Work Text:
Thursday, February 10th, 2005
A yawn escaped me as I curled tighter into a ball on the desk of my Assistant. She was quick to scold me for managing to invade our office for the umpteenth time, but I didn’t deign to give her a response. She was well aware I was not to be contained, and she was too intelligent to try.
Her job, from my understanding, would never allow her to try to stop me.
Nor would I.
Ever since the woman began coming home far past dinnertime so exhausted she had forgotten to feed me, her disheveled form lurching past me to fall upon the couch, I began to follow her to where she spends her days. Slipping through magical seams into what, I assumed, was the humans’ most secure location, and I would follow her up the elevators and through the long halls.
After many months, following her wasn’t necessary, and most days I arrived before her to find the most advantageous spot just as I had today.
However, as my Assistant worked to avoid disturbing me, a harsh tapping on her door made my ear flick in annoyance—only one other human would come to annoy her at her place of work throughout the day.
The Silver Annoyance.
His presence over the past several weeks had only been increasing; I wasn’t ignorant of the fact that the increase in his presence coincided with the amount of red decor around the office. The Annoyance smelled of nervousness despite whatever smile he sent my assistant’s way. I remember this boy from her school days- he was cocky and awful then. I had it my way; he wouldn't be attempting this courting at all.
The man smelled like the magic the Aurors got up to down at the DMLE.
Not that I found her response much better. Her once-sure hands dropped papers and shook; her smile was a little too wide, with too red cheeks; not to mention, she ignored me every time the Silver Annoyance entered the room. Does she not remember the words he sent her way?
“Granger.” The man entered the room during his musings and leaned against the door frame. His eyes fell on me, his unhidden amusement making my fur bristle. “Still bringing your orange cling-on to work, are we?”
“Malfoy,” To my annoyance, her tone held nothing but greeting and an undercurrent of admiration- where was the justice in calling me a cling-on? “You are well aware that I can’t stop him, either by morals or ability. Crooks is his own mind- you try stopping him.”
I puffed up at the true implication that she held no power over me, glaring at the man holding up the door frame.
“Understood.” The man smiled as I sat up straight, drawing my full size. “I won’t keep you, but you did have this on your door.”
I twitched as he strode across the short expanse of office to my assistant, her face surprised as she reached for the envelope in the annoyance’s hand. With a glare, I strode across the papers on the desk, knocking the envelope onto the surface to sniff and inspect.
“I don’t think Crooks trusts you much.” She laughed at his antics before gently taking the envelope from underneath my paws. I stuck my nose in the air as my tail whipped against the stacks of paper.
“I’ll win him over eventually.” The still too close Annoyance eyed me carefully before turning on his heel and bidding her farewell.
I have no idea what he gave my Assistant, but she spent the rest of the day a blushing mess.
She forgot to give me my 'good boy, Crooks' treat.
Blast.
Friday February 11th, 2005
Distasteful.
Not only did my lowly Assistant refuse to share her lunch with me, but that pompous Annoyance was once again invading my sleeping office. I hadn’t reacted poorly the day before, hoping that my glare would have dissuaded him from returning, because I didn’t pay him much mind before. Unfortunately, the poor thing is thick.
“Your familiar is even less enthused with me today, Granger.”
I suppose the thing isn’t as thick as I thought.
“Can you blame him? Most men walk in and treat him terribly.” My sweet Assistant scratched my favorite spot, causing my eyes to slide half closed and a damned-able purr to escape. “Maybe you should try to get to know him better?”
“There are a few individuals who fall in that category.” His eyes landed on my ever kind and flushed ward, who looked at him with a hopeful way.
In all the times since I began following her to work, I hadn't ever been more pleased that today was the end of her ‘work week’ as she called it. Two days of freedom from such a lowly distraction were what my Assistant needed.
“I’m sure whoever you try to get to know, Malfoy, wouldn’t be against an owl or two.”
Damn.
Saturday February 12th, 2005
True to the beast’s word, my Saturday was filled with a barrage of feathers, window tapping, and girlish screaming. My usually less idiotic Assistant was becoming a concern to my health, with all the screaming and paper throwing.
Whatever they were talking about was turning her into a banshee before my eyes.
No matter how much time I spent batting paper at her face or rolling over onto my back to distract her, I was unable to distract her from whatever the damned Annoyance was sending her.
At one point during the day, the girl blushed so red I thought steam might escape from her ears as she read the latest correspondence. The annoying eagle, the prat used, waited patiently for her response as she held up a finger for it to wait, then walked to the kitchen and poured herself a generous glass of wine.
Watching her take a healthy gulp, a size usually reserved for bad days, I found myself wondering if this was a good thing or a bad thing.
The girlish squeals that persisted for the rest of the day left my quandary unanswered definitively.
What is good for the assistant may well not be good for the boss.
Sunday February 13th, 2005
Clothing. Everywhere.
Not a single place in the entire damned living space was safe from the barrage of clothing flying all over the space since dawn. How dare she interrupt my weekend morning lie-in? Does she not understand just how much following her every workday takes out of an impressive creature like me?
Surely she doesn’t- if she did, she wouldn’t be ripping the house apart at sound levels that would make mer-folk cry.
Watching her from the only safe corner in her sleeping space, I knew the Annoyance was behind this. The correspondence the day before hadn’t stopped until the early morning, the feathers and pecking keeping my exhausted form up all night to chaperone my clearly besotted assistant.
Such intelligence wasting away under the workings of a, clearly, master manipulator.
By the time she had finished dressing and had left through the Floo, she had left behind destruction unlike anything I’d ever seen. I truly believe it rivaled the destruction of the Battle of Hogwarts, the way my privacy and personal space had been destroyed.
However, in the quiet, I let myself think. I couldn’t remember a time my assistant had been as happy as she was that day. Certainly not during the time of the Red-Headed Shitstain or the short-lived Berk that followed after. The control they attempted to hold over his Ward was beyond what they deserved to ask for, let alone the Annoyance if he tries the same.
I sat, eyeing the Floo warily as if she were to run back through the damned thing, crying. If the Silver Annoyance was to be upgraded to something worse, I was lucky to know where he worked.
On the chance she wasn’t home at a decent time in a good mood, I knew I’d be able to rectify whatever came through the door while planning exactly how to give my sweet assistant the revenge she deserved.
Monday February 14th, 2005
I have never been more disappointed in my Assistant.
She never arrived home the night before, and I’ve beaten her here to her office despite leaving late.
Worst of all, she hasn't groomed me in two days- deplorable.
So here I sit, purposely swiping my tail over every stack of paper she had tried to keep orderly over the weekend to begin again this morning. Pity my tails destroyed every pile, which serves her right if I’m to be honest.
I glared at the door, taking short nap breaks, until the key slid in the lock of the door after lunch. I bristled, ready to either scold or comfort when her soft laugh met my ears. My bristle calmed; that sound has been so rare around our living quarters. Her exhaustion had been years in the making, and my concern for her wasn’t new.
Today? She’s laughing. She’s late for work.
As the door cracked open, I curled my tail around myself as I sat tall on her desk. Her voice filtered through the slowly opening door,
“…how much do you want to bet he’s waiting on my desk?” Her teasing voice relaxed me further.
“Then it’s good I brought a gift.” The Annoyance’s voice responded with a gentleness and kindness that wasn't present in him before, taking the place of nervousness. My head tilted to the side as they both came into view.
The difference in her was unmistakable.
Hair loose, smiling, relaxed…
Happy.
The man stepped around her, a to-go box placed in front of me before turning it around and opening it for my perusal—a loaded box of fish and meat, clearly a peace offering.
“Crookshanks,” He started, “I haven’t been great to your witch over the years. I’ll be better and make her happy. Is this an acceptable peace offering?”
Staring at my newest Assistant, a Silver one to the Gold I already had, I let out a yowling agreement and dug into the meal set before me.
Ignoring the surprised sound from him as my most important Ward threw herself in his arms, and I busied myself with my own business.
He’s appeasing me, in the end, and I am a very good cat.
I still know where he works.