79. Chapter 79 (1/2)

previously on returning to his roots: chapter 78

declan was five minutes into his recitation when theo entered the living room nodding his approval of the subject matter. however, before he could compliment his son, the doorbell rang. wondering out loud who it could be, theo rose from the chair to answer the door. visitors were always welcome, but this sunday he had planned to visit with anna. if it wasn't anything important, he might just turn the visitor away. theo was surprised when he opened the door to find a grinning draco on his stoop.

"draco?"

"yup. that would be me. i've come to deliver your mobile and explain what my

illiant witch has done."

theo stepped aside hoping draco didn't want to have some long winded conversation. "come on through mate. we are in the living room. i have a guest whom i don't want to leave sitting alone, so please keep your conversation short. after you greet her, we can speak in the study. we are having lamb for dinner if you'd like to stay."

shite, thought a surprised draco as he greeted anna and declan. i'm intruding. "hello declan. nice to see you again anna. i'll only keep theo a few minutes."

"hello again draco. there's no need to rush your conversation. i'm in absolutely enchanting company."

theo hoped draco had caught the silent message when he had cleared his throat. anna might not mind him holding a lengthy conversation, but he did. dates before mates. theo smiled to himself as he and draco headed to the study wondering where that piece of muggle shite had come from. dates before mates, as if. it wasn't a date. it was dinner.

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hermione was working so draco was at loose ends anyway. even if wasn't at loose ends, theo was entertaining a witch. there was no way he would turn down the dinner invitation. there was a mystery afoot which he wanted to know more about.

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returning to his roots: chapter 79

after giving theo his mobile and explaining what he and hermione had done, draco was quick to accept theo's invitation to dinner.

turning the mobile over in his hand, theo grinned at draco. "well done mr. malfoy. i appreciate that you've already set up my mobile with important numbers. you, hermione, severus, jean, conor, mick, jay, esther will probably be the numbers i ring the most."

"you can thank hermione. it was her idea."

theo nodded. "of course it was. your witch will never leave a stone unturned. i do have a favor to ask."

"ask away mate."

"if it's possible, i'd like to purchase a mobile for declan and his man reg. declan's would only be for emergency use, but reg will need one as a support in his duties."

it seemed theo had more to say so draco remained silent waiting for his mate to finish. he wasn't wrong. after a bit of squirming in the chair, theo revealed the last of it.

"although i haven't discussed this with miss grace, i see her becoming a familiar part of the nott household. with that in mind, i'd like to order her a mobile set with reg and my numbers. down the road she can add additional numbers as needed."

draco was surprised but didn't let it show. theo was sharing information which he wouldn't question. at least he wouldn't question it this moment. miss anna grace meant something to theo. "no problem theo. i have several extra mobiles with me. again, hermione's idea. if sitting down to dinner isn't imminent, we can do it now." draco replied, reaching into his inside pocket and

inging out three mobiles. "three it is. one for declan, reg and miss grace. if you'll give me about ten minutes, i can input the required mobile numbers."

"excellent. while you do that, i'll go make sure anna and declan are alright."

draco nodded. it wasn't his intention to question theo about anything. his mate would explain when he was ready.

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two of the phones were set up when draco heard theo greeting someone coming down the hall. he didn't have to wonder who it was when he heard declan call out to his uncle conor. draco stood to greet conor when he and cassie appeared at the study door.

"hello conor, cassie. nice party last night." he commented, greeting them as he continued to work on the third mobile.

"hello draco. it was a nice party. thanks for delivering our mobiles. cassie and i expected to get them tomorrow. nice surprise you turning up at her flat. we might have put ourselves on the shite list of several friends as we've been dialing them up since you dropped off the phones. i know mick is not pleased. whatever. if you'll excuse us, cassie and i have to go take the mickey out of a certain young wizard."

draco grinned at conor and nodded at cassie. "please ask theo to come back here. i need him to have a look. the mobiles are ready."

"will do mate. see you in a bit."

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draco sat quietly waiting for theo wondering if he should go pull hermione away from the transition department. before he could make a firm decision, theo was back.

"conor says you have the next three mobiles ready. that was fast. come on through to the living room where we, rather you will hand out the phones."

draco stood and had just answered theo when his own mobile rang showing hermione granger calling. draco gestured for theo to go on ahead. theo returned a gesture that caused draco to

eak out in a grin before pressing the talk button.

hello love.

hello love my arse. you've been gone for ages. where are you? i have another batch ready to be delivered.

i'm at theo's. he purchased three more mobiles which i'm in the process of setting up. he has invited us to dinner. i was just about to ring you. you've done a lot today. please consider leaving the rest until tomorrow. i'd like us to have have dinner with theo and declan.

several seconds of silence.

okay love. i'd like to have dinner with theo and declan. give me a few minutes to tidy up and speak to severus. i'll see you in twenty minutes. draco?

yes love.

thank you for thinking about me. i love you.

i love you too hermione. now tidy up and get that lovely arse over here.

on my way handsome.

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when he finished the call with hermione, draco hurried to the living room to hand out the phones. before he could disperse the mobiles, theo gestured for him to hold on for a second explaining he needed to get reg. once reg was in the living room, draco handed the three mobiles to theo who proceeded to explain what was going on.

"hermione granger and draco here have given us the opportunity to have better. by that i mean i have purchased mobiles for you reg, declan, and if she will accept, one for miss grace."

three sets of eyes were trained on theo waiting for his next words. he didn't disappoint.

"my reasoning for getting these mobiles is simple. reg will need one to communicate with me, conor, mick, esther as well as vendors and the like. there isn't any special purpose for declan to have one, but he is a young wizard who might need to communicate with his father or uncles from time to time. as for miss grace, i'd like her to have one so she might contact me or me her if the need arises." turning to face anna, theo apologized if he had overstepped and would gladly rescind his offer if she didn't care to have a mobile.

anna clasped her hands together in her lap while looking theo directly in his eyes. "although i don't know the first thing about using one, i've heard interesting things about mobiles for us magicals. in no way have you overstepped. i'm thrilled you think enough of me to order one for my personal use. thank you."

a faint blush appeared across theo's nose as he stood there holding the three devices.

draco had to glance down at his feet to keep his smile from showing. if the wide,

ight smile that appeared on anna's face was any gauge, he knew she and theo would be making good use of their mobiles. it seemed as though theo wasn't the only one smitten. to that end, draco offered assistance.

draco addressed his remarks to theo. "i hope this isn't an imposition mate, but i've invited hermione to have dinner with us. she should be here within the next twenty minutes. i say this because she works at wcs and knows mobiles like the back of her hand. i'm sure she'd be willing to show everyone how to use the devices."

with a faint blush still on his face, theo grinned at draco. "thanks mate. learning how to use the bloody thing would have been my next step. knowing hermione, i'm sure she'll have everyone up to speed in thirty minutes or less. now that we have all this sorted, we'll be able to sit down to the table when hermione arrives. reg. you may take declan until we are ready to eat. draco and anna, if you like, we can have a quick before dinner drink.

mick and parvati came through the door just as conor and cassie appeared at the top of the hall.

"hello everyone." mick called out. "the handsome byrne

other has arrived and will gladly have a before dinner drink. in addition to that, i might just box the ears off the less handsome byrne

other for using his new mobile as a toy, but that can wait."

a voice from the other side of the house rang out. "i hear you uncle mick."

"ah! the lilting voice of my overstepping nephew. excuse me while i go greet reg and the little…."

theo cleared his throat.

mick winked at theo. "no need to fret mr. nott. i was simply going to say the little wizard. back in a minute."

conor shrugged. his

other would always be a prat.

theo had just sat down when the doorbell rang. "that will probably be hermione. we are all here. i don't want to rush our instructor from the door to the table so we'll all have a before dinner drink together.

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hermione hurriedly cleared her area before heading to severus' office. she was hungry and a lamb dinner sounded good. knocking on the door frame, she asked severus for a word.

severus gestured for her to come in and take a seat which she did. "i'll be leaving now severus. theo is waiting dinner for me. everything is tidied up. not only has draco made quite a few deliveries, he has sold an additional three units to theo. i have about a dozen more bundles that can either be picked up from here or sent over to dmts to be picked up there. additionally, since i won't have to input any mobile numbers, i'm more than sure i can have a mobile in the hands of every employee by days end tomorrow. we are moving right along."

severus was pleased. "well done hermione. thank you for the ten ministry mobiles. i'll see they are delivered tomorrow morning. thank draco for me as well. tomorrow morning, before you start work, i'll have two wizards from the wiring department come to your department. i think we should do a bit of enlarging and renovating."

hermione clapped her hands together. "oh merlin. thank you severus. my transition department will really be a department. shall i come in early? will i be allowed an assistant?"

severus smiled at his exuberant employee. "one step at a time hermione. let's get the transition department updated before we think about adding additional staff. we'll get it worked out in the morning. i'd like to get the ten mobiles into kingsley's hand as early as possible. i will leave notes and orders on the off chance i'm not here when you arrive in the morning. thank you again for your attention to detail and your perseverance. have a good evening."

"thank you severus. i'll see you in the morning."

hermione was back at the transition area picking up her wand and purse when nils approached her. "good afternoon hermione. how are you? nice party last night, eh?"

"hello nils. yes, it was a great time. may i help you with something? i'm just on my way out to a dinner engagement."

"sorry. i just need to beg a favor."

"fine nils. as long as it's a quick favor."

"i'll be quick. i know you have been setting up mobiles to be sold and delivered. i'm hoping you will see your way clear to releasing two mobiles to me. if you don't have time to write up a purchase order, i'll be glad to take them now and pay tomorrow."

giving nils a skeptical look, hermione was poised to inquire why he needed two mobiles but thought better of it. it wasn't her business. "i can do that nils. as far as not having time to write up a purchase order, i run a tidy ship. if you're taking two mobiles now, you'll be paying for them now. get out your moneybag while i write you up."

"i'll be issuing a draft, if that's okay."

"that's fine." hermione called from the back of the office where the mobiles were kept. "here you are. nice doing business with you." she quipped, handing the two mobiles to nils.

nils grinned. "thank you. nice doing business with you as well. enjoy your dinner. i'll see you in the morning."

three steps behind nils, hermione stepped out and turned into apparition hoping they hadn't started dinner without her.

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