silver | d.m.

02.dinner

October 2004 | H E R

"Tess!"

Tiana looks over her shoulder at the sound of her name-well, a nickname being called from the only person who calls her that.

Malfoy takes long strides to catch up with her, two cups of presumably hot beverages in his hands.

"Latte, right?" He hands her one of the cups, wearing a handsome smile. "See it as an apology for yesterday."

Her heart warms at the gesture.

Her head wants to tease.

"That is why you gave me your atrocious black coffee yesterday," she can see his eyes roll at that, "so you didn't have to get me another one."

"And I thought it's safer to walk with you rather than walking into you again."

"Ah, I see," a smirk tugs at her lips. "You're obsessed, aren't you?"

"I'm merely being a gentleman," he retorts coolly.

"Thank you for the coffee," she smiles gratefully. "I was just on my way to get one but now I can spare myself the way."

"Like you said," he raises a shoulder, "I owed you one. A proper one."

They make a left turn.

"Are you new in your field?" Tiana wonders out loud. "I work with aurors from time to time and I have never seen you."

"Before being an auror, I had an office job in the international department," he tells, something cocky blooming in his eyes. "But I knew I was destined for something greater."

"Ah," Tiana nods knowingly, "you were bored."

"Out of my mind," he throws his head back for emphasis before lifting it again, strands falling over his forehead. "I needed do something that is not filling out papers and talking to old men, so I switched position." He holds the door open to the small shop where they can use the floo. "I've been out of training for a little now and yesterday I joined that specific force team for the first time-first time leading one, actually."

They make their way through the crammed space all the way to the back. Thankfully there is no line this morning.

"Congratulations then, dimwit."

He gives her a short glare for the nickname, gesturing to the fireplace. "You go first."

Tiana brushes down her coat, ridding it from any dust. Draco follows behind her through the floo.

"Tell me," he begins as they proceed through the atrium. "Why creatures?"

"Don't give me that tone," she scolds, unbuttoning her coat. "High and mighty, big time auror, you save lives-well, guess what, I do too. Wether it's werewolfs, goblins, giants-you name it. I work for them to have more rights. I try to bring harmony without having to execute the beasts just because we don't understand their existence to it's full extent."

"But... why?" He asks as if it is a big riddle to solve.

"Because I love them. All of them. Had a connection with them ever since I can remember." A genuine smile forms. "Creatures and beasts-that's the beauty brought to our world. Chaos and mystery. Imagine it would be just witches and wizards-how boring and pretentious that would be. And truly, we would be nothing without them."

He bites the inside of his cheek, eyeing her down. "Well, I've never seen it that way."

"Not many people do," she shrugs her shoulders, "hence my job."