Nothing But a Whisper

'Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.'

-Roger C. Anderson

The meeting room was sweltering in the late August sun. The windows were cracked open and the humidity was seeping through. Everyone had removed their cloaks and the men had loosened their ties. The slow drum of faraway traffic was the only sound in the silent chamber and it unnerved him.

Draco Malfoy leaned back in the tall leather chair and yanked his tie from his neck. His blonde hair hung loose around his face and his grey eyes surveyed the room. Everyone was waiting for him to speak.

"With all due respect, Minister, I cannot agree to let some of my men go."

Harry sighed and put his arms on the table, leaning forward. "Malfoy, I am not asking you to fire them, I simply want to move a few from your department around. The ministry is still short-staffed and there are areas which are struggling to get their work done. We really need to redistribute the manpower."

"I understand your reasons perfectly, Minister." Draco tried to keep the caustic tone from his voice, but he still found it difficult after all this time to use such a title of respect for someone whose name he used to spit out of his mouth as though he had eaten something foul. "But I am asking you to reconsider. My men are fighters, defenders. They are Aurors, not pencil-pushers."

"I am perfectly aware of their capabilities; I am not trying to undermine them. But at this time, your department is bigger than many of the others and...."

Draco knew what Harry was avoiding saying. He smirked and finished the sentence, "and our services aren't needed."

"I'm not saying that."

Draco sat up straight and leveled Harry with an icy regard. "But that it is exactly what you are insinuating. Just because the war is over, Minister, doesn't mean my men are not needed. Crime rate is on the rise again, especially since so many areas are still susceptible and unsecure, and my men truly have their hands full. Maybe you do not view our work as vital, but I assure you that the people do."

Harry let out a frustrated sigh and reached up to run his hand through his hair, pushing his glasses up. "I am not suggesting that you or your Aurors are unnecessary."

Before Draco could reply, Zabini cut him off. "Draco, it is merely the fact that the ministry is still enormously understaffed. I myself proposed the reassignment of several of your Aurors to the Minister. I think that their skills and their experience with the population could be useful to some of the other departments. It would not be a permanent move I assure you."

Draco leaned back; he could feel defeat on the horizon. It was a fact that the ministry was in dire straits. Most people working there worked more than fifty or sixty hours a week. There was still much to be done even two years after the war. The reconstruction physically, economically, socially, and even emotionally of the wizarding world was exhausting work for them all. They were stretched to their limits. But Draco could not resign any of his men to the fate of paperwork and running errands. They were adventurers who thirsted to be on the front line, solving cases and using their knowledge and capabilities against those who used magic unwisely. Many of them came from death eater families, 'dark' families, and knew better than anyone what magic was capable of. It was also for this reason that Draco did not want them put under the command of someone who might kick them around because of their past.

"I will make the proposition to my men and see if anyone is willing to help out the other departments temporarily."

Harry rubbed his tired eyes and snapped the folder in front of him shut. "Ask and see if any are willing. However, this is not a suggestion anymore, Malfoy, it is an order. We will be shifting some of your men around." He stood and began to gather his things. "If they don't volunteer, I will leave you to select those that will be reassigned. That is all for today." And with that Harry left the room, Blaise in his wake.

Draco pursed his lips in displeasure, unmoving, as the others gathered their things around him and began to leave the room. He was not going to send his men off to be used as cattle by some goody-goody ministry member who had hid behind their desk throughout the war. Draco stood, hung his tie loosely around his neck, shrugged on his cloak, and gathered up his things. It was time to speak to the Minister--alone.

∞∞∞

Ginny looked up curiously as the door opened. Harry was in his office and Blaise had departed moments ago. She glanced back down at the schedule quickly, but Harry had no other appointments today. Frowning, she looked up again, only to find a tall, disgruntled blonde staring down at her. She held back an exclamation of surprise.

It had been awhile since Ginny had seen Draco Malfoy. And, even though he was in charge of the Aurors, he had never come to Harry's office before, so Ginny had scarcely laid eyes on him in two years. He had grown even taller and broader since Hogwarts. The lines on his face were hard and definite, his slate eyes dominating his pale face. He wore his hair loose now, not gelled back like before, and it brushed the top of his ears. Yes, war had changed Draco Malfoy too, but, Ginny thought guiltily, in a good way.

She closed her eyes, silently scolding herself, and pursed her lips. When she opened them again to meet Draco's they were hard. "Malfoy, what can I do for you?"

Draco began to smirk now, his eyes slowly and shamelessly inspecting her. "Weasley...it's been a while."

She pulled herself up straighter and tried to ignore his scrutiny. Sure, she too had changed since Hogwarts. She was taller, thicker in all the right places, and she knew she was beautiful enough to make a man look twice. She cleared her throat and asked again what she could do for him.

"I'm here to see Potter. It's urgent."

"You don't have an appointment." Ginny pointed to the book in front of her. Draco didn't reply, merely continued to stare at her. A flame of her old animosity for him sparked within her and she crossed her arms over her chest, returning his stare defiantly. "You need an appointment to see the Minister, he's a busy man you know."

"Yes, I'm aware. However, I am head of the Auror department and this is important business." He put his palms flat against the desk and leaned forward, a smirk still on his face as though he were taunting her.

She sighed nonchalantly. "I know exactly who you are, Malfoy. The Minister is busy so you'll have to come back another time, although, as I've already said, he is usually busy, so making an appointment would be your best bet. Now...." She picked up her pen again and began moving things around on her desk, intending to get back to work and wait for Malfoy to leave.

Draco, however, seemed to know exactly what she was doing and did not agree to this plan. He reached out and grabbed her hand with the pen firmly in his. "Ginevra Weasley, you didn't actually plan on ignoring me, did you?"

Ginny wrenched her hand from his and stood up behind her desk. "I expected you to act appropriate of your rank and leave once I had dismissed you. I have told you, Malfoy, the Minister is busy and he cannot see you right now."

"It's alright, Ginny, let him in." They both turned to see Harry in the doorway of his office. Their voices had drawn his attention. He opened his door wider and motioned for Malfoy to enter. Draco gave Ginny one last parting glance and a small smirk before he entered the office. Harry continued to look at Ginny, a small smile on his face.

"What?" she barked.

Harry chuckled. "I should have known it would take a Malfoy to get a little fire back into you." Then he retreated back into the office and closed the door behind him. Ginny merely rolled her eyes, settled back into her seat, sent one more glare towards the door, and got back to work.