Drug of Choice

Chapter 7

Potter's Proposal

The future is here, now, and the past is full of actual deeds, real history. Utopias hardly have the meat on their bones to sustain a people in greave times.

It had been two weeks since Draco and Blaise had had their confrontation. Both boys were used to having the other on their bad side every so often so the day after the fight was just another day for them both.

Draco had actually gone out with Blaise on the weekend and a few times throughout the week and was slightly shocked to realize that he had indeed had fun.

He had promised himself that he would not make a habit of going out on the weekends again. Even though he enjoyed himself when he was out, he did not want to fall into the same cycle of sex and drugs that he had been in before.

Blaise had given him a few things to think about since their fight, even if he didn't remember every single word that was said.

Draco needed to find something to do with his time; he needed something besides work and cartoons. He didn't need to go to the clubs every night like he used to, and he didn't need a psycho bitch girlfriend like Sandy.

He had visited Narcissa several times over the past two weeks. They seemed to have an ongoing conversation centered around Draco's love life, or, as Narcissa liked to remind him, his lack thereof.

Draco was capable of taking a hint, especially when it came from so many directions. He had a feeling that Blaise, Narcissa, and Lisa were just the tip of the iceberg.

It happened to be a wonderfully bright and cheery Friday morning; a morning that Draco was quickly starting to hate.

He had woken up late, due to a late night out, and found that he barely had time to shower before he was late for work. On his hurried way out the door he noticed a phone number on a bright pink post-it. He knew it was intended for him, and for the first time ever, he pulled it off the door and stuck it in his pocket.

When Draco arrived at work he was greeted at the swinging glass door by none other than little Amy. She stood with her hair in pigtails and arms stretched up in the air demanding to be picked up. Draco obliged and scooped the child into his arms. She was pouting and didn't squirm at all; making Draco think that she had not gotten her way.

"What's wrong, Angel?" Draco asked the silent child.

"Mum is leaving," Amy told him as if he should have known this all along.

Draco, of course, had no idea what she was talking about.

"And where is your mum going?"

"I don't know." Amy gave a large shrug. "She won't tell me, but she packed her bags."

Draco allowed his eyes a quick scan of the office. He spotted Lisa standing at his office door with her arms crossed, observing the scene before her.

"Let's go talk to her, Love. What do you say?" Draco asked Amy.

Amy gave a heavy nod and Draco took that as permission to move.

"Draco, I have to talk to you. Please, please do not be mad at me," Lisa pleaded, no longer looking like a stern mother, but a woman pleading to keep her job.

This worried Draco ever so slightly. He sat Amy down and opened his office door for Lisa to enter. Once all three were in the room, Draco shut the door and moved to the chair behind his desk. Lisa, instead of sitting opposite him, moved to stand next to him.

"Amber, dear, go get Mummies makeup from her purse," Lisa instructed.

"OK," Amy said happily before bounding from the room.

"Draco, I have to go to Scotland. I have to see my parents. I don't want to leave you short handed for the day but I really need to leave as soon as I can," Lisa started hurriedly.

Draco, feeling uncomfortable with Lisa towering over him decided that he would rather stand.

"Calm down, you can go, that's no problem. What's got you so worked up, though?" Draco asked, quite worried. Lisa normally was a composed person, but now she looked as if she were about to lose it.

"Oh, Draco, I don't think I can take this."

"Calm down. Here, sit." Draco guided Lisa toward his chair.

"I got a call this morning from my mother. My mother!" Lisa squeaked.

Though Draco did not know much about Lisa's family he knew enough to know that her mother never wanted to speak to her again. After all, she was the one that had made the decision to abandon Lisa when Amy was born.

"She called to tell me that my father isn't well. They have moved him to The Vance Hospital for the Hopelessly Doomed in Scotland. Draco, I have to go. My father is the only one that still sends me a Christmas card!" Lisa threw her hands up in the air, not seeming to know what else to do with them. She let out an aggravated growl before standing and starting to pace.

Draco didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell her everything would be alright, it would be a lie. He didn't have much experience in things like this and he was a bit uncomfortable, to say the least.

"I need you to do something for me. This has to be the biggest favor in the world. Draco, I'm so sorry!"

Draco could do a favor. He knew how to give people what they wanted, he just had a little trouble when it came to what they needed.

"No, no. Don't be sorry. I'm willing to do anything for you that you need."

"I can't take Amber with me. No one is in town because of the weekend. I don't have anywhere to take her."

Draco's eyes came close to falling out of his head.

"You need me to watch her?"

"Oh, would you, Draco? Please?" Lisa spoke as if Draco had suggested it.

Lisa looked so desperate that Draco didn't think he would be able to refuse her.

"My mother made it clear that I could not bring her. Draco, I don't have any other options."

Draco heaved a great sigh and closed his eyes. "Yes, Lisa, I can look after Amy for you. You don't have to worry about a thing."

Lisa was so relieved that she fell into Draco's arm for the most uncomfortable hug he had ever given in all his life.

At just that moment Draco's office door opened and Amy walked in, complete with makeup smeared on her smiling face and none other than Harry Potter behind her.

"What's wrong, Mum?" Amy asked

Lisa jumped at her daughter's voice. "Oh, Love, nothing is wrong. Come with me. We need to get you cleaned up."

"Why? I look pretty!" Amy chirped. "Harry told me so," she informed the room.

"Well that was nice of him. Did you tell him thank you?"

"Yes," Amy with large eyes and a ferocious nod.

Lisa gave Potter a quick smile before dragging her daughter from the room.

Draco decided it would be best to let his business skills take over. Potter, however, had a different idea it seamed.

"Nothing going on with you secretary, Malfoy?"

"She is having family problems, nothing that concerns you," Draco informed Potter before reclaiming his chair and gesturing to Potter to take one as well. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"I was wondering if you did large scale projects."

"Yes, we do. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I've had several things brought to my attention in the lat few days and I've had another idea."

"Am I to assume that you have thought this one through?"

Potter wiggled in his chair for a moment before answering. "Well, not so much, but I don't have any time restrictions on this one."

"Well then, Potter, what is it you want?"

"As far as I know, there are very few orphanages for magical children. There isn't even one in Europe. I want you to build one here in London."

Draco gave a little laugh. "You want me to build you an orphanage?"

"Yes, one in London, and maybe two more somewhere in Europe. I guess it depends on why type of publicity the one in London gets."

"Three?"

"Well, maybe," Potter said, rubbing his neck in what Draco had noticed was a nervous habit.

"Alright, Potter. Figure everything out and I will get to work on it. Come back on Monday and we will discuss it further."

"Really?"

Draco arched an eyebrow. "Yes," he spoke slowly.

"Oh, I thought this would have been harder," Potter said, sounding amused.

At that second Draco's office door burst open and Amy came running in, face clean of all the makeup she had applied earlier. She skipped over and perched on Draco's lap.

"Mummy says I get to stay with you!" Amy informed him, though she still looked to him for conformation.

Draco, knowing Potter had already gotten the wrong impression, did not want to make it look as if he had just gotten custody for the weekend.

"Yes, Love, you do," Draco said as Lisa appeared in the door way.

She mouthed a quick "sorry" to him and motioned for Amy to come to her. Amy merely shook her head no.

"Amy, listen to your mother," Draco commanded in a tone much like the one Lucius used with him when he was small. Thankfully, the small girl obliged.

Once Amy had removed herself from Draco's lap, he stood and Potter followed suit.

"Good day, Potter. I will see you on Monday."

"Yes, thanks, Malfoy."

Once Potter had left the office, Lisa and Amy came back in; Lisa looking slightly nervous and Amy looking as if she were going to bubble over with joy.

"Thank you so much, Draco," Lisa said yet again. "I have all of Amber's things with me," she informed, worrying her bottom lip.

"You may leave now, if you like. I believe that Amy and I will be alright for the rest of the day. Everything is going to go perfectly"

Little did Draco know that his statement would be the overstatement of the year.

Not long after Lisa left did Draco realize that he had extremely limited experience with children. He hoped that things would get better one they had gotten home, and then Draco also realized Blaise was going to kill him.

"How much longer?" Amy asked when she was finished drawing her eighth picture for Draco.

"Not long, Love."

"Can we go to the park?"