RP: A man walks into a bar

[shh_ron]

Date: November 29, 2004
Characters: Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnigan, Hermione Granger
Location: Five Alarm pub
Status: Private
Summary: Ron catches up with an old friend
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_seamus]

Seamus handed the man across from him his drink and then walked down the bar, surveying the room to make sure everything was in order. The pub was only mildly busy, which Seamus was thankful for. After Katie's party, he didn't really fancy seeing a busy pub for quite a while.

He leaned against the counter of the bar, propping himself up on his elbows and cradling his face in his hands as he waited to once again be summoned for more alcohol.

There was a loud crack outside the pub, and Seamus tilted his head towards the door, waiting for whoever had just apparated to come in. A tall, lanky figure with red hair opened the door and walked in, and Seamus grinned as he realized it was Ron.

Seamus gave him a large smile as he watched him walk to the bar, and he moved out from behind the counter as he got closer, walking to him and giving him a hug.

"See, now that it's not so busy in here I can give you a proper greeting." He grinned as he pulled away from Ron and walked back to the bar.

"What can I get you tonight?"

[shh_ron]

Ron was pleased when Seamus came out from behind the bar and hugged him. The two had done their share of rough-housing over six years as dorm mates, typical teenage stuff, but now they were grown, they would relate a bit differently to each other. Returning the hug, Ron enjoyed the feeling of Seamus' hands against his back. He tucked that thought into the back of his mind, perhaps to revisit later.

"Hello to you too, mate," he said, taking a seat at the bar as Seamus resumed his bartender position. "I think I'll try some Muggle alcohol. What's good? I didn't really get drunk at Katie's party. I could stand to get drunker."

[shh_seamus]

Seamus grinned. He loved it when people let him pick their alcohol for them. Especially when they gave him as much free reign as Ron did. Ron wanted drunk...Seamus would show him drunk.

He could handle it.

He turned around and reached up, grabbing a bottle of Hennessy Cognac off the top shelf. He pulled out a glass from under the bar, placing it on the counter in front of him.

He talked to Ron as he poured the liquor into the glass. "Now, you might want to sip this. Believe me, it burns as it goes down, but it'll also warm you up." He grinned, pushing the glass in front of Ron.

"Drinky drinky."

[shh_ron]

"Hennessy KOG-nack," Ron said, looking at the bottle. "So this stuff is good?"

He took the glass from Seamus, put it to his lips and took a tiny sip. The liquor was a thick, caramel color and Seamus had been right; it not only burned as it went down, it gave him a very warm feeling. This would be a good drink for a cold winter evening.

"You're right. It is good stuff," he said finally. "Thanks. So tell me about yourself. It's been a long time, mate."

[shh_seamus]

Seamus raised his eyebrow, listening to Ron's slurred speech. "You always did have a low tolerance for alcohol." He laughed, pouring him another glass. Normally, he cut his friends off when they began to slur, but Ron seemed like he needed to let loose for a bit.

He nodded. "Yeah, whatever you can give is fine, just as long as we can use it." He smiled.

"That's not true. People tell you things all the time." He smiled, hoping that Ron wasn't about to start doing the self-depricating act a lot of drunks tended to do.

[shh_ron]

Ron stared sadly at his glass. "Yeah, I know." He dug in his pockets again and pulled out a couple of small, shiny discs. "These are what Muggles call CDs," he said, trying to focus on them. "Harry says they have music on them. You gotta make'em bigger first. You know, use that Engorgeous charm...Engorgium...Engor-- You know what I mean." He sat down again, feeling a bit dizzy. Finally he looked up at Seamus and said, "Maybe I shouldn' drink so fast. Gettin' too pissed too quick."

[shh_seamus]

He took the CDs from Ron, smiling softly at him. "I know what CDs are, Ron. Half-blood, remember?"

He studied Ron, suddenly curious if he and Hermione had ever gotten together. "How's your love life been? Did you and Hermione ever get together at all? I remember you two back in Hogwarts. Could cut the tension between the two of you with a knife." He grinned.

[shh_ron]

Ron laughed. "Oh right. Forgot that."

Now he snorted. "Didn't have time for a love life the past few years. Too...busy. Me and Hermione? Yeah, a lot of tension. But tha' was all it was. Tension." He paused, thinking back to all those years when he and Hermione spent so much time goading each other. "After we left school we tried 'going out'. Didn't work. I kissed her once and that was it. 'Twas like kissing my sister." He pulled a face. He had no more interest in kissing Ginny than he did in trying to kiss Hermione again. "So no more 'Ermione for me, thanks. We're better off as friends."

He was feeling better now that he'd stopped guzzling his drinks. "Didn't have time for girls or... or anyone while we were gone. Too dangerous. 'Cept that one time. Muggle girl. Dunno what happened to her." He took a small sip of his drink. "But all that shite's over now. Now I can relax enough to feel randy again," he finished, smirking.

[shh_hermione]

The sound of an owl pecking at the window distracted Hermione from her research. She looked up and frowned slightly before she stood up to see who had written. She gave the owl a bit of Crookshanks kibble while she read the note

[shh_ron]

Ron woke up when someone thwapped the back of his head. If he'd been less drunk he would have reached back and hexed whoever it was.

Oh.

Hermione.

Bloody hell.

He tried to talk, but his tongue seemed to be made of library paste. "Mrrrmph."

She asked how much he'd had. Ron waved his arm vaguely across the bar, in the direction of the bottle of cognac, and held up 3 fingers. "Mrrrmph." His hand slumped down onto the back of his head. Maybe it would shield him from the tongue-lashing she was sure to give him later.

[shh_seamus]

Seamus looked up at Hermione apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't realize his tolerance hasn't changed much since Hogwarts."

He glanced at Ron and then back to Hermione. "Do you need me to help you move him to the apparation point at all?"

[shh_hermione]

"Just three?" Hermione rubbed Ron's back. "I thought tall, skinny blokes took much more than three drinks to get this pissed."

"It's not your fault," she told Seamus. "We've not really had an opportunity over the years for him to increase his tolerance."

She glanced at Ron and then back at Seamus. "I would just use a sobering charm on him, but I think he's more likely to learn his lesson if he's forced to endure a hangover in the morning. Especially after I hide any potion that might help," she said with an almost evil smile. "Next time, he might be more careful."

"No, I can handle him. Have handled far worse, I'm sure." She smiled. "And I'll do my best to come see you some time soon, okay? It's been too long."

She urged Ron to his feet. "Come along, you. Arm around my shoulders. Good boy."