Unofficial Portkey Archive

Title: Harry Potter's Day Off

Author: Arachne

Author's note: This one's really short -- sorry! It was the best natural break for the story, and didn't really belong to the chapter before or afterwards, so there was nowhere else I could put it!

Madam Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, regarded her visitor with sympathy.

"This comes as quite a shock to me," Professor McGonagall gasped. "Forty-seven violations of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery in one day!"

"We had some difficulty determining where to send the owls," Madam Bones frowned. "Normally, our owls deliver the Decrees directly into the hands of the wizard in question at the exact location the breach occurred, which we are able to locate by tracking the registration of the wand in question. However, in Mr Malfoy's case, by the time our owls reached the locations of the various breaches, he was no longer there. As such, all owls were rerouted to Mr Malfoy's dormitory. Between moulting and droppings, I regret he shall discover quite a mess upon his return."

"Quite. Though it is nothing less than he deserves," McGonagall said icily. "I must confess, Amelia, I am simply flummoxed by all this. I do not know why on earth Mr Malfoy was out of class, let alone performing all sorts of magic across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, nor do I know why he would suddenly decide to turn himself in by Flooing you with this ridiculous story about a vampire in our groundskeeper's home."

"We're looking into both situations," she said calmly, trying to soothe the Deputy Headmistress, "but whatever his reasons, I reckon he's had a good fright."

"Being frightened will soon be the least of his problems, I assure you. When Professor Dumbledore returns from London, he and I will be having a long talk with Mr Malfoy and his Head of House--that is, whenever Severus decides to grace us with his presence and return from wherever it is he went!" she fumed. Standing up, she formally extended a hand to Madam Bones. "Thank you, Amelia. I do appreciate you Flooing me."

"Not at all." They shook hands. "By the way, Minerva, I do hope Harry is feeling better."

Professor McGonagall fixed her with a puzzled stare. "I beg your pardon?"

Madam Bones smiled warmly. "Do tell him everyone at the Ministry is pulling for him, won't you?"

"Er ... certainly."

Frowning in confusion, Professor McGonagall left the office and made her way to the stone bench where she had left Malfoy and Ginny Weasley, with a stern warning to the Slytherin and Gryffindor to resist the innate urge to maim each other. Her frown deepened a thousandfold when she saw the pair had not only taken her advice to heart, but decided to forge new and uncharted territory in inter-house relations, too. Her beady eyes narrowed at the sight before her.

"Hem-hem!"

At the sound of her voice, Malfoy and Ginny broke apart, cheeks flushed and hair tousled. Ginny rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand whilst Malfoy glanced up at the Deputy Headmistress sheepishly from under his eyebrows.

"Erm ... hullo, Professor McGonagall."

"Don't hello me, Mr Malfoy. You should count yourself lucky the Ministry didn't expel you!" Professor McGonagall's lips were pursed in a thin line. "As for you, Miss Weasley, you are facing a week-long suspension and are to remain on that bench until your father comes down from the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office to collect you. Is that perfectly clear?" She didn't wait for an answer, turning her attention back towards Malfoy. "Mr Malfoy, we are leaving at once!" Malfoy nodded mutely. "At once, do you hear me?" He nodded again. "Immediately!" Malfoy continued to nod, but made no move to rise from the bench. "This instant!"

Professor McGonagall stalked off towards the lobby.

Malfoy turned to Ginny with a conspiratorial wink. "And people think Snape is bad. Huh ... I don't envy you." She smiled enigmatically. "Erm, let's not ruin this with a lot of talk, yeah?"

"Okay, Malfoy."

He swallowed, then gave a burst of nervous laughter. "You know, a lot--a lot of girls call me Draco."

Ginny regarded him coolly. "Okay, Malfoy."

"Right," he grinned goofily. "Brilliant. Erm ... I'll see you later. At school. That is, when you return. Maybe we can go up to the Astronomy Tower and shag--er, snog--or ... something." He giggled, then stood up on wobbly legs and took a few tentative steps. "Okay. Yeah."

"Mr Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall's voice screeched from the lobby. "Now! Now! This instant!"

"Okay!" Malfoy made a face at Ginny and rolled his eyes. Failing to watch where he was going, he promptly walked into a wall, then burst into peals of laughter. Ginny watched him with a raised eyebrow. Waggling his fingers at her, he fumbled towards the open doors leading to the lobby, singing to himself as he went.

"Danke schoen, darling, danke schoen, save those lies, darling, don't explain ..."

Ginny gave him a small, self-satisfied wave, then pocketed the small pot of lip salve in her other hand and settled in to wait for her father.