Tweak

InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Pantaloons!"

Username: 
Password:    
Remember Me
  • Create Account
  • IJ Login
  • OpenID Login
Search by : 
  • View
    • Create Account
    • IJ Login
    • OpenID Login
  • Journal
    • Post
    • Edit Entries
    • Customize Journal
    • Comment Settings
    • Recent Comments
    • Manage Tags
  • Account
    • Manage Account
    • Viewing Options
    • Manage Profile
    • Manage Notifications
    • Manage Pictures
    • Manage Schools
    • Account Status
  • Friends
    • Edit Friends
    • Edit Custom Groups
    • Friends Filter
    • Nudge Friends
    • Invite
    • Create RSS Feed
  • Asylums
    • Post
    • Asylum Invitations
    • Manage Asylums
    • Create Asylum
  • Site
    • Support
    • Upgrade Account
    • FAQs
    • Search By Location
    • Search By Interest
    • Search Randomly

Melinda Bobbin ([info]_melinda_) wrote in [info]finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-08-23 11:19:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:character: blaise zabini, character: cho chang, character: dominic chambers, character: mandy brocklehurst, character: melinda bobbin, character: oliver wood, status: complete

RP: Food, drinks, fairy lights… I think we’re ready!
Who: Cho, Melinda and OPEN to everyone
What: The girls are celebrating their 25th birthdays
Where: The rooftop garden above Sweet Nothings, Monument Alley
When: August 23, 7pm and later
Rating: SFW – will ‘upgrade’ if that changes


It was a mild evening, and though dusk had only just begun to settle, the fairy lights were already twinkling in the ferns and brightly coloured flowers that were spilling from pots in between the hodgepodge of furniture Melinda and Cho had gathered through the past couple of years they had lived here. Off to the side, against the wall to the neighbours, was a table with a buffet of various finger foods. As promised, Melinda hadn’t baked for tonight, however she hadn’t held back when she had moved the best of the leftovers from the shop to the always accessible cooler right next to the buffet. Cho, it seemed, had also gone all out and had held true to her word when she had said she would pick up the best mixing to make a punch that would have people dancing all night.

The punch did indeed pack quite a, well, punch, and with the punch bowl surrounded by bottles of beer, liquor and juices, along with bowls of both fresh and frozen fruits as well as a number of other drinks mixings and trimmings, Melinda would be surprised if anyone couldn’t find something they liked.

Before the guests had arrived, the girls had redone the Charms and Wards on the garden to allow the guests, who didn’t come up the three flights of stairs, to arrive either on broom or by Apparation, as well as keeping the upbeat music – that was loud enough to be fun, but not so loud as to drown out conversation – from bothering the neighbours.

Already people were dancing, and Melinda had had more hugs and kisses than she could count. With a bright smile she grabbed her drink, and waved at Cho; this was going to be a great evening.



(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

Re: Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-23 10:21 pm UTC (link)
Once again Oliver surprised her. “And he dances, too!” Melinda chuckled, taking her glass from him again as her hand slipped under his elbow. “You sure can.” Setting her glass on the first table they passed, she let Oliver lead the way to the open space that doubled as a dance floor tonight.

“So, I suppose now’s not the time to admit, that aside from the buffet and the drinks table, this is pretty much what this place always looks like?” Melinda tilted her head back and looked up at him, letting him find the rhythm of the music and then followed his lead. “Or that I was about to ask you if you wanted a drink and congratulate you on Puddlemere’s victory last night?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-23 10:45 pm UTC (link)
"He dances quite regularly," Oliver responded laughing. He might have been a big quidditch player (big, but not tall. He was fine with this), but that didn't mean he didn't like to get down on occasion. At least dancing on a rooftop seemed like a good time to him, especially with a pretty blonde who he'd just impressed with a gift. He might not be very smart with girls, but he'd eventually learned a thing or two. "Glad to hear it," he said as he handed back over her glass and led her to the open space.

He put his arm around her waist and pulled her close, his other hand closing around hers. "If this is what it always looks like, maybe I should come over more often." She was smaller than him, which was a nice change of pace. The last couple of girls he'd dated had been rather tall and looked him square in the face. He whirled them around the small space, letting his childhood dance lessons take over. "Why thank you! I'm fine at the moment. Getting a drink would mean we'd have to stop dancing, and that doesn't appeal at the moment."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-23 11:13 pm UTC (link)
There was a safety to dancing with Oliver that Melinda couldn’t put a finger on. He was big, just tall enough that even wearing heels she had to look up to look him in the eyes. But his sturdy form against hers and the confidence with which he simply pulled her close was comforting and made her relax, simply letting the pressure of his hips and thighs against hers dictate how her feet would move. “I don’t see why that couldn’t happen,” she said and let her eyes glide over the garden. It really was an eclectic collection when it came to both furniture and plants. But both Cho and herself liked pretty things and both of them were working in professions where arranging things and objects so they looked their best was a key element. “It’s our little oasis, a… not so secret hideaway, really.”

Laughing with delight as he spun them around, Melinda clenched he fingers a little tighter on his shoulder. “No, the drinks can definitely wait,” she smiled up at him, her hold on his hand only loosening a little, though she did nothing to move away from him. “Where did you learn to dance like this?” She had dated a Quidditch player some years ago, and he had not had that sense of rhythm, or at least the skill to use it smoothly.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-23 11:34 pm UTC (link)
Oliver Wood was many things, but solid is a really good descriptor. He might not have been the best wizard or the smartest, but he was solid and sure and he could fly circles around the pitch. "You wouldn't mind me creeping into your garden to smell the flowers?" he asked with a fake straight face. "It looks like a little oasis. My flat doesn't even have a window, let alone anything growing."

He liked the feel of her holding onto his shoulder and he was glad that she didn't want to run off and have drinks. It meant more time alone to woo her, though he wasn't sure how well he was doing that or to what purpose. He was solid, but he wasn't much of a planner. "My mum and sister, actually," he answered chuckling. "You like? You move pretty well yourself."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-23 11:55 pm UTC (link)
“Creeping? Really?” Melinda looked up at Oliver, her lips quivering slightly as she tried to keep a smile from ruining the look of doubt on her face before she shook her head. “You really don’t seem like the creeping type to me,” she chuckled. “Besides, if you really want to smell my flowers, there are better and easier ways to do that than creeping.” Releasing the smile that just seemed to find its way to her lips naturally tonight, she tilted her head, watching him curiously for a moment. “No window, really?” Living without plants she could somewhat understand, though even that would only have to be temporary for her, but thinking of her own flat with the windows on both sides, she could only think that living in a place without windows would be downright punishing for her.

“Thank you. I do like,” she assured him. “Your mum and sister did a very good job. My compliments to them.” Flirting with Oliver on the journal had been easy, just like dancing with him was easy. Melinda had meant it when she had told Cho that she didn’t have a plan when it came to men and dating. And really? Was it so bad to enjoy an evening with a handsome, charming man, get to know him a little better and then take it from there? Melinda didn’t think so. “Dad taught me, when we were living in the flat above the Apothecary, before I went to Hogwarts.”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-24 12:25 am UTC (link)
"You haven't seen me sneak into your garden, have you?" he asked, lifting his eyebrows. "Because I can be decidedly creepy when I'm trying to get a good rose sniff in." He shrugged his shoulders as he swayed, trying to think of a good answer to why a successful quidditch star would live in a shitty flat. "I guess I never like spending too much time there alone so it doesn't really matter what it looks like. I miss having growing things though. Means I just spend more time going home. Or to friends houses that have them."

He squeezed her hand a bit and laughed. "I'll be sure to tell them. I'm sure they'll be thrilled that my childhood humiliation came to some good." He listened and nodded slowly. "Your dad did a good job. Parents should teach them to dance so they can have romantic moments on rooftops on their birthday." He looked down at her and winked. "I mean, this IS romantic, isn't it?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-24 10:26 am UTC (link)
“No,” Melinda laughed, shaking her head. “No, I haven’t seen you sneak anywhere, which is why I have a hard time seeing you as the creeping type, which, I might add, is quite different from being creepy.” Granted, Oliver didn’t strike her as creepy either, though she had an easier time imagining him being creepy than trying to creep in anywhere. In a way, Oliver’s attitude to his flat’s lacking windows made sense; it just wasn’t a way Melinda could imagine living. “And now you know one more place you’re welcome to visit,” she stated, before she amended; “Though I may have to talk to Cho before setting the Wards to free aerial arrival or at the very least give her a heads up about it.”

Oliver’s admission of his humiliation by dancing had Melinda coo sympathetically. “You seem to have recovered remarkably, though.” Looking up at him, even she was aware how cliché it was that a small wink from him could make her tummy feel just a little funny. Still, she had to admit that he was right, with a small smile she nodded. “It is,” she admitted softly, “but it isn’t my birthday. That was yesterday and it was decidedly unromantic. Woe is me,” she chuckled.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-24 04:47 pm UTC (link)
"Well," he said nodding, looking around, "you just made a gigantic mistake because I'll be here all the time. You'll be sick of seeing me. Just let me know when you change the wards so I don't end up flying off my broom on my arse. As amusing as that might be, I think my manager would have a fit if I miss a game, and you don't want the Puddlemere front office mad at you, let me tell you." He was joking, but he was actually thinking he wouldn't mind spending more time here, especially with Melinda, especially with how she was looking at him.

"Many years of therapy," he said solemnly. Her comment about her birthday made Oliver raise his eyebrow and look back down at her. "That's a crime. A beautiful girl like you deserves a romantic birthday. One to remember at least. How can I help make that up to you?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-24 06:22 pm UTC (link)
“Ah, yeah, wouldn’t want to risk that,” Melinda laughed. “Supposedly I’m already in danger of being on their bad side by making a cake right to their Keeper’s taste. So, how about I warn you if I change the wards and you let me decide whether I just made a mistake or not?” She knew Oliver was joking, but she had a hard time seeing how she would regret offering someone who could make her smile and with whom she obviously had chemistry with an open invitation to spend time here, in a place that she already loved.

“Yeah, I’d hoped for at least someone picking up a fraisier for their girlfriend or even just a cookie, but, not even an order for a wedding cake,” Melinda sighed dramatically, though even that didn’t keep the blush from creeping into her cheeks. “I can’t tell you,” she admitted and bit her lip, her cheeks growing even darker. “Not that I don’t want to, but if I did… well, spontaneity is just about as romantic as it can get for me, and if I told you what to do, it wouldn’t be romantic, would it?” Maybe it was because she was a planner – she had to be or her business wouldn’t have lasted as long or as successfully as it had – but nothing had swept her off her feet as genuine gestures that she hadn’t seen coming or something simple and ordinary turning extraordinary, solely because of who she was with at the time.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-24 06:50 pm UTC (link)
"You needn't worry on that score. Perhaps I'll show you later, but it hasn't been an issue in the least. Thankfully for your bakery, I work extra hard so I have have the occasional sweet. But, I shall trust your judgement. You let me know when the password changes and I shall pop round your beautiful rooftop garden to visit. We'll see who ends up being right." He gave her a little spin and pulled her close again, his hand moving from her waist to her back. "Ahh, much better," he added.

His brow went up even more at the challenge. Leaning down so his mouth was close to her ear he whispered. "Well, it just so happens that I might have a nice, spontaneous spot in mind. Do you truth me? Or would it be rude to leave your party behind for a bit? All in the name of romance though," he added, leaning back and winking at her again. Maybe it was rash, but Oliver was rash. And he did have a place in mind, and under the fairy lights Melinda was even more enchanting than on their linked journals. He liked getting caught up in this kind of romantic gesture. Much better than snogging a girl to get her to shut up, and shagging her because he couldn't think of a good enough reason not to. Bad mistakes. He was putting those behind him for now, and living in the moment. Maybe she'd turn him down, but it was worth the risk.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-24 08:36 pm UTC (link)
“I’m already looking forward to it. Next step will be adding ‘Motivational Baker’ to my business card,” Melinda chuckled before Oliver spun her. As he held her closer, her hand came back to his shoulder, the tips of her fingers just skimming the skin on his neck.

Oliver’s breath was warm as it ghosted over the shell of her ear with each word he spoke. Instinctively she turned her head towards him, chasing that gentle touch as she listened, considered… Looking up at him when he leaned back, she was tempted and torn. Cutting out early from her own party would be considered rude, but Oliver had said ‘for a bit’, and Cho would most likely choke her if she passed up an opportunity like this. Of course, Melinda knew she would always wonder ‘what if?’ if she didn’t go, and that was what had her nodding. “I trust you.” Already she could feel the excitement – with just a smidgen of guilt at leaving her own party even for just a bit with a man who was turning out to be more than she had expected when she had invited him over the journal – bubbling inside her as she nodded again.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-24 09:07 pm UTC (link)
"Motivational Baker sounds like the new, hip occupation. Sign me up!" he joked. "Of course, my baking would mostly likely motivate people to throw up, so I guess I should stick to Keeper. Suits me better." The brush of Melinda's fingers on his neck was doing a very good job of motivating him to want to come back more often, and he hoped he could cement that idea with his little jaunt.

When she agreed, Oliver was delighted-he could think well on his feet and he was good at sweeping girls off their feet, if unpracticed on what to do once he had them. He didn't worry about that part and only smiled widely and summoned his broom. "I promise to have you back in one piece before they cut the cake," he vowed, before setting her next to him and hopping up. His broom was designed by his brother, and the balance hardly shifted at all with the added weight of Melinda (though she was quite slight, of course). "Hold on tight," he said, and kicked off from the ground, ignoring the stares after them.

Off he flew, a destination not TOO far off in mind. Though it was long closed, Oliver knew a wizard who moonlighted at the London Eye, and he knew the password to get in the top of the stilled ride. From up there, the city below glowed. He helped Melinda down and let her take the sights in for a moment before approaching her, taking her into his arms and looking down on her, eyes twinkling again.

"Do you like it?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-24 10:46 pm UTC (link)
“Nonsense!” Melinda objected with mock-outrage, that soon turned into unbreakable confidence; “I can teach you to make just about any cake and you’d have people come back for more. Then again, I would need a spokesperson, and who better than someone who’s actually been through the program and who would look good in the brochures?”

When Oliver summoned his broom, Melinda caught Cho’s eyes and held up her hand as if to say ‘Five minutes’. It might take longer than that, but she just wanted to let her know that she intended to be back fairly soon. Looking down at the broom she drew in a deep breath; it had been years since she had been on a broom, and she had never been considered a strong flyer. Oliver, however, she knew to be one, so taking his hand for support, she stepped out of her shoes and let him help her onto the broom. Her arms tightened around his waist when he kicked off and they were airborne.

Melinda watched the lights of the city as they flew over it, but it wasn’t until Oliver landed on top of the London Eye that she realised where they were. Up here, the wind was whipping her hair in her face and her dress around her legs, but the view! The view was amazing and Melinda was speechless. Nothing she had done or tried before provided her with words to describe what she was seeing. Only one word kept coming back to her.

Oliver’s arms around her brought her back to the here and now, and slowly she turned in his arms until she was looking up at him. Her eyes were shining; her smile was bright when she nodded. “It’s beautiful,” she smiled up at him, her head spinning and her heart pounding, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the height and the wind or if it was from the way Oliver was looking at her. “This is… one to remember.” Leaning closer to him, she rose up on her toes resting her hands on his chest. “Thank you, Oliver,” she whispered against his lips.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-24 11:33 pm UTC (link)
Oliver nodded, impressed by her business acumen. "Sounds like you have it all figured out. I can smile and show up in pamphlets just fine, so I think this should work out much better." He wasn't paying much attention to what Melinda was doing in order to leave. Once he had set his mind on sweeping Melinda off her feet, he cared very little for mundane details like the fact that she was meant to be hosting a party.

The feel of the wind in his face invigorated him, and Melinda's arms clinging to him were all the better for making him feel alive. He moved well on a broom, he knew it to be true, but he still was careful not to scare her by doing any flashy moves. At the Eye, he watched Melinda's reaction more than he paid attention to the beautiful view outside. The nice thing about the capsules were that it was easy to move around and see everything, while feeling perfectly safe at the same time. He felt it was a good analogy to him-on the one hand, seems dangerous, while on the other, safe as kittens.

"I'd hoped you say that. I like giving a beautiful girl something to remember on the day after her birthday." He closed the inches between them and kissed Melinda back, realizing he'd been waiting for this since they talked on the journals. His hands went to her hair, his fingers trailing down the back of her neck and around to stroke her throat. He pulled back only enough to whisper back, his breath warm on his lips and his voice low, "You're very welcome," before kissing her again.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-25 08:03 am UTC (link)
Melinda’s breath hitched slightly in the back of her throat when the kiss deepened. Her hand came up to touch Oliver’s on her throat as she arched into his touch. The rational part of her told her to keep her head about her, to keep in mind that just because man showed you London at night from a bird’s eye view, it didn’t mean that she have to give in and that it had probably been done thousands of times before. Which was all true, but nobody had ever done this for her. Oliver had. And he had been funny and sweet, had given her a pretty comb for her hair, calling her beautiful and was turning out to be quite a bit more romantic than she had imagined. In Melinda’s mind, no sane girl would turn that down.

The need for air had her pull back a little, her soft sigh filled with regret as she stood back down on her flat feet. “I don’t want to, but we should probably go back,” she said quietly, her disappointment clear in her eyes and voice, though she soon sent him a hopeful look when she tilted her head slightly. “Do you think maybe we could pick this up later?”

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-26 04:50 am UTC (link)
Oliver would be lying if he had said he hadn't thought he'd be ending the night by snogging Melinda. He was, however, a little surprised by the way the whole evening felt. Of course, a niggling part of him wondered if he was playing at something bigger than he should. But it was nice, being somewhere romantic with a girl he found fun and nice to be with. He wasn't sure if this would go somewhere, but he wouldn't mind it if it did. But those were ideas for a much different time. Now wasn't for thinking, it was for enjoying the moment.

He groaned but nodded when Melinda pulled back. "I guess it would be rude for me to keep you away from it too much longer. But I hope you didn't mind the distraction too much." He curled a large finger around a lock of her blonde hair, quirking a smile at her tilted head.

"As you wish," he responded, stepping back and grabbing his broom.

"Off we go then?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Melinda and Oliver and Open
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-26 05:34 am UTC (link)
Melinda drew in a deep breath, trying to keep her mind about her. This whatever it was with Oliver could barely even be called a thing and it didn’t even have the timespan stretching past an hour – if you didn’t count the time between the comments in the journal and the actual party – but it just had that hint of more that she thought she wouldn’t mind exploring… even if she knew there was the risk that she was just fooling herself. “Mind the distraction?” Melinda chuckled glancing up at Oliver, shaking her head slightly. “If I hadn’t been the host, I wouldn’t have minded if this was an early departure.”

Her eyes on his finger as he twirled her hair around it, she turned her head just enough to brush her cheek against his hand. She bit her lip to swallow back the sigh when he stepped away from her. If she had her wish, it wouldn’t be the party they would be going back to, though she also did want to enjoy the party and her friends and just when had it become so difficult to balance everything?

And that was what had her moving back to Oliver, her arm slipping around his waist. “In a minute,” she told him, the warm and suddenly familiar feel of his body emboldening her to kiss him heatedly as the fingers of her free hand clenched around the fabric of his shirt. “I just need to make the rounds back there,” she murmured. “Then I could… we could…” They could something, she was sure they could come up with an excuse to leave, without it being too rude.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver
[info]oliverwoodwould
2014-08-26 05:53 am UTC (link)
Oliver chuckled and tapped Melinda playfully on the nose. "I guess it's just as well you're the host because if you say things like that it gives me ideas." He gave her a long crooked glance, happy to let his mind clear of anything but this little capsule on top of the world, even though he knew they needed to leave soon. It was nice, taking this moment out of time.

He hand't expected her to stop him from getting back on the broom, let alone for her to kiss him again, and with such passion. He carefully lowered his broom back on the bench (okay, he was a quidditch man at heart and that baby meant the world to him. His baby brother designed it stick by stick after all), before wrapping his arms around Melinda, his large Keeper's hands clutching at her pretty dress. It was a moment before he could process what she was asking, and he found himself giving a funny answer. "We could. But birthday girl, you're special. So, while I'm happy to keep snogging you silly later, I think I'm going to say that's where we'll end it." He wasn't sure why, but something told him not to go too fast with this one. He smile at her and brushed hair out of her face. "Maybe we could watch the sunrise together. I know another great spot," he added, kissing her nose.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Melinda and Oliver
[info]_melinda_
2014-08-26 07:28 am UTC (link)
It was a rare occasion, but even those happened, when it was someone other than Melinda who was the rational one, and in this case it was a charmingly spontaneous Gryffindor. His gentle gesture, brushing hair out of her face had her eyes flutter closed for a moment before she nodded, his suggestion – which sounded almost like a plan – making her smile. “Sounds like something to remember” she said softly, tilting her head up for a soft peck to his lips. And if they didn’t make it to that other spot, the rooftop was facing east and the garden sofa well stocked with blankets for cold evenings.

“Thank you,” she whispered, gently tracing the tips of her fingers along his jawline. “We should go,” she sighed then nodded as if to steel off her decision. Reaching down to the bench, she picked up Oliver’s broom and handed it to him. “Before Cho lays claim to my shoes,” or before she caved and did something that would ruin what they had started here tonight. “And my feet are getting cold.”

(Reply to this) (Parent)


(Read comments) -


Home | Site Map | Manage Account | TOS | Privacy | Support | FAQs