RP: Moonlight Serenade (Grand Opening of Hammerside Fitness)

[shh_dean]

Date: 8 September 2005
Characters: Fleur Delacour, Dean Thomas, and anyone else.
Location: Hammerside
Status: Public
Summary: Moonlight Serenade
Completion: Incomplete.

Comments

[shh_alicia]

The week had been hard. Alicia hadn’t allowed herself time to be sad about Charlie not returning, but had instead buried herself in work and training. Whenever she was home, she had spent all her time playing with Bert, and had managed to teach him to hide his face behind a paw whenever she said “Oliver”. Why, she wasn’t entirely sure, but she was certain it would be a great way to annoy Oliver at some point.

Oliver had pretty much convinced her to move into Hammerside, just like he had, so when she had received the invitation to the Moonlight Serenade Dance, she had decided to go, even though she would be going alone, and it meant that she had to go to her parents’ place to pick up her gown, shoes and jewelry.

Now that she was ready to go, she was beginning to have second thoughts. Suddenly, she couldn’t name one person she knew would be there tonight who would be there alone. She looked at Bert, who looked back at her and tilted his head, as if asking her what exactly her problem was.

“You’re such a good boy,” Alicia cooed, and ruffled his fur, before she grabbed her purse, and apparated to Hammerside, wanting to at least get out of the flat, before the burst of resoluteness faded out of her.

She was set on having a great night, no matter what, when she opened the door into the atrium, and looked around the beautifully decorated place. Everything was so elaborate, and suddenly she found her silvery evening dress very plain, and as she saw the couples around the place, she felt very alone. She heaved in a deep breath, and slowly walked further inside, unconsciously swaying to the rhythm of the slow jazz that was filling the room.

[shh_dean]

Dean caught sight of Alicia as he was looking for Parvati. He hadn't spoken to her since the year before when she'd been dating Seamus and he wondered how she was doing now. Dean knew she worked at the Five Alarm but she had left there a few months ago and he wondered what she was doing now.

But Oliver had mentioned that she might want to live in the building and Dean would be happy to see her move in. He thought Alicia had an infectious personality and he'd welcome her with open arms to Hammerside.

When he saw her swaying to the music, he wondered if she was there alone and why the hell no one brought her to the dance. She looked absolutely stunning and Dean decided to take matters into his own hands, reaching over and grabbing two bottles of ale from one of the wait staff working the dance before he walked over to Alicia and grinned. "You look thirsty after all that swaying."

[shh_alicia]

”Wha-?” Alicia had been caught up in the music, so when a friendly voice reached her, she nearly swirled around, and broke into a grin when she saw Dean standing next to her, holding two ales.

“Dean!” she exclaimed with a soft laugh, still grinning, “I’m sure you’re aware that when you put on such music, people are bound to sway and become thirsty.”

She looked around the room, before she addressed him again. “The place is just stunning,” she said, “I have to admit that when you first began working on this, I had no idea how you were ever to make the place even remotely habitable and now… you have people dressed formally, and… and…” with a fluttering hand she gestured around them. “And ducks.”

[shh_dean]

Dean grinned at Alicia's surprise while he held out an ale to her and commented. "You know, it is unfair that you sway like that. All of these married men are watching you like you're Big Ben or something."

He brought his bottle up and held it in toast. "Here's to old friends and renewing acquaintances." Dean clinked his bottle against hers and took a swig before he belched and patted his chest. "Sorry, I guess I shouldn't have had so many of those bacon wrap thingies."

"Thank you. Fleur, Dennis and I worked hard here and it's paying off." He smiled and held his arms out to encompass the place. "People can come here and make it their own. That's what it's all about really. Oh, and the ducks too." Looking over at Alicia, he asked, "How have you been doing?"

[shh_alicia]

Alicia clinked her bottle to Dean’s and drank from it, nearly spewing her mouthful when he belched. Normally she wouldn’t have been affected by it at all, but there was something different about being dressed in formal, with high heels, hair up high and make up while you drank from the bottle and the man in front of you, wearing tuxedo and shining like a newly minted Galleon belched like a school boy.

It made her relax. Dean had always been a great bloke, though she had worried about how he would take to her when Seamus had traded her in for Mandy.

“Been keeping myself busy,” she said with a slow bobbing of her head, “Quidditch, both the League and the World Cup. Trying to keep up with Oliver, without letting him take over my life completely. And… adopted a dog I believe to be around the same age as Dumbledore.”

She smiled at him and gave him a gentle nudge with her elbow. “How about yourself? I assume you’ve had some sort of life outside this Atrium.”

[shh_dean]

"Well, it could have been something much more dangerous happening there if you know what I mean." Dean countered, trying to act offended by sticking his nose slightly in the air before he burped again. "Bloody hell." He muttered and covered his mouth.

"Older than Dumbledore." He laughed, a bit of the bubbles from his ale rising up through his nose. "I think that bringing Quidditch back will be brilliant and Oliver is a handful. How is the World Cup team shaping up?"

"Me? Just opening a gym, dating Parvati Patil now, working on some projects for my Muggle architectural firm and practically sleeping in the atrium." Dean smirked before he decided to take a chance as he said idly. "Also looking around for any new tenants. Know anyone who might be interested?"

[shh_alicia]

“Ah, I see the Captain has been extending his working on me to include an innocent now.” Alicia sent Dean and apologetic look before she grinned and nodded. “But yes, I do happen know someone who might be interested.” She nodded like she was talking about somebody very important and famous. “Nice bird, really, though she does come with a pet. Simply trying to make a new start for herself for the… uhm…” she counted on her fingers, “second or third time this year. Seems to’ve become a bit of a habit of hers, but she’ll probably grow out of it, once she’s found a decent place to live.”

She winked at him and took a long swig from her beer, and without even trying, or realizing that it was coming, she let go of a very unladylike belch. “Bloody hells, Thomas. You infectious or something?”

[shh_dean]

"Captain?" Dean asked before he remembered Oliver was Captain for the Hogwarts team for his first three years. His memories also seemed to tell him that Alicia had been one hell of a Chaser along with Katie Bell. "I don't call him that. I just call him Oliver or hey, get your underpants off your door handle."

"Is she now?" Dean asked, playing along as he tapped his finger on his chin. "So, this bird has a dog I've heard through the grapevine who is old. Will sid dog make it up the stairs?" He smiled before he said, "I'd love to have you here Alicia. You'd fit right in and we could always use another happy face around here. Plus you work downstairs, so it would be great for you too."

Dean chuckled at her belch and took a swallow of his ale before he said, "See, I like you already. You're kind of classy in that gassy sort of way."

[shh_alicia]

“Captain. Wood. Ollie. Prat. Git. Boss. Love. Lover. Bubblebutt. Mister. Woody.” Alicia listed and shrugged, “he’s like a dog; he’ll respond to any name as long as you catch the right tone.”

She looked up at him. Bloody Hells, has he always been this tall? “Yeah, the stairs are no problem at all. See, this dog may be old, but he hasn’t noticed that yet, so he believes he’s still a puppy… and he has the same amount of energy as a puppy. ‘Sides, he’s been living on the fifth floor since I got him, so he’ll be fine.” She smiled softly at him. “Thank you, Dean.” He had saved her from asking him about a flat, though she wouldn’t have minded doing that. This way, however, it wasn’t only Oliver who wanted her to move here, and that was a nice thought to carry along with her.

“Nothing like gasses at a dance like this,” she continued, changing the subject back to the easy light silliness that had appeared, “is that it gives everything this sort of glamorous haze without people even realizing it. That’s why there should always be fizzy drinks, bubbly ales…” she raised her bottle in toast to him again, “and small bacon finger thingies…. By the way, what are they really?”

[shh_dean]

"I can't call him that." Dean said quietly before leaning into her. "He's a big, angry, hairy bloke and do you see what he's wearing? A skirt. Do you know how tough you got to be to get away with wearing a skirt to something like this. Anyway, lover might get me in a bit of trouble too."

"Good, if not, we have the lift." He grinned and finished his ale before grabbing another ale for each of them off a tray. Opening them both, he added, "Well, only three floors here for residents and we have five flats here that are open." Shaking his head, he blushed a bit. "No reason to thank me. I should thank you. It's not every day a lovely bird agrees to live in your flats."

"The bacon thingies are prosciutto wrapped bella mushroom caps with a bit of spinach and cream cheese filling," Dean said a bit haughtily before he grinned. "I asked the caterers after I ate a dozen of them" He handed her the ale befoer he said, "I believe your gassiness makes you look even more radiant, Alicia."

[shh_alicia]

“Why, thank you, Dean,” Alicia smiled, accepting both the ale and the compliment, “and may I say, that you’ve really managed to create a gas-friendly establishment, which I believe only adds to your own radiance.” She winked at him and drank from her ale.

“And what an excellent host, too, I mean, you really sacrificed yourself with those prossie something spinach cheeses.” She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. “A dozen? Really? The sign of a true Gryffindor, although….” She gestured towards Oliver. “Big? Angry? Hairy? Maybe, but even though he’s wearing a skirt tonight, he isn’t wearing heels like any of the birds here, so how tough can he really be? Eh?”

[shh_dean]

"Your gratitude is appreciated. Here at Hammerside, we hate to waste any natural resources if possible." Dean tried to sound imperious but the slight giggling was throwing that off. "Well, enough about your flatulence issues."

He teased and then listened once more. "Anything with bacon is like a little early Christmas gift." Looking over at Oliver, he said quietly. "Right, heels are a right pain." Looking at Alicia, his mouth gaped open. "Not that I'd know or anything." He became a bit flustered before he admitted. "I had sisters alright?"

[shh_alicia]

“Sisters. Of course,” Alicia chuckled, before she leaned in and lowered her voice. “Just stay away from my heels, or I’ll never get them to stay on my feet if your canoes ever squeezed into them.” Grinning at him she padded his chest with a flat hand, and drank from her ale.

“Bacon is a highly underappreciated food,” Alicia said with a nod, “people keep talking about how it’s unhealthy and bad for you, and too much fat, too much salt, but really; it should be worshipped like a present from the Gods. Nothing better than a strip of it in the morning, all warm and steamy and…” she grinned, “or maybe even wrapped around spinach cheese, I have to go try that.” She stopped and looked up at him. “Spinach?” The laughed loudly. “Entertainment of the evening. You get all these people dressed up as if they were royalty, then feed them spinach, so they’ll have green smiles for the rest of the evening.”

[shh_dean]

"I don't have big feet." Dean exclaimed, offended now before he stuck his nose in the air and sniffed. "Well, if I do it's only because I was supposed to come out a clown with my hair and feet and whoever made me stopped just short."

When she pushed him slightly, he grinned. "Bacon is the nectar of the gods and there's nothing better for clogging an artery or two." He thought for a moment. "I wouldn't mind wrapping myself in it and just lounging around." Smiling, he replied. "That's my big joke in the end. Everyone goes home with green teeth, smelling like bacon fat. I'm going to be a happy man at the end of the night."

[shh_alicia]

“Aww,” Alicia cooed, “there’s no way you were supposed to have come out a clown.” She paused and smirked. “But your feet are bigger than my, so; you have big feet, and I’m sure that no matter how big your feet are, the fact that you pulled the bacon and spinach thing, is going to make you a hero.” She shrugged slightly. “And with Parvati, I’m sure you’ll be a happy man at the end of the evening.” She followed up with a wink to let him know she was teasing.

[shh_dean]

"I have a big nose too." Dean smiled and shook his head, looking down at her feet. "Well, your feet are smaller than mine, that's for sure. But definitely not dainty." He chuckled and shook his head. "That's how I'm going to make all my money. I'm going to make my money. Selling mouthwash and floss to people on their way out."

He finished his ale and smiled. "So when are you moving in?"