Two souls with but a single thought
Category: Pink Sheep RPG
Tugging Michael towards the happy couple again surrounded by well-wishers, Astoria implored him with her eyes to use his size and get them through. They'd spent much time idly chatting at each other for most the evening thus far, catching up while everyone else wished the happy couple congratulations, but it was nearing the time when they'd likely be having their first dances and mix with the crowd separately.
Astoria wanted to meet Lisa's husband. She'd missed the opportunity when he was just her boyfriend. Not this time.
Michael's lips twitched at Astoria's impatience, but he yet held them back until Lisa and Ernie were no longer surrounded by the throng that had gathered immediately following the speeches.
He didn't know the groom well, but what he did know of him pointed towards an upstanding man who genuinely loved and adored his friend. It was really all that mattered and he offered a nod and his hand towards the man in question. "Congratulations on your fortunate luck, Macmillan."
"Thanks, Corner. I think I did get pretty lucky." He still couldn't believe she said yes to marrying him, let alone that they were married now.
Lisa gave Michael a grin and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. "Hi Michael," she murmured.
"Hey Sunshine," he grinned, wrapping both arms around her slight form to give her a full hug. There were many he watched out for, many he cared for and looked out for, but there were few that he called family. Lisa was one such, and he was genuinely happy for her, happy that she was deliriously radiant. "You look beautiful," he added, pressing a kiss to her hair as he set her back on her feet.
Astoria clasped her hands as she watched her brother, the blond he'd always called a ray of sunshine. It was true enough. Astoria hadn't ever known her particularly well, but it was nice to see someone had found something real.
It made her benevolent towards Lisa's new husband and she offered a small smile towards Ernie. "Congratulations."
"Thank you. I'm sorry, I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you yet." It may have come as a surprise to some, but he did have manners.
"I do apologize," Astoria said, startled at her own lack of manners. It was all her brothers fault. Entirely too relaxed, and entirely too influential. "Michael is my brother, and I his sister. Astoria Greengrass," she said, offering her hand.
"It's a pleasure." He'd heard good things about her from Lisa, but he'd not known what to expect from Michael's sister. The man was as easy going as they came, but his sister seemed... less so. He shook her hand gently before releasing it. "I've heard good things."
"As have I," Astoria replied, barely resisting the urge to wrinkle her nose. It wasn't as if people didn't shake her hand often, especially as she worked with the general public a lot of the time, but the jar of it was still stark compared to the more gentle manners she'd grown up with where lips often brushed her skin.
"How are things at the gallery?" Lisa asked the petite brunette. "I hear wonderful things from people at the Sticks, but I've not had the opportunity to stop by myself since the Valentine's gala."
"We're doing very well," Astoria nodded at the taller blond, lips twitching at the infectious smile curling the bride's lips. She was, indeed, a ray of sunshine, most especially today as she shared her happiness with everyone else. "Thank you for asking."
Astoria glanced up at her brother then, pleased at seeing his smile. If he was happy about the union, then she most definitely couldn't disapprove of Lisa's new husband. The couple was in rather high demand this eve, however, and the press of people around them was beginning to build again.
"We should leave you to your other guests though," she added with a small smile.
Michael nodded at Ernie before turning his attention to Lisa, grinning again before he winked. "Congratulations, Sunshine," he offered in farewell for the evening.
"Thank you," she replied brightly, leaning in to brush a kiss over his cheek. "Don't be a stranger, kay?"
"Working on it. Don't have Rors around anymore to drag me about." His lips twitched when he hears his sister sniff at him, but his blue gaze was intent on Lisa. "You call, and I'll be there," he promised.
She grinned. "I'll hold you to that."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Ben watched Hannah walk across the room to Susan and as soon as she had melted into the crowd of people, he glanced around for the best man, who had started glaring the moment he'd arrived with Hannah on his arm.
Since the meeting with Ernie had gone better than expected - probably because he was newly married and getting shagged pretty regularly - Ben decided to just get this over with. It would probably be less painful that way, anyway.
Justin had seen the vaguely familiar come with Hannah, but had chosen to keep his distance until the damned speech was over. It had taken him a moment to realize who the taller man was. Ben Bradley, the supposedly mad quiddich player who had quit at the height of his career to open a pub. As long as he was happy. Justin could understand that. After all, why should he have to work when he was sitting on a rather sizable fortune? He did it because he, for the most part, enjoyed it.
He nodded as the dark haired man came closer.
"I've come to let you get the inquisition over with without Hannah over here to nitpick," Ben said, coming to a stop in front of the shorter blonde man.
"Sounds about right," Justin said softly as he indicated the seat in front of him. "Scotch?" Now that his greatest duty was over, he could indulge himself.
"Don't mind if I do, thanks." Ben pulled the chair out and sat, waiting for whatever the younger man would say first.
After flagging a passing waiter down for two scotches, Justin turned and looked at the man as they waited for their alcohol. There were a great many things he wanted to say, but he was well aware of the fact that much of it was useless and that Hannah would have her way no matter what. After all, she had that whole thing with Smith. "Just be aware that if you hurt her, I will kill you," the Auror said finally, finding no reason to beat around the proverbial bush.
He normally wasn't a vengeful person, but Hannah was like a sister to him, closer than a sister. He would be greatly upset to find out that she had been hurt in any way, shape, or form.
There were a lot of things that Ben could respond with, but he chose not to since Hannah was important to him and he didn't want her upset. So he nodded. "I won't."
"Then we shouldn't now have a problem, now should we?" He nodded to the waiter who put the two glasses and the bottle down in between the two men. "Scotch?"
Ben's lips quirked into a little smile and he nodded. "Please." He didn't have any sisters, but he was given to understand that this type of behavior was fairly typical, so he wouldn't hold anything against him.
*~*~*~*~*
Cassie had excused herself to the ladies' room, and as Stephen watched her pert arse walk away from him, his attention was drawn to the bar. Lips curled into a smirk; Ben 'Barmy' Bradley: former professional Quidditch player, publican and former teammate was at the bar, looking rather relieved when his current companion took his leave.
Given that his companion was the starchy Auror from their last party, Stephen couldn't say he blamed him.
He sidled up to the bar and waved down the bartender. "Whiskey on the rocks," he said, cutting his eyes to his friend. "How's it going, Bradley?"
Ben's lips curled into a smile and he tipped back the last of his Scotch. "It's going, Cornfoot. And yourself?"
"Wining and dining," he said, tilting his glass towards the older man in salute. "What did Mr. Prissy Knickers want with you?"
Finding his glass regrettably empty, Ben lifted it for another. "I'm dating one of his best friends and he wanted to threaten me."
"Ah. Are you suitably threatened?"
"I believe so, yes." The younger man had gotten his point across and then left, so Ben assumed he'd been threatened enough.
"Mkay. So, who's the bird?" he asked, taking a sip of his whiskey.
"Hannah Abbot. She was a Hufflepuff in your year, I think." He nodded over to where his voluptuous girlfriend was chatting with Susan.
His eyes followed Ben's to where his curvy blonde girlfriend was chatting away with a cheery grin. "Yeah, I remember her." And he did, vaguely, from their joint classes during sixth and seventh years.
"So, where's yours?" Ben asked.
"Cassie Montgomery. Slytherin. She's in the powder room right now," Stephen answered as his eyes scanned the room for his own blonde.
The name didn't ring any bells, but that wasn't unusual; Ben hadn't done much socializing in school, unless it was something with the Quidditch team.
"She's several years younger," he offered at the puzzled look on Ben's face. "Anyway, how's the Nest? Still agreeing to ply me with free libations?"
Ben quirked a brow at that. "I don't remember agreeing to anything like that in the first place."
"Oh? I certainly do. It was just after a young, talented Quidditch player up and quit the League and bought a run-down little bar. Shortly after, he promised his good friend and former teammate plenty of liquor." Stephen took another sip of his whiskey and smirked. "Of course, you were plastered, but it's still binding."
"If you're in such dire financial straits that you can't afford a drink, then I think you should probably cut back a bit." Of course, now that he'd thought back to that particular day, he remembered.
Stephen put on a faux-affronted look. "Have I ever been in dire financial straits?"
"You're the one begging for free drinks," Ben replied, snickering.
"There is a distinct difference between begging and calling in a promise," Stephen said with an eye roll.
"Not from where I'm standing. It's okay, Stephen." Ben reached over to pat him condescendingly on the shoulder. "You're not the first person who has tried this."
The tattooed man snarled and punched Ben on the arm. "Hope you're not such a tight-wad with your girlfriend. Else she might figure you're not worth the effort."
"Oi, take it easy, mate." He was not going to rub his arm where the blonde had punched him.
Stephen's lip curled. "Pansy."
*~*~*~*~*
Stephen could see Padma sitting by herself at the bar, the same spot she'd been at nearly all night. His lips curled downward slightly, his brow furrowing. Something was off. Padma, Mandy and Lisa had been nearly inseperable since they'd first be Sorted all those years ago. Now Padma was alone, at the bar, at Lisa's wedding reception while Mandy swung about in the arms of her boyfriend.
"Cassie, love, want to meet Padma?" he asked, bringing her hand up to his lips.
Raising an eyebrow, Cassie nodded slowly. The single one, she thought, making an effort not to purse her lips. It wasn't as if Stephen had given her any reason to suspect he'd be running off with another woman, but one never knew what the 'friend' had in mind. Men could be clueless, after all.
"Of course, I'd love to meet your friend."
He couldn't help but snicker at the look on her face. "She isn't Circe, love," he murmured, brushing a kiss over her temple.
"Have you ever met Circe?" Cassie retorted, though her lips twitched. "I doubt she regularly announces herself to mere mortals."
"Are you calling me a mere mortal?" he asked with a raised brow. "That wasn't what you said last night."
"Just because you can make me call His name doesn't mean you are God, darling."
Stephen snorted and leaned down to give her a brief kiss before he pulled back with a mischevous grin. "Keep telling yourself that, love," he said as he led her around the permitter of the dance floor to where Padma sat, nursing her fifteenth martini.
Okay, maybe it was only her third.
"Padma," Stephen said, brushing a kiss over her cheek, "you look radiant as ever."
"And you, Stephen, are just as full of it as ever," she murmured with a small smile.
He pulled back and tugged on Cassie's hand. "Padma, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Cassandra Montgomery. Cassie, this is Padma Patil."
"How do you do?" Cassie inquired, offering her hand. She was beginning to wonder if Stephen had any male friends. Of course, it was possible she hadn't met the male friends for the same reason she wasn't overly keen on meeting the female ones.
"It's nice to meet you," Padma replied, taking the blonde's hand and giving it a polite shake. "And how do you do?"
"I'm quite well, thanks." As she shook Padma's hand, Cassandra examined the attractive Indian woman. She certainly had the exotic beauty thing down and Cassie wondered that this was the friend who had arrived sans date. Stephen had mentioned that she worked a lot, though, so perhaps her career was the culprit. "Lisa and Ernie seem very happy."
"They do," Padma agreed softly as her eyes cut to Stephen. He hadn't had a girlfriend in a long time, and after his fiasco with their former housemate, she'd been sure he wouldn't date again. This Cassie must be serious if he had brought her to this gathering of all their friends.
Stephen raised his brow at her look. What did I do this time?
Intrigued by the look that passed between the two friends, Cassie tipped her head to smile at her boyfriend. "Stephen, you should ask Padma to dance." It would give her a chance to see how they interacted. "I can't expect to keep you all to myself all night, can I?"
"I suppose not," he said, leaning in to brush his lips over her cheek before giving her a small smile. He held his hand out to Padma and said, "May I have this dance?"
Padma took a final sip of her martini and set the empty glass down on the bar. "You may," she answered, placing her hand in his and letting him lead her onto the floor.
Cassie ordered a cosmopolitan and sipped it as Stephen led Padma easily across the dance floor. He was relaxed and familiar with the dark-skinned beauty, but she didn't sense any peculiar regard between the two. "Just as well for her," she said under her breath.
"So," Padma asked as Stephen spun her under his arm, "how long have you been seeing Cassie?"
"A few months now," he answered easily.
"Nice to know I'm the last to know," she replied with a sigh.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You have a girlfriend, Lisa's married, my sister has a kid... you get the picture."
Stephen stilled suddenly, looking down at his long-time friend. "I'm sorry, Padma," he said quietly.
"It's fine," she said, shaking her head. "Let's get you back to your girlfriend before she thinks I have some interest in your tattooed hide."
The shift to a more serious note of conversation was not lost on Cassie, but it passed as quickly as it'd come. As the pair moved back in her direction, she smiled pleasantly, feeling bit better about the sole unattached female in Stephen's circle of friends. "I've never watched you dance before," she commented to him as he came into voice range. "I might have to make you dance with other women more often, it's a nice view." Pausing, she added, "Select other women."
"But I prefer dancing with you," he said with a smirk. "No offense Padma."
"None taken."
"You dance with me all the time," Cassie demurred. Frequently it's the horizontal mambo, but I don't remember hearing any complaints.
"Mmm, yes I do."
Padma rolled her eyes. "I have to hear enough double entendre around Mandy and Lisa, don't start with me. Begone, you. Go dance with your girlfriend." She was just going to nurse another martini. Yes, she was.
"It was nice meeting you, Padma," Cassie said as Stephen began to lead her away. As she turned her grin toward the handsome man at her side, the curl of her lips became devious. "We could dance or we could find a private corner somewhere and put it to good use."
"I think we've loitered around here long enough," he murmured with a small smirk. "What do you say we find a private corner of my flat?"
Sliding closer into his side, Cassie let a hand slide down to pinch Stephen's bum. "That's an excellent idea. We'll see if you can convince me of your immortal nature."
*~*~*~*~*
Taking a sip of his martini, Anthony spotted Mandy sitting at a table all by her lonesome. That would just not do. Not do at all. Turning towards the bartender, he asked for Mandy's favorite drink, fully intending on bringing it over. One could never say he was not a gentleman.
"For you, milady." The healer set the strawberry daiquri down in front of the petite brunette before taking a seat next to her. "Enjoying yourself?"
Breaking out of her reverie, Mandy smiled at the lanky healer. "Yes. Everyone seems happy and there hasn't been a single drunken brawl, so I'm calling the night a success."
"No drunken brawls, no need for me to put my healer's cap on. All is good, yes?" He grinned at her. "So who's the guy you've been sticking to all night?"
Mandy's grinned mirrored his. "Jake Summers. Hufflepuff, a few years above us? We met furniture shopping and ended up" drunkenly snogging on my couch "dating." Her smile softened as she watched him mingling effortlessly.
"Furniture shopping to dating?" Anthony raised an eyebrow as he brought his martini up to his lips. "There's a story behind that, I'm sure. Has he passed the Bradley test?" He nodded in the direction he had last seen the former Quidditch player. It was no secret the former lovers were close.
"Kind of?" Mandy ventured tentatively. "Ben was in a fantastically shitty mood the day they met, so it didn't quite go as well as planned. But they were nice to each other tonight." For the two and a half minutes that they were in the same vicinity. She was sure, or at least hopeful, that they'd get on better once they knew each other more. And now that Ben had gotten laid.
He hadn't really witnessed Benedict Bradley in a fantastically shitty mood, but Anthony was pretty sure he didn't want to. Good for Jake Whatshisface for standing up to the quidditch player turned publican. "So besides dating, what else has been going on in my favorite bodice ripping writer's life?"
The brunette's smile brightened. "I'm the proud owner of a black Labrador puppy. Jake got him for my birthday," she reported happily.
"And does this puppy have a name?" Anthony grinned. Mandy was probably spoiling the thing to death.
"Mmhmm. Ziggy Stardust. He's a wriggly little thing, but good for cuddles. You should come and meet him."
The healer snorted. "Somehow I don't think Ziggy Stardust is a really cuddly name, but he's your pet. I suppose I should just mind my own business and hope you bring me butterscotch biscuits?"
"You should come to see him and get the biscuits fresh from the oven. I'll see if I can't train him to trip you over with your ridiculously long legs."
"Hey, leave my legs out of this. I don't bring up your ridiculously short ones, do I?" He wiggled his eyebrows as he glanced around the room. "Has Padma been at the bar this whole time?" he asked. "She was there when I walked in."
The brunette shook her head. "No, she's danced a bit."
"That's good." The healer drained what was left in his martini glass as his mind wandered over to the last time their friend had dropped into the flat. That hadn't gone terribly well. "There's something wrong, but she won't tell me what it is. Do you know? And would it be breaking some girl-code if you did?" He desperately wanted to help Padma, but he couldn't unless he knew all the facts there were to know.
Mandy shrugged. There were things she knew, certainly, things that weren't hers to share. "I think part of it is loneliness. It's hard not to feel that way when you're the single one at something so couple-y as this, no matter how happy you are for your friends." Mandy knew all about that.
"Oh." Anthony shrugged. That had never really bothered him too much. He was happy for his friends and just because he hadn't found someone for the moment didn't mean he was feeling left out. Maybe that was the difference between men and women? "I came alone."
"Only because there wasn't room for another person with your ego along for the ride," she teased.
"I'll have you know my ego takes offense to that. He doesn't want to speak to you anymore." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Worst offense you see, silent treatment."
"Yes, because I'll have such trouble filling that silence on my own." She poked her tongue back at the man.
"Probably not. I even bet that it's full of moans and groans courtesy of that man over there," Anthony nodded in Jake's direction. "Please tell me you're using protection though. I don't think the world is ready for Mummy Mandy just yet. Practice on your puppy first."
Mandy's jaw dropped. "Anthony Isaac Goldstein!" she hissed.
"Uh oh." His eyes danced. "My full name. Am I in trouble, Mummy?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I am shocked and appalled. You can find your own damned biscuits. And I would be a good mum," she finished sulkily. Jake had even said so.
"I never said that you wouldn't be," Anthony backtracked hastily now that biscuits were on the line. "I just said that the world wouldn't be ready. There's a difference you know."
"I hope it's because the world is not yet ready to contain the awesomeness of any child I produce. Otherwise, you're in big trouble. And I'll cry."
He reached over and patted her hand. "Of course it was." He mainly didn't want her to cry, mostly because it was kind of awkward and the chances of him getting biscuits were severely reduced if she did.
She sniffed back her crocodile tears. "Good to know. I shan't hate you forever, after all."
"You shan't hate me at all." He reached over and tapped her on her pert nose. "I'm too cuddly for that."
"So you say. Ziggy's cuddlier," she assured him, "although I don't need to cast any spells to keep you away from my shoes. We'll call it even?"
"Sure." He held out a hand. "To even cuddliness."
~*~*~*~*~*~
There were few people present that Astoria knew well - and all of them she was acquainted with through her brother first - but there was a single individual present of whom Astoria could call friend without the help of Michael's presence. She and Padma would have met and befriended each other despite her brother.
She and Padma had worked at Witch Weekly together for years, and though their paths had separated when Astoria had taken on the directorship of White Chapel full time, their association hadn't suffered for it.
"I'll have a Cosmo," she informed the bartender as she slid onto a stool next to Padma, lips twitching into a tiny smile as she met the darker woman's gaze.
"Well, look who it is," Padma commented with a small, wry smile. "It's been too long, though I suppose I'm to blame for that." She tipped her martini glass towards her petite friend in toast. "How have you been?"
"As guilty as you in much the same crime, I imagine," Astoria replied, the light clink of their glasses tinkling. Her brown eyes were bright on her friend as she added, "Besides the addiction I seem to have to my work, I've been doing rather well, I think." She took a sip of her Cosmo, small smile still curving her lips. "And you, Miss Patil? How have you been?"
How had she been? The question gave her pause, made her set her glass down and cast her eyes to her well-manicured hands. "I've been, I think. Enough so that I feel like I'm in a static position, while everyone moves forward around me."
The honesty of Padma's reply arrested Astoria for a long moment and she set her glass down after holding it midair too long. The spark left her gaze and she tipped her head as she studied Padma's expression.
She understood exactly what she was saying. Astoria often felt that she was stuck in time while it moved for everyone else, also, despite the hectic schedule she kept at the gallery. "Do you suppose it's because we're secluding ourselves away from it all?"
"I honestly don't know anymore." Padma's gaze seemed to be lost in the gin of her drink as she stared, unseeing, into it's clear depths. "My sister has a three year-old son. Have I seen you since she came home? I don't think I have."
Astoria blinked. "You finally heard from your sister," she said unnecessarily, processing the enormity of just that statement alone. "... and she has a ..." her eyes widened a little. "... a three year old son?"
Shaking herself out of the slightly shocked reverie the announcement had instilled in her, Astoria reached out to cover her friend's hand with her own small one. "It's ... I suppose it's rather wonderful news, but .. I'm sorry too," she said softly.
Padma's free hand patted Astoria's absent-mindedly. "Parvati has a son, Lisa got married in secret, and Stephen has a girlfriend. Of all people, I never imagined he'd try a relationship again, not after that bit... after what she did to him."
Her gaze lifted from her glass to meet her friend's dark brown eyes. "Am I making any sense?"
"Yes." Astoria didn't elaborate, taking a long sip of her Cosmo and draining the tiny glass as she thought on, and dismissed, the woman who'd hurt her brother and Stephen. "Yes, you make perfect sense, though I'm rather happy for all of them."
She tipped her head, a thought crossing her mind as she added, "I may be miffed at your sister, however. You deserved to know a long, long time ago."
"She didn't tell me because she didn't want me to have to keep it from our parents- a secret which I would've happily kept to myself." She understood, though, why Vati had did it. It was the same reason Padma hadn't told her about being attacked. It just wasn't the sort of news that could be conveyed in an owl. "I understand, though."
Obviously you don't, if it's hanging over you head, Astoria observed, though she kept her thoughts to herself. They'd already dipped into a very personal conversation, and though this wasn't the kind of crowd that one would suspect of listening - as it would be with those she'd grown up with - still, anyone might hear.
"Family is family to me. I can't say that I understand," she said instead. "Though I've never been accused of being easy to forgive, either," she added, lips curling at the corners.
A faint smile tinged Padma's lips before she shook her head. This wasn't the time or place for the melancholy thoughts that seemed to permeate her every thought these days. "I actually was going to have my assistant owl yours, but as we're both here, I suppose that won't be necessary."
She took a sip of her martini, then turned to look at her former colleague. "The magazine is planning on sponsoring a benefit gala at the end of November to raise awareness for abused women, and we need a venue. Would White Chapel be available?"
The change of subject was rather abrupt, but Astoria understood. She'd been trying to edge away from the more serious topics with a smidge of humor, herself. Another time and place.
It was a very welcome change of subject, too. Interest lit her features. The subject matter was somber, but her mind was already working how to make it work for Padma, the magazine and the gallery. "For you, always. A few months might even be enough time to fill the gallery with works from female artists exclusively in honor of the event if that sounds like something that would interest the magazine?"
Padma nodded. "I think that would be of interest. Pertinent to the cause at hand and an excellent way to showcase female talent. There's a jewelery designer in the Muggle world who sells what they call 'survivor bracelets.' I'm thinking that Witch Weekly might sell some of those, with the proceeds going to help as well."
"That's a fabulous idea. If you send me one, I might be able to cater the gallery's motif based off it it," Astoria suggested, gaze intent on Padma though her thoughts turned over quickly. She needed to talk to Euan and Romy ... and then she remembered where they were.
Taking a small breath, she raised her gaze past Padma and signaled the bartender for another round of drinks before turning back to her friend. "We're at a party. Perhaps we should enjoy the accouterments and get together and work out the details for Witch Weekly and White Chapel over lunch?"
"In that case, I'll have Zöe owl Euan and set it all up," Padma replied with a smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Astoria blinked.
She'd been looking for Mandy most of the evening, eyes scanning over the large crowd of people talking and dancing, but she'd not spotted the perky brunette since the speeches.
When she caught sight of her snuggled up to a rather handsome man though, Astoria blinked. It'd been several years since Mandy had brought anyone around. Not since her ex, Ben, had Mandy been seemingly serious over anyone.
She had definitely been working too much. Lisa getting married, Stephen dating again and Mandy too?
Astoria spared a glance up at her brother, daintily snorting her disgust at him as a gossip partner.
Changing the pressure of her fingers on his arm, Astoria looked at him imploringly when he glanced down at her.
"Did you know that Mandy was dating someone?"
"I'd heard roundabouts," Michael drawled, expression pleasant and indulgent of the evening's activities.
"You'd heard and didn't tell me?"
"Something like that." His lips twitched.
Astoria pursed her lips. "I don't know why I expect you to be loquacious."
"Don't know, Rors." Michael grinned.
She narrowed her eyes at him, but thought better of her tirade and composed her features with a sniff. "I'd like to say hello to her and meet her beau. I think I shall forgive you your reticence if you make such happen." She eyed him. "And I would think you should like to meet him as well?"
"I do," Michael nodded, blue eyes still bright though his mien was much subdued of his previous amusement. He'd known of Mandy's new attachment, but not what it was to her, not how she was doing or how serious it all was.
He often marveled at what had happened to him, the wolf now as part of him as his own mind, but finding any kind of balance over the last months had cost him much in the way of time - important time when his friends and those he loved moving about him in their own lives of which he was woefully unaware.
Leading his sister through the people milling about, a wide grin split his features as he caught Mandy's eye and the serious thoughts plaguing him were pushed to the side.
Spying Mikey, Mandy grinned. She'd missed the laconic claw, and his fiesty little sister, whom Mandy had always liked for being the only person shorter than her, as well as for her own personal merits. She gestured that they should come over, comfortable as she was against Jake.
Gliding them through a break in the crowd, Michael grinned at Mandy as they slipped near the couple. "Little bit."
Astoria nearly rolled her eyes. She loved her brother dearly, but his penchant for less is more was irksome at times. "Good evening, Mandy and ..." Her brows raised as she glanced over at the man with the brunette. There was always less pomp and circumstance when in Mandy's presence and she felt no shame in what she said next, despite that in polite society it would be rather rude. "... Mandy's friend?"
Michael nearly laughed at his sister's nosiness, and his eyes twinkled with merriment at his friend over her head.
"Mandy's boyfriend," Jake corrected with an easy grin, his arm going around the petite brunette at his side. He gave her a fond squeeze. "Jake Summers. And who might I have the pleasure of talking to?"
"Astoria Greengrass," she replied, grin curling her lips as she met the handsome man's gaze. "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Brown eyes slid over to Mandy then and she couldn't help the crinkle to her nose as her smile widened.
She liked him. Mandy had a boyfriend. She was happy for Stephen, of course, but Mandy having someone made her a little gleeful inside, just the same as when Romy had found Oliver. A girl thing, she supposed, and she'd always been closer to Mandy than any of Michael's other girl friends from school.
"And her big, far too talkative brother, Michael Corner," Mandy explained helpfully, opening her arms expectantly for hugs.
Astoria darted in for a quick embrace and kissed her friend on the cheek before the inevitable; Michael picking up Mandy in a bear hug. Romy was the sister of her heart, but if Michael had had a choice, Mandy would have been his addition to their family. He'd never said as much, but Astoria suspected.
"He's woefully reticent and entirely too comfortable in his ways," Astoria added upon Mandy's pronouncement of her brother to Jake.
"I missed you," Mandy whispered before Mikey set her down back next to Jake. She hadn't wanted to nag him, knowing him well enough to be sure that he'd break his silence when it was time. It just made her all the more glad to have him back. "And we're neither of us big enough to beat him out of them," she added to Jake before pressing a kiss to his jaw.
Jake supposed he was big enough, but he didn't make it a habit of beating people, unless the person's name happened to be Zach Smith, but that was another story entirely. "Men tend to be entirely too comfortable in their ways as a rule," he said with a grin. "So it's not just him."
Mandy slapped his arm playfully. "Don't justify him. He'll be entirely too smug and unchangable."
"Darling," he pressed a kiss to her temple, "we're all entirely too smug. You'll just have to learn how to deal."
"Well, I hope I'm well compensated," she murmurred in return. In actual fact, Mandy found his smugness entirely too sexy. Not that she was going to tell Jake that.
He smirked, seemingly aware of what she was thinking. "I'd answer that, but we're in polite company."
"Really? Where?"
He nodded to Astoria and her brother. "Unless I'm mistaken?"
"We lived in the same tower for seven years. Trust me, you're sorely mistaken," she teased with an affectionate smile.
Astoria was quite pleased that Mandy seemed to have found someone that seemed to make her happy, but watching all the ... snuggling that was going on tonight was almost too much. "I, however, did not live in Rowena's tower, and I do occasionally try for polite company."
"Just not with Mandy," Michael inserted, lips twitching when his sister 'humphed' at him in exasperation.
"I'd wonder what I'd done wrong if you did," Mandy agreed.
Jake rolled his eyes. "I think I shall have to give up on women. One moment you're telling me to be polite, the next not to bother. I think it's time you made up your mind."
Astoria looked at Jake, brows raised, before sliding her gaze to Mandy. "I don't really see the point. Every decision is subject to change at a moment's notice anyways. It's their job to accommodate, no?"
Ignoring the comment that popped into her head about how technically it was her who accomodated Jake, Mandy smirked. "It's also their job to be nice to me if they ever want me to bake pie for them again."
The Hufflepuff poked his girlfriend in the side. "That's a low blow and you know it." He loved pie. And he loved the person who made it.
"That is a bit low, little bit," Michael pitched in, blue eyes twinkling.
"Really? And how do either of you expect me to hit any higher from this height, hmmm?"
"My point exactly," Astoria sniffed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Eloise was at the end of her rope, and it was quickly fraying. It had started out as an interesting evening - at least she wasn't out on the streets or sitting at home. There were always bars, but even those started to lose their appeal after awhile - but she was quickly becoming annoyed by the amount of the people and the constant attempts to talk. What the hell was that about?
But she didn't want to leave until she gave her congratulations, or condolences, depending on how you looked at it, to the bride. She liked Lisa. Well, she didn't hate Lisa, anyway.
Lisa leaned in close and gave Ernie a soft, quick kiss. "Having fun, love?" she asked, pulling back and giving him a intimate smile.
"I'll be having more fun when I have you alone and I can finally see what you've got on under here," he told her, tracing a finger over the neckline of the dress.
Eloise wanted to vomit.
She cleared her throat and waited for them to untangle themselves before saying, "congratulations," and turning to go.
"We're still in public," she murmured, tugging his hand down and giving him a kiss on the cheek before she turned to face whoever had cleared their throat, a faint blush tinging her cheeks.
"Eloise?" she asked, surprise laced through her voice. She hadn't seen the woman standing in front of then in years. In fact, she'd almost forgotten that she would've been same year and house as Ernie.
Should've known it wouldn't be that easy. Eloise made a face and turned back around. "Yeah."
"Oh my god, how are you?" she asked with a smile. "You look fantastic." And that wasn't a lie, either. Eloise had blossomed since she'd last seen her, and her dark looks looked exotic rather than sallow now.
Liar. "I'm okay. How are you?" She hadn't expected this kind of greeting from the other woman, and she wasn't sure how comfortable she was with it. They weren't friends, and they hadn't been before.
"I'm great," Lisa replied, squeezing Ernie's hand. "You remember Ernie, I'm sure."
Merlin, did she ever. Mostly she remembered crying on her bed because of something he or one of his friends had said to her, or about her within earshot. "Yeah. Hi."
Lisa sent her elbow back, nudging her husband ever so gently in the side.
Ernie started and sent the dark haired woman a short smile, though he was still shocked; as far as he knew, no one in his house had seen her since they were fifteen. "Hello."
See, he could be taught. "Thank you for coming," she said, giving Eloise a bright smile.
Eloise smiled back, though it wasn't nearly as bright or as genuine as the other woman's. "I just wanted to say congratulations. I have to go."
"Oh, okay," the blonde said with an understanding nod. "Well, thank you again for coming. I hope you had fun."
"Yeah. Have a nice life." Or whatever. She gave into the urge to shoot Ernie a vicious glare before she turned and headed for the exit.
Ernie watched her go and turned back to Lisa. "I thought she was dead or something."
"I don't remember her being that abrupt," Lisa commented as she watched Eloise move towards the exit.
"According to Hannah, she's always been kind of a bit-" he cut himself off. "She's never really liked anything or anyone."
"We had potions together, fifth year," she said softly, remembering. "I didn't think she was that reclusive."
"Oh, she was. She never wanted anything to do with the girls in her dorm," of course, all of this was secondhand, "and honestly, I don't think I ever saw her with any friends."
"She was always nice to me," she commented.
"You'd be the only one."
Summary: Family and friends come out for Lisa and Ernie's wedding reception.
Tugging Michael towards the happy couple again surrounded by well-wishers, Astoria implored him with her eyes to use his size and get them through. They'd spent much time idly chatting at each other for most the evening thus far, catching up while everyone else wished the happy couple congratulations, but it was nearing the time when they'd likely be having their first dances and mix with the crowd separately.
Astoria wanted to meet Lisa's husband. She'd missed the opportunity when he was just her boyfriend. Not this time.
Michael's lips twitched at Astoria's impatience, but he yet held them back until Lisa and Ernie were no longer surrounded by the throng that had gathered immediately following the speeches.
He didn't know the groom well, but what he did know of him pointed towards an upstanding man who genuinely loved and adored his friend. It was really all that mattered and he offered a nod and his hand towards the man in question. "Congratulations on your fortunate luck, Macmillan."
"Thanks, Corner. I think I did get pretty lucky." He still couldn't believe she said yes to marrying him, let alone that they were married now.
Lisa gave Michael a grin and threw her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. "Hi Michael," she murmured.
"Hey Sunshine," he grinned, wrapping both arms around her slight form to give her a full hug. There were many he watched out for, many he cared for and looked out for, but there were few that he called family. Lisa was one such, and he was genuinely happy for her, happy that she was deliriously radiant. "You look beautiful," he added, pressing a kiss to her hair as he set her back on her feet.
Astoria clasped her hands as she watched her brother, the blond he'd always called a ray of sunshine. It was true enough. Astoria hadn't ever known her particularly well, but it was nice to see someone had found something real.
It made her benevolent towards Lisa's new husband and she offered a small smile towards Ernie. "Congratulations."
"Thank you. I'm sorry, I don't think I've had the pleasure of meeting you yet." It may have come as a surprise to some, but he did have manners.
"I do apologize," Astoria said, startled at her own lack of manners. It was all her brothers fault. Entirely too relaxed, and entirely too influential. "Michael is my brother, and I his sister. Astoria Greengrass," she said, offering her hand.
"It's a pleasure." He'd heard good things about her from Lisa, but he'd not known what to expect from Michael's sister. The man was as easy going as they came, but his sister seemed... less so. He shook her hand gently before releasing it. "I've heard good things."
"As have I," Astoria replied, barely resisting the urge to wrinkle her nose. It wasn't as if people didn't shake her hand often, especially as she worked with the general public a lot of the time, but the jar of it was still stark compared to the more gentle manners she'd grown up with where lips often brushed her skin.
"How are things at the gallery?" Lisa asked the petite brunette. "I hear wonderful things from people at the Sticks, but I've not had the opportunity to stop by myself since the Valentine's gala."
"We're doing very well," Astoria nodded at the taller blond, lips twitching at the infectious smile curling the bride's lips. She was, indeed, a ray of sunshine, most especially today as she shared her happiness with everyone else. "Thank you for asking."
Astoria glanced up at her brother then, pleased at seeing his smile. If he was happy about the union, then she most definitely couldn't disapprove of Lisa's new husband. The couple was in rather high demand this eve, however, and the press of people around them was beginning to build again.
"We should leave you to your other guests though," she added with a small smile.
Michael nodded at Ernie before turning his attention to Lisa, grinning again before he winked. "Congratulations, Sunshine," he offered in farewell for the evening.
"Thank you," she replied brightly, leaning in to brush a kiss over his cheek. "Don't be a stranger, kay?"
"Working on it. Don't have Rors around anymore to drag me about." His lips twitched when he hears his sister sniff at him, but his blue gaze was intent on Lisa. "You call, and I'll be there," he promised.
She grinned. "I'll hold you to that."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Ben watched Hannah walk across the room to Susan and as soon as she had melted into the crowd of people, he glanced around for the best man, who had started glaring the moment he'd arrived with Hannah on his arm.
Since the meeting with Ernie had gone better than expected - probably because he was newly married and getting shagged pretty regularly - Ben decided to just get this over with. It would probably be less painful that way, anyway.
Justin had seen the vaguely familiar come with Hannah, but had chosen to keep his distance until the damned speech was over. It had taken him a moment to realize who the taller man was. Ben Bradley, the supposedly mad quiddich player who had quit at the height of his career to open a pub. As long as he was happy. Justin could understand that. After all, why should he have to work when he was sitting on a rather sizable fortune? He did it because he, for the most part, enjoyed it.
He nodded as the dark haired man came closer.
"I've come to let you get the inquisition over with without Hannah over here to nitpick," Ben said, coming to a stop in front of the shorter blonde man.
"Sounds about right," Justin said softly as he indicated the seat in front of him. "Scotch?" Now that his greatest duty was over, he could indulge himself.
"Don't mind if I do, thanks." Ben pulled the chair out and sat, waiting for whatever the younger man would say first.
After flagging a passing waiter down for two scotches, Justin turned and looked at the man as they waited for their alcohol. There were a great many things he wanted to say, but he was well aware of the fact that much of it was useless and that Hannah would have her way no matter what. After all, she had that whole thing with Smith. "Just be aware that if you hurt her, I will kill you," the Auror said finally, finding no reason to beat around the proverbial bush.
He normally wasn't a vengeful person, but Hannah was like a sister to him, closer than a sister. He would be greatly upset to find out that she had been hurt in any way, shape, or form.
There were a lot of things that Ben could respond with, but he chose not to since Hannah was important to him and he didn't want her upset. So he nodded. "I won't."
"Then we shouldn't now have a problem, now should we?" He nodded to the waiter who put the two glasses and the bottle down in between the two men. "Scotch?"
Ben's lips quirked into a little smile and he nodded. "Please." He didn't have any sisters, but he was given to understand that this type of behavior was fairly typical, so he wouldn't hold anything against him.
*~*~*~*~*
Cassie had excused herself to the ladies' room, and as Stephen watched her pert arse walk away from him, his attention was drawn to the bar. Lips curled into a smirk; Ben 'Barmy' Bradley: former professional Quidditch player, publican and former teammate was at the bar, looking rather relieved when his current companion took his leave.
Given that his companion was the starchy Auror from their last party, Stephen couldn't say he blamed him.
He sidled up to the bar and waved down the bartender. "Whiskey on the rocks," he said, cutting his eyes to his friend. "How's it going, Bradley?"
Ben's lips curled into a smile and he tipped back the last of his Scotch. "It's going, Cornfoot. And yourself?"
"Wining and dining," he said, tilting his glass towards the older man in salute. "What did Mr. Prissy Knickers want with you?"
Finding his glass regrettably empty, Ben lifted it for another. "I'm dating one of his best friends and he wanted to threaten me."
"Ah. Are you suitably threatened?"
"I believe so, yes." The younger man had gotten his point across and then left, so Ben assumed he'd been threatened enough.
"Mkay. So, who's the bird?" he asked, taking a sip of his whiskey.
"Hannah Abbot. She was a Hufflepuff in your year, I think." He nodded over to where his voluptuous girlfriend was chatting with Susan.
His eyes followed Ben's to where his curvy blonde girlfriend was chatting away with a cheery grin. "Yeah, I remember her." And he did, vaguely, from their joint classes during sixth and seventh years.
"So, where's yours?" Ben asked.
"Cassie Montgomery. Slytherin. She's in the powder room right now," Stephen answered as his eyes scanned the room for his own blonde.
The name didn't ring any bells, but that wasn't unusual; Ben hadn't done much socializing in school, unless it was something with the Quidditch team.
"She's several years younger," he offered at the puzzled look on Ben's face. "Anyway, how's the Nest? Still agreeing to ply me with free libations?"
Ben quirked a brow at that. "I don't remember agreeing to anything like that in the first place."
"Oh? I certainly do. It was just after a young, talented Quidditch player up and quit the League and bought a run-down little bar. Shortly after, he promised his good friend and former teammate plenty of liquor." Stephen took another sip of his whiskey and smirked. "Of course, you were plastered, but it's still binding."
"If you're in such dire financial straits that you can't afford a drink, then I think you should probably cut back a bit." Of course, now that he'd thought back to that particular day, he remembered.
Stephen put on a faux-affronted look. "Have I ever been in dire financial straits?"
"You're the one begging for free drinks," Ben replied, snickering.
"There is a distinct difference between begging and calling in a promise," Stephen said with an eye roll.
"Not from where I'm standing. It's okay, Stephen." Ben reached over to pat him condescendingly on the shoulder. "You're not the first person who has tried this."
The tattooed man snarled and punched Ben on the arm. "Hope you're not such a tight-wad with your girlfriend. Else she might figure you're not worth the effort."
"Oi, take it easy, mate." He was not going to rub his arm where the blonde had punched him.
Stephen's lip curled. "Pansy."
*~*~*~*~*
Stephen could see Padma sitting by herself at the bar, the same spot she'd been at nearly all night. His lips curled downward slightly, his brow furrowing. Something was off. Padma, Mandy and Lisa had been nearly inseperable since they'd first be Sorted all those years ago. Now Padma was alone, at the bar, at Lisa's wedding reception while Mandy swung about in the arms of her boyfriend.
"Cassie, love, want to meet Padma?" he asked, bringing her hand up to his lips.
Raising an eyebrow, Cassie nodded slowly. The single one, she thought, making an effort not to purse her lips. It wasn't as if Stephen had given her any reason to suspect he'd be running off with another woman, but one never knew what the 'friend' had in mind. Men could be clueless, after all.
"Of course, I'd love to meet your friend."
He couldn't help but snicker at the look on her face. "She isn't Circe, love," he murmured, brushing a kiss over her temple.
"Have you ever met Circe?" Cassie retorted, though her lips twitched. "I doubt she regularly announces herself to mere mortals."
"Are you calling me a mere mortal?" he asked with a raised brow. "That wasn't what you said last night."
"Just because you can make me call His name doesn't mean you are God, darling."
Stephen snorted and leaned down to give her a brief kiss before he pulled back with a mischevous grin. "Keep telling yourself that, love," he said as he led her around the permitter of the dance floor to where Padma sat, nursing her fifteenth martini.
Okay, maybe it was only her third.
"Padma," Stephen said, brushing a kiss over her cheek, "you look radiant as ever."
"And you, Stephen, are just as full of it as ever," she murmured with a small smile.
He pulled back and tugged on Cassie's hand. "Padma, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Cassandra Montgomery. Cassie, this is Padma Patil."
"How do you do?" Cassie inquired, offering her hand. She was beginning to wonder if Stephen had any male friends. Of course, it was possible she hadn't met the male friends for the same reason she wasn't overly keen on meeting the female ones.
"It's nice to meet you," Padma replied, taking the blonde's hand and giving it a polite shake. "And how do you do?"
"I'm quite well, thanks." As she shook Padma's hand, Cassandra examined the attractive Indian woman. She certainly had the exotic beauty thing down and Cassie wondered that this was the friend who had arrived sans date. Stephen had mentioned that she worked a lot, though, so perhaps her career was the culprit. "Lisa and Ernie seem very happy."
"They do," Padma agreed softly as her eyes cut to Stephen. He hadn't had a girlfriend in a long time, and after his fiasco with their former housemate, she'd been sure he wouldn't date again. This Cassie must be serious if he had brought her to this gathering of all their friends.
Stephen raised his brow at her look. What did I do this time?
Intrigued by the look that passed between the two friends, Cassie tipped her head to smile at her boyfriend. "Stephen, you should ask Padma to dance." It would give her a chance to see how they interacted. "I can't expect to keep you all to myself all night, can I?"
"I suppose not," he said, leaning in to brush his lips over her cheek before giving her a small smile. He held his hand out to Padma and said, "May I have this dance?"
Padma took a final sip of her martini and set the empty glass down on the bar. "You may," she answered, placing her hand in his and letting him lead her onto the floor.
Cassie ordered a cosmopolitan and sipped it as Stephen led Padma easily across the dance floor. He was relaxed and familiar with the dark-skinned beauty, but she didn't sense any peculiar regard between the two. "Just as well for her," she said under her breath.
"So," Padma asked as Stephen spun her under his arm, "how long have you been seeing Cassie?"
"A few months now," he answered easily.
"Nice to know I'm the last to know," she replied with a sigh.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You have a girlfriend, Lisa's married, my sister has a kid... you get the picture."
Stephen stilled suddenly, looking down at his long-time friend. "I'm sorry, Padma," he said quietly.
"It's fine," she said, shaking her head. "Let's get you back to your girlfriend before she thinks I have some interest in your tattooed hide."
The shift to a more serious note of conversation was not lost on Cassie, but it passed as quickly as it'd come. As the pair moved back in her direction, she smiled pleasantly, feeling bit better about the sole unattached female in Stephen's circle of friends. "I've never watched you dance before," she commented to him as he came into voice range. "I might have to make you dance with other women more often, it's a nice view." Pausing, she added, "Select other women."
"But I prefer dancing with you," he said with a smirk. "No offense Padma."
"None taken."
"You dance with me all the time," Cassie demurred. Frequently it's the horizontal mambo, but I don't remember hearing any complaints.
"Mmm, yes I do."
Padma rolled her eyes. "I have to hear enough double entendre around Mandy and Lisa, don't start with me. Begone, you. Go dance with your girlfriend." She was just going to nurse another martini. Yes, she was.
"It was nice meeting you, Padma," Cassie said as Stephen began to lead her away. As she turned her grin toward the handsome man at her side, the curl of her lips became devious. "We could dance or we could find a private corner somewhere and put it to good use."
"I think we've loitered around here long enough," he murmured with a small smirk. "What do you say we find a private corner of my flat?"
Sliding closer into his side, Cassie let a hand slide down to pinch Stephen's bum. "That's an excellent idea. We'll see if you can convince me of your immortal nature."
*~*~*~*~*
Taking a sip of his martini, Anthony spotted Mandy sitting at a table all by her lonesome. That would just not do. Not do at all. Turning towards the bartender, he asked for Mandy's favorite drink, fully intending on bringing it over. One could never say he was not a gentleman.
"For you, milady." The healer set the strawberry daiquri down in front of the petite brunette before taking a seat next to her. "Enjoying yourself?"
Breaking out of her reverie, Mandy smiled at the lanky healer. "Yes. Everyone seems happy and there hasn't been a single drunken brawl, so I'm calling the night a success."
"No drunken brawls, no need for me to put my healer's cap on. All is good, yes?" He grinned at her. "So who's the guy you've been sticking to all night?"
Mandy's grinned mirrored his. "Jake Summers. Hufflepuff, a few years above us? We met furniture shopping and ended up" drunkenly snogging on my couch "dating." Her smile softened as she watched him mingling effortlessly.
"Furniture shopping to dating?" Anthony raised an eyebrow as he brought his martini up to his lips. "There's a story behind that, I'm sure. Has he passed the Bradley test?" He nodded in the direction he had last seen the former Quidditch player. It was no secret the former lovers were close.
"Kind of?" Mandy ventured tentatively. "Ben was in a fantastically shitty mood the day they met, so it didn't quite go as well as planned. But they were nice to each other tonight." For the two and a half minutes that they were in the same vicinity. She was sure, or at least hopeful, that they'd get on better once they knew each other more. And now that Ben had gotten laid.
He hadn't really witnessed Benedict Bradley in a fantastically shitty mood, but Anthony was pretty sure he didn't want to. Good for Jake Whatshisface for standing up to the quidditch player turned publican. "So besides dating, what else has been going on in my favorite bodice ripping writer's life?"
The brunette's smile brightened. "I'm the proud owner of a black Labrador puppy. Jake got him for my birthday," she reported happily.
"And does this puppy have a name?" Anthony grinned. Mandy was probably spoiling the thing to death.
"Mmhmm. Ziggy Stardust. He's a wriggly little thing, but good for cuddles. You should come and meet him."
The healer snorted. "Somehow I don't think Ziggy Stardust is a really cuddly name, but he's your pet. I suppose I should just mind my own business and hope you bring me butterscotch biscuits?"
"You should come to see him and get the biscuits fresh from the oven. I'll see if I can't train him to trip you over with your ridiculously long legs."
"Hey, leave my legs out of this. I don't bring up your ridiculously short ones, do I?" He wiggled his eyebrows as he glanced around the room. "Has Padma been at the bar this whole time?" he asked. "She was there when I walked in."
The brunette shook her head. "No, she's danced a bit."
"That's good." The healer drained what was left in his martini glass as his mind wandered over to the last time their friend had dropped into the flat. That hadn't gone terribly well. "There's something wrong, but she won't tell me what it is. Do you know? And would it be breaking some girl-code if you did?" He desperately wanted to help Padma, but he couldn't unless he knew all the facts there were to know.
Mandy shrugged. There were things she knew, certainly, things that weren't hers to share. "I think part of it is loneliness. It's hard not to feel that way when you're the single one at something so couple-y as this, no matter how happy you are for your friends." Mandy knew all about that.
"Oh." Anthony shrugged. That had never really bothered him too much. He was happy for his friends and just because he hadn't found someone for the moment didn't mean he was feeling left out. Maybe that was the difference between men and women? "I came alone."
"Only because there wasn't room for another person with your ego along for the ride," she teased.
"I'll have you know my ego takes offense to that. He doesn't want to speak to you anymore." He stuck his tongue out at her. "Worst offense you see, silent treatment."
"Yes, because I'll have such trouble filling that silence on my own." She poked her tongue back at the man.
"Probably not. I even bet that it's full of moans and groans courtesy of that man over there," Anthony nodded in Jake's direction. "Please tell me you're using protection though. I don't think the world is ready for Mummy Mandy just yet. Practice on your puppy first."
Mandy's jaw dropped. "Anthony Isaac Goldstein!" she hissed.
"Uh oh." His eyes danced. "My full name. Am I in trouble, Mummy?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "I am shocked and appalled. You can find your own damned biscuits. And I would be a good mum," she finished sulkily. Jake had even said so.
"I never said that you wouldn't be," Anthony backtracked hastily now that biscuits were on the line. "I just said that the world wouldn't be ready. There's a difference you know."
"I hope it's because the world is not yet ready to contain the awesomeness of any child I produce. Otherwise, you're in big trouble. And I'll cry."
He reached over and patted her hand. "Of course it was." He mainly didn't want her to cry, mostly because it was kind of awkward and the chances of him getting biscuits were severely reduced if she did.
She sniffed back her crocodile tears. "Good to know. I shan't hate you forever, after all."
"You shan't hate me at all." He reached over and tapped her on her pert nose. "I'm too cuddly for that."
"So you say. Ziggy's cuddlier," she assured him, "although I don't need to cast any spells to keep you away from my shoes. We'll call it even?"
"Sure." He held out a hand. "To even cuddliness."
~*~*~*~*~*~
There were few people present that Astoria knew well - and all of them she was acquainted with through her brother first - but there was a single individual present of whom Astoria could call friend without the help of Michael's presence. She and Padma would have met and befriended each other despite her brother.
She and Padma had worked at Witch Weekly together for years, and though their paths had separated when Astoria had taken on the directorship of White Chapel full time, their association hadn't suffered for it.
"I'll have a Cosmo," she informed the bartender as she slid onto a stool next to Padma, lips twitching into a tiny smile as she met the darker woman's gaze.
"Well, look who it is," Padma commented with a small, wry smile. "It's been too long, though I suppose I'm to blame for that." She tipped her martini glass towards her petite friend in toast. "How have you been?"
"As guilty as you in much the same crime, I imagine," Astoria replied, the light clink of their glasses tinkling. Her brown eyes were bright on her friend as she added, "Besides the addiction I seem to have to my work, I've been doing rather well, I think." She took a sip of her Cosmo, small smile still curving her lips. "And you, Miss Patil? How have you been?"
How had she been? The question gave her pause, made her set her glass down and cast her eyes to her well-manicured hands. "I've been, I think. Enough so that I feel like I'm in a static position, while everyone moves forward around me."
The honesty of Padma's reply arrested Astoria for a long moment and she set her glass down after holding it midair too long. The spark left her gaze and she tipped her head as she studied Padma's expression.
She understood exactly what she was saying. Astoria often felt that she was stuck in time while it moved for everyone else, also, despite the hectic schedule she kept at the gallery. "Do you suppose it's because we're secluding ourselves away from it all?"
"I honestly don't know anymore." Padma's gaze seemed to be lost in the gin of her drink as she stared, unseeing, into it's clear depths. "My sister has a three year-old son. Have I seen you since she came home? I don't think I have."
Astoria blinked. "You finally heard from your sister," she said unnecessarily, processing the enormity of just that statement alone. "... and she has a ..." her eyes widened a little. "... a three year old son?"
Shaking herself out of the slightly shocked reverie the announcement had instilled in her, Astoria reached out to cover her friend's hand with her own small one. "It's ... I suppose it's rather wonderful news, but .. I'm sorry too," she said softly.
Padma's free hand patted Astoria's absent-mindedly. "Parvati has a son, Lisa got married in secret, and Stephen has a girlfriend. Of all people, I never imagined he'd try a relationship again, not after that bit... after what she did to him."
Her gaze lifted from her glass to meet her friend's dark brown eyes. "Am I making any sense?"
"Yes." Astoria didn't elaborate, taking a long sip of her Cosmo and draining the tiny glass as she thought on, and dismissed, the woman who'd hurt her brother and Stephen. "Yes, you make perfect sense, though I'm rather happy for all of them."
She tipped her head, a thought crossing her mind as she added, "I may be miffed at your sister, however. You deserved to know a long, long time ago."
"She didn't tell me because she didn't want me to have to keep it from our parents- a secret which I would've happily kept to myself." She understood, though, why Vati had did it. It was the same reason Padma hadn't told her about being attacked. It just wasn't the sort of news that could be conveyed in an owl. "I understand, though."
Obviously you don't, if it's hanging over you head, Astoria observed, though she kept her thoughts to herself. They'd already dipped into a very personal conversation, and though this wasn't the kind of crowd that one would suspect of listening - as it would be with those she'd grown up with - still, anyone might hear.
"Family is family to me. I can't say that I understand," she said instead. "Though I've never been accused of being easy to forgive, either," she added, lips curling at the corners.
A faint smile tinged Padma's lips before she shook her head. This wasn't the time or place for the melancholy thoughts that seemed to permeate her every thought these days. "I actually was going to have my assistant owl yours, but as we're both here, I suppose that won't be necessary."
She took a sip of her martini, then turned to look at her former colleague. "The magazine is planning on sponsoring a benefit gala at the end of November to raise awareness for abused women, and we need a venue. Would White Chapel be available?"
The change of subject was rather abrupt, but Astoria understood. She'd been trying to edge away from the more serious topics with a smidge of humor, herself. Another time and place.
It was a very welcome change of subject, too. Interest lit her features. The subject matter was somber, but her mind was already working how to make it work for Padma, the magazine and the gallery. "For you, always. A few months might even be enough time to fill the gallery with works from female artists exclusively in honor of the event if that sounds like something that would interest the magazine?"
Padma nodded. "I think that would be of interest. Pertinent to the cause at hand and an excellent way to showcase female talent. There's a jewelery designer in the Muggle world who sells what they call 'survivor bracelets.' I'm thinking that Witch Weekly might sell some of those, with the proceeds going to help as well."
"That's a fabulous idea. If you send me one, I might be able to cater the gallery's motif based off it it," Astoria suggested, gaze intent on Padma though her thoughts turned over quickly. She needed to talk to Euan and Romy ... and then she remembered where they were.
Taking a small breath, she raised her gaze past Padma and signaled the bartender for another round of drinks before turning back to her friend. "We're at a party. Perhaps we should enjoy the accouterments and get together and work out the details for Witch Weekly and White Chapel over lunch?"
"In that case, I'll have Zöe owl Euan and set it all up," Padma replied with a smile.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Astoria blinked.
She'd been looking for Mandy most of the evening, eyes scanning over the large crowd of people talking and dancing, but she'd not spotted the perky brunette since the speeches.
When she caught sight of her snuggled up to a rather handsome man though, Astoria blinked. It'd been several years since Mandy had brought anyone around. Not since her ex, Ben, had Mandy been seemingly serious over anyone.
She had definitely been working too much. Lisa getting married, Stephen dating again and Mandy too?
Astoria spared a glance up at her brother, daintily snorting her disgust at him as a gossip partner.
Changing the pressure of her fingers on his arm, Astoria looked at him imploringly when he glanced down at her.
"Did you know that Mandy was dating someone?"
"I'd heard roundabouts," Michael drawled, expression pleasant and indulgent of the evening's activities.
"You'd heard and didn't tell me?"
"Something like that." His lips twitched.
Astoria pursed her lips. "I don't know why I expect you to be loquacious."
"Don't know, Rors." Michael grinned.
She narrowed her eyes at him, but thought better of her tirade and composed her features with a sniff. "I'd like to say hello to her and meet her beau. I think I shall forgive you your reticence if you make such happen." She eyed him. "And I would think you should like to meet him as well?"
"I do," Michael nodded, blue eyes still bright though his mien was much subdued of his previous amusement. He'd known of Mandy's new attachment, but not what it was to her, not how she was doing or how serious it all was.
He often marveled at what had happened to him, the wolf now as part of him as his own mind, but finding any kind of balance over the last months had cost him much in the way of time - important time when his friends and those he loved moving about him in their own lives of which he was woefully unaware.
Leading his sister through the people milling about, a wide grin split his features as he caught Mandy's eye and the serious thoughts plaguing him were pushed to the side.
Spying Mikey, Mandy grinned. She'd missed the laconic claw, and his fiesty little sister, whom Mandy had always liked for being the only person shorter than her, as well as for her own personal merits. She gestured that they should come over, comfortable as she was against Jake.
Gliding them through a break in the crowd, Michael grinned at Mandy as they slipped near the couple. "Little bit."
Astoria nearly rolled her eyes. She loved her brother dearly, but his penchant for less is more was irksome at times. "Good evening, Mandy and ..." Her brows raised as she glanced over at the man with the brunette. There was always less pomp and circumstance when in Mandy's presence and she felt no shame in what she said next, despite that in polite society it would be rather rude. "... Mandy's friend?"
Michael nearly laughed at his sister's nosiness, and his eyes twinkled with merriment at his friend over her head.
"Mandy's boyfriend," Jake corrected with an easy grin, his arm going around the petite brunette at his side. He gave her a fond squeeze. "Jake Summers. And who might I have the pleasure of talking to?"
"Astoria Greengrass," she replied, grin curling her lips as she met the handsome man's gaze. "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Brown eyes slid over to Mandy then and she couldn't help the crinkle to her nose as her smile widened.
She liked him. Mandy had a boyfriend. She was happy for Stephen, of course, but Mandy having someone made her a little gleeful inside, just the same as when Romy had found Oliver. A girl thing, she supposed, and she'd always been closer to Mandy than any of Michael's other girl friends from school.
"And her big, far too talkative brother, Michael Corner," Mandy explained helpfully, opening her arms expectantly for hugs.
Astoria darted in for a quick embrace and kissed her friend on the cheek before the inevitable; Michael picking up Mandy in a bear hug. Romy was the sister of her heart, but if Michael had had a choice, Mandy would have been his addition to their family. He'd never said as much, but Astoria suspected.
"He's woefully reticent and entirely too comfortable in his ways," Astoria added upon Mandy's pronouncement of her brother to Jake.
"I missed you," Mandy whispered before Mikey set her down back next to Jake. She hadn't wanted to nag him, knowing him well enough to be sure that he'd break his silence when it was time. It just made her all the more glad to have him back. "And we're neither of us big enough to beat him out of them," she added to Jake before pressing a kiss to his jaw.
Jake supposed he was big enough, but he didn't make it a habit of beating people, unless the person's name happened to be Zach Smith, but that was another story entirely. "Men tend to be entirely too comfortable in their ways as a rule," he said with a grin. "So it's not just him."
Mandy slapped his arm playfully. "Don't justify him. He'll be entirely too smug and unchangable."
"Darling," he pressed a kiss to her temple, "we're all entirely too smug. You'll just have to learn how to deal."
"Well, I hope I'm well compensated," she murmurred in return. In actual fact, Mandy found his smugness entirely too sexy. Not that she was going to tell Jake that.
He smirked, seemingly aware of what she was thinking. "I'd answer that, but we're in polite company."
"Really? Where?"
He nodded to Astoria and her brother. "Unless I'm mistaken?"
"We lived in the same tower for seven years. Trust me, you're sorely mistaken," she teased with an affectionate smile.
Astoria was quite pleased that Mandy seemed to have found someone that seemed to make her happy, but watching all the ... snuggling that was going on tonight was almost too much. "I, however, did not live in Rowena's tower, and I do occasionally try for polite company."
"Just not with Mandy," Michael inserted, lips twitching when his sister 'humphed' at him in exasperation.
"I'd wonder what I'd done wrong if you did," Mandy agreed.
Jake rolled his eyes. "I think I shall have to give up on women. One moment you're telling me to be polite, the next not to bother. I think it's time you made up your mind."
Astoria looked at Jake, brows raised, before sliding her gaze to Mandy. "I don't really see the point. Every decision is subject to change at a moment's notice anyways. It's their job to accommodate, no?"
Ignoring the comment that popped into her head about how technically it was her who accomodated Jake, Mandy smirked. "It's also their job to be nice to me if they ever want me to bake pie for them again."
The Hufflepuff poked his girlfriend in the side. "That's a low blow and you know it." He loved pie. And he loved the person who made it.
"That is a bit low, little bit," Michael pitched in, blue eyes twinkling.
"Really? And how do either of you expect me to hit any higher from this height, hmmm?"
"My point exactly," Astoria sniffed.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Eloise was at the end of her rope, and it was quickly fraying. It had started out as an interesting evening - at least she wasn't out on the streets or sitting at home. There were always bars, but even those started to lose their appeal after awhile - but she was quickly becoming annoyed by the amount of the people and the constant attempts to talk. What the hell was that about?
But she didn't want to leave until she gave her congratulations, or condolences, depending on how you looked at it, to the bride. She liked Lisa. Well, she didn't hate Lisa, anyway.
Lisa leaned in close and gave Ernie a soft, quick kiss. "Having fun, love?" she asked, pulling back and giving him a intimate smile.
"I'll be having more fun when I have you alone and I can finally see what you've got on under here," he told her, tracing a finger over the neckline of the dress.
Eloise wanted to vomit.
She cleared her throat and waited for them to untangle themselves before saying, "congratulations," and turning to go.
"We're still in public," she murmured, tugging his hand down and giving him a kiss on the cheek before she turned to face whoever had cleared their throat, a faint blush tinging her cheeks.
"Eloise?" she asked, surprise laced through her voice. She hadn't seen the woman standing in front of then in years. In fact, she'd almost forgotten that she would've been same year and house as Ernie.
Should've known it wouldn't be that easy. Eloise made a face and turned back around. "Yeah."
"Oh my god, how are you?" she asked with a smile. "You look fantastic." And that wasn't a lie, either. Eloise had blossomed since she'd last seen her, and her dark looks looked exotic rather than sallow now.
Liar. "I'm okay. How are you?" She hadn't expected this kind of greeting from the other woman, and she wasn't sure how comfortable she was with it. They weren't friends, and they hadn't been before.
"I'm great," Lisa replied, squeezing Ernie's hand. "You remember Ernie, I'm sure."
Merlin, did she ever. Mostly she remembered crying on her bed because of something he or one of his friends had said to her, or about her within earshot. "Yeah. Hi."
Lisa sent her elbow back, nudging her husband ever so gently in the side.
Ernie started and sent the dark haired woman a short smile, though he was still shocked; as far as he knew, no one in his house had seen her since they were fifteen. "Hello."
See, he could be taught. "Thank you for coming," she said, giving Eloise a bright smile.
Eloise smiled back, though it wasn't nearly as bright or as genuine as the other woman's. "I just wanted to say congratulations. I have to go."
"Oh, okay," the blonde said with an understanding nod. "Well, thank you again for coming. I hope you had fun."
"Yeah. Have a nice life." Or whatever. She gave into the urge to shoot Ernie a vicious glare before she turned and headed for the exit.
Ernie watched her go and turned back to Lisa. "I thought she was dead or something."
"I don't remember her being that abrupt," Lisa commented as she watched Eloise move towards the exit.
"According to Hannah, she's always been kind of a bit-" he cut himself off. "She's never really liked anything or anyone."
"We had potions together, fifth year," she said softly, remembering. "I didn't think she was that reclusive."
"Oh, she was. She never wanted anything to do with the girls in her dorm," of course, all of this was secondhand, "and honestly, I don't think I ever saw her with any friends."
"She was always nice to me," she commented.
"You'd be the only one."
Summary: Family and friends come out for Lisa and Ernie's wedding reception.