Drabble: Minding Shop
Title: Minding Shop
Word Count and Rating: 499, PG
Summary: Some people are service oriented. Hermione knows perfectly well Draco's not one of them.
Notes: Winner of July's final challenge at dyno_drabbles. Also for 100quills prompt 035 Severe and my MI unthemed table #8, prompt 04 Care.
The bell, charmed to giggle madly whenever the door opened, chortled as Hermione entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
Scowl in place, Draco turned and growled, "Welcome to Weasley's-Hermione!" His face brightened. "Tell me you're here to take over, or at least tell me you know a charm to banish that bell into a lake of fire."
"Neither, I'm afraid." She held up a paper bag. "It's lunchtime, so I brought takeaway." She faltered when his head dropped to the counter.
His voice was muffled by his arm. "Seriously? I have to stay here?"
Hermione ducked under the counter and joined him at his post near the cash register. "Aren't you having fun taking care of the store?"
"Yes, this is me having fun…in my apron." Draco stood up, drawing attention to his bright purple apron emblazoned with the store logo. "I'm wearing a shopkeeper's apron, Hermione. Hear that?" He cupped a hand around his ear. "That's the sound of generations of Malfoys spinning in their graves."
By the window, a young girl suddenly squealed as the toy in her hands shot off sparks.
"Madam," Draco pounded the counter and barked at the girl's mother. "This is a business, not a playground."
"Well," Hermione sighed, watching the affronted family stalk out of the store. She looked around and noticed the other customers were speaking in subdued whispers and holding their hands behind their backs, careful not to touch the merchandise. "I see you've brought your own style of management with you today."
"The Weasleys run this place like a zoo," he muttered. "Why am I even here?"
"Because Ron and George asked me to watch the store when their wives went into labor at the same time, and I asked you to do it when the Ministry called me in for an emergency. Since you love me, you agreed."
"I do love you, but I still don't understand why you were ever asked to work here. You're an Unspeakable, not a shopgirl." Draco was unimpressed. "What about the rest of their enormous family? Where's their staff?"
"The Weasleys are waiting for the new babies, and Verity and Brian married each other last weekend and are on their honeymoon."
"Lovely. Our Saturday is ruined by the Weasley's fertility and poor planning." Draco scowled.
Sheepish, Hermione shrugged. "Love me, love my friends?" she suggested.
He shuddered. "Please don't fill my head with such thoughts unless I have a large firewhiskey in my hand."
Before Hermione could respond, a small sound intruded. A little boy carefully pushed candy across the counter toward Draco.
"Are you joking?" Draco snapped. "I'm obviously in the middle of a conversation here, and you interrupt me for a few Sickles worth of candy? Go," he pointed toward the aisles, "and don't come back until you're ready to spend at least a Galleon."
Hermione hid a smile as she watched the boy's irate mother quarrel with Draco. After today, she would never be asked to mind the store again.
Word Count and Rating: 499, PG
Summary: Some people are service oriented. Hermione knows perfectly well Draco's not one of them.
Notes: Winner of July's final challenge at dyno_drabbles. Also for 100quills prompt 035 Severe and my MI unthemed table #8, prompt 04 Care.
The bell, charmed to giggle madly whenever the door opened, chortled as Hermione entered Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
Scowl in place, Draco turned and growled, "Welcome to Weasley's-Hermione!" His face brightened. "Tell me you're here to take over, or at least tell me you know a charm to banish that bell into a lake of fire."
"Neither, I'm afraid." She held up a paper bag. "It's lunchtime, so I brought takeaway." She faltered when his head dropped to the counter.
His voice was muffled by his arm. "Seriously? I have to stay here?"
Hermione ducked under the counter and joined him at his post near the cash register. "Aren't you having fun taking care of the store?"
"Yes, this is me having fun…in my apron." Draco stood up, drawing attention to his bright purple apron emblazoned with the store logo. "I'm wearing a shopkeeper's apron, Hermione. Hear that?" He cupped a hand around his ear. "That's the sound of generations of Malfoys spinning in their graves."
By the window, a young girl suddenly squealed as the toy in her hands shot off sparks.
"Madam," Draco pounded the counter and barked at the girl's mother. "This is a business, not a playground."
"Well," Hermione sighed, watching the affronted family stalk out of the store. She looked around and noticed the other customers were speaking in subdued whispers and holding their hands behind their backs, careful not to touch the merchandise. "I see you've brought your own style of management with you today."
"The Weasleys run this place like a zoo," he muttered. "Why am I even here?"
"Because Ron and George asked me to watch the store when their wives went into labor at the same time, and I asked you to do it when the Ministry called me in for an emergency. Since you love me, you agreed."
"I do love you, but I still don't understand why you were ever asked to work here. You're an Unspeakable, not a shopgirl." Draco was unimpressed. "What about the rest of their enormous family? Where's their staff?"
"The Weasleys are waiting for the new babies, and Verity and Brian married each other last weekend and are on their honeymoon."
"Lovely. Our Saturday is ruined by the Weasley's fertility and poor planning." Draco scowled.
Sheepish, Hermione shrugged. "Love me, love my friends?" she suggested.
He shuddered. "Please don't fill my head with such thoughts unless I have a large firewhiskey in my hand."
Before Hermione could respond, a small sound intruded. A little boy carefully pushed candy across the counter toward Draco.
"Are you joking?" Draco snapped. "I'm obviously in the middle of a conversation here, and you interrupt me for a few Sickles worth of candy? Go," he pointed toward the aisles, "and don't come back until you're ready to spend at least a Galleon."
Hermione hid a smile as she watched the boy's irate mother quarrel with Draco. After today, she would never be asked to mind the store again.
