I get by
Characters: Greg Goyle and Draco Malfoy
Rating: PG
Summary: After meeting up with his new writer, Draco needs a friend.
Greg was kicked back, his bare feet on the desk in his home office, having decided to stay on his island today. He was catching up on some paperwork before Draco arrived which explained the file laid out on his legs. Draco was one of his oldest friends, their friendship far different from the little game they'd played at Hogwarts. Greg's 'I'll play stupid and you get to play that I'm your minion' offer just before first year had been easily accepted. Shaking his head at the mini trip down memory lane, Greg sipped his whisky and finished up reading the report.
After Apparating into the foyer, Draco knocked lightly on the open office door and then let himself in, half expecting to see Tracey there in the room as well.
"So, where's Trace today?" he asked, grabbing a handful of jelly beans from the crystal bowl on the desk before dropping himself into a leather chair across from where Greg sat.
"Work," Greg replied, tossing the file on the desk and levitating the whisky bottle and another glass over, setting them on the desk in front of Draco. "Some sort of meeting, though she should be here soon. How've you been?"
"Same as always. Life moves on as usual. What about you? The latest shipment got to Eolas in Boston all right, yeah? I thought I remembered reading that they were having issues with American customs or something."
"This one got there just fine, thank the gods. I was not looking forward to the bribes I'd have had to pay to get it worked out. Any new books or authors out there I need to know about?"
"There may be. I've not talked to her yet, so don't quote me, but I sense we have a new series that is going to sweep Wizarding youth," Draco said confidently, popping another jelly bean into his mouth.
Greg sat up, his feet sliding off the desk. "Oh? Share the details? You know I'll not say anything to anyone but Maeve."
Draco trusted his friend implicitly but this wasn't just his secret - it was Asteria's too so he was careful with his words. "A few weeks ago a witch came into the publishing house with a manuscript. One of dozens she said she has written over the years. If you can believe it, Atkins turned her away. Thankfully, I managed to get a copy from her and it's brilliant! One of the best I've ever read, let alone published."
Greg rested his arms on the desk, leaning forward. "Weeks? It's not like you to sit on something this good. What the fuck was Atkins thinking turning her away?"
"He was thinking that he ought to prove to his betters what a fool he is. Never fear, the moron's been sacked already. I've even sorted out the process to have the first book published but it's the contacting the author that's the pain in the ass. I'm at the point of having mother host a Garden Party in the middle of bloody December to see the witch again," Draco said exasperatedly.
"Who is it?" Greg ran a hand through his hair and tried to figure out who the hell would be at one of Aunt Cissa's parties yet was difficult to get a hold of. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. "Umm, does the witch in question have a horrid cow mother and sister by chance?"
"At the risk of saying the surname that Trace has all but declared a taboo on the island, I'll just smile and nod. Pain in the ass getting messages to someone who's practically a prisoner in the manor, eh?"
"I could put together something. Dinner? Invite her. Or have Maeve invite her to tea. Anything from one of us would be a clue that the cows were not to come but dismissing it would make them pariahs with a few well placed words."
"Yet another reason I was wondering where Trace was," Draco said with a nod.
"What's another reason?" the witch in question asked with a raised brow, stepping across the hard wood floor to lean her hip against Greg's desk.
Pulling her into his lap, Greg sighed and kissed her brow. "Draco, you want to explain?"
Draco leaned forward, concealing his smile with his hand. They hadn't a clue that they were already a couple without having to even say the words. "Asteria. I need help talking to Asteria."
Tracey leaned back against Greg's chest and smirked at their blond friend. "Asteria, eh?"
Draco's eyes narrowed and his cheeks turned a pale pink. "Not like that. For work. She's a writer."
"Invite her to tea, Maeve? Get one over on that cow sister of hers," Greg said in his most cajoling tone. "How much it will irk the bint that Asteria is accepted here and she isn't, will never be."
A sly grin spread across the curly-haired witches face. She'd be able to accomplish pissing of the bint and giving her opportunity to see Draco blush again so even if Asteria Greengrass ended up as awful as her sister it would be worth an invite. "I can definitely do that. Any time you like, Draco."
"Brilliant! Thank you, Tracey. As soon as you can arrange it then. Let me know if she agrees and I'll make arrangements to bring by the publishing contract the same day."
Greg grinned. "Poor girl is probably really nervous waiting to hear from you, mate. You'll let me know if you need any help with this, yeah?"
"You've already been a huge help," Draco said firmly, stealing another handful of jellybeans as he stood to go. "We were going to do something for New Years still, right? Owl me when you've decided what to do."
"For sure. Don't be a stranger or we'll have to hunt you down, tell Aunt Cissa we're worried about you since you've not been to visit in an age or something along those lines," Greg said, only have jesting.
Draco rolled his eyes. His mother already worried far too much about him without these two troublemakers. "Take care of him Trace," he said, gesturing to his oldest friend.
"I always do," Tracey said with a happy smile as he closed the door behind him.
"That was interesting," Greg said, sitting back in the chair, his arms wrapped loosely around her. "If he thought we missed the blushing, he's got another think coming."
"I don't know if I've ever seen Draco flushed - not unless he was angry anyway. It should be interesting visiting with Asteria," Tracey said thoughtfully.
"So why don't we get it set up, and I'll even stay home that day to watch the show?" Grinning wickedly, Greg leaned forward and tugged the paper, ink well, and parchment close.
"Well we don't want to frighten her," Tracey reminded him with a light laugh. "You know, I think you're more excited with the prospect of seeing Draco with a girl than you are the prospect of a new book series to sell."
He smiled sheepishly. "You know me so well. Besides, I wouldn't scare her, I promise!"
The corner of Tracey's mouth lifted into an amused smirk and she kissed her best friend's cheek. "The next day you can spare it from work."
"I can spare whatever day she can get out of that prison she calls home."
"Before Yule then," she said, leaning forward and writing a quick owl to the younger witch. She only hoped that it didn't get Asteria into too much trouble.
Rating: PG
Summary: After meeting up with his new writer, Draco needs a friend.
Greg was kicked back, his bare feet on the desk in his home office, having decided to stay on his island today. He was catching up on some paperwork before Draco arrived which explained the file laid out on his legs. Draco was one of his oldest friends, their friendship far different from the little game they'd played at Hogwarts. Greg's 'I'll play stupid and you get to play that I'm your minion' offer just before first year had been easily accepted. Shaking his head at the mini trip down memory lane, Greg sipped his whisky and finished up reading the report.
After Apparating into the foyer, Draco knocked lightly on the open office door and then let himself in, half expecting to see Tracey there in the room as well.
"So, where's Trace today?" he asked, grabbing a handful of jelly beans from the crystal bowl on the desk before dropping himself into a leather chair across from where Greg sat.
"Work," Greg replied, tossing the file on the desk and levitating the whisky bottle and another glass over, setting them on the desk in front of Draco. "Some sort of meeting, though she should be here soon. How've you been?"
"Same as always. Life moves on as usual. What about you? The latest shipment got to Eolas in Boston all right, yeah? I thought I remembered reading that they were having issues with American customs or something."
"This one got there just fine, thank the gods. I was not looking forward to the bribes I'd have had to pay to get it worked out. Any new books or authors out there I need to know about?"
"There may be. I've not talked to her yet, so don't quote me, but I sense we have a new series that is going to sweep Wizarding youth," Draco said confidently, popping another jelly bean into his mouth.
Greg sat up, his feet sliding off the desk. "Oh? Share the details? You know I'll not say anything to anyone but Maeve."
Draco trusted his friend implicitly but this wasn't just his secret - it was Asteria's too so he was careful with his words. "A few weeks ago a witch came into the publishing house with a manuscript. One of dozens she said she has written over the years. If you can believe it, Atkins turned her away. Thankfully, I managed to get a copy from her and it's brilliant! One of the best I've ever read, let alone published."
Greg rested his arms on the desk, leaning forward. "Weeks? It's not like you to sit on something this good. What the fuck was Atkins thinking turning her away?"
"He was thinking that he ought to prove to his betters what a fool he is. Never fear, the moron's been sacked already. I've even sorted out the process to have the first book published but it's the contacting the author that's the pain in the ass. I'm at the point of having mother host a Garden Party in the middle of bloody December to see the witch again," Draco said exasperatedly.
"Who is it?" Greg ran a hand through his hair and tried to figure out who the hell would be at one of Aunt Cissa's parties yet was difficult to get a hold of. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. "Umm, does the witch in question have a horrid cow mother and sister by chance?"
"At the risk of saying the surname that Trace has all but declared a taboo on the island, I'll just smile and nod. Pain in the ass getting messages to someone who's practically a prisoner in the manor, eh?"
"I could put together something. Dinner? Invite her. Or have Maeve invite her to tea. Anything from one of us would be a clue that the cows were not to come but dismissing it would make them pariahs with a few well placed words."
"Yet another reason I was wondering where Trace was," Draco said with a nod.
"What's another reason?" the witch in question asked with a raised brow, stepping across the hard wood floor to lean her hip against Greg's desk.
Pulling her into his lap, Greg sighed and kissed her brow. "Draco, you want to explain?"
Draco leaned forward, concealing his smile with his hand. They hadn't a clue that they were already a couple without having to even say the words. "Asteria. I need help talking to Asteria."
Tracey leaned back against Greg's chest and smirked at their blond friend. "Asteria, eh?"
Draco's eyes narrowed and his cheeks turned a pale pink. "Not like that. For work. She's a writer."
"Invite her to tea, Maeve? Get one over on that cow sister of hers," Greg said in his most cajoling tone. "How much it will irk the bint that Asteria is accepted here and she isn't, will never be."
A sly grin spread across the curly-haired witches face. She'd be able to accomplish pissing of the bint and giving her opportunity to see Draco blush again so even if Asteria Greengrass ended up as awful as her sister it would be worth an invite. "I can definitely do that. Any time you like, Draco."
"Brilliant! Thank you, Tracey. As soon as you can arrange it then. Let me know if she agrees and I'll make arrangements to bring by the publishing contract the same day."
Greg grinned. "Poor girl is probably really nervous waiting to hear from you, mate. You'll let me know if you need any help with this, yeah?"
"You've already been a huge help," Draco said firmly, stealing another handful of jellybeans as he stood to go. "We were going to do something for New Years still, right? Owl me when you've decided what to do."
"For sure. Don't be a stranger or we'll have to hunt you down, tell Aunt Cissa we're worried about you since you've not been to visit in an age or something along those lines," Greg said, only have jesting.
Draco rolled his eyes. His mother already worried far too much about him without these two troublemakers. "Take care of him Trace," he said, gesturing to his oldest friend.
"I always do," Tracey said with a happy smile as he closed the door behind him.
"That was interesting," Greg said, sitting back in the chair, his arms wrapped loosely around her. "If he thought we missed the blushing, he's got another think coming."
"I don't know if I've ever seen Draco flushed - not unless he was angry anyway. It should be interesting visiting with Asteria," Tracey said thoughtfully.
"So why don't we get it set up, and I'll even stay home that day to watch the show?" Grinning wickedly, Greg leaned forward and tugged the paper, ink well, and parchment close.
"Well we don't want to frighten her," Tracey reminded him with a light laugh. "You know, I think you're more excited with the prospect of seeing Draco with a girl than you are the prospect of a new book series to sell."
He smiled sheepishly. "You know me so well. Besides, I wouldn't scare her, I promise!"
The corner of Tracey's mouth lifted into an amused smirk and she kissed her best friend's cheek. "The next day you can spare it from work."
"I can spare whatever day she can get out of that prison she calls home."
"Before Yule then," she said, leaning forward and writing a quick owl to the younger witch. She only hoped that it didn't get Asteria into too much trouble.