DRARRY - Wonderful Wheezes

Chapter Ten

"The hack stopped by again today."

Harry's eyes slid open. "Malfoy? What did he want?"

"Said he was just doing a round of inspections but dropped off a note when he didn't find you."

"What did it say?"

"You think I read other people's personal mail?"

Harry gave her a look.

"He doesn't want you owling him about any non-professional business between the hours of nine and five."

"That's... I don't think I've ever done that before. I'm not sure I've owled him at all."

"Well, it's almost five. I suppose you can ask what it's about now. I'll close up the shop."

"So early?"

"We're not exactly bursting with visitors."

It hit him then that the shop had been open all day. When he'd cleaned it top to bottom, when he'd repainted, when he'd nearly broken his back on the stairs, and when he'd hung all the posters in the windows. Even now, though he'd been sitting there for a not-insignificant amount of time, nobody had come in.

Everything suddenly seemed that much harder.

Harry patted his knees, standing. "Right, then. I'll floo home and call Malfoy. You lock up, and er... well I suppose that's all, really.

"Sounds like a plan."

He stopped halfway to the back fireplace, turning over his shoulder. "Say, Verity?"

"Yeah?"

"Who handles the salary payments here?"

Her eyes twinkled. "I do."

"Uh-huh. And the raises?"

"Also me."

Harry snorted. "So, it's safe to assume you're being adequately compensated for your time here?"

"Very safe, Mr Potter."

"Cheers. That'll be all, Verity."

ϟ ϟ ϟ

He made sure to wait until 5:01, but he didn't write to Malfoy. He called him.

"Draco Malfoy speaking."

"You came by the shop."

There was a long pause, and then Malfoy's voice crackled through the phone again. "How'd you get my number, Potter? I've told you I don't enjoy talking like this."

"It wasn't hard to find, seeing as it's your work phone and I'm your client."

"Ah. And why are you calling?"

"You came by the shop."

"So I did."

"What did you want?"

"I left a note. Didn't the manager witch give it to you?"

Harry puffed out a sigh, collapsing back on his sofa. "Yeah, but I don't understand. I've never owled you before, and certainly not about anything unrelated to work."

"I was simply taking precautions."

"Whatever."

They did not speak for a long moment.