RP: It's her hair and her eyes today...

[shh_oliver]

Date: 17 November 2004
Character(s): Oliver Wood and Penelope Clearwater
Location: River Place, then Roma's, then we don't know yet
Status: Private
Summary: It's their first dinner date!
Completion: Complete

Comments

[shh_penny]

Penelope had been fretting all day. She had not been on any sort of date since, well, the last millenium. She had also been struck with the realization that she had no dressy clothes.

Oh dear.

Upon many changes of clothes, she finally settled on a simple burgundy dress. She accessorized with a pair of silver earrings and pinned a few pieces of her hair back. She cast a simple Cosmetic Charm, not trusting herself with applying any sort of make-up manually and shrugged into her travelling cloak. She had only just finished applying a bit of perfume when she heard a knock at the door.

She Summoned her cane and made her way to the door.

She took a deep breath and opened it.

[shh_oliver]

Oliver had begun muttering to himself about how this was only Penny and they'd known each other forever and how everything would be fine and he wouldn't bugger things up when the door opened. He stopped, gaping when he saw her.

"I..er..um." Just a second. Inhale, exhale. "Wow. You look.." He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "Beautiful." Yeah, that was the word he was looking for.

[shh_penny]

She blushed although Penelope would have been lying if she had said that she didn't want such a reaction. Beautiful was always a good thing to have said about you, she thought.

"And I'm sure you look suitably handsome," she said with a grin.

[shh_oliver]

"Pshaw, I don't know about that, love," Oliver replied, his own cheeks turning a bit pink. And then he remembered. "Oh. I brought these for you, too." He handed her the flowers. "It's not much, and nothing fancy, but...I thought you might like them."

[shh_penny]

Penelope took the flowers from him and thanked him.

"They smell wonderful, Oliver."

She went into the kitchen and Summoned a vase to put the flowers in. After they were settled in the vase she made her way back to the door.

"Shall we go, then?"

[shh_oliver]

Oliver smiled and waited just outside her door as she found a vase for them. "We most certainly shall." He offered her his arm as they turned to make their way out.

"So how have you been these last few days, Miss Penny?"

[shh_penny]

She followed his lead out her apartment, being sure to lock the door before they left.

"Good," she said, "a bit busy to be honest. Paperwork and the like has been building up since the end of the war. How about you?"

[shh_oliver]

"Not bad at all. I don't know if you've heard, but I've organized- well, sort of- a pick-up game of Quidditch tomorrow. There'll be a picnic, as well. You're more than welcome to come out, you know." He smiled over at her.

"Oh! And I met you neighbor- Wayne? And I've got a job!" It had been a busy week for Oliver.

[shh_penny]

"Oh?" she asked. It was news to her. Penelope had always been a fan of Quidditch, at least, in a spectator fashion. However, the actual prospect of chasing around balls for a living had always sounded a bit tiresome. Not, of course, that'd she ever say that to Oliver.

"Well, perhaps I'll have to make an appearance," she said.

The idea of meeting some of the newcomers in the town was exciting to her. There hadn't been much time for socialization during the war and it would be nice to reaquaint herself with some old friends.

"You met Wayne? Oh, that's fantastic!" she said, "He's been like a brother to me since I moved in in February. Did he get you the job then?"

[shh_oliver]

"Yeah. Tomorrow, around noon. We'll be a bit west- not far from here, if I remember correctly." He bounced a little as they walked. "It would be great if you could come- I hear there's going to be a pretty good turnout. I can't wait to see everybody again."

"Yeah, I met Wayne. Accidentally knocked him on his arse, actually." He smiled a bit sheepishly. "I start training with his family's hotel on Monday." Raking his fingers through his hair, he glanced up at the sky. "I've never done that sort of thing before, so...Well, it should be interesting."

[shh_penny]

She nodded. The excitement was clear in his voice. Of course, Quidditch had always meant a great deal to Oliver.

Penelope laughed as she tried to imagine their chance meeting.

"I'm sure you'll do fine," she replied. She patted his arm in an encouraging sort of way.

"What sort of work will you be doing?"

[shh_oliver]

"A bit of everything for now," he replied. "I think Monday I'm just starting with different aspects of hotel running- training up so I know what's going on." He shrugged. "And then he's looking to start a hotel here, so I'll be helping him with that."

The restaurant was just ahead of them, and they crossed the street to get to it. He pulled the door open for her and let her step in just before him.

[shh_penny]

"A good hotel is just what this place needs," said Penelope.

She heard the sound of a door opening and she stepped in ahead of Oliver.

"Ever the gentleman," she said with a grin.

The restaurant smelled divine and the thought of a good Italian dinner made her grin even wider.

"Have I mentioned how much I love Italian food?"

"

[shh_oliver]

"You might have mentioned it once or twice before," Oliver replied with a bright smile, taking her hand as a boy came by to take them to a table. He led them to a booth and Oliver waited for Penny to take her seat before he slid in across from her.

"What sort of things do you like?" he asked, taking one of the menus the boy handed them. He glanced his over as the boy walked off and a waitress appeared to take their drink orders.

[shh_penny]

Penelope shrugged out of her travelling cloak and ordered a peppermint tea.

"Tortellini," she said, "Cheese-filled tortellini, with alfredo sauce, baked with cheese."

She grinned. "I love cheese."