the crime scene photos.
“Wingardium Leviosa,” he said perfectly, as he moved his wrist with a perfect swish and flick, yet there was nothing.
In that moment Malfoy looked so dejected he changed from looking like a washed up playboy ferret to a lost scruffy kitten needing a cuddle.
“How did this happen?” I asked, even though I knew full well I must have accidentally cast a spell over Malfoy on Friday. Guilt should have inhabited every pore of my being, and yes I did feel bad, however I couldn’t help but feel the tiniest twinge of amusement.
“I have no idea really. I left the Department on Friday evening feeling fine. However the moment I got home I was unable to perform any magic.”
I decided to not tell him what I knew at this stage as I needed to do some research. However that would have to wait as I could not push aside the case.
With a deep breath I calmed my guilt and jutted out my jaw.
“It’s okay Malfoy, we will figure this out I promise. But first we need to analyse the evidence… here.”
I passed my laptop over to him.
“If you cannot do magic, you can take notes.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the look of horror in his eyes at the prospect of having to use Muggle technology...
****
Later that evening, I was curled up on my couch, a woollen blanket covering my legs, reviewing the evidence.
I looked at Malfoy who sat at my table in front of my laptop. I couldn’t help but feel this was the universe punishing me.
Throughout the course of the day Malfoy had explained how he did not know how to function without magic. That he had spent the whole weekend hiding in his room, too ashamed to leave and would prefer not return to his parents' Manor until he could explain himself. Out of guilt and pity I offered that he stay at my apartment in the spare bedroom.
Once we had arrived at my apartment I had had to teach Malfoy the basics of… well…life. It was strange showing a grown man how to shave, utterly bizarre showing a grown man how to wash his clothes or how to iron his own clothes or brush his teeth, and embarrassing explaining the functions of a Muggle toilet.
Also, as it turns out, giving Malfoy access to my laptop was possibly my worst decision that day.
“Granger, what is the internet and what does it catch?”
“Granger - what is a Facebook? How do you even read a book of faces?”
“Hey Granger, why do Muggles make bird noises so much? They talk about tweeting a lot.”
“Hey Granger, what are wingdings and how do I change the writing back to normal?”
“Hey Granger, check out this video of a cat dressed as a shark!”
It was like watching a child in a candy shop. Previously he had seemed so arrogant and dismissive of Muggle technology, but watching him throughout the day, he had become increasingly fascinated.
I slyly observed Malfoy from across my room and I couldn’t help but admire how attractive he looked. His blonde hair was still a bit wet from his shower, his form was relaxed and he had a spark in his eyes that I couldn’t identify. His cheeks also seemed to look rather flushed and I instantly grew curious.
“What are you looking at Malfoy?” I asked as I noticed him looking at the screen and then peering over at me, and then looking back at the screen.
“Oh nothing, Granger,” he said a little too quickly.
Instantly suspicious I stood up from my comfortable position on the couch and walked over to him.
“Here.” Malfoy pointed with a mischievous look to photos that were taken with a group of Muggle friends in Ibiza. There were photos of me in clubs wearing promiscuous clothes and doing some rather promiscuous looking things by wizarding standards. In these photos I was licking the salt off a chiselled man’s chest with a shot of tequila in one hand and a slice of lemon in another; I was dancing and swirling on a stripper pole; and of course I was having a shot glass placed in my cleavage ready to be taken out by the man in question.
I shook my head and sighed.
“Those were from a few years ago, Malfoy,” I said as I tried to pry the laptop away from him.
“Who knew bookworm Granger knew how to party?”
I knew I should have been embarrassed yet I couldn’t help but find the challenge in his words.
“I’ll have you know I definitely know how to have a good time.”
“I bet you do,” Malfoy responded with a teasing waggle of his eyebrows.
“Shut up,” I growled as I managed to wrench the laptop away from him. I didn’t look back at him as I climbed the staircase towards my room. “I am off to bed Malfoy, I’ll see you in the morning.”
*****
The next morning, I made a simple breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast with a good brew of strong coffee. I needed a decent breakfast to keep me going as I was tired from researching the inadvertent spell I had cast onto Malfoy.
Malfoy’s chipper disposition from the previous evening seemed to be replaced by worry.
“I still do not understand how this could have happened,” Malfoy muttered, head in his hands at the breakfast table.
I twisted the edge of the tablecloth in my hands, riddled with guilt.
“Malfoy, I have a confession,” I blurted out.
He looked at me through his hands, still not showing his face. “What?”
“I … errr… I think I am responsible for your lack of magic.”
At these words, Malfoy’s hands dropped to his sides and if his eyes were daggers I would surely be dead.
“What do you mean?” he said slowly, pronouncing every syllable with emphasis.
“Last Friday when you made fun of Muggle technology, do you remember what I said?”
“Umm, you said something about...” He paused and then his eyes widened at the realisation.
“I’m sorry Malfoy, honestly I didn’t mean to do this. This has never happened to me before.”
“Well fix it!” he demanded, arms now in the air gesturing around his person.
“I do not know how. Trust me, I have been up all night going over ways to reverse it. But as far as I can tell, you just have to ride this out until Friday.”
“You better be right,” he snarled, before allowing his attention to be taken by his breakfast.
******
The next few days were a combination of tireless work on the serial killer case, concealing Malfoy’s inability to practice magic from everyone at work, and teaching Malfoy how to function without magic.
I felt especially accomplished that I had taught Malfoy how make a good breakfast and coffee. I noted that by the third day he seemed to even enjoy the process.
“This Muggle food isn’t too bad,” he even said at one point.
Much to Malfoy's admonishment and surprise, we were able to use Muggle technology to test the victim’s wand which was found at the crime scene. Using Muggle techniques and technology, we were able to get multiple sets of finger prints and traces of DNA that did not belong to the victim from the wand. We were also able to ascertain the approximate height of the perpetrator, going by the height that the spell hit the victim’s body.
Now this was all well and good, however there was still no smoking gun.
It was Thursday when we finally had the breakthrough we were hoping for. Our colleagues were interviewing anyone who had a connection with the victim and Malfoy happened to walk through the corridor passing the people about to be questioned.
He quickly bailed me up in my office and told me he smelled a rat, and that he would bet his fortune that the killer was sitting out in the corridor. Normally Malfoy would have gone ahead and used his magic on the guy, however he recognised the need for reinforcements. I peeked out of my office and saw who he was talking about. The man, who was now standing, seemed to fit our estimated height as well. Perhaps Malfoy was right.
We quickly devised a plan to get the individual’s finger prints and hopefully DNA which would either prove or disprove Malfoy’s theory. It was a simple, ‘offer them a drink while they were waiting to be interviewed and then take the cup back once they had finished’ scenario.
It worked a treat and using Muggle technology we were able to prove that this person had been at the crime scene with matching finger prints and DNA.
We straight away told our colleagues everything we had done, and as a team were able to arrest him. At this point he confessed everything, and was soon locked up and awaiting trial.
All in all, this was perfect. Auror Sherwood read Malfoy’s notes about the methodology we used to collect finger prints, the DNA from the wand, and then how we matched them to the perpetrator.
To celebrate, our entire team went to the Five Broomsticks for drinks after work. We ate, drank, and cheered to our success. Throughout the course of the night, I noticed that Malfoy seemed to have totally lost the wand that had been shoved firmly up his arse the previous week. He was laughing lightly with the team, and even engaged at some self-deprecating humour.
It gave me hope that perhaps our partnership was not entirely doomed to failure. If only I could ensure he wouldn’t veer away from protocol...
******
It was Friday evening, and by my calculations Malfoy’s magic would return at any time.
Strangely, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss for I had become accustomed to his presence in my apartment.
Dare I say it, I would even miss his commentary while watching my favourite shows on Netflix.
I shook my head at such nonsense, and tried to focus on the book in my hands.
I heard Malfoy enter the lounge from behind me, and the next moment I heard his voice say, “Wingardium Leviosa.”
The book levitated out of my hands and hovered steadily in the air, then into his hands.
Malfoy who seemed to regain some of his trademark strut, walked around the couch and handed me back my book with the biggest smile I had ever seen him wear.
As he placed the book gently into my hands, our fingers touched for the tiniest of moments, and it was like a spark of electricity shot through my entire being.
Our eyes locked and in that moment I knew he had felt it too.
I cleared my throat, and tried to ignore the heat I could feel burning on my cheeks.
“You err must be so glad to have your magic back,” I said.
“I am definitely happy to have my magic back,” Malfoy said as he spun the wand in his fingers once before placing it expertly in its holster.
“However I have learnt a few things this week,” Malfoy continued, still standing before me.
“Oh really? Like what?” I replied sarcastically without making eye contact.
“Muggle things are no so bad after all,” Malfoy whispered as he leant down and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek.
With that, he Apparated on the spot, and I sat dumbstruck on the couch.
Crap! I really need to be careful for what I wish for.
THE END