Tweak

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Tweak says, "Daddy is Meryl Streep."

Ariana Silver (teases_muggles) wrote in beyondthepages,
@ 2010-04-09 23:50:00

Entry tags:

!complete, 2023 09, ariana silver, neville longbottom

RP: The Fake Date
Characters: Ariana S, Neville
Time/Date: Saturday Evening
Location: her room
Warnings/Rating: ~~staff sno~~ Idk? Probably none
Summary: Ari has Neville up for their "fake date"
Status: Complete

Ariana felt ridiculous for being as nerved up as she was. It was ... a silly little practice date between friends. She was going to coach him so he could ... ... go out and date other women. Funny how she kept overlooking that little flaw in her plan. He thought they were just friends, and of course they were just friends - so would this practice date sabotage any chance at perhaps becoming more than friends with him at some point?

Maybe ... in the course of coaching, she could find it in herself to be frank with him and to stop dancing around like a skittish foal when confronted with the idea of a relationship. Just because one bloke who thought with his cock more than his brain had screwed her over didn't mean every guy was going to.

Riding on the secondhand high of hearing about Ashley and Ben's new-found romance, she thought maybe this might go a little better than she dared hope.

She'd dressed nicely in what she considered to be Muggle date casual. She'd moved her furniture to the edges of the room to leave space for a transfigured table to serve as their practice area ... and now, there was nothing to do but wait.

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trustingnature
2010-04-14 04:30 am UTC (link)

"I'd have to set up a system where moving out of poking range caused points to be deducted from your house," he said with a grin, before he realized what a silly conversation subject this was, and shook his head at himself.

"See? Hopeless on dates. I have somehow managed to turn a reasonable discussion about your unique teaching methods into some strange unrealistic talk about becoming a plantamagus."

Really, he didn't know why she'd put up with the conversation as long as she had. Maybe she'd wised up and given up on him as the hopeless cause he was and was just having fun with him. He supposed he could deal with that.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-14 04:37 am UTC (link)

"I don't think it's so hopeless. Maybe you were just dating the wrong kinds of women if they didn't find a hypothetical discussion about plantamagi entertaining and engaging."

She shrugged, and said as off-handedly as she could, "maybe we should actually date each other."

A sly grin tugged lightly at her lips as she gazed down at the plate of food. She imagined he'd reject the idea, and she could play it off like it hadn't been a serious suggestion, and that would be that, tra la la.

Ari very nearly launched into an explanation to backtrack, but managed to hold her tongue on the matter until she saw how he took her ... suggestion.

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trustingnature
2010-04-15 12:51 am UTC (link)

For a second, he thought that she was joking. She was a strong, confident woman who could have anyone she wanted, he thought. She wouldn't seriously consider tying herself down to someone like him.

But on the very off chance it wasn't, he didn't want to play it like it was a joke and miss out on an opportunity... however unlikely said opportunity was.

"I... I'd like that," he offered, face flushing and trying to decide if it would be more or less embarrassing if it turned out to be a joke. "I mean, if you're serious. If you're not then, I'll just... uh. Chalk it up to confusion of actually managing a halfway successful fake date and... getting confused?"

If he didn't think that she would be good about brushing off his awkward stammering right now even if it was a joke, and alleviating the awkward, he wouldn't have said anything.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-15 01:07 am UTC (link)

"I thought it was more than halfway successful," Ari said softly. "I had a good time." She lifted her chin, hazel gaze playing over his features before she offered him a little smile. "So, shall we try it for real then, next Saturday? We can even go somewhere that isn't one of our rooms," she teased lightly.

She was curious if he was just teasing or not, but ... she supposed they'd find out. Maybe he'd be different on a 'real' date instead of one of their fake ones.

She was also a little nervous, and wondered if she'd be a little different herself on a real date. There was no reason to be, of course; they were still who they were, regardless of dating status.

But he'd agreed and she wasn't going to stumble back out of it because of a little flutter of nerves.

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trustingnature
2010-04-15 06:02 am UTC (link)

He grinned, looking away vaguely sheepishly before he half peeked back at her. "I'm glad," he admitted before he looked up fully and nodded his head. "I'm free next Saturday. Did..." he trailed off, wondering if they should make plans right now - did they want to go to Hogsmade? - or if he should wait and see if she had ideas right off the bat.

Realizing he left that question hanging, he filled it with another one as he thought of it. "Did you want to finish the... fake date first?" he said. "Or are you going to leave me to fend for myself?"

He did wonder how weird it would be, for her to coach him so that he would be ready to go on a date with her next week, and he had to laugh really, at the irony of that. But he'd asked the question for a reason. Maybe she'd be okay with it.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-15 01:56 pm UTC (link)

"I don't know about that. Seems a little bit like cheating now if I coach you on how to date me," Ariana pointed out, brows elevating. "So where do we think we should go on this date of ours next weekend?"

Part of her was still sort of expecting him to back out of it. Part of her wondered if it would make things weird between them if the date went badly and crashed and burned. She didn't think it would; she could handle the awkward and overcome it. She was sure he could, too.

She was curious to hear if he had any date suggestions. She knew she'd be fine venturing to the Broomsticks or even just roaming around Hogsmeade some evening. Granted, if she heard about Muggle magicians in a reasonable radius, she would definitely drag him out to see one.

She might actually behave herself, too.

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trustingnature
2010-04-17 04:22 am UTC (link)

He grinned, and shook his head. "Leaving me to my own devices sounds like a risky decision. You might change your mind about wanting to date me when you see me without instruction," he paused, thinking about places they could go. "Hogsmade? Unless you wanted to venture into London proper, or... had any suggestions on Muggle establishments."

He shrugged again. "I'll admit I haven't ventured far away - if my profession was any indication - and I'm open for suggestions if you have any. Otherwise, you know, we'll wind up at the Three B's getting our usuals," he chuckled a bit, though it was probably true.

Maybe he'd ask the other professors if they had any suggestions for better, smarter places they could go. Assuming Ari wanted to go somewhere other than the Three Broomsticks.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-17 04:37 am UTC (link)

"Haven't you been pretty much without instruction most of tonight? I think you could date me fine without instruction," Ariana assured him.

She grinned as he sought suggestions. "If there's a magician nearby, we should do that. I can check and see, if you'd like. Not sure you're interested in Muggle magicians, but I find them fascinating."

Leaning back in her chair slightly, she lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. "But I am perfectly content venturing into Hogsmeade," she assured him. "Whichever you think would suit our first real date better."

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trustingnature
2010-04-17 06:50 am UTC (link)

"Whichever I think will suit our first date?" he said. "I barely know what suits..." he waved a hand. "If you're sure, I can probably come up with something," he decided. With help. With a very lot of help.

He grinned. "I... haven't actually seen a magician before," he said. "Aren't they muggles who think they can do magic?" Or something. He wasn't really sure what they were, he hadn't done a whole lot of looking into the subject.

"I wouldn't mind seeing them. I'm sure that if you find them fascinating..." he shrugged. "Well, I'm sure it won't be dull."

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teases_muggles
2010-04-17 07:09 am UTC (link)

"They are Muggles. They don't actually think they can do magic. It's mostly illusion, sleight of hand, and lots of flashy costumes. How they imagine magic to be. I like to screw with them," she admitted with a grin. "But only the ones that can ... handle it. Not the amateurs, not the ones who are acting nervous, but ... the confident ones more likely to roll with it when their dove becomes a rabbit."

Ari wondered sometimes if the Muggles thought they had actually done magic, or if they were simply going to blame their assistants for setting up the display wrong.

"It's pretty interesting. The acts are usually part comedy, part magic, so it's a good laugh either way." She gazed across the table at him and smiled softly. "So I'll look, see if there are any in the area. If not ... we'll come up with something else on the fly. Maybe venture into Muggle London and see a movie or something."

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trustingnature
2010-04-17 09:08 am UTC (link)

"Do the folks in the audience think they actually can do magic?" he asked, genuinely curious. "Do they think they're... you know... Hogwarts graduates who are just sellouts, trying to make a quick..." what was the muggle term for it? "...pound? Or do they know they're being fooled?"

He thought that he wouldn't mind seeing a show sometimes, and he laughed as he thought about how she messed with them. "How do they react? Do they just keep going like it was part of the show?"

He thought that if someone messed up a performance of his, he'd freak out and give it away. Maybe muggle magicians were made of stronger stuff than that.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-17 09:12 am UTC (link)

Ari shook her head. "The audience knows it's just a show, an act. They're mystified as to how the tricks are done, but they know they're just ... tricks. Most Muggles don't genuinely believe in magic, but a lot of them like to pretend things like magic shows are real."

Grinning, she shifted her eyes to the side in an expression of innocence. "I've only ever misjudged once and had the magician freeze up and completely throw his act. Most of them seem to take it in stride with only little hitches and slightly confused expressions."

A contented smile rested on her lips as she contemplated the next weekend. She rather hoped she could find a magician or some sort of stage act ... but if not, maybe they'd try to catch a movie and dinner. Either way, it was bound to be fun.

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trustingnature
2010-04-17 10:38 am UTC (link)

"How strange," Neville mused thoughtfully. "And they just... go along with it? Pretend that it's magic and real?" he wondered if that was sad, that Muggles were reduced to that kind of entertainment, but he decided that he would wait and reserve judgment until he'd seen an actual magician perform. Maybe they would be really entertaining, and he'd forget that it was all slight of hand. He didn't know until he saw it, right?

He chuckled a bit. "I pity the poor performer who is stuck with us in the audience," not that he really planned on doing anything, but... well. Maybe he'd be encouraged when he saw how interesting it was.

"So... you'll take care of that, and I'll... take care of dinner? Or is dinner provided at these events?"

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teases_muggles
2010-04-17 05:32 pm UTC (link)

Ari grinned. She tried to think of an apt parallel for it before she shrugged. "It's no worse than ... immersing yourself in a book. While you're reading, the characters and the places are real. So the Muggles want to believe they're really seeing magic ... so they believe." Cocking her head slightly, she winked. "It'll be fun," she promised him.

"Sounds good," she agreed. She resisted the urge to drop hints that there were a couple of places she liked nearby some of the theaters that were usually host to the magic acts. She'd let him figure it out once she figured out if there was anything to go see, and where it was.

Maybe she'd settle for a comedy act if it was one she knew.

"So are we calling it a night then?" She inquired, brows elevating. "Do you feel you learned something tonight?"

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trustingnature
2010-04-18 12:41 am UTC (link)

He nodded, "Suppose not," he agreed, recognizing the truth in that. It just seemed strange to him to let yourself be tricked like that. But maybe once he saw it, he'd understand it better. And it could just be because he knew actual magic that his opinion was swayed that way. Maybe if he didn't believe in the existence of magic, he'd better appreciate false magic or... something.

"I've learned I have to bring flowers or something to the next date," he said with a nod. He was half teasing, really, but it was true. He had learned that and he intended to remember that, even if he had to carry his Remembrall around for the rest of the week in order to do so. "Though if it would be cheating for you to teach me anything more, I guess we... must be done for the night," he said, his tone conveying his disappointment. Though he reminded himself that they'd be going on a real date next week, and that was a more cheerful thought. "Unless you've changed your mind and wanted to give me a few pointers on how to, uh, end the date?" he said.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-18 01:00 am UTC (link)

"Actually, I'm not really a fan of flowers," Ari admitted. "I was coaching you on how to date ... women who were more typical than I was. If you're going to bring me anything ... flowers aren't going to be it. So I'd definitely go with the 'or something'," she suggested with a grin.

Lifting one shoulder, Ari half-shrugged before she eased back from the table to stand. "Well, I could definitely show you how I'd like to end the date," she offered as she tilted her head slightly to indicate he should stand up as well.

If this was the end of the evening, she'd at least show him out, and ... see where things went at the door.

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trustingnature
2010-04-18 03:02 am UTC (link)

He was still focusing on the 'or something' aspect, and trying to think if he could think of something that fell into that category or if he was going to have to get help for that too, so it took him a minute to clue in to the fact that she was encouraging him to get up, which he did, stumbling over to where she was in a way that was entirely awkward.

He cleared his throat, blushing a little, attempting to hide the discomfort before he gave up on that and just smiled. Yes, all right, he was a trainwreck on dates, but she didn't seem to mind all that much.

He felt the vaguest fluttering of nerves, not sure where exactly they were coming from or what he was nervous about, but he knew enough about how typical dates ended to be concerned about what would be expected of him now, but he tried to calm that. This was still a fake date, and he was still being taught, nothing was really expected of him... yet. He could be nervous about it for next week.

"Okay. Ah. Should I...?" he made a move as though he were going to inch forward into her personal space.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-18 03:41 am UTC (link)

Ari watched his stumbling with a fondness born of their friendship and the blooming 'maybe something more' that was sprouting between them. She reached out a hand to steady him, brows lifting slightly.

"Only if you want to," she replied to his question. "I certainly wouldn't want you to kiss me because you think it's the expected ending of a first date. Only if you wanted to kiss me," she assured him. She hoped he did want to kiss her, but she'd rather he be comfortable than anything else.

If he just wanted to scoot off to his own quarters without anything physical, she'd be all right with that.

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trustingnature
2010-04-18 05:55 am UTC (link)

He thought about that. Did he want to kiss her? Absolutely. Did he think he could? Maybe. Not nearly as sure about that one. He swallowed heavily, and awkwardly managed to mumble out. "I want to, if that's, if it's okay," before he awkwardly shifted his weight from foot to foot, hands moving from behind his back to in front of him as he tried to decide what to do with them.

Deciding that she had already said it was okay if he kissed her, he swallowed again and took an awkward step forward, settling his hands lightly on her hips, almost nervously, wondering if that was okay before he leaned in sort of awkwardly, pressing his lips gently against hers in a chaste kiss.

At which point a lot of the stress he was feeling sort of relaxed, and he stopped being so rigid in front of her, realizing that the sky wasn't going to fall down if he wasn't the greatest kisser in the world, and he pulled back carefully, offering her a shy smile that asked the question, 'was that okay?'

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teases_muggles
2010-04-18 06:05 am UTC (link)

She was surprised that he went for it, and she had to remember that she did actually have restraint. Her eyes half closed as she returned the kiss as gently and chastely as he gave it to her. She was reluctant to break the kiss, and she made a mental note not to invite him in after their date next week - especially if she'd had anything to drink. Her restraint only went so far, after all.

Returning his smile, she leaned back in to press her lips to the corner of his mouth; her way of answering his unspoken question. "Have a good night, Neville," she said quietly. "I'll let you know as soon as I've figured out anything for next weekend," she promised. The more time he had to plan his end of things, the better. Or so she assumed.

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trustingnature
2010-04-18 06:28 am UTC (link)

He nodded, clearing his throat a few times to try and find words. He'd used to know lots of words, know how to speak them too. "Ah. Hm," he nodded his head, his eyes widening briefly as he tried to trick his mouth into remembering to form words. Really. He had been able to do this one.

"G...goodnight," he managed finally, and he was ridiculously pleased with himself for managing that, so he tried again. "Thank you, very much, for this... for dinner," he finished. For teaching me how to date you, for agreeing to go out with me next weekend, for a lot of things that he couldn't put into words right now but which seemed accurately summed up in 'for dinner'. "I had a nice time," he was managing whole sentences without stuttering now.

He turned, trying not to trip over his own feet as he moved towards the door, wondering if he was going to be able to make it back to his own room with his current giddy state of mind, an almost half trying to walk backwards it seemed, not really wanting to take his eyes off her.

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teases_muggles
2010-04-18 06:46 am UTC (link)

Ari pressed a hand to her mouth as she watched Neville's retreat, attempting to stifle the giggle which was reflected in hazel eyes. "Goodnight," she said quietly.

Once he'd successfully left her room, Ari slipped out her wand to clean up the dinner dishes and to lock her door. It was a habit she was trying to enforce on herself; if some Death Eater crept back in the middle of the night, she wasn't horribly inclined to have that sort of rude awakening.

With that taken care of, Ari allowed her less restrained smile to pull at her lips as she retreated to her bedroom. So she was going to go out with him next weekend ... and she'd see where things went from there.

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