[TTB] Raise your glass to us [Graeme]

Part of her really did want to stay. To continue this verging on flirtatious banter for the rest of the night. The wine had relaxed her pleasantly and she enjoyed Graeme’s company. But. They didn’t exist in a fantasy universe. Both of them had jobs. Both of them had responsibilities. While Graeme had to go mark essays, Joanna had to complete paperwork, go over case files, and spend the night worrying about what was going on in the Hit Squad in her absence. But she had enough self control to not floo to the Ministry at midnight to quickly ‘check in’. They would never have confidence in themselves if she didn’t have confidence in them first.

Joanna didn’t have confidence in the night shift, but she was trying to hide that fact.

“No, you’re right.” Joanna replied, slightly upset. “We should get going. I didn’t even realise that we’d been here this long!” She smiled cheekily, “don’t want you to get in trouble from Filch for being out after curfew!” Of course Graeme wouldn’t get into trouble because he was a grown up, but Mr Filch had always been prickly, and she could totally see him getting annoyed with the Professors as well as the students. Certainly he was another aspect of Hogwarts that Joanna certainly did not miss.

She insisted on paying half of the bill when it came. One, this was not a date, this was two friends catching up. Two, she was a grown up, independent woman who had a decent job and wage. Joanna certainly did not need anyone paying for her, man or not. In fact, she found it quite insulting that others would assume she would be glad for someone else to pay the bill. No, she certainly would not be. It was yet another example of ‘chivalry’ than was actually just chauvinistic.

While Joanna did not have much with her beyond her bag, it contained some posters and flyers on Hit Squad recruitment that she had pretended to Graeme earlier she did not have. Therefore it would not be good for him to get near enough the bag to glimpse inside. So, she very carefully positioned it on the opposite side of her body to him as they made their way outside. He would return to the castle, she would apparate back to Audlem. She was around 95% sure that she was still sober enough to apparate. Maybe 90%.

Honestly, any option where she wasn’t sober was too embarrassing to even contemplate however. She would either splinch herself and Graeme would have to help, or she would have to admit she actually needed to use a floo because she couldn’t control what she drank. Neither was happening.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you soon. Lets not make it five years this time!” And they had made plans. A vague offer of dinner, and help with her patronus. Both would imply they were going to see each other very soon. Even if Joanna was still doubtful about dinner with his sister.

That should have been the time to apparate away, but she lingered. Should she? They had been vaguely leading up to it all night. But was it presumptuous? What if it had all been in her head?

Indecision weighed at her before Joanna finally leaned closer to Graeme and brushed a light kiss to the corner of his mouth. Without waiting for a reply or a reaction (even though that meant she would be up all night analysing absolutely every detail and worrying over his response), Joanna took a step back and turned on the spot to apparate away.

She didn’t splinch. Thank Merlin.

[/OUT]

Beck visibly winced at mention of the school’s caretaker.  If there was anyone on the staff who could make him feel elven-years-old again, it was Argus Filch.  The old man hadn’t changed much since Beck’s school days and was still not someone that he would want to cross.  Yet since returning to Hogwarts as a Professor, Beck was excited to glean new insights about the people he had known as a teenager and personally believed that Filch might actually have a softer heart than everyone might expect. 

It didn’t particularly surprise him that Joanna insisted on splitting the bill in the end, despite his offer to cover it.  He could read into the thought process behind such a decision and imagined how it might seem important to Jo to stake her independence.  This didn’t bother Beck in the slightest, although he did find it slightly amusing.  He wondered at the assumptions she might be making that his willingness to pay stemmed from anything other than the fact that the cost of her meal and drinks would have been a cheap price for enjoying her company.  For all that he often behaved with old-fashioned chivalry; there was no old-fashioned thinking behind it.  His mother and sister would never have let him get away with thinking that women were in any way weaker or less capable. 

He had promised to make sure she got home safe but Joanna seemed confident in her ability to make her own way.  Beck had no doubt that she would be fine but regretted not being able to extend their time together just that little bit longer by playing escort.  “I can’t wait to see you again,” he commented wistfully as they made their farewells.  There didn’t seem to be anything else to say beyond what had already been said.  Beck thought he had made his interest abundantly clear.  Now it would be up to Joanna to decide whether or not anything would happen between them. 

She seemed to almost hesitate on the verge of leaving, lingering after the goodbyes were said.  Beck watched her curiously wondering what sort of thoughts were running through her head and whether they were in line with his own.  He considered stealing a kiss but didn’t want to push his luck.  There was no way for him to be entirely sure how Joanna would react.  Yet he really wanted to kiss her.  Then with a boldness that was unexpected she was suddenly close, her lips brushing quickly, lightly across his own.  Beck reached for her but she was already pulling away.  His hands grasped only air as Jo turned.  Then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone; before he had a chance to kiss her back.  Stunned, delighted and confused, he laughed out loud to the empty night.  Joanna Hennings had certainly given him a lot to think about. 

/end