Who: Megan and Hannah What: Chatting and Catching Up When: Backdated to before the incident we shall name "Ernie opens his big mouth" Where: Megan's flat Rating: PG Status: Complete
Megan was glad that her and Hannah were going to have a day just to hang out. It had been a while since they had done that and Megan was looking forward to it. She went a little crazy with making sweets and she also had a little left over from when Teddy was over.
She heard a knock on the door as she moved the food from the kitchen to the living room. "It's open!" Megan shouted so that Hannah knew to come on in. "Hi, Han! How are you?" Megan asked as she made another trip from the kitchen to the living room.
"Sweet Helga, how much do you have in here?" Hannah blurted, walking into the living room where Megan was currently overloading the place with sweets and goodies. Not that she was going to complain. She simply hadn't had the time to sit back and bake. The Ministry kept her too busy. Most of her time was spent trying to get in overtime. She'd discovered that was when the most talking 'behind doors' went on.
But she'd missed getting to bake and she missed her friends even more. Even time with Ernie was limited, and he worked just a few desks away. "Cooking for an army, Meg? Having the whole team come over? Or maybe you think a desk job is making me fat?" she teased.
"Haha." Megan said, rolling her eyes. "If I thought a desk job was making you fat, why would I add to it?" she teased back. "Nah. I've been teaching Teddy how to bake, so there tends to be a lot left. And the team would love it if I stopped bringing them food." Megan paused. She didn't know if Hannah wanted to know that or not. "I hope that it's okay that I've been teaching Teddy how to bake."
Hannah paused and bit her lower lip lightly. No. No, of course it didn't bother her. Not at all. Did it? She and Teddy had been broken up for a long time. That didn't mean she wanted anyone else having the place that had once been hers. But it was okay, wasn't it? She'd moved on...right? "Sure, why wouldn't it be?" she asked airily, trying to sound as if she didn't care. When she was pretty sure she did.
"I wasn't sure how the two of you are getting along." Megan responded. She was sure that Hannah did still care, but she didn't want to keep on the topic when she didn't have to. "So, how is everything at the Ministry? Do you like your job?"
Well they were getting along fine, but that didn't mean... No. Hannah wasn't going to dwell. In fact, she'd do everything she could not to. "It's kind of brilliant, actually," she said, sitting down and curling her legs up beneath her. "It's not as hard as I was afraid it would be. And I'm learning so much. Plus it just feels so professional walking in the Ministry every morning, like I'm finally an adult, you know?"
"That's great, Han! I'm so happy for you." Megan told her as she ate a cupcake. She offered another cupcake to Hannah. "I know you were worried about getting such a job, so I'm glad you did find one. What do you get to do? I bet it's something brilliant. Get to boss anyone around or is it still to early for you to do that?"
Hannah giggled as she accepted the cupcake. "Hardly," she scoffed. "That's kind of like... Are you the captain of the team yet? No? So do you get to boss people around? Definitely not! Besides, Ernie will be up there long before I will." A little glimmer of pride tinged her voice, instead of the resentment and jealousy most people might have shown. Even if it did still irk her, just a little, that Ernie hadn't thought she could handle it herself.
Megan laughed. "One day! One day we will both be in a position of power to boss other people around." Then Hannah mentioned Ernie. She hadn't known he had gotten a job at the Ministry. And now it made more sense when Teddy said he was busy with work. "I didn't know Ernie got a job at the Ministry. Good for him. Though, I have hopes you'll be there before him."
"Oh, I don't," Hannah admitted. "I can't really see myself in power, you know? But him... Well, I always sort of thought he would be." Of course she didn't tell Megan the real reason Ernie was in the Ministry. She hadn't told her the reason she was, either. It wasn't that she didn't trust her. She'd lived with her for years, of course she trusted her. But it was dangerous and the more people who knew, the more trouble they could run into.
"You never know. Though, I do remember thinking that he'd be Minister of Magic one day back in second or third year. Seems the type, doesn't he?" Megan said. "You do know that you are brilliant, right Han? Want another cupcake? Or something else because I have plenty as you can see!" Megan picked up another cupcake herself and grinned. "We are all brilliant!"
Despite herself, Hannah held up a hand in protest. "No, I definitely can't. Working a desk job is making it harder to keep off weight." Fortunately it was starting to warm up again and she could start swimming. "I've always thought he'd be Minister some day. Nothing's changed my mind on that."
"I suppose I'll let it slide this time since you do have a desk job and all." Megan said with a fake pout. "Lucky for me I have Quidditch and Herbology studies to keep me occupied with all this delicious goodness." She ate her cupcake. "He's a great bloke."
Part of Hannah still wished she'd had it in her to try out for the professional teams. But that was so much more Megan's thing. Though Hannah loved the sport and was good at it, she'd never be that good. So she had to be happy for her friend and enjoy getting to go see the games instead. "He's wonderful," Hannah confirmed, then, resuming talk about Ernie. "I really don't know anyone like him. He's been through so much and come out just that much stronger for it." Did it sound like she was gushing? Maybe she was. He was her best friend in the entire world, she had that right.
Megan nodded her head in agreement as she grabbed herself a brownie this time. Next time Teddy was over for a baking lesson, it was either going to be something healthy or something to send home with him because she felt like she was going to start getting fat. "I think you're right. I don't think I know anyone like him. And he has. I can't imagine what you and he have been through." Although most of her life, she had grown up without a mother, who was still alive and living somewhere in London. But that was completely different from Hannah and Ernie's situations.
It might have been different, but it didn't mean Hannah didn't feel for Megan. Though she'd lost her mother much sooner than she'd have liked, at least she knew her. Her mum's influence was in everything she did. Megan didn't have that. "Mum would've been proud of you," she admitted a beat later, her eyes going dark. "She thought Quidditch was brilliant. But if you chose Herbology? She wouldn't exactly be upset about that, either. Our whole world was amazing to her."
"I'm glad it was amazing for her. This world is completely amazing and I'm so glad that you and I get to be a part of it." Megan gave Hannah a smile. "How is everyone in your family?"
"Oh, same old, same old. You know them. Never around enough unless they are, and then there's too many of them. What about you? How's your aunt doing?" Okay, fine. She'd known Megan for about nine years, it still never got old that her aunt was the Gwenog Jones.
"Clara's complaining about having to sit her OWLs this year. I'm sure she'll be just fine. She's a much better overall student than I ever was and I did fine on mine." Megan hadn't spoken to her aunt as much lately, everyone was busy with Quidditch, especially Gwenog being captain and all. "She's good. Busy drilling her team. We face them in about a month. Should be rather interesting match."
A grin crossed Hannah's face. "And sometimes I'm glad I'm the youngest. I'd hate to be panicking for someone else's exams." And she would, too. It was just Hannah's way, if someone she cared about was worried over something, so was she. "I am going to have tickets for that match, aren't I? That should be amazing, you know she's not going to go any easier on you just because it's you."
Megan shook her head. "I'll get you tickets! And no, she won't. I have to be on top of my game against her, since she's the one who got me started as a Beater." Megan grinned. "But, I do plan to get on the Harpies one day, if I stick with Quidditch."
"You still haven't decided?" Hannah asked with understanding in her tone. If anyone would understand, it would be Hannah. She still wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Being a secretary was good work, and it would keep her near Ernie if her idea of the perfect Ministry ever came true. But was it how she wanted to spend her life? She wasn't entirely sure. "When do you think you'll know?"
"No, I haven't. I just...." Megan sighed. "I don't know which to pick. I love them both equally and it all weighs out equally too. You know what I mean?" But presently, Megan was still just reserves for the Arrows. If that changed, then pursuing a career as a Herbologist would most likely become impossible with the little amount of time she'd have to study. "I suppose if I get off the reserves, maybe I will pick Quidditch."
Hannah nodded sympathetically. "But remember, for some people? That doesn't happen for years. You could be missing out on some amazing Herbological opportunities while you wait."
"I know. Big decision." Megan said. "I should just be lucky that I'm able to do both right now. And I do feel lucky. I'm glad that I've had this opportunity."
"You are lucky," Hannah agreed. "Just think of all the people who wouldn't be able to do either one. And you can do both. How many other people can say that?" Definitely not her.
"Probably not many. But there are plenty of people who could be able to do either." Megan answered. "Ok. I think we should watch the telly or something."
Grinning, Hannah finally nodded. She did like the idea of something completely mindless instead of having such a serious discussion. Mostly because it just upset her. A lot. The whole growing up thing was hard work. "You know, Dad's considering having ours disconnected? Apparently, it disrupts his thinking. And I'm a witch, I shouldn't need it. Or something like that."
Megan just starred at Hannah. She had missed television when her father moved them from London to Holyhead. "But... but telly provides entertainment! Of course you need it! That is just odd, Hannah." Megan told her. "Too bad it disrupts his thinking."
But Hannah just grinned, leaned back into the sofa, and reached for the remote control. "All the more reason to come over more often, I'd say!"