Waiting | Lucius Malfoy

Chapter Twenty-Five | The First Date

A flashback in which Guinevere relives her first date with Draco

"Happy Potter Day," Draco shrugged nonchalantly as he collected a cup of coffee from the Ministry's cafeteria.

"Were you talking to me?" Guinevere replied, her eyes flickering to Draco who was standing closer than she was used to. He'd never spoken to her before - well, not of his own accord. They had been working with each other for two years now, but he was yet to make any conversation that didn't revolve around Kingsley or their shared tasks in the department. On a few occasions, after particularly clarifying breakthroughs on the job, she'd had to stop herself from asking him if he wanted to go for a drink after work. Draco Malfoy didn't socialise. But Godric, he was handsome.

He was taller than her, most people were to be fair, with a head of platinum blonde hair that shone silver when the light in their cubicles caught it just right. His eyes were blue, ice blue, and they flickered to her hands every so often when they worked together. She was in the habit of picking at her fingernails recently - something she put down to anxiety about deadlines - and she had been waiting for him to tell her to stop it. He always looked on the cusp of telling her off.

"Yes, I was talking to you. Who else would I talk to in this place?" He chuckled slightly, taking a sip of his coffee and grimacing slightly as he swallowed. "This tastes like goblin piss." Guinevere levelled as she took a sip of her own, attempting to swallow it down without gagging.

"It is vile, isn't it?" Guinevere was used to getting her coffee alone, perhaps having a couple of Ministry employees who'd gone to Hogwarts wave at her in passing. She wasn't one for friends apparently, however she wasn't sure whether she'd done that intentionally or whether she'd unknowingly managed to end up a bit of a loner.

"I heard Fortescue's has started serving coffee - keeping up with muggle trends apparently. We could go there tomorrow instead." Draco spoke in an extremely matter-of-fact tone, as though this was a normal thing to suggest.

"You want to get coffee with me, Malfoy?"

"Do keep up, G. I've decided I quite like your presence. Might as well make the most of it."

"It's Guinevere."

"I know," Draco replied shortly. "But you call me Malfoy, so I'm going to call you G. Grace doesn't have the same ring to it." Guinevere rolled her eyes but made peace with the fact that this was a conversation for another day. Another day in which she'd be conversing casually with Draco Malfoy. Maybe Nifflers could fly after all.

"I was under the impression you didn't like me."

"Oh? Well, actually, that's probably true to an extent. However, I managed to catch your expression when Shacklebolt was doting on Potter this morning and I think I've sussed you out. Sad you aren't a part of the Golden Trio? Must be so infuriating."

"I do just fine thanks," Guinevere snapped, before turning away. Draco caught up with her quickly, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

"I wasn't done here. Do you want to get coffee tomorrow?" His tone was firm, but she felt a sense of underlying begging. Was Draco Malfoy really this desperate for company that he would accost her all the way back to their department? She decided to put him out of his misery. 

"Alright then, but I need a better explanation of why you want to go. Why can't you go get coffee on your own?"

"If you must know, I rather like the way you look. If you made more of an effort with your hair, I'm sure you'd have done better than Weasley as a boyfriend. You need someone of more elegance." His hands brushed down his body, signalling that he was in fact the elegance she was seeking. She bit back a sarcastic remark.