RP: "So You Really Don't Think It's a Portal Into Another Dimension?"

[shh_dean]

Date: 17 March 2005
Characters: Eleanor Branstone, Dean Thomas
Location: Corner of River Road and D
Status: Private
Summary: Eleanor and Dean look at a very large hole.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[shh_eleanor]

After Ernie's letter the night before, Eleanor was feeling a bit better about him being away, and no longer felt the need to fill her time to keep her mind off of things.

She was looking forward to seeing Dean and finally starting the process of getting the rest of the house livable. She'd had plenty of time to think about what she wanted to do with the rooms upstairs, and she was eager to talk to him about it. She just hoped that her savings account would stretch that far.

When the knock came, Eleanor jumped up and jogged over to answer it. "Mr. Thomas," she greeted, shaking the hand he offered. "It's nice to see you again, but please just call me Eleanor."

[shh_dean]

"Okay just call me Eleanor, I'm just Dean then." Dean bowed his head slightly and shook her hand.

He liked her already. She had an easy going grace to her that made Dean comfortable. He chuckled as he thought he'd met several people this weekend he could say the same about now.

But it was strange to feel this way with Eleanor. Normally, Dean was shy with women. Of course, he'd blathered like an idiot with Hermione but to Dean, she was an old friend and he'd always considered her as someone he could trust.

He stepped into the home and saw that it was tastefully decorated which was exactly what he'd expected from someone like Eleanor.

After noddng his head in appreciation at her home, he turned to her and asked, "So do I get a grand tour or do we go straight to work?"

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor chuckled at Dean's joke. "Alright then, Dean." She was glad he wasn't an uptight sort of person, because Eleanor didn't always know how to act around those types, but he seemed fairly laid back, which helped put her at ease.

She waved him in and shut the door behind him. "I could give you a tour if you'd like. The ground floor is in pretty good shape, but I wouldn't know the difference unless the problem was rather big, like a hole in the wall. Might not be a bad idea to have someone with some experience in that area have a look."

She led him into the kitchen, and then remembered that she had repaired the back door on her own. "Er, the back door was hanging off it's hinges when I moved in. I fixed it myself, though I couldn't quite figure out how to use the screwdriver properly. Is it alright that I used a hammer instead?"

She showed him the rest of the ground floor, explaining her plans to use the bedroom as a study once she was finished, and pointing out the few cracked windows. "Shall we go take a look at the hole then

[shh_dean]

Dean walked around Eleanor's home listening to her speak about her house with pride. The walls seemed to be in good shape but he'd want to cast a few diagnostic spells to test their integrity along with the foundation

[shh_eleanor]

Eleanor grinned. "Yeah, he is. Both of those things." She shook her head. "Sorry. I reckon I get a bit carried away where he's concerned."

"No, it's not really," Eleanor agreed. "It just seems like it sometimes. But I don't think stealing biscuits for a while should be a problem. Unless you have the upstairs finished super fast."

Eleanor set aside her cup and jumped up from the table. "Yes, of course it is," she told him on her way to the fridge. She hauled out the stew pot, and fetched a bowl.

"Thanks, I appreciate that," she said, as she ladled stew into the bowl. After sticking it in the mircrowave and turning it on, she turned back to Dean. "So, McGonagall told me you're one of her Gryffindors. Do you know Hermione? I work for her at the bookshop."

[shh_dean]

"Talk all you want about him as long as the food keeps coming." Dean grinned. "I'm not a lisenced psychologist but a man must have his price."

"I think it'll be a week or a little bit more to complete the rooms," Dean said. He pondered for a moment longer before he added, "I think that the finishing work might take another week."

"Thanks," Dean smiled sheepishly. He normally wouldn't impose this much but the conversation was good and Eleanor was a great cook.

"Hermione? I knew her fairly well, we were the same class together until the war." He grew quiet at the mention of that time. He tried not to think of it, so he brightened and said, "She was a bossy thing back then. But one of the most generous people I have ever met and fascinating. She's a true friend to those who are lucky enough to call her that."

Dean leaned forward a bit on the table and asked, "I've seen her once but what's she like to work for?"

[shh_eleanor]

"Well if your price is food then I might just take advantage of that," Eleanor said with a laugh. "Ernie's out of town, and my friend Rose has been studying so much I barely see her at all. You might regret saying that. I'll likely chat your ear off

[shh_dean]

"I'm easy," Dean grinned. "You can chat my ear off at any time." He winked, "With or without food."

"Magic can speed things up alot." he said while he leaned forward again. "Plus it's four men, so they'll all be working together." Dean heard her concern about the owl and replied, "We can put a door in for the owl in the workroom."

"How many in your family?" Dean asked curiously. He almost began to salivate when she pulled out the stew and he realized he did need to learn to cook one day. "The windows are no where near enough payment for how well you've fed me."

Dean tucked into his stew while she spoke about Hermione. The food was wonderful and Dean almost felt his belly begin to bulge from everything he'd eaten. He made sure to swallow before he said, "That sounds like Hermione. She could always outwork anyone and she made things easy for others. She is interesting but I don't know if she can hold a candle to your cooking."