Chapter Text
Working in Rosa Lee’s Teabag for years now, Draco can say that he loves it there. It’s probably the best decision–
Clang!
- he has ever made in his life when he first stepped into the shop looking for a job. Nothing beats applying his talent for potions-
Bang!
- to help create new recipes-
“Oh dear!”
- for making special drinks and food that reinvigorate and help the body, like what –
“Oh this….”
- he’s doing now. Quietly stirring the cup of Relaxation coffee, carefully spraying minty Happiness cream on top, then peacefully sprinkling-
“I can’t…! Draco!”
- Awakening flakes beautifully…… It’s the truth. He likes it here. It’s just that, somehow whenever he reminiscence over something important-
“Draco dear, come here a moment!”
The blond boy looks heavenward in exasperation and heads for the kitchen at the back.
“What.” He tries not to snap at his boss.
“This new Butterbeer recipe… I don’t think the Cheerful potion works with the Reinvigorating one. I thought we managed to test it out yesterday and it worked fine?” Madam Rosa asks as she looks over the recipe they had finished the day before.
The whole floor and table are a spilt mess of scented Butterbeer.
“Did you add in milk powder before stirring everything??
“Yes”
“Chop the lilies?”
“Yes.”
“Grind the rose petals?”
“Ye- oh. Oh! I must have skipped over that. I must be getting old.”
Draco puffs his cheeks, looking deadpan over the kitchen mess, then decides to ignore it and makes his way to the counter where he left the drink.
“So?” His tanned, sexy co-worker looks at him, waiting for him to say something.
“What?” Draco asks, ignoring the creepy looking stare while he prepares another cup of ice vanilla latte for a customer.
“You know what.”
The blond sprinkles a dash of Calming sugar inside, before adding fragrant cream on top. “You know what too.”
“No I don’t. Come on, elaborate.”
Draco takes the cup and serves the customer at a far end table, deliberately walking slowly back behind the counter.
“You’re horribly like Pansy sometimes.”
“I’m much better.” Astoria lifts her head in mock superiority.
Knowing that the much-too-detailed girl will never let it go from the creepy stare she’s giving him, Draco pouts. “He said he only wanted me for my body. It’s not like it never happened before.”
A deep inhale. “At least it lasted only three days this time. I expect you got back at him?”
“Of course. Made him slip on the puddle of water. Luckily it was raining.” He says dryly with a tiny smirk, earning him a laugh from the brunette. “Should have seen him. It’s not as if he has a great body anyway. That two-standard pauper. Hope he cracked his head.”
“They say the hundredth time’s the charm.” The world’s most annoying voice pipes up.
“Potter. Seriously. Shut it.” He motions to the bespectacled Auror sitting by the counter with the Daily Prophet open wide on the table. “And it’s ‘three time’s the charm’. This is my tenth over time I got dumped. I’m not going to wait another ninety times before I get the right one.”
“Considering your oh-so-great personality you’ve got here, no surprise.” Harry replies, not looking up from the paper he’s reading while munching on Buttery Soothing Biscuits.
“Yeh yeh, rub it in with the Weaslette you’ve got.” The blond grumbled, cleaning the counter harder than necessary. “I’m going on a manhunting spree. I’ll get someone with a great body who loves me.” He nods to himself. That’ll show Potter.
Harry closes the paper with a snap and folds it. Drinking the remaining of his coffee, he stands up and grabs his cloak before leaving for work, shouting, “thanks Madam Rosa!”
“You’re welcome dear!” A reply is shouted back behind Draco.
“Thanks Draco, the one who actually made your drink.” Draco mimics in a high voice, making Astoria roll her eyes as she continues serving the rest of the customers.
“Oh and Malfoy? Don’t kill anyone during your manhunt. Them being traumatised by your face is enough punishment.”
“Funny, Potter.” Draco sneered. “I will!” He yells after the closing door.
“One day, I’m going to add itching powder into his drink instead of Refreshing milk.” Draco tells his slim, beautiful boss as he helps her with the potion in the kitchen. “No idea why anyone likes him.”
“Only because it’s you, Draco.” Madam Rosa tasks. “Your vendetta with him will be infamous throughout the wizarding world for centuries.”
“Can’t help being popular can I?” Draco straightens proudly. “Did I tell you the time when I spilt my drink on one of my ex’s…“
At the counter, his fellow worker exhales loudly. His exes. Always. His exes. Every. Single. Time. Astoria can remember the times Draco complained about how he got dumped, which happens as frequently as chickens lay their eggs. Can remember every one of those times, unfortunately………
First ex thought he was a perfect robot:
“And he ran away! He freaking ran away because I burped. Burped! It’s a natural occurrence of the body! EVERYONE burps!”
“Not when they’re about to kiss..”
“He brought me to eat garlic pasta. And I wasn’t expecting him to lean over to try to kiss me! I was already on the verge! I hexed him and made him burp every half hour with garlic breath for three days.”
Ex wanted him for his body:
“He wanted to have sex five times a day! And each time, orgasm three times in a row! I know I’m sexy but I’m not a freaking sex toy!”
Ex wanted him for his body 2:
“He touches me all the time. Everywhere. During work, eating, walking, peeing. Always. Touching. And when I tell him to stop, he breaks up with me! I hexed him to itch everywhere. He wants to touch, go ahead and touch himself all he wants. Hope he gets caught scratching his balls.”
Ex just wanted his money:
“Every dinner, I pay. Every time we go shopping, I pay. Even eating ice-cream, having a cup of tea, everything! And the one time I didn’t bring my wallet, he makes a bloody fuss and breaks up with me? I cursed all his pockets to have holes in them. And took all the money.”
Ex just wanted to kiss:
“He’s always trying to kiss me.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Like always. ALWAYS. I just want to eat my lunch peacefully. He just had to kiss my cheek and try to kiss my lips. While I’m eating! The worse thing is while I’m in the washroom. Trying to pee. He would grab my neck and pull me over so that we can kiss. Across urinals. Isn’t that gross? I slammed his head away when he tried to kiss me after the fourth time and we broke up.”
Ex was too… poetic:
“He tried to spout poetry.”
“So? Isn’t that sweet?”
“Key word: Try. ‘You’re as stocky as my Little Me and as sweet as my sweet spot. My attraction to you is like Little Me to thy mouth and fingers to thy nipples. Your hair is as shiny as pre-cum on my Little Me and saliva on yours. I wish to stick my tongue in you so won’t you stick yours too?’ I was so horrified I couldn’t eat a thing in the diner. Splashed my cup of water at him, obliviated him and never saw him again.”
Aaaaaaand… stop.
She shakes her head, hand ruffling and gripping her hair, almost tearing them out. Nope. Not remembering. She’s not going to think of that horrendous Poetry of Hell ever again. Ever.
Mind wash in three… two… one.
Think pretty thoughts. Like sunshine, and flowers, and- Weasley?!
Astoria drops the cloth that she has been using to wipe the same spot on the table for two minutes, and hurries to the kitchen. Clearing her throat, she stands in a stance that she hopes looks casual. “Hey Draco, can you… help me at the front instead? There’s this dirty spot on the table that… and I wish to learn from Madam Rosa in mixing drinks. New drinks.” She emphasizes.
Shrugging, Draco looks at his boss who nods for him to go ahead. He steps out to the counter, grabs the table cloth and looks for that dirty spot.
“Malfoy.” The second most annoying voice in the whole world drifts into his poor ears.
The blond looks up and… reflexively throws the cloth at the Dirty Spot that’s in front of the counter settling down on a chair. Unfortunately, the cloth misses the Spot and lands on the table instead.
A brow on Dirty Spot lifts. “Why, not sacked yet Malfoy? Throwing cloths at customers now? Haven’t you learned some manners by now?”
Draco huffs through his nose. “Why, Weasley,” he mimics, “getting unoriginal now aren’t you? Saying the same thing every month. Or have you gone senile?”
“Just hoping a certain Slytherin’s doing his job proper. And I’ll have the usual two. Takeaway.”
He slams the Styrofoam cups as lightly as his hands enable him to on the table and pours two cups of mochas. “Alihotsy Draught with Garrotting,” he whispers to himself grudgingly as he mixes cocoa and a bit of Wit-Sharpening powder together. “Shrinking cream”, he sprays Calming cream on top, which melts into the drink. “Laxative powder”, sprinkles some Refreshing flakes.
“Ooh, new evil concoction?” The Dirty Spot says, amusement evident in his voice.
“Yes.” Draco places the cups on the counter. “It’s evil. Now scram and I hope you get sick.”
“Almost forgot Verity’s. She wants whatever’s new on the menu.”
Draco huffs again in annoyance and starts brewing the new flavoured tea.
“Got dumped again, Malfoy?” Dirty Spot smirks, leaning against the counter comfortably. “What’s the story this time?”
“None of your business!” Draco snaps at him. He reminds himself to brew a whole stack of Calming draught for his own personal use.
“You got dumped for… a more handsome bloke? He only likes… your fashion sense? Your hair? Your money?” Dirty Spot rambles on.
Ignore him, ignore him.
“Probably dumped you for a better personality. Or better looks. Or a better body most likely, seeing how you’re a little on the scrawny-“
“My body’s better than his! He’s a two-face pauper who thinks he’s so handsome when he looks like a peanut with skin rougher than a toad and a bloody showoff, trying to flaunt his flaccid fats he thinks they’re muscles wherever he goes.” Draco breathes, trying to contain his irritation as he puts down the cup of tea.
Then, the laughter begins.
Draco swears inwardly for his outburst. Again.
“Aww Malfoy, still getting dumped for ridiculous reasons after all these years. Everybody just wants your body since you’re not good in other aspects after all.” Weasley shakes his head, still chuckling as he stands up and gathers the drinks and finally, finally walks off.
Relief that Dirty Spot has left, Draco heads for the kitchen to rain vengeance upon a certain Slytherin girl.