Magical Hogwarts

She might?óÔé¼Ôäóve scoffed but she didn?óÔé¼Ôäót deny it, did she? If it were possible, Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós expression grew more smug. He lifted his whisky to his mouth again, flashing Honey a quick grin before drinking.

?óÔé¼?ôMe and all,?óÔé¼?Ø he agreed amiably, but this wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót that sort of surprise -- and she didn?óÔé¼Ôäót look like she was hating it. This. Him. He held her gaze for a moment and wet his lips. She smirked and it prompted him to smirk back. Charlie knew that surprising each other wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót really how they operated best -- everything had worked as well as it had, last time--and the first time, and the last six weeks--because they?óÔé¼Ôäód either fallen into or actually worked out a schedule, as fucking boring as that sounded (he refused to acknowledge that he was planning sex -- it wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót like he couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót shag someone else if he?óÔé¼Ôäód wanted to, this was just easier). And, key: they hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót overlapped any appointments by showing up unexpectedly (except that one time, but by some fluke he?óÔé¼Ôäód already been broken up with by Kate).

But he was overthinking things. They had plenty of time to work it all out again.

Charlie glanced up from where he was watching her hands swap between coffee and whisky, and nodded. It?óÔé¼Ôäód be nice not having to be responsible for something other than himself again -- although it turned out owls were pretty low maintenance minus cleaning up after them. Charlie might?óÔé¼Ôäóve bonded more with it if he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót kept him shut away in the garage -- out of sight, out of mind, and out of reach of his things (he?óÔé¼Ôäód learned within a day not to leave anything valuable in the garage with the owl). But he wanted the space back now that he was no longer housebound and could get his bike back from being repaired. He?óÔé¼Ôäód work out later how he was going to turn up in Hogsmeade without surprising Honey with no way to initiate communication with her.

Right on cue she pointed out that he did in fact owe her a lot of not-London Thursdays. Charlie grinned and nodded -- at least he had been expecting it. "Do they have to be Hogsmeade Thursdays?" he asked with a sort of teasing grimace, as if the place disagreed with him -- in truth he?óÔé¼Ôäód almost been missing it; it was probably the place he visited most, he realised suddenly, though it was more who he was visiting than where. But, while they were on the topic; he hesitated before asking: ?óÔé¼?ôDo they have to be Thursdays??óÔé¼?Ø a little more seriously (still with a hint of a smirk). They?óÔé¼Ôäód gotten out of that rotation through necessity, and Honey had perhaps unintentionally proven that she had more free time (sort of) than just Thursdays, and Charlie had become glaringly aware that he had nothing but free time, most of the time.

He didn?óÔé¼Ôäót argue with her--must have realized for himself that he owed her--but that look wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót quite the smirk she had been expecting. But he nodded, and she took that well enough-- that is, until he asked if they needed to be Hogsmeade Thursdays, either. Not here, not London; it caught her off guard and she wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót sure if she was offended or worried or maybe a bit of both. Or maybe a bit more in the worried camp, once she answered him: ?óÔé¼?ôSuppose they don?óÔé¼Ôäót have to be.?óÔé¼?Ø

Because where were they going with this? Literally, figuratively, whatever. Her not here, not London request (ages ago) had been just to get them on neutral ground, have lunch without temptation, as if being in public could damper it. In truth it had been more about not being seen, considering the circumstances surrounding them trying to figure things out last year: Charlie freshly divorced, Honey happily coupled. Things were different now.

Besides, she had left London or Hogsmeade with Harlan. With Will. But this wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót that, either. Things weren?óÔé¼Ôäót that different. This was more about keeping to themselves; they were out now and things would be fine as long as she remembered where they were. She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót want to have to think, though.

?óÔé¼?ôSuppose not,?óÔé¼?Ø she said again, once Charlie asked if they needed to be Thursdays. That wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót new, either, because they had been doing that for weeks now, Honey anticipating a night off, offering to bring him a takeaway. He wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót exactly housebound anymore, but they were good enough at coming up with excuses to see each other when they wanted to.

Honey sipped her whisky, laughing a second after setting her glass down as she tried to think through her schedule. ?óÔé¼?ôI don?óÔé¼Ôäót think I?óÔé¼Ôäóll be having Fergie dinners Wednesdays.?óÔé¼?Ø It?óÔé¼Ôäód been their traditional night, having dinner, maybe some drinks if a quiet night didn?óÔé¼Ôäót suit their mood, but he?óÔé¼Ôäód been otherwise occupied lately. ?óÔé¼?ôHe?óÔé¼Ôäós got a new hen,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, leaning in and lowering her voice, as if it were some sort of trade secret instead of gossip about her brother.

Charlie didn?óÔé¼Ôäót say anything after Honey had offered her very elaborate suppose not; she wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót getting any closer to figuring out where he had been going with that thought, wanting to see her on not-a-Thursday, her agreeing to it?óÔé¼ÔÇØ today wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót Thursday, she remembered, and they were doing alright so far.

But that was enough time spent thinking about that, especially now that she remembered she had other information to spill. She returned his grin after his incredulous what? ?óÔé¼?ôI know,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, having another sip of her whisky without straightening up, without putting more space between them. ?óÔé¼?ôSome hen named Judith. They work together.?óÔé¼?Ø Fergie had told her the actual details?óÔé¼ÔÇØEdith, used to work together?óÔé¼ÔÇØbut Honey was no use at remembering those sorts of things.

?óÔé¼?ôChristmas, at least.?óÔé¼?Ø She crossed her arms and rested them on the table. ?óÔé¼?ôCaught him ringing her up.?óÔé¼?Ø Her mouth was open to continue, to mention how that was what prompted her to pester him about it. It was that, and not the weird mood he had been in that whole week, that made her think something was up, because that phone call must have meant something. But the phone call she had made to Charlie had meant nothing, so she closed her mouth. Besides, Fergie thought she had been talking to Janice and not?óÔé¼ÔÇØ

Is she fit? Honey laughed and sat back; she had asked Fergie the same thing but that had shut him up pretty quickly. She shrugged. ?óÔé¼?ôShe?óÔé¼Ôäós English.?óÔé¼?Ø She sipped her whisky again, keeping her eyes on Charlie.

Charlie went to have another drink of whisky and in doing so finished his glass. He set it down, empty, but was sufficiently distracted by Judith for the time being. ?óÔé¼?ôYou and him both have the same taste in old birds or what??óÔé¼?Ø Charlie teased, remembering Janice.

But Christmas! And he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót told Charlie? ?óÔé¼?ôSly git,?óÔé¼?Ø he smirked. Subconsciously, Charlie mirrored Honey; folding his arms on the table, leaning forwards. But if Honey caught Fergie ringing Judith?óÔé¼ÔÇØ had she done that before or after calling him? If it was after?óÔé¼ÔÇØ

Honey laughed and Charlie grinned softly, mostly pleased with himself that he?óÔé¼Ôäód made her laugh. She shrugged and told him Judith was English, as if that was an answer to his question. There was a very brief pause in which Charlie considered what being English was supposed to mean in this context (he knew what it meant in a Braveheart sort of context, at least). He decided that Honey wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót suggesting the two were mutually exclusive, because she obviously thought he was fit, and he was obviously English, so?óÔé¼ÔÇØ ?óÔé¼?ôWell, good for him. About bloody time.?óÔé¼?Ø

The waitress reappeared carrying two plates, setting Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós down first. ?óÔé¼?ôCan I get another drink please, love??óÔé¼?Ø he asked, picking up his cutlery. She departed and he looked at Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós dinner?óÔé¼ÔÇØ It took him a few seconds to comprehend, but when he realised what he was looking at his nose wrinkled automatically flicked his eyes up to meet hers. ?óÔé¼?ôIs that...??óÔé¼?Ø he trailed off, grimacing upon realising this was ?óÔé¼?£her usual?óÔé¼Ôäó.

Honey rolled her eyes?óÔé¼ÔÇØ old birds. Did he think Charles made him sound young and effervescent? But she was more invested in him finishing his drink; she still had a few swallows to go on hers and while she thought she needed to keep up, she knew she needed to have a bit more coffee, too, balance things out a little, because her week leading up to yesterday was mostly full of sleepless nights (and not in a fun way).

Charlie smirked, so Honey smirked, and that was that. She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót know what else to tell him about Fergie?óÔé¼Ôäós timeline or why she hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót told him sooner?óÔé¼ÔÇØ she?óÔé¼Ôäód only really found out last week.

And Charlie had nothing to say about Judith being English, so Honey continued smirking. But it really was good for Fergie, and certainly about bloody time, and Honey nodded in agreement. ?óÔé¼?ôAye,?óÔé¼?Ø she said with another laugh. She wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót too keen on Fergie getting serious with anyone?óÔé¼ÔÇØshe could hear her mother saying something like If Fergie?óÔé¼Ôäós found someone, when will you??óÔé¼ÔÇØbut Merlin, he was in such a better mood these past few weeks. ?óÔé¼?ôWas almost getting worried.?óÔé¼?Ø Almost. Not really. She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót know what this would do to her and Fergie?óÔé¼Ôäós dinner schedule, to Fergie cooking up ready meals for her to eat throughout the week?óÔé¼ÔÇØ it was too much to focus on in present company.

Their food arrived and Charlie ordered another drink; Honey chimed in with a, ?óÔé¼?ôSame, Isla,?óÔé¼?Ø but she had already turned away. Maybe she should have called her love, too.?á

?óÔé¼?ôHmm??óÔé¼?Ø Honey looked up from her plate, taking in Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós horrified expression, then glanced back to her plate. ?óÔé¼?ôAye.?óÔé¼?Ø She met his eye again with a grin. ?óÔé¼?ôD?óÔé¼Ôäóye want some??óÔé¼?Ø She laid it on thick because he looked like he?óÔé¼Ôäód be ill if he even said the word ?óÔé¼?£haggis?óÔé¼Ôäó. She picked up her cutlery and cut off a bite, spearing it on her fork before she waved it under Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós nose. ?óÔé¼?ôIt?óÔé¼Ôäós goo?óÔé¼ÔÇØ?óÔé¼?ô Isla returned with their drinks then, and Honey sat back, popping her forkful into her mouth, as Isla set their glasses down.

?óÔé¼?ôHave some,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, once they were left alone, as she nudged her plate forward an inch, probably enjoying this a little too much.

Honey said she was almost getting worried and Charlie laughed. ?óÔé¼?ôWhat, that he?óÔé¼Ôäós gay or something??óÔé¼?Ø Stranger things had happened -- and if it were out of Liam or Fergie to come out of the closet, Charlie knew who his money would?óÔé¼Ôäóve been on a year ago (and he would have lost).

She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót say what it was but she really didn?óÔé¼Ôäót need to. It looked disgusting. ?óÔé¼?ôDo I fuck,?óÔé¼?Ø he said, leaning back from where he?óÔé¼Ôäód been ready to tuck into his own intestine-cased meat dish. Honey waved her loaded fork at him and Charlie held one hand out defensively, trying to grab her wrist without accidentally grabbing haggis?óÔé¼ÔÇØ

The waitress returned with their drinks and Charlie promptly dropped his hand to the table, picking up his knife again. He began cutting up some sausage and scooped some mash and gravy up with it, popping it into his mouth and chewing slowly because he was still thinking about haggis. His eyes flicked up to meet Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós. ?óÔé¼?ôGet fucked,?óÔé¼?Ø he smiled slowly, glancing down at her plate hesitantly. Realistically, it was probably no different to a sausage, or black pudding maybe, and he liked that.

?óÔé¼?ôOnly if you promise to?óÔé¼?ª?óÔé¼?Ø he trailed off, smirking; she?óÔé¼Ôäód know exactly what he meant without him needing to say it.

Not worth it, she said. Charlie kept his eyes on Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós, a soft smirk still on his lips -- that was likely. She?óÔé¼Ôäód never objected before, didn?óÔé¼Ôäót think she was about to start now. But he chose not to push it, lowering his gaze to his plate after a moment and focusing on eating his dinner (he still owed her, didn?óÔé¼Ôäót he?).

He was tucking in at a reasonable pace, content to just eat, but picked up on the movement on Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós side of the table when she twisted in her seat. He wondered briefly if there was something wrong with her haggis, but what could possibly be right with it.

She turned back to face him smirking and Charlie wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót sure if he ought to be worried but-- His eyes flicked down and he tilted his head to read the writing on the napkin she?óÔé¼Ôäód slid over to him. He smirked around a mouthful of sausage, chewing as he glanced over Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós shoulder to have another look at the waitress. He swallowed and smirked wider (now that he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót concealing half-masticated food) at Honey -- this was unequivocal proof that he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót only famous in his own head, and that he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót out of demand, so to speak.

Still holding his knife, he used one finger to push the napkin back towards her. "Any reason I shouldn't be?" he asked, flicking his eyes back up to meet hers after reading the message a second time. He tried to think how he possibly couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót be, but he supposed he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót had a haircut since before Christmas, so that might?óÔé¼Ôäóve been throwing the waitress off (or, indeed, the general improvement in his appearance: no bags under his eyes, fresher skin from not smoking, a bit of weight gained from sitting around snacking all day -- none of which he was aware of because it had been a slow ascent and his ego had ironically taken a dive as a result of his seclusion).

Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós smirk slipped slightly and Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós did too in response. She raised her eyebrows at him, so he raised his back ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ daring her to say it; presumably it was that she wanted to keep him all to herself ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ and who could blame her? She?óÔé¼Ôäód had almost six weeks of his near-undivided attention ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ but they couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót go on like that.

His smirk came back in full-force when she finally answered him and he just held back from saying yeah, right out loud. Honey was still going, in fits and starts. Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós lips twisted into something closer to a smile; how kind of her to give him the out ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ except, it actually was, wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót it? If he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót been starved of attention for the last six weeks, then maybe he would have considered the out ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ but he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót really starved, was he? Honey had been taking care of that, so he owed her as much not to be a prick.

If only that was a conscious decision for him.

Charlie smirked again when Honey cut herself off, and the look he gave her said she didn?óÔé¼Ôäót need to finish her sentence. He was almost definitely enjoying himself a little too much (and the whisky was helping).

He twisted in his seat, raising one arm, to see where she was looking?óÔé¼ÔÇØhis jacket?óÔé¼ÔÇØthen turned back to her. ?óÔé¼?ôMust?óÔé¼Ôäóve left it in my other one,?óÔé¼?Ø he quipped. He glanced past Honey again, to the waitress behind the bar, before his dark eyes were drawn back to the redhead in front of him, who was focusing on her dinner and thankfully couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót see the minute shift in his expression. He shrugged and cut off a bit of sausage. ?óÔé¼?ôShe can wait ?óÔé¼?£til we?óÔé¼Ôäóre finished eating.?óÔé¼?Ø

Charlie swallowed his mouthful, setting his knife down to pick up his (third?) whisky and have a sip. As he placed it back on the coaster he cleared his throat softly. ?óÔé¼?ôThanks for?óÔé¼ÔÇØ?óÔé¼?Ø he started in a lower tone; his eyes met Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós and he hesitated for half a second, ?óÔé¼?ô?óÔé¼ÔÇØyou know.?óÔé¼?Ø

He left the marker in the other one; if she hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót worn (and absconded with) his jacket before, she might have believed he really walked around with one. ?óÔé¼?ôMhmm,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, followed quickly by another bite of her dinner, pointedly looking down at her plate as he glanced over her shoulder-- again. She shrugged as she chewed, rather than agree that Isla could wait. Honey didn?óÔé¼Ôäót know how much longer they were staying--they had things to do--and she wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót sure how long Isla would wait before working up the courage to ask Charlie herself-- but it was also kind of nice, being out for a drink. Of course, the drinks were helping her to stop worrying about things she should have been more concerned about..

She looked up as Charlie cleared his throat. Thanks for-- Her chewing slowed as they made eye contact; she blinked as he told her that she knew. Did she? She swallowed her mouthful and responded before she could overthink it: ?óÔé¼?ôYou?óÔé¼Ôäóre welcome.?óÔé¼?Ø The reprieve-from-thinking didn?óÔé¼Ôäót last long, and she went right back to wondering what he was thanking her for.

It wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót having dinner with him--that was her idea--and he had surprised her by being here, hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót invited her anywhere so he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót thanking her for going someplace. So-- whatever they had been doing the past several weeks? The biscuits and the takeaways, television and no sudden movements-- Honey smiled, just barely. It wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót a big deal; she would have done it for any of her--

?óÔé¼?ôWe?óÔé¼Ôäóre friends, right??óÔé¼?Ø She meant it more in the way to say that the takeaways and general time spent were no big deal.

He offered her a small smile?óÔé¼ÔÇØthe corners of his lips barely twitching up?óÔé¼ÔÇØbefore frowning softly down at his dinner rather than continue to look her in the eye. She hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót been weird about it, but he was being weird about it -- wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót he?

We?óÔé¼Ôäóre friends, right?

Charlie flicked his gaze up to meet Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós again, taken off guard by her (rhetorical? In hindsight) question. ?óÔé¼?ôYeah, ?óÔé¼?£course,?óÔé¼?Ø he nodded, then shoved another forkful of mash into his mouth. As he chewed, he snuck another glance at her. He supposed that yes, they were friends now -- if perhaps they hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót been before. He couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót imagine Honey spending time with him watching television before.

But they weren?óÔé¼Ôäót just friends and he didn?óÔé¼Ôäót think she was suggesting that, either. And hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót there been an owl exchange over how nobody believed they could be just friends? He smirked to himself -- they?óÔé¼Ôäód gotten that much right.

She looked at him and he quickly focused back on his food, on chewing. ?óÔé¼?ôThis is friendly,?óÔé¼?Ø he pointed out after a moment, gesturing with a nod of his head at their impromptu dinner date (and conveniently forgetting what would undoubtedly be coming next, which would be much less friendly). He finished eating and set his cutlery down, then picked up his whisky. ?óÔé¼?ôNot lunch, though,?óÔé¼?Ø he reminded her, before having a sip.

They were friends; Charlie confirmed it. Honey smiled smally as he then shovelled food into his mouth, watching him and laughing to herself after another second. She looked down at her plate and speared another bite of haggis on her fork, figuring that was that settled.

Honey had a couple more bites in the next several seconds of silence; it was too much silence, she decided, so she glanced at Charlie again, just in time to see him pretend he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót been looking at her. She smirked softly and picked up her coffee, holding it with both hands as she blew across the surface.

She had a sip as she raised her eyebrows, as if she was having to consider if this was friendly. (It was.) She took her time setting the mug down, swapping it for her glass of whisky. ?óÔé¼?ôAye,?óÔé¼?Ø she agreed after a beat. She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót think they would be doing this if he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót dropped by unannounced, or if he had waited until after she had eaten dinner by herself. She definitely wouldn?óÔé¼Ôäót have invited him to dinner out of the blue. But she couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót say she was upset about it all.

He was quick to point out that it wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót lunch, and Honey agreed with a little laugh. ?óÔé¼?ôIt?óÔé¼Ôäós not.?óÔé¼?Ø That had been the deal before, having lunch, when they had to figure out how to be friends. And now they had figured that out, apparently, and she wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót about to sit there and think if they would have arrived at this point if Charlie hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót horribly injured himself.

?óÔé¼?ôCan get lunch tomorrow,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, picking up her fork again.

Honey agreed it was friendly and Charlie pressed his lips together, not quite smiling but not not. He folded his arms low across his chest while he waited for her to finish eating.

She laughed at his lunch ?óÔé¼?£joke?óÔé¼Ôäó and he allowed himself a smirk. He was over being stood up now (mostly), and could joke about it, at least. He was willing to accept that it probably wouldn?óÔé¼Ôäót have been a good idea, either ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ they definitely hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót been friends then. Was he a little smug that he just might?óÔé¼Ôäóve been enough to tempt her away from her then-boyfriend? Absolutely.

Tomorrow, though? Charlie perked up and scratched at the side of his nose. He would have counter-offered brunch if she wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót going to be working?óÔé¼ÔÇØnot because he didn?óÔé¼Ôäót want lunch, but he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót exactly planning on going home tonight?óÔé¼ÔÇØbut she did have work (he knew that much of her timetable) and he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót stupid enough to try and convince her to pull a sickie (she had never done so before, to his knowledge, so why would she start now, for him?). And was he about to lay in her bed all morning without her? No.

?óÔé¼?ôAlright,?óÔé¼?Ø he agreed, arms unfolded again with one hand wrapped loosely around his half-drunk whisky on the table. "Not London, not Hogsmeade, I take it?" he smirked. They were eating in Hogsmeade now, of course, but this was different ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ it wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót daylight, for a start. But the waitress had already sort of proven Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós point in that he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót capable of blending in amidst magical society. He wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót sure if he really cared all that much anymore ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ back when lunch had first been brought up he was fresh out of the divorce, Honey was still in a relationship. Now?óÔé¼?ª well, neither of them were encumbered, but he also couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót blame Honey for not wanting to subject herself to the Witch Weekly rumour mill again.

?óÔé¼?ôRoyal Dick??óÔé¼?Ø he suggested, unable to keep a straight face as he said it.

Charlie agreed to lunch, and Honey smirked around her mouthful. She thought the implication was obvious; having lunch meant spending the morning together, too--she could think of one or two things they could do to pass the time--because he wasn?óÔé¼Ôäót going home tonight. Couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót, with all that whisky.

Not London, not Hogsmeade-- that was their thing now, it seemed, but she didn?óÔé¼Ôäót mind. ?óÔé¼?ôPlease.?óÔé¼?Ø It was for her sake as much as his, if not more hers; if they stayed in the village, there was a better chance of potential Honeydukes customers seeing her; practically everyone else she knew lived in London; her mum had only just stopped hinting at that one article about her from well over a year ago and Honey didn?óÔé¼Ôäót want to give her another reason to think she couldn?óÔé¼Ôäót behave herself. Even if it really was only lunch.

She had started to pick up her coffee when he suggested the Royal Dick, set it back down so she could laugh--hard not to with the combination of Royal Dick and Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós expression--and nod her head. ?óÔé¼?ôAye.?óÔé¼?Ø Edinburgh should be fine. There was a chance she?óÔé¼Ôäód see a cousin (or two) but she could worry about that when (if) it happened. ?óÔé¼?ôHave you been??óÔé¼?Ø She meant that more in a is the food good sort of way, asked before she remembered that part of her ditching those long ago lunch plans was Charlie still showing up to the pub. Looking like a twat, she was pretty sure he had said about it. Following that train of thought, Honey quickly added: ?óÔé¼?ôOnly they?óÔé¼Ôäóve named it after you.?óÔé¼?Ø

Honey laughed again--hopefully diffusing whatever awkward situation she had potentially caused--and had a final bite of haggis. She pushed her plate a little to the side as she washed everything down with more whisky. They?óÔé¼Ôäód soon need to decide on a third round or leaving and she knew which option she would prefer, was pretty confident she knew what Charlie would choose. Still, it was his first night out (she assumed) so she could give him the (illusion of a) choice. ?óÔé¼?ôYou want another,?óÔé¼?Ø she started, motioning toward his glass. ?óÔé¼?ôOr?óÔé¼?ª??óÔé¼?Ø

He?óÔé¼Ôäód made her laugh again and was subsequently smirking about it ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ the expression stretching out into a smug grin. Charlie nodded; Edinburgh, then. He brought his glass to his lips and paused just shy of drinking, raising his eyebrows at Honey when she asked if he?óÔé¼Ôäód been. He lowered the whisky halfway between his mouth and the table. Before he could actually say anything (or think of anything to say ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ had she forgotten that he?óÔé¼Ôäód admitted to going there and being stood up?), Honey attempted (rather transparently) to try and recover the situation. A quiet, breathy giggle escaped his lips. ?óÔé¼?ôRight,?óÔé¼?Ø he said, eager not to dwell on the faux pas and risk making it twice in a row that he was left sitting there like a twat.

Honey finished her food and Charlie finished his whisky. She gestured at his empty glass as he set it back on the table. Charlie smirked wolfishly. ?óÔé¼?ôOr,?óÔé¼?Ø he said in answer; they were already behind schedule ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ he was pretty keen to make the most of having full mobility back; he?óÔé¼Ôäód had that ?óÔé¼?£practice run?óÔé¼Ôäó last night with the nurse, but it had only served to whet his appetite rather than satiate it. Honey downed the last of the amber liquid in her tumbler and they both got to their feet.

When they approached the bar Charlie met eyes with the waitress and was reminded of her request for an autograph. He nodded, as if to say alright, then, and she produced a slip of blank receipt paper and a quill. Charlie glanced sidelong at Honey and smirked?óÔé¼ÔÇØabout the quill, though that might have gotten lost in translation?óÔé¼ÔÇØand proceeded to ask who he was addressing it to as he withdrew his hand from his pocket. Isla. He scribbled the standard To Isla, signed his name with an ?óÔé¼?£x?óÔé¼Ôäó ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ and was silently grateful for the recent quill-practice, courtesy of Honeydukes.

As he handed the paper back to Isla, she offered to cover the whiskies. ?óÔé¼?ôYou don?óÔé¼Ôäót have to?óÔé¼ÔÇØ?óÔé¼?Ø he started, grinning lazily, but stopped sharply when he turned to Honey and saw the muscle in her jaw tense. ?óÔé¼?ôCheers, love,?óÔé¼?Ø he said instead, and loosely wrapped his arm around the redhead?óÔé¼Ôäós lower back to guide her out of the pub. ?óÔé¼?ØNo need to get jealous, Beatrix,?óÔé¼?Ø he teased in a low voice in her ear, ?óÔé¼?ôam coming back to yours, aren?óÔé¼Ôäót I??óÔé¼?Ø He glanced back briefly to Isla behind the bar as Honey opened the door to the street and told him to Fuck off. He smirked, again, at the back of her head.

The sleet had gotten heavier in the time they?óÔé¼Ôäód been inside, and the wind was whipping down the main street in gusts. Honey lifted her apron over her head in a make-shift umbrella and darted across the cobbled street, and Charlie followed, ducking into the Honeydukes alcove behind her. For someone who usually left the door unlocked, it was taking her a long time to get it open; as a result, his hair was getting increasingly wet from where he wasn't quite under the shelter of the doorway ?óÔé¼ÔÇØ sticking flat to his head, with bits of icy-rain slipping down the inside of his collar unpleasantly. ?óÔé¼?ôCome on,?óÔé¼?Ø he hurried her, pressing closer and halfway to reaching around to help with the key when she finally got it open.

They stumbled in and Charlie ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to get the worst of the water out; he met Honey?óÔé¼Ôäós eye as she closed the door behind them and he grinned, taking one large step to lunge at her in a way he hadn?óÔé¼Ôäót been able to for six?óÔé¼ÔÇØlonger, he realised as his mouth found hers?óÔé¼ÔÇØweeks.

Charlie picked the ?óÔé¼?£or?óÔé¼Ôäó option, and Honey returned her smirk. She had her last two swallows of whisky--she only made a slight face--and set her glass down, pulling her apron from the back of her chair as she stood up. She met Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós eye very briefly, but now that she?óÔé¼Ôäód gotten food out of the way, they didn?óÔé¼Ôäót need to linger. Honey moved toward the bar, getting Isla?óÔé¼Ôäós attention before beginning to tell her that Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós dinner would be on her tab, too-- but Isla cut her off, apparently overcoming her fear of talking to Charlie directly. She wanted to comment on the quill, ask Charlie if he knew how to use one, but as soon as Charlie smirked at her, she decided she?óÔé¼Ôäód rather be annoyed (annoyed, not jealous).

She fidgeted with her apron, swapping it from her right hand to her left, watching Charlie do his thing (and being surprised he knew how to spell Isla). ?óÔé¼?ôMy tab,?óÔé¼?Ø she finished finally, waving her finger before Charlie and herself, only vaguely wondering if Isla was paying attention. She must have been, offering to cover the whiskies. Honey opened up her mouth to tell her that was fine but she could afford to buy him a couple drinks, closed it again when Charlie spoke up instead. She swallowed hard, not realizing how much her nostrils flared as she inhaled.

But Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós arm was around her then, and they were heading out of the pub; Honey rolled her eyes--for many reasons, calling her Beatrix, thinking she was jealous--now annoyed with herself for enjoying his voice in her ear, the fact that he was coming back to hers. ?óÔé¼?ôFuck off,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, rather than denying (or admitting to) anything, pulling the door open. The rain was coming down harder; Honey stepped out of Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós grasp and pulled her apron over her head as she darted for her shop?óÔé¼Ôäós front door.

Honey didn?óÔé¼Ôäót move to make room in the little alcove, glancing over her shoulder to see Charlie half-caught in the rain, taking her time to unlock the door (and him moving closer didn?óÔé¼Ôäót exactly encourage her to move any faster). ?óÔé¼?ôAlright, alright,?óÔé¼?Ø she said, turning the handle on the door--though with the way her new wards worked, it was unlocked as soon as she had touched it--and practically falling through it. Charlie moved past her and Honey leaned back against the door to close it, grinning as she looked him over from head to toe. She felt better, looking at him-- his hair was a mess and his t-shirt was clinging to chest and shouldn?óÔé¼Ôäót she help him out of those clothes before he caught a cold?

She didn?óÔé¼Ôäót get a chance to offer, didn?óÔé¼Ôäót mind why she didn?óÔé¼Ôäót. She dropped her apron and pulled him toward her, even though the momentum of the lunge warranted it unnecessary. She rested her hands on either side of his face, softly--for just a second--before she traced a line down the sides of his neck, out along his collarbone under the collar of his jacket, being a different sort of helpful than she might have been two weeks ago with the takeaways and the careful movements. Charlie?óÔé¼Ôäós lips had moved to her neck, freeing up her own to ask aloud the next thing that popped into her head: ?óÔé¼?ôIs this--?óÔé¼?Ø he seemed back to normal, with the leg and all, but the past six weeks were hard to get out of her mind--?óÔé¼?ØDo we need to find a.. surface??óÔé¼?Ø