The Business Proposal
Harry/Draco, Ron, George [PG-13, 1632 words]
Disclaimer: JK Rowling and co own everything. I am writing for fun and not for profit.
A/N: unbeta'd. Based off the prompt: a group of ferrets is called a business.
Summary: Draco is nervous as he waits for an interview for a job with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. He should have known that this would be no normal interview.

The Business Proposal

Draco won't admit it, but he's nervous. He brushes imaginary lint off of his new robes, smoothing down an already crisp white shirt. For good measure, he uses his wand to polish his dragon hide boots. He's even slicked his hair back with too much gel and hair potions. He needs this interview to go well.

"Hey, don't be nervous," Harry says, setting down a cup of tea and a large plate with several pieces of dessert on the table. "It's only George and Ron and they like you."

"Barely. They tolerate me because their mother threatened to have their bollocks if they weren't nice to dear Harry's new boyfriend," Draco interrupts, taking a sip of tea. If his hands shake a bit, no one dares to mention it.

"Molly adores you!" Harry agrees. "She's always asking about when you are going to come over and bake with her again. She says you're a genius in the kitchen."

Despite his nerves, a smile spreads across Draco's face. "That's only because the art of potion brewing is very similar to baking."

"I agree! These are very delicious," Harry says, biting into a chocolate éclair. He moans and begins to lick the excess cream off of his fingers.

Draco closes his eyes and bites the inside of his cheeks to keep from pushing Harry against a door and snogging him senseless. Sometimes Harry did innocent things without realizing how it affected Draco and now is not a good time to start dwelling on taking Harry to bed.

"Did you spend all night baking?" Harry asks.

"I was too stressed last night so I baked the Muggle way. Although I don't think it helped much to keep my mind off the interview today."

"If this doesn't work out, you can always open a bakery."

Draco scoffs and opens his eyes. "No one's going to buy food from a Death Eater, Harry," he begins, but Harry shakes his head.

"You're not a Death Eater, Draco. How many times do I have to tell you? You were cleared by the Wizengamot." Harry reaches over and grasps his hand.

"Tell that to the general public. I had to go to Paris to finish my education and now I can't get a job anywhere I've applied. I'm surprised that I even got an interview to work at the Weasley's joke shop." Draco picks up a blueberry muffin and begins to pick it apart.

"Well, you're the best potions master I know and when I heard that they were looking for one, I recommended you."

Draco almost chokes on his pastry. "You told them about me? When?"

"During brunch last Sunday."

Draco remembers George and Ron sharing a few laughs with Harry at the Burrow, but he had been too busy helping Mrs Weasley with the food.

"I'm assuming that's favoritism and illegal since I am your boyfriend. There is no way the Prophet will let this go. I can already see the headline: Death Eater Begs Boyfriend for Job."

Harry scowls, his hands holding Draco's in a tight grip. "Fuck the Prophet. Rita Skeeter hasn't printed anything newsworthy recently and no one believes her. You are the best person for this job." Harry points to the books and journals on the table. "I've seen some of your ideas and think you'll be a great asset to the shop."

Draco shakes his head. "That's not how it works, Potter."

Harry frowns when he hears his last name. "Sure it does. Since I helped Fred and George with the startup money they made me a silent partner and that means I help with the hiring process. You really only have to win over one person since we vote on whom we hire."

"You have a conflict of interest that will prevent you from voting. That means I'll have to impress both of them to get the job." A sip of tea doesn't help with the sinking feeling in Draco's stomach. He'll have to rethink the speech he has planned.

Before he can say anything else, there's two cracks of Apparition and both George and Ron land in front of them with a briefcase in hand.

They look the same since their Hogwarts days, especially their red hair, but now their clothes are no longer second-hand and they have an air of confidence that only comes with being successful and having the world in their hands.

Something that Draco is currently lacking.

Draco stands up, smoothing down his robes before offering a hand for them to shake. "Ronald, George, thank you for-"

"Are those cinnamon rolls?" Ron interrupts, sitting down and setting the briefcase on the floor.

Harry nods. "He also made walnut brownies if you are interested, George?"

Ignoring Draco's outstretched hand, George grabs a brownie and bites into it with a groan. "I'm starving! Sit down, Malfoy, we don't have to go straight to business."

This interview is not going the way Draco had planned. To be honest, he didn't know what to expect from them and that's why he had prepared several speeches depending on what mood they arrived with. He sits down while the Weasleys prepare tea. Harry reaches underneath the table and squeezes Draco's hand.

"What's this?" Ron asks, gesturing at the books. He grabs one and opens it and Draco barely refrains from wincing, hoping that there are no stains on the pages. Those are his person journals and books that contains plans, if he's successful, of earning a good honest living and not relying on the Malfoy family fortune.

Draco sits up straight and reaches for a book. "I have some ideas of making Wheezes toys, potions, and products. If you will allow me to explain?"

George sighs, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Well, I thought that I would be able to put this off a little bit longer, but let's get down to it. We have a business proposal for you. Show him, Ron."

Draco is shocked; he never expected an outright offer.

"Wait!" Draco exclaims. "Are you not going to ask me any questions?"

"Are you still a git?" Ron asks.

"Ron!" Harry exclaims, but Draco doesn't even look fazed.

"Fair enough," he says. "No."

"I thought I would ask. I want to know whom I'm working with," Ron says, unclasping the briefcase.

"Wait, why are you offering me a job?"

Ron gives Draco a genuine smile. "Look, your NEWTs were excellent, better than any of the other applicants. Only one less than Hermione, mind you," he says with a proud look on his face.

George adds, "Plus your old potions teacher had a lot of praise for you."

Draco looks at George in shock. "You spoke to Professor Snape?"

George shakes his head. "Harry did that, fortunately."

Draco looks over to where Harry sits nibbling on a chocolate chip biscuit. "It wasn't so bad," Harry says, "I just left him with a dicta-quill after I requested it."

Harry says it so nonchalantly, but talking to Professor Snape's portrait is always hard on both of them. There are so many memories, both good and bad, from the war that come up whenever they visit Hogwarts and speak to the portraits. For Harry to have done that for him is an act of kindness that Draco doesn't even know how to begin to repay.

He figures a good start is kissing Harry and whispering, "Thank you, Harry."

Harry's cheeks are red, but he manages to keep his voice steady when he answers, "Anytime, Draco."

Ron clears his throat, holding up a scroll. "You even received a personal letter of recommendation from the Minister for magic."

"Hermione wrote me a letter?" Draco reaches out to grab the scroll, but Ron pulls it out of his reach.

"I'm sure you have to know it would be stupid to ignore her recommendation," Ron says. "So here's your contract." He pushes the briefcase forward and Draco opens the latch, raising the lid. How many documents are inside if the Weasleys had to use an entire briefcase?

To Draco's surprise and shock, six white ferrets jump out of the briefcase and run around the table. Their tails are brushed out, beady red eyes looking at everything of interest, whiskers twitching before they attack. They jump and scatter about, splashing tea and knocking things over as everyone stares at them. In an instant, all the desserts are quickly smashed into crumbs.

Ron and George are laughing hysterically and even Harry can't hide a smile. After a few long seconds, a baby ferret comes out of the briefcase and brings forth an envelope for Draco.

He reaches out and slowly takes the envelope, startling when the ferret squeaks and jumps off the table. Draco opens and scans the letter, his eyes widening when he sees what's written. The contract states that he is to work with the Weasleys at their joke shop, but he has his own lab and can work on other projects in his spare time, if he so chooses.

He looks up from the letter to find all three of them looking at him expectantly.

"If you knew that you were going to hire me, then what was the point of all this," Draco says at last, pointing at the ferrets who are now running around their ankles chasing each other.

"Lighten up, Malfoy. You can't be serious all the time now that you work at a joke shop. You have to have a bit of humour if you want to work with us," George says. "So do you accept?"

"I would be stupid to pass up this opportunity," Draco replies, picking up a quill and signing his name on the contract.

"Welcome to the best job you'll ever have in your life, ferret!" Ron says, laughing.