starduchess: (christmas)
[personal profile] starduchess
Title: Missed Post -- parts 1 through 5
Author: [personal profile] starduchess
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Word Count: 200
Rating: G
Prompts: owl post, snow-covered Underground sign, holiday wreath, gothic Hogsmeade archway, chestnuts roasting
Warning: none
Disclaimer: not JKR, not Santa Claus, but I'm sometimes the Tooth Fairy
Author's Notes: Written for [community profile] slythindor100 25 Days of Harry/Draco
Summary: Draco intercepts a party invitation for Harry.



Harry ran toward the owl post, intent on getting there before closing. He’d had to work through lunch, not chat with his coworkers, and dodge his boss while still dropping off his assignments just to get out of the building by 4:30 pm. Apparating to Diagon Alley, he had mail orders to place before the guaranteed holiday delivery deadlines closed tomorrow.

He grinned and thanked the clerk inside the shop. So elated he’d made it, that he didn’t see who was behind the door as he left the owlery, smacking them in the head.

“Blast it, Potter! Watch what you’re doing!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I--” His speech faltered as he took in the blond hair and grey, irritated eyes before him. “Malfoy. Sorry about that. Us lesser mortals have problems seeing when the sun shines off your hair like that. Excuse me.” Without waiting for a reply, he walked off.

Draco stared at his retreating form, sneering at Harry’s rude comments. That prat didn’t have to be so mean. He then glanced down and saw an envelope dropped at his feet. With one raised eyebrow in curiosity he picked it up. It was addressed to Harry James Potter.

---

Draco examined the return address on Harry’s letter, but he didn’t recognize the name. Corvis Estates. He wondered about the contents: business proposal, thanks, advertisement. Whichever it was, he would wait to open it.

After posting his own letters, he returned to the Muggle streets of London via the Leaky Cauldron and made his way to the snow-covered sign of the Underground that was two blocks down. He slid his pass through the machine and, with long practice, navigated his way to the appropriate platform.

Soon he was whisked away on the tube to home, fingers stroking over Harry’s letter.

---

Draco reached his flat, noticing his neighbors’ doors all sported tawdry, faux holiday wreaths that were stored in a box eleven months of the year, but instead his was made with real evergreens, pine cones and berries. In his opinion, if one was going to decorate, one should go all the way with the effort.

He unlocked his flat and stepped inside, taking off his coat and calling for his house-elf. “Blinky, hang this up and then pour me a hot apple cider. I’ll be in my office.”

Blinky popped silently into the room, a trick he’d been taught by the Hogwarts elves and proved useful while living with Muggles. “Yes, Master Malfoy.”

Draco walked to his study and tossed the other mail onto his desk. Gently opening the envelope addressed to Harry, he took out the parchment and read the missive.

Harry James Potter

You are Cordially Invited
to the Annual Holiday Ball
at Corvis Estates

on Saturday, December 22
at Eight o’clock in the Evening

Please RSVP


Draco was intrigued. He would have to find out more about this Corvis bloke and his relationship to Potter. Was it business or personal? He would be sure to find out.

---

Harry walked under the archway to Hogsmeade, smirking at the boar’s image on its sign. He still found it odd that a town so full of magic would use such a mundane animal as its mascot.

With a confident stride he continued toward his destination. Weasleys Wizard Weezes (Take Two) stood garishly upon the street, bright, bold colours announcing the latest products and holiday sales. Harry walked right in to find a crowd browsing the shop.

“Hello, George, looks like business is booming.” They clapped each other on the back in happy greeting.

“It’s been going strong since the Holiday Pops made it to the shelves. Everyone’s buying them for their parties. Speaking of which, did you get Corvis’ invitation?”

Harry looked a little surprised. “No, I didn’t. He already sent them out?”

“Yeah, got mine three days ago.”

“It wouldn’t have gotten lost in the post, so maybe he sent the one for both of us.”

“I wouldn’t mind taking you, you sexy bloke. I’ll have to brew some Distraction Powder to keep the others off you, though.” George winked.

Harry rolled his eyes at that. “You know that never works for long. But, sure, I’ll go with you.”

---

Draco firecalled Theodore Nott. “I need to discuss a name but not over the floo. May I come over?”

“Of course. I’m not busy.”

Draco flooed to his friend’s sitting room, side-stepping the plate of roasting chestnuts at the last possible second.

“Ack, sorry about that,” Theo said. “Forgot they were still there. Want one?” He took the plate off the fire and set it on a trivet to cool.

Draco shook his head. “No, thank you. Not my favourite.”

“Well, have some Troll Dung Christmas Brandy, at least.” He poured the drink for Draco, who accepted the glass. “So, who’s this chap you want to discuss?”

“What do you know about Corvis Estates?”

Theo shrugged a little. “Donald Corvis is an estate lawyer. Good businessman, upstanding citizen. Don’t know much about his family other than he has two daughters.”

“Why haven’t I heard of him?”

“He deals mostly with child placement cases and trust funds. A lot of muggleborns and half-bloods use his services. Why?”

“I ran across his name the other day. Seemed important to know.”

“I can look further into him. Get you an audience?”

“That would be fantastic, yes.” Draco’s eyes gazed far away with possibilities.


--

October 2019

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