Comments | post_bellum: RP: Oh, SHITE!

pb_daphne in post_bellum

RP: Oh, SHITE!

May 18, 2009 19:10

Characters: Daphne Greengrass, Neville Longbottom
Location: The Leaky Cauldron
Date: 18 May 2000
Status/Warning: Public
Summary Daphne gets herself into an awkward position.
Completion: Complete

( I'll need another firewhiskey, thanks. )

place: the leaky cauldron, neville longbottom, daphne greengrass, 2000 05, complete

Leave a comment

Back to all threads

pb_neville May 19 2009, 18:11:02 UTC

Neville stopped for dinner in Diagon before heading home. He just didn't feel like cooking, and the place was too quiet for him, since he and Rhys had broken up. A night in a pub sounded good.

He was at the bar, glancing around, when he noticed a familiar face making eyes at him. Startled, he looked around to make sure she wasn't communicating with someone else, then walked over. He had no idea what on earth she'd want with him, but figured it wouldn't hurt to find out.

"Hullo." He gestured to the chair. "Mind if I join you?" He didn't notice the largeish bloke until he was next to the table, then thought maybe he'd gotten himself into something he didn't want to.

pb_daphne May 26 2009, 23:54:36 UTC

"How lovely," Daphne smiled, touching his hand gingerly before turning back to her drink.

"If you would excuse us," she said to the man. "My friend is joining me." She gave a curt smirk and turned back to her companion from the imposing party.

She motioned for Tom to come over to where she was sitting. "Whatever he wants tonight. On me..."

She turned and smiled sweetly at the shy-looking young man. He had been in her year at Hogwarts... Neville Longbottom, if she wasn't mistaken. "I'm Daphne Greengrass, by the way," she said in a low voice. "It's nice to meet you. And thanks for letting me use you like that. I am sure I have no idea where that man came from, only that I'm glad he's gone now. I could have taken care of him myself, but this was a much easier way of getting rid of him." She much preferred having company to having to get into a physical altercation.

pb_neville May 28 2009, 03:20:47 UTC

Neville was taken aback, and stammered an order for the evening's special, eyes wide in looking at Daphne. He hadn't tried to help for any reward, but it looked like to keep the pretence he'd have to sit and eat.

"Um, hi. Neville Longbottom." He said rather inanely, knowing that she probably knew who he was, thanks to those bloody newspaper articles about him. "Didn't figure you wanted that kind of talk," He agreed, blinking at her. She was very pretty, but his instinct to spook around women was awakening yet again. He shifted in his seat, ducking his head a bit. "Erm, so, what do you do when not trying to avoid dodgy blokes like that?"

pb_daphne May 30 2009, 15:04:58 UTC

"Thanks for joining me, Neville. I appreciate your compliance," Daphne said, more as if she were making a business deal than a new friend.

"No, I didn't. Glad to have a gentleman sitting next to me instead of some unwashed oaf."

She drank her Butterbeer slowly, then responded, "Well, my trade is in publications. I work for Civilitas at Phoenix Press in Oxford... came here to get a reprieve. Didn't quite work out the way I'd hoped. What about you, Neville? What do you do?"

pb_neville May 31 2009, 00:16:54 UTC

Her business terminology was a bit confusing, if reassuring at the same time. She wasn't looking to chat anyone up which was great, since he was the last person to be chatted up. By a bird, anyway.

"Phoenix Press? Isn't that the one that does Herbology Trends?" He asked, intrigued. He didn't know much about publishing, but thought it might be the same. "I'm in herbology, as you see, over at Gulliver's Greenhouse." He gave a quick smile. "So if you're ever in the need of a new landscape done or something."

pb_daphne May 31 2009, 00:46:01 UTC

"Indeed we do. We publish many academic writings, including herbology- and potions-related materials, as well as news media," she explained briefly.

"Oh, yes! Of course... you were quite the star in Herbology class, weren't you? I don't think I'll be needing landscaping anytime soon... I'm living in a room above the Three Broomsticks at the moment, you see, but I'll certainly pass on the information to my parents, who have a garden in Oxford, and Madam Rosmerta, as well. Might be nice to have things looked over around the pub with summer approaching and all."

She smiled at him, sensing he was nervous.

"I really do appreciate this, Neville," she said. "Why don't you tell me about about your work while we have something to eat."

She drank more of her Butterbeer and listened as Neville talked about his work with Gulliver's Greenhouse. It almost made her long for a garden of her own.

pb_neville May 31 2009, 01:07:31 UTC

Neville grinned broadly. "Its brilliant. Top of the line, really cutting edge stuff. Why, just last week I told Mr. Lemuel that the theories about absorption of magical pollen..." He stopped, flushing. "Sorry, I tend to run away with talk of plants and such ( ... )

pb_daphne May 31 2009, 01:18:55 UTC

"Oh, that's brilliant!" Daphne said, earnestly. She found herbology fascinating, even if it wasn't her field of expertise.

"Sounds like a great job, Neville. A lot of work with your head, your heart, and your hands. Couldn't ask for a better combination than that."

As they were talking, their food arrived and Daphne's smile spread wider.

"Sometimes I envy work that gets your hands dirty... but then I remember that my job is pretty good, too. Guess I just have to find a hobby that's not work related."

pb_neville May 31 2009, 01:25:31 UTC

Neville laughed. "Couldn't have put it better myself. And you know, I think better when I've got my hands buried in the earth. Might be something to that." He took a gulp of his water, smiling, relaxing a bit.

"You mean literally, or more figuratively?" He asked, hearing a note of something in her voice. "Cause its literally a pain to clean properly. My gran's always after me about dirt under my nails." He held a hand up, and sure enough, the fingernails showed signs of dirt. "But I've gotten better about cleaning my face and such."

He dug in, continuing to speak. "The thing you have to learn is whether your hands are the right kind of dirty. I mean." He paused to collect his thoughts. "We raise all sorts of plants. Some have poisonous properties. But its not the plants fault for being poisonous, its how people use it. And sometimes its really hard to get past that when you're selling to someone. Sometimes you shouldn't." He thought of Madam Hopkirk, and that who mess of a trail. He felt his jaw tense, and he looked away for a

pb_daphne May 31 2009, 02:20:26 UTC

"Yes, that makes sense," Daphne said. She'd paid enough attention in Herbology to understand the basics. What Neville was telling her now was bonus. She found it interesting, though. "I wonder if you could help me with a small flower garden of the indoor variety, then. I live in a small room at the Three Broomsticks, but I could do with a window box or something. Maybe a mix of herbs and flowers."

pb_neville May 31 2009, 02:26:11 UTC

Neville's eyes lit up. It'd be a challenge to try something within that small a space. "Sure, could do. About 2 feet long, maybe 6 inches wide?" He sketched the dimensions in the air. "There's loads you could grow in there." He thought it might require a hibernatory spell to keep the growth from exceeding the space, but it was possible.

pb_daphne May 31 2009, 02:29:48 UTC

"Oh, that would be just about perfect," Daphne said. She didn't want anything too large or complicated, but having some life in her room would be nice.

"Shall we have lunch some other time to discuss it?" she asked, "I'm more than happy to compensate you for your work, including consultation."

Having something that was less responsibility and more fun, something outside the office, something that she could truly call her own would be a new challenge for Daphne. It would be good for her to get her hands dirty and do something other than dance and work. She needed that grounding experience.

pb_neville May 31 2009, 02:32:57 UTC

Neville fumbled a bit. "Oh, sure. Can do lunch. But why don't you just spread the word about Gulliver's and pay for the materials and we'll call it even? Always need publicity, and I don't mind." He gave her a shy smile.

"Um, are you allergic to anything?" He dug into his pocket, finding a numb of pencil and a piece of paper. He started a list of what would be needed.

pb_daphne May 31 2009, 02:53:21 UTC

"Sure, of course," she said, in between bites of her dinner.

"No, not allergic to anything that I know of," she said. "I hope that makes it a bit easier. Might be minimal light there, though, because of the houses around."

pb_neville May 31 2009, 03:29:14 UTC

Neville noted what she said about light, put down a few smaller flowering herbs, and tucked the list back in his pocket. "That's a good start. Light's important, but the rest is up to you. Some plants need a lot of babying, but I dunno if you want anything so, um, high maintenance" He got back to his dinner, eating with his usual enthusiasm.

pb_daphne June 1 2009, 01:07:43 UTC

"Right," she replied, still eating.

"Well, something that won't need much more than watering or occasional special treatment would be good. And if there's anything night-blooming, I'd love that."

It was nice to have a bloke to talk to that wasn't staring at her chest or verbally assaulting her in the middle of a meal. For some reason, Daphne felt she could really relax around Neville. Something she wished she could do around more people. He was very pleasant company indeed. Perhaps this evening was turning out better than she'd thought at its beginning.

Back to all threads