Draco was pleased as he looked at himself in the mirror; crisp cuffs, sharp collar, a grey pinstriped suit that tastefully bought out the colour of his eyes. He smoothed a hand over an errant lock of blonde hair that had escaped his ponytail.
Smooth. Understated. Elegant.
He was good to go.
Draco took his usual seat at the conference table, opposite and just to the right of Severus Snape. The managing director of Adservio was flicking through a pile of photographs that displayed the latest suggestions for the new Wizard Bombs campaign they were running.
"I don't like that one," someone said as they placed a cup of chai by Draco's elbow. Draco pushed the cup away and continued to stare at his boss. The man was in fine form this morning; sneering and mumbling his displeasure as print after glossy print was looked at and cast aside in disgust.
"Severus," Draco said, using only the tips of his fingers to carefully push over a black and white photo showing the glistening naked torsos of two men wrapped around each other. "I came up with that last night after you said you were too busy to meet me for dinner."
Snape raised his head, looking first at the print, then Draco, then the person standing behind Draco. "What do you think?"
Draco opened his mouth to speak but snapped it shut when the tea boy, the tea boy for God's sake, spoke. "I don't know much about advertising, but I know an original idea when I see one. That's not original."
"Isn't it?" Snape asked, leaning back in his leather chair and steepling his fingers against his chin.
Draco twisted in his seat, but the new office runner had already made his way around the table to stand at Snape side. "Nope. It's clichéd rubbish. Now this," the interloper said, one hand sorting through the pictures on the polished tabletop as the other pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, "this is unusual. Eye-catching. It's making a statement."
Snape leant over, fingers grazing the office boy's hand as he picked up the proffered picture. He held it up and studied it, eyes sliding occasionally to his side where the office boy was beginning to flush.
"I think you're on to something. Draco, why didn't you pick up on this?" Snape asked.
"I – " Draco began.
"Take a seat," Snape said, cutting him off. He pulled out the chair next to him. "What's your name?"
"Harry," the tea boy said, pushing messy bits of hair off his forehead. "Harry Potter."
Snape smiled. "This could be the start of a beautiful relationship, Mr Potter."
Draco slumped back and loosened his tie. Part of being an advertising executive was the ability to confound and bewitch your audience, but he knew that whatever it was that he was trying to sell, Snape wasn't buying.
There was a new item on the market.
Story Notes:
Written for accioslash, for her kindness. She asked to see 'Harry stealing Snape away from Draco.'
