WHO: Meredith Fielding & Derek Dobbs
WHAT: 199% Chance This Is Going To Be An Awkward Thread
WHERE: Derek's flat
WHEN: Erm... today?

( I’m sorry for barging in, but I’ll admit it’s funny to see you again. )

It was very inconvenient trying to meet up with a hitwizard, did you know? If she didn't know any better, Meredith would have thought that Derek had been trying to avoid their meeting--which, honestly, was just fine with her. If he kept moving it back, even after they had already moved it back, then no one could say that she hadn't tried, and eventually she could just stop rescheduling and forget about it, guilt-free. So, he had saved her life twice in one day. So what? She was trying to show him some appreciation, but if he didn't show up, then what could she really do?

Okay, so he said he was busy with work, and work was saving the lives of other people, but still. She didn't really owe him anything, did she? He had said it himself, it was his job, anyone would have done it, so.

So this was the last time she would wait for him, only to get an apology owl an hour later about how he'd gotten tied up at the Ministry. Meredith flicked her wrist around to check the time as she tapped a rhythm of impatience with a set of newly manicured nails against the tabletop of the Leaky Cauldron. Ten more minutes she'd wait for him, and then she was done trying this. Ten more minutes and he threw her conscience out the window for her.

WHO: Derek Dobbs & Meredith Fielding
WHAT: Inpromptu and accidental hospital visits!
WHEN: Saturday afternoon
WHERE: St. Mungo's

( And he had thought when he made her laugh that maybe--maybe-- they'd be a little less uncomfortable with each other. Regardless... it had been a nice sound. )

"I'm glad you could come!"

Meredith waved to one of the many people whom she recognized and took a sip out of the glass she was holding. She looked around, surveying the people who had come--this party had definitely been a good idea, just look at everyone who had shown up! It was almost as good as the parties that those rich Slytherin girls threw, except that none of them were there. Which was alright, she told herself, because they were rude anyway, but how cool would it have been if a party she and Phoebe threw had actually attracted one or two?

There was a big bonfire blazing a few meters away and Meredith went over to place herself down in the sand around it. She leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs out, watching the silhouettes of her feet as she wiggled her toes. It was going to be murder to get all of this sand off of her at the end of the night, but none of that mattered right now. This was awesome and nothing was about to spoil her night.

Ahhhh freedom. It was a good feeling, if only a temporary one. On one hand, in September she'd be back at school again, as a 7th year, fighting her way through her N.E.W.T. year and putting her nose to the grindstone to scratch by with half a decent score card. But then again, it was still June, which meant that for another couple months she could still lay around, catch some sun by the pool, and enjoy being a teenager. That was, when she wasn't shopping with Ainsley and hanging out with her friends and having parties and---

---"Hey, watch it!"

Oh, that had come out ruder than she had intended. Meredith brushed off her skirt and blushed lightly, because even though some inconsiderate, blind moron had just walked straight into her--curse being small, honestly, people just imagined they could walk straight over you--she had still been rather snippy. She frowned and re-seated her bag on her shoulder before looking up, mouth open and an apology already on the tip of her tongue when--

"You have got to be kidding me." It was shocking, how quickly one girl could turn worry into a glare.

Derek couldn't say it wasn't at least a little odd being back at Hogwarts. Even though he'd been a little sad to leave, Derek mostly enjoyed not attending classes anymore--that is to say, at least he started training to be a Hit Wizard. But even then, he had to admit some of the classes here had been more rigorous than training could ever have been.

And it was very weird that his work should bring him here, but with a suspected criminal in Hogsmeade and the general Dark Activity, Hit Wizards and Aurors were soon to be maintaining a watch over the general chaos of Hogwarts releasing for the summer. After reporting to Professor Dumbledore for information and general direction, he took a little walk through the grounds, remembering tidbits from when he had been in school. All of this, of course, was going quite peacefully until he saw a flash of blond charging from nowhere.

"Oi, oi, OI! WATCH I--"