formerlygranger@aol.com — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:47:27 GMT

Who: Ron Weasley and Megan Jones
When: August 20, 2pm
Where: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes & The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley
What: Friendly lunch outing.

Megan: Working late nights at the Leaky Cauldron had started a horrible sleeping pattern for young Megan Jones. The brunette girl had on her lounging attire, which consisted of baggy black sweat pants, a blue t-shirt with a black hoodie type jacket, and sneakers. She wore a pair of sunglasses, like she had seen muggles in London were and her hair was in a messy bun from earlier. Hands in her pockets, she made her way through Diagon Alley and looked up to see where she was headed and saw the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. She hadn't been in there since the following year and hadn't really enjoyed both the twins poking at her pigtails. She took off the sunglasses and glanced around the shop, messing around with some of the things. She saw some Fainting Fancy and wrinkled her nose. She continued looking when she bumped into someone and stumbled backwards a little. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" She said, as she looked at the guy for a moment. "Ron?" She asked, moving her head to the side, a bit confused.

Ron: Ron was a bit miserable. He was supposed to have his day off today, but George had to attend some sort of mastermind conference and Ron was asked to cover the Diagon Alley shop. Same products, no big deal. But George left quite a few dozen boxes of inventory for Ron to go through, and it was a bright sunny August day-- he was really looking forward to his broom flight that he'd planned. Ah well. The store was fairly quiet today, and Ron took a bit of pride in knowing that the Hogsmeade branch was accumulating more business. Perhaps Ron had a knack for business afterall, or maybe it was just a better location. He was knocked out of his thoughts by being thrown off balance, leaning into the shelf of Canary Cremes he was currently stocking as he looked over at the witch... who seemed to know him. "Sorry, er-- do I know you?" He raked a hand through his too-long hair.

Megan: She scoffed and looked him over. "Let's see....I'm Gwenog Jones' Niece..Ex-Hufflepuff Keeper...Accidently flew into you two years ago during a match. Ring any bells?" She asked, as she looked him over a bit more and licked her lips. Megan knew that this boy would have forgotten her, but it's what most people do when they haven't seen each other in a long time. She took her hair out of the bunn and let it fall around her face, like it used to in school. "It's me, Megan..Megan Jones..."

Ron: He furrowed his brow as she described herself, and then broke out into a beaming grin. "Oi! I've still got a scar from that collision..." he pushed up his sleeve and showed her a tiny pinkish line of raised skin over his elbow. "Now I remember. Didn't know you were Gwenog Jones' niece though, that's bloody brilliant." He picked up his wand and continued pricing the Canary Creme boxes, placing each one neatly on the shelf. "Can I help you find something?"

Megan: "Nah, I'm just looking around. Late nights at work and I finally get a night off, so...I figured I'd roam around Diagon Alley and see if any of my old classmates were still around after...everything that happened." She said, as she ran her fingers through her hair and leaned down picking up one of the Punching Telescopes and sighed. "Boy, this place must be fun to work in." She said, with a a grin. "Oh, by the way, Sorry about giving you that scar." She said,looking innocent.

Ron: "Careful with that-- don't put it up to your eye--" he warned, grinning at the memory of Hermione making that mistake that left her bruised for a week a couple years ago. "It's sort of boring, actually. Not many customers-- most people spend their money on new robes and all that to go back to school, not joke products. We're busiest around Christmas hols." When she apologized about the scar, Ron just shrugged, pushing his sleeve all the way up, revealing two more severe looking scars-- one from the brains during the Department of Mysteries battle, and the other a large gash in his shoulder due to the splinching a year ago. "No big deal, can't even notice yours with these other two monsters, yeah?" He chuckled and kept pricing.

Megan: "Ouch! I heard about the whole Department of Mysteries thing from everyone..I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that stuff, but just be thankful that Lord Voldemort is gone." She said, as she reach over and touched the scars gently, looking at him. "So, um..do you think you can take a break and get something to eat with me? I get free food at theLeaky Cauldron, all thanks to Tom, my annoying, yet lovable in a strange way boss." She joked around, laughing.

Ron: He just shrugged. "Yeah, er... I reckon everyone's thankful he's gone." Ron didn't really like to talk about what they'd been through. He really didn't think anyone could understand besides Harry and Hermione. And he froze when he felt Megan's fingertips on his arms, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I, erm..... I really shouldn't, I've got to finish this up.." he said lamely, his ears turning a bit red. As if on cue, his stomach growled.

Megan: She stuck out her bottom lip and pouted a little bit until she heard his stomach and snorted. "Come on, you know you're straving!" She said, as she gaving him a look that mention she was trying to prove a point. "We can take it back to mine and Hannah's palce...Don't worry. This isn't some weird trap to snog you like your weird and disturbing fling with Lavender Brown." She said, rolling her eyes, thinking of her fellow classmate.

Ron: "Thanks for reminding me of that," he muttered, blushing harder. "All right, I'll go to the Leaky Cauldron with you, but I've only got a half hour so I don't think we should go back to your place..." In the back of Ron's mind, he had the feeling that Megan was into him, but the last thing he wanted was to jeopardize whatever the hell was going on with Hermione. Even though they'd barely even written in months..

Megan: She nodded. "Sounds good. The Leaky Cauldron it is." She said, with a grin and chewed on her bottom lip, as she watched him. "So, you aren't returning to Hogwarts?" She asked, just being curious. Both, she and Ron must have been told in a letter that she recieved and possibly him as well that they'd most likely be Keepers for their House teams again.

Ron: Ron chatted with her as he flicked his wand, setting the security charms while he locked up the shop for lunch, leading her out of the shop and onto the cobblestone alley. "No, I can't. George really needs my help with the Hogsmeade branch, so I'm usually there. I've got the flat atop the shop so it's pretty convenient." He muttered the spell to lock the door and they walked towards the pub.

Megan: "Yeah, I couldn't see myself returning to school. It was too hard to go back after Cedric died...He was one of my close friends." She said, looking at the ground and sighing softly. "Well, How's Harry and Hermione...and your loving sister?" She asked, as she reached into her pocket again and pulled out a muggle sucker. It was a small one, so it wouldn't ruin her appetite. She looked at him a bit nervously and cleared her throat.

Ron: He was glad she changed the subject away from Cedric and Voldemort and all that. "Doing well I expect. Harry's already in the Auror program, Hermione's been in Australia helping her parents, and Ginny's stuck at home bored as hell." He shoved his hands into his pockets as they neared their destination.

Megan: "Wow, Harry is really following through and becoming an Auror. That's great!" She said, as she rubbed her stomach a little bit. "I was going to join my aunt on the Holyhead Harpies team, but...I couldn't bare to leave my friends." She said, as she opened the door to the Leaky Cauldron. She looked over at Tom, who waved at her. "Creepy old man, but a good laugh.' She said, smiling and headed to the very back table where no one could see them. "So, Ginny is returning to school?"

Ron: Ron gave a nod over to Tom and followed Megan, slinking into the back booth across from her. "Yeah, I've already got my application ready to send in to the Auror Academy for when George hires more help. And Ginny's going back to school, at least as far as I know. I reckon she'll do anything to get out of the house at this point," he said with a snicker. "Professional Quidditch.. that's wicked."

Megan: "Yeah, I mean, I was the best Keeper at Hogwarts..."She said, pretending to brag about herself, but couldn't help but start laughing. "I was horrible with my flying, so yeah..I wouldn't want to kill myself or someone else." She said, as Tom came around with firewhiskey and told them it was on the house, causing her to roll her eyes and snort. "You'll get in...I know you will." She told him,a s she stared at the drink and picked it up, taking a sip and shaking her head. "Still getting used to the stuff."

Ron: Ron downed the firewhiskey like a champ-- Bill's bachelor party had taught him how to do so. "Sorry, but I've got to disagree. I don't think you were the best Keeper at Hogwarts..." He smirked and chased his shot with a glass of water.

Megan: Watching him down the firewhiskey made her eyes widen a little and downed the rest of hers, licking her lips. "Wow, I'm hurt." She said, covering her eyes and sniffling, as she peeked between her fingers and snorted. She watched as the creepy old man came back with two bottles of firewhiskey and two sandwiches. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "So, any lucky ladies in your life?"

Ron: Ron purposefully took a large bite of his sandwich before he answered the dreaded question, chewing very slowly in hopes that she'd get tired of waiting for the answer and change the subject. But alas, he swallowed and shrugged. "I dunno really, it's sort've... up in the air. I think." He shifted his gaze to the meal, and motioned to it. "Bloody good sandwich, isn't it?"

Megan: She took a bite of her sandwich and nodded, setting it down on the plate and opened up oneo f the bottles, pouring them each some more. "Really good. Then again, I usually sneak some food in the back when I'm hungry. No one really notices it." She said, taking another bite of her sandwich and winking at him.

Ron: He snickered, taking another shot of whiskey. "Wish I worked in a restaurant. I'd do the same thing." No doubt. Ron's appetite was one of his most evident traits. He was grateful that she didn't push the 'lucky lady' question.

Megan: Resting her elbows on the table, Megan grabbed the bottle of firewhiskey and smirked. "Dare me to down this?" She asked, as she had a somewhat serious look on her face. Friends goofing around and having food and drinks, all good fun, to be honest.

Ron: Ron eyed her skeptically. "You can't possibly stomach all that liquor, you'll get sick." He didn't dare her, but he was quite curious. "Plus, I've got to get back to work in a bit, and now I'd be responsible for getting you home safely." He laughed and ordered another glass of water.

Megan: "Fine, how about this...tomorrow night..you and me..dinner at my place..No excuses. We need to spend time together." She said, looking over the incredibly handsome ginger haired boy. Her smile was innocent, yet there was something about Megan that was hard to turn down.

Ron: "Megan, I'm not so sure..." he started, and then he looked at her, and thought about his summer. Boring as all hell, wasting away at the shop. At least someone cared enough to ask him over... he wasn't completely abandoned. And it would surely only get worse when Hogwarts started. "Well, all right. As long as it's just dinner, I reckon there's no harm in that."

Megan: "Good. We'll have anything you want to eat. Plus, I saved up enough to get some fancy stuff, lucky me." She said, with a laugh, as she downed her second shot and licked her lips again. "So, it's a friendly date tomorrow night..at..7:30..8ish?"

Ron: Ron nodded. "Yeah, friendly," he said with a nod... emphasizing the 'friendly'. "I've got to close the shop at 7:30 so I'll be there at 8." With a final drink of water, he slid out of the booth. "I've got to get back, George'll have my arse if he realizes I'm gone this long. Thanks for lunch, it was great." With a lopsided grin, Ron turned on his heel and made his way back to the jokeshop... trying to convince himself that he wasn't actually having a date tomorrow night.

Megan: She nodded and waved at him, as he left and sat back in her seat, watching him. She didn't know what she was doing, to be honest. She figured that just hanging around with her old classmates, mainly the boys would hopefully cause something to happen. Tomorrow night had to be perfect.

Finite Incantatem