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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 14, 2008 22:06:25 GMT -5
Molly rolled her eyes just slightly. "Yeah, my brothers, maybe," she murmured. Not a lot of gentlemen did a lot of 'sweeping' lately. How man times had she lamented with Andromeda about that very fact? Of course, she had some new mystery man in her life now, leaving Molly the single one, with no one left to vent to.
She sat up straight at those last words, though, frowning again, though not in a bad way. Arthur seemed to be gaining more confidence, but he wasn't abusing it or being cocky about it. In fact, as quickly as he had lost her, he reeled her back in. "That's the sweetest thing someone has said to me in a long time, Arthur."
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 14, 2008 22:21:56 GMT -5
Was she daft? He'd essentially just admitted that, as a possible knight in shining armor, he was more a clumsy, tarnished knight with dented armor, and that was sweet? He felt his cheeks burn red, and he grinned against his will. Maybe not all girls were looking for a hero. Was that it? Maybe she was already thinking of ways she could fix him up. He'd heard women liked to do that. Change his hair, pluck his eyebrows, get him some new clothes, teach him to ride a motorbike.... things like that. Was that what she was thinking? He couldn't imagine any other reason she would have thought him anything but a prat after that remark.
"You're welcome." He gave an awkward laugh. "As I said, I'm not very good at this. But you caught my eye and you still haven't let go. I just wish I could have started talking to you without soaking your sleeve--and my lap--in butterbeer. I would have liked to come off a little cooler... less clumsy... more like Ted..."
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 14, 2008 22:29:07 GMT -5
Her eyebrows went up. When he got his confidence back, he definitely ran with it. "You're quite a sweet talker, aren't you?" She asked, playfully. Every time he said something that was in danger of sounding like a line, he followed it up with something endearingly human. He'd sweep her off her feet, but drop her, caught his eye but wished he was cooler.
She leaned back to glance around behind him, making sure his friend was still gone. "Can I be brutally honest? And I don't mean to sound rude or mean, as I don't really know either of you, but I wouldn't still be talking to you if you were more like your friend."
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 14, 2008 23:34:50 GMT -5
Arthur was floored. "Really?" he gasped. "No one's ever said that to me before."
It was true. One the rare occasions he hung out with Ted, the girls were always all over them... to talk to Ted. He was usually all but invisible, and when the girls did talk to him, it was usually to ask about Ted. Lately, however, since Ted had been seeing Andromeda, he'd been paying less attention to the girls. He barely even noticed them most nights. And that, of course, only made them want him more.
"Ted's a good guy, really... he has a girlfriend," he blurted out. "He's supposed to meet her here later. I was just supposed to keep him company till she got here." He gave her a crooked smile. "I'm used to being ignored when I'm out with Ted," he confessed.
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 15, 2008 0:03:16 GMT -5
Molly quirked her head to the side. "I imagine he does have a girlfriend," she said, imagining that Ted was often flocked by girls. She just didn't see the point of being attracted to a pretty face. Especially one that knew it was pretty.
She shrugged. "I'm sure he is a great guy, too," she added, feeling bad for having said anything. "Like I said, I don't know either of you." She smiled wide before she said her next words. "And first impressions can be rough, right?"
She took another sip of her drink before her eyebrows knit, and she looked back at him. "Wait a minute... didn't he say you two were meeting someone from your work?"
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 15, 2008 14:49:27 GMT -5
Arthur let out a nervous laugh. "Yes... first impressions... I'm not making a very good one on you, am I?"
He wanted to tell him his first impression of her, but he was sure she would think he was just giving her another line. But the truth was, she had him captivated. She had a warmth and gentleness about her that drew him in and wouldn't let go. Most girls weren't like that.... they didn't have the caring heart he already was convinced she had. She must have, to still be talking to him after all this time.
"I figure I'm made a right arse of myself, haven't I? It's not easy talking to girls, and I don't get out much..."
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 15, 2008 14:59:09 GMT -5
She smiled softly, gently, and shook her head. "You're doing fine, Arthur," she assured him. He had to see that she was obviously still interested: she was still talking to him, afterall. It was her turn, she figured, to show him that she enjoyed talking to him.
She sat up straighter and set her hands in her lap. "What are you doing when your friend's girlfriend shows up?" She asked. "Because I had forgotten how good these butterbeers were, and I will probably want another."
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 15, 2008 15:42:48 GMT -5
Smiling wryly, he shook his head. "You're just being kind," he said. "I really didn't start out very well. But... I did mean what I said. I saw you from across the room, when I first walked in... I didn't even see your face, but I knew I wanted to talk to you. I wish I'd done it differently, but... I'm glad I got the chance, anyway."
At the mention of Ted and his girlfriend, Arthur glanced around quickly. Ted had been gone for a while, it seemed. Had Andromeda already shown up and left with Ted, and he'd been so busy staring at Molly that he'd missed it? "Oh... well, when Andromeda got here, I was probably just going to leave..." he said. "But I wouldn't mind staying to talk to you some more."
No, he wouldn't mind at all. He'd be happy to stay and talk to her for as long as she'd let him.
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 15, 2008 15:57:23 GMT -5
"I promise I'm not just being nice," she said with a bubbly little laugh. He had been clumsy, and stuttering, and used the most cliche line in the book, yes. She would give him that. But he was trying so hard she had to give him a little slack, and he really did seem like a sweet guy. Besides, even if all she did was order another butterbeer and talk to him for a little while, that was fine. Better, even. No harm done, and she would have had some good company for a little while. Which made most possible outcomes after that seem perfectly fine too.
She was jolted from her thoughts when he said that name though. No... Andromeda couldn't possibly be dating the guy who had just walked into the bathroom. It had to be another Andromeda. Because the name was so common...
"I'm sorry... did you say Andromeda?" She asked. "Andromeda Black?"
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 15, 2008 16:04:01 GMT -5
She had an adorable laugh. For a moment afterwards, that was literally all he could think about. No words came to his mind, he just stared with what he could only assume was a dopey grin.
Arthur hadn't even realized he'd said Andromeda's name; it had somehow just slipped out. He was so caught up in trying not to continue to make an arse of himself that he hadn't really thought about what he was saying. Even now, as she repeated it, he was surprised by her reaction.
"Uh, yeah, actually..." he stammered. "That's who we were waiting for. Do you know her?"
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 15, 2008 16:12:21 GMT -5
"Yeah..." Molly said slowly. This put a new spin on things. Maybe she had completely misjudged Ted, which actually kind of irritated her. But if Andi thought he was good enough to date... Merlin knew the girl had high standards, and she didn't settle. Ever.
Molly smiled again. "Yes, I know her. She's one of my best friends, actually. And she's..." she shook her head. "She's dating your friend?" Now she was going to have to give the boy a second chance.
Well, it was only fair. She'd given Arthur asecond chance, and he was making the most of it. Looking at Ted and Arthur, she could see where the friendship mirrored hers and Andi's in certain ways. Andi never seemed to notice, and would tell Molly she'd been imagining things, but the guys did tend to look at her first. Molly didn't have a lot of trouble with guys noticing her, but she did notice a 'second choice' vibe from some who admired Andromeda.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 15, 2008 16:29:36 GMT -5
Arthur had a moment of quiet panic. Andromeda was Molly's best friend? He had a terrified flash of Molly talking later to Andromeda about her encounter with the babbling idiot who spilled butterbeer all over her and asked her the dreaded "do you come here often?" question. He knew how girls talked to each other; they held nothing back. Would Andromeda report it all back to Ted, who, as a good friend, would tell him what he'd done wrong?
He tried to quell these fears and keep his smile steady. "Yes, they've been going out for a while now, actually." Shouldn't she know that, he thought, if they were best friends? But maybe Andromeda prefered to keep things a bit more quiet. "But he was out of town for a few weeks and just got back in a few days ago. From what I can see, they've gotten closer than ever. Ted won't say anything about it, but I can tell by the look on his face when he talks about her... it's like he thinks she hung the moon. And knowing Andromeda, she probably did," he added with a lopsided grin.
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 15, 2008 16:40:44 GMT -5
Molly raised an eyebrow as she listened to this, and shook her head slowly. "I really have to make more time to see her. She told me she was seeing someone... just never told me his name. I assumed she was waiting until I met him." She felt foolish now. How long had Andromeda been involved with Ted? She really should have known. "Well I do know that he makes her happy."
She sighed, and her shoulders rolled forward as she leaned against the bar. "Yeah, well, being named after a galaxy and a constellation would give her exclusive rights to the moon," she smiled. She would, of course, be talking to Andromeda about all of this, but she wasn't worried what got back to Ted. Arthur was right that they held nothing back... girls were brutally honest to each other about men.
"Well, I would like it, if you stayed. I could use the company, and I doubt I'll get any from Ted or Andi if they're as smitten as you say."
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 15, 2008 18:58:01 GMT -5
Arthur smiled, and some of the nervousness he'd felt since the beginning of their conversation began to abate. But he still had to be careful not to blow it again or say something really stupid. For whatever reason, she really seemed to like him. At least for now.
"I'd like to stay," he replied genuinely. He waved at the bartender and ordered another butterbeer, vowing not to spill this one. "Although," he said to Molly while the bartender was pouring his drink, "I'm beginning to wonder whether Ted and Andromeda have already met up and abandoned us. Either that, or perhaps Ted fell in," he added with a laugh. It did seem as if Ted had been gone a while, but maybe that was just the curious effect of time seeming to slow down during excruciatingly embarrassing moments.
The bartender handed him his drink and another large wad of napkins, which Arthur supposed he deserved. Taking a sip from his drink, he nodded at her glass. "Do you need a refill?"
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Post by Ted Tonks on Aug 15, 2008 19:12:00 GMT -5
Or that Ted has been very careful to leave Arthur alone with this girl he was so interested in. He had very discreetly slipped into the table in the corner, occassionally looking over at Arthur and Molly. She seemed genuinely interested, and it made him smile.
He checked his muggle watch, wondering where Andromeda was.
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 15, 2008 19:15:53 GMT -5
Molly couldn't help but laugh again when the bartender handed him the stack of napkins, and she looked at him guiltily. "He's a grumpy sort, isn't he?" She asked in a quiet voice when he had turned around.
"Heard that," the man grumbled.
"I'm fine for now," Molly told Arthur. Her drink was half gone, but she was taking her time with it, partly because she wanted to see Andi, and partly... mostly... because she was in no rush to leave Arthur. She wasn't sure that she was attracted to him, but he definitely had her interest piqued, and she was enjoying their conversation, even it it stayed on safe and neutral topics.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 15, 2008 23:16:58 GMT -5
Arthur took another sip from his drink, relieved at last to have something to do with his hands. At least they had stopped shaking enough for him to hold the glass steadily now. But it seemed that the conversation was in danger of running dry. This wasn't good, because it made it all the more likely that, in an attempt to keep talking to her, he would blurt out something stupid.
Biting his bottom lip, he tried to think of something to say. He needed to make sure he didn't come out with another clunker like "Come here often" or she'd surely lose whatever patience she had left. "So, er, Molly... What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?" Hopefully, she had an interesting job that might spur some discussion.
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 16, 2008 0:17:12 GMT -5
Molly hated that question, and she hesitated on it for a minute. She loved her job, she really did. But it wasn't that interesting, and certainly wasn't glamorous.
She lookd around before letting her eyes settle back on him. "I'm a waitress," she said, and then quickly added, "And if I may be so bold as to presume... I would guess you worked at the Ministry. Are you an Auror?" Ted had said they were meeting someone from work, and Andi worked at the Ministry, which, if Ted had been telling the truth, meant so did he and Arthur.
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Post by Arthur Weasley on Aug 16, 2008 0:31:37 GMT -5
Arthur wasn't surprised that she was a waitress. It seemed to suit her. She had the warmth and friendliness that would make customers feel at ease in a restaurant. But he caught the way she quickly changed the subject, as if she wasn't particularly proud of her job, or felt it not worth discussing. He made a note to go back to the subject, and somehow reassure her. But she'd asked him a question, and he'd deal with that first.
"Oh, Merlin, no," he said, shaking his head quickly. "I'm not an Auror. I do work at the Ministry, but I'm afraid my job is not quite so glamourous as all that. I work in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, actually. I've always been fascinated by muggle things, so this was a good fit for me."
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Post by Molly Prewett on Aug 16, 2008 0:41:10 GMT -5
"Really?" She asked. It probably really was a mundane job, but Molly had Black blood in her, and as wonderful as her mother was, she couldn't disregard her upbringing so easily. There weren't a lot of muggle things around, considering her father had been a wizard as well. She never found a need to learn them, but his job still sounded intriguing to her.
"I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with the department. What does your work actually entail?"
That was the trick... keep him talking about his work.
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