RP: Ladies who lunch

[shh_irma]

Date: 23 January 2005
Characters: Irma Pince, Hermione Granger
Location: Socks
Status: Private
Summary: Irma is in need of nourishment, when she runs into a somewhat familiar face.
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_hermione]

"Yes, he's in Stoatshead Hill. I've actually been working with him on a new syllabus for History of Magic," she explained. "He's taken the library as on his personal project, though, in a similar way to Cedric Diggory, who is working on a new museum."

"I'll certainly owl you about getting together soon. If not Saturday, then definitely next week. I look forward to exploring your shelves. I'm sure your collection is lovely, even if you've had to start anew."

She studied Irma and willed her cheeks to stop turning red as she was sure that made her appear rather immature. "I don't particularly know a lot about such things, but perhaps you'd like to let your hair down and wear something that their former head librarian might not have worn? I'd expect many people might not recognize you at all if your hair was free and falling around your face."

"Some people claim that personal advertisements work well, so it's always a possibility. If nothing else, you'd have a hopefully enjoyable evening out regardless of sparks or not," she mused.

She choked on her water and coughed, wiping her lips before she blinked at Irma. "Oh, I didn't mean in that way. I just happen to have quite a few male friends, some of whom would fall into the category of 'worth the trouble', I expect," she said with a faint smile. "I doubt there's a romantic rendezvous in my future anytime soon. Besides, lunch with you is very pleasant."

[shh_irma]

"Men with cultural interests," Irma noted. "More well-rounded than those who just care about Quidditch and alcohol. A museum you say?" Now, her time in Stoatshead Hill was looking up. "You wouldn't happen to know if he's planning any interesting exhibits?"

She looked at Hermione's red cheeks and wondered what had prompted it. "I suppose I could," she said slowly. "It's just so much more practical to have it up. It doesn't get caught on things, or get tangled up this way."

Irma sighed. "I'll have to see about what to do about it, I suppose."

"Ah, it was just a suggestion," she smiled at Hermione's reaction. "Be careful when you drink. No good in you having survived the war, if you choke to death on water afterwards."

[shh_hermione]

"I tend to be drawn to making friends with those who have interests outside of Quidditch or drinking," she said. "As for the museum, he's been able to salvage exhibits from the former museum, but quite a bit was destroyed if it wasn't protected or in the vault. I believe Cedric is also working towards bringing in new exhibits, of course."

"There's a time and place for practical, Irma. When you're wishing to find the right sort of trouble, it might be best to think impractically, even if just briefly," she mused, smiling slightly before she took a drink of her water.

She nodded. "That would be rather embarrassing, I must admit. Death by choking so soon after winning the war would definitely not be pleasant," she said. "If such a time and, uh, person arrive, I'll definitely heed your suggestion."

[shh_irma]

"I know what you mean," Irma nodded. Well, sharing a mutual interest in detentions was more than alcohol and Quidditch. "It's a pity about all the destruction, of course, but what can one do but rebuild? I'll certainly be anticipating the opening of the museum. A museum, a bookshop, a printer and a library, this is beginning to turn into quite the cultural place. Are you planning on holding literary evenings at your bookshop? Reading by authors, perhaps?"

Irma smiled a wry smile. "I've often been told so. My sister Gertrude has always been… how shall I put it, the opposite of myself. She never fails to lecture on what she likes to call my prissy appearance." Hermione's words gave food for thought. Her hair had been loose when she'd met Lysander. Irma would have to consider this carefully. Of course, she'd also been eleven back then and not approaching 60.

She took another spoonful of soup and savoured it. "Let me know if it works for you?" Fixing her up with Andy would be embarrassing if the girl already was attached.

[shh_hermione]

"Actually, I'd considered readings," she said excitedly. "I thought perhaps poetry night for those who like such things, since it seems I know quite a few people with an interest in poetry. But I had also considered possibly a weekly reading for children, possibly, as well as one for adults, either by authors if possible or by someone with a good speaking voice. It could be quite entertaining and possibly encourage people to trade or buy books, too."

"Well, you should think of your comfort first and foremost. I'm the wrong person to give such advice, of course, as I don't dress up or wear makeup, but I think the key is comfort. If you're happy with your appearance, good and bad, then it gives you a subtle confidence that can be appealing, I think," she said thoughtfuly.

She snorted. "I highly doubt that I'll be trying it anytime soon, Irma. As I said, I'm busy with the press and the shop, not to mention friends and projects. I've little enough time for myself much less anything complicated like searching for trouble."

[shh_irma]

"Would the poetry readings be already published works, or a way to scope out some new talent for the press?" Irma asked. "Of course, unless you find someone with a good speaking voice, you're looking at what I believe Muggles call kamikaze, except without the music."

She'd been to one kamikaze place, once, and she was never ever setting foot inside one ever again - even if someone so likable as Hermione Granger was arranging it. It had taken unmentionable amounts of alcohol to first make the singers passable, and then unknown quantities afterwards to forget some of the experience.

"A reading for children sounds like a good idea, too," she commented. "Hook them when they're young, before Quidditch nabs them."

She listened to Hermione's words on comfort and nodded at the right places. Such a sensible girl.

Irma raised an eyebrow at Hermione's unladylike sound. "Be that as it may. You should make a little room in your plans for romance, Hermione - all the printing presses, bookshops and projects in the world cannot make up for the lack of it. Trust an old lady on that issue. And from what I recall from Hogwarts - trouble usually seemed to find you and your friends - no need to go searching for it, is it?"

[shh_hermione]

"I think it might be interesting if it was published works with an opportunity for new poets or authors to have a place to read their work, too," she said. "I also tossed around the idea of a weekly book club. A little more social, but perhaps people reading the same book and discussing it during weekly or bi-weekly meetings. I know that I always enjoy finding people who like to read and talk about books."

"I'm not familiar with kamikaze," Hermione admitted, "but I don't think it would be similar to something with music. It would just be someone reading from a book, either one they'd written or possibly a popular title that might interest people. I went to readings when I was a child and always found them quite interesting."

"There's definitely no need to go searching. I imagine trouble of any sort, good or bad, will most likely find me regardless of my own thoughts on the matter," she said. "And I'll certainly trust your advice on that particular subject, Irma. Should a need arise, I'm sure I can balance things relatively well."

"Though, I must say that you should follow your own advice, then, and see about that advert or go on a manhunt, as the Muggles often call it. Unless your interests lie elsewhere," she said, blushing slightly as she realized that was a possibility and should be addressed. After all, Ron liked both and the statistics seemed to suggest that a relatively decent percentage of people also did. "In which case, good luck with whichever preference you happen to have."

[shh_irma]

"Yes," Irma sighed. "Talking about books... You can put me down for joining a book-club, if you start one. It's not the same to discuss books one has read, with one's own son via OWL post, now that the Floo isn't working, as it is to do so with other adults." Especially as their relationship had been a bit strained since Christmas.

"Kamikaze," Irma shuddered. "The horrible memories of it is still making me cringe years afterwards. I think it was a staff member at Hogwarts who thought it was a good idea to try out some Muggle notions or another. The details are a bit fuzzy."

She looked questioningly at Hermione. "Preference?"

[shh_hermione]

"Well, then, we'd have at least two members, so that's a good enough start for me to plan it more thoroughly," she said. "I'd like for Bookworm to be utilized as a bookshop but also for encouraging a love of books and learning. There's a spare room upstairs that I plan to turn into a setting for meetings or readings, in fact."

Hermione made a note to look up this kamikaze activity just out of curiosity. It must be quite dreadful, judging on Irma's reaction.

"Oh, um, well," she stammered, suddenly wishing she'd not been so politically correct. "A lot of people are attracted to members of the opposite sex, but others are attracted to people of the same sex. There's even a growing percentage who, uh, indulge in intimate acts with either sex. I didn't wish to offend you, as I'm fully aware that such things are a person's private business and should be respected regardless of where they happen to fall in that scheme of things, by automatically assuming one way or another. I happen to be attracted to men, but a good friend of mine likes both men and women and another happens to be a man who fancies men, so it's made me more aware of such things and trying not to just assume."

[shh_irma]

"Please, do," Irma encouraged, and raised an eyebrow. Bookworm? "It sounds like a nice place, if you also have additional space for gatherings."

She looked amused at Hermione's stammering. "Thank you for the explanation," she said dryly. "I was, of course, aware that people might be interesting in their own sex. Certain literature going back, especially wizarding, although also Muggles might've written about it… focus on it."

Irma decided to take pity on the girl. "But personally, I've got a fondness for males. Or a preference, if you prefer."

[shh_hermione]

"Well, I assumed you would be, but I think the nature of enjoying both is only more recently become acceptable to discuss in polite company," she said. "And, even then, I assume there are many who wouldn't consider it acceptable at all. Silly, really, for people to care so much who another person loves or, in some cases, is having an intimate relationship with in a casual manner."

The salad was quite good, so she focused on eating for a time, pleased that she'd decided to stop for lunch other than what little she had in the kitchen to make herself. This was much better than tinned soup again.

[shh_irma]

"Unless one is into exhibtionism, or hurting someone without their consent, what one does in private is one's own affair, I think," she sniffed. There were certainly things she'd done that she not care to have moralized. "But then again, I've never really given a fig about what others might think of me. Being silly about relationships like that is not at all the sensible thing to do."

She wasn't going to consider the fact that some might consider her silly about her son's relationships - the woman was clearly all wrong for him.

Irma finished up her soup and made motions to gather her purse and coat. "I am so glad I decided to take this time off," she said. "Both the food and the company has been delicious."

[shh_hermione]

"Exactly," Hermione agreed. She smiled. "Neither have I. Cared about anyone's opinions about me, that is. People can whisper whatever they'd like or attempt to pass judgement without any real impact because we're being true to ourselves. That philosophy has helped me a great many times throughout the years, and I imagine it will continue to do in the future."

She finished her salad and nodded. "It was a most enjoyable afternoon, Irma. I always enjoy interesting conversation. We'll have to do it again sometime, and I'll certainly owl you next week about your collection. Have a good day."