Common Interests - Prompt #38 Winifred
Title: Common Interests
Fandom: The Dresden Files (tv-verse/AU)
Characters: Winifred, Murphy, Harry and Bob
Prompt: 38. Chance
Word Count: 551
Rating: G
Summary: Winifred meets Murphy.
Notes: AU. Written for kiffie, in response to a fic meme.
Disclaimer: The Dresden Files don't belong to me.
***
A door slammed at the front, announcing the arrival of two people in heated discussion.
"Dresden, seriously, you've gotta be kidding."
"Nope."
"I mean it. There's NO way--"
"--Murph. Trust me on this."
"We need that information. But if you blow our--"
"--It'll work. Honest."
"You--"
"--Damn. I forgot the--the thing. Musta dropped between the seats. Hold on; I'll be right back. It'll only take me a sec."
"Hey! Dresd--!"
The clatter and jingle of the storefront door opening and shutting cut off her protest and partially overlapped the following wordless exclamation of frustration and impatience.
"He is a rather difficult person, is he not?" Winifred agreed, stepping out of the shadows, smiling, wishing to meet Harry's strong-willed and undeniably lovely lady friend.
Murphy whirled, eyes widening, then narrowing. "Where did you come from?"
"I am an old friend of Harry's," Winifred said, side-stepping the 'where' and going directly to the un-spoken 'who'. "And am visiting."
"I asked 'where'," Murphy repeated. "You weren't here a second ago." She frowned, looking in the direction of the kitchen and bedroom area, a different emotion flickering across her features as her gaze returned to the tall, darkly-beautiful woman. Was that some kind of nightgown? She was barefoot too. That might explain the silent arrival.
"Ah. No, I was in the living quarters." Winifred arched a black brow, guessing at the conflicted expression on Murphy's face. "Harry and I have known each other for a number of years and I think of him as a son." She gestured toward the back with one pale, elegant hand and explained, "I was by the fire, reading, and heard your voices."
Murphy relaxed her stance a bit, without meaning to; she knew sincerity when she heard it. "A 'son'? Okaaay." She studied the woman's appearance from head to toe-- old-fashioned and at the same time oddly timeless, but hardly old enough-looking to be like a mom to a grown man. "If you say so. He didn't mention anything about you being here. It has something to do with all that wizard stuff he never really explains, doesn't it? What are you, a medieval reenactor?"
Winifred's lips twitched. "Not a 'reenactor', no... however, he and I do share a common interest or two."
Both women turned at the sudden jingling re-appearance of Harry. "Murph, see? If I just wear this, smear on a little make-up, big shoes. A wig. You know. I could do it. They'd never know I was there. It's a kid's party, after all. Worth a shot, don't you think? They'll never even susp--" He stopped abruptly, belatedly noticing Winifred.
Murphy was the first to respond. "Dresden, you look ridiculous," she snorted.
Winifred's eyes glimmered with amused agreement, though she remained mostly silent.
"Ahhh." He reached up to remove the big red nose, coloring slightly. "Yeah. Hey, Murphy, Winifred... so you've met, hunh? This is great."
"Harry?" A smooth, cultured voice preceded an addition to the little tableau as Bob came around the corner by the bookshelf. He stopped, looking at each of the others in turn. "Oh, dear."
Now there was someone that looked old enough for the part. Murphy couldn't resist. "So who's this, then?" She glanced over at Dresden, flashing air quotes. "Your 'dad'?"
Fandom: The Dresden Files (tv-verse/AU)
Characters: Winifred, Murphy, Harry and Bob
Prompt: 38. Chance
Word Count: 551
Rating: G
Summary: Winifred meets Murphy.
Notes: AU. Written for kiffie, in response to a fic meme.
Disclaimer: The Dresden Files don't belong to me.
***
A door slammed at the front, announcing the arrival of two people in heated discussion.
"Dresden, seriously, you've gotta be kidding."
"Nope."
"I mean it. There's NO way--"
"--Murph. Trust me on this."
"We need that information. But if you blow our--"
"--It'll work. Honest."
"You--"
"--Damn. I forgot the--the thing. Musta dropped between the seats. Hold on; I'll be right back. It'll only take me a sec."
"Hey! Dresd--!"
The clatter and jingle of the storefront door opening and shutting cut off her protest and partially overlapped the following wordless exclamation of frustration and impatience.
"He is a rather difficult person, is he not?" Winifred agreed, stepping out of the shadows, smiling, wishing to meet Harry's strong-willed and undeniably lovely lady friend.
Murphy whirled, eyes widening, then narrowing. "Where did you come from?"
"I am an old friend of Harry's," Winifred said, side-stepping the 'where' and going directly to the un-spoken 'who'. "And am visiting."
"I asked 'where'," Murphy repeated. "You weren't here a second ago." She frowned, looking in the direction of the kitchen and bedroom area, a different emotion flickering across her features as her gaze returned to the tall, darkly-beautiful woman. Was that some kind of nightgown? She was barefoot too. That might explain the silent arrival.
"Ah. No, I was in the living quarters." Winifred arched a black brow, guessing at the conflicted expression on Murphy's face. "Harry and I have known each other for a number of years and I think of him as a son." She gestured toward the back with one pale, elegant hand and explained, "I was by the fire, reading, and heard your voices."
Murphy relaxed her stance a bit, without meaning to; she knew sincerity when she heard it. "A 'son'? Okaaay." She studied the woman's appearance from head to toe-- old-fashioned and at the same time oddly timeless, but hardly old enough-looking to be like a mom to a grown man. "If you say so. He didn't mention anything about you being here. It has something to do with all that wizard stuff he never really explains, doesn't it? What are you, a medieval reenactor?"
Winifred's lips twitched. "Not a 'reenactor', no... however, he and I do share a common interest or two."
Both women turned at the sudden jingling re-appearance of Harry. "Murph, see? If I just wear this, smear on a little make-up, big shoes. A wig. You know. I could do it. They'd never know I was there. It's a kid's party, after all. Worth a shot, don't you think? They'll never even susp--" He stopped abruptly, belatedly noticing Winifred.
Murphy was the first to respond. "Dresden, you look ridiculous," she snorted.
Winifred's eyes glimmered with amused agreement, though she remained mostly silent.
"Ahhh." He reached up to remove the big red nose, coloring slightly. "Yeah. Hey, Murphy, Winifred... so you've met, hunh? This is great."
"Harry?" A smooth, cultured voice preceded an addition to the little tableau as Bob came around the corner by the bookshelf. He stopped, looking at each of the others in turn. "Oh, dear."
Now there was someone that looked old enough for the part. Murphy couldn't resist. "So who's this, then?" She glanced over at Dresden, flashing air quotes. "Your 'dad'?"