Ginny Weasley: Maid in Malfoy Manor

Ginny Weasley: Maid in Malfoy Manor

Chapter Eight:

===============

Masked

Ginny walked up the stairs leading to her room that she shared with the other maids ironically exhausted and in need of some private time to think about the sheer stupidity of the actions that she had just committed. Yes, the deal was pretty good considering that she actually convinced Draco to let her visit her family but still...she was going to be Draco's partner to a ball! Somehow, she still could not fully understand that sentence, what it literally meant and what it could really do to her useless existence.

She actually thought about Ron at that time and what his reaction will be if he had known what she was about to do. Ginny bet that he would be really pissed off and will be shouting curses at the Malfoy clan just because his sister was going to be in arm's length with the most cruel git in the wizarding world. Ginny sighed at the thought. If only he knew that she was actually Draco's personal assistant. That would definitely put him in a near heart-attack condition.

Her long day consisted of dress rehearsals and learning the proper way of greeting vain people that she would no doubt meet. After that, the seamstress, who she learned was named Beth and was surprisingly also a classic dance instructor, taught Ginny the basic steps that she would be executing at the ball. The steps were easy enough but what was weighing on her mind at the time were not the intricate movements of the dance but her will-be dance partner.

She just cannot stop replacing Beth's face with Draco's exquisite features at the rehearsals!

What was wrong with her?!

Going back to her room, she expected to find her roommates fast asleep after the day's hard work and the idea pleased her because that meant finally having time to be peacefully at rest without facing the inquiring eyes of her fellow maids obviously curious on why she disappeared mid-day and did not return to work that evening. But instead of finding them peacefully in slumber, her heart sank when she opened the door of their quarters and found out that Vanessa and Emma were still enthusiastically awake oddly talking about the one of the delivery guys who picked up the ovens that morning. Ginny cringed when she remembered that she was supposed to help Natalie with the ovens.

She entered the room as the two giggling girls stopped their conversation, a thick awkward air undeniably hanging in the air.

"Well, well, well," Natalie droned, scanning Ginny with a raised eyebrow. "Look who decided to show up..."

"Uh..." Ginny uttered, not really sure what she should respond to that.

"Where have you been?" Emma's innocent voice filtered in the air, weirdly making Ginny guilty of her mysterious absence that morning.

"I..." Ginny contemplated if she should lie to her in case Draco intended the reason to be extremely confidential, but he did not really mention anything about the secrecy of the matter so Ginny was not sure if it was safe to actually blurt out to Emma that her roommate, a fellow servant was going to be their master's escort to the upcoming ball. Luckily, Natalie decided to make things easier for her by cutting in.

"Don't you know, Emma?" Natalie droned, playing with a lock of her hair looking annoyingly superior in her pose and attitude. "Princess Ginny is now Master Draco's companion to the forthcoming social banquet tomorrow evening. Isn't that extremely fairy tale-ish? A poor under-blessed maid to be the partner of the royal and charming Prince...how revoltingly classic."

Ginny was speechless.

"How did you find out?" she asked, still stunned.

"News fly around, faster than you could say fairygodmother," Natalie smirked. "Frightening isn't it?"

"Wow!" Emma gushed, looking very child-like with the expression pasted on her face. "So, you're going to be, like, Snow White or something!"

"It's Cinderella, Emma," Natalie scorned. "Cinderella was the one who was dirt poor and tormented but still managed to get the handsome hunk with a castle in his pocket."

"That's so super, Ginny!" Emma swooned once more, bouncing up and down on her bed that she was on. "This is like, the Revenge of the Maids where we are finally getting the attention and respect that we deserve!"

"Oh, shut up Emma," Natalie snapped, obviously annoyed by her colleague's overly optimistic behavior. She then turned to Ginny who was still standing on the doorway, too overwhelmed to approach her side of the room and said, "So, Virginia, what did you have to do to be in the envied position you are in right now?"

Ginny stared, then answered hesitantly, "Nothing..."

A beat passed.

"Nothing?" Natalie asked incredulously, her expression in complete skepticism. "You didn't turn your charm on him for him to even consider you as a worthy candidate or even mix a ludicrous potion on his morning tea?"

"No!" Ginny exclaimed, furious at the thought of herself doing something as stupid as that. "You know I would never do that! I don't even want to participate in this ball in the first place but I was forced and now..."

"And now... you are the talk of the manor and the will-be mortal enemy of the 'ice' if she ever finds out," Natalie said knowingly.

"Oh my God! Master Draco's fiancée!" Emma squeaked, noticeably already frightened about the thought. "What would she think about this? But initially, she was obviously supposed to be the one who Master Draco would invite to be his date to the ball tomorrow evening, what happened then?"

"Ginny," Natalie sighed, actually looking very regretful for some reason that Ginny could not fathom. "As I would like to envy your fairy tale fortune, I don't want to be dead meat when the time comes."

-)(-

The sun was brightly shining through the unblocked petite windows of their quarters and that was a bad thing.

That meant Ginny overslept.

But that also didn't make sense.

Why didn't anybody wake me up? Ginny thought, squinting through the blinding light that was shining right in her eyes. She looked around for a desk clock somewhere and saw in Emma's alarm clock that it was already nine o'clock in the morning, and compared to her usual wake-up time at six in the morning and her seven A.M on duty call, this meant that she was no doubt going to be the recipient of Mary's morning ritual of screaming at a maid just because they did something not perfect.

"What a way to start the big day," Ginny muttered under her breath, rubbing the sleepiness off her eyes.

She then went to the washroom to get ready for the day and whatever things that Mary decided to shout at her.

After she was finished preparing herself, she tiptoed down the stairs leading to the main kitchen expecting the whole kitchen staff to be angry at her for being too lazy to wake up early, not really thinking of the fact that it was her first time to be less than satisfactory in everything that she had done in the manor from the day that she was hired.

She reached the kitchen and what she met was definitely not what she was expecting.

Everybody was ignoring her!

Not in a sense that they could not see her but in a sense that they were all acting as if everything was normal and that they have no right to even be remotely irritated by an indolent coworker. Ginny just stood there for a moment watching as everybody did his or her task as if she wasn't wanted anywhere.

After being deliberately stunned by the scenario she was witnessing, Ginny scanned the room for Mary to ask what she should do now, because at this point her daily routine responsibilities that morning was obviously finished already by some unfortunate maid who it was assigned to.

Not seeing Mary in or near the kitchen vicinity, Ginny decided to approach Natalie, who was finishing up washing the dishes from the morning breakfast of the Malfoys, her back turned to her so she probably did not see Ginny from the start.

Ginny approached her with an impending doom of her sarcasm and witty insults that was sure to come her way.

And she was not mistaken.

"Natalie, you don't happen to know where Mary is, do you?" Ginny carefully asked.

"Well, there you are!" Natalie exaggeratedly greeted as she turned around, placing the last of the plates on the drying rack. "Look everybody! Our little princess is here! So how was your beauty sleep?"

Ginny seethed inside. This day was going to be already challenging enough and sarcasm this early in the morning was definitely not welcome at this point.

"Just tell me where she is, Natalie," she said, trying real hard to control her annoyance. "I don't have the time nor the patience to deal with this right now."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Natalie snapped, crossing her arms in a gesture of self-proclaimed superiority. "I didn't realize that! Well, guess what? I don't have the energy or the patience to deal with you either after doing your entire task early this morning and having Mary breathing down my neck every bloody time that I do things different from the way you do. But of course, our spoiled brat can sleep until ten in the morning just because she was fortunate enough to be the boss's date for the ball."

Ginny was speechless.

"And just for the sake of answering your question," Natalie continued. "Mary is at a meeting with somebody. A wedding planner or something, I've heard. You know, you're lucky to not be in this kitchen or anywhere near the area this morning because you were not forced to listen to Mary's pointless sermon, telling us about that cursed wedding. Come on! How much trouble could a simple wedding be?"

"Well, what I've heard is that they are definitely not going to keep it simple." Esmeralda, the half-kitchen maid, half assigned to the master quarters, said, approaching them, still with a broom in her hand.

"And I wouldn't expect it to be," Emma piped up, a dirty rag still clutched in her right hand. "I mean, it's going to be the wedding of two of the most dominant and influential people in our community, I could not imagine the wedding being less than elegantly perfect. It's like an announcement for everyone to see how powerful the two families really are when united."

"Wow, Emma, this is actually one of the times that you actually made intellectual sense," Natalie droned sardonically. "I congratulate you on that!"

"Natalie, stop it!" Ginny warned, feeling quite defensive for Emma even though she knew that it was definitely not her business to be intruding on theirs.

"Sorry, your highness," Natalie retorted, raising a single eyebrow in the process. "I did not realize that what I say or do to other people is any your concern. What are you going to do now? Tell on me?"

And with that, Natalie walked out of the kitchen, leaving a still irate Ginny in the kitchen.

Awkwardness hung in the air in thick threads and Emma was still smart enough to break the silence.

"Don't worry, Ginny," Emma said in her sweet reassuring voice. "She's just jealous."

Ginny sighed in relief and in regret at the same time. She never intended to make enemies here in the manor except for those who she can't really stand. She shook her head and decided that she would just make it up to Natalie some time later. As for now, she had far bigger problems to deal with.

-)(-

She was terrified.

She was utterly completely petrified but was still too stubborn to show it. Honestly, Ginny did not know if she could hold on this façade of absolute confident calmness any longer.

Ginny and Draco - who was dressed in a sleek black tuxedo that matches his features perfectly that even Ginny could not help but admit that he looked extremely gorgeous - were standing in front of the fireplace, its fire illuminating the two in a mesmerizing orange glow. Ginny did not understand why the attire for the evening were very much alike muggle formal attires but that was the least of her problems right now. Draco was currently taking care of the floo powder while Ginny stand a few feet from here, quivering in dread and anxiety, already wearing the gown that she tried on the previous day.

She watched as he opened a satin pouch and peeked in as if looking for himself if it was the one that he wanted. Looking satisfied, he approach Ginny with the pouch and asked, "You ready?"

Ginny mumbled an incoherent response and saw that Draco could not help but smile. And that just made her more nervous. She took in a deep calming breath and relaxed her shoulders as Draco faced the fireplace and stared at it as if enthralled by the dancing flames.

She expected him to throw in some floo powder already, since it was how they were supposed to get to the ball in the first place, but then instead of doing that, he turned and faced Ginny again and spoke nonchalantly.

"Are you nervous?" he asked.

Ginny's eyes widened but she still managed to remain her composure and dignity by answering, "No, why would I be?"

"You don't have to lie to me you know."

"I'm not lying."

"Funny, I think you are. You don't have to pretend to be so cool with all this."

"Be still my heart, oh wait! It is," Ginny cynically replied. "I'm not pretending."

"Well, it's rather ironic, really, you're not nervous," Draco answered back still imperturbably, like they were talking about the weather or related subjects like that. "But I am."

He's what? Ginny was stunned.

"You're nervous?"

Draco sighed. "Only in a terrified way."

"Uh..."

Ginny was speechless.

"I mean, meeting and acting all sweet and ghastly nice to people that will stab you in the back any moment that they are presented the chance to can be a bit strenuous. Plus, everything that you do will be recorded by the overly inquisitive journalists that will be there, literally telling the whole wizarding world what a big and stupid son of a ruler you are so... yeah, I think I have every right to be terrified."

Is he serious? Ginny thought and could not help but think that he was only playing her so that she would admit that she felt the same way too.

"Oh don't do that!"

"Don't do what?"

"Don't be all distrustful on me. It's insulting. I'm not going to do anything to you."

Deafening silence hung in the air for a second.

"We're gonna make it through this, don't worry," Draco said, sounding almost compassionate in the tone of voice that he used. Ginny was almost entirely sure that she had never heard Draco talk in that way before.

"Are you sure?"

"I sound pretty sure, don't I?"

"Yeah..."

"Well then, I must be sure."

"Is that just a comforting way of not answering the question?"

"Maybe."

Ginny paused for a minute. This was not right. Draco was supposed to be all demeaning, trying to humiliate Ginny anyway he can. This Draco was just...sad and a bit sensitive.

She must be dreaming. Yes, that was right. Any moment now, she will wake up in her bed, at six o'clock in the morning like she should and her little quarrel with Natalie will never happen.

Any moment now...

Oh! Who was she kidding?

"Don't you think we must be going now?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation to a more concrete subject.

"Yes, we should." He answered.

Ginny stared at him. He had this mellow expression on his face, as if he was thinking deeply about some hidden yearning about something or someone. Such a small thing it was but Ginny was astoundingly surprised by her newfound knowledge. She never expected that Malfoys could look so innocent and full of hidden wisdom.

All of a sudden, rudely snapping Ginny out of her fascinated trance, Draco threw a handful of floo powder at the fireplace and it responded by giving off a loud bang and turning its orange fire into dazzling green.

Draco turned to her, held out his arm and said, "Lets go."

Ginny gladly accepted the extended arm and prepared herself for the worst.

-)(-

It was far more enjoyable than what she had predicted, Ginny could not help but admit.

The venue was gorgeous. Absolutely wonderful and magnificent as it was held in a massive area with two elegantly curved staircases, which was, were the bell of the ball, the lovely birthday celebrator, entered the celebration, wearing a gown that transcends the word beautiful. Ginny was sure that she had never seen anything more elegant and demure as that of the exquisite dress. The motif of the place was gold and more gold, the whole circular panorama looking extremely overwhelming and stunning even with the monotonous color. Wealthy looking people stroll around the place holding glasses with one of their hands and the colorful masks on the other talking to each other in little groups. Ginny could not really see their faces completely but she somehow got the impression that all were looking quite sour under their gleeful masks. Maybe Draco was right, that people went to parties like this just for reputation's sake.

Ginny, along side with Draco, kept her mask on, carefully making sure that she kept it close to her face all the time so that she would not risk the possibility of somebody recognizing her. The mask that Beth gave to her earlier that evening before getting ready for the ball was attractive enough with it matching perfectly with the dress that she was wearing and covering more or less three-fourths of her face so that it was almost certain that nobody was going to identify her under it but also breezy enough so that she would not be claustrophobic beneath it.

Several couples were dancing in the middle of the spacious room and from where Ginny was standing, she could see the party thrower flirting with a handsome looking lad by her own little throne in front of the dance floor. She turned to where Draco was and watched him talk to an old but filthy rich looking wizard whom Ginny learned, was in the name of Mr. Stevenof.

"So, Mr. Malfoy," he said, grinning quite stupidly when there was no reason to. "How was your father? It's been a long time since I last saw that wizard."

"Well, he's...he's busy," Draco answered, also smiling out of courteousness, adjusting his eye mask probably for a better view of the person he was talking to. "It's not really easy running a community as big as ours, you know?"

"Yes..." Mr. Stevenof droned, his overly jovial smile disappearing a bit. Ginny was convinced that the old man thought that Draco was demurely bragging about his father's position in the wizarding world. Definitely not a good sign.

The other people in their little group had also changed their expression. Consisting of two other old but quite prosperous couple looking as if they had just inhaled a very pungent odor and another middle-aged man, like Mr. Stevenof - who had no female companion with him - Ginny could safely say that people were definitely not enjoying this party as much as they should. The representation of the emotions on their faces were not really that obvious because of the masks that were pressed on it but Ginny could almost feel the hostile tension circling in the air as jealousy and greed started to radiate in wild thick waves. It was a complete contrary of the fake smiles and agreeing nods that they usually wear.

Ginny looked at Draco, wanting to know what his expression would be at a situation like this but Draco looked like nothing happened and he was as composed as ever. It was either he did not notice Mr. Stevenof's sudden change of behavior or that he was just really good in hiding what he felt.

A young man who was about Ginny's age joined their little group by the far side of the dance floor and casually nodded in his form of greeting. He looked oddly familiar but Ginny could not place him anywhere. She discarded the thought and nodded at him in respect.

"Ah! Everybody, this is Mr. Finnigan, my ever loyal nephew," Mr. Stevenof announced, looking very proud indeed as if the boy was one of his greatest accomplishment. Seamus nodded in return.

Ginny unintentionally blanched.

Oh my god.

She was almost absolutely certain that he would recognize her, her face under a mask or not. She and Seamus was never really best of friends and they never actually became close in their Hogwarts' days but both were in the same house and they were bound to be aware of each other's presence.

Ginny looked at Draco, trying to catch his eye in near panic. She was not sure if Draco recognized or remembered Seamus from Hogwarts and that if he thought of him as a threat to Ginny's confidential identity. Ginny silently cursed herself as she failed to seize Draco's attention.

She turned her concentration back on whatever they were currently talking about.

It turned out, however, that both Ginny and Seamus were not interested in the topic and were not participating in the conversation and that neither of them looked absolutely pleased to be stuck in a group as dreary as theirs.

And dreadfully, Ginny could sense what Seamus was about to do next.

"My lady, would you like to dance?" he cautiously asked, as if uncertain that Ginny would take the invitation full-heartedly.

"Uh..."

Ginny glanced up at Draco, asking for a silent approval. He was not looking at her though and was completely transfixed with the conversation with Mr. Stevenof and the other people in their group as if they were talking about the most interesting thing in the world.

Ginny was starting to be alarmed again. There was no assurance that Seamus would recognize her but there was also no guarantee that he would. She looked at the extended hand and up to the mellow face of the body that it was attached to. And then she found out that she could not possibly not dance with him and break his heart.

Such sweet sweet Seamus... Her true identity be damned, Ginny thought as she accepted Seamus's hand and proceeded to the dance floor. Draco was too busy to notice her anyway, at least with Seamus, she felt as special and attractive as she should, with all the fuss about the dress and all. She knew she looked gorgeous. And it was now time to flaunt it.

-)(-

"Father was thinking about lifting up the prohibition against the Cruciatus Curse, but as for now, they are still studying on the aspects of the said law," Draco drawled on mechanically, explaining to them what his father was planning for the wizarding community in Europe. They asked for it anyway, so Draco didn't see anything wrong with showing off all their power and glory to other people who desperately wanted it. "He said that it could be extremely useful from time to time and I find myself agreeing with him."

His audience nodded in approval and with satisfaction, Draco turned to his side to where Ginny was to look at what she thought about all these.

Draco's face complexion noticeably lightened to what he saw.

Or what he didn't see.

Where the hell is she? He thought, frantically scanning the area for the petite red-head.

His companions noticed the sudden change of attitude of Draco and Mr. Stevenof politely asked him what he was looking for. Draco answered keeping his voice at a neutral with all his might.

"Oh!" Mr. Stevenof laughed notably making Draco extremely willing to bite the overly jolly man's head off. "She's over there, with my nephew, Mr. Finnigan."

Draco turned around with remarkable speed and saw the two dancing at the middle of the dance floor their arms around each other like very friendly octopuses. He didn't even think that it was possible to be that close with the masks and all that.

Draco fumed inside.

What the hell was she thinking? He furiously thought, watching Ginny and Seamus dance in the middle of the room surrounded by other couples that were waltzing with the mellow music.

Oh, she will pay. She will definitely pay...

-)(-

Dancing with Seamus was much more pleasant than what she had expected. She thought that he would suddenly go all suspicious on her saying that she looked familiar or something like that but he didn't. He did not even mentioned anything about how she looked except for the time that he told her that she looked absolutely gorgeous. Ginny took the compliment gladly.

They didn't talk much while dancing. And when they did, it was all about things about his uncle, which Ginny found out, was on his mother's side. And even with how much Ginny adored Seamus, she could not help but be utterly bored with all the talk about what Mr. Stevenof did with his life. He also told her how he was never really a fan of Lucius Malfoy's process of running the wizarding world but was left with no choice but to follow the rules and regulations of the new damned community. Ginny was actually relieved to find out that at least a few of the wealthy and at least mildly powerful people in their world did not fully support the evil and capricious directive of the current government.

Ginny mainly kept quiet while Seamus babbled on about various things that interest him, and she was actually grateful that Seamus was a quite a bit self-involved meaning that less information will be asked from her.

"I swear to God, if I could really do something in changing our world for the better and kicking out of their seats the corrupt people who just makes things more complicated. Lucius Malfoy is definitely the wrong man for the job. Look at our world now! He could run a country as well as he could play Quidditch!" Seamus said with absolute conviction like a politician trying to get more votes in his campaign. "I would really have done so already, but then, we all don't have any choice left at this point. We were already really lucky to not be stripped off our property and honor like many of the other families in wizarding London, our family can't really take such a risk as that."

Ginny felt a sharp pain in her chest as she remembered her family's current ill-fated condition. His relatives were truly fortunate to not be wearing the Weasley's shoes at this point.

"Yes, you were really lucky but I do wonder how long that luck would last," said a drawling voice from beside Ginny making her turn around in remarkable speed.

And there stood Draco Malfoy, looking very confident but definitely pissed off from the way that he was standing and the expression that was on his face as he was holding his eye mask way below his face.

"Draco!" Ginny gasped, glancing from Seamus's face to his. "I-I didn't realize that you were..."

"Well, turns out, there are many things that you failed to realize tonight," Draco murmured close to her ear and then turning to Seamus's direction, he asked in a mocking polite way, "Can I have this dance with this lovely young lady? Or maybe you think that I'm not the right man for the job like my father is in running the wizarding world and in playing Quidditch?"

Seamus blanched but in dignified poise, he stretched his hand palms up in also a sarcastic gesture of consent. With that, he turned around and walked out of the scene, moving towards his uncle's awaiting crowd.

Draco took Ginny in his arms and moved her in the standard movement of the dance, his eye mask abandoned in one of his hand. Ginny adjusted herself and attempted real hard not to be so overly conscious of Draco's fingers entwined with hers and his other hand pressed on her waist. She also struggled to keep her face neutral and not let him know how much this simple gesture was affecting her.

Ginny, what is wrong with you? Ginny thought, moving reflexively to the music. This is Draco Malfoy! You mortal enemy remember?

"Didn't I tell you that you must not leave my side even for a brief period of time?" Draco angrily whispered at her, his hands tightening a bit on hers as it was slightly being controlled by his emotions.

"Well, it was you who told me that you're not going to let me out of your sight even for just minute," Ginny reasoned out, not really sure if she was using the right technique to let Draco's anger subside.

"That's not the point!" He snapped. "You should have been much wiser than to dance with a git like him!"

"Seamus is not a git!" Ginny defended. "He is much nicer than you'll ever hope to be."

"Right," Draco made a face. "He's Irish. Any English beggar's better than an Irish king."

"Really?" Ginny sardonically replied, her eyes narrowing up in disbelief. "And how did you come up with this extremely entertaining proverb?"

"Common knowledge," Draco answered with a hint of self-declared intuitiveness. He then sighed as if he was already exhausted and said, "Okay, I'm going to let this one pass but never ever do that again. The last thing we need is more scandal about the red-haired girl with the engaged son."

"How will I have the chance to do what I did again when there's not going to be a second time, a second ball that I will have the privilege in attending?" Ginny boldly asked, not really caring of what he thought about her new derisive persona. He can't shout at her right there in the middle of the dance floor, can he?

Draco eyed her contemptuously as if she had just grown another head. "What is wrong with you?"

Ginny blinked in response.

"I am trying to be nice here, for the first time, and all you do is make fun of me!" Draco complained, looking not very pleased indeed. "Figures! You do something good and people stab you in the back."

Since when did Draco do something good? Ginny silently wondered, looking at this stranger that she was dancing with. This was not the Draco that she knew. This man had a heart and the Draco that she recognized simply didn't. Or at least if he did, he made a vow somewhere in time not to ever use it.

Something was definitely severely wrong with this night.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Forget it," Draco told her, his tone of voice almost commanding. "Forget everything I said, hell, forget this very night. I'm going to go and take a breather and you are going to come with me. I don't want you dancing again with a news spy or some pervert."

And with that, he pulled Ginny out of the dance floor and into the nearest exit way that he could find.

-)(-

"My Lady, you ought to look at this,"

Vanessa Thurston, turned around arching a perfectly arched eyebrow into one of her servants who disturbed her reading. Such imbeciles those irritating servants were! They should be intelligent enough to have common sense and that was why they were hired in the first place! Didn't they realize that disturbing people's leisure time was extremely rude and at the same time awfully annoying?

"What is it and make it quick!" she snapped, looking directly into the servant's eyes, making it quiver with terror.

"Donna, your--"

"Yes, I know who Donna is, now what is the matter?" Vanessa bellowed, causing the quivering servant to discretely back away.

"She said you ought to look at this," the servant cautiously approached her and handed her a finely crafted mirror.

Vanessa accepted it and peered into the magical glass. He saw two people in a garden, one male, one female, privately talking to each other. They looked friendly to each other enough but there was this fondness missing in both of them. As if they didn't know how to act with the other one around.

But that was not what caught Vanessa's attention.

What caught her attention was the unusual glint in the man's eyes. There was something in there that Vanessa could clearly place but cannot understand how this man could have that certain glint when she had known him as a cold-blooded, careless creature.

There was definitely something wrong with this picture.

Vanessa's eyes narrowed as the two continued talking... about what she could not hear. Her simple mirror only offered this much. But still, it was enough for her to take a hint. Good old Donna for donating her such an insight. At least she knows what was happening with her dearest one.

"Is-is there anything else my lady wants?" the still trembling servant asked, guardedly sneaking back to her line of vision so he could be noticed.

Vanessa looked up and answered, her perfect eyebrow still raised, not by the stupidity of her workers but by her newfound knowledge.

"Yes," she answered. "Contact Donna and check on what time we are scheduled to arrive at the Malfoy Manor. I would love to see my dear Draco again."