RP: Reading means Borrowing

[shh_roger]

Date: December 14, 2004 (9 am, sharp)
Characters: Roger Davies, Hermione Granger
Location: 33 Alpha Lane
Status: Private
Summary: Roger keeps his appointment-- and makes good on the pastries and the manuscripts.
Completion: Complete

Even though he had to allow extra time, Roger decided to walk to his meeting with Hermione. He was up, anyway, and it was

Comments

[shh_roger]

"That's not crazy. Not at all." Leaning forward in his seat, he placed his elbows on the table and ran a finger idly around the edge of the little saucer under his tea. "I think...I think maybe that's what it is to be really happy," he said finally. "It's knowing who we are individually that helps us to connect with others on a level that's comfortable, and mutually satisfying. We have to know what we want, and we'll not know that unless we know ourselves. And of course, I guess after so much time and so much...everything else, it's really about getting to know ourselves, and each other, again. Preconceptions about who we were have no place in the here and now, if we're to move forward." He sat back, a little surprised, but not unpleasantly, that he'd talked so much. It had been a while.

"Well, good to know." He put on a relieved expression before looking across at her with mock-dubiousness. "No offense, Granger. But you don't strike me as remotely scary," he joked. It wasn't totally true, though. Those wards had been wicked.

Hefting the bag and taking out the first two thick reams of parchment, Roger placed them on the table and started removing the rest. "We can do them all; I have the time. How can I help?"

[shh_hermione]

"Exactly," she said with a smile. "Preconceptions seem to be particular rampant these days, mostly because a lot of us haven't seen each other since school. However, it's been years since school, not just last week. There's been a war and growing up and lots of changing for everyone, and people really do need to just get to know one another again because we're really not the way we were back at Hogwarts anymore. At least, not completely."

She arched a brow and smiled slightly. "Oh, I'm scary, Roger," she said softly, thinking about the last few years and everything she could do if pushed to it. "However, I'm only scary if you're a danger to me, my friends, or the world at large, so you're safe."

"Actually, there's not really anything for you to do, I'm afraid," she told him. She summoned the bag with the parchment and inks she'd brought for the copying and began to set them out. "It won't take too terribly long for each one, as I'm just doing a basic copy. You can entertain me while I copy, though, if you'd like."

[shh_roger]

There was something behind Hermione's words that he recognised, and it made him believe her totally when she said she could be scary. It also made him recall the things he'd done. Things he'd been forced into; things he hadn't. Roger had been shocked at what he'd found inside himself in the years he'd been fighting. He nodded slowly, saying only, "Glad I've not earned a spot on your bad side, then."

He watched her begin to arrange her supplies around herself curiously. "I'd like that," he said. "I'll try to be as entertaining as possible."

They lapsed into silence for a bit as she set up. "How's Ron? I've not seen him since I ran into him last week."

[shh_hermione]

"I'm confident you'll manage," she said with a slightly impish smile before she focused on her task.

She opened the first text and murmured the necessary charms for it to begin copying. When he asked about Ron, she looked up and kept half her attention on the copy.

"He's doing well," she told him. She smiled fondly at the thought of Ron. "He's working on building some sort of owl structure at the moment and being rather social. I think he's very glad to be back home where he can go out for a pint or whatever else it is blokes do for fun."

[shh_roger]

"Yeah..." he said by way of response, wondering briefly at Hermione's decidedly playful smile.

"Oh, the Aviary that Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank is building," he said as she told him of Ron's plans. "I'm in on that job as well. It'll be a real group thing, as one of Ron's other brothers--I think Charlie, and Jack, may pitch in as well. Should be fun. And we'll get it done faster, which is good."

"I understand him wanting to get back into the social scene again. It's one of those things; you never think you'll not have the chance to go have a pint at the pub. I've certainly been catching up-- erm. Not that I drink alot, usually," he added, for some reason feeling like he should. "It's more the social thing, I suppose."

[shh_hermione]

"That's right. The Aviary," she confirmed. She smiled. "You're helping him with that? Goodness, you are staying busy, aren't you? Just don't work too hard. However, faster is good as I plan to put Ron to work here soon."

"Hmmm...I think, in Ron's case, that it's far more than just a pint at the pub that he's wanting to catch up on," she said dryly before she glanced back at the copy. She blushed slightly when she realized she'd just casually mentioned Ron's carnal needs.

"I rarely drink. I've no intention of letting something else control me, which is what too much alcohol tends to do," she told him, looking back up. "A couple glasses of wine with dinner or perhaps a little Scotch, which I've become somewhat fond of, tends to be my limit. As for Ron, I understand why he'd want to be social. I guess that I've never been particularly social, though, if we're being completely honest, so it's not something that I've missed as much as he has."

[shh_roger]

"Yeah, I am, but it's not so much work, really. My days are free for it, and otherwise I'd be in my flat or out walking around all day. Ron going to be pitching in around here, eh? That's good. The more help you get, the sooner this place will be up and running." He looked around him at the kitchen for a moment, focusing on Hermione again when she made mention of Ron's other...goals.

"Ah." He lifted his eyebrows fractionally, nodding knowingly. "Understandable, definitely. Another...one of those things," he said with a deeper flush, wanting to cringe. Idiot. He busied himself with his tea cup. Amazing, really, how many ways one could fiddle with china.

"Yes," he agreed. "And it's not only relinquishing control, but a lack of awareness-- of oneself and of one's surroundings. And we know now more than ever how dangerous that can be. I've had a few nights when I didn't pay much mind to that," he admitted. "Not so much these days, but there was a time."

"I used to be quite social; I rarely spent any time alone, before. In a way I'm glad I'm not quite that way anymore. Though I still enjoy a pint or two with people I'm at ease with."

[shh_hermione]

"Before I finally settled on a few projects, I was going crazy because I had nothing to do," she confessed. "So, I can understand that need to fill one's day with productive tasks. Work is good for you, after all, so long as you make time for yourself occasionally."

"Ron is actually running the publishing company," she said proudly. The first book finished copying, so she sorted it and made sure it was okay before starting on the second. "He'll be in charge of the press and the actual printing, while I'll help out when I can. I'm mostly doing the business end of things for that venture."

She smiled at the deep blush that crossed his cheeks but hid it behind her teacup. It was nice to know, at least, that some men also found such topics worthy of a blush.

"A lack of one's surroundings is especially dangerous, even in a time of peace. You never know who might be lurking about waiting to strike as soon as you're too inebriated to defend yourself," she said. "I'm not exactly paranoid, but I do like to be aware of my surroundings and to know that I've got control of myself."

"I think there should be a balance with social and private time," she mused. "I'm more on the private side of the scale while Ron is more social, but I think if you've got an overbalance one way or another, it's not very healthy, really. You need to be around people but you also need to have time to just spend with yourself."

[shh_roger]

"He mentioned learning how to use the press when we talked. He seemed really excited about it," Roger remembered. "I think it's great that you're into it together. It's rare to find someone you're close to with whom you can work cohesively, and be productive. You're lucky," he decided.

He frowned. "It seems one can never completely ignore danger, war or no. Even now, people are causing trouble in town, when we're trying to rebuild. I saw The Five Alarm the morning after it was vandalised and robbed a month ago, and it was so senseless. Not to mention the other things that have happened."

"Yeah, spending too much time in one's own head is not a good thing-- I should know," he added with a chuckle. "But as someone who's been in the center of a never-ending social circus, as well, that can be pretty lonely, too. And you start to lose parts of yourself, I found. You become so wrapped up in others that you lose sight of your own identity. So, anyway, I'm trying to say that I agree. There is a middle ground somewhere, and the happiest individuals are somewhere in there."

[shh_hermione]

"I'm extremely lucky to have my boys," she agreed. Even though Harry was being a bit antisocial right now, she knew she could count on him if she needed him.

She finished her scone while Roger spoke. "Sometimes, you can feel more alone in a crowd than you can in a room by yourself," she agreed. "There's also a need, at times, to try to be what everyone wants you to be, which means you sort of forget who you really are. Or, at least, that's how it seems to me sometimes."

[shh_roger]

"It does seem that way. It's common not to want to stand out, I think, but there's a risk that you'll lose yourself in the process."

Settling back, he watched for a few moments as Hermione finished the second book. "What do you do when you aren't working or reflecting?" he asked her, curious.

[shh_hermione]

"See, I've never minded standing out, but I really don't like having people's attention on my constantly," she said thoughtfully. "If it was because of my marks in class or an achievement, I was fine with it, but it was horrid being the subject of ridiculous gossip due to a few articles in the newspaper. I dealt with it, of course, because, really, what other choice is there? Now, I'd probably tell them all to bugger themselves if that happened, so it goes to show that we definitely do change."

She shook her head and smiled. "And I think I'd like to blame this cold if I'm failing to make any sense whatsoever."

After the second book was finished, she started the third. "You mean, there's such a thing as not working?" she asked with mock surprise. She smiled and considered his question. "Well, I like taking walks and conversing with friends. I'm also fond of water, whether it's watching the river or looking at the ocean or swimming in a pond when the weather is nice. Beyond that, I enjoy working and reading, learning new things, regardless of the subject, and helping people when and where I might be needed."

"Goodness, I sound quite dull," she remarked with a smile. "What about you, Roger? What do you do when you're not working or reflecting?"

[shh_roger]

He couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Well, if your excuse is the cold, then what excuse do I have for understanding you?"

"I think you and I were polar opposites back then," he continued. "I craved attention, from all manner of sources. I did seek it in terms of academics, but on just about every other level, as well. Looking back, I was pretty shallow, really. It's such a surprise. We do change, in ways we may never have expected. Yet, here we are."

"I've heard it's possible not to work," he said with the beginnings of a grin flitting across his face. "Apparently, people engage in this funny phenomenon called 'recreation'. I'm not sure about it, though. Sounds a bit dodgy to me." He sent her a playful smile.

"Water's your element, eh?" While he didn't comment on it, he couldn't help but speculate on the faint tinge of red in her cheeks when she mentioned swimming in a pond. He could draw some conclusions based on experience, but he was sure he was way off base. This witch was definitely very intriguing, though.

"Me? Well, I run a lot. Nearly every day I take time in the morning. This time of year, the chill on the air's invigorating to me, so I don't mind it. And it's a fun solitary activity for me. I like to go to the pub, or anywhere, with friends and waste time. And I read quite a bit, as well. I shrunk a lot of books and carried them with me during the war, and I read them when I was alone. I go for Muggle titles these days, mainly. Classic fiction and poetry that were a bit of a late discovery for me. So, ah, you're no more dull than I am, yeah? Or is that not so encouraging?" he asked a bit cheekily.