epilogue: tribute, redux

"I'd like to call this meeting to order," Hermione said primly.

For once, they were holding a meeting after working hours rather than before. The atmosphere was also much more relaxed; the last time they'd held a similar meeting, it had been under rather dire circumstances.

"Cut to the chase, Granger," Daphne said. "Riddle and Harry are disgustingly in love, and we're not going to be getting any work done as long as they're constantly going back and forth between making eyes at each other and driving each other insane."

"Yesterday Riddle asked me if Harry had any food allergies," Ron said mournfully. "I was too afraid to lie to him."

"Personally, I think they're cute," Pansy said. "You all got what you asked for: Tom is nice to everyone now, and he's really, really nice to Harry."

"Ew," Ron said, making a face. "Ew! Don't say it like that."

"Anyways!" Hermione interjected. "We are looking for a volunteer to help… calm them down, so to speak. Since HR—" Hermione paused to glare at Pansy, who smirked and wiggled her fingers, "—won't do anything about it."

Daphne scoffed. "If you want to be the one to tell Riddle to keep it in his pants, then I'll pay you to do it."

Draco, who had been uncharacteristically silent throughout all of this, shuffled in his seat.

"I'll do it," Draco said.

Everyone turned to look at him with astonishment.

"You?" Ginny asked, dubious. "Did someone hit you on the head on your way to the meeting room, Malfoy? Or did you forget your entire personality at home this morning?"

"Why's it so hard to believe that I want to help?" Draco demanded. "I can be just as noble as Potter is."

"You never lift a finger if you can avoid it," Pansy said accusingly. "Come on, spit it out. What's your angle?"

Draco squirmed underneath the weight of everyone's attention. After a second, he coughed, then said in a rush, "My cousin asked me to. Riddle's been driving him mad, and he said he'd get me an interview at his firm if I helped him."

"Your cousin?" Daphne said, disdainful. "Lucius? Isn't he a stock broker?"

"The point is: I volunteer to do it," Draco said, ignoring her. "Which means I get all of you to help me, correct?"

"Knew he had an angle," Pansy muttered.

"I can do this," Draco said tightly. "How hard can it be?"

"Heard that one before," Ron said, snorting.

"Five pounds says he doesn't last a week," Daphne said promptly, smacking her hand down on the table.

"Hold on," Ginny interjected. She was scribbling something on a pad of loose-leaf paper. "I'm working out a table for the betting pool."

"Put me down for ten," Theodore said, speaking for the first time since the meeting had begun.

"How long?" Ginny asked.

"Two days. And that's being generous. No one except for me actually saw how worked up Riddle got about Harry."

"Fair enough," Ginny said, writing it down.

A few more bets were made while Draco watched.

"You lot didn't pull this in front of Harry," complained Draco. "This seems unfair."

"That's because we all like Harry," Pansy said, patting Draco on the arm in a consolatory way. "Harry's a very selfless person, and he goes out of his way to be helpful. He was virtuous enough that he even won our boss over."

"I can be selfless!"

"Uh huh. We'll be sure to let your cousin know you died fighting," Pansy said in a sympathetic tone. "Fighting in vain, but fighting nonetheless."

"Put me down for two weeks," Pansy said. "Fifteen pounds."

Ginny swung around in her chair to shoot Pansy a calculating look. The two of them were now alone in the meeting room. "You seem very certain about that."

"Because I am."

The silence held a moment longer, and then Ginny snorted. "You already went and told on us to them, didn't you? Ron was right when he called you a soul sucker."

Pansy only smiled. "Oh, don't worry. I'm sure Tom and Harry can be persuaded to extend my immunity to you as well, so long as you aid me with the betting pool."

Ginny crossed her arms. "Fifty/fifty split."

"In your dreams, Weaslette. Twenty/eighty."

"Forty/sixty, or else I tell Hermione what you've gone and done, and you know she won't leave it alone until her moral crusade is satisfied."

"Diabolical," said Pansy, approving. "I like it. You have yourself a deal."

.

END.

A/N:

thank you, dear readers, for reading along and being generally amazing.

additional special thank you to Asa for prompting this story and hosting such a fun event.

a new one-shot for this universe will be posted tomorrow (thursday). i make no promises for a proper sequel, but i will take into consideration any pleading and begging in the reviews. you can also subscribe to me for future installations.

similar series i have written to this one that you can check out on my profile are: 'The Sugar Universe' and 'Paid in Compliments'.

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