Witch Weekly Annual Holiday Party (Thursday 12/19)

[daphne_x]

The Holidays were a cheerful and festive time. In fact, this season was Daphne Greengrass's favorite time of a year. Everyone seemed to be in a better mood around bright lights, wrapped presents, and the jingle bells. It was about the only time that she preferred to see snow on the ground rather than feel the sand between her toes

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[reidinggg]

Reid was still grumbling about the fact that Skylar had managed to make her escape without giving him the chance to stink-eye Harry properly when he himself arrived at the party a half hour later, most of the intervening time having been spent debating the endlessly unsolvable tie-vs-no tie question

[jemmadorny]

Jemma Dorny had a lot of work to do.

Not only was she in full election campaign mode, keeping a dutiful eye on her newest client in the far back corner and making sure he didn't fall into any inappropriate behavior, she was also here to convince her newest employee (and friend?) Bash that perhaps the social scene wasn't entirely so bad- that perhaps he could stop being such a complete and utter loner and make some friends. She was going to make it easy for him, even. She had them all picked out. Of course- they were her friends but she thought, what's the bother? But then she knew she had more of a chance getting herself elected Deputy Minister than to convince Bash of anything.

Smoothing the skirt of her dress, she took one long look around the ballroom, her eyes connecting briefly with Kingsley. The man nodded kindly in her direction and she smiled in return. He was a good man, one that Jemma could actually stand behind in the election process- and that was new for her

[reidinggg]

Reid turned at the sound of the familiar voice, eyebrows shooting up as he caught sight of Jemma. He let out a low whistle, shamelessly trailing his eyes up and down to take in her full appearance.

"And you look like a bonafide goddess," he said, leaning in to press a greeting kiss to her cheek. "Merlin, Dorny, if I didn't know better I'd say you were looking to get lucky this evening."

[jemmadorny]

She laughed, raising her arm to signal to the bartender for something to drink. She knew she shouldn't while she was technically working but then everyone else was bound to be smashed within the next hour- she figured no one else would know. She looked back to Reid, not minding the look up and down one bit. At least one bloke was paying her the proper attention- even if it was the wrong sort of bloke.

"I'm looking to fundraise, more like it," she said, as the bartender came up toward them. "A glass of the pinot noir, thank you-"

She tucked a lose curl behind her ear as her eyes scanned the ballroom, spotting Bash hovering in the opposite corner. The bartender was quick and pushed the filled glass slowly toward her. She took it in her hand, taking a small sip.

"If it takes a little, you know, oomph and cleavage, who's to judge?" she continued, raising her eyebrows.

[reidinggg]

"Certainly not me," Reid assured her. He motioned to the bartender, ordered his usual rum and coke (he'd probably find himself switching to vodka cranberries later in the evening when his mannerisms loosened up, but for now he was still somewhat grumpy over Skylar's slip and sticking to his more masculine ways).

"Hell, if I had disposable income, I'd be lining up to make a donation." Indeed the service was impressively instant, and he gladly took the offered drink that slid his way. "I take it you're all business tonight, then?" he added, catching sight of the Minister floating around across the room.

[jemmadorny]

She followed his gaze, her eyes landing on the Minister and she wondered briefly just what kind of crowd Witch Weekly was going for. There was such a mixture of social and political, she had a feeling this whole evening could end incredibly dramatically. Oh well, maybe she should have brought a few extra business cards.

She let the rim of her glass hover at her lips as she contemplated her answer, choosing to drink instead of saying anything for a moment.

Then, "Nearly," she told him. "I've got a new employee with me here, tonight- He's a bit of a curmudgeon, it seems. I'm trying to get him to loosen up a bit-"

[reidinggg]

Reid raised his drink and an eyebrow simultaneously. "That'd be what the open bar is for," he casually pointed out, expertly tipping the glass back and freeing it of more than half of its contents in one go. If he was meant to go around people-watching all night, he was damned if he didn't make sure to be enjoying himself along the way.

But then, when he realized she hadn't named said new curmudgeony employee, curiosity got the best of him. "Who's this new grump you've got on your hands, then? I didn't know you were even looking to expand."

[jemmadorny]

She lifted her glass in the direction of where Sebastian was hovering before turning back to Reid. She had this amused expression on her face, almost as if waiting for the reaction she'd come to expect from Reid whenever he was in the vicinity of an attractive man.

"Sebastian Daley," she said casually. "You do remember him, don't you? Slytherin, a bit older?"

Her lips twitched slightly.

"He's terribly handsome, isn't he? Shame he keeps to himself."

[reidinggg]

Reid's glance drifted down the room in the direction Jemma had pointed towards, finally landing on what he assumed (hoped?) to be the intended target.

...Well fuck me.

Sebastian Daley. Of course he remembered him, same as he remembered a slew of terribly handsome, terribly unattainble (and more often-than-not, terribly mean) boys that had turned his school years into a giant mess of identity crises, self-doubting confusion, and, once he had actually accepted where he stood in terms of sexuality, general sexual frustration and muted attractions.

But, well. Most people hit their peak post-graduation. And that one, that one had most definitely hit his peak in the very best of ways.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered, shamelessly staring at the clearly uncomfortable man across the room, all hunched and frowning, and tall and solid and ridiculously attractive.

[jemmadorny]

There it was.

That eyes-popping-out-of-his-head look that Jemma had come to know so well, and truly, absolutely adore. She nodded her head, a simple, "Yep," emitting from her lips before she took a long sip from her wine glass. She wanted to let this simmer for a moment before dragging him over to meet her new, completely unawares employee.

She would have to give him some sort of holiday bonus for what was about to happen.

"Do you want to meet him?" she asked, a completely innocent smile on her face. "Come on, he need's human interaction-"

And then she was grabbing his arm and moving him across the ballroom.

[reidinggg]

"I- do I want- what-"

Reid barely managed to instinctively snatch his drink from the counter before being whisked away, scrambling to straighten himself and keep up with Jemma's assertive strut (oh, if only what she had beneath that dress did anything for him, he really would have done a number on that one).

He genuinely wasn't quite sure what was happening beyond the fact that the godlike figure across the room was getting closer by the second, getting strangely prettier as the obvious frown and discomfort became clearer with the benefit of proximity.

...Fine, yes, Reid had a type. A dark, brooding, stubbled, roughly handsome type, which had always gotten him into trouble. Trouble which it was now clear Jemma was consciously leading him into.

[jemmadorny]

She had a knack for this sort of thing. Setting people up. She wasn't sure how it happened but it was a thing and she ran with it. She could read people, could get into their heads and figure out their little ticks. It was why she was so good at her job. It was why Sebastian had stuck out to her in the first place.

He had just as many secrets as she did.

She pressed her lips into a tight smile as she reached the corner, coming upon Sebastian.

"Bash- how's everything going?" she asked, loosening her grip from Reid's arm just in time to not seem as if she was nearly flinging him across the room. "I wanted you to meet a friend of mine- Reid, this is Sebastian-"

[daleysebastian]

Sebastian had noticed Jemma from the corner of his eye just before she spoke. For one glorious, brief moment, Sebastian was convinced she was coming to tell him he was off the hook. When he turned, though, he hadn't been expecting ... this. He looked past Jemma for a moment - entirely on accident - and stuck.

That was a lot of red. A lot of red that drew all the right kinds of attention. This man - Reid - was fucking dapper.

Sebastian was so fucked.

Pulling himself together - which didn't involve much more than standing a bit straighter - Sebastian pretended that his blatant once over had been completely assessing.

"Hello." Sebastian said, not bothering to so much as offer a hand to shake.

[reidinggg]

Reid wasn't nearly as subtle with his once (twice, thrice?) over, finding himself completely at a loss as to how anyone could possibly be subtle when it came to taking a proper a look at this man. He promptly, reflexively knocked the rest of his drink back, letting his empty glass clink and topple against the edge of the counter top

[jemmadorny]

This was something.

She hardly knew Sebastian in a way where she could guarantee his reactions but his quiet greeting and flickering glances seemed in step with how she'd guessed. She also knew she'd receive some sort of grumpy lecture later, warning her of trying to impede on his leather jacket coolness and loner stance. She'd let it come and try and refrain from grinning too broadly.

But Reid.

Merlin, she hardly remembered the last time he was this quiet. Quiet. It just wasn't a thing that she ever put into the same sentence with Reid Chambers

[daleysebastian]

He'd known this was useless. No one who knew a thing about Sebastian sent him anywhere to gauge what people were thinking if it involved actual interaction. Jemma was definitely in for a lecture. A lengthy lecture. One that could go on for days. Sebastian had had sisters once, he was familiar with how to lecture with the best of them. And he would have her known that he knew what she was doing. He could spot a set up when he was weirdly in the middle of one. He'd been back for a week; how was it possible for her to be so meddlesome so damn quickly?

Then again ... this might not be half bad. Reid was definitely nice to look at. Sebastian could have worse things to do - people to talk to - probably.

Nonetheless, he gave Jemma a stern glare that he had no doubt she would completely ignore.

"I think it's about time I give the whole thing up. But since you have suggestions handy and everything ..."